Ryan L. with Zach Forrest at CrossFit Max Effort
- We’re just 6 days away from our Memorial Day “Murph” event! Right now we’re looking for volunteers to help clean up after the event. CFSBK will provide one keg, burgers, and sasuages, but please feel free to BYOB and more delicious foods. Please contact Events Coordinator Danae at Danae [at] CrossFitSouthBrooklyn [dot] com to let her know you can help out.
- Beloved former CFSBK blog Managing Editor Kate R. has been doing a lot of writing since she left us. Her most recent work for Wellesley Magazine, “A Fragile Gift,” is a beaut and you should read it!
CFSBK On the Road: Ryan L. Visits CrossFit Max Effort
Editor’s Note: Ryan L. recently visited CrossFit Max Effort in Las Vegas, and we’re very happy to bring you his report on the experience! If you’ve had a good experience visiting an out-of-town affiliate, we’d love to hear about it!
After a couple of late evenings in Las Vegas, I took a quick cab from the Aria to CrossFit Max Effort for an afternoon workout. The 4:00pm class is listed as their “Performance” class, and they weren’t lying. In addition to working out with 3 women and two guys who had just participated at Regionals, former Games participant, CF Seminar staffer, and gym owner Zach Forrest joined as well. Gut check time!
First, the experience as a drop-in: it was $20 for a single drop-in. They average 100 drop-ins each week and have a great system in place. You are greeted at the front desk and then shown around their huge facility. The front desk person briefs you on how they warm up and where you can stretch. Super friendly and super inviting. I was one of three drop-ins at the 4:00pm class.
There was no lifting component on the front end, but the warm up was extensive and really well run. I got tons of individual attention with a huge focus on form and fundamentals. Great explanations on “why” we were doing certain progressions and how they would be relevant in the WOD.
The Performance workout consisted of:
For time:
2 Bar Muscle-Ups
4 Squat Cleans 205/135
8 Strict Handstand Push-Ups
16 KB Swings 32/24kg
32 Pull-Ups
16 KB Swings 32/24kg
8 Strict Handstand Push-Ups
4 Squat Cleans 205/135
2 Bar Muscle-Ups
I scaled the Squat Cleans to 175. This workout destroyed my grip. The fastest times were in the low 4:00s and the highest were above 10 minuntes if the Handstand Push-Ups or Bar Muscle-Ups got sticky, which they did.
I’d definitely go back. And next time I might aim for a few more hours of sleep the night before.
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Ring Dips or DB Bench | Power Cleans, Push Presses, Muscle-Ups
High School Junior Completes 7,000 Pull-Ups in One Day Washington Post
Barbell Safety Tips WODprep
Wednesday's Programming
Back Squat / Deadlift
Performance
3 x 6
Add weight to last week. Use full ROM and control.
Fitness
3 x 5 Linear Progression
Add 5-10 lbs to last week.
Deadlift
1×4
Warm up and perform one heavy (and perfect) set of 4 reps, heavier than last week. Touch-and-go is permitted.
Post loads to comments.
Exposure 7 of 8
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AMRAP 9 Minutes:
3 Burpees
3 Toes-to-Bars
6 Burpees
6 Toes-to-Bars
9 Burpees
9 Toes to Bars
12 Burpees
12 Toes-to-Bars
—Add 3 reps per round until the call of time.
Post time and Rx to comments.
8:30 last night with David
Ring dips : 8/9/10/10/12
WOD 15:03 Rx weight with bar MUs
Cleans : 8/6/1; 5/5/4/1; 5/5/4/1
Push press : unbroken
Bar MU : 3/2/1; 2/2/1/1; 1/1/1/1/1/1
I was at the tail end of a hangover so the cleans were harder than I anticipated. They really sucked the wind out of me in the later rounds. PP weren't too bad I was able to cycle them unbroken all 3 rounds. Went with bar MU after missing first two warm ups on the rings. Just not comfortable on those. Tried to stay on the bar for mutilple reps each round but lost that by the 3rd.
5:30am at Brick Boston Downtown
Warmup –
3 rounds:
10 banded good mornings
10 glute bridges
:20 side plank each side
10 romanian deadlifts with empty bar
Lift –
Deadlift, every 3min for 12min:
Set 1 – 8 reps, I did 225#
Set 2 – 6 reps, #245
Set 3 – 8 reps, #255
Set 4 – 6 reps, #265
All done at a 2 down, 1 pause, 1 fast up tempo
Conditioning –
AMRAP 1: 4min
10 strict pullups
20 KB swings
30 air squats
Rest 4min
AMRAP 2: 4min
Max cal row
Rest 4min
AMRAP 3: 4min
50 / 75 wall balls
Max power cleans at 135#
The deadlifts were not too bad and should have gone a bit heavier. The conditioning was gross, especially after the running + air squats met con on Sunday. I hit 2 rounds + 1 pull up in #1, then 75 cal in #2, then 8 power cleans after doing the 75 rep version of the WB. I had to break up the wall balls into 5s at the end my legs and arms were so toasted.
I go to this gym every time I stay overnight in Boston; the coaches are good and really nice, but their 6am class has very little energy and no desire to have casual conversation. Not even any light banter!
AG
A.
Handstand walks
B.
Pull ups
4-3-2-1-1
same load/assistance as previous week
C.
5 Rounds
3 pull ups
6 burpees
9 Box Jumps
Rest :90
6am Monday's work with Jess Fox
Ring dips 12×5. I skipped the rep out looking ahead to the muscle ups.
Metcon: 11:57 rx. Last set of muscle ups had a few fails and cost me probably 1:30. Cleans/push press were 8/6/1+9 each round although I bailed a couple instead of t&g in the set of 6 in the last round.
Headed to Camden Maine for work today. Hoping Stone Coast CrossFit will let me squat tomorrow.
LBBS: 200 x 6 x 3. Six is such a better number.
Deadlift: 310 x 4. First two felt okay, little rounded on the third, tried to brace a lot for the fourth.
WOD: 12 + 26. T2B take time, so I could usually get back to the burpees pretty well rested.
Michael, can you even call it crossfit if there is no light banter?
6 am doing Wednesday's workout
Back squats: 3×6 @ 170#
Deadlifts: Worked up to 225# for 4
WOD: 15 + 14 (T2B are hard!)
6am with Jess
Ring dips – 12, 12, 12, 12, 31 (all kipped – 1 more than last week)
Metcon in 7:56
Did the PC 14-1, 8-6-1, 6-5-3-1
PP unbroken
MU 6, 2-2-2, 2-2-2
6 a.m. Wednesday workout with McDowell.
Back squats: 195X6X3. Think I can go up 5 more next week.
Deadlifts: 235X4 (with only four reps, my hands are doing fine for a change.)
WOD:
12 + 26 This is the first time I've done a full toes-to-bar workout (no knee raises etc.) It was very slow going toward the end.
6am w/ McDowell
HBBS: 230x6x3 + plenty of light banter with "the James A.". 5# jump. Got on my toes on a few reps.
Deadlifts: 325×4 tough and go.
Metcon: 18 + 10 burpees. Moved to singles in the later rounds to keep on moving.
@Michael did you let them know nobody puts your light banter in a corner?
@Dan L 31 reps is legitimately preposterous
7am with Jess doing Wednesday Squats
BSQ – 170 x 6 x 3
First time only adding on 5# this cycle. Got grindy at the end. 95% of my last tested 1rm so…getting there.
Skipped deads as I did them on the road yesterday. Some press work up to 105 x 5. Failed a rep at the end of my 3rd set as I just rushed it.
Metcon Rx
Got through the round of 15 + burpees + 4 TTB. Really hard to maintain my TTB kip. It always evaporates after about 20 total reps.
6am squats with McD
Now we know how to torture Michael A in the morning. Silent rowing.
HBBS 245 x 6 x 3
6 is a fantastic number and so much nicer than 8. No issues here. Moved well and still had good speed.
Deadlift 325 x 4
Touch and go and still feeling pretty easy.
Wod
15 + 20 Rx
One less than James and one more than Mike. 6amers like to stick together.
7 am with McDowell
Good being back after 5 days in Atlanta. Didn't get to visit a box but attended one day of the Crossfit Regionals, which was lots of fun. I think my 9 year old nephew is hooked – the boy can box jump like a champ. I'm sure his parents want to thank me. They're welcome. I also learned a new game there – anyone up for a spike ball challenge?
4 x 6 on the matador and 4 single ring dips and one attempt at a kipping ring dip thanks to Chris who explained and demonstrated.
Metcon – with 52 on the bar. Felt light for power cleans and about right for push presses. Thought I'd scale to 6 pulls ups but didn't have that many in me. Did 5 then one chin up; 4 than 2 chin ups; then 4 and one almost chin up. 10:36.
6am with McDowell
Squats with BK today @235# 6×3
Steve said it, 6 is a fantastic number.
Deadlift @325# set of 4
Touch and go. Though I never think I'll pull the weight off the floor the first time. I'm now entering uncharted territory.
WOD – Brad smoked us on this one. I dialed it in and made sure to beat Steve.
See Steve's score +1
Love the 6am locker room banter.
Noon
Hang Muscle Snatch
40kg x3x3
High Hang Snatch
70%x2x3 (54kg), 75%x2x3 (60kg)
Power Clean + Power Jerk
70%x2x3 (74kg), 75%x2x3 (79kg)
Snatch Pulls
90%x3 (85kg), 95%x3 (90kg), 100%x3 (95kg), 85%x3 (81kg)
Pretty solid session despite feeling pretty crappy at the start of the day.
Yesterday
Matador Dips – 4 sets of 6, max effort was 10 strict 1 kipping
Work-out in 10:20(?) 80# and regular kipping pull-ups
3 sets on the power cleans, 6-6 on the push presses – tough!, tried chest to bar but missed the mark every time.
Today with McD
3 rounds:
60m single arm OH carries @40,45, 45#
16 front rack lunges 83#
~100' sled pull (not sure of weight)
10 GHR x 3 sets
10 ab wheel (knees) x 3
Pull-ups (+25#)
2-1-1-1-1
3RNFT
10 x T2B
10 x OHS
10 x push-ups (DB)
I managed 8 x T2B unbroken in all 3 rounds, which is a first. 5 was my max before today.
Deadlift
135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 4, 255 x 1, 275 x 1, 290 x 4 (belt and switch grip)
Snatch
53 x 3 x 5
63 x 3 x 5
Then Gracie and I jumped in with the one and only KHarpz and did part of her workout (modified)
10 min AMRAP
3 ring dips (matador in my case)
5 x box jump over
15 x sit-ups
25 x DU
5 mins rest
10 min AMRAP
5 x push press @75# (I did 35#DB)
200m row
5 x KB swings @20kg
15 x hollow rocks
7 rounds, 11 sit-ups
5 rounds, 1 swing
Cool down lap around the block.
Thanks Katie! That was fun! I'm very sad to be missing AG tonight. Sniff.
Little impromptu hang sesh with Ro and Katie on a Tuesday afternoon. Grateful for their friendship and willingness to show up when I need to hang/lift/get outside of my head.
Snatch Triples
36kg
39kg
42kg
42kg
42kg
…all sets felt superb… which I can confidently say I have never said about any snatch triples, ever.
Got talked into doing some crussfit with KHarpz and Charlie
10min AMRAP
3 chins
5 burpee box jumps
15 abmat situps
20 KB Swings 16kg
—4 rounds + chins + BBJ (probably should've done better)
rest 5 minutes
10 min AMRAP…that I totally made up on the fly to keep moving while the girls slayed their real WOD
5 DB Push Press #30 (ridiculous, I should've gone way heavier)
400 M Run (what? I chose running…who am I?)
8 GHD extensions
–3 Rounds + PP + run
good day with the amigos.
7:30 with Katie
HBBS: 170x6x3. These felt shockingly great.
DL: 200×4. This felt predictably horrible! This is 20# off my 1RM so I guess that's to be expected…?
WOD: 15+ 7 burpees. Toes to bar are not my friend. A lot of these done as singles.
DB Bench: 40#x7x4, 10 on the rep out
Fitness WOD Rx'd in 11:47
Tougher than expected! Broke into different sized sets each round so have no recollection of what I did. Tweaked my lower back on the first set of PP bc I wasn't braced. All C2B were singles and slow. Failed the very last rep which was annoying. Rested, then got it.
AG:
Only stayed to do handstand walks. My back hurt from the WOD and I didn't feel like doing pullups (70 in AG on Sunday + today's C2B). Would have been fun though.
6:30
Ring Dips 8-8-7-6 Rep out: 5 Felt better than last week!
WOD: 10:20 with 68#
Cleans: 8-6-1
Push press: 4-4-4 x2, 6-6
Pullups: 5-4
Took too long of breaks I think. Could have gone faster or heavier.
AG: Handstand walks, pullups 2-1-1-1-1 (10#…couldn't do 20 today for some reason), fun wod of pullups/burpees/box jumps, which was hard but good after Monday's work. Yay 😛
7am with McDowell
DB work @35
8-8-8-12 thinking about moving to 40 but next week will be right after murph sooo maybe not.
WOD: a little before 12:04 (someones time after me i heard) @80 and jumping c2b
feel pretty decent about it, had no idea what the weight would feel like for the push presses but managed. really tried to bring in everything ive learned from thursday work (thanks Jess/JB!) and keep good technique with the cleans. have to figure out a harder substitute for jumping c2b's..
AG
first ag class ever. had a blast. definitely gotta make it back again. practiced some handstands, pullups 1-1-1-1-1 @17.5 and quick wod (no idea the time, but pretty happy with the solid kips). also triceps have been not so happy this week and coach ro introduced me to the voodoo (sounds like voodoo?) band. mmm compression.