Front Squat
Fitness
5-5-5
Warm up and perform 3 medium-heavy sets of 5 reps
Performance
5/3/1 (5 Week):
65% x 5
75% x 5
85% x 5+
These percentages are based on your Training Max (or TM). The final set (the 85% set this week) is done for max reps, stopping 2 shy of failure. The goal is between 8 and 15 reps. If you fail at fewer than 8 reps, then reduce your TM by 10%. If you get to 20 reps, then increase your TM by 10%. Read more about the 5/3/1 here, and use this calculator if you don’t have a true 1RM.
Post loads to comments.
Week 1 of 8
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3 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
15 HSPU
Strict or kipping is allowed on the Handstand Push-Ups, as is 1-2 AbMats. Sub Box Piked or regular Push-Ups as appropriate.
Post time and Rx to comments.
Skeletor may be a skeleton, but he’s surpringly strong overhead | Photo by Joel Z.
Goodbye to Pigeon K. and Evan H.
Two of our wonderful members recently departed for the West Coast. We’re sad to see Pigeon K. and Evan H. go! Both had wonderful things to say about CFSBK, and as is our blog tradition, we want to share their farwells. First, here’s what Pigeon had to say:
David,
My wife usually complains that I am a horrible story teller because I tend to “bury the lede,” so I’m going to get right to it:
1. I am moving to California for work, so I will be leaving CFSBK.
2. Being a member at CFSBK has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life and I will always be grateful for the opportunity to train with you all.
I’m not sure that I will ever truly understand all of the ways that you and the team have impacted my life, but I’m going to do my best to articulate my gratitude for each area:
1. My Fitness Level – For the vast majority of my life, I have looked at fitness & exercise as, simply, a means to an end. I’ve never really been good at sports or, if I’m honest, trained hard enough to see any real gains at the gym. So I’ve spent most of my time begrudgingly plodding through some random workout routine that I saw in Men’s Health. When I started at CFSBK, I couldn’t do a proper push-up or pull-up, let alone a snatch, double-under, or clean. The beauty about you all, is none of you cared about what I couldn’t do. You met me where I was physically & showed me what I could do. You then worked with me by putting me through a series of linear progressions and I started getting better at every movement & exercise. Before I knew it, I was no longer avoiding exercises I was bad at, and was actually enjoying myself. I am by no means a Games-qualifying athlete, but the progress I’ve made is something that I am very proud of and I can honestly say that my relationship with fitness has completely changed.
2. My Health – Since I started working out at CFSBK a little over a year and a half ago, all of my regular health metrics have greatly improved. (i.e. blood pressure, resting pulse, triglycerides, all of ‘em.) I have also dropped about 30 pounds, while increasing my overall muscle mass. I have to give credit where credit is due, Fox’s guidance during the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge changed my world. I was also a member of the Fat Kid Club and lost a lot of weight in my late teens/early twenties, but because I never changed my relationship with food, it has always been difficult to keep my weight from yo-yoing. By following Fox’s guidance, I have been able to clean up my diet & I actually stop eating when I’m full…and it’s actually sustainable! (except pizza, I will always eat too much pizza)
3. The Community – There is not much I can say here that hasn’t already been said, but the community you all have built is amazing. Many people are surprised to find out that I am, by nature, an introvert. I usually do well in crowds, but typically avoid them like the plague. I tend towards solitary activities, because I like being by myself. (Or in really small groups.) You can imagine my surprise when I didn’t just tolerate the large crowds at the gym, I loved them! I have never been around so many smart, funny, and kind people in one place. These people are awesome.
4. My Perseverance – A lot has been written about this recently, but I have found that working out at CFSBK has completely shifted my paradigm on how I view challenges. You all have taught me the reward & value of going deep in the “pain cave” in all areas of my life. (I think I’m going to make an inspiration poster out of that.)
5. The Coaches – My God the coaches! I hope you don’t mind me calling each one of them a beautiful snow flake! They are all very different, but each bring different strengths that make CFSBK the beauty that it has become. Jabronis like Noah leave and you think the world is going to end, but then a different coach steps in and you get to know that coach better & realize how amazing he/she is as an individual & coach. Now that I’m writing this, I almost feel like I should write a separate email just to the coaches…I might. But seriously, I could gush about the coaches for hours…ask my wife, I do.
David, thank you for everything. You are humble, so you will probably say that it took a lot of people to make CFSBK what it is today (true), but it wouldn’t be here if you hadn’t started it & guided it into what it is. Say what you will of the cost, but the value that I have gotten from my membership has far exceeded the monthly fee that I have paid. You’re amazing!
I love you all!
Evan Hunt
We love you too, Evan!
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Rest Day
Mobilize at Your Desk in Just One Minute Per Hour BarBend
Bob Dylan, Master of Change New York Times
Cam says
Best wishes, Pigeon/Abby and Evan/Michelle!! Will miss your wonderful and smiling faces!! Can't say that I am not jealous about your west coast migration!!! Keep in touch, y'all! ♥
Jay-Star says
Looks to me like Evan is about nine more paragraphs grateful than you Pigeon. I'm not surprised. Good luck in your new cities fellas. Always fun gainzing with y'all.
(I'll never ever leave you David (sob) …. never ever!)
Stella says
"The beauty about you all, is none of you cared about what I couldn’t do. You met me where I was physically & showed me what I could do."
So well said.
Saturday squatting with the Cali crew (Brett and JB). Stuck to high bar squat, right wrist was feeling cranky. 🙁 175×5, 185×5, 190×5 but maybe questionable depth on the last set. I'm going to work the fitness angle with 185 as a baseline since that was solid.
WOD in 9:29 with 30# DB push press. Feel like maybe I should have done 35.
Stella says
PS, Saturday morning AR just isn't right without Pigeon!
Ben S says
Awesome letters, thanks for sharing.
Fox says
Evan and Pigeon are such good people. The best. Great company to be in. If I were n charge they wouldn't be aloud to leave. They'll be missed, big league.
Rolled into the gym around 1pm and after a very extended warm up did a bunch of stuff alongside the wife.
FSQ 5-5-5
195-225-X
225 felt heavier than I wanted it to so I stopped there.
Bench Press
145x10x3
Chins
3×10
DB Curls
20x12x3
DB Upright Rows
20x12x3
DB Ext Rot
10x12x3
3RFT
400m Row
15 HSPU
11:33
Kipped a bunch of the HSPU and they generally didn't push the gas pedal today.
Lots of fun!
Samir Chopra says
Noon with Brettubbard
Front squats: 155×5, 175×5, 200×10
WOD @35lb DB push-presses: 8:56
Lauren says
Quick parter workout designed by Siena:
Parter A: 4 rounds:
20 erg pulls
10 (at least) hula hoop spins, 10 air squats
2 balance beam walks back and forth (warrior 3 balance on each end)
Partner B: 4 rounds:
:20 assault bike
10 box jumps (weighted step ups 20# for me)
10 burpees (strict push up for me)
Switch & Repeat
Dan L says
10am
FSQ – 165, 185, 215×9
Felt good. Had 2-3 in the tank
Metcon in 7:57
Cash out with AR and Bogota
CharlesS says
10 AM with JB and Whitney
3x5x135# front squat. much better front rack position- feels much more solid.
metcon in 8:50 with 400m rows and piked HSPU's on a box.
what gracious farewells.
lady fox says
We'll miss you Evan and Pigeon!
Catch up post. Plan to follow fitness programming for all of the lifts and adding in Bench and Sumo DL's.
Today:
FSQ: worked up to 200×5
Bench: worked up to 117.5×5, failed the 4th rep at 125. Will use 120 to base future percentages off of.
Accessory Work that Fox mentioned above.
Wod: with Rowing and 10HSPU's in 10:11. Definitely didn't push the pace on this.
Wednesday:
HBBS: worked up to 235×5
Sumo DL: worked up to 215×5 (these are hard and I don't like them but I'm going to try to like them more)
Accessory work: 3x–1arm carries 32kg, box ring dips, 1:00 plank
Tuesday:
Did Thursday's Snatch Burpee EMOM
-started at 63 and finished at 83. No misses. Fastest round was 1:43 and slowest was 2:15.
Accessory: 4x ghd situps, chinups, bike
Monday:
Press: worked up to 75×10 and 30# on the DB rows.
WOD with 10 pushups. fastest round was :56 and slowest was 1:12ish.