Coach KHarpz climbing out of 2016
- Schedule Changes: Tonight’s 4:30pm CrossFit Teens and 7:30pm Pilates classes are cancelled. Otherwise, we’re running on our normal schedule today! All other schedules changes through January 4th can be found here.
Francine D. on the Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been sharing past Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge participants’ experiences to give you a better sense of what it’s all about and what kind of results you might be able to expect. Today we’re very happy to bring you the impressions of one of last year’s winners! Here’s how Francine D. responded to Coach Fox‘s one-year-later follow-up questions…
What was the most positive change you experienced during last years challenge?
The most positive change was my relationship to alcohol. I used to drink wine like a fish and never realized the degree to which it was affecting my performance, sleep, and body composition. I also think my relationship to food overall is now drastically different. I am now able to prioritize performance and general fitness over junk food cravings.
What was the biggest challenge to overcome, and how did you deal with it?
The biggest challenge was learning the difference between hunger and cravings. I followed the Level 2 Eater plan and meal timing to a tee in order to have a rational action plan for addressing stress cravings.
What has been the most lasting change from last year?
Weight loss and body composition transformation—22 lbs lost since the beginning of the Challenge and 16% body fat achieved (after a second cut this fall). I also moved from a daily drinker to person who has an occasional drink.
Will you be participating again this year?
Yep! I’m thinking about maintaining or doing a massing diet alongside a hypertrophy program.
The Look, Feel, Perform Better Challenge Checklist
Ready to sign up yet? Complete the following steps by January 5th in order to participate and be eligible for prizes:
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Sign your name on the big list in the community area of the gym.
- Buy-in of $30 cash, given to Front Desk staff.
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Answer a few brief questions and submit your “before” photos according to the guidelines on the Look, Feel, Perform Better website. These entries are private will not be published or seen by anyone other than us without your consent. You can access the 2017 LFPB Challenge Entry Form HERE.
- Perform the Test WOD and record your results.
- Enter points earned daily on the spreadsheet to track how well you’re complying with the guidelines.
- Complete your Post-Challenge submission by 3/28/17 at the end of the challenge.
- Optional: Attend the bi-monthly LFPB Q&A Info Sessions on Sundays at 1pm in the Annex at CFSBK. Each one will have a brief topical lecture followed by a Q&A. (1/8, 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 3/5, and 3/19).
Don’t forget to save the date for the CFSBK Community Potluck on January 28th. This event will simultaneously kick off the new year, support the LFPB Challenge, and bring folks from all times and corners of the gym together.
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Yesterday’s Whiteboard: Close-Grip Bench Press | Double-Unders, Squats, C2B Pull-Ups
Kids: Moving Perfectly CrossFit
George Michael Dead at 53 MTV
Wednesday's Programming
Front Rack Step-Ups / Chin-Ups Superset*
1A) Front Rack Step-Ups
Perform 3 x 8-12 reps on each leg. Start the cycle light enough to make 12 reps on each leg without too much difficulty, and move up in weight week to week from there. Use your non-dominant leg to set the weight and only do as much weight and as many reps as that side can perform. The end goal by the end of the cycle is to perform 8-12 good reps on each leg with about 1/3 of your Back Squat 1-rep max. Use a height that allows you to be at full depth (hip crease below knee) when the working leg is on the box. Come to full standing using the working leg before the trail leg touches down for balance. Do not use the trail leg to help you stand up. Use the trail leg as little as possible to push off from, and use a tempo in which the down/eccentric phase of the movement is slower than the up/concentric phase. The barbell comes off the floor. Stop the set when you’re not sure you can do another rep or two (i.e., do not bail a bar on a box).
1B) Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows
Performance
Perform 4 sets of max reps. Once you can no longer clear your chin over the bar, your set is over. Each rep starts from a dead hang. Initiate the movement by pulling the shoulders down away from the ears and pull the elbows as far down and back as possible. If you can touch your chest to the bar on each rep, then do it. You should really be feeling these in your lats.
Fitness
Perform 3 challenging (but submaximal) sets of 2-4 reps using bands or a small partner assist as needed to achieve full range of motion, followed by a 4th set for max reps. These should be tough sets in a low rep range with the goal of performing around 10-15 total reps. If you can do them unassisted but only 1 at a time, then pepper in as many singles as you can in between sets of Step-Ups during the lifting segment. Start and finish the superset with a set of Chins to get all 4 sets in.
*Superset means that you perform a set of exercise A (in this case the Press) and then after a short rest, 30 to 90 seconds, you perform a set of exercise B (in this case the Chin-Ups or Supinated-Grip Body Rows). You then rest a short period before returning to exercise A and continue in this fashion until all warm up and work sets are completed.
Post work to comments.
Exposure 2 of 8
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3 Rounds for Time:
15 Overhead Squats 95/65
15 Toes to Bar
15 Burpees
Post time and Rx to comments.
Make-Up Post from yesterday:
6:30pm Group Class with Coach Ro
Close Grip Bench
125×12
Bench press is the only movement I ever have any discomfort with. It always feels unstable in my left shoulder so I didn't want to go beyond that. Interestingly it's the absolute only movement I have any issue with.
DU/SQT/CTB Interval Metcon
R1: 2 Rounds (My jump rope broke!)
R2: 2 Rounds + 28 Reps
R3: 2 Rounds + 32 Reps
R4: 3 Rounds + 18 Reps
R5: 3 Rounds + 10 Reps
ooooh I really wanted 4 rounds. Started pacing too conservatively and realized this needs to be a sprint.
Yesterday at CrossFit Trust (Natal Brazil)
12 days of Christmas wod:
100m Run, 2 Deadlifts, 3 Hang Clean, 4 S2O, 5 front squats, 6 burpees over bar, 7 T2B, 8 unbroken DUs, 9 wall balls, 10×2 push ups, 11 box jumps, and 12 pull ups. Barbell at 110lbs. 424 reps in 54min (!!).
OMG I had forgotten what it's like to do a metcon over here. It was 100F+ in the gym, extremely humid, and we hit a wall of heat after round 6 and just moved so slowly after that. Went in thinking I could finish it in 40min.
By the way, the programming here is just crazy. This was a super intense wod and most people in the gym had just done Murph 2 days before.
AG
A.
Toes to Bar Practice
B.
3 rounds for time of:
12 left-arm DB snatches
12 right-arm DB snatches
12 calorie row
12 Burpees
Rest 2 minutes
My everything is sore.
6am with Jess doing Monday
Close grip bench: worked up to 155×8 which was too light, but ran out of sets.
WOD: 10 DU attempts per round as they were not working today. got about 2 rounds each set.
Chest day with Brett. Oh bench press, how I have missed you!
75×12, 95×10, 105×8, 110×8. Should have listened to Brett and started closer to 33% of 1RM so I could take bigger jumps. The last two sets were pretty tough.
WOD: I said that my pace was going to be dictated by whether or not I could scrounge up double unders and that's exactly what happened. Rounds 3-5 I had a rhythm going and hit 2 rounds + 11 doubles each, round 2 (my worst) was a mess, 2 rounds flat. I did 3 strict C2B chins per round.
Looking forward to giving AG a try for the first time tonight!
10:00am with Brett
Everyone seemed to be making jokes during class, which made me feel way more comfortable than I have felt in a class. I like it to feel loose.
Step-up (to the street) workout is still weird, but improving. It feels like my body is starting to understand the movement needed for it, which is making my balance better. Probably will be able to start going up in weight soon. I want to have dat tight hiney.
WOD was interesting. Overhead squats are my nightmare, just because I don't practice the movement enough, and because of that I lost form near the end and my right arm went numb on he final round. Was able to finish the workout, but even as I type this, I have a lot of tingling in the arm. Of course I googled this as soon as I could and it seems to be pretty common with that lift, so now I can go back to pretending that nothing can stop me.
Back from celebrating the holidays in Chicago. Did a small gym workout with my mom on Friday… side planks, air squats, push ups, DB Press, Split Squats, hollow holds, and a little 3 round met-con :30 on/:30 off of 40# d-ball over shoulder (10# slamball for her) and plank to forearm plank. Fun!
Saturday: Ran 2.7 miles. Just had to get out of the house :-/
Sunday: Ran about 1.5 miles
Today, walked to gym, then eventually 10AM with Jess
wu x3
8 90/90 on crossover symmetry
10 alternating lateral lunges @ 22×1
3-5 push-ups @ 22×1
CGBP
tempo 30×1
3-3-3, rest :20 between triples
rest about 3 min between sets
3 sets total
did this at 110#, a slight back-off from where i was a couple weeks ago before the latest neck tweak. felt pretty smooth.
wod…. changed slightly b/c of what's in my programming tmw. same time scheme, but:
amrap 2 min
20 du's
7 ttb
7 db push press @ 30# ea
rest 2min
did one round plus du's + ttb each time, not pushing the pace.
accessory:
35 min assault bike
every 5 min, do 1 MU
-practicing jumping to rings and regular grip. no misses!
9am @ Crossfit Palm Springs, my box for the week
Metcon – 3 RFT
• 800m Run
• 30 V-ups
• 30 Deadlifts @ 155#
Did this Rx in 19:43. This was a fun one. Deadlift weight light enough where the volume didn't totally freak me out.
1.5 mile run there and back. All the couch stretch things and some foam rolling after.
Corey – Have you been doing the stretch I showed you? Any better?
9am doing Monday's programming
Close Grip Bench Press
135-165-185-195
All sets of 8. Wasn't sure where this would wind up but went heavier than expected
WOD
2+20
2+20
2+18
2+20
2+19
Just kept moving and used the squats as recovery. DO – You killed it. I can't imagine doing 4 rounds (one every 30 seconds!) on this.
11am
OH Yoke Carry – 235 x50' x6
Yoke Carry – 295 x50' x2, 345 x50" 2, 395 x50' x2
1-Arm Farmer Carry – 130 x50' x3ea
10 AM with Jess and Brett
close grip bench- sets of 12 @45#,75#, 95#, 110# and then 8 @115#.
it's in the wrist.
Wod with my weird jumping ctb pullups and singles-
2+30
2+28
2+29
2+31
2+30.
happy with the consistency for sure.
Wednesday's programming
Step ups – 85x8x3 – felt better than 75 last week
Chin ups (c2b) 18, 16, 13, 12
Metcon in 7:07
PU were tough after the chin ups in the strength portion
12pm Monday:
Cgbp:75×12, 85×8, 80×10, 80×10
Best: 2 rounds +23
Worst: 1+33 (pony tail interruptions)
Came back for AG! Really good ttb/ab practice and a super fun metcon. Did she snatches at 12.5# (full snatches!) so hard on the quads, and surprisingly my left side is way better. I'm a big fan of sprint then rest.
2 sets:
(18#, 22.5#)
6 ea SLDL
6 ea tempo high pulls
6 ea tempo press
:20 dead hang
20 goblet squats
Deadlift 30X0
95×5, 125×3, 145x5x3 – feeling more organized
8 min EMOM
2 Snatches @ 80% – 41kg – felt light and good
20 min EMOM
Even: 5 c2b pull ups
Odd: 50 DUs
10 sets of the following – some of which occurred on the minute:
5 kipping HSPUs
10 box jumps 20"
Yes, Fox. Almost back to normal. Slight tingle but way way better. Thanks for the hot tip!
4:30 class with Whit
Bench press makes me nervous because a poor bench press caused the original issue with my right pec ~3 years ago. When I've done bench press since I've used dumbbells so this was my first time reacquainting myself with a barbell. Started conservatively with:
55, 60, 65, 67.5, all x12
These all felt very light, on the 60 I started to feel the area where I have some residual tendonitis in the AC joint area. Thought about reducing reps for the following sets but it didn't really re-emerge. More comfortable at the higher weights. I'm going to see how it feels tomorrow.
Metcon:
3 rounds exactly each time.
Single unders and jumping pullups. Pullups felt more like I was pulling myself up than jumping. The exact rounds pleased me.
Stayed after for some DU practice. Whit had some good tips. Weaning myself off the teat of SU, DU, SU, DU. Got a couple sets of 8 DU in a row then it fell apart and became an exercise of flagellation so I went home.
First AG! That WOD is way harder than it looks.
T2B practice was humbling. It's been more than a year since I've tried kipping anything and it shows.