Front Squat / Ring Row | WOD 5.16.18

FRONT SQUAT / SINGLE-ARM RING ROW SUPERSET*

A1) Front Squat:
4 x 8-10

A2) Single-Arm Ring Row:
4 x 8-10

Use a heavy load (or degree of difficulty for the Ring Row) for the rep range that allows you to move with perfect form, heavier than last week. Keep rest to a minimum, 30-60 seconds between movements.

*Warm up and then perform a set of Front Squats, followed by a set of Ring Rows, heavier than last week. Repeat for 4 work sets of each, resting 30 seconds to a minute between movements.

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Exposure 7 of 8

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20 Minutes or 5 Rounds:
3-6 Strict Pull-Ups
12e Single-Arm Kettlebell Swings
20 Second L-Sit

Use assistance or add weight to the Pull-Ups as appropriate. The Kettelbell Swings should be heavy for 12 reps. Scale the L-Sits to Tucks or Half-Tucks as appropriate, or accumulate 20 seconds in a few sets.

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Humans of Starting Strength: Rob Underwood

A new round of CFSBK’s Starting Strength Program cycles just started! Over the next few weeks, we’ll be bringing you some Humans of New York-style interviews with our Starting Strengthers. Who are these intrepid powerlifters? What brings them together? What is Starting Strength Program like? How is it different from other classes?  What kind of funny stuff does Coach Jeremy say in class? Let’s find out! For last week’s first installment, we talked to Bridget M. This time it’s longtime CFSBKer and Starting Strength mainstay Rob U.!

What are some differences between Starting Strength Program and CrossFit group class? Were any a surprise to you?

​Starting Strength made me a lot more hungry, which was dangerous as I put on weight, both fat and muscle, easily. I had to really watch my intake of protein and overall calories so that I was making good of all the strength training I was doing but also not just getting fat. Generally I found I had to think more about diet or I would use SS as an excuse to eat anything and everything.

SS also seems easier in the moment, since you take longer breaks between sets. But, a day after, I found I need a bit more rest than with regular classes​. Sleep, as always, is key.

What are a few of the biggest things you took from or accomplished in SS?

​I got a lot stronger! Before my first SS I was at something like a 200 lb Squat, 250 or so on the Deadlift, and maybe 115 or so on the Press. Now my PRs on those are 372, 435, and 177 respectively. It’s no joke. It works.​ You will get much much stronger doing SS.

How has Starting Strength affected your capacity in CrossFit group class? 

​From a pure ego perspective, I like that when we do power lifts in group class I might be one of the top lifters in a given day. I know we’re only competing against ourselves, but as an overweight, unathletic 45-year-old man it is definitely a boost to feel like you can be one of the stronger people in the room from time to time, especially as I tend to come in “last” in virtually everything else we do, especially the WODs (except the marathon, though I’m not exactly fast there).

Overall, I just feel a lot more confidence when we’re doing lifts in group class, whether on their own or in a WOD. I’d also note than an adjustment going back to group classes is less time between sets. I learned I had to adjust my weights on, say, a 3 x 5, down 10-15% to account for that when going back to group class.

What’s the culture like?

​Very supportive. Lots of friends. Feels like a community within a community. Margie and Jeremy are the best. ​

Some of the other over-the-hill dads who do SS and I also created an informal group within the SS community called “Slippery Slope,” because we’re on the slippery slope to death now and SS is one of our last defenses. I think our motto was “Park Slope dads with an overenthusiastic obsession for CrossFit and Phish.” Just writing down that motto made me throw up in my mouth a bit, by the way. Our aim was to be the total opposite of the show “Girls”: boring, ugly, old men doing nothing interesting other than squatting and listening to “Fluffhead.”

Were there any major challenges (physical or mental) that you had to overcome?

Even now when I go heavy on a Squat, I get scared even though I only very rarely miss a lift. But overcoming that mental challenge, the fear, each time is really empowering. ​I also learned that it’s really important to learn how to spot correctly and to ask for a spotter early and often.

News and Notes

• Registration for our annual Memorial Day “Murph” is open. Head over to the event page for more info and to sign up for a heat!
• Saturday’s 11am Active Recovery class is cancelled.

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