Today is a scheduled rest/recovery day, but don’t worry! We are open and running on a normal class schedule, but you’ll have the option of doing either yesterday or tomorrow’s programming (which can be found in the comments section of today and every Rest Day’s post). We recently explained why we program Rest Days twice a week and how you can get the most out of them.
Coach Keith has less beard in this video, but it’s still a pretty good rundown of everything that our Active Life Strength program has to offer. An evening cycle starts in mid-October. Get on it!
Register for Active Life Strength
Get out of pain, stay out of pain, strengthen your weaknesses, and improve mobility and movement patterns, all while getting stronger! This is a predominantly strength-based class very specifically programmed to strengthen movements and improve positions based on your individual needs.
The Active Life methods help athletes of all levels identify the root causes of their pain, injuries, and plateaus, and provide solutions for alleviating and eliminating those limitations through strength training, hands on treatment, corrective movements, and program modification. As the Head Coach at Active Life Athletics, Coach Keith worked closely with the Active Life doctors as they developed the system and led the charge to incorporate it into a gym model. Using those principles, this program will help you identify your individual weaknesses and limitations, guide you through the necessary strength and mobility exercises, and get you moving and lifting more efficiently, with less pain. A pain-free athlete is a confident athlete, and a confident athlete is a dangerous athlete. If your goal is to look better, feel better, and go hard into your 80s, this program will help you set and maintain the foundation.
For more information on The Active Life, check out:
- @activeliferx on Instagram
- www.performancecarerx.com
- The Active Life on YouTube
Schedule
PM Cycle
October 15th, 2018 – December 7th, 2018
Monday and Thursday evenings from 6:30pm to 7:30pm
2x per week for 8 weeks
Register Here!
Cost
The cost is $160 per month ($320 total plus NY state sales tax). The first charge will occur at the time of registration and the second payment of $160 will occur automatically 1 month later. This cycle is open to all CFSBK members as well as CrossFitters from other affiliates.
(Please note that you are committing to specific days and times and there be no refunds for any missed classes or late cancellations.)
What happens in class?
We will start with testing your single leg strength relative to your Back Squat, your Deadlift stamina relative to your absolute strength, your 1-arm carry ability, and your upper body pressing and pulling. You will then receive progressive strength work during each class to address your weaknesses based off of your test results.
In addition, we will identify your general movement limitations through mobility and flexibility assessments. Each athlete will receive an individualized “Not for Time” piece to complete as a warm up/cool down for CrossFit group class or during standardized warm-ups to address these limitations through corrective movements, stretches, and holds.
Testimonials
“It was nice to delve into mobility and strength issues and focus on only a few movements (Squat, Deadlift, Farmer’s Carry, High Pull, and Overhead Press) that will improve them. I also was grateful to have a workout tailored for my needs, which will help me improve and which will be valuable indefinitely because I can add weight to many of the moves (i.e. Overhead Carry). Pain/soreness was less the impetus for my decision to take Active Life Strength than the hope that I can improve mobility and upper-body strength. ALS was a great addition to regular classes. I’m 56, so there are limits to what I can achieve, but the class gave me hope that with effort and focus I can reach a higher level”—Paul B.
“I liked how the program was tailored for each person’s situation. I thought the personalized quality work assigned to each person was spot-on and really helped address my weaknesses. I would totally take this class again. I definitely felt improvements in the areas I was experiencing pain. My strength has improved as well. I feel more stable in my upper body. I still have a way to go to balance out a strength discrepancy in my legs, but now I know what to pay attention to and have been given the strategy to continue to work on that. As a bonus, I have gained a bit more flexibility and mobility in areas I didn’t know needed it.”—Maria M.
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Yesterday’s Results Board: Press and Deadlift Test
A Breakthrough for US Troops: Combat-Ready Pizza NY Times
Don’t Separate Flexibility and Mobility: You Need Both Breaking Muscle
Wednesday’s Programming
Back Squat Test
Fitness
Warm up and test a 1RM. If you’re feeling good then try to set a new personal best. Use spotters on all work sets. The bar may only move upward from the bottom of the Squat and the feet must stay flat. Full depth in the Squat is achieved when the hip crease passes below the top of the kneecap.
Performance
Warm up and test a 10RM! Use your higher rep-out sets from the previous 7 weeks as a guide on what to shoot for. You likely only have 1-2 good attempts in you, maybe 3, so plan wisely. Use spotters on all work sets. The bar may only move upward from the bottom of the squat and the feet must stay flat. Full depth in the Squat is achieved when the hip crease passes below the top of the kneecap.
Sample Warm Ups and Attempts
These are only meant as a guide. The main goal is to get properly warm and not fatigued for your opener. Notice that as the warm up weights go up, the reps go down.
Lifter 1
Warm Ups: 45 x 5, 135 x 5, 185 x 5, 225 x 3 275 x 1, 315 x 1
Attempts: 345 – 360 – 370 – 375
Lifter 2
Warm Ups: 45 x 5, 75 x 3, 85 x 1, 95 x 1
Attempts: 105 – 110 – 115 – 117.5
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Exposure 8 of 8
AG
A.
2 rounds – NFT:
10 ring rows
5 wall walks
30 sec hollow hold
2 min row – increasing pace – get sweaty
B.
Butterfly pull up/kipping pull up practice
C.
Sustained pace – 80-85% Aer
20 pull ups
15 box jump overs – 24/20
1k ski/row or 3k bike
20 push ups
15 rKBS – HEAVY
1k ski/row or 3k bike
7 am with Lauren
On the rack with Janet!
Press – previous PR = 73. Today = 75! I might have also set a record for the slowest press ever. It felt like I was pressing that bar for several minutes. It got stuck two or three times, it went crooked, but it got there! It’s hard to not give up when the bar is at a dead stop but today it paid to stay with it.
Deadlift – previous PR = 205. Today = 210! I think there’s more in me. The bar came up a little slowly but with no quake. Lauren said I was rounded though and suggested I leave it there for the day. Happy to!
AM sesh:
A) Cardio
with a running clock:
40 min bike – 35-40 rpm
every 10 min 130m FC – 24kg/hand
60 sec ring FLR
That was nice!
4 rounds total I assumed that’s what you were looking for.
First rd unbroken with Carry then had to break once in rounds 2-4
PM/Strength sesh:
A) Back Squat
@20X2 1,1,1,1,1; rest as needed – 95%
225/225/225/225/225
Yay! 2:30-3:00 rest
Focus was hips under. Felt heavy this week but i stuck to the plan. Happy!
B) 2 rounds @ 85% hard effort
5 TnG HPC – 125
5 bar facing burpees
5 cal AB
rest/walk 10-12 min
x2-3 sets
1:53/1:43/2:03
Okay so this went really well. I was a total clutzo in the third set. Which is why I went so slow. Almost got clotheslined by the bike handle and almost fell on my ass. Lol! and then was doing bar facing burpees in the second round while the bar was rolling away from me. It was all about transitioning for this one. Switched side of the bar where I started burpees for round 2 and made it 10sec faster. Fun! Felt like I did well with the pace avg 68-69 RPM
Aloha!
Was excited to test my 1RM, then went from 😆 to 😱 once I saw the program. Hadn’t tested my 10RM ever.
Back Squat 275×10
Form was really breaking down by the 9th rep, and since I didn’t have good spotters and didn’t feel like pushing super hard, called it a day. I think I can do 285 in a good day.
Then did some AGS-like stuff with tempo chin-ups and bicep curls, and tried a 170 strict press again, got farther than yesterday but still no luck. I know I have 168 in me.
Then 2h of surfing, and now for some snorkeling.
7:30 PM with KHarpz
An unexpectedly huge PR day on back squats! I felt some discomfort in my early sets but figured it was due to a day driving a desk and wrote it off. Thanks to KHarpz’s guidance on increases and Keith and James’ spotting and encouragement, I was able to top out at a 60# PR increase for a 1RM of 365#! Shout out to those three and everyone there for the encouragement.
10 minute row after felt smooth, but also felt like my back suddenly realized what I’d been doing and demanded an explanation. Soothed it with a rainy walk home and a reward beer at home. Stoked to see what next cycle brings!