A tribute to all your hard work

It’s time to spread your wings and fly little birds! :-)

Michelle and I have THOROUGHLY ENJOYED coaching you all. You have more knowledge than you think. Help each other with cues, encouragement, and commitment, and you will continue to get stronger and faster for many years, regardless of your age. Be vigilant about your own form. Both for safety and so that you maintain a measurable standard. Full range of motion on the metcons! Don’t stop learning. Get on the web and watch videos and read articles. Mark Rippetoe, Mike Burgener, Chad Vaughn, Natalie Woolfolk, Mike Rutherford. Those are all names to Google. Those people know their stuff. Follow the programming at CrossFit Invictus. Watch the videos and read the articles posted on CrossFit.com. There’s a ton of free information out there. Write us anytime for advice about training. We’ll always try to help you reach your goals.

Goodbye, MWF Crew!

"Helen"

Congratulations to KZ on her 213.4# deadlift 1RM (97kg)!

Strength: 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows

  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  a modified version of "Helen" (See previously, Jan. 25) ~ 3 rounds for time of . . .
    - run 300m, 0.20 miles on treadmill (or row 375m)
    - 20x swings (pick a fairly heavy weight)
    - 10x pullups (subs = jumping pullups, ring rows, inverted body rows, or lat pulldowns)

We got jammed up with so many people!

KZ:  8:16 (run/row mix, 12kg swings, ring rows)
SS:  9:11 (run, 30# swings, jumping pullups)
DH:  9:54 (run, 35# swings, ring rows)
LP:  8:55 (row, 12kg swings, ring rows)
BH:  10:29 (row, 20# swings, ring rows)
MaTo:  10:43 (run, 15kg swings, jumping pullups)

Repeating "The Chief"

Congratulations to BB on her 1RMs:
101# powerclean, 121# benchpress

Strength: 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  Repeating "The Chief" ~ 3 rounds of 3-minute AMRAPS with 1-minute rest between:  
    - 3 powercleans
    - 6 pushups
    - 9 squats
(See Feb. 6 and Nov. 20)

SS:  5+13, 5+12, 5+3  (56# barbell; best round last time  was 5 even!)
DH:  5+5, 5+15, 6+2 (subbed 35# swings for cleans; best round last time  was 5+5!)
LP:  4+1, 3+16, 4+5 (15kg barbell; subbed step-ups for squats on rounds 2-3)
MaTo:  4+1, 4+3, 3+3, (36# barbell)
KE:  5+1, 5+3 , 5+1 (56# barbell)
BB:  4, 3, 4 (67# barbell)
RD:  4+3, 4, 4 (133# barbell)
(best round in yellow)

Repeat WOD: Crossfit Open 13.2

Strength
3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon
Repeating workout 13.2 from this year's Crossfit Open.  Y'all did it before on March 18.

AMRAP in 10 minutes . . . 

  - 5 shoulder-to-overheads

  - 10 deadlifts

  - 15 boxjumps or step-ups

Monday
KZ: 244, or 8 rounds +4 (55#, 18" step-ups)
LP: 188, or 6 rounds +8 (db press, 22# total, 55# DL, 19" box jumps!)
MaTo: 226, or 7 rounds +16 (db press, 44# total, 55# DL, 13" step-ups)
BH: 221, or 7 rounds +11 (44#, 4 green stackboxes on step-ups - 13"?)
SS: 255, or 8 rounds +15 (44#, 16" step-ups)

Tuesday
The athletes chose to make up their own metcon, which I'll call "Athlete's Choice" . . .
6 Rounds
5 man-makers
10 box jumps

KD: 6:15 - unweighted, strict-push-up man-makers, 17" box
KE: 6:25 - 12# db (each), strict-push-up man-makers, 19" box
MT: 5:46 - 12# db (each), strict-push-up man-makers, 24" box
RD: 5:00 - 15#  db (each), strict-push-up man-makers, 24" box

Video: 1RMs!

Congratulations to everybody on their recent 1RMs!

EMOM Thrusters and Burpees

Strength: 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  Every minute on the minute (EMOM) for 10 minutes . . . 
   - 7 thrusters
   - 3 burpees

(from Crossfit Invictus)

DH: 44#
KZ: 44#
LP: 33#
BH: 20# (10# dbs)
MaTo: 30# (15# dbs)

Warm-up: Move like an animal!

Great new warmup movements!  Read all about how and why to do them here.

Repeat: "Just 9 Minutes"

Congratulations on these new 1RM PRs:
BHeg - 42 kg (92.4#) Benchpress!!!
DF - 70kg (154#) Benchpress!!!
KE - 60kg (132#) Backsquat!!!

Strength:  If you feel up to it, test your 1RM on one of the major lifts!  Otherwise, 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

Metcon ~ Repeating "Just 9 Minutes," which we've done twice before (See Jan. 7 and Oct. 25)

Three rounds for max reps of . . .
    - 1 minute of powercleans
    - 1 minute of frontsquats
    - 1 minute of pushpress
    - 1 minute of rest

Advice from Crossfit Invictus:   "Prescribed loads are 95# for men and 65# for women - light enough to make continuous motion a reasonable goal.  Scale up or down as you see fit."  Use your previous loads as a guide.

Short Kelly

Congratulations to KZ and SS for their Overhead Press PRs!!!

KZ - 79#

SS - 64# 

Congratulations to DF and BB for their Back Squat PRs!!!

DF - 209#

BB - 187#

Strength:  If you feel up to it, test your 1RM on one of the major lifts!  Otherwise, 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

Metcon ~ Modified version of "Kelly"

Monday: 15 min AMRAP . . . 

Tuesday: 12 min AMRAP . . . 

  - run 200m / row 250m

  - 15 wallballs

  - 15 box jumps

Monday

15 min AMRAP . . .
KZ - rowing, 11# wb, 17" box  - 4 rounds + 15 wb + 11 jumps

SS - running, 12# wb, 16.5" box - 4 rounds

LP - rowing, 8# wb, 19" box - 4 rounds + 115 m row

MaTo - running, air squats, 11" box - ? rounds, but perfected his squat!!!

BH - running, 8# wb, 3 green boxes - 4 rounds + 4 wb

Tuesday
12 min AMRAP...
DF - running, 12# wb, 13" box - 3 rounds + run
KE - rowing, 11# wb, 20" box - 3 rounds + row + 8 wall-balls

Invictus Fitness WOD: swings, pushups, run (or row)

Strength:  If you feel up to it, test your 1RM on one of the major lifts!  Otherwise, 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  (modified version of Feb. 7 @ Invictus Fitness)

For time: 

  - 30 swings

  - 30 pushups

  - run 300m (or row 375 m)

  - 20 swings

  - 20 pushups

  - run 200m (or row 250m)

  - 10 swings

  - 10 pushups

  - run 100m (or row 125m)

AMRAP: Pullups/rows and Burpees

Congratulations to KZ on her 134# backsquat 1RM!

(Compare to Sept. 2012)

Strength:  If you feel up to it, test your 1RM on one of the major lifts!  Otherwise, 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  AMRAP (again!) in 10 minutes...

  - 5 pullups (or ring rows, inverted rows, barbell rows, jumping pullups)
  - 5 burpees
Keep track of your own rounds; there are lots of ways to do this -- use whiteboard markers on erasable surfaces, move tokens, etc.  

LP:  13 rounds +4 (17kg barbell rows)
BHeg:  11 rounds (ring rows)
KZ:  11 rounds + 5 (20kg barbell rows)
MaTo:  patterning and practicing, burpees and inverted rows
SS:  11 rounds (ring rows)

What to look for in a gym...

Some have asked what to look for in a CrossFit-style gym back in the states.  Here are my recommendations:

1.  A focus on STRENGTH.  The gym should have a dedicated strength component to their programming.  At least one heavy lift each session, or regular, dedicated strength days (like an alternating ME Black Box structure).

2.  QUALITY coaching.

Credentials
A lot of CrossFit gyms are run by really nice, enthusiastic, supportive coaches who, quite frankly, have almost no clue what they’re doing.  Many CrossFit coaches have no more than a Level 1 CrossFit certification.  While some of those coaches are outstanding (because of prior or continued education and experience), many are not.  Personally, I would look for a coach who has at least one of the following credentials in addition to a CF Level 1.  These are listed in ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE (in my opinion):

a.  Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (aka, CSCS - a minimum requirement for any NCAA strength and conditioning coach)

b.  Starting Strength Coach (a certification offered by Mark Rippetoe, our strength guru)

c.  CrossFit HQ Trainer designation (this means that the individual teaches at CrossFit certification seminars)

d.  any USA Weightlifting certification (these guys know the Olympic lifts better than anyone)

e.  CrossFit Level 2

As a reference, M and I have (a) and (d), in addition to our CrossFit Level 1.  I will say this: CrossFit did NOT teach us how squat, deadlift, power clean, snatch, or bench press.  Nor did they teach us how to properly coach those lifts.  We learned the “slow lifts” – and how to coach them – from Mark Rippetoe (through watching videos), and we learned the Olympic lifts – and how to coach them – from Chad Vaughn and USA Weighlifting (and hours of watching videos on the web).

Attentiveness
Ask to participate in a free class.  Better, watch a class and observe the coaching from a detached perspective.  Is the coach attentive to everyone in the room?  What’s the coach-to-athlete ratio?  Are athletes actually being coached or just encouraged?  I.e., are form corrections being made?  Are you hearing good verbal cues?

Ability to Scale/Modify Appropriately
Good gyms will have "on-ramp" programs for introducing clients to proper movement form.  You all are beyond that at this point, but a good coach should know how to scale or modify things appropriately for you.  For example, here are a few movements that you're probably not ready for yet (though a skilled coach can work you through a gradual progression once you have the requisite strength), along the modifications we'd recommend:

• Handstand pushups:  Substitute another pushing movement, like pushpress or push-ups.  (Some might even suggest an elevated form of pushups, where your feet are up on a box, which is fine if they show you how.)
• Ring dips:  Dips are nothing more than a downward pushing movement.  The rings make regular dips even harder, by adding in a stabilization component and requiring serious shoulder strength.  Instead, do bench dips, or better yet, push-ups.  
• Muscle-ups:  These are for serious competitors only; it can really jack up your shoulders to try these when you're not ready.  A good coach might substitute a couple of movements like pull-ups/rows and push-ups.  

3.  A SCHEDULE that works for you.  Both time of day, but also days per week.  A lot of CrossFit gyms are set up for three days on, one day off programming.  Make sure that the gyms’s programming will work for you if you want to do MWF or T/TH/Sat.

We’re happy to check out the websites of gyms you’re considering.  If you need help anytime this summer or next year, just let us know!

Pushpress, swings, and boxjumps

Congratulations on all the 1RM's:
SS's 202# deadlift!
BB's 88# SOHP!
DF's 110# SOHP!

Strength:  If you feel up to it, test your 1RM on one of the major lifts!  Otherwise, 3 x 5's of ...

  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  AMRAP in 10 minutes...

  - 10 STO's (shoulder-to-overhead, okay to jerk it!)

  - 10 swings
  - 10 boxjumps
(from Fitness Conduit)

KZ:  5 rounds +27 (44#pp, 12kg swings, 17" boxjumps)
SS:  5 rounds +20 (44#pp, 30# swings, 17.5" - green plate boxjumps)
BHeg:  5 rounds +22 (35#pp - training bar +10kg, 20# swings, 4 green stack-boxes for jumps)
LP:  6 rounds +5 (33#pp, 15# swings, 19" boxjumps)
MaTo:  practicing movements (66#pp, 15kg swings, 11" boxjumps)
KS:  6 rounds +16 (6kg dbs pp, 15# swings, 4 green stack-boxes for jumps)
DF:  6 rounds +4 (66#pp, 15kg swings, 17" step-ups)
KE:  6 rounds even (44#pp, 30# swings, 19" boxjumps)
BB:  5 rounds +3 (66#pp, 15kg swings, 11" + blue plate boxjumps)
KD:  5 rounds +21 (44#pp, 10kg swings, 17.5" boxjumps)

One-arm DB Snatches + Sit-ups

Strength:  3 x 5's of ...
  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  UNTIMED, just get the work done...
   - 10x each arm, 1-arm DB snatches
   - 20x sit-ups

(You've done something like this before which you can use to determine loads for the snatches.)

KZ: 6kg
SS: 10kg
BHeg: 5kg
DH: 10kg
RD:  18kg, 10 T2B's




Kind of intense, but some great tips to improve your deadlift.

"Cindy"

Strength:  3 x 5's of ...
  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:  "Cindy" (modified)

15 minute AMRAP

 - 5 ring rows or jumping pullups

 - 10 push-ups (modified as needed)

 - 15 squats

DH:  14 rounds + 5 (jumping pull-ups, strict push-ups)
KZ:  15 rounds + 15 (ring rows, knee push-ups)
SS:  11 rounds + 3 (1-leg jumping pull-ups, knee push-ups, 17" step-ups)
BHeg: 13 rounds + 3 (ring rows, knee push-ups)
LP:  13 rounds + 3 (jumping pull-ups, knee push-ups)
RD:  13 rounds (strict pull-ups and push-ups)
BB:  13 rounds + 17  (jumping pull-ups and knee push-ups)
KE:  15 rounds + 5 (ring rows + strict push-ups)
KS:  10 rounds (jumping pull-ups + knee push-ups)
KD:  13 rounds + 2 (1-leg jumping pull-ups, knee push-ups)
RD:  11 rounds + 6 (strict pull-ups, strict push-ups, subbed sit-ups for squats)

This is your longest "Cindy" yet!  Compare results to past efforts in March 2013, January 2013, October 2012, and May 2012.

To read:  How much protein do you need?

Mainpage MetCon: Squat-Press Medley/Ladder

Strength:
3 x 5's of ...
  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

MetCon:
Modified from XF mainpage, April 2.
For time. . .

  - 5 overhead squat

  - 10 strict press

  - 15 pushpress

  - 20 frontsquat

  - 25 pushjerk

  - 30 backsquat

See a video of the workout performed impressively by Crossfit Athletes Jason Khalipa and Austin Stack.

Monday
KZ - 8:41 (15kg for overhead squats, 20kg for everything else)
BHeg - 9:41 (15# for overhead squats, 15kg for everything else)
LP - 10:21 (15# for overhead squats, 15kg for everything else)
BB - 6:44 (20kg for everything)
KE - 9:05 (15kg for overhead squats, 20kg for everything else)
DF - 7:41 (15# for overhead squats, 20kg for everything else)
BHam - 8:58 (20kg for overhead squats, 30kg for everything else)
MT - 8:02 (30kg for everything, 135 reps as originally rx'd)

How to Test Your 1RM

(This post is copied from the Strength Standards page of this blog, where it's published statically.)

How to test your 1RM:

• Before you start, use this 1RM calculator to get some idea what you should be able to do.
• Start with a set that easily allows you 5-10 repetitions (~70% of your estimated 1RM)
• Rest about 1 minute.
• Do 3-5 reps at about 80% of your estimated 1RM.
• Rest 1-2 minutes.
• Do 1-2 reps at about 90% of your estimated 1RM.
• Rest 1-2 minutes.
• Go for it!
• If you successfully get the estimated 1RM, keep going!  Be conservative in your increases, but not *too* conservative, since your chances of success decline with each attempt.

Of course, if this is all too math-y, you can just go by feel (which I often do myself).  Just do 2-3 ramping warm-up sets, increasing the weight and decreasing the reps with each successive set.  You should feel primed but not fatigued.  Then, go for it!

Repeating the "Dumbbell Bear" Complex

Congrats to BHeg for her 1RM deadlift of 154#!

Strength:  3 x 5's of ...
  - squats (back or front), SOHP/pushpress/pushjerk progression, barbell rows
  - powercleans (full or hang), deadlifts, benchpress

Metcon:  Re-visiting Mike Rutherford's "Dumbbell Bear" complex (done before on Feb. 13)
Every minute, on the minute, for 15 minutes -- not the original 20, yet -- perform . . .
     - 5 db deadlifts
     - 5 db hang cleans
     - 5 db thrusters

Today's work

Originally Rx'd loads are 45% BWT, which is beast mode!  We will scale appropriately.  Use your loads from last time as a guide.  You can make progress in any number of ways:

(A) adding weight
(B) doing 6 reps instead of 5's
(C) completing each round of work faster
(D) going an extra 16th round, or
(E) using the same load/reps as last time, but doing so with better form, more control, and greater efficiency.

Post-script:  Everyone did so well today!  You guys made progress by either adding weight or finishing each round more efficiently.  It took y'all about 30 seconds to complete the work in each round, which meant you had a good solid 1:1 work:rest ratio.  Well done!

"You Can't Outrun a Bad Diet"

Here’s a nice slide show that clearly demonstrates the impossibility of “out-exercising” a poor diet.

GYM WORK -- along with sufficient calories and protein -- is the way to get stronger and improve your conditioning.

DIET (not gym work) is the way to lose fat.

ALL OF US could stand to gain some muscle.

MANY OF US (your coaches included!) could benefit -- performance-wise -- from losing some fat.

Truth!