Arden
“Alls ya need to do to get strong is yer knee bendin’, yer bar liftin’, and yer bar pressin’.”
We got most of everyone’s PR’s in our comments the other day. If you haven’t done that, you can post them today. However, Friday is now going to be known as PR Friday. Post the improvements you made throughout the week whether they be in weight lifted, reps, bodyweight increase, or eating PR’s. If you made some kind of improvement this week towards getting stronger or yoked, I wanna hear about it.
Note: Somebody tell Anthony from Washington state that he should have already gained 5 pounds. Also, Scott from the Inner City Gym needs to send me an e-mail (forgot to get it in Washington).
———-
The rest of the post was written by Gant.
Today’s spotlight is on Arden Cogar, Jr., a Timbersports champion and a hell of a nice guy. He has been 70’s Big since, well, pretty much the seventies. He was 14 when he squeezed himself into a size 48 jacket. As an adult, he sports a 13.5 shoe and wears a size 13 ring (which would be a collar to most 90s small guys).
Arden has been a fixture on the professional lumberjack circuit for over 30 years. If you haven’t been watching manly programming (perhaps you’re 90s small and have been watching Glee), you might have missed ESPN’s Stihl Timbersports, a series of lumberjack events that challenge competitors to chop, cut, and saw their way through white pine as fast as they can.
To date, Arden has won 47 world titles in lumberjack sports, including the U.S. Stihl Timbersports Championships three times in the past four years. He is the current Captain of the U.S. National Lumberjack Team.
He came into this the old fashioned way, through his family. His 75 year old father, himself a legend in the sport, is a retired logger who spent over 50 years in the woods. Arden Sr. instilled a work ethic in his son that sticks with him today.
In addition to his dad, his four uncles participated in Timber Sports for many years, and they passed it on to their sons. Currently, there are over 20 members of the Cogar family who are active in some facet of Timber Sports.
Standing Block Chop
How long have you been competing in lumberjack sports?
Last weekend I wrapped up my 31st year competing in professional lumberjack sports. I started at age 8 when my father put modified chain saws in my hands. I started chopping and sawing when I was 12. I became the youngest participant ever in ESPN’s Stihl Timbersports Series at age 17.
What is your training background?
I started lifting weights when I was 12. I competed in my first bench press contest when I was 14. I competed in my first three lift powerlifting contest when I was 17. I stopped power lifting when I realized I would have needed to turn to “the dark side” in order to remain competitive. For the next 14 years, I did “power bodybuilding” until I was introduced to Crossfit. I then started doing more “metabolic conditioning” workouts to make myself fitter and tougher. Through Crossfit I fell in love with the Olympic lifts. Through that love for the Olympic lifts, I was introduced to my current coach, Randy Hauer, who has completely revamped my entire training protocol.
Through Randy’s diligence, I’ve made more progress in the past two years (as a middle aged man), than I did in the previous 20. I’ve turned my event training sessions into my metabolic conditioning sessions and my weight training is now speed and speed strength based.
Editor’s note: Before any of you Crossfitters think Arden is building off-season GPP by doing Fran, snatching PVC, or taking pictures of himself doing handstands in public, think again. Here is Arden’s idea of a conditioning workout:
BABE THE BLUE OX workout
How has this change in training philosophy helped you?
My weight training has gone from “grunting and getting hurt” as I settled into middle aged to “halfway grunting for a week, resting a week but still lifting; three quarters grunting for a week, resting a week but still lifting; 4/5’s grunting for a week, resting a week but still lifting, back to half way grunting.” Training this way has allowed me to make more progress in the past two years (at age 38 and 39) than I did the previous 20 years combined.
Moreover, Coach Randy has done the same sort of lay out with my event training, that keeps me chomping at the bit to train more than what he’s allotted for me. The heaviest times of the year are the Fall and Spring, but I only do what he says and it has kept my performances ever improving.
I love it. I’m totally looking forward to my 40s and I think the sky’s the limit.
How do you train for your sport?
My training for Timber Sports events is sports specific. We have various disciplines in the sport that require use of the axe, the crosscut saw, and the chainsaw. I train those events as though I were doing them in competition. I do not however, use my best equipment when I train. I do try and simulate the events that I’m training for – in other words, If I am cutting a 12″ white pine at a contest and I estimate it will take me 16 hits and 15 seconds to cut the log – I will train the log to be cut in 16 hits and 15 seconds.
The volume of my training and the “perceived intensity” of my training varies depending upon the time of the year. When in my off season my volume is higher, but my “perceived intensity” is lower. When the season rolls around my perceived intensity increases as I get myself race ready; my volume of training drops somewhat. During the season, my perceived intensity is still high, but my overall volume of event work is limited.
Numbers time. Any cool feats of strength you’d like to talk about?
I’m a natural puller. I could deadlift a lot of weight at a very young age. The most I’ve ever singled was 775 (I can do a lot more, but I have no interest in trying). Last Christmas I pulled 615 for 9. My goal is to do it for 10 this Christmas. I’ve back squatted well into the 600s. And, at 39, I can still dunk a volley ball; not bad considering I’m very under tall. I can also still do 20 consecutive dead hang pull ups with little or no effort (and never training them).
You have recently started training the Olympic lifts. How are those going?
Currently, my best squat clean is about 150 to 155 (but I can see that increasing quite a bit as my technique improves), my best power snatch is about 110 (I’m still mastering the squat snatch), my best overhead squat is about 140.
How does one become a professional lumberjack?
Getting involved in Timber Sports is an expensive endeavor. If a person is willing to invest the money in the equipment and the time into training, they can be very successful in the sport. The contests are all over the world and we have various levels of competition (novice, intermediate, professional and masters). There are also events completely and exclusively for women and younger athletes. The axes cost about $400 a piece; the crosscut saws cost about $1,500 a piece; and the modified chainsaws cost about $4,000 a piece. So it’s in expensive endeavor. But the contests offer prize money that can result, through diligence and training, enough placings to pay for the equipment and the costs of travel.
Right now, there is a big push on the collegiate level by Stihl which has resulted in a great influx of very good young competitors. Stihl has recently sponsored the Collegiate Timbersports Series which is aired on ESPN U. There are over 400 universities and colleges in the United States that have Forestry programs that have Forestry Clubs and Woodsmens’ Teams. These college lumberjacks or timber sports athletes are building the future of U.S. Timbersports.
For a person who’s not in college, the best way to learn about the sport is to contact someone such as myself or another professional. Most of us are very wiling to share what we know about the sport because we see it as a hobby that we want to preserve and share with the world. Tons of people have offered to pay me to train them and I’ve turned it down every time because it would take the fun of the sport for me. My father trained hundreds of competitors over the years. He told them everything he knew because he wanted them to beat him. He wanted them to make him work harder so he would become better. I live by the same adage.
I’ve noticed that not all lumberjacks are 70s Big. What kind of physical skills do you need for this sport?
The physical attributes for good Timber Sports athletes are all over the place. While physical size is a plus, it is not the true indication of success. My father was 5’7’ 200 pounds during his prime years in the sport. I’m not much taller at 5’11″. A lot of today’s top athletes are very tall and rangy. One of the best axemen in the world is 5’10″ and weighs 135 – or a little over 60 kilos. I weigh nearly twice as much as he does, yet he can drive an axe in as deeply as I can. I am much physically stronger, but his timing and technique is absolutely perfect.
The true test is perfecting technique while continuing to become stronger and more athletic. That is my challenge and one I hope to master in the upcoming years.
What should the readers know about Timbersports?
Timber Sports is a wonderful family oriented sport that has it’s roots in hard work and sweat. Many people who watch a Timber Sports event say, “wow, that looks like a lot of work.” Simply put, it is. It’s great fitness and a great event that celebrates a rich logging and lumbering history that is the basis for the infrastructure of what is today the United States.
Thanks for talking with us. Any parting thoughts?
To quote a good friend and 2006 World’s Strongest Man, Phil Pfister, – “Alls ya need to do to get strong is yer knee bendin’, yer bar liftin’, and yer bar pressin’.”
Working the hotsaw at the 2009 finals.
75 Comments
November 13th, 2009 at 6:17 am
How can you pull 775 with a lot more in the tank and never find out how much!? That is one strong dude, good find Gant!
November 13th, 2009 at 7:06 am
Arden Cogar!!! I can remember watching that guy on ESPN when I was little. Man, what a hoss. His training seems really very interesting. He’’s obviously got a coach who really knows his stuff and understands what Arden wants to accomplish. His vertical jump must be awesome if he can dunk a volleyball and he is only 5” 10″. Heading to the rack everyone lift something heavy today.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:47 am
Great article. I wonder if the crossfitters would talk shit about Ardens use of straps and his sumo deads…..
November 13th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Friday PR day – 6-1, 35 y/o
BW – 230 lbs (most ever – I”m getting fat)
BS – 270 x 3 x 5
BP – 180 x 3 x 5
PC – 165 x 5 x 3
DL – 345 x 1 x 5
SP – 125 x 3 x 5 (missed last rep)
November 13th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Oh yea…My deads have been stalling/regressing lately and my squat is in danger of catching up so I decided to switch up my programming a bit.I am currently doing an advanced novice program as described in PP2.I began programming my deads on Wednesday’’s light squat day and it worked.
DL 1*5 395lbs – PR
November 13th, 2009 at 8:13 am
Not really PRs on anything, but I did the following last night:
180×3x5 – squat
115×3x5 – press
135×5x3 – PC
This was just my second workout after a 3 week downtime. I just couldn”t wait any longer. Everything was pretty light, which I guess is good since it’’s only the second workout.
My BW however is up to 204. I”ve gained 3 pounds since Tuesday. I love eating.
November 13th, 2009 at 8:19 am
Including some farting around with MEBB black box, then WItchita Falls crossfit, then SS only, in 3.5 months:
BW 83kg > 97kg
BS 85kg > 120kg (after a reset – still working up)
DL 125kg > 155kg
BP 75kg > 92.5kg
PC 67.5kg > 75kg
P 52.5kg > 66kg
Looking back over my progress, it’’s frustrating. I could have been so much stronger by now if I”d gone straight to SS only. My PC is bad because I haven”t been able to get my form down. Anyway, there you have it.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:07 am
love this site. got into SS a little more than a few months ago from watching dvds of rippetoe teaching form for SS exercises. since then its been pretty much uphill till my squats stalled at 300. i looked at this site and the direct effect was for me to start eating. my progress this week has been pretty solid.
squat 295-310
PC 185-190
DL 315
press 145-150
bench 240-250
chins 3×8
extensions-3×12
thanks SS and 70s big
November 13th, 2009 at 9:34 am
I started trying to get 70s Big after Rips Barbell Certification in Omaha on October 24-25. Since then I”ve made alot of progress as far as strength, bodyweight and amount of food. The first numbers are what I lifted at the cert.
Bodyweight=185lb Now=197lb
Squat= 185×5 Now = 255×5
Press= 115×5 Now = 135×5
Deadlift= 250×5 No= 325×5
Power Clean= 135×5 Now= 185×5
Bench= 195×5 Now= 205×5
My jeans and shirts are getting tight
November 13th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I want to reiterate how good a guy Arden is. He is always has a word of advice or encouragement for lifters at any level.
I omitted some items from my post to make it flow a little better. One of those things was a cool discussion about the role Arden’’s dad played in his training, sport, and life. Here it is:
“Right before I started kindergarten I can remember hating to stay home with my mother. I begged my father to let me come to work with him. He told me I could under one condition – I had to work. If I was going to work with him, I wasn”t going to play all day. Everyone there was working and so would I.
At the age of six, my job during the summer months was lugging culled pieces of timber from the log landing to an area where my father could split them for firewood. Once the wood was split, I would load it onto his truck. When I got bigger and stronger, I started splitting the logs myself. Eventually, I started doing more strenuous logging related activities.
The whole time my father told me “this type of work is not for you. You can be a doctor or lawyer. Pick one. But for now, I want you to know what work is, so you won”t want to do it when you”re older.”
Looking back, he said that to me a least a thousand times. At the time I didn”t know what he was doing. Now I do. And I”m thankful for his lesson. A wonderful lesson in life.”
November 13th, 2009 at 9:48 am
This week’’s notables:
* Gained 4 lbs. (same scale) in one evening last weekend. That was accomplished with a half rack of ribs, some pork loin, and 3 pieces of chocolate cake.
* Ripped my favorite pair of jeans while getting in the bed of my truck. Ripped a pair of shorts warming up for DLs.
* Squatted 330×10
* Pressed 170×9
* Deadlifted 405×10
November 13th, 2009 at 9:50 am
PR Friday time:
Bodyweight springtime – 161 lbs
Bodyweight now – 179.5 lbs
A pitifully slow increase, but it’’s still a BW PR at 5”7″! (I”m eating a bowl of meat and beans right now)
Recent PRs all during training, not peaking
Deadlift – 485 lbs
Bench Press – 275 lbs x 2 – easy
Box Squat – 365 lbs x 2 – easy
One arm kettlebell press – 40 kg x 5 – easy, good for more
Going to shift focus in training and hammer the grip and include more overhead work now. Also need to buy new pants. Maybe just switch to sweat pants every day.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:55 am
great videos/interview.
I getting a sense of a love/hate towards CF. I realize CF is not condusive to 70s Big, but do you only dislike CF Gyms that that stray from heavey lifting and stick to metcons only or do you dislike all things CF aside from the heavey lifting? Any thoughts on CF Football? Do you guys just do SS/Texas Meethod or do you implement meatbolic conditioning into your training? Just curious.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:12 am
I think this site in some ways is a way to say strength is the key piece to fitness and to try and remind people of that. People see the CF elite and assume those people got that way strictly with CF. What they don”t realize is pretty much all of those people came into CF with a solid foundation of strength. So let’’s go back to the basics and get people big and strong as quickly and efficiently as possible since that will benefit them the most in the long run.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:17 am
As far as my training I don”t include any met-cons. My training will focus solely on strength until I can do at least a 2x BW squat, 2.5x BW DL, 1.5x BW bench and PC, and a BW press. Until then I will consider myself weak.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:30 am
Look, the focus of 70sBig is on gaining muscular bodyweight through the acquisition of strength. Period. We”re not here to preach about fitness, or abs, or counting blocks, or shaved chests, or any of that crap.
CF has a stated mission, and it is different than ours. Do we welcome CFers into the fold? Of course we do! But we”re not bending our focus to accommodate someone a guy who spends half of his training time hopping around like a jackass.
Strength is a component of sport (a large component of worthwhile sports). Fitness is another component of sport (not a sport itself). That’’s it.
For the record, Justin and I have both posted (what would be considered) elite times in CF benchmark workouts while focusing primarily on strength. And we did this wearing shirts.
We”re not married to any program. Again, consider our mission. Linear progression is typically the best program for a novice to get on the path to 70sBig. CF Football can work for those who also want some GPP. I personally do Wendler’’s 531. It works well with my age, injuries, work schedule, and judo training.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:40 am
Arden is a BEAST! I love watching Timbersports. Those guys are great athletes. I love that the sport is based in a history of hard labor. I grew up working for my dad’’s brick/stone/block/concrete masonry company and I”ve always thought that you could make a sport out of the many strength based movements you find on the jobsite. Thanks for the great writeup on a great athlete!
Ryan
November 13th, 2009 at 11:28 am
@Gant.
Would you do a write up on 5/3/1? I”m looking into it as the next step for me after having fought out the linear progression as far as I”m able. I”m off to the Beacon to eat a double chili cheese aplenty. Pics forthcoming.
November 13th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Arden is a great guy, I”ve had a little bit of corrospondence with him on the Performance Menu forums and his Youtube channel, he always seems to be in a positive mood and willing to offer advice. Obviously he is strong as hell and a successful athlete.
PR’’s this week (3 sets of 5)
Press: 145
Bench: 220
Deadlift: 320 (going for this after work tonight, confident I”ll get it)
5”10 200#
About CrossFit, I think the movement overall is great for fitness and getting people involved in useful training. I”ve been to a number of quality CF gyms across Canada and enjoyed the coaching. There are definitely problems with it,
-The attitude of many affiliates (”elite” fitness bullshit)
- “Coaches” who’’s background consists of a level 1 seminar who allow disgustingly bad form to pass on olympic lifts/thrusters (you see this in videos all the time)
- Idiots wearing gloves to do 65# thrusters
- CF”ers talking crap on bodybuilders about how vain they are, then asking questions in the diet forum on how to get 7% bodyfat so they can have visible abs, shaving their chests/arms etc, being scared of GOMAD/strength training because they will lose their visible abs
- Metcon only factories with no logical progression to their programming
- Generally insane crap like Tony Budding comparing the CF games to the olympics (see the games site article a few days ago), this stuff just makes CF look dumb
November 13th, 2009 at 12:13 pm
Another 5-3-1 devotee myself… It suits everything and helps me gain/maintain strength while allowing for a little bit of conditioning to burn some body fat. Don”t need to get 70sBig (currently at 260) now as I have some body fat I need to get rid of but not at the expense of my strength.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
5”9″ 170lbs
squat – 255×3x5
bench – 185×3x5
dead lift – 335×1x5
power clean – 115×5x3
press – 120×3x5
I”m working on the body weight part. 170 isn”t cutting it, time to go eat a pound of spaghetti and string cheese.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I like the idea of PR Friday. I already posted my 455×2 BS earlier in the week, but I”m still stoked about it. Also back up over 250lbs and eating like every day is Thanksgiving in preparation for my first PL meet on Dec 5th – trying to hit 260-265 for that, since I”m competing in the 275′’s.
November 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
6”3 217 and growing as we speak
33 y/o
DL – 265
SQ – 225
Bench – 190
Press – 125
All 3×5′’s – weak, I know. Never really trained heavy until now (started 2 weeks ago), but you just wait…
November 13th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
28yo 5”11″
*Started trying to get ”70s Big on October 18th. Began SS later that same week. Started with light weights to build good form with a plan to increase quickly.
As of Thursday(11/12):
BW 165# –> 190#
BS 135# –> 240#
BP 125# –> 180#
PRESS 85# –> 105#
DEADS 185# –> 225#
CLEANS 135# –> 140#
*GOMADing my ass off and my wardrobe is quickly dwindling. My family runs a small creamery business so I have plenty of free access to 18% butterfat milkshakes. I can literally feel mass being added when I down one of those puppies.
*Four weeks in and all I can say is this shit works. As Justin told me: “Eat. Lift. Get Strong.”
November 13th, 2009 at 1:44 pm
Height: 6”0″
Weight: 210
Age: 24
Squat: 230×5x3
Bench: 160×5x3
DL: 255×5
Press: 117×5x3
PC: 135×3x3
Squats just stopped going up 30 lbs per week. My current lifts aren”t impressive, but I”m rebuilding strength post-idiocy.
November 13th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Well ofcourse a lumberjack is 70s big, they all eat flapjacks for breakfast and have Paul Bunyan as a role model.
5″10
185 lbs
Back Squat 235 5×3
Press 140 5×3
Bench 180 5×3
P Clean 160 3×5
Dead 330 5×1
Not bad for someone who is not an adult male yet. But it could be better, much much better
November 13th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Long time lurker, first time poster.
35 yrs old. 5”11””. 195lbs.
Squat 185×5x3
Press 110×5x3 (new PR in gym today)
Bench 190×5x3 (Still progressing)
DL 225 5×1
Need to start PL….trying to get my wrists flexible for a legit rack position.
Overall, SS has been a boon. On it for past 2 months and love it. My squats suck ass b/c I had bad form issues due to flexibility, but they are slowing improving.
And Gant, I think you had the most damning critique of CF ever, one that I will hold dear to my heart from here to eternity:
“This is excellent if you want to train with a group of other shirtless males who measure progress by ripped hands and vomit.”
Exxxcccceeeelllleeeent. [tenting hands together]
November 13th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I live in central Washington and am looking for a squat rack for a home/garage gym I am building. It is tough to find one out here, I got kicked out of my last gym for the oly lifting and CF football workouts I was doing. I dropped 405 DL after the 5th rep, my grip slipped.
Does anyone know where I can get a squat rack in this area, Seattle is ok. Yes I have been combing craigslist.
As far as CF goes, my biggest complaint after doing it for 18 months was that my strength was definately not progressing the way it should for the level that I was working out. I am not built to be a CF top performer, 6”2″ 205#, could easily be 230 plus I love to eat and the Zone does not allow that.
CF football definately does not have that problem so I had been doing more of their workouts until I got kicked out. However, I am very excited to get SS and start focusing more on strength, but will likely keep some CF football workouts.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:10 pm
SS for about a month now. I have layed off of the CF, kind of tough when you own a box. I feel much stronger and healthier and am looking forward to starting some serious Oly training in about 6 more months.
Old/New–three weeks apart!
BW-193/210
BS-300×1/285×5x3sets
DL-390×1/325×5x1set
Press-170×1/160×5x3sets
C/J-225×1
Best gains in the Squat and press.
Dead’’s have been lacking, stiil nursing a sore back from a little while back and a little nervous to try anything heavy.
I have layed of the Oly lifts and have decided to get a bit stronger first before picking them back up again.
I have cut back on my CF Met-Cons from about 8-10 WODs a week to about 2.
Happy with the progress. See you guys in Tampa in March.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
5”10
197 lbs
Squat: 215 5×3
Dead: 245 5×1
Press: 115 5×3 or 135 5×1
Clean: 140 3×5
Bench: 200 5×1 or 185 5×3
Pullups: 5,4,3
I know my squats and dead numbers arent very good. I injured my hip flexor a while ago and couldnt do any lower body lifts for several months, so Im really trying to get these up.
Question, do you guys think taking 5 lb increases on squats is too small? I feel like it has been working good however, I also feel like my progress is a little to slow.
Would it be worth it to keep making small jumps to avoid stalling? Or should I just put on 10 lbs every time.
Currently Im going for pr’’s on mon and fri while keeping wed’’s squats at 80%.
Any advice appreciated
November 13th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
msupt -
Here are the plans for the racks that are used at WFAC:
http://www.wfac-gym.com/files/rack_model.pdf
It seems like most people on the forum are being quoted about $500 to build it.
If you”re looking for a rack that you can squat inside of, check out the racks on elitefts.com, you”ll spend more but they are really nice.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
BloodAndOi:
Last year I took my squat from 225×5x3 to 295×5x3 in 5-lb jumps at every workout. Later, I lost all that strength by being an idiot. I plan to rebuild it much the same way I did the first time.
Five pound jumps work for the squat, at least if you make these jumps at every workout. I don”t know how they work if you”re making weekly increases because I”m not at that point yet.
November 13th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Bahadur: “This is excellent if you want to train with a group of other shirtless males who measure progress by ripped hands and vomit.”
Where and when did I say this? I must have been thinking more clearly at that time.
All: Here’’s our stance on CF. Hopefully we won”t have to keep rehashing it.
CF is good for people who want to move about and develop some GPP. The people who do it really seem to enjoy the workouts and the community. It works well for women, especially the ones who take low doses of Anavar or Winstrol. It’’s a nice gateway drug in that it has introduced many to barbells and Olympic lifts that would otherwise be doing Hammer Strength machines or flogging the dolphin while playing Call of Duty 4.
To us, the concept of elite fitness is silly, as would be concepts of elite balance or elite accuracy. All of those are merely components of sport.
To us, CF is not a sport. However, the people who compete in the various qualifiers and Games are very good athletes who display excellent skills across the board.
To us, “elitist” attitudes have no place in the gym or on this site. I”m just as happy when one of our skinny teenagers puts 45s on the squat bar the first time as I am when Chris squats 500×3 like he did today.
We don”t train “not to suck at life” because that’’s too damn vague. And besides, if you have a wallet chain, faux hawk, and avoid Vegas trips because you can”t stay Paleo, you absolutely positively suck at life.
In the end, we”re all just training for something, and we all choose our own path. This one just has big weights, striped socks, facial hair, ripped clothes, and lots of polyester.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:04 pm
Chris thanks for the link
Gant great words
November 13th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Gant: I don”t know if it was you, but someone named Gant Gimes stated as such on the Rippetoe Q&A forum:
http://www.strengthmill.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5346&page=2
Disclaimer: I have no exposure to any real CF”ers or anything CF-related outside the internet. I don”t mean to besmirch the whole ”movement”, but what I dislike is the elitist attitude and ”tough guy” personae they try to cultivate. T-shirts with bad-ass slogans for some reason irritate the shit outta me.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
Bahadur: That was me.
Brandon: I will do a write-up. There is a lot of info out there already. I”ll tell my side of it and why it works for me.
November 13th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
First time poster. Love the site. Just wanted to say not to judge a whole group based on the obnoxious loud mouths with faux hawks and six packs. There are a lotta good people involved with CrossFit who are interested in strength training, and let’’s not forget about CrossFit exposing thousands to barbell exercises, not to mention getting kids interested in picking up heavy stuff at a young age. I found Starting Strength through CrossFit and scoured the CrossFit journal for Rippetoe videos. Some who claim to be Crossfitters get all hopped up on met cons, but these people usually dont know much, and fail to realize that they arent truly “fit” because they have completely neglected to get strong. Anyways thats my two cents. Gonna go finish my milk. By the way, weighed in at 205 today. Up from 192 two weeks ago. Not a BW PR, had got up to 217 in the past, but had a brain fart and had a bad run in with the Zone. That crap didnt work and it stole away my adult maleness….
November 13th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Ryan, again, we”re not here to bash (well, not only here to bash). Justin and I both did CF. We are technically an affiliate. Rip has traveled the country doing CF barbell certifications. We”ve all douched it up and kissed the guns once or twice in our lives.
We”re here to help trainees through their Post CrossFit(tm) period.
November 13th, 2009 at 4:51 pm
I am officially inspired to get out of the 85kg weight class. Thumbs up for 70s Big.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
I’ve been training at WFAC for three weeks now. Before Justin got me started on a proper strength program I was lifting off and on with light weights and higher reps, so I don’t have any good “starting” numbers. But in the past three weeks I’ve gone from 185 to 195 BW. My numbers from Wed and today:
Squat: 245×5x3
Press: 165×5
Bench: 230×5x3
Deadlift: 245×5
I’m still increasing every workout on all lifts. On presses today I had some issue with my balance so I only did one set of five at 165.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Arden is a great guy, nice to see the profile.
Lots of us have PCFSD. I”m usually OK though sometimes I have flashbacks.
November 13th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I”ve been training since March. Had a lot of setbacks due to inadequate recovery.
March:
BW: 137 lbs
SQ: 75×5x3
DL: 135×5x1
P: 50×5x3
BP: 75×5x3
Now:
BW: 178 lbs
SQ: 275×5x3
DL: 335×5x1
P: 127.5×5x3
BP: 165×5x3
November 13th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
First post here…
Fantastic original content Gant.
Hopefully there is room for total newbs here. Started SS 2 weeks ago, have never lifted weights before in my life.
BW: 192 -> 195
SQ: 105 -> 175 (so much more here in my legs, but hip flexors are sore as a mother.)
DL: 135 -> 215
P: 65 -> 90
BP: 115 -> 127
I probably haven”t gained strength so much as Ive just found my starting limits. I”ll consider the second set of numbers my benchmark from here forward.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Gant, as usual, hit the nail on the head. CrossFit is exercise, not training. This means that any claims that make it more than exercise are erroneous, and we treat them as such.
Gant will do a good job on the 5/3/1 write up, but it should be noted that he chose this because it best fits his current level of adaptation and the training for his sport.
If someone is about to finish the linear progression, a 5/3/1 program would illicit results slower than an alternative program would. Consider it more of an advanced program instead of an intermediate (but context is very important to this statement). If someone is SOLELY concerned with increasing strength as efficiently as they can, and they are moving from the realm of a novice to an intermediate, the 5/3/1 program will not be as useful as an alternative intermediate program.
November 13th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Made a 5 lbs jump in squat singles and felt pretty good. Hit 5×2 at 235 for bench but missed the last rep (HATE when that happens).
No one has set a PR in food today? No one?
I will start. Ate a PB and honey sandwich during lifting. Left and went to Outback. Today I ran across a $25 giftcard I did not know I had and I blew it all on myself. 20oz steak, sweet potato, vegetables, a loaf of bread. Finished it off with a full glass of milk… and I still am grazing. $27 of Outback gone in the matter of 20 minutes. Glorious.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
Tonights dinner: Steak, Breadsticks, Steak, more Steak and a big big glass of milk.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:40 pm
This week’’s work sets:
BS: 230
SP: 125
BP: 155
PC: 185
DL: 305
Still well below old numbers, but started light three weeks ago while working back from some shoulder and low back issues.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
By the way, all you guys who are squatting below 250 for your work sets are probably not eating enough.
November 13th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
squatted 390×5x3, which was a PR.
also overhead pressed 175×5x3, which was also a PR. that is all.
-J.
November 13th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
“By the way, all you guys who are squatting below 250 for your work sets are probably not eating enough.”
Are you serious? That”’’s 250 for guys that have been going at this for a while, right?
I’m not sure what you’re asking me (I can’t read your sarcasm if you implied it). They may have come a long way, but I don’t think anybody is near leaving the linear progression in this weight range, regardless of bodyweight.
–Justin
November 13th, 2009 at 8:22 pm
So along with a squat PR of 395 today, I”ve got a short story. At the end of the 2nd set of 5, on the way to rack my upper back rounded somewhat and only one side of the barbell made it into the rack. I was stuck. Being completely spent I struggled for awhile trying to get the other side racked, but was not immediately successful. There was a guy not but 3 ft to the right of the rack who was doing what amounted to masturbation with a medicine ball, and another guy doing some pointless exercise with 20 lb dumbbells 3 ft to the left. Neither one made any attempt to stop what they doing and help raise the one side of the bar those last couple inches. I also noticed the employee watching the weight room was standing across the room watching with a concerned look on his face but not moving (regardless, he shouldn”t have had to). I decided I wasn”t going to get crushed and managed to rack it, while causing a pretty good strain in my right shoulder. I was ready to beat the dumb ass with medicine ball, but unfortunately (fortunately?) I was raised to keep such grievances to myself. Lesson learned — general humanity is unreliable. Got a kindred spirit to spot my uneventful 3rd set. Short term goal of 405 squat for 3 sets of 5 next week is very much in sight.
Had I stuck religiously to the program this whole year and ate properly, these numbers would be much better. Also, the daily 5k calories has become inadequate and will be upped today.
22 y.o., 5” 11″
Jan to present
for 5 reps, 3 across
BW: 165 -> 220
BS: 165 -> 395
BP: 135 -> 212.5
P : 95? -> 137.5
DL: 185 -> 405 (one set)
DL is temp on hold so all effort is on squat short term goal (yea yea I”m a puss).
November 13th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
I”m using 5/3/1 as well, and have been pleased with the progress. Hard work on the basic barbell lifts and hard work in your 3 basic food groups of meat, milk and booze will work every time.
As for me, I”m 23 years old, 6”5″ and weigh in at 265 lbs of hair and testosterone.
Today I squatted an easy 405×12.
November 13th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
20/m/6”4/200lb
BW PR – 200lb as of today
Just starting linear progression..
Squat – 185×3x5
Press – 115×3x5
PC – 155×5x3
Bench – 165×3x5
Deadlift – 305×1x5
November 13th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
Justin – Do you think it would be possible to create a coaches list one day for this site? I know that you guys travel for the barbell seminars and are probably already familiar with quite a few good coaches that you could recommend. I know personally I””d really like to work with a good coach in California, even if I had to travel just to train for the day.
A directory of coaches will be created as they pass the new Starting Strength Seminar. This will benefit both lifters and coaches as we try and make an army of strong people.
–Justin
November 13th, 2009 at 10:00 pm
@Justin, I wasn””t being sarcastic at all. Just confused. I have no strength or athletic background at all. I thought I was doing something wrong that after 6 weeks I””m only squatting 145. But I see now. Thanks for clarifying.
Depending on your age, weight, and recovery, you should be able to add five pounds to your squat every workout until the second quarter of 2010.
–Justin
November 13th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Ok, I give. Will someone please explain what a “faux hawk” is. It seems to me that either you have a mohawk or you don”t. Are these people who shave the sides of their skulls but have never listened to the Dead Kennedys? Or are they using fancy hair products instead of the more traditional egg white and sugar solution or toothpaste?
November 13th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
5”11″, everything is for 3 sets of 5 across except power cleans which are 5 sets of 3 across and deadlifts for 1 set of 5.
On Dec. 19th 2008:
Weight: 149lb
Squat: 185lb
Deadlift: 185lb
Press: 65lb
Power Clean: 105
Within the last month or so:
Weight: 185lb (+36lbs)
Squat: 260lb (+75lbs)
Deadlift: 345lb (+160lbs)
Press: 125 (+60lbs)
Power Clean: 165 (+60lbs)
I only tried to gain weight from 12/19/08-2/19/09 and now I”m on another gaining cycle that started 10/15 (put on 10lbs in the last month). I”m shooting for adult male status by the end of the year but it might be close. I”d also like to deadlift 405 by the end of the year, we”ll see.
November 14th, 2009 at 12:15 am
Really, if this is going to become another Crossfit bashing site, I””m just not gonna come back here. There is enough of that workout snobbery on bb.com and tnation. I thought this site was going to be about getting people strong and eating more than is generally recommended. Crossfit has been a large part of my life, and without it I probably would not have found Coach Rip or this site.I””m not going to expound on its virtues and how it has brought many deluded people closer to actual training. So, if we””re gonna continue this elitist nit pick horse shit, I will have to bid you all fucking adeau. And its a damn shame too, I really thought this would be a fun place without all the bullshit that goes on with other fitness related websites; like how the crossfit message board has slowly devolved into shit. Oh well. I””ll be around, but if this kind of stuff is going to be the norm then I will be more than slightly disappointed.
1. If you have read any comments by Gant or I, then you would know that we are not interested in “bashing CrossFit”.
2. However, CrossFit is not a program that will best increase performance. There is some kind of reason you are on this website.
3. Strength is the fundamental capacity for any athletic endeavor. It maintains precedence over all other physical attributes because those attributes rely on strength.
4. Teaching a mindset of training hard, training correctly, and eating correctly for performance are important to improve strength. This is in stark contrast to the “badass mentality” that has developed in an attempt to be different than everyone else. Performing a snatch improperly, ripping hands, and dropping a bar on your head in the bench press have become “cool” because it makes the person feel “hard”. Instead, we want to emphasize progress in useful training as well as experience in sport.
I hope this clears any problems you may have had with the site. And really, compared to some forums on the internet, this is quite civil.
–Justin
November 14th, 2009 at 1:51 am
New Squat PR today:
460×1 up from 425 last spring. Exciting.
Bench Press slowly creeped up to almost 245×5x3 (missed last rep of 3rd set) my old record and not bad for an Oly lifter.
Pull-ups are all to shit now compared to before now that I”m about 205. Still +50# for 3×5
November 14th, 2009 at 2:03 am
hit a PR on Squat Yesterday
300×5x3
19 years old, 6”0″ 175 lbs (yes resident skinny bitch)
Goin for 305 tomorrow. Bench is at 205, Press at 130, Dead at 350 and P-Clean at 175. Am now on Advanced linear programming, so deadlifting every 5 days instead of every other day. Will probably go back to 10 lb jumps on it now that im doing it less frequently. Will be going for 305 squat, 132 press and 180 pc tomorrow.
Casey
November 14th, 2009 at 9:08 am
To each their own, gentleman.
PR’’s across the board this week:
S: 380
P: 187
BP: 270
D: 400
BW: 225
November 14th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Age: 18
Height: 5”6
BW: 175
I”m doing 5/3/1 to try and get 70′’s big. All I care about is strength. Started actual lifting this past January. All of these numbers are PR’’s to when I started to program 5 months ago
Beginning lifts for 5/3/1 and BW was about 155.
Press: 85×7
Deadlift: 235×10
Bench: 130×11
Squat: 200×12
Recent lifts:
Press: 105×7
Deadlift: 295×5
Bench: 180×6
Squat: 260×3
I love this site and all the great training vids posted. Thank you Justin and Gant for making this website
November 14th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Age: 21
Height: 5”6″
BW: 165ish
Little bit of history:
I hadn”t touched a barbell before Feb. 2009 when I started CrossFit. I had a lot of trouble doing the WODs at respectable weights, so my coach told me to start focusing on the olympic lifts. Starting in January, I plan on doing strictly starting strength and GOMAD because I”ve been having some trouble eating enough to gain weight while I”m doing CrossFit WODs and olympic lifts at the same time.
DL: 235# -> 315#
BS: 155# -> 250#
FS: 130# -> 245#
Snatch: 95# -> 175#
C&J: 115# -> 210#
Bodyweight: 155# -> 145# -> 165#
Haven”t really done much pressing, but that’’s going to change. Especially since my jerk is starting to limit what I can C&J.
Also, I”m in Colorado and my coach said it’’s harder to put on weight at altitude. Does anyone have any experience with this?
November 14th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Oh and Jason,
This might be a stretch, but since you””re compiling a list of gyms and coaches that are 70”’’s Big friendly, what about a list of doctors?
I””ve been dealing with some weightlifters”” migraines lately and I””ve had a hell of a time trying to find a doc who doesn””t give me the “if it hurts, don””t do it” answer. I””ve decided that the migraines were just a result of overtraining/growing pains, but dealing with doctors who aren””t familiar with training is frustrating as hell.
———-
No list of doctors. We”re not going to assume the fact-finding responsibility or the liability for that one.
-Gant
November 15th, 2009 at 7:02 am
JEP:
If you”ve just started out, and you tend to get them during squats, this is quite common. Exertion headache. I got them when first starting squats and it is one of the most intense headaches I”ve ever had the misfortune of getting. It lasts a couple of days. The two things that bring them on during this time are squats/exertion and… sex/rubbing one out. They”re not nice. But they tend to stop after about a week.
Just always be cautious though. There is always the potential that it could be something far more sinister. You must decide for yourself and/or seek medical advice.
If you Google “squats headache” or something similar, you”ll get tons of hits.
Good luck.
November 15th, 2009 at 8:59 am
@JEP
I used to get those too … they would come on during my warm up real strong and then linger for the rest of the day.
Turns out that a few good massages by a knowledgeable therapist cleared it up. It was caused by restricted blood flow to the brain due to muscle and small tissue tension in my shoulders and neck.
Hope that helps!!!
November 15th, 2009 at 9:01 am
@JEP
BTW, it could also be something serious so please don”t take my advice as medical – I”m a computer programmer … not a doctor.
November 15th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Arden is my new hero. His lumberjack skills in my town would make me a star.
No PR’’s, I”m sick, it blows. Still managed to get down a XL pizza in one sitting regaurdless of no appettite. Probably not a good idea, didn”t feel to well after.
CF is great for some people, but scrawny dudes running around and lifting in vibrams is just wrong.
November 15th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
@SMed
I only started getting within the past three months after doing CF and O-lifts since Feb.
The funny thing is that they were never triggered while I was actually squatting, snatching, or cleaning. It always happened while I was warming up – climbing a rope, walking lunges, overhead squats. One happened when I was trying to get a 47″ box jump.
One of my sister is a nurse and my other sister’’s mother in law is a neurologist, so I”m getting all checked out when I go home for the holidays.
gannimal007 described it almost perfectly. When I first started getting them, all the muscles in my head and shoulders would cramp. I”d have to make an effort to blink and other weird stuff.
Thanks for the input.
November 15th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Bluecheese, my girlfriend said to quit being a pussy. You are too sensitive about this stuff. No one is saying you can”t Fran your ass off. I found that funny and thought I would post it.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:18 am
Well, I Crossfit, not following SS directly apart from technique help. But I went GOMAD 2 months (maybe 2.5 can””t remember exactly) to help get some more muscle and jiggle in my wiggle.
I went from 169 in September and I””m weighing in at 190 lbs. as of today (heaviest I””ve ever been.) Everything is stronger but my Pullups which are harder now that I jiggle more.
Squat = 234 lbs.
Deadlift = 308 lbs.
OHPress = 110 lbs. (won””t go up for some reason)
Beanch press = 165 lbs.
Power clean = 143 lbs. (ugly at this weight, but up it went)
We routinely find that pull-up numbers stay around the same number if not go up. Did you include them in the program properly?
–Justin
November 16th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Thanks to everyone for the kind words. Gant’’s got me sold. Don”t know if I”m 70s big or not. But I”ve got the facial hair and the glasses going for me. Plus I dig wearing high socks. Shorty shorts will be a ways down the road.
All the best,
Arden
November 16th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Arden if you are not 70′’s big then I do now know what the definition is.
November 16th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
Height: 6”1″
Age: 32
Weight: 217
Squat: 275×3x5
Deadlift: 345×1x5
Press: 145×3x5
Power Clean: 150×5x3(recently started and still learning poper form)
Bench: 215×3x5
Started at a very skinny fat 195 in April after years of very infrequent lifting so things are progressing nicely but a lot of room to improve.
Keep up the great work on the site it is inspirational!
November 16th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
Msupt,
Thanks for the kind words. My daughters say I”m a “human version of a bulldog” or a “bald troll doll with a beard.” So if that qualifies, I”m guilty as charged.
Had a great clean matrix session today. worked my weigh up to 115 for triples. Did a ton of reps. Feeling it now.
All the best,
Arden