Thanks

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In the time that I’ve had this website, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a lot of great people through the internet or in person. Some of you have become my good friends like Al, Tom, Hom, Jacob, Briskin, Ben, and Saul and Becky. I’ve also met a lot of awesome people doing the workshops:

Chicago – Ellee, Cori, Doogie, Cory, and Jay
Canada – My bicepped studs Paul and Chris (with their better halves), Rowan, and Mark
Monterey – Gabe, Nate, Mariah, Bill, Elliott, Harj, and Robin
Australia – Pete (top fucking bloke), Shannon (another top bloke), Harvey (awesome dude — see the trend?), Shane (both of them), Stuart — and all of you other fuckers. You guys were all great.

And that’s just from the past few months. There’s all kinds of great people like Ruth and Sean (power couple), Marcus, and Avelyn from CF Intrepid; Lisa in Santa Monica; Ryan Huseman and the Coffman’s at CF Amarillo; Ian and Allison at CF Centurion. And of course I’ve got homeys like Jacob Cloud, Kittensmash, and Brian who I actually need to meet to prove you aren’t just mouth breathers on the computer (like Tom is). Then there’s a lot of you I interact with in the comments and in the chat room — you all are too numerous to name.

Gabe shirt: You can run but you can't hide. Brent shirt: Unrequited love is for chumps



Lastly there are all of you who are watchers on the wall, never posting but quietly observing. When I meet you guys you always say, “Yeah, I read the site all the time, but never post.” Ah, that’s fine, but I welcome you to interact with all of us all the same. The interaction in this community is one of the best parts about running this site. We’ve managed to learn from each other, remain open to new ideas, accept newcomers, and encourage new lifters. Some of you have gone to meets, gotten stronger, or gotten better. Even though I don’t put up every e-mail that says, “Hey, you really helped me do this, thank you,” it makes it all worth it. It makes me sheepishly smile when some dude says they had a great fucking time at their first meet. The site started to help people with their training and I hope it’s done that for you, regardless of the amount of impact.

This site attracts the most fantastic and nicest people I’ve met in my life and if I believed in silly shit like luck and fate, I’d almost think I was lucky. 70’s Big thrives because you guys are here. My only complaint is that I can’t have a grand 70’s Big gathering to do a whole lot of ridiculous training, meat eating (earmuffs), and ale drinking (or can we…?). In any case, I appreciate all of you. In a hetero way.

I also like seeing your updates and PRs in the comments on PR Friday (which is today). I do read every comment that comes on this site, and I remember more of you than I should. I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. In any case, gg. See you out there.

USAPL Raw Nationals
is this weekend in Scranton, PA. Chris, Mike, Alex, Brent, and I will be there. Brent won’t be lifting because of a recent hamstring injury. Brent and I will be training (i.e. making our lats sing) somewhere on Saturday, so if you have any recommendations let us know here, the fan page, or twitter (the latter will show up on my phone).

93 thoughts on “Thanks”

  2. first time poster but have been following the site for about a year.
    background – crossfitter for around two years until a dirtbike racing injury resulted in tearing 4 ligaments in my right shoulder. started 5×5 to regain strength and haven’t looked at crossfit much again.

    feelin’ pretty good about my progress since Jan. 2011, I couldn’t bench 165 without intense shoulder pain. Thanks to Justin and this site for all the help.

    On to the important things..
    PR’s this week.
    Height 6’2″
    BW #217
    Bench 295×5
    Press 185×5

  3. No lifting PRs but a “well being” PR instead. After having trouble recovering, Justin suggested drinking chocolate milk with added whey protein postworkout and upping protein intake.

    I’ve been doing this for two weeks now and it has helped a lot with recovery, and I’m finally feeling great before, during and after training.

    Read to leave the plateau behind me and chase new PRs!

    Thank you Justin.

  4. Thanks heaps dude, i’v been foklowing since the beginning and been amused the whole way. Was rad to meet u when u came to sydney, and because of that i’v just begun this week my own programming thanks to ur help.

    Cheers bloke

  5. Thanks for running this awesome site, always lots of useful information flying about here.
    Also thank you for comming out to Sydney, learned heaps.

    PRS
    Bought a real lifting belt
    Squat 170×2 ( easier than I thought as previous PR was 162.5 x 2 kgs)
    Moral of story, squatting without o real belt is silly and should be avoided and I feel like a goose for persisting without one for so long

  7. Big time lurker, just wanted to say thanks for making this site and the help you gave me for the strength villain challenge. Keep it up man.. you also need to do a workshop closer to washington state lol

  14. Squat: 405×5 (4 plate happiness)
    Bench: 217.5×5 (harder than I wanted it to be)

    Getting some work on O lifts tomorrow with B Claridad at CFM. Might push me more into some O lifting we’ll see.

  15. Long-time lurker, first post.

    Working front squats on Friday nights.

    2 weeks ago:
    Attempted 5×5 at 295#
    Got 5,5,5,5,3

    Last week:
    Attempted 10 sets of 3 at 295#
    Got all 10 triples

    today:
    Attempted 5 sets of 3 at 305#
    Got 3,3,3,3,2
    Back-off sets of 7,6,5 reps all at 275#

    my goal is to do an easy 405# front squat eventually

  16. Shout out to the people from BOTH Atlanta workshops, since there wasn’t one given in the post! Hope all your training stuff is going well.

    Back in the gym next week after a family cruise trip.

  17. Been a reader for ages, and am posting more. PR’s this week:

    Power Snatch: 80kg
    Jerk: 105kg
    Snatch: 87.5 – and I was sick so i was extra happy about this

    Competing early next month. Hoping to qualify for nationals with a 207 total. need to get a lot better at jerking

  18. Have to say the Atlanta workshop back in the spring was awesome as well.

    Still no big lifting PRs, working full time with an hour commute blows chunks, and my student membership just kicked in, so I only have access to a gym 25 miles away. Nothing remarkable this week. However,

    Purchase PR: Bought a car yesterday evening. Finally own one, paid for the entire thing, no loans involved. Fuck yes.

    School starts next week, so I’ll actually be able to get in the student gym regularly. Hopefully PRs to come.

  20. Old man PR. I’m 37 in a week. I just owned a group of local High School basketball players in a 4 on 4. Dropped 11 of our 15 on some kid who gave me no respect from 3. Drained 2 in his face early from deep then beat him up in the paint. My arm is tired from patting myself on the back for the past 2 hours. My 3 kids watched. My knee hurts a little. My wife is tired of hearing about it. Stoked.

  21. PRs: Snuck into a gym and pressed 205 from the rack while I was supposed to be “having a look around.” I normally clean every press, but the gym sucked and had only hex plates so it’s a PR from the rack.

    @Noel
    Rings are good you can keep most of the shoulder and arm muscles every bit as strong as barbells would make them, unfortunately if you don’t squat everything becomes easier with less leg mass to lift. With irregular gym access this summer I’ve developed a pretty mean L-cross and have about 80% of the rom of an elevator (it’s a bodyweight curl into press to handstand.)

    @smithb9
    Get on the ladder and test your mettle vs humans 1v1. You’ll learn more and improve faster. Just remember to say gg when you lose for the superior challenge and chance to learn they provided you.

    @Compact
    I like your pressing. It’ll come in handy for the next 70sbig challenge.

  23. Sorry for being MIA, Still 70’sBIG.

    BW: 216lbs
    HT: 5’10”

    Here are the last 3 weeks of 5,3,1
    Squats,
    5+@320+15=20
    3+@340+15=18
    1+@360+15=16
    Bench,
    5+@230+12=17
    3+@240+12=15
    1+@250+12=13
    Deads,
    5+@350+13=18
    3+@370+13=16
    1+@390+13=14
    Press,
    5+@150+11=16
    3+@160+11=14
    1+@170+11=12

    @Justin and A.C., Thanks for 70sBIG and the great blog.

    @Brent, I like your traps

  27. Squat 315×5
    Bench265x5
    Deadlift 410×3
    Press 175×3

    I am going to start doing halting and rack pulls. Upon video review my deadlift is gettting a little sloppy in the whole lumbar area and thats not good. So we train, as the viking would say, “dat hamstring weakness” amongst other things out.

  28. Justin, it’s an honor to be part of this community, and I really appreciate all the work you and your crew have done. Good luck to the boys on the USAPL!

  29. @the scott-clicked your name to see if you were the dude whose beard I admired in a long ago post. Not a homo, trying to convince my wife she would enjoy it. Saw your pic. I was there 98-02. Recognized you, maybe from golds or just around town. Good shit

  31. Justin – great blog. You proved the power of the squat, now my 2nd favorite activity (behind boning, ahead of eating). Thank you. Ever consider doing a workshop in Boston?
    Also thans to Ron Viking for his advice.

    Friday PR
    345 x 5 squat
    435 x 3 deadlift

  35. J –
    Just wanted to drop a quick note. I have been checking the website for all most a year and enjoy it and think the information is helpful and motivational. I want to stay strong for all the right reasons but turning 40, married, and twins on the way changes one’s priorities. It feels as if most of PRs are in the rearview mirror and as much as I want to lift heavy, I need to make more time for MOBs and recovery – which are things you touch on regularly. Looking forward to your next post (as well as AC’s, Ben’s, Chris’, Mike’s, and Brent’s).

  36. datamonkey,

    I’m 42, married, with three kids. My biggest obstacle is finding time. The only thing I’ve needed more recovery from has been 5-5-5 linear progression with dead lifting. That started kicking my ass about 4 months ago.

    I switched over to a Wendler’s 5.3.1 program about three months ago and have really enjoyed it. 4 times a week, with two to three conditioning workouts, similar to Justin’s strength and conditioning program.

    I still haven’t incorporated dead lifting back into my workouts, but that will change next week.

  37. Justin- great site man. Wish I could have thanked you in person in Scranton last weekend.
    While I was there, competing as a 181 in M1 (40-44), I hit a new squat PR of 192.5 kg (424#), and a Total PR of 502.5 kg (1107.8#).
    As soon as the CNS recovers (and soreness fades) I’ll need to kick my training into high gear – want to improve my bench and DL for the Virginia State Championships at the end of October.

  39. Justin, Justin, Justin

    this is so sweet. i am so sad and sorry to report that i haven’t been visiting the site, the facebook page (or even facebook much in general) over that past couple weeks. i feel like i have missed out on so much. i will definitely go back and read everything i’ve missed.

    the move, settling in, and first week of grad school meetings have been surprisingly hectic for me…and we don’t have internet yet. excuses.

    i think i have some questions for you regarding training and time management when we cross paths this next week since i know this is something you’ve had to deal with yourself. i probably need advice.

    talk to you soon!

    and thanks for this website.

  40. damn i forgot to say that my second day at the UNT gym actually went kind of well. i met two guys who are starting a powerlifting club at the school. we’ll have meetings and work out together and carpool to meets! i guess the pres/vice pres are already planning to go to reno this fall. i will direct them to this site and keep you posted on my membership with this awesome fucking club. yessssss.

  41. Ilcrawford,
    Thanks for the note. I will need to find out more about Wendler’s – Russian/Romanian programs are a no go. I have focused on oly lifts for the last year following someone else’s program 3 nights a week. But I am able sneak out at lunch for a quick/intense conditioning work-out. I recently I tried switch to some oly complimentary exercises during lunch – plyometric jumps, squats, kettlebell – when I hit a plateau with the oly lifts. Then I decided to add bench. I had not benched in over 2 yrs, did a 10×2 (repsxsets) warm-up at 135. Felt strong, so jumped to 5×3 at 185. First 2 sets were cake, still felt strong, bar was moving with no problem. 3rd set on the 4th rep, felt something tear/strain in pec at armpit. No discomfort unless I flex the peck – can’t do pushups, pullups/chins, or dips for the last 3 weeks. But still can clean/jerk and snatch. Obviously should have worked the warm-up more, but back in the day 185 was the warm-up.

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