I just got home from the 70’s Big Workshop Weekend in Chicago. We had a really good group and it was a fun weekend. I want to thank Greg from Bulldog CrossFit for hosting the lifting portion on Saturday and Ellee from Acupuncture for Athletes for hosting the programming portion on Sunday.
B: Ellee, David, Jake, Gordon Fuck, Nicole
F: Mike, Justin, Dingleberry, Greg
(Not pictured: Wendy)
As we talked about programming on Sunday evening, I thought of a concept that would be relevant to readers of this site. I could talk for hours about programming (as the attendees observed on Sunday). I could write thousands of words on it (and have in the TM E-book and FIT). I will continue to not only write about aspects of programming, but the other forms of content on this site: mechanics, nutrition, curls, supplementation, recovery, mobility, curls, sports, curls, lifters of yore, and, of course, curls. I put a lot of thought into programming and helping you in various ways to help you program, but when you sit down to actually do it — for yourself or others — keep it simple.
I showed a few programs to the attendees that will be in upcoming e-books as well as templates that I have and currently use on myself. I gave them reasoning for the placement of every item and rep scheme. However, I don’t want them to have sensory overload or over-think the process when actually doing it. Simply focus on what your goal is, pick a rep scheme that would work towards that goal, and utilize the basic barbell lifts into a weekly template. Sprinkle in a few assistance exercises or conditioning activities and you’re set. Don’t feel the need to over complicate the process just because I give many details and reasoning.
Trapeze
Last Friday I did trapeze by the lake in Chicago. I regret to inform you that it is not in my speedo. Yet we hung upside down from the bar, did back flips, and got caught when upside down by another trapeze dude — you know, the thing that happens in Batman and Robin, except I didn’t die (couldn’t find that scene on YouTube). I also had tremendous pain in the proximal gastrocnemius from hanging upside down from my knees. It wasn’t Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness; it was Immediate Fucking Soreness.
Could you tell us more about curls?
I’m blown away by how stoic you are on the trapeze.
On the first trapeze attempt (not in video) I didn’t take my hands off the bar because I bitched out (and then I started laughing audibly). I had to actively flex my knees to stay on the bar, which is what produced the soreness. Lots of fun though.
I have a long post on curls to do.
–Justin
why don’t you ever include curls in your programming?
Are you talking to me? You must be trolling me since I put curls in yours the other day, sir.
–Justin
looking forward to the new e-books!
That trapeze routine could have done with a few more mid-air curls.
hey man, i was at the gym last night doing concentration curls and my bro says i should do them at 45 degrees to the mirror to better visualise the movement. i’ve always done them facing the mirror front on but i’ve read that visualisation is very important for sports performance. what gives?
How much does your friend curl?
–Justin
^ for the best pump, do them facing the mirror while in the squat rack.
Justin,
In a(power)clean and strict press, how does one transition from the wrist position in the clean to the wrist position in the press?
I can do both movements fine separately, both once I combine the two in a clean and press, problems arise. I do my pressing with very straight wrists due to an injury caused by hammer throwing.
Cleaning with straight wrists causes pain and vice versa, pressing with the wrists in extension also causes pain.
Any advice is welcome.
Bert
You just have to seamlessly transfer the wrist position from a rack to a press. This is something that we Oly lifters can do pretty well. You may need to use your legs to pop the bar off your deltoids and into your hands. I honestly don’t have much of a problem with it. Shoot a video and I can help more.
–Justin
The curlstare is a very difficult maneuver to master, to truly do it properly you have to look at both the mirror, and your bicep to ensure that the peak is achieving maximum jackage at the top of each rep while maintaining eye contact on your biceps in the mirror for the majority of reps.
I hate it when people squat in the curl rack.
Incredible poise and elegance in that video.
I could read about programming for hours, and have. Really dialing it in and finding success is one of my favorite things about lifting (because I’m a nerd). I CONSTANTLY have to remind myself to keep it simple, especially regarding curl variants and volume.
lol’d @ Gordon fuck and dingleberry.
Cool shit but where did you get that adult male > 200lbs shirt I’ve seen others with it and want one so bad
Edit: IM DUMB FORGET IT
I like to keep it simple, too. For biceps, I’ve reduced it down to two ME days per week (really utilizing the curl racks in my gym), 2 DE days (one w/ bands, one w/ chains), and one max-TUT day with an RPE of about 8.7-8.9. My guns are now well over 13″ – COLD.
along the lines of keeping it simple, I am contemplating buying an olypic bar to use in my training and I could use some suggestions on which ones to get. I currently have a york power bar and I dont know if I am just being a bitch, but sometimes I feel like it starts to roll away from me when I get closer to 110 c and j and those areas. I am only going to be training oly but I am wondering should I buy a new bar that spins better or keep rocking my good albeit worn york power bar? I used an eleiko training bar when I was in california this weekend and that felt like butter, but again I dont know if it was mental or actual. I am also wondering if any of you have an experience with the two pendlay bars and if you can reccomend either of them to me.
I don’t know what you mean the bar is “rolling away”. I power snatched and power cleaned on a B&R bar — which is just a York Power Bar with different knurling — for at least six months in 2009. I like better Oly bars though. I’ve used a Eusaka a lot and didn’t like it as much as York Oly Bars I used later. I’ve used other top weightlifting bars, including Elite Elieko and York bars, but I’ve never used a good Pendlay bar (though I have heard they are pretty good). I’ve used the cheaper Pendlay bars that are in CF gyms, and they aren’t too bad.
Oil your power bar in the mean time and stop blaming your looping on the bar, because it’s probably your shoulder internal rotation anyway.
–Justin
@strongerthanyesterday – your bar may just need maintenance. There’s a way you oil them that gets them to spin like new again. I don’t remember where you apply it or what kind you use, though.
Nothing wrong with a nice bar, if you can afford it. The Pendlay bars are excellent, and a great value. I like the bushing bar, but if you’re strictly Oly, a bearing bar is a worthwhile upgrade. The Eleiko training bar is nice, too, but I’m not sure it’s worth the premium. You’re approaching a Werksan bar at that point.
Justin,
My copy of FIT is in the mail. Hope you included a chapter on cock pushups.
Jake, it’s in the Appendicks.
*slow clap*
Well done. This three-post hit was Reddit-esque.
–Justin
Regarding programming – Justin, what do you think about this strength component of a CrossFit type workout?
Shoulder Press
*Warm-up sets
*5 reps at 80% of 1RM
*3 reps at 90% of 1RM
Max Reps at 95% of 1RM.
This is placed after 2 ‘metcon’ type components in the same workout.
My initial thought is that going for max reps at so close to a 1RM is just silly. I dunno though, I get IFS just from thinking about it.
First, I find it unnecessary to designate it as a “shoulder press”. I agree with Rip in that we don’t call it a “chest press” when benching or a “legs squat” when squatting.
Second, I don’t see the context of the program. It would seem that they are emulating an 5/3/1 approach, but if they aren’t doing that every week, then I don’t like it because it’s irrelevant. I don’t like training — much less strength training — that is unguided and pulled out of someone’s ass. As someone who is good at programming and focuses on it very much, I get irritated with a lack of effort to program, especially when maximum performance gain is the claim.
–Justin
If anyone is keeping score at home, Jake, Homer and Terrible made me cough up some milk and cookies. Good show.
regarding barbells (for olympic weightlifting)
we have york, werksan, and eleiko bars in our weightlifting specific gym.
the werksan bars are the of the least quality in comparison to the others. (i believe werksan bars come with a lifetime warranty, but its been implied that the process is a pain in the ass, and besides, do you really want to have to ship a barbell?)
I have heard the pendlay bars are equal to eleiko when it comes to using them, except pendlay costs a lot less. Don’t really have any long-term pendlay reviews, but some of our york/eleiko bars are pretty old and still going strong.
I’ve used many York Bars, oly or otherwise, that are older than I am. The only time they were bent is if some fuck head did heavy rack pulls with them and dropped them. At Rip’s gym, the Eleiko bar got bent. When he contacted them, they said, “This is impossible since Eleiko bars do not bend.” Jesus.
–Justin
Shit, so when you come visit, I have to beat doing circus tricks?! This is horse shit. But I am impressed.
strongerthanyesterday,
I have the old Pendlay econ bar with bushings. It has treated me well and taken a lot of abuse. I really like the bar, and so does everyone else that has trained with it here.
Trapeze IS 70sbig.
So, where did Gordon Fuck originate from?
Dingleberry, eh? I’ll take it rather than leave.
I see Erin Stern got 2nd at the 2011 Figure Olympia.
This amazing woman won – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ul6kvvPEdnA&feature=channel_video_title
I still like Erin better. Erin is more athletic.
–Justin