Coincidentally, while I was down in Alexandria for the day learning how to better mobilize an athletes hamstrings, Sunday morning’s CFDC class was learning how to punish…I mean strengthen, the hamstrings.
With that kind of a warm-up, I’m guessing people were aware that some it was gonna be a good one.
Class was given roughly 25 minutes to work up to a 3RM Good Morning. Once established, everyone was to follow that was 2 sets of 3-5 reps at 90% of their 3RM.
The program for Sunday was 10 rounds of 1 rep speed pulls every 30 seconds done at roughly 50-60% of everyone’s 1RM DL.
Speed Pulls are explosive deadlifts – the emphasis is on getting the body as tight as possible and then exploding upwards with the bar. Despite what it sounds like, however, this is not a wrenching, uncontrolled movement. You must maintain near-perfect posture, especially a tight-midline, through-out the lift.
With only one partner working at a time, each partner had to complete all required reps of an exercise before moving to the next. So, P1 does 15 T2B, then P2 does 15 T2B, then P1 30 walking lunges, etc.
Awesome work. Seems like a kick-ass class – sorry I missed it. However, I wasn’t being a complete slacker. No, I was off at KStarr’s Mobility Seminar down at Trident CF in Alexandria, which was really awesome. I definitely learned a ton which I am really looking forward to putting into practice.
Big take away’s for the weekend were: how much mid-line stability plays into most execution faults (yes, really, it is often as simple as remembering to breath, squeeze the abs, AND squeeze the glutes); how much of a difference 5 minutes of mobility work can make in bettering a lift; and, finally, that once you lose good position, you won’t regain it in the middle of a lift – yea, that last one seems simple, but honestly, it’s about more than remembering to do something mid-lift (i.e., drive the knees out). It’s about having a clear goal before you even start the lift what needs to be done to stop that bad movement pattern. Most often than not, it’s in the set-up.
More than anything, however, I was struck by how much of what was reviewed we already get coached on in class by Tom. We should all consider ourselves extremely lucky in that regard.
.
0 Comments
I enjoyed this class. Not having “Salty” around to coach us was…interesting. 🙂 But I knew where he was and what he was doing at the time I was working out. I’m looking forward to the knowledge transfer from KStarr’s workshop. 🙂
Good mornings: I had a barbell all to myself: I worked up 95 kg x 3; then, I “backed down” and performed two sets at 80 kg x 5.
Sumo deadlift speed pulls: Ben and I did our ten reps at 95 kg.
Met-con: Greg and I completed this in 15:15 [which was second place…not bad considering that we were the oldest (age-wise) team there].
This was a great class, and my sore glutes proved that I did my deadlifts (and good mornings) properly. 🙂 Everyone did a great job.
Salty’s quote: “…I was struck by how much of what was reviewed we already get coached on in class by Tom. We should all consider ourselves extremely lucky in that regard.”
Well, that is one of the many reasons why I drive a distance to take classes at CrossFit DC…and why I’ve gone nowhere else. 🙂 It’s also one of the reasons why I recommend CrossFit DC whenever I am asked about CrossFit.
Post-class: A little double-under practice…
…and later: Yoga (which gave me sore abs afterwards).
“Not too bad for an old man.” – CFDC’s (and possibly CrossFit Dupont’s) own ODB
@salty – quick check are you constantly asking/checking yourself to see if you are 20% organized. You probably loved KStar’s use of getting organized. I still check myself at least a few times a day.
Good mornings were good on Sunday but I was not able to do the speed Sumo DLs. Instead I did 3 sets of dumbbell rows. I think I worked up to 145lbs on the GMs
I worked with Julia and Ami on the metcon we had 2 working at a time.
Sunday was a great class! Between the good mornings, sumo deadlifts, and the met-con, I am pretty much sore everywhere.
I enjoyed the speed pulls on the deadlift, which was a new variation on one of my favorite lifts. I worked with Reggie at 95 kg.
Ethan and I partnered up for the met-con and we finished in just under 15 minutes.
I second what Chris and Reggie said about Tom. He has taught me numerous stretches and movements to help with the fact that I am “mobility challenged”. We’re definitely fortunate.
Post-Class: I sat on the floor, ate my protien bar, and watched Reggie and Julia do some double-under practice.
Building on Ben’s comment, I am sore everywhere.
Tom had me do a “sitting good morning” that was much more difficult than it looked when we set it up.
The metcon made sure my forearms and quads got in on the action.
Echo being sore everywhere. Woke up today and had trouble getting out of bed.
Can’t wait for tonight!
Wow…its 3 days later and I still feel my hamstrings and abs hurting from the good mornings and metcon. that means its working right?
that’s OK Paul, I’m sure last night made everything better…
And sadly, Sara, KStarr didn’t give us the 20% rundown, and besides, I’m lucky if I can organize 20% of the things I need to keep 20% organized.