Beating the Dead Horse: Treat Every Strength Set as an Event

  • September 23, 2011
  • By :
wheeler

*Weekend Schedule – Classes will be regularly scheduled Saturday with the exception of the 7:30 am Advanced Class.  Coach Berretta will be at the helm.  We will only have one class at 9am on Sunday led by Coach Masley.  There will be no Sunday 10am class. Come support your fellow Southie CrossFitters at the Garage Games this weekend at CFNE, we have 22 athletes representing!

As many of you can attest, it has become common place for me prior to going over the strength portion of class to announce “hey guys, not to beat the dead horse that’s already been killed and beaten numerous times but…..”

Approach the strength set with the same mentality as the WOD : with focus and intensity. Of course starting off with a few light warm-up sets is essential. However,  if the strength programmed  for that particular day is back squat 3-3-3-3-3, the first set of three should be HEAVY.

The ultimate objective of approaching that strength set is simple: increase strength. One of the pillars of CrossFit is the ability to move heavy loads over long distances, quickly. Thus, what benefit do we achieve from a strength set if we do not push ourselves on every set? Asides from lighter warm-up sets working up to the first set, we should not be making large load increases once we reach our actual set.  My strength coach in high school used to tell us athletes, “treat every rep as an event.” That mentality must be brought by each of us to the platform on every rep and every set of our strength set. A direct correlation exists between the strength set and the WOD –  if we do not approach our strength sets with intensity and focus as the WOD, our WOD will not be as good as it could.

The accuracy, power, speed, and flexibility needed to execute an Olympic lift on the platform are the  same tenets needed to improve our WOD times. If we improve our 1RM clean on the platform, we will also improve our capacity to complete a WOD as RX with lighter cleans in it. Improve the output on the strength on the platform and the output in the WOD will also increase.

So, next time we hit the platforms for a strength set, approach it with the same intensity and focus as the WOD and treat every strength set as an event!

Strength
Push-Press
5-5-5-5-5

WOD
4 Rounds
10 Handstand Push-ups
20 wallballs (20,14)
30 sit-ups

8 Comments

  • Ash

    09/26/2011 @ 2:34 pm

    Push Press – 83
    WOD: 14:44 (green ball)

  • Ranjith

    09/24/2011 @ 3:28 am

    Wheeler, killin’ it per usual.

  • Sean

    09/24/2011 @ 12:13 am

    Push press: 185 x 5
    WOD: 11:18 rx

    Good luck to everyone competing tomorrow! Kick some serious ass!

  • Bish

    09/23/2011 @ 4:08 pm

    Breathe***

  • Melanie Olinto

    09/23/2011 @ 3:55 pm

    I am a little behind in posting. I would like to say congratulations to Ranjith! It has been awesome to follow your blog posts, hopefully we can meet soon! Amy and Chris congratulations and thank you does not seem like enough! Everyone has said so many wonderful things and everything is so true. Has it really been a year? You all have changed the way I approach exercise as well as so many other things in my life. People ask me all the time how I have energy to run after my boys all day and the answer is crossfit southie. It not only gives me the strength/endurance, it has also become a much needed break from reality. The community you all created at CFS let’s me chat with new friends about something other then children and then forces me to clear my head of the “to do” list while I focus on something physical and mentally challenging. If I can have my crossfit southie time, that is just for me, I can come home and face whatever the boys might be up to (read: beating up each other and the dog, possibly biting others on the play ground or throwing food at me). GOOD LUCK COMPETITORS!! Wish I could be there! xoxo

  • DeVerna

    09/23/2011 @ 12:56 pm

    Good luck to everyone Competing this weekend …

  • Bish

    09/23/2011 @ 12:06 pm

    I’m ready to breath some fire tomorrow at CFNE with my fierce, fellow CFS family members…. Lets go do work!

  • Goose

    09/23/2011 @ 1:11 am

    Thanks for the well wishes yesterday everyone. CrossFit Southie wouldn’t be all that it is without every single one of you! I’m both happy and proud to say that it’s the best community that I have ever been a part of. Looking forward to the many years to come!

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