Lifting Days

Some people love them; and others, not so much.

If as your Coach I could impress one thing onto you about weightlifting, it would be:

take a chill pill!

For real!

Relaxing, and slowing down between lifts will help you get stronger, and become a better lifter.

Some days we will only lift, and it will look like this:

Deadlift 5,5,5,5,5

and

Press 5,5,5,5,5,

Doing these two lifts should take the entire class after our warm up. At the end of these two lifts you should feel like your tank is empty, someone just juiced your muscles, and you’re now the strongest MoFo on Earth.

I suggest between lifts paying attention to other lifters, and listening to what your Coach is saying. It's good stuff!

While listening; mobilize that tight shoulder, butt muscle and your very short hamstrings. In other words Chill The Eff Out (CTFO) for about 3 minutes or so. Don't take so much time that your part of the next class, but there's really no reason to rush through your lifts.

Ask me and I'll help you with timing.

Other days you'll come in and see something like this:

Backsquat 3,3,3

With a note that says, we have 20 minutes to complete these three sets.

We will follow this with a short Metcon (Metabolic Conditioning) WOD.

Possibly something like this:

AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) in 10 minutes of

5 Pull-ups

10 Push ups

10 Box jumps

Twenty minutes is a good amount of time to do your Backsquats. During your CTFO time between Backsquats, you could mobilize your shoulders, set up your box and figure out what height you want to do your Box Jumps at, or what band you want to use.

Or talk to me. Tell me how you’re now able to do bar to belly button pull-ups and convince me that you need to put a weight vest on because gravity no longer holds you back. Or you could watch and spot other lifters and cheer them on, all reasonable options. Just do something; anything, besides rush through your lifts.

Take a look at this video.

Don't watch the amazing lifters watch the people in the background. They are watching, encouraging and logging their weights in their journals. They are also not distracting the lifters. The main thing to notice is that they are CTFO!

Now you try.


By: Jen Conlin