Jason BEFORE (...he could maintain his lumbar)
Jason AFTER
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JASON AND KRISTEN S.
Enjoy your day!
Enjoy your day!
Kristen S.
W.O.D. 5.27.10
100 Double unders
24 toes to bar
12 shoulder press (115/75)
75 Double unders
18 toes to bar
9 shoulder press (115/75)
50 Double unders
12 toes to bar
6 shoulder press (115/75)
Quote:
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."
-Henry Ford
Rx Results:
Aimee 12:42
Jim C. 25:56
Sam D. 18:17
Tim P. 16:52
Results:
Ditty 30:21 60#
Laura 17:24 60#
Barb 16:37 43#
Seth 33:21 85#
Jaime 37:41 43#
Grans 14:55 65#
Kim J. 44:03 65#
Terri 29:03 35#
Kristen 28:32 55#
Steph R. 22:58 50#
Happy Birthday Jason and Kristen! Have a great day.
ReplyDelete~ JZ & Jaime
Happy Birthday Jason & Kristen!! Have a fabulous day! You deserve it.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Jason & Kristen! Hope you both have a great day!
ReplyDeleteJason - you should get a tattoo for your birthday. :)
Happy Birthday Jason and Kristin! Enjoy the day, hope it's great!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, youse two! I hope you have an awesome day, both of you!
ReplyDeleteJ...if you get a tat, call me! i'll come too :)
Happy birthday to you both!! Enjoy your day:)))
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Jason & Kristen!!
ReplyDeleteKristen - I enjoy openness to learning and I'm excited to see you grow in the CrossFit realm, you've already come a long way. Happy birthday!
ReplyDeleteJason - your enthusiasm for learning and for CF is fun to watch, you're becoming a better coach each day and I know you'll get that muscle up soon! Happy birthday!
To two great people Jason and Kristen, I hope you have a great birthday! You deserve for all of your birthday wishes to come true!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Jason & Kristen!!!!
ReplyDeleteJason ~ I look at pictures from our earlier days at the FAC and I am amazed and inspired by you more and more each day. You are an excellent coach and a great friend! Thanks for always believing me and pushing me to see the impossible is possible!!!!
tat, as in ink???? Oh do tell, I am getting the itch for another too!
Kristen ~ love the spirit fingers! Keep up the good work, you are doing awesome!
Happy birthday Jason and Kristen!!! Oh boy there will be lots of birthday burpees to do today!! If you tell me how many I'll do 'em in my hotel room tonight :)
ReplyDeleteI'm gonna steal your words...
ReplyDeletewhat YOU may not realize is the the joy that WE experience when you ARE present with us as WE grow from someone who did not believe they could into someone that was determined that they will! Your Coaching is "incredibly addictive" Enjoy your day Coach...here's a virtual exploding fist bump coming your way.
And Happy Bday Kristen, its been so great starting to get to know you!!
CrossFit KOP Coaches:
ReplyDeleteCheri told me about this post, and i am very curious about your thoughts.
http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2010/04/07/get-off-your-knees/
Love this quote "If you want to own your world — seriously wake up every flippin’ day of your life and feel like you can do anything, be anything, conquer anything — then you need to work on conquering two things in the gym: Your push-ups and your pull-ups."
So in your opinion, do you think not using knees, will get me to a regular push up faster?? Cause right now a pull-up feels a whole lot closer to me, than a chest to deck pushup.
steph, i got yelled at a while back for still doing pushups on my knees. didn't think i could complete a workout off my knees...and everytime we have workouts with pushups it sucks...but everytime i get a little better which encourages me to push harder...one pushup at a time ;)
ReplyDeleteHappy Bday Jas! Thanks for always believing in me and celebrating every accomplishment now matter how big or small! And you make me laugh (wah wah...)
ReplyDeleteKristen! Happy Bday :) I remember your first class! You have come a long way in such a short period of time - so proud of you! keep pushing yourself - you are amazing :)
Steph and others working on the elusive chest to deck push up. (this material also applies to pull ups!):
ReplyDeleteMy opinion is that you should always start with a toes on ground, regular pushup. Do as many as you can, (even if it's one) and then decide what is best to keep the stimulus of the workout. I think you have 3 options:
1. Scale the reps: if a WOD calls for doing 5 rounds of 10 push ups, maybe you scale down to 5 push ups per round but you do full ones. (Donkey, I know you're hating the idea of scaling)
2. Start regular pushups and when they deteriorate, go to knees. This will keep you from resting for too long. Yes, we want you doing regular push ups, but we also don't want you to rest 5 minutes to recharge your push up batteries.
3. A combo of both scaling reps and switching. Angie (100 pull ups/100 push ups/100 situps/100 squats), I would want you to scale the pushups down to 50 or even 25 and do full pushups but even 25 might be a lot so you have to go to knees. Remember, just because you are scaling one part of a workout (pull ups and push ups) doesn't mean you have to scale other parts. (sit ups and squats)
Either way, DO NOT rely on the same band for pull ups and knees for push ups. They become crutches. And seriously come for 5 minutes before or stay 5 minutes after WODs to hang on that bar or do some push up practice. Or do it at home, park, etc.
Steph- I echo what Plentus said. There is a time when knee push-ups become a crutch (similar to the instance that I told Jen S. she wasn’t allowed to do them any longer) but when there is true muscle fatigue and its just not possible (plentus point 2) then going to the knees is suitable sub.
ReplyDeleteMost of you know Jason has a full time job in addition to coaching at CrossFit…few of you many know he was recently promoted. Since it is his B-day and all… I wanted to share the below message regarding his accomplishments at Arkema.
ReplyDeleteWe are pleased to announce the promotion of Dr Jason Lyons to the position of Research Scientist. Jason completed his Ph.D in Materials Engineering from Drexel University . He worked as a Research Engineer in biomedical polymers and composites before joining the Functional Additives group of Arkema in 2006.
Since joining Arkema, Inc, Jason has made important contributions to the Sustainability Additives Division of Functional Additives. He has been the lead scientist of our Additives for Engineering Resins development team. Jason has worked extensively in the development and promotion of our impact modifiers and process aids in Engineering Polymers applications. His work has led to the expansion of our additives platform by demonstrating synergies between our core-shell modifiers with organic peroxides and core-shell modifiers with Lotader/Lotryl products. In concert with the Technical Polymers group, Jason has developed a new family of impact modifiers offering improved performance in Engineering Plastics. Several products are in the final stages of qualification at customers. Jason has also led the efforts to build up our in-house technical capabilities to test and evaluate engineering plastics.
In addition to his technical qualifications, Jason has actively involved in our safety program and has served as the Chair of the Functional Additives Safety Steering team for Loss Control Meetings. Jason has also been visible externally serving on the SPE executive committee for Engineering Properties and Structure Division and as a member of the Fracture Mechanics Working group
I can't even do ONE. And it doesn't even feel like I'm anywhere close. I know that means nothing, i have seen my abilities progress unexpectedly before. I am completley okay with scaling....but I want to always be scaling in the way that will help me get closer to not scaling or scaling less.
ReplyDeleteSteph- The easiest way to think about it is if the "scale" of any movement is difficult then stick with that until it becomes "easy" (relatively speaking) and then progress to the next level. Remembering ROM is important but there is that gray area when you are transitioning between the scale and actual movement.
ReplyDeleteGoing back to Steph's original question -- what are your thoughts on scaling pushups by changing hand height (using a box, bumpers, tire), rather than by putting the knees down? Not so much when/how to scale, but that *version* of scaling. I'm very curious what you guys think of that concept. It appeals to me, as I always found the knee pushups very awkward, and found it hard to maintain proper form (keeping the body "planked"). I'm already doing PUs on my toes or I would test this out on myself. :)
ReplyDeleteCheri,
ReplyDeletefirst of all, good to see you, sorry I didn't say hi yesterday but you were busy repping out those heavy front squats, nice job! I still check out your blog too.
As for your question, YES, this is a great point. By maintaining your plank position, but elevating your upper body, you are putting less emphasis on your arms but still getting used to the idea of stabilizing your midline. So for people like Steph who do not have 1 push up, let's get you on a tire or a box and get that upper angle going. (You can even go vertical against a wall) As you get stronger, you can lower yourself down farther and farther, ultimately reaching the ground and even lower (those who have push ups should do parallet push ups or ring push ups to get your chest even lower than hand level)
Jason: Whoah! Very impressive. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteSteph: Awww hell! I guess I need to start working on real pushups now.
http://www.hundredpushups.com/
My new lunchtime workout.
Happy Birthday Jason and Kristen! And, congrats to Jason on the promotion!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Jason, aka geeky research scientist :) and Kristen, have a great day and enjoy this ridiculous heat!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for the love and happy birthday to 1 of 2 other people that share may 27th as a birthday.
ReplyDeleteI have a couple seconds between first aid and cpr training so here are my thoughts.
1) i basically agree with aimee and that if they are easy, stop doing them. when i saw mel rocking out 20 in a row on her knees, it is time to start on your toes...at least until you can't do them any longer as P already pointed out.
2) aimee hit it on the head and that eventually the band or your knees become a crutch and you need to take them away...when you do, you may not get full rom for about two months and everyone goes through this grey period. if you are doing pullups and your chin is nearly over the bar but not quite and you can do this repeatedly...continue to do so, do not go back to the band and in a month or two, you will be flying over the bar.
3) be careful when doing push-ups because you do not want to over emphasize the eccentric portion as that is where most muscle injury occurs. so, when you fatigue, don't fight the pushup so much that you can injure yourself. know when your intensity is dropping and know when you need to scale back...but always start hard. if you can get a few green pullups, start there and go to black only when green is no longer possible because crossfit is all about INTENSITY.
4) all that being said, i need to agree with lis and jen. you need to practice pushups or they will never come. when i started, i was no where near a toes pushup but i did them at work every hour and i did some at home and i did a LOT in the gym and they come. the same is true with pullups, double unders, ANYTHING. if you want it bad enough, come in early and work on it...like i am the muscle up now.
5) i think that covers it all. have fun, get strong!
happy birthday to kristen and anyone else who may be reading this that was born today.
for the record, i was not really struggling with this lift...i was showing tim what his back was doing...yup, thats it. it is also necessary to state that aim was yelling at me...as was evan...that my back was rounding but i was in week 3 and feeling invincible...it is like 285 after all. lol.
ReplyDeleteif i see anyone with a back rounded like this, i will kick you and not let you lift it again.
Jas - Happy Birthday, and congrats on your promotion, even though I could barely understand it all!
ReplyDeleteKristen - Enjoy your day...it has been so fun working out with you!
So I clicked on dorothys link and I am going to give that program a go. I tested myself, i need about a 2 foot surface to get strict push-ups. I failed after 6. On my knees i can pump out atleast 10 before failing. So keeping plank but at an angle is actually more difficult than using my knees. It makes sence that it should get me faster to the RX. My knees won't mind my new method either.
ReplyDeleteJAS- Happy Bday ya big dork. I am glad to have you as a coach also! Enjoy your day :)
ReplyDeleteKristen! Your effort is always there, it's been great coaching you and watching you grow and improve in many areas of strength, endurance, and technique. Keep up the good work.
Steph - I'm joining this conversation WAY late, but I wanted to chime in. First off - woo hoo THAT'S MY MOM in the picture in the article! She's the kick ass one in green who's NOT on her knees. Go mom!!!
ReplyDeleteOk now for your question - I definitely believe in going to your toes as soon as you can, because having the longer lever arm forces you to stabilize your core to a MUCH greater extent, so you get more of an all-body work out from the movement. That said, I care first and foremost about getting full ROM, so you shouldn't go to the floor if you can't get chest to deck that way. I love your idea of using a 2 foot platform to start, and slowly lowering the height until you can do them on the floor.
Also, as you get closer to the floor, one variation I've seen is to widen your legs into a straddle. Similar to going to your knees, straddling your legs makes the lever arm shorter and therefore makes the pushup (a little) easier. But it still requires a ton of core control.
Thanks for asking the question - it led to some great discussion and knowledge sharing!
Jason & Kristen best wishes for very happy birthdays! Jason congratulations on your promotion as well. Working for a refining company I actually know what polymers are so I understood maybe 50% of the announcement Aimee posted. Thanks to all of you for the great tips on push ups & pull ups. I need to implement some of these great ideas!
ReplyDeleteCoach Jason, happy birthday and congrats on the promotion! I hope you enjoyed your day.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for all of your birthday wishes. I am so glad I stumbled upon Cross Fit KoP. It has changed my life in so many good ways. I am blessed to have met all of you.