We’ve been making an awful lot of references to our CrossFit affiliate’s strength bias in programming, and to our unwavering dedication to form and technique. During recent posts, we’ve specifically mentioned the 603 PTP program several times. For those of you who weren’t following our CrossFit stuff, our affiliate (formerly called CrossFit 603) programmed a five week “Power to the People” style cycle, focusing on deadlifts and presses. The program was designed to do one thing – make you stronger. We ran the original PTP program in July 2009, but we continue to receive a ton of requests for details – program theory, the specific workouts as written and weight and scaling recommendations.
The program can still be found in full on our CrossFit web site, but we thought we’d make it even easier for you to follow along. As such, you can find a link to the entire five week program on this “hidden” page on the Whole9 site. Our PTP program is outlined in full, including Dallas’ instructions, commentary at transitional points, WOD buy-ins and cash-outs and “extra” workouts programmed amongst the deadlifts and presses.
Enter all your program-related comments, questions and feedback here on this post. We’ll keep it monitored, and help you through your PTP cycle as best as we can. Feel free to post your results here too – we love to hear about strength gains and how they translate to all kinds of different areas of fitness. (Like, getting better at deadlifts will help you jump higher. True story.) Happy heavy stuff!
WOW! that is great! Thanks =)
I am bookmarking the link today!
I will be doing your PTTP again at some point this year and having everything easily accessible rocksl!!
….Not only does pulling heavier deadlifts help you jump higher, its helped me run faster and have a heavier TGU!
Nadine
LOL!!)
(you probably knew you’d be hearing from me with this post
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I am starting week 4 of the PTTP, and have been digging through your archives, so having it all in one handy spot is a treat!
Nice! Now that I’ve gone day-by-day and printed the whole thing out
After I finish this, and get some rest, I’m thinking this would be good for power cleans and front squats.
I hadn’t clicked the link before, that page is awesome! Thanks!
That’s going to be really handy when I eventually come back to the program and do it again. Still though, 25 pounds DL PR, 15 pounds on my Press was awesome, and a I had a lot of fun on the program. I also inadvertantly added about 40 pounds to my back squat, without doing a single one the entire program. Go figure, heavy pulling and pushing work strengthens everything!
I’ve incorporated your philosophy a few weeks ago (right after going back to paleo after being derailed). I hadn’t been able to locate the program from July so I kind of made it up on the fly sticking with a 2×5, 2×5, 3×5, 2×5, 2×5, 5×5 progressive cycle on subsequent workouts for deadlifts and press. I added a wrinkle of doing single arm barbell deadlifts and presses to add some variety.
I can report that a) a nagging stinger around T6 has disappeared and b) a nagging shoulder impingement has completely gone away. Its merely anectdotal, but this programming has worked for me.
@Everyone: We are super happy to hear that people are still interested in (and working!) the program! Keep us posted as to how things are going.
And for Nadine, Jesse and JP… I can vouch for the secondary effects you’ve seen! Last summer, I took minutes off my 5K run without running anything longer than 400M at a time… just by picking up heavy stuff. And anything that makes me better at running WITHOUT having to run is awesome in my book.
Melissa
Awesome! Still some weeks ahead of me before I can get into a gym with any regularity, but the PTP603 will be my “welcome back” program fer sure.
This looks like an awesome program featuring my 2 favorite lifts! I actually just started the CFSB program from the crossfit Journal article as it fits nicely into the way I want to train, which is heavy. I think I might do the PTP program after my CFSB program as right now I want to get my squats up cuz currently i squat like a 12 year old lol. Following that with a press heavy program will be sweet. However I will be stealing some of the buy-ins and cash-outs from that page over the next 6 weeks. Also, Melissa you will be happy to know after reading through your old blog I am on day 4 of my 30 day paleo challenge!
-Jay
Can I ask a couple of questions for those of us outside of the 603? Is the buy-in the entire warmup (or do you do a CF warmup or something else too)? On a day like day 3, is the back squat increasing in weight each set or are the last 3 heavy triples? I know that at CF HQ a 5-5-5-5-5-5 would be working up to a 5 RPM, but I wasn’t sure about a 5-5-5-3-3-3. Thanks again!
@Jay: Nice to see you here. I owe you an email… I’ll get on that. You’ll have to come meet me at Atlantic one of these nights, too. Keep me posted as to how your Whole30 program is coming.
@Aaron: Good questions. You can read about our “Buy-In” and “Cash Out” here. You’ll still want to do a brief warm-up first, but I don’t do anything as high-volume as the CFWU. I’ll jump rope for a few, row for a few or do some KB work – just enough to, like, warm up.
As for our programming, unless we specify “sets across” (meaning, use one weight for all your sets), you’ll probably be working up in weight. Fives mixed with threes are challenging – if it were me, I’d work up to my 5RM, then add a bit more weight (5-10#) and start my first set of 3. Hope that helps.
Melissa
Thanks! I should have l looked a little more first. I really appreciate the help. Is there a section I’ve missed that explains the stretches (e.g. Tuckers’ fill-in-the-blank or Stripper- which I’m afraid to Google at work)? I’m sure I can find the yoga poses online and I already know where to find Boz’s and Burgener’s warmups. Thanks again.
@Aaron: You can Google those phrases + CrossFit Whole9 to see the older WODs in which we explained those movements.
Tucker’s walking lunge hamstring stretch: For the walking lunge stretch, lunge forward with the left leg. Back knee kisses the ground, torso stays vertical. As you stand back up, straighten out the front leg and bend forward, trying to touch your nose to your knee. Then straighten up, step forward with the right leg, lunge and repeat.
Tucker’s against the wall shoulder stretch: http://crossfitwhole9.com/2009/05/gym-nice-tics/
Tucker’s “stripper stretch”: This is like a good morning stretch, with hands out in front of you. Take a step to the side, slightly wider than hip width. With straight legs, send your butt BACK and maintain a tight back arch as your torso comes forward. Extend arms overhead and look out towards the horizon. Stop when your hamstrings tell you to. Hold, return to standing, bring your feet together and repeat. (The position looks like the against-the-wall stretch, except without the wall.)
Great to see everything in one place. I’ve been using the philosophy as well, about week 3 now. Deadlifting is one of my biggest weaknesses. I’ve got it scheduled out for the next 2 months. Should be interesting to see the results.
Ya Melissa I would love to, I def think I am outgrowing the Planet fitness with their 1 squat rack lol. Doing CFSB i pretty much hog it for an hour.
Day 5 of the whole30 going into the weekend and getting nervous I’ll have to stand my ground against any traps, but i think I’m ready. I bought a couple of those Larabars, they are pretty good but maybe a little too sweet, I could see them definitely being a gateway food. I figure I will only have them post workout a couple times a week as it is nice to have something on the drive home from the gym since whey seems to be off the menu for a little while. All in all I’m feeling pretty good 5 days in and I will keep you posted.
BTW I did this simple couplet today for my metcon and it didn’t look so bad on paper but kicked my ass, probably because I am out of shape lol.
10rnds.
10 135# deadlift
10 push-ups
Melissa -
I’m not that familiar with Power to the People. Is the program meant to be done specifically with deadlifts and presses, or are those just the exercises you chose to focus on for their bang for the buck? Could you do a 5 week cycle like this with back squats and bench presses, or front squats and weighted dips, etc. etc.?
What about O-lifts? Do you think the high frequency, low intensity thing would work for say, power cleans and push jerks?
Thanks, this looks great. And the website and articles are very helpful and entertaining.
Tom
@Tom,
The Power to the People program (PTP) works well with good, heavy, weight-bearing movements that can be scaled to be hard-but-not-too-hard for the 3-5 reps per set. DLs and presses are a potent combination for full-body strength, but at various times over the years, I’ve done it with weighted pullups, weighted dips, front squats, back squats, and bench press (back when I cared about bench press). It worked best for me with presses, weighted dips, and deadlifts (though I’m not certain why). You could pick 2 other exercises like FS and weight dips (that sounds like an solid combo), but we really value overhead and full-body strength, so presses and DLs seemed like natural choices. If you have not done a PTP cycle before, I certainly recommend DL and press as your movements. Also, if you’re creating your own PTP cycle, be careful not to overtrain yourself. Lifting heavy stuff 4 days a week requires adequate recovery, a principle that is integral to the PTP’s success. I’d recommend going through our PTP cycle in its entirety, because all the additional workouts factor in the DLs and presses you’re doing. Do NOT add a PTP to your current training program and think you’ll recover fast enough between workouts.
Concerning Olympic lifts, this program is not an optimal O-lifting program because of the huge neurological component to cleans, jerks, and snatches, and the plethora of variations on those movements that are required to maximize your progress. If you’re interested in emphasizing O-lifts, I highly recommend Greg Everett’s “Oly-centric” program at http://www.cathletics.com.
Glad you’re digging our stuff.
Dallas & Melissa,
In the event you’re looking for a blog topic, I would very interested in hearing your thoughts on nutrition and supplementation as they relate to pregnancy (pre-, post-, and during).
Thanks.
Dallas -
Thanks for the response. I’m planning on doing your PTP program in a little while (no can do right now because of a broken right hand). I was mostly just curious about the template. Thanks.
Tom
Thanks so much for this! I am going to give it a run at my gym and see how it goes. I saw in follow up you had a loss in interest from clients. I would be interested in hearing what the strength gains were for the people who stuck it out!
Thomni,
How’s the PTP going? I’d be glad to give you some feedback on how to maximize the Fun Factor while doing the PTP so you can get the most performance gains AND keep people’s interest along the way. I’ve learned some things from our experience, so I’d be glad to pass them along. Best,
Dallas
Melissa and Dallas,
I’ve been loving the PTP. I’ve done every day and been able to keep getting 5 reps every set. Day 22 though has temporarily set me back. My gym doesn’t have boxes so I was using the loading dock out back. It was raining a little and jump 30 sent me to the ER for stitches in both shins, a tetanus shot, and a round of antibiotics- I slipped at the top. I plan to pick back up on day 23 after I recover a little. Thanks again!
Aaron,
Glad your progression is (was…) on track. While it’s good to hit the 5 reps, don’t feel like you have to in order to keep making progress. If your 3rd or 4th rep goes awry, or doesn’t look gorgeous, stop the set. So sorry to hear about your serious run-in with the loading dock. I’ve turned my shins/knees into hamburger enough times to know how it feels (though I’ve never needed stitches in BOTH legs – nice work!). I mucked up my wrist last fall failing on a 58″ box jump, and it cost me almost 3 months of weight-bearing. I’m just NOW getting back to my previous jerk and PP weights. Grrr. So… happy healing, and best of luck. Wear your Whole9/603 scars with PRIDE!
I’m copying/pasting an email conversation here, because the question was great and I want our readers to be able to benefit from the exchange.
From Ewen: “Here is my question about DL gains using the 603 PTP model: Over the course of the program, you end up adding 40-60lbs to the bar on either lift. For the press, this means you will probably be approaching 90% of your old 1RM for an easy set of 3-5, which makes sense, since your old 5RM was probably around 85% of your old 1RM. Hence, you have made progress.
However, if you’re starting with a 400lb+DL, by the end of the cycle you are still only at 75% of your 1RM for a set of 3-5. This is a weight that you could likely lift 7-8 times before even starting the program. Where is the progress?
In this case, should one start at a higher percentage of 1RM, or make bigger jumps in weight? Or does the frequency of the workouts still provide enough of a stimulus to make gains, despite the relatively light weights? Thanks, Ewen.”
From Dallas: “Good question, and I’m glad to answer it. When I programmed the PTP for the 603, a lot of our clients were working on refining their DL technique, and simply getting more comfortable under significant load, so I purposely started them at a pretty low percentage in order to “guarantee” excellent form, to emphasize that concept of “perfect practice”… However, if you’re a strong, experienced deadlifter, by all means, step it up! You could start at 70-73% and go from there.
Also, obviously, the jumps in weight are going to be larger with pulls than presses, but part of the PTP (which I wrote about in the intro post) is intuiting, based on how you feel, when and by how much to progress. I like the “wave cycle” because it gives you at least two workouts with each weight (versus a linear progression). The frequency of the stimulus is the key with this program, but yeah, you’re absolutely right, you’d need to start at a higher weight AND probably make bigger jumps, maybe 10-20# each workout or wave. If it’s so easy that you practically fall asleep during your first work set, bump it up next time.
But… don’t be TOO aggressive about jumping right to a “hard” weight right off the bat, because you’ll quickly hit a point that is beyond your capacity, and miss the opportunity to use frequent, high-quality movements requiring minimal recovery time to make gains. Practice with “easy” weight, and aim to be challenged (or even fail to get 5 perfect reps in a set) within 2-3 weeks. Be well, Dallas.”
Hi Melissa and Dallas,
I just stumbled across old-whats-his-name’s blog about you. I had been reading his blog, because it inspired me, but his personal attack on you was so low! So T-Nation!
Your progressive loading is a beautiful way to build strength and practice lifting technique. It adds another option for Crossfitters to the Black Box programming and Jeff Martin’s CFST, which I am following. That guy must not have been reading the CFJournal, because Coach himself lays out some ideas for progressive barbell training in http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/BeginnersMay03.pdf and encourages people to invent programming that suits their own needs here http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/06_03_CF_Template.pdf .
Some people are trying to split us up, to divide us. To start internet flame-wars and get attention. He was just baiting you to see it you would say something bad about Crossfit and get on Headq’s bad side like brilliant but hot-headed Robb Wolf. Your reply was classy!
Here’s to the big diversity of Crossfit! Strongman, Endurance, Strength Bias, Gymnastics-centered, Oly-focused, whatever. Crossfit-Games-focused, or just health-and-strength-focused! If, eventually, there is a Crossfit on every corner, people will gravitate to one which fits their personality.
Just wanted to leave you guys a comment to let you know I’m working on your PTP program. Thanks for publishing this! I’m on day 3 now, but I know this is going to help me improve my deadlift form, since I’ll be practicing so often. I’m at a 1RM of 185 at the moment, which I am not happy with. Here’s hoping for 200# by the time I’m done!
Also, I’m wishing I could’ve justified the plane ticket to attend your seminar @ CrossFit KoP. I *love* their box, and visit every chance I get. I’m sure you enjoyed spending a Sunday afternoon with the great peeps up there.
DAY 37:
I went from 155 to 170 for the Press; Deadlift went from 375 to 405 (with better form).
I under-estimated my starting 1RM and I missed a couple of weeks due to injury (stitches in my shins), but all in all I’m pretty happy with the results. Thanks!
@Vanessa: Thanks for the comments, the support, AND the references. You speak the truth, sister. We’re staying classy.
@CWiss: Way to go! Keep us posted as to how your PTP program is going. If you work the program carefully and follow Dallas’ instructions, I’m betting you’ve got a 200# pull in your future. Stay in touch!
@Aaron. That. Is. Awesome. Holy results! Thanks for being a walking, talking testimonial for the PTP. We’d be interested to hear about how some of your OTHER fitness measures fared along the way… like, did getting stronger help you do better with anything else? (Like running, or met-cons, or gymnastics moves?)
@Melissa. I definitely saw improvements across the board. I think, along with strength, I increased my overall capacity for work/intensity/endurance. For example, yesterday I completed the deadlift/pushup WOD from “the site that shall not be named”, the day after my test for 1RM deadlift. Before starting this program I would have quit at round 6. Also, my running improved. I thought my max effort 400m was 1:30 (on a treadmill)- but, on Day 33, I didn’t have to do any thrusters because my time kept getting shorter (Rd. 3 was 1:24). So, I think I got faster, stronger, increased my endurance, and, maybe more importantly, redefined “max effort”.
I’ll have to get back to you on other new personal bests after I have a chance to test them.
OK wow, I just had to run over here and post my finishing stats!
Starting Stats
Female, 30, 5′10″
180lbs, 35%BF
Deadlift 1RM: 185# (pulled on Jan.22, previous PR from 2009 was 195#)
Press 1RM: 85# (which was a PR in itself!)
Results
Still female, 30, 5′10″ (haha)
174.5lbs, 30%BF
Deadlift 1RM: 215# (+30# BOOYAH!)
Press 1RM: 95# (+5#, I’ll take it!)
I added 30 pounds to my deadlift, 5 pounds to my overhead press, put on four pounds of muscle and lost 11 pounds of fat. That is a whole lot of win.
I have a complete review of my experience with the program written up on my blog with pics and everything. One thing I didn’t mention there that I will add here – last week I also PR’d on my 400m sprint, finally getting it sub-2-minutes (1m55seconds to be exact). I had always pegged that as a goal for some other time, some other program. I’m absolutely blown away by the efficacy of this programming.
Morning folks!
So I’ve decided to give the PTP program a whirl. I exercised for the first time since high school (for the most part) about a year ago, and discovered the-site-that-must-not-be-named in November and have been doing that with a pretty clean Zone diet (lots of lean meat, fruit, some, but not enough, veggies, no grain, no sugar mostly, but plenty of milk and cheese) since. Found Whole 9/UGD via one of Melissa’s posts on the CF forums, and glad I did! Started my (at least) 30 days of strict Paleo today, and will be starting the PTP program tonight. On to the stats!
Starting Stats:
Male, 29, 5’11.5″
172lbs, around 12-14% BF
Deadlift 1RM: 260#, March 3, 2010
Press 1RM: 115, also March 3, 2010
Both of those RMs were part of the CFT which I just happened to do on my b-day.
Probably going to start the first DL work set at 155, second at 140, then 70/65 for the presses. I’ll post more (perhaps with some actual thoughts/feelings/opinions) as time goes on and I get further into the program…
- Justin
Thank you for answering my previous questions. I’m glad you thought they could be helpful to other trainees.
This question is about missing a week of training.
My second-to-last week of 603 PTP got cancelled due to a week-long vacation with no proper gym access (original plans didn’t work out) . I ended up doing higher rep dumbbell work (heaviest available was 50lbs…) with various accessory lifts. So it was almost like a week’s rest and one less week ramping up, leaving me 10-15lbs away from my last programmed lifts.
In a “constantly varied” situation or if I were following a progression with no particular end date, it wouldn’t be a problem, but this basically cut the program short at the worst time. I’m weighing two options:
1. The hell with it, 1RM Press tomorrow and 1RM DL on Monday. This “off” week wasn’t enough to lose the benefits of prior training. Let’s see where I stand.
2. Scale back (to day 20 or so) and go another 2-3 weeks to finish the program properly.
Thoughts?
In looking at this training, where might I look for help on some of the exercises, mostly the gymnastics type moves? Could you also send the answer to my email?
@Amy: Sorry for the delay in response on this post – but your stats are AMAZING, as was the blog post you wrote up. Thanks – again – for the testimonial, and congrats on your success!
@Justin: How did your PTP work out for you? Love to hear how you did with that program PLUS the Whole30.
@Ewen: Eesh… sorry it took us so long to respond, we’ve been slammed this past month. In terms of taking a week off, which I assume you’ve figured out by now… you could have approached it either way and been fine. Let us know what you ended up doing, and how your results turned out. We’re going to be MUCH more on top of comments now, and again, sorry that we left you hanging here.
@Chuck: You can either Google, or check out the CrossFit.com main site and look at their exercise FAQs and/or Demos page. Some of the things we call “Tucker’s XXX” are things we learned while coaching the gymnastics certs with Jeff Tucker, and you may not be able to find those elsewhere. We had descriptions posted on our old CrossFit site, but we had to take that down, and we’re still int he process of moving those workout posts over to this site. If you have a question on one move in particular, please send me an email (melissa@whole9life.com) and I’ll hit you back.
Best,
Melissa
Melissa,
For the sake of completeness, here’s how it turned out.
I decided to go for 1RM’s.
- Press : 155, and several fails at 160+. So a 5lb PR, which I can’t complain about but can’t help but wonder if I could have pushed to 160 with an extra week of real lifting. Cut the P-Press/KTE workout short, that bar just wasn’t moving well. The press is a huge weakness of mine. I think shoulder/torso mobility issues are holding me back.
- DL : 455(F) x3. Going for an easy-to-load “opening weight” (5lb PR) annnnnd, couldn’t lock it out. Each time it was close, but at some point my body decided it wasn’t going to happen and my grip actually gave out. My grip has always been a weakness but I can usually do 420 in my sleep (or, say, a few hours after running a marathon), so I didn’t expect 455 to be such a big deal.
Looking at my log, I can only conclude that I’m a moron. Despite Dallas’ advice and against my better judgement, I somehow managed to play it too safe with the DL weights; I should have started higher and used bigger jumps. Live and learn, I guess. I’ll know how to approach this kind of cycle better next time.
Good morning to all.
Just read through the 603 PTP idea and all the posts that go along with it and I must say that I am intrigued with what I have learned.
Forgive my basic ignorance when I ask – what kind of press is to be used in this program? May be my lack of sleep talking but I cannot see a single tree in spite of the forest of information here. Thanks to anyone that can enlighten me. I certainly appreciate it.
Glenn,
We’re talking about a standing barbell shoulder press. On our site (and many other high-quality training sites), “press” is defined as a standing shoulder press, much like a “squat” is a high-bar, full range-of-motion back squat. Hope this helps. Best of luck, and keep us posted on your progress if you jump on board the PTP program.
Dallas
Dallas and Melissa -
I have been reading your sites for a while now, have enjoyed your upfront attitude with the whole 30 program and received some great tips about being/going paleo. I originally found your sites when someone posted the “big ups” video link of Dallas jumping on police cars in a local crossfit affiliate blog. AWESOME stuff. Today is my first day of the PTP program thanks so much for posting this and openly sharing so much. I keep looking for a seminar with you both in the Cincinnati area hopefuly that will come. I am going to start a blog to keep track of my progress, thanks again for your great work.
j~
Jason,
Look for us in Cincinnati… sometime. Or, better yet, talk to your local gym owner and get them to host a workshop! Good luck with your PTP, and keep us posted on your progress.
Do you have another link to Tucker’s shoulder stretch and the stripper stretch because the ones in the comments don’t work anymore. So far so good…
Guys, just a quick question: I have daily PT with my unit that I obviously can’t avoid doing, and lately we’ve been doing CF stuff that is definitely taxing. Would you recommend adding the PTP program on top, or would the training value be lost if it were layered as an afternoon session on top of morning PT? I ask because rest was such a big part of Starting Strength and I’m not sure if the same focus applies here.
@Jason: Sorry for the delay, we’ve been working hard to get the old CrossFit 603 posts imported over to the Whole9 site. It’s just taking a lot longer than we thought, given our travel schedule right now. As soon as we get them loaded, I’ll post the links here. Thanks for your patience.
@Max: The PTP is designed to be a stand-alone program, NOT to be dumped or added on top of other programs. The volume and intensity of the workouts you’re already doing rules out the PTP. Skip it until you can devote four or five weeks straight just to the protocol.
Best,
Melissa
I am still working through the PTP but only have a few days left. I have achieved made it to the level of my body weight in deadlifts and broke 100 on the press, and have noticed as others have said in here that so many other areas have improved, from my running to my KTE’s so that has me wondering are there other whole 9 programming out there that i can use. I am thinking of going the route of PTP again but using dips and front squats this time…as the improvements I have seen from this round are nothign short of remarkable.. to the point that i am going to but myself to the test with a short distance triathlon this weekend… i’ll let you know the results
ALL I can say is wow this just works!..
i competed in my first sprint triathlon this weekend using PTP and Paleo and finished in 2 hours flat. Here is the interesting thing the only training i did was PTP i didn’t do any biking or swimming at all prior to the race. and the only running i did was in the PTP programming. so not only did i train way less than most of the rest of the racers i felt really good afterwards, to the point that i had enough energy to the go finish a deck building project. So if anyone doubts or questions your food or programs send them my way and i will argue the point for you all. the best part of the whole PTP program is that it didn’t leave me feeling all banged up like my former training (bodybuilding style) did..
i will say i think diet plays a bigger role in racing that training i have been listening to robb wolf’s podcasts and he mentioned in one to bulk up on sweet potatoes before an event so i followed that advice, and used no supplements on race day at all just water and felt amazing!! I even did the event in FiveFingers…
I love looking at conventional wisdom and SAD and the shoe industry and just say Bite me…if you can catch me..
@Jason: WOOT! We’re going to have to use this as a testimonial somewhere, because we’re constantly telling people you CAN get better at running (and swimming and biking, apparently) JUST by picking up heavy stuff. Congrats on your success, both during your triathlon and in previously mentioned strength gains!
Best,
Melissa & Dallas
just let me know if you want it as a testimonial that would be awesome, i have all my stats from the race and all my workout stats as well, i deadlift increased over 100 lbs…(i was a little conservative at first because of fear of throwing out my back) and my press is up 50 or 60 can’t remember exactly…
i can write it up however you all want..I want to help you get the message across..
just an FYI i posted in the Marks Daily Apple forum about the race as well and using whole 9 ptp so hopefully we can recruit some more people for you all..
one question what are your thoughts on my post about repeating the program with weighted dips and front squats? i love the fact that it is laid out for me weeks ahead of time and things like that… and plus it just works! and now i can prove it.
Jason,
Dude, weighted dips (or bench press, or weighted pullups) and front squats would be a AWESOME combo. I’ve used the dip/FS combo in a previous iteration of my own PTP, and I really, really liked it. You could even reuse the rest of the skill work and metcons alongside the dips (or whatever) and FS. Let us know how it goes!
I had been Crossfitting on my own with some help from a friend (who is a Crossfit affiliate owner) and the CF website for several months last winter until April. At that point I completely stopped all training after enduring a minor accident (hit by a car on my bike) as well as several months of international travel, which has left me healed up but back at square one. I am joining a local Crossfit box to get back on my feet, and planning on doing group workouts there 2-3x per week. I’d really like to start the PTP program as well to build back my strength; what is the best way to work it into my Crossfitting schedule? I won’t be able to use their weights etc. out of class time, but have another gym membership elsewhere to supplement my training throughout the week.
Thanks so much for all the guidance and resources on your website!
SB,
I’d recommend doing to DL and presses at your non-CF gym and then doing your “regular” CF programming at your CF gym. That, or commit to the entire PTP for 6 weeks, and skip your regularly-scheduled CF stuff. But… do NOT do the PTP drills and metcons AND your CF workouts – you’ll shortcut to Overtrainingville. Best,
Dallas
Day 4 – which is the rest day. I’ll take it. So far, so good.
Hi Dallas and Melissa!
This is Chris from Az ( we met at your cactus CF workshop). I’m 2 weeks in to the whole 30 program and things have been going well. I’ve never really cut out dairy before and this strict regimen has improved my overall well being and performance. AND im sleeping better.
I decided to jump on the 603-PTP program as well. I currently have a 1 RM DL of 380 and SP of 175. My goals for this year are 400 and 200 respectively.
I started each lift at 70% 1 RM. Am progressing by 10 lbs on the DL and 5 LBS on the SP.
I currently just completed day 10.
Here is my question:
On the DL and SP I have had a pretty easy time so I decided to keel climbing until I hit resistance. I just reset at 325 and 140. For my deadlift, my plan is to take two steps back in 20 lb increments. ( 325 down to 285 then back up by 20 lbs until I hit 325. Then continue by 10 Lbs).
Would you recommend to someone to keep climbing as I have or would you keep the wave progressions from the beginning? ( at 325 my 5th rep started to suffer but was still manageable)
Would you recommend the 20 lb steps back up to current top wt or would 10 lb increments be better. ( I was thinking 20 to allow for a little more recovery.
Thank you so much for posting this program and the whole 30. Still a life changing experience for a guy who’s been around for awhile!
Finally, any other advice for someone with a little experience to training but new to this format?
Rest day. I am loving this program.
Chris,
Glad to hear that leaving behind suboptimal foods like dairy have given you some help with sleep quality and “overall well-being”. Also, welcome to the 603 PTP plan! As far as your question about the progression: I’d continue with the wave progression, because it gives you more exposures to a specific weight before moving up than a linear progression. Make sure that your quality of movement remains high – if you’re struggling to complete your first set of 5, you should either drop 5-10 (or more) pounds to get it with gorgeous form, or simply stop at 3 or 4 reps. Either way, do NOT go to failure, because that means you won’t be able to recover adequately at the high frequency on the Power To The People program. I’d stick with 10 pound increments and simply stop at 3 or 4 reps if you can’t pull your 5th “pretty”.
Glad you’re rockin’ with our training AND nutrition stuff. Other advice? Umm, don’t add extra stuff on top of the PTP. Like, don’t do “main page” or your gym’s programming in addition to the PTP – it’ll be too much volume for you to recover adequately. Best of luck, and keep us posted on your progress.
Dallas,
Thanks for the reply and advice. Ill back up a little bit and work the wave progression.
Im not working anything else with the 603 PTP except a little bit of skill here and there.
I’ll let you know my results when I’m done. Thanks again for putting this out there and answering questions!
I started a new round of Whole30 today, and I’m looking at starting PTP tomorrow, 13 Sep.
Dallas, would you recommend taking a break from regular CF programming to do the PTP, or would PTP be something to do in addition to regular CF programming?
Thanks.
Dallas,
Sorry, I just read a few comments up – looks like I’ll be breaking from CF programming for a while to just focus on PTP.
Thanks for all you do.
Day 1:
DL @ 205, 185
SP @ 75, 65
Cash-out Met-Con @ 9.53
KTEs were harder than I expected. I’ve got my DUs down pretty well, and am focused on increasing my tempo with them. The kips on KTEs, though, felt a lot different than kipping for PUs. I’m also lower-body heavy, so that affected it too.
@Ken: KTEs are always harder than you expect, especially when you’re trying to breathe at the same time. We’d rather you do an incomplete KTE (meaning, just bring your knees up as far as you can) rather than kip ‘em. It’s a strength-focused program, so you’ll get more bang for your buck if you skip the kip (except when specifically Rx’d for pull-ups). Keep it up!
Day 2
DL @ 210, 190
SP @ 80, 70
Cash-out met-con @ 16.05
I went for the 24k KB on the first round, but after that, I used the 16k for the snatches and the 24k for the Russian swings. Had to do some research on the stretches, but I do yoga occasionally, so pigeon pose is no big deal for me.
Day 3
DL @ 215, 195
SP @ 85, 75
Cash-out back squats @ 225, 230, 235, 240, 245, 255
The last time I tried 255 I failed, so this was a PR for me. It’s amazing what a difference sticking with good form makes. Many years ago in high school, I back squatted 410. Looking back, that would never have counted, because it was probably about a 1/2 squat, nowhere close to being bottomed out.
@Ken: I remember that burpee/snatch/swing met-con. It was brutal – I may have to throw that one in again someday soon. Soon-ish…
Nice job on the squat PR!
@Melissa: I just read your posting on musings. I read UGD, and BGD, and I agree that you need to find a good balance. I really like what you had to say, but I, as a minister, fell in line with the Maureen Martone rule for you. I would encourage you to step back up and write, and write, and do Muay Thai, etc. You are God’s Creation, and He made you to be creative. So go be creative.
Thanks for the encouragement, and for all that you guys do. Missing the ability to attend seminars and certs, but no one ever seems to come to Alaska. Must be that whole “cold” thing mixed with a very small population which makes it not cost effective to make the trip.
Ken,
Alaska is a gorgeous place, but it is SO FAR AWAY (from everywhere)! I’m from BC, so I love the North Pacific and the gigantic coastal mountains out there. We’d love to come to Alaska for a Foundations of Nutrition workshop, so drum up some interest there, and we’ll see if we can make it happen! We’ve got a few other folks interested, but with travel expenses, we’ll have to have more like 40 just to cover our costs.
Day 4: Rest
@Dallas: That is extremely helpful – 40 is the magic number. I know, everything is expensive up here, to include the flights to get here (we took the Marine Highway ferries up the coast from WA). I am actually the brigade chaplain for the Army Airborne brigade (read about 3500 Soldiers, plus families) in the Anchorage area. As part of the program called Comprehensive Soldier Fitness, I’m guessing I may be able to get my commander to buy off on getting this out there and getting people involved. Plus, we have a small CF box here (Arctic CF – https://www.hitechgym.com/ArcticCrossfit/), which started just a few months ago; could probably drum up some interest there.
I have a new mission. I’m also thinking of trying this same thing to get Jeff Martone up here for a KB cert. All planning for Fiscal Year 2011, which starts in a few weeks. We’re not deploying to Afghanistan again until the end of next year, so I have time to work it.
Day 5:
DL @ 210, 190
SP @ 80, 70
My cartwheels for the buy-in were UGLY! I’m a big guy, but really agile, and pretty coordinated, at least by most people’s consideration. I was humbled this morning by those cartwheels.
I’ve never been a good runner, even though I enjoy running. The cash-out was not something I was looking forward to. On my Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), I’ve been running in the 16s on my 2-mile for many years now.
Easy 400m #1: 1.54
Easy 400m #2: 1.25
Hard 800m: split 1 @ 1.20; split 2 @ 1.31 = 2.51
I don’t know what I weight right now, but I must be dropping weight, because I haven’t moved that fast in years.
I forgot – 23 jumps for the 50m. I’ve been wearing Vibram Fivefingers (VFFs) for a few months now, so I’m a little gun-shy with broad jumps, because I don’t know how to land, other than landing on my heels or shortening my jumps to land on the balls of my feet.
I write that respecting the heck out of the pic on the CF main-site showing Lindsey and Miranda doing broad jumps.
I started the PTP when my wife was gone for work, but this is the kind of workout that she tends to really enjoy. Therefore, I restarted it with her today! Honestly, I need a good workout partner, and she likes to compete, so it should work out for both of us.
Day 1
DL @ 205, 185 (my wife 115, 95)
SP @ 75, 65 (my wife at 45, 35)
Cash out met-con in 8.34 (made sure not to kip on the KTEs, but I did have to break those sets up)
My wife only did 2 rounds on the met-con, finishing around 9 minutes
This is a good start. Also started the Whole30 with her today, though I’m not sure how long she’ll actually do it.
Day 2 with my wife on the PTP
DL @ 210, 190 (wife 120, 100)
SP @ 80, 70 (wife 50, 40)
Cash out met-con in 9.44 (wife in 14.30) – Again, I used 24k for the Russian swings, 16k for the KB snatches. My wife used a 20# db for the snatches and a 10k KB for the Russian swings. I realized today that with this KB/burpee met-con, I did 10 reps on each arm last time, rather than the prescribed 5L/5R in each round. No wonder I finished in such a long time, as opposed to today!
Day 3 (my wife got up for a sick child in the middle of the night, so I’ll guide her through the workout tomorrow)
DL @ 215, 195
SP @ 85, 75
BS @ 225 (5), 235 (5), 245 (5), 255 (3), 260 (3-new PR!), 265 (1 rep only-new PR!)
Day 4 is a rest day, and I’ll be gone leading a couples’ retreat all weekend. I’ll pick back up with Day 5 after the weekend. I’m taking a dumbbell and jump rope with me, so I’ll be working TGUs, DUs, and doing some trail runs.
Ken,
Looks like you’re rockin’ the PTP. Nice work!
Hi Dallas and Melissa,
I’m really loving this program, on day 11 and feeling great. Just wanted your thoughts on skipping a PTP workout here and there (and pick it up on the next workout of course). I’m only asking because we are having an absolutely glorious day here on the OR coast, and would love to get outside after work and running the kids to and from football practice. Are the posted buy-ins and cash-outs essential to success or is a little leeway permitted? I have a well-equipped garage gym and doing the lifts is no problem, there are times when I would like to take advantage of rare days like today and get on my mt. bike or run the trails in my neighborhood.
Amy,
We’ll ALWAYS tell you to skip a gym day for a glorious day doing fun stuff in the sun. USE that fitness for something besides just getting better at exercise. Enjoy the sunshine!
Hey Dallas and Melissa!
So, I’m now at day 34 of the program and I wanted to give you a progress report.
Things are going well. I’ve been working the program as RXed with a couple exceptions. I usually do the strength portion but reserve met cons based on how I’m feeling. I’m a firefighter and I’ve decided to focus on recovery as opposed to pushing through. So if I have a hard night I allow myself to recover. With this focus, I’m actually feeling better than I’ve felt in a long time. I was doing the main site WOD previously. When I have added in the met- cons that you prescribe, I’ve been doing really well with them. No PR’s on the traditional met cons, such as Helen( PR is 7:36 and last score was 8:10), but my numbers are pretty good and I feel good. I don’t really care so much about increasing my work capacity to it’s limit anymore anyway.
So here are my numbers.
Deadlifted 345×5 cleanly yesterday.
Pressed 156×4. ( last tested 1 RM was 160)
My waves are getting tougher but they are still moving along. I understand the format and how I should feel after the short met cons so im going to continue the waves beyond the 36 days and milk it for what I can. I’ll report when I do a 1 RM test.
Thanks again!
Started the 603 over because of a big fat pile of life. Did not feel right missing so many workouts, so just started over. Happy to say I am rocking along beautifully. Today is a rest day and tomorrow is I believe the Day 13 workout.
There are a lot of great poses that stretch the shoulders. It’s one of the best benefits I get from yoga. I found Leeann Carey has an awesome free yoga video on shoulder stretches that I thought your readers might like: http://www.planetyoga.com/yoga-blogs/free-yoga-video-shoulder-stretches-for-improved-mobility/
Day 20 and I’m changing things up a bit. I’m doing the buy-in and PTP work, but will do “Grace” as my cash-out. I found a CrossFit affiliate within driving distance participating in the “Barbells for Boobs” fund-raising project. This will be my first time participating in any kind of group workout. All of my training is on my own and I’m a little nervous to say the least. The local high school track coach uses Oly lifts to train his athletes, so I’m hoping to get some pointers before the big day. Today I just want to see how I do and what kind of scaling I should consider. It’s for a great cause, and I’m going on the day the new facility opens up. Glad to be supporting the facility anyway, it’s a not-for-profit set up in the “Steve’s Club” style.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I just had my annual mammogram, and a follow-up to check out a questionable spot. Things look good, but I have a plan for continued monitoring. Talk to your health care provider this month about a plan for monitoring your breast health. Guys, you can get breast cancer too, so ask about it the next time you go to the doctor.
Day 1
DL @ 205, 185
SP @ 75, 65
Cash-out metcon in 5.24
Explanation: please forgive me, but I’m going to wax philosophical for a moment, for I cannot wax eloquent. I spent about a week without doing a WOD, as I was gone someplace with no fitness equipment of any kind (I took my jumprope), then took leave for a couple days. While on leave, I took my semi-annual Army Physical Fitness Test, and got a huge cramp in my left calf. I was not even capable of doing a DL, let alone executing a whole WOD. Sadly, I fell apart nutritionally while not working out, and I neglected my spiritual fitness and sleep. Now, here is my philosophical part – we, as humans, are whole people, with all parts of our lives connected. We each have only a finite amount of time and energy to spend each day. The Bible describes us as having an old nature and a new nature. In movies, it’s sometimes described as two dogs or wolves at war within each of us. The one we feed the most is the one that will win. When we stop sleeping or eating appropriately, working out gets more difficult – even the motivation to do it. Melissa Joulwan wrote about it recently in her blog after getting back from vacation in Prague. We really can’t focus on just getting one portion of our lives right at a time. Not to get legalistic about it, but if we’re going to get life right, the best way to do it is to attack all of it. Working out is great, but if you’re not sleeping or eating right, it’s a real struggle, an uphill battle. Similarly, eating poorly makes sleeping well difficult. Even if you are sleeping and eating well, not working out will typically leave us feeling lethargic by the end of the day. It’s all connected, and that’s not just physically. My wife asked me yesterday if I was still getting my spiritual quiet times in the morning, and for the last week, I really haven’t. That has had a negative affect on my demeanor and interaction with family and coworkers, also.
Off the soapbox – food for thought. I have 6 months till my next physical fitness test, and today is Day 1 working toward it. Last week’s wasn’t bad (271 out of 300), but I’m pushing for the perfect 300 in the spring.
Dallas and Melissa,
Well, instead of continuing with the PTP format I decided to just complete the program as RXed and post my results. So, all 36 days have been completed.
before
press: 160 (tested before program all time best is 175)
deadlift: 365 (tested before program all time best is 380)
after: (following the RXed rest days)
press : 165 (5 lb increase)
deadlift: 365 (no increase)
So, basically no changes. I’m frustrated. I worked the program as RXed and did not do any extra work. In fact I took extra rest when needed, cutting out some of the met-cons when not feeling it. I climbed steadily and started to slow down at 156 and 345 for the lifts. The only benefit seems to be that I can lift over 300 several days in a row without being wrecked.
I also worked the program alongside the whole 30. I completed the whole 30 as RXed and was very strict. No real performance improvements. No body weight lost or gain and body comp stayed pretty much the same (6’2″ 200 lbs 5% BF measured by calipers). I did notice that I’ve felt generally better through out the day with more stable energy. My sleep has been better too. Recovery from a hard night of running emergency calls as a firefighter is better too. I’m generally not as wasted if I’m up all night.
My thoughts on the PTP program:
1. It allowed me to rest and recovery my system from overtraining doing the CF mainpage WOD’s. plus I enjoyed the consistent heavy barbell work.
2. I’m an experienced CFer ( 3 years in with some pretty good numbers) and maybe the “neuralogical training” component of this program didn’t take me as far as it would for someone with less experience.
3. Maybe I should have continued to follow it to my absolute limits. Stopping at the 30 days might have cut me short. I know I was pretty close to my limit on the SP though. Deadlift maybe had a wave or 2 more.
4. Could my nutrition have been off? I was and am eating strict ( no grains, legumes, dairy, sugar, limited fruit 2-3 servings and even cut out NNS’s completely). Is this possibly not enough calories?
5. Too much outside work…I don’t think this was the case as I did as much or less than what was RXed but followed the DL/SP faithfully.
6. It’s just me. Finally, Strength seems to be an issue for me. Something that I’ve had a hard time improving. Could I just be biomechanically disadvantaged (long limbs) and at my limit? However, I have a hard time believing that I’ve hit my “genetic potential” when I’m not even at a 2xBW deadlift.
I would appriciate any suggestions you guys might have. I had high hopes for the PTP program and feel somewhat disheartened and dissappointed that I didn’t go anywhere.
Thanks for your time!
Chris
Amy,
Thanks for the good words on breast cancer. I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer, so I have a special place in my heart for cancer research and prevention.
Ken,
Glad to hear you’re still seeing the bigger picture – that there’s way more to life than exercise and food. I respect your self-analysis.
Chris A,
While I’m disappointed that you didn’t put more on your lifts, adding 5# to your press isn’t “nothing”. It sounds like you’re well-trained and experienced, so yes, your progress isn’t likely to be as rapid as that of a newbie. It sounds like you’re more “durable”, though, and if you plan on going back to main page CF programming, that’ll be a great asset. If your Whole30 was your first go-around with 100% Clean Eating, that is likely the largest factor in your less-than-amazing PTP progress. Getting adequate calories is hard, and you’re almost my dimensions (6’4″, 205, 6-8%) and I need a LOT of food (if you’re 5% lean, you need more calories!). Lack of adequate food during the W30 is a common error, so I’d tell you to sip on a can of coconut milk throughout the day, add an avocado to every meal, and snag some macadamias as portable snacks. We’ll be releasing a Whole30 Success Guide soon that includes a meal planning template that self-corrects for all of those possible errors. Being a firefighter is a tough job, too, and that might have been apart of it. I’d recommend eating more, switching up your programming, and redoing the PTP in 2-4 months. Hope this helps.
Dallas
Melissa and Dallas -
i just wanted to drop a note and say I just finished my second triathlon using PTP programming. This one was a longer event involving a 6m canoe, 5.5m run and 18m bike. After a couple days of recovery, my calves are a little tender from running in Vibram Fivefingers, I plan to start a weighted dip and squat rotation of the PTP. I love the site and read it daily, keep up the good work guys.
Day 2
DL @ 210, 190
SP @ 80, 70
Cash-out metcon in 9.56 – a little slower than last time, but instead of using 16kg for the snatches and 24kg for the Russian swings, I used the 24kg KB for the whole thing. So, I was a little slower (about 12 seconds), but I used 8kg more in weight. I don’t mind that trade.
Dallas,
Thanks for the feedback and suggestions. I’ll work on eating more and see if that helps. I’m now going to embark on a self-designed program with the goal of improving my body weight skills via the building gymnastic bodies program with an occasional (1-2 times a week) high intensity effort thrown in….providing recovery remains good. I will return to the PTP format. I did like it and would love to try it with some different exercises.
Here’s a though I had when thinking about adequate calories. A “paleo” diet ( I actually don’t like that term so much anymore because it seems like I’m eating based on abstract ideas as opposed to eating for what has worked empirically in my life) makes it hard for someone with my body proportions and activity level to maintain adequate calories. How can such an eating plan be optimal when I have to rely so heavily on coconut milk and nuts in order get what I need. Shouldn’t the “optimal” diet provide enough calories for improvement?
I’ve thought about this in one form or another before. I’ve been feeling like I’m burning out on the MP met-cons for awhile now. I just don’t have the fire I did 2-3 years ago. This started with a reduction in my grains vis a vis a reduction in CHO’s. I’ve reasoned (due to listening to outside influences as well) that maybe a chronic high level of metabolic intensity isn’t the healthiest idea in the first place and that instead of upping my CHO’s or going back to limited grains in order to support intense activity, I should decrease my activity to a level that is sustainable with what I’m eating. (An extreme example of what I’m trying to say would be the chronic cardio crowd that instead of looking at that intensity as unhealthy, ups the CHO’s in order to “push on through” and obtain “elite performance”.)
What is your take on this? If calories (CHO’s specifically I suppose) are indeed the hinderance, should one decrease activity levels to match calorie support, or increase CHO’s in order to support more activity? Or is it simply a cost/risk ratio dependent on what the user wants in the end?
as always, thanks for your time and thoughts!
Day 3
DL @ 215, 195
SP @ 85, 75
BS @ 225 (5), 245 (5), 255 (5), 260 (3), 265 (2/3, then failed) – stopped
Feeling a little weak as I get back into the swing of things…
JastClark,
That event sounds fun! Have fun with the weighted dip/squat PTP – I’ve done that pairing as well as a weighted pullup/front squat combo. Good luck!
Chris,
Dude, you’ve spent some time pondering this topic. I love it. Here’s how I think about it (assuming excellent food quality and good body composition):
Optimal performance = No net caloric gain or loss = Caloric expenditure – caloric intake
Caloric intake = caloric needs = body size x general activity level
Caloric expenditure = activity intensity x duration x frequency
So…
Optimal performance = (activity intensity x duration x frequency) – (body size x general activity level)
If your caloric needs outstrip your intake, you’re operating at a chronic deficit, and that is NOT optimal performance.
So… if your overall caloric expenditure is too high to allow complete and optimal caloric intake, then you can either decrease your intensity, duration, or frequency, or some combination thereof. Or, if you’re like me, you simply work extra-hard to get the calories in via high-quality meat, fish, and eggs, and lots of fat from coconut, avocado, macadamias, organic pastured clarified butter, olives/EVOO, and some other nuts. I also jam on a bunch of carbs PWO (sweet potato, pumpkin, or squash plus a little fruit), and that seems to help with recovery. I realize that I haven’t really answered your question yet, though… I make the case that optimal health and optimal performance are, contrary to CF’s hypothesis, actually not the same thing. It sounds nice, but there are lots of things we could do to make ourselves perform better at the expense of our long-term health, and I think consuming grains as a carb source (to support activity) does more harm than good. (And besides, you can eat LOTS of carbs from root veggies and squashes – no need to go back to grains.) Likewise, a gallon of milk a day might make you gain weight (muscle AND fat) but I don’t think it makes you healthier in the long run, and if you’re doing something that undermines your health in order to “boost” performance, than haven’t we all missed the whole point of exercise?… Anyway, I think my shortest answer to your question is this: less training and better nutrition is your best bet. Best,
Dallas
Day 4
Rest day – I’m sponsoring a spiritual fitness run this morning for our unit, so I’ll be in uniform to make sure it all runs semi-smoothly. An actual rest day leading into a 4-day weekend for the federal holiday.
Wow! as always Dallas, thanks for the reply.
I see what you mean, I think. LOL. The answer to my question is that optimal performance may not equal optimal health but it comes down to what the individual wants. I tend to agree with this outlook. For 3 years I’ve been chasing that “elite performance” moniker and for what? As I watch the CF games, I’m very impressed by the athletes. They perform astonishing feats. However, I’ll put it in the words of my girlfriend who has worked with elite athletes. ” Every elite athlete gives up some aspect of health in order to achieve increased levels of performance in their chosen field” or something like that (paraphrasing for sure). After watching the games this year I realized that I like doing maybe 1 WOD a day but I didn’t have any desire to put my body through the rigors of multiple WODs. No sir! So where to go from here? More work in less time has become boring. It’s also not worth the wears on the body.
So, I suppose there needs to be a balance and that finding that balance seems to be a lifetime practice. This is stuff that I wish I knew when I was 20. I suppose the quote “youth is wasted on the young” applies herre.
Chris,
Well said. I’m actually working on a post about the disconnect between performance and health (especially in the elite competitor and CrossFit Games communities.) Stay tuned for more random thoughts…
Day 5
DL @ 210, 190
SP @ 80, 70
Easy 400m #1: 1.27
Easy 400m #2: 1.14
Hard 800m: split 1 @ 1.11; split 2 @ 1.38 = 2.49
Howdy,
A good friend of mine recommended the site, thanks for the information. Just a quick question. Forgive the college boy who runs too much, but what are you referring to with the press workout? Would you have any tips on form? I am looking to start the program to improve my overall strength. I wouldn’t call myself weak, I just haven’t concentrated much on strength improvement.
Cheers!
Day 6
603 WOD in 24.52 – I ripped open my right hand on the last round of pullups, and was doing them 1 rep at a time, but completed all reps of all exercises.
Day 7 – Rest Day; took a short barefoot jog through the neighborhood.
Day 8
DL @ 215, 195
SP @ 85, 75
Suitcase DL @ 65, 75, 95 – first time trying this, even though I’ve picked up a suitcase before. Finding the right place for my hand was tedious, to make sure I had a decent balance. Thanks for expanding my horizons!
@Jethro: Google “Starting Strength” – a book by Mark Rippetoe and Lon Kilgore. Buy it. Follow those instructions. We mean “shoulder press” when we’re talking about a “press”… but form is important, so absent a good strength coach, Starting Strength should get you on the right track.
Best,
Melissa
Day 9
Buy-in OHS at only 45, 65, 85 (focused just on form, pulling shoulders up, and getting into a deep squat position) – thanks, I’ve never done Boz’s OHS warm-up before.
DL @ 225, 205
SP @ 90, 80
Max 500m row @ 1.37 (started to really poop-out at the end)
Day 10
DL @ 215, 195
SP @ 85, 75
PC @ 165, 175, 180
FS @ 155, 175, 185
I have never been good with the OL, so I worked up slowly, trying to make sure I had good form. On the FS, I found my stance to be a bit wider than with regular BS.
Day 12
DL @ 225, 205
SP @ 90, 80
Cash-out metcon @ 9.14
Reps were slow and deliberate. That metcon was harder than I thought it would be. I can still feel it in my hands and forearms. That warm-up of dynamic drills was just plain fun, a nice change-up.
Day 13
Previous PRs:
500m row @ 1.37
400m run @ 1.11
Met-con in 13.39 (400m run 1 @ 1.08-new PR!; 2 @ 1.26, 3 @ 1.22)
The rower batteries were dead (only 2 rowers in our box), so I ran the 400m loop around the aircraft hanger where our box resides. With run 1 being a new PR, I gave myself 10-15 seconds rest before the 2nd loop; maybe I shouldn’t have, but I did. Thrusters are really hard for me, but I am glad that I did the full 95# ones instead of scaling back to 65#. I am glad tomorrow is a rest day.
Finishing up the PTP in the next few days. I have really liked this program and am looking forward to continuing my journey in increased strength. Like Chris though, I’m more interested in balancing my performance with the rest of my life.
I have made some great gains (will post when I’ve completed the program and go for the max lifts) but know the next step is a good hard look at my diet. I am not a sugar addict, so am not sure if the WHOLE 30 is right for me. I know I would view it as a badge of honor rather than what I believe its intended purpose is, an overall change in the way to eat.
I am proud of myself for sticking with the PTP, I lost my mom in May and sticking with anything has been tough. This looked pretty straight forward, and it did not feel like I was trying to fill a hole in my heart by taking on a dietary or fitness “challenge”.
Raising a family, diet, fitness, running a business, pursuing hobbies…it all has to fit together and make sense. And, I must have time to paddle surf
.
Paddlesurf lesson a success! I’ve been paddling around on flat water for a year but could never quite get the wave-catching thing down. Road tripped up the coast to the best spot in OR and took a lesson from a guy who made it all make sense. Good coaching is key in ANY endeavor. Rode waves for about two hours and have new places cooking all over my body.
Three more days left of the PTP, will get it done this week and then carry the progress forward with a cycle or two of Black Box work. My husband wants to supplement his cycling so we are going to give it a go together.
Day 15
DL @ 230, 205
SP @ 95, 85
The buy-in felt great, and I executed all the pull-ups as dead-hang pull-ups (some overhand, some underhand).
Cash-out @ 11.54; pull-ups were a mix of dead-hang/kipping and overhand/underhand. Since KB swings were specific as Russian earlier in the PTP, I’m doing all swings as Russian now, rather than to the full vertical. Let me know, Dallas/Melissa, if this is the right way or not. I don’t mind going fully overhead; I actually have a hard time not going that far, due to getting the momentum going out of the hips on my swings.
@Amy: Congrats on your PTP! Sounds like you got a lot out of the program – and will take that with you as you continue to train. That’s the same theory behind the Whole30. You don’t have to be a sugar addict or a carb-a-holic to benefit from 100% clean eating. And WE don’t think of it as a challenge – just a jump start to build new habits and see how your diet affects your sleep, energy levels, training, etc. We’re starting a new version (3.0) on Sunday – hope you can join us.
@Ken: We don’t do American swings in workouts, for the most part, so unless it’s specified to take it overhead, Russian swings are A-OK. Keep up the good work!
Melissa