We dig that idea! Front squats would be great, pull-ups would only be good if you’ve got a bunch already, and can afford to spend five weeks progressing up to your max. (If you’ve only got 3-5 dead hangs, it doesn’t make sense to start with one… you’ll move up to your max way too fast.) In that case, sub out another exercise (push-ups would be a great one) and consider more of a true grease-the-groove style approach for pull-ups. (Google if you don’t know what that is.)

Best,
Melissa

You can do skin-the-cats on a bar (standard pull-up bar), or sub scaled versions of that exercise (anything from knee-ups to knees-to-elbows to hips over head) on the bar.

For muscle-ups, you can sub pull-ups and dips (the traditional sub is 2-33 strict pull-ups and 2-3 dips = 1 muscle-up, but you can scale that back as well). Just make sure you’re not swinging or kipping anything.

Melissa

Thanks again!

Heavily considering bringing a bucket today…. Thanks for nothing(/everything) Whole9!

Melissa

Food was similar to the Week 3 (~4500 calories/day). All-in-all, very clean throughout these five weeks.

Male/39/5’8″

Start Bodyweight: 150.8#
Finish Bodyweight: 156.2# (I was 159.6# on Day 33)

Start Press: 135#
End Press: 145# (I think I could press 150# on a good day.) (I almost cashed it in on the cash out for the shoulder press!)

Start Deadlift: 325#
End Deadlift : 365#

(I did scale the program for 1RMs 10# heavier than my true 1RMs for each of the movements.)

Overall, I’m happy with the results. Some of the bodyweight I picked up seemed to go to my waist. (Drinking too many of my daily calories?) I removed the Food in the Blender after Day 33 and lost almost three pounds over the next 72 hours.

Like Shan, I’m shopping around for my next training cycle. I have been looking at some of Greg Everett’s training cycles (specifically, the strength and development cycle) at Catalyst Athletics, but the CrossFIt Invictus programming (performance/competition) looks interesting as well. I think with some appropriate scaling, the Invictus programming might allow me to emphasize and progress in O-lifting and get a (reasonable) daily dose of metabolic conditioning.

Thanks for the program! The 603 PTP has been a great opportunity for me to recover and reset my training.

Congrats – those are amazing results! (Ten pounds on a shoulder press in five weeks is huge.) As for where you go now, there are a few affiliates who do really good strength-focused programming. Check out Coach Rut’s stuff (http://www.bootcampfitnesskc.com/the-fitness-conduit/), or CJ Martin’s work at CrossFit Invictus (http://crossfitinvictus.com). You can also try a program from Coach Rippetoe or Jim Wendler (5-3-1) – both strength focused. That should be a good start!

Best,
Melissa

Diet – 100% gluten free, 90% paleo.

Shoulder press Start – 155, End – 165 (was hoping for 175, but still happy with 5lbs over body weight) The cash out for the shoulder press 1RM was brutal!

Deadlift – Start 290, end 320 (very stoked with that, goal was double body weight)

Dallas and Melissa – question – where do I go from here? I’ve done CF mainsite for 5+ years but would like to add a strength bias to my CF. Is there an affiliates whose programming you like?

Thanks for the great program. I’m happy with the results and I had a lot of ‘fun’ with your metcon programming!