physical. 03/21/12

Situp variation* (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest for 6 rounds)
20 Box jump/ Jump squat

x 4

After the partial Tabata round, move immediately and with urgency into the jumping movement. You may switch situp or jumping movements by round as desired. (Not during.)
Quick completion of the 20 jumping reps may lead to a bit of rest before the group start of the next situp round.

*Situp choices today:
- V-up
- Hollow rock/ hold
- L-sit
- Rocking chair
- Abmat situp (35lb. W, 55lb. M)
- 360

video.

Wolf Brigade – Mace 360 from Wolf Brigade on Vimeo.

The mace is our favorite tool for hitting all those hard-to-reach corners that can be a challenge to develop strength in.
Used correctly, swinging/ lifting maces can build an aggressive “grab somebody” kind of strength like no other implement we’ve found.

physical. 03/20/12

50 Turkish Get-ups

Pick one challenging weight and keep it throughout, or increase gradually in a 20-15-10-5 rep scheme.

No.

Who remembers the first time we posted this picture?
And who remembers this amazing video from “Men’s Health UK”:

No. (2)

With an excellent strength movement like the TGU, progress and safety lie in the details.
Minus the details, (as seen above) the TGU is simply an unsafe, light-weight gimmick.
What is it that they say about “Anything worth doing…”?

physical. 03/19/12

20 each, then 15 each, then 10 each, then 5 each of:

Inchworm
2-second OH swing*
Squat (using same KB as swing)

Then, with the same KB as swing and squat:

40yd. Waiter/ Farmer/ Rack walk** x 5

Use stability in the OH position to determine weight used.
If posture is broken, arms are bent/ forward, or you cannot stop and stabilize the weight directly overhead, it is too heavy.

*2-Second Overhead swing reaches but does not cross the vertical plane and holds there for a full 2/1000. Keep a neutral, straight spine and an active shoulder at all times.
**Switch versions of the carry at the 40 yd. mark as desired.

physical. 03/17/12

5 Pullup/ BW row
:15 Airdyne sprint

10 minutes. Count rounds.

Then:

5 minutes “Get Your Ass Off the Ground”
(Rocking chair, elevator, hip-up, TGU)

and then,

10 minutes practice/ 100 reps (whichever comes first) double unders.

The second rung on the ladder…

physical. 03/16/12

30 Deadlift

Path #1: 5-5-5-3-3-3-3-1-1-1.

Path #2: 5-5-5-5-5-5

Path #3: 15-10-5

Pick your path based on your training week up to this point, experience with the DL, and goal for the day.
Weight in paths #2 and #3 should be challenging (but sustainable) right from the beginning.
If choosing Path #1, have your sights pre-set on your new 1RM.

Reminder! One week from today at WB:

Maltz Challenge!

physical. 03/15/12

6 KB push press
12 KB Halo
24 Tire smash

18 minutes. Count completed rounds and pieces.
(Ex. 10 rounds + 6 press= 10.1)

physical. 03/14/12

10 yd. front roll (2-3 rolls)
:15 sec. handstand hold
20 Mace pendulum/ pendulum shove

x 5

Then, skill work:

OH Squat

and then, read this (hopefully for the 2nd time)…

FAT.

physical. 03/13/12

9 KB Power swing*
3 breaths

x 6, or 3 minutes. Whichever comes first.

Then:

50 Abmat situp
40 V-up
30 KTE
20 360
1:00 Hollow rock/ hold

*”Power swing” ends at chin level and we pull the KB down as viciously as we drive it up. Weight should be light enough that there is a visual difference in speed between regular & power swing.

physical. 03/12/12

The way we work drinking water here at WB is that members bring in cases once or twice a month, and you can drink as much as you need any time you need during your training days at no cost.
That being said, when people leave half-full water bottles laying around that their training partners paid for… well, in fairness, they should have to “pay” for them later.
When 10 non-empty bottles accumulate on the electrical boxes, some sort of hybrid burpee workout commences…

This time:

1: Lunge 400m and count steps.

2: Perform corresponding number of burpees.

3: Stop leaving half-full water bottles.

Big, aggressive steps on the lunges will amount to less burpees at the end (and better/ safer lunging).
There’s no easy path, but saving yourself 20 or 30 burpees by stepping to a 90-degree angle in each stride is effort well spent.

A Flower City CrossFit athlete from last year’s WB x DFC Zoo Fitness Challenge shows us excellent lunge form.
This year’s Zoo Fitness Challenge will be held on Thursday, June 21.
More details soon…

physical. 03/10/12

5-5-5 Good mornings
3-3-3-1-1-1 High pull

Then:

3L, 3R Windmill
2L, 2R Windmill
1L, 1R Windmill

Weight should increase as the reps go down in each movement.
If you’ve never worked towards 1RM in high pull, the numbers should closely mirror your power clean 1RM, and the sequence off the floor, tension, and power exertion should match as well.

physical. 03/09/12

:30 sec. hollow hold/ rock
5 Pushup movements*

15 minutes.

*In a group, rest is earned by completing the 5 reps quickly and returning to to your back.
Pushup movements include: Airplane pushup, plyometric pushup, weighted, handstand, pike, ring, incline, Hindu, regular, and from knees. Choose based on what you CAN do, not what you WANT to do.
Start ambitiously and scale back if needed.

physical. 03/08/12

10 Dowel pullovers*
20 Tire smash/ Mace swings**
:30 sec. Airdyne sprint/ row/ double-unders***

15 minutes.

*No matter how wide they need to be, arms are to stay straight from beginning to end. Pause in a well organized OH squat position as a fact-check for form and posture.
**Switch between implements as desired. Keep mace movements as “swings” not “lifts”.
***The :30 second sprints should be full-power efforts- breathing recovery occurs during 10r dowel pullovers.

“You never regret the classes you come to, only the ones you miss.” Trish

physical. 03/07/12

2 trips Waiter’s walk (30 yd. ea.)
12 KTE (Knees to elbows)
12 KB Snatch
4 trips rack walk (30 yd. ea.)
12 KTE
12 KB Snatch
6 trips Farmer’s walk (30 yd. ea.)
12 KTE
12 KB Snatch

Weight should see a healthy increase from Waiter to rack to Farmer.
As appropriate, walks may be performed with kettlebells, dumbbells, sandbags, bumper plates, rope handles, or loaded bars.

We’re moving forward, but not leaning forward- posture up like you mean it. Shoulders back, chest out, spine straight. Tight and aggressive.

Who misses the Hungerford? Not me…

physical. 03/06/12

3 360 situps
3 Front rolls
3 360 situps
3 Front rolls

x 3

Then:

12 Slam ball
9 BW row

x 1

Complete in its entirety x 6 (3x part 1, 1x part 2 = 1 round),
or work for 24 minutes- whichever comes first.
Work towards completion of 6, not running out the clock at 24.

physical. 03/05/12

30 Press*
- 10 Military/ strict press
- 10 Push press
- 10 Push jerk

Then:

60 double-unders**
30 Abmat situp (@ strict press weight or 80lb.- whichever is less)

x 2

*Weight goes up in each set of 10. If pressing single KB, reps are 5L, 5R.
**If double-unders are at less than 5 consecutive reps, substitution is 4/1 regular jump. 60 DU’s = 240 regular.

event. 03/23/12

On Friday March 23rd, 2012, the “Maltz Challenge” (a fitness event memorializing Michael Maltz (DEA) and others KIA) will be held for the first time at Wolf Brigade Gym, 105 Anderson Ave, Rochester, 14607.

Workouts will be conducted at 11am, 12pm, 5pm, and 6pm.*
Promptness is expected- participants should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early- clean, hydrated, and ready to work.

*If you are going to train with us on March 23rd, you must pre-register! Thank you.

Pre-registration is required, and movement demonstrations/ instruction and scaling will be covered in depth on the day of the event.

To maintain quality and safety, space is limited to 15 participants per time slot.

Many of Wolf Brigade’s LE members will be in attendance to participate, support their teammates, and help ensure that fun is had and a fitting tribute is paid by all.

Cost is $20 payable in person at WB, or via Paypal.
Spectators and supporters are welcome to attend at no cost!
(Bring a case of water to share!)

Event questions and registration may be addressed to: matpotocki@gmail.com

Gym-related questions may be addressed to: wolfbrigadegym@gmail.com

More info/ workout specifics/ honoree history:

Maltz Challenge

physical. 03/03/12

3 Burpees
6 Lunges

12 minutes

4 minutes recovery/ mobility

Then:

3 TGU
6 Pullup

6 minutes

Combined goal for the 2 pieces is 40 sets. (3 + 6 = 1)

Weight on TGU in part 2 will be determined by output in part 1.

Ex: If 37 sets are performed in part 1, then only 3 sets need to be completed in part 2. Weight can be heavier.
If 28 sets are performed in part 1, then 12 sets need to be completed in part 2. Weight should be light and fast.

mental. (re-post from 10/10/10)

“Exhaust the hardest choice, and the rest will appear to you (already) exhausted. “

Many quotes about the “high road” have something to do with the struggle and isolation that often result in choosing it.

My take on it is a simple one: the choice to walk a high road and travel a path of resistance is also a deliberate choice towards struggle, loneliness, and disappointment. If you do not encounter those things in your journey, the road you have chosen is not yet a fitting compliment to your full potential.

“To live meaningfully is to be at perpetual risk.” Robert McKee

The idea of living at “risk” is often a romantic one; the realization is often much different.
It takes a mental and physical toll, and might be tempered only occasionally by a sense of self-made accomplishment.
If you allow the small victories to fuel you, it is a sustainable path.
If you are looking for or expecting the societal, social, or financial pat on the back that a path of convention & convenience offer, you will likely be waiting until the end of time.
Things deemed conventional successes while on an unconventional path appear to those whose dedication is true; never accepting less than they give, and never expecting any more than nothing in return.

physical. 03/02/12

Part 1:
Back squat: 9-7-5-3 (Increase weight each set)

Part 2:
Box jump: 3-3-3-3-3 (Increase height each set)

Part 3:
1 Tabata interval (20 sec. work/ 10 sec. rest x 8 ): Movement of your choice.*

*Examine your training week thus far and select a movement that you’ve missed or struggled with and that will challenge you.