Flame Free Confession III: Even More Flame Free (Part 2)

Off Topic
5522

I’m no real expert here, but have been going to a Crossfit gym at for a few months now. I think a couple things planted the seed for me:

  1. Jim Wendler’s WALRUS training essentially being a Murph WOD.
  2. @T3hPwnisher using WOD’s for conditioning running parallel to a strength program, like Building the Monolith.

I was surprised (at least at the gym I go to) that it’s actually structured and not just chaotic. We go through strength waves of the big lifts (back squat, DL, OHP) using 531 percentages. We also do OLY lifts and variations. Then there’s always a WOD that usually alternates between a more strength-focused day and a conditioning focused day.

For example, today’s prescribed workout (I’m not doing it because I’m training in my garage, but I can see it on the app):

DL’s: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 increasing weight each set, working up to a heavy triple. Sets are done every 3 minutes.

Then WOD:
10 minutes, As Many Rounds as Possible:
20 row calories
10 power cleans, 60% 1RM

Yesterday’s was more conditioning focused: rounds of jump rope, overhead squats, pull ups, running.

For most, it really could be a stand-alone training which surprised me. As @dagill2 says, most on these boards would likely choose to run at least a barebones strength template alongside it. I’m currently using the Surge Challenge, but will move to a 531 or similar soon.

I would say for me, it’s been perfect. It gives me access to equipment, coaches, a community, and quality WOD’s already decided. Unlike @T3hPwnisher, I simply could not motivate myself to regularly give these my all without the “competition” of being in a class and having a coach there. But, if you can, there’s no reason you couldn’t do these in your garage with KB’s, barbells, and some conditioning technique (burpees, airdyne, rower, running, jump ropes, and high rep box jumps are the most common).

4 Likes
5523

I’ve been to two and they both have some sort of structure to them. One box had specific days focused on specific qualities, the other had a bit of everything in every session. In either case, the strength work was very structured (albeit bare bones) and the assistance and conditioning was very chaotic.

5524

if you’re super accustomed to the Classic American 4 or 5 way, muscle building split, Cross Fit looks like you’re just doing legs and back, every day.

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5525

And core. So much core work.

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5526

Thank you for writing this out. Do you think that a CrossFit and barebones Hypertrophy template would work as well? Running a strength template alongside CrossFit makes sense because they are complimentary and typically low volume, just not sure if Hypertrophy and CrossFit could align this way.

5527

I think they would align fine (a hypertrophy template and CF). I think the only type that wouldn’t (or at least from my experience) would be one with a high volume of lower body barbell work. No way could I do BBB DL or Back Squat and then show up at tomorrow’s crossfit class and do a WOD that involved had 21, 15, 9 of DL’s and, say, hand stand push ups for time.

1 Like
5528

The local Thai Buddhist temple does a fundraiser meal open to the public on Sunday mornings. Easily the best Thai food I have ever had.

Probably ate 2500-3000 calories.

Confession, I am not ashamed.

2 Likes
5529

There is a Buddhist temple nearby that makes AMAZING vegetarian food. My mother-in-law fed a bunch of it to me and I had no idea it was tofu and not meat.

5530

I love the idea of selling yummy food as a fundraiser for a spiritual system based around transcending desires as a means to escape suffering.

5 Likes
5531

Ever look into Tactical Barbell? It sounds like what you’re looking for.

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5532

I’d heard of it but never looked into it for myself - will have to rectify that. Thank you for the suggestion

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5533

No problem dude. I like the second book a lot, as it’s just a bunch of crazy conditioning workouts, but the first book creates structure from chaos.

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5534

Could look into Gym Jones’ programs. I am running Summa right now. It has 2 strength days and 1 conditioning day. 3 x 75 minute workouts. Or, 5 x 45 if she would prefer that set up. It has the big 4, with progression, and a finisher on the strength days.
They have tons of other programs as well, some more CF, others are more strength based. They aren’t the only reputable CF gym out there, but it might be a place to start.

5535

I confess this has been playing on my mind since I read it earlier. Don’t think it’s far off the mark tbh. I for some reason follow them on twitter and got annoyed about them their account throwing shade on the trap bar. I then read a tweet from one of the main Starting Strength acolytes posting how they’d done a press session after fasting for 4 days and were off to break their fast with bone broth which pretty much sums it up for me.

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5536

Wait till you get to the incel stuff. It gets way way worse.

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5537

Is there Starting Strength incel stuff? I’ve never heard of it. Groups of guys doing 3x5 and complaining about women?

EDIT: Or do you just mean incel stuff in general?

5538

No very specifically starting strength. The guru himself involved. A screenshot of a particular forum interaction is still easy to find through reddit.

2 Likes
5539

Jeez, guy shows up saying all women need to be beaten for weeks at a time and Rip’s like “nice”

1 Like
5540

Back to being spoiled, y’all. Joined the American Family Fitness near my new house. Ton of sweet machines, amazing kid zone with a giant 4 story jungle gym thing, huge pool, basketball courts, and a moderate amount of members so never crowded even at 6 pm.

This is all basically a confession because there’s still a big part of me that misses working out in shitty base gyms where you hear nothing but clanging iron and angry Marines grunting loudly, and that part of me would spartan kick this me in the chest.

11 Likes
5541

I confess my workout shorts were still soaked with sweat from this morning’s workout.

I confess I put them on anyway.

I confess it absolutely did not matter by about Round 3 of Dan John’s The Coyote WOD.

5 Likes