CA WOD body composition

james forshaw · 12-23-2008, 12:20 PM

This question is purely for my own information (I'm still horrifically undecided about in which direction to take my training). Somewhere I read that the CA WOD is an O-lifting programme with "enough cardio to stop you from rolling out of the door". But if you were to stick with an excellent diet (twice as much protein as your fruit/veg carbs with lots of good fat - we all know an excellent diet here) with the intention of maintaining bodyweight, train the CA WOD hard and do the prescribed cardio, then surely instead of just avoiding becoming fat you would actually be pretty lean would you not?
Afterall, body composition is (insert huge % here) diet, and (tiny % here)* training...

Garrett Smith · 12-23-2008, 12:45 PM

I didn't gain any noticeable fat mass while I was doing the CA WOD, I was pretty darn Paleo. My diet also stayed at its previous maintenance levels.

If I did it again, I'd likely increase my protein intake to help with recovery.

George Mounce · 12-23-2008, 01:31 PM

I've been going with the 1/2 GOMAD, rest Paleo, and I've gained some fat but to me that is ok. Once I get the weight in muscle (not fat) I'm going to throw out the 1/2 GOMAD and I think I'll be pretty darn happy with the results.

james forshaw · 12-23-2008, 01:32 PM

Did you gain a lot of strength, despite maintaining bodyweight rather than increasing?

james forshaw · 12-23-2008, 01:36 PM

Sorry George, you replied as I was replying to Garrett. But the same question still applies. I assume as you're both regulars here that you began already pretty strong.
My basic stats @ 77kg:

FS - 120kg
BS - 140kg
CJ - 100kg
DL - 165/190kg (depends on mood)
SP - 70kg

If I could put 20kg plus onto the slow lifts and 10kg onto the Olifts with a maintainence diet then I'd be a very happy man.

Garrett Smith · 12-23-2008, 02:12 PM

Well, my numbers are similar to yours. BW 80kg. Our squat numbers are similar, my Sn is 77kg and C&J is 105kg. Your DL is way above mine, then again, I simply won't do DLs with my back caving, so I'll never know what my true max is (I don't find it worth it to find out, especially when my coach Matt Foreman says doing OL pulls will increase the DL without training it and I get to keep my back flat!).

I will say that my first major cycle of CA WOD on maintenance calories gained me about 15 or 20kg on my OL total. Then again, it was also my first concentrated efforts on the OLs in training, so I was getting the nOOb benefits of CNS entrainment.

I think your goal is totally reasonable. I'd say to really focus on your recovery. Depending on your life stress and your physiology, I'd suggest taking a week off either every 4 or 8 weeks.

I was getting steadily stronger on the program, however, I did not take my weeks off and I got a bit of a cold, if I remember correctly. Then my training mind wandered towards gymnastics and yoga, so the CA WODs fell off. If I was more single-minded towards OL, I'd still be doing the CA WODs, maybe with a Mike's Gym WOD thrown in instead here or there, or a CF metcon (one of the shorter ones).

Is SP "standing press", or something else?

james forshaw · 12-23-2008, 04:35 PM

SP - shoulder/standing press

I'm a huge proponent of a full week off every few weeks, so that'll definitely get done. The programme is 4 minicycles of 4 weeks each totalling 16 weeks apparently, so would these rest weeks (let's say I took two) be taken additionally, say after the second and fourth minicycles to total 18 weeks? Or actually take a week off and miss parts of the programme and just do the 16 weeks? Sorry for being anal here, I just want to get everything sorted before I start. The programme already appeals massively to me, even moreso now you've shared your experiences.
Good call with the deadlifting - the 190kg effort would have given you nightmares had you witnessed it. I have shied away from going to failure ever since.

Garrett Smith · 12-23-2008, 06:01 PM

I'd ask your question on the daily CA WOD comments. I'm sure Greg E. or Aimee will be quick with an answer if you ask it there.

IMO, take the weeks off after the "heavy" ending week of the four-week cycles. As in, take the first week of a four-week cycle off when it comes time.