Powerlifting/CrossFit

[Dominic Sirianni]

I started exercising after an extended period of couch potato-dom. First we were doing a lot of Ross Training stuff and then we started doing a lot of CrossFit. at any rate, I have made a lot of improvements in a lot of areas, but the thing that seems to be getting the best fastest is the powerlifting stuff. all of those numbers have been going up rapidly without really doing much specific training, i.e. I've only done heavy squats 3 times this year.

I am starting to think I might be predisposed to be strong and that maybe if I focused on that area, I would get better even faster. However I don't want to give up the GPP aspect of CrossFit. I've been looking at the Gant Grimes stuff, the MEBB stuff, and the CFSB stuff.

I also have a general question about this. Why are these lifts going up so much with very little training on them? If I focus my training will I mess something up that is helping these lifts get better.

I am very green in the world of exercise. Any feedback would be appreciated.

[Dave Van Skike]

what were starting numbers...what are numbers now? bench squat dead press power clean etc.

[Matt Corley]

This is an interesting thread from Crossfit
http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=50968

Should give you some good info.

[Dominic Sirianni]

In January we did a CF Total

Squat - 300
Press - 185
Deadlift - 420

Total from Saturday 09/19/09

Squat - 405
Press - 205
Deadlift - 520

I felt like I had plenty of room on the squat and the dl, not so much on the press.

I think I've done heavy squats and presses about 3 times each this year, heavy deadlifts, maybe 5 times.

We benched the other day - 315 - have done that exercise twice this year and never maxed before - just bodyweight bench for max reps.

No idea what my powerclean max is - maybe 225ish?

[Dominic Sirianni]

Originally Posted by Matt Corley

This is an interesting thread from Crossfit
http://www.board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=50968

Should give you some good info.

thanks

[Dave Van Skike]

that's good progress regardless, if you showed up to a PL meet with a raw 400/300/520 total you woudln't be embrarresed by any stretch even if you're a 265'er that's a fine first meet total.

if you wanted to compete, you could pick a meet 8 or 12 weeks out from now and train pretty much 3 days a weeks for PL and limit your other activities and see how you fare...it would be a lot of fun

[Gavin Harrison]

Dominic,

I think the answer depends on how you (or anyone) wants there balance to tilt. If you want tons and tons of GPP but to be stronger than the average CF person, do one of the things you said in your first post. If you want to be really strong with a little conditioning there are other things you could do. I think Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 would be a perfect fit for you. It's focus is the squat, deadlift, bench press and press, with clear paths for strength increases, and with plenty of room to do whatever you want on the side. The "complete" version of the program even calls for a fair amount of conditioning via hill sprints and prowler pushes.

I find it's an easy program to stick to, because you can pretty much do what you want with it, if you want to squish the main lifts into 2 days a week and do just a little accessory work in the gym and some out of the gym, it works perfectly for that. If you want to spend less time on strength and more time on conditioning, that works too. If you want to spread it out to 4 days in the gym so you can work harder on each movements accessory work for each lift, cool. Incredibly flexible program, that seems to be working for me..

[Dominic Sirianni]

thanks - I just bought that book - I'll read it tonight.