Volume 6 10 October 2014

Warming up for PBs

By: Jason Donnison

So, carrying on with the theme of "warming up" from my last article, I thought we could get into
something which has crept up a bit with the recent test weeks: how to warm up for a PB.
On testing day, coaches will often get the question, "how should I build up to my max?". This is
important because a miscalculated warm up can stop you hitting that PB and make it look like you
haven't made progress, which often isn't the case.

A PB warm up has to tread a fine line of doing enough reps/sets to prep the body for the max
attempt, but not too much that we're fatigued by the time we actually attempt it. If your warm up
isn't properly thought out, you could end up stuck at the bottom of the squat, shouting "HELP",
waiting for someone to come pull the bar off your back. This isn't cool. Funny, but not cool. (On that,
when you're actually attempting your max, make sure you've got someone to spot you. Or at least
know how you're gonna get out if you get pinned.)

Now, how do we actually go about warming up for this magical PB? I'm glad you asked. Before you
even touch a bar you need to decide what you're aiming for. 5kgs up, 10kgs if you're lucky, is
generally the number to look at. Newbie lifters will often jump more than this. Or if you're on a
seriously badass program, which we are. #

Next we need to start moving. Your warm up should always begin with just the bar. Do a set of about
10 reps. This warms up the neuromuscular pathways (mind muscle connection) and will get you in
the groove for when you start adding weight.

Your next set should also be pretty light. I'm talking about 30-40% of your max. Again, a set of about
10.

From here we start to add weight and drop reps. Your next set should be between 50-65%. At this
weight you should be doing 3-5 reps and your movement should be feeling pretty good by now.
Personally, l like to do this set twice, but not doing more than 6 or 7 reps.

After this we really only want to do about 5 reps until we attempt the max. A double at 70% followed
by singles at 80%, +-87% and +-95%. From here you'll either attempt a PB or match a previous max.
Depending on how you're feeling, you could go anywhere from 100% to 110%. For me, I hate
matching a previous max before going for a PB. My last warm up set will be at about 92% and from
there I'll jump to a PB attempt. This is because a previous max will generally always feel heavy and
slow and I don't want to be thinking about that before attempting a PB. I want my last warm up lift
to be fast and accurate.






KZNFL Leaderboard:
RCFD Rams - 36 pts
Fetish Falcons - 36 pts
West Mustangs - 32pts
DBN Wolves - 27 pts

Final Race:
SATURDAY, 10
th
Oct
RCFD Rams vs DBN
West Mustangs @
RCFD


DBN Wolves vs CF
Fetish Falcons @ DBN


Points are tight, whos
going to take the win?
Come down and
support this Saturday!


CrossFit DBN
Margie McGraw
Ross Santini

Reebok CrossFit Durbs
Rayne Cartwright
Warren Pechey

CrossFit DBN West
Garth Rae





KZNFL
NEWS

This is what the warm up will look like for someone who's previous squat was 140kg and they're
attempting to go for 145kg.

10 reps with the bar
10 reps @ 50kg 35%
3-5 reps @ 80kg 57%
2 reps @ 100kg 71%
1 rep @ 120kg 85%
1 rep @ 130kg 92%
1 rep @ 135kg 96%
Attempt @ 145kg 103% *maximum 3 attempts

Notice that I've said a maximum of 3 attempts at a PB. If you haven't gotten it by then, you're not
getting it that day.

*Note- all percentages worked out from previous 1RM.

PB WARM UP CRIB NOTES

Decide what you want to hit beforehand, work out your warm up from there.
In your warm up, keep the bar speed fast. Slow lifts will fatigue you.
Your max might not be the prettiest lift, but your warm up should be beautiful.


Now go hit some PBs!!!






Friday Funny.







Put this in your diary!
120 teams from
around SA are coming
to Durbs to compete
in the 2014 United We
Stand team event. Day
1 31 Oct is offsite
but Day 2 & 3 1-2
Nov will be held
inside Gateway where
the climbing wall used
to be. Each team
consists of 3 guys and
3 girls. From our
gyms, Durbs is sending
3 teams, Hillcrest
sending 2 teams and
West sending 1 team.
Dont miss out this
opportunity to see
these amazing
athletes in action!!









Did you know that.
- Coach Taryn comes
from a small country
town and when she
was 12yrs old won the
Miss Potato Festival,
or Miss Aartappel Fees
as it was known. Go T!






CrossFit forces us to
ask ourselves: Who
am I? What am I made
of Julie Foucher


UWS
31 Oct2 Nov
GET TO
KNOW YOUR
COACHES
QUOTE OF
THE WEEK