Comments on: The Bar Tells The Truth http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/ CrossFit Watertown, Oakville, CT Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:51:15 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: this shit is bananas « Trayn Harder http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-11013 this shit is bananas « Trayn Harder Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:45:59 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-11013 [...] Some lifts just don’t happen (conditioning, sleep, rest, back).  But, as well spoken by Crossfit Watertown: [...] [...] Some lifts just don’t happen (conditioning, sleep, rest, back).  But, as well spoken by Crossfit Watertown: [...]

]]> By: Tue 11-17-09 » Fit Body Elite http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10766 Tue 11-17-09 » Fit Body Elite Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:24:28 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10766 [...] The Bar Tells The Truth [...] [...] The Bar Tells The Truth [...]

]]> By: Jason Lyons http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10756 Jason Lyons Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:43:51 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10756 Hey everyone, new here but I got to know Lisbeth better this weekend and this link was posted on our blog so I decided to read more. To address Nathan's concern about your press, mastering technique will improve your press dramatically if you already have the strength. As Lisbeth said, going straight up is an absolute must. The thing that I tell our clients is if you can see your hands at any point in time, you are not going straight up. If you can see your hands, you are a few inches in front of your head and in this lift, 1 inch is enough to start hurting your total. The second thing that I find a lot of people in our gym do wrong is bar placement. If you are a man, the bar should be touching your adam's apple. Many of our men start with the bar across their chest. If you think about it, that is a good 3 inches and when you are trying to press heavy weight, every inch you can get is worth taking. This is the same for the push press and jerk as well. Ladies, you do not have an adam's apple so your cue is putting it on your collar bones. It will hurt but the pain will go away. To quote Coach B, collars bones were made to support barbells. Lastly, I think arm and wrist position is something that hurts many members in our gym. It will be hard to explain what we teach but I will try. Put your arms in front of you with forearms and palms touching with fingers pointed towards the ceiling. Now slowly open your arms so that your forearms and palms are facing in front of you. If you imagine you have a barbell, your elbows should be slightly in front of the bar but not excessive. We have many members that have their elbows in a near front squat position and it is not going to utililze your muscles the right way. Also, before you press, take a very deep breathe and fill those lungs with air. This will help you create a "shelf" on your chest that will help support the barbell. Finally, make sure that your wrists are not broken and by this, I mean make sure that are not bent back pointing behind you. It will require improved flexibility but you want to work on "closing" your wrist so that your palm is in line with your forearm. You may need to bend it back every so slightly to help build another shelf for the bar but do not go crazy. We have some men that rest the bar on their fingertips. In my opinion, this will hurt you everytime. Focus on those few things and I bet your press will increase. We had some men that went up 20 pounds over night just based on bar placement. Good luck! Hey everyone, new here but I got to know Lisbeth better this weekend and this link was posted on our blog so I decided to read more. To address Nathan’s concern about your press, mastering technique will improve your press dramatically if you already have the strength. As Lisbeth said, going straight up is an absolute must. The thing that I tell our clients is if you can see your hands at any point in time, you are not going straight up. If you can see your hands, you are a few inches in front of your head and in this lift, 1 inch is enough to start hurting your total. The second thing that I find a lot of people in our gym do wrong is bar placement. If you are a man, the bar should be touching your adam’s apple. Many of our men start with the bar across their chest. If you think about it, that is a good 3 inches and when you are trying to press heavy weight, every inch you can get is worth taking. This is the same for the push press and jerk as well. Ladies, you do not have an adam’s apple so your cue is putting it on your collar bones. It will hurt but the pain will go away. To quote Coach B, collars bones were made to support barbells. Lastly, I think arm and wrist position is something that hurts many members in our gym. It will be hard to explain what we teach but I will try. Put your arms in front of you with forearms and palms touching with fingers pointed towards the ceiling. Now slowly open your arms so that your forearms and palms are facing in front of you. If you imagine you have a barbell, your elbows should be slightly in front of the bar but not excessive. We have many members that have their elbows in a near front squat position and it is not going to utililze your muscles the right way. Also, before you press, take a very deep breathe and fill those lungs with air. This will help you create a “shelf” on your chest that will help support the barbell. Finally, make sure that your wrists are not broken and by this, I mean make sure that are not bent back pointing behind you. It will require improved flexibility but you want to work on “closing” your wrist so that your palm is in line with your forearm. You may need to bend it back every so slightly to help build another shelf for the bar but do not go crazy. We have some men that rest the bar on their fingertips. In my opinion, this will hurt you everytime. Focus on those few things and I bet your press will increase. We had some men that went up 20 pounds over night just based on bar placement. Good luck!

]]> By: Jennie Yundt http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10739 Jennie Yundt Sun, 15 Nov 2009 22:18:53 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10739 Hi Lisbeth! I'll admit it....I kicked the chalk bucket once after a failed dead lift attempt. It was a big baby, jerk thing to do. As I cleaned up chalk for the next 35 minutes, I reflected on my behavior. Fortunately, nobody was around when the chalk bucket kicking happened, and I was REALLY glad. That's not who I am. I'm not a chalk-bucket-abuser. I'm a I'll-get-you-next-time-er! Great post! Hi Lisbeth!

I’ll admit it….I kicked the chalk bucket once after a failed dead lift attempt. It was a big baby, jerk thing to do. As I cleaned up chalk for the next 35 minutes, I reflected on my behavior. Fortunately, nobody was around when the chalk bucket kicking happened, and I was REALLY glad. That’s not who I am. I’m not a chalk-bucket-abuser. I’m a I’ll-get-you-next-time-er!

Great post!

]]> By: Rich http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10690 Rich Fri, 13 Nov 2009 01:05:44 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10690 Lis, those "oldies but goodies" are totally awesome!!! The amazing transformation of each and everyone is almost unbelievable. Lis, those “oldies but goodies” are totally awesome!!! The amazing transformation of each and everyone is almost unbelievable.

]]> By: Lisbeth http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10688 Lisbeth Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:01:02 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10688 People, check out some oldies but goodies in Aug 2008: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisbethcrossfit/ People, check out some oldies but goodies in Aug 2008: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lisbethcrossfit/

]]> By: Jason http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10686 Jason Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:31:58 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10686 Sign me up for that program. My press is pathetic! Sign me up for that program. My press is pathetic!

]]> By: Jen http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10685 Jen Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:53:45 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10685 Nate and Dave talk to me about a little GTG program we can do to help your press. Nate and Dave talk to me about a little GTG program we can do to help your press.

]]> By: Greg http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10684 Greg Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:35:41 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10684 The bar didn't lie on my DL yesterday either. My 3rd attempt was 25 lbs under my PR and it didn't get off the floor. I think it's true no matter what you are doing. You do the best you can (at that moment in time) and the rest is out of your hands.... It is what it is. That's really all you can ask of yourself. The bar didn’t lie on my DL yesterday either. My 3rd attempt was 25 lbs under my PR and it didn’t get off the floor. I think it’s true no matter what you are doing. You do the best you can (at that moment in time) and the rest is out of your hands…. It is what it is. That’s really all you can ask of yourself.

]]> By: David http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/2009/11/12/the-bar-tells-the-truth/comment-page-1/#comment-10683 David Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:28:40 +0000 http://www.crossfitwatertown.com/?p=5284#comment-10683 Interesting points. It was a fun time last night. I, like Nate, would like to find a way to improve my press. As for dropping and walking away or completing a lift, I think that you know if you're going to get past that sticking point or not and if you don't know, you try like hell to get past and if you don't...it'll come next time. What I really like though is that at that point where I know it's not going to happen, the weight is dropped. I also believe that getting to that point where I have to dump and run, I'm learning where my limits are. Interesting points. It was a fun time last night. I, like Nate, would like to find a way to improve my press. As for dropping and walking away or completing a lift, I think that you know if you’re going to get past that sticking point or not and if you don’t know, you try like hell to get past and if you don’t…it’ll come next time. What I really like though is that at that point where I know it’s not going to happen, the weight is dropped. I also believe that getting to that point where I have to dump and run, I’m learning where my limits are.

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