As of Thursday, my total is thus:
- 155 back squat
- 115 press
- 185 deadlift
This is a five-rep-max (5RM) total. My previous CFT was:
- 125 back squat
- 85lb (push) press
- 32kg KB deadlift (70.5lbs)
The KB lift was impaired by the fact that we didn't have a heavier kettle bell. I had more, but not a lot more. Also, this was on 5 January, or just under sixty days before my new CFT. Now you could say that I went from a 10RM to a 5RM, but that 5RM was everything I had, and it was just barely a 5RM at that. This isn't to say I didn't earn that 10RM, but the method for getting a 10RM is totally different than a 5RM. And Glassman would tell us that's a different pathway.
What's really stunning here is the improvement in the DL. That's more than double. I mean, really. Deadlifts by a guy with a broken back. I can't overstate that. Two different doctors told me nothing could be done. That I was going to spend the rest of my life in pain, crippled, and that medicine could do nothing for me. The deadlift increased 55%. Over sixty days.
Let's look at the press, too. It's a more accurate comparison than the DL because we're talking about a bar vs a bar instead of a bar vs a KB. My previous press, a push press, was 85lb. Not a whole lot. And I could really bang out the push press because you get to use your hips in it. I think this, too, was remarkable. Even with the advantage of using a push press vs a press, I got a 27% improvement.
And the most correct comparison here is the back squat. Both times I did a back squat, both times with a bar. That's a 20% improvement. Again, in sixty days. Most people would be pleased with that in general, without the back injury.
But over the same period, I've also done the nutrition challenge. My sleep has gotten better, my endurance has increased, and my form has gotten way better. But I've also noticed body composition changes. So, since June of last year, I lost about thirty pounds. Since January, I haven't actually lost more than 2-3 lbs, and that varies per day. But since June, I've lost six inches off my waist. I've lost two of those six inches off my waist since 9 January. That, too, is a result a lot of people would be looking for. What this means, though, is I have lost weight in fat, and gained that much in muscle.
Does anyone really care what they weigh if they fit their clothes better, their stamina increases, and their strength increases?
I entire credit my gains in the CFT to improved sleep and improved nutrition. I also credit the improved "pant fit" to the nutrition challenge. One last thing. I normally wear boxers. They fit much better around the waist. But since the challenge, they no longer fit around the glutes and the thighs. This is almost certainly because of the squats. I also don't fit my jackets as well anymore. My shoulders and biceps (or triceps, I suppose) are now bigger that my jackets are lots tighter around my arms and upper body.
This is incredible. Four months of dedicated time at Crossfit, with my first workout being eight months ago, and two months of really dedicated time. I couldn't be happier. This is one of those success stories that we see posted by Crossfit/CFJ.
