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Wendler – More “How” and Some “Why”

More “how.”  The algorithm for your Wendler sets is pretty simple, but it can be hard to keep track of – especially at 6 a.m.  Joe D. introduced the concept of using technology to make the Wendler portion of your life easier here.  Let me offer another tool – a Google Docs spreadsheet you can take a copy from here, which you can access on your phone via the Google Docs and Google Drive apps.  Plug your 1RM into the boxes on the right side, watch your programmed lifts for the month propagate down the left side, and lift away.  You still have to do plate math, but I believe in all of you.

Some “why.”  If you want to really dive into this, buy Jim Wendler’s book here Continue reading “New to Wendler? “How” and “Why” it works!”

Schedule it, Baby!

It’s not rocket science. We all know that exercise is good for us and we should be doing it. Regularly. But I’m busy… but my kids… but I’m too tired… but my job…blah, blah, blah..

Lack of time is the most common excuse people give for skipping exercise. Between family and work, carpool and dishes, time can feel like the ultimate limited resource—and one you’re helpless to change, at that. It’s true, you can’t stop the clock from ticking any more than you can convince the car to go get its own oil change. But I’ll bet you make time to get that oil changed…

I’m not saying you are not the busiest person in the world, but I’m pretty sure if you added together all the minutes you are watching “Homeland”, playing words with friends and pinning stuff on Pinterest, you could find an hour a couple of times a week to fit in a Continue reading “How to Avoid the Slide into the Holiday Weight Gain”

As one Wendler cycle comes to an end and we all look forward to beginning our next, I thought it may be worth while to write a quick blog post about how I have made the Wendler program a little more user friendly by leveraging technology.  As is the case for many things nowadays “there’s an app for that”.  I currently use an apple app called “big lifts 2” which does all the calculations on what weights to use during each week it also recommends warm up weights and reps. The app will store you results and automatically increase your working weight at the end of each cycle.  The basic version is free but the advanced version is $4.99.  I have no allegiance to the makers of the app but I am a fan.  There are a lot of features to the app, too many to go into on this post.  There is another app out there called “Wendler Calculator”.  This app is far more basic and the free version does have an advertisement banner along the bottom but it doesn’t bother me enough to pay the 99 cents.  This app tells you the weight to use for the appropriate week of the Wendler cycle based on 90% of your 1 rep max, something the wodify calculations do not do.  I hope this helps, if you have any questions feel free to grab me in the gym.

— Joe D.

WODify, How do I love you? Let me count the ways:

Signing into class before it begins is now required. WODify helps save you time if you are running late for class or even if you want a little extra time on the foam roller when you arrive. Your pre-sign in helps us keep track of the size of our classes and know where Continue reading “WODify, How do I love you?”