I'm new to the CrossFit concept. I started with yesterday's WOD, 16MARCH2004. I consider myself to be in pretty good shape, but that workout smoked me. My real question is this, though. I weight about 185 lbs, and I'm wondering what a good weight to start with for the clean & jerks today. If anyone could help me out, I'd really appreciate it.

A good weight is anything heavier than what you used last time.

Age, sex, height, weight and technique will all make a big difference in how much you can do, so there is no pat answer to your question.

Tom, first, welcome to CrossFit. Many challenges and rewards await you. I would say this on Gwen...remember the rule of touch and go and no letting go of the bar. If you have not done clean and jerks before, or at least have not done them in a long time, go for a lighter weight that allows for good form and sticking to the rule. Believe me, just about any weight is going to whack you when doing this many reps. That always amazes me about CrossFit. Go tell your friends that you got dropped by a 95lbs thruster workout and they will think you are a wimp. But as we say...until you've tried CrossFit, you just don't get it. Good luck and happy lifting.

80#, up 5 from the last encounter with Gwen. While the weight felt light and my grip was strong, I kept breaking form and falling into power cleans after about 5 touch and go reps. My brain must get confused when I can't stop on the floor.

My glutes, calves, and hams are surprisingly sore from yesterday's jumps.

115# on each set 15-12-9.

115# - same as last time. I really wanted to up the weight, but I felt sore in calves and hip flexors from those jumps, I went with more security in a weight I have already done. These went pretty well, but NEVER easy.

Will any clean do, or squat cleans only? What about the jerk? Is split-jerk okay, or should I stick to push-jerk?

95#
I reviewed my journal and saw that I struggled with 95# on my last meeting with Gwen. I completed the assigned rep scheme with 4 minutes rest between sets. However, my form was shotty. I can handle 95 easily strength wise but not cardiovasculary. Not having a heavy weight seems to make it easier for me cheat on form.
I need Oly lift coaching. Any suggestions for Sacramento area Crossfitter? Any ideas on how to get regular access to rings, parallel bars, or a pummel horse?

95#. Gwen first-timer. Form felt good during most reps. Second round was the best, got into a nice rhythm. Forearms and grip were totally hammered by the end.

154 lbs. Was way too aggressive on this one and ended up having a lot of fouls. Grip and legs are shot.

Clean & Jerk 15-12- and 9 reps

85# Form OK, could have gone lighter to improve even more - deeper catch on the clean.

Can someone explain "GWEN" to me?
thanks

115lb
15-12-9
felt nice ;)

1x14x145 (DNF)
1x9x145 (DNF)
1x9x135 Reality kicks in.

I think the pullups Saturday, and the High Pulls and overhead dumbell presses I did Sunday didn't help. Those are excuses, though. The bottom line is I picked the wrong weight.

What kept me from completing the first set was my grip gave out. I couldn't make a fist for 30 seconds after I dropped it on the last rep.

3 Ideas on this one: 1) I put a nose strip on, which seemed to help. That may seem like cheating, but it's not because it just shouldn't be. 2) I think the split style clean might be helpful here. Squat cleans just take too much gas to recover from, and Power Cleans require a hard pull, at least the way I do them (lot of power, little clean); 3) I haven't figured it out yet, but there has to be a way to reset the hook grip from rep to rep. That would have made a big difference.

115#, same as last time. Form was better. Fouled on the second round. My legs are toast, from the deadlifts, running, and the jumps yesterday.

105 on all sets with no issues. The 15 and 12 sets had me huffin' and puffin', but the 9 went pretty easily. Perhaps I should've tried 115? Oh well, the 105 with no real struggle is up from 95 struggling like a madman on the last Gwen, so there is definite improvement.

95# for my first GWEN. I had 3 guys standing behind me waiting to use the barbell so I decided to use it as motivation and finished in under 10 min. I think I'll try 125 next time. I actually really surprised myself today.

Good news is: 80#
Bad news is: everything else about the workout. I don't get Gwen, I guess. If the goal is to pick a weight that will allow 15 consecutive reps, I need something lighter than the bar. Squat cleans tear my back up, so after the first 5 reps, all power cleans. Not that it matters; my squat cleans go like: power clean, then gingerly squat. Breakdowns for all sets. Tried a set of squat cleans with just the bar after the assigned reps; made it to 7.

I'm sure yesterday's jumping and squatting, compounded by today's unit PT tabata squats, didn't help any.

80#-First experience with GWEN. Fouled once on the first set and once on the second set. After the third could barely make a fist.

95 lbs...First Experience with GWEN. Didn't foul, but, I was definitely feeling every rep.

Did clean and presses as I've never done jerks before -
115

I have been doing the WODs a week behind so I can get all the associated comments. Anyway, I decided to go ahead with the current week. This was interesting. First, I broke the rules by changing the weight. I started with 65#, too light, went to 95#, too heavy, and dropped to 75# for most of the last two sets. I felt it most in my wrists (shot from years of bodybuilding) and in my left ankle (of all places) that I have repeatedly sprained. Finished in a little over 10 minutes and then followed up by 20 minutes on an elliptical trainer.

First GWEN. I went with the standard 95#s. Probably should have gone with 105-110 in retrospect. Form clean, little rest between sets.

Just checked "Gwen" from January. Failed first round at 95#.

Completed all sets this time with 95#. Next time I intend on using 105# had a little extra energy after I was done. Crossfit is working for me.

Gwen and I havent dated in a couple months but I went ahead and boosted my weight to 135 anyway...a BIG mistake as there are domestic violence laws that would put that girl in jail for the way she treated me....more fouls than I care to mention and I am sure to be sore tomorrow

88lbs for Gwen. Did this WOD along with the sit ups & back xtns on Thurs .Wed was 'king of the matt' wrestling training & I was'nt up to grappling with Gwen

77lbs for Gwen. Pitiful I know, I just do not have the technique right and I always use arms and shoulders rather than legs to initiate movement. Therefore my arms give in before the rest of my body. I try to practice good form with a light bar before I begin, but once I start I still find I try to do too much with my arms. Whats the solution?

75 lbs, 15 - 12 - 9, Still working on the form.

Got it with #135. 15-12-9. First set was the hardest. Felt like I was in the groove after that.

95 LB, 105 LB, then 115 LB for the sets. Go with 115 next time. Grip is the big limiting factor.

Dave_mac, try looking at this site for good training info...
http://www.athletics.ucr.edu/strengthconditioning/

They have a teaching progression for learning the Oly lifts. Might help.

Mike,

thanks, I'll take a look.

85 lbs.

was fine the first and third set, but had to let go once in the second set. i'm a wuss!

finished up with thursday's WOD (sit-ups and back extensions on glute-ham developer).

now i see colors and keep walking into walls!

First time with Gwen.

75 lbs.
15 reps
6-6 reps
9 reps
Form ended with power cleans.

My first Gwen!
I'm a few days behind in the rotation, so I can read the posts, and learn from everyone elses' mistakes. In this case it backfired. My legs were indeed smoked from the previous WOD, and after reading all the other posts, I set my goals too low. 70#, no fouls. Next time I will know. I only cheated myself!

115. Matches previous best(s). Probably could have gone more (the first set seemed easier than I expected), but the 12-set was very hard ... almost didn't make it.