CrossFit Addiction

Professional rock climber Chris Sierzant, from Escalade Climbing Gym, does a pullup with some extra weight!

Bon-Voyage party for Jason as he leaves for his new position at University of Tennessee’s Strength and Conditioning program. Good luck training the Volunteer’s athletes!

Here’s some highlights from our females:
Krissi deadlifted 260lbs. Next stop 300!
Annie squatted 155lbs, benched 115lbs, & deadlifted 190lbs
Lisa squatted, benched AND deadlifted her bodyweight
Liza set a personal record in squats (125lbs) and deadlifts (210lbs)
Jess pulled 155lbs on her deadlift for a record
Brianne had a nice 125lb deadlift on her 1st day deadlifting!

Told you we had strong members!

It’s Tuesday night; I can’t wait. CrossFit Addiction will post the new WOD around 8:30 or 9 p.m. The post reads: 1 rep max deadlift. Good, I think to myself. I’m on the board at the gym, but I’m fourth from the top, and I tell myself all the time that I need to change that.

The next morning, I head in to work and glance at the Web site throughout the day. I play back my last PR, remembering the trainers telling me to arch my back. I see it in my mind: 420 lbs. I can pull this. I stand up in my cube and practice the movement over and over again, picturing 420 lbs. on the bar. I can pull this.

Finally, it’s the end of the day and time to put this into motion. I head home in Atlanta traffic, playing my favorite CD extra loud. There is no option; I can pull this. 5:30 p.m. rolls around and I head to the gym. I start with some toy soldiers to loosen up, thinking all the while: I can pull this.

Once in the gym, Jason, one of the trainers, yells to me, “Eric, you’re going to PR today.” I think to myself, “You’re damn right I am.” I’m both nervous and excited; I can pull this.

I quickly check the board to see how my team members have performed throughout the day. I see a couple of PRs—great. I can pull this.

Jason writes out my rep by rep plan to reaching my PR on the whiteboard. I run through my warm-up sets that Jason has laid out, and now I’m ready to start my run for a new PR.

First pull: success.

Second pull: success.

While Jason talks to the intern trainer, I decide to deviate from the whiteboard by 10 lbs. I’m going to PR on this rep, I think to myself. I put 405 lbs on the bar; 400 lbs is my current PR. I pull it; it’s heavy, but I can do more.

I inform Jason that I want to do 420 lbs. He tells me that I have to be careful not to jump up too much, that I don’t want to disappoint myself if I don’t get it. But I know I can pull this.

I stack the bar: 420 lbs. Jason yells out “3 minutes ‘E.’” I have 3 minutes before I pick up the bar. I pace back and forth, replaying the movement in my mind over and over again.

I step outside and let my body experience the Georgia cold. “Ready when you are,” Jason says.

It’s time; I stand in front of the bar and grab it using the alternate grip that both Jason and James, the owner, speak of highly. I look ahead, chin down, back arched, bar against my shins. All the training comes together on PR day. The only thing left is to pull, so I do, as hard and forceful as I can.

My new PR is now 420 lbs. I pulled it.

Jason looks at me and says, “You’re getting closer to my 500.” I told him that’s my goal. He replies, “So, I’m you’re rabbit.”

Then I thought to myself, “I have to train harder; I’m probably someone’s rabbit.”

-Big Eric

We had an amazing 13 records set on Wednesday including Krissi with a 260lb deadlift!! Overall, CrossFit Addiction would give any CrossFit a run for their money in the strength category.
5 guys deadlifting 400+
6 guys back squat 250+
13 guys with ring muscle-ups
6 guys with handstand pushups