III. Prepare all plates you will need before starting to lift.

At CFEvo we'll generally do a group warm-up first in class, then real lifting begins. Organize your workspace first, then start lifting. This avoids extra walking around and makes for a better class flow, especially if going EMOM (every minute on the minute) or every 90-120 seconds.



If you're not sure if you would need 45's or not - grab them anyway & lay them out. Worst case is that you won't need them, but Boy Scouts are always prepared.



Another benefit of this setup is 2.5's and 5's (or small kilo plates if you lift in kg's) - lifters have smaller plates next to their bar right away, so when the question comes: "That was kind of heavy, should I do a smaller increase?", the athlete will more likely use the smaller plates, since they're already there and not half way across the gym. This results in more successful lifts which generally look better as well.

IV. As you lift, re-center the barbell as needed (every 1-3 lifts usually).

When lifting, the bar bounces - make sure it's centered in the middle mat every few attempts. I've seen people move as much as 3-4 feet in any direction after just a couple of lifts, which can become sketchy pretty quick. Think of it as a human typewriter - pull it back as often as needed. P.S. Soon people won't know what a typewriter is... or already don't... Am I old?