2011 Crossfit Games

I am at a cross roads in my own training.  I am training just to train, and it gets harder to stay motivated every year.  I am today starting to train for next year's Crossfit games, with some reservations.  As I have posted on this blog before, I have my issues with Crossfit doctrine, and methodology, but I do think the games themselves are the single most comprehensive fitness competition conceived thus far.  So because of lack of another close option, I have decided this is my only option.

My biggest concerns with the competition so far are bodyweight based.  I am 6'3 and between 240-250 pounds.  My strength levels are good, so that needs to be maintained, but I feel that a 20-30 pound weight loss is necessary for good performance, as well as some work in the distance running/rowing department.  So to keep track and keep things honest, 1 am starting to keep track today all workouts from here to the first competitions.

3-8-10

Snatch 5-5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1

worked up to  195# in a full squat catch.  Nothing to write home about, but a good starting position

21-15-9

squat+push press 95#

dumbbell swings 55#

broken sets

21 set: 1:31 + 3 min rest

15 set: 1:04 + 2 min rest

9 set :41

Ran 8 x 1 min track sprint + 2 minutes walking recovery

Seriously, why didn't I think of this?

http://lifehacker.com/5486920/foot+controlled-power-strip

Lack of sleep makes you chunky....

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/570653

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Role-Of-Deep-Sleep-In-Getting-Rid-Of-Body-Fat&id=736901

Interesting study on Diet and Resistance Training

http://www.nutritionandmetabolism.com/content/7/1/17

Got a hankerin' for a metcon?

This one sucked

60# sandbag

50-40-30-20-10

Sand bag step ups

95# push press (number divided by 2, so first set was 25 presses)

+ 15 inverted ring rows each set

AFAP

Fun!

Great Picture

I wanted to post this picture, because of the prospective you get of the bar position over head.  If you trace the path to the floor, you notice that it is a plumb line directly over his ankles.  As I continually say, all pulling, squatting and pressing is strongest from this position.  Keep the bar plump over the ankles for maximal strength position.  The picture is from the Chinese Olympic Training Center

 

Maybe the smartest posting about exercise ever.

Vern Gambetta has been at the athletic performance enhancement game for a very long time.  His approach is non-fluffy, big picture type training.  He recently posted this article on his blog, I couldn't agree any more.

http://www.functionalpathtrainingblog.com/2010/02/functional-training---where-to-start.html

Unbelievably scary statistic

According to the National Wildlife Federation, the average American child spends between four and seven minutes playing outside each day.

Here is how they are trying to fix the problem:

http://www.nwf.org/Get-Outside/Be-Out-There.aspx

Warm Up 2-24-10

We did this little warm up today, it went rather well, so I thought I would share,

 

8 rounds

250 m row sprint AFAP coupled with:

30 seconds AMAP Bicycle Crunches and 30s of front pillar/plank/bridge (which ever you call it)

Squat for Mobility, Deadlift for Strength

While cruising through the strength and conditioning blogs and forums I frequent, I happened upon a discussion sparked by an article/video published by physical therapist Gary Cook.  The premise of the piece was that babies and toddlers get into a squat position as a means to move themselves closer to the ground, but when they pick something up they shift into a deadlift position.  The discussion continued into whether or not athletes should forgo the bilateral squat as a strength exercise and use it as a mobility assistance movement for the deadlift, as a prime exercise.  I am going to have to ponder on that one for a while.....In the mean time, here is a video by Gary Cook, PT explaining the deadlift

Vacation Workout 3

Last but not least:

db's equaling 12% body weight

10 upright rows

10   burpees (yes with the dumbbells)

10 alternate bent rows

10 jump squats

10 push ups (on the dumbbells)

10 curls

then 9/8/7/6/5/4/3/2/1 of each exercise as fast as possible with perfect form.

Vacation workout 2

Db squat x10
Db squat + shoulder press x10
Renegade rows x10
Db jump squatsx10
Db lunges x 10 ea leg
Db RDL x 20
Db curlsx 10
Db Jump squats x 10

Start with dumbbells equaling 10 rep max db curls.

When you pick the dumbbells to start each set, you can't put the dumbbells down until the circuit of exercises is complete.

3-5 sets

Vacation workouts

Back squat x10
Hang clean x10
Military press x10
Bent row x10
Front lunges x 10 ea leg
RDL x 20
Front squat x 10
Jump squats x 10

Start at 40% bodyweight on a bar, add 10 pounds to the bar each set if you can perform all exercises in the circuit with perfect form.

When you pick the bar to start each set, you can't put the bar down until the circuit of exercises is complete.

Somewhere in China an 8 year old is warming up with your max.....

No really, this is video of an 8 year old Chinese boy clean and jerking 165 pounds!

Why?

This goes under the heading, "just because you can doesn't mean you should!"  At some point you have to question why you are doing what you are doing.  Just coming up with craziness just too push the envelope and make a youtube video won't be as cool to you if you end up paralyzed from the neck down from falling on your head doing some stupid crap like this.  Consider what you are trying to accomplish, and accomplish these goals in the most productive manner possible.

 

If you needed a reason to get to Power Enterprises....

Crossfit Finally Imploding

Well gentle readers, it goes to show you that you should listen to your gut.  We ended our affiliation with Crossfit earlier this year due to serious philosophical differences concerning program design, and the cult like aggressiveness when it came to open dialogue about training within the community.  It seems the shit has finally hit the fan, and the in-fighting at Crossfit has spilled into the public light.

http://www.cathletics.com/...mp;dailyID=1016

http://robbwolf.com/?p=976

http://robbwolf.com/?p=981

Extremes of any sort are non productive, and you can't be right about everything all the time, you must listen to other's observations, or you will eventually fall to your own pride.

4 week results

The retest of the big three lifts (bench, clean and squat) were very encouraging. The younger kids (8th grade and up) showed great improvement. An average of 30 pounds on a bench, 20 pounds on a clean and close to 50 pounds on the back squat.

Our older athletes also showed great improvement, but with experience comes slower progress. Some elite litters go years with only a few pound improvement.

That being said, with the adults we showed an average of 15 pounds on the bench, 20 squat pounds, and 20 clean pounds. Over a four week period, that also includes some very tough conditioning routines, I am very happy with the results.

As far as the population that is working on my program, I don't discriminate for anything other than injury. By that I mean, everybody lifts, jumps and sprints regardless of background, soccer mom, to football player, to tennis player, to executive. The movements are taught in a safe manner, and we have demonstrated good results in all groups. That we work with.

I am looking forward to seeing what my high school football players can do with this the SAS program. They are presently starting on week 2, they have just finished there season, so I will keep you posted.

Week 4 is upon us

Week four of the first cycle of the SAS program starts tommorow with a retest of the big three lifts. Regardless of result, the program will continue to be an ever improving entity. The program's main objective is to produce athletic excellence by constantly being open to necessary change, and adapting to an ever changing sports needs enviroment.

Ladies, Build a Better Butt

Enough Said!