Saturday 010331

Warm-up with easy mile run and stretch
Clean and Jerk 15 RM load 15 reps
One set of sit-ups and one set of back extensions both at 21 reps
Clean and Jerk 15 RM load 12 reps
One set of sit-ups and one set of back extensions both at 18 reps
Clean and Jerk 15 RM load 9 reps
One set of sit-ups and one set of back extensions both at 15 reps
____________________

"I don't know what happened to the guy, I was just holding the watch!"
Garth Taylor, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu World Champion on seeing running back
Matt Mast "fold" during the CrossFit Challenge.

Here's another view of the Clean and Jerk from USA Weightlifting.http://www.usaweightlifting.org/lifts/cleanjerk.htm

Friday 010330

Today is a hybrid effort from several training modalities and tough!!
After a warm-up:
Move through the following with a 60 second break between exercises.
Row 500 meters for a record time.
Squat 20 RM weight 20 reps (20 RM is a weight you can squat 20 reps but not 21.)
Pull-up for PR (shoot for personal best)
Deadlift 10 RM weight 10 reps
Dips for PR (shoot for personal best)
Rest 10 minutes
Move through the following with a 2-minute break between exercises.
Row 500 meters match first effort
Squat same weight for twenty reps
Pull-ups for same count as first set
Deadlift same weight for 10 reps
Dips for same count as first set
Rest 10 minutes
Move through the following with a 3-minute break between exercises.
Row 500 meters match first effort
Squat same weight for twenty reps
Pull-ups for same count as first set
Deadlift same weight for 10 reps
Dips for same count as first set

The idea today is to strive to match the performance of the first pass on the second and third.
____________________
"Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity."
- Frank Leahy, former University of Notre Dame football coach

Yesterday we had David Tate coaching bench press technique. Today we've got
Mr. Tate coaching the squat. The squat is absolutely essential to your athletic
development. Tate has a 900-pound squat and has coached hundreds if not
thousands of others to enormous lifts. Our emphasis is broader than the powerlifter's
so there are certain elements of the squatting approach where we differ, namely in
the use of a belt and the use of the belly (secret #7). We want you to gloss over that
advice. If you'd like an explanation of our perspective on lifting belts bring it up on the
CrossFit message board.
http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_149squat.html

Thursday 010329

On Monday we worked gymnastics/calisthenic movements, on Tuesday we worked
metabolic conditioning with a short, middle, and long distance effort, Wednesday we
worked through some of the classics of weightlifting and weight training. Today we
are taking a day of active rest. If you’ve performed to expectation you’ll welcome the
break. If you know our methods, you'll make an intelligent inference about tomorrow (hint).

The idea here is to engage in some sport or activity at intensity above recreational while
being below our regular training intensity. Don't count your primary sport! This is a
cross-training opportunity. Step outside your normal bounds. Below are some suggestions.

Bicycle Hill Climb
Hoops! (Basketball)
Swimming
Mountain Hike
Rollerblade
Surf Paddle
Handball or racquetball
Tennis
____________________
Let us not be content to wait and see what will happen, but give us the determination to make the right things happen.
~ Peter Marshall ~
(1902-1949, American Presbyterian Clergyman)

The bench press is a classic exercise. Though overvalued in popular lore it is still without a
doubt indispensable to your weight training program. Here is an article on bench press technique
from a champion and coach of champions, Dave Tate, of Westside Barbell Club, an epicenter of
Powerlifting achievement.
http://www.testosterone.net/html/body_115b600.html

Wednesday 010328

Each of these exercises is one set at five reps. Take any rest needed between exercises.
Deadlift
Bench-press
Upright row
Back Squat
Push-press
Power Clean (from ground)
Dumbbell "Thruster" (front squat/push-press)
Clean and Jerk
Snatch

Add your total lifted for all nine exercises and divide by your body weight.
Highest ratio leads ranking.
____________________
One of the rules of caution is not to be too cautious.
~ Bahya ibn Paquda ~

Picking up The Anatomy Coloring Book and following its fun prescription for learning
anatomy through coloring in the anatomical charts provides a major advance to your
understanding of your body and how it functions. If you think you are too sophisticated
for this approach consider that the book has been used by professional schools of
medicine, dentistry, and pharmacology for 25 years. Get the book and fine tip felt
markers in no fewer than twenty colors, and color a couple of plates a week. Within a
year you'll have seriously advanced your understanding of the human body. Read the
instructions; that's essential. Here's the link to Amazon.com for the book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0064550168/o/qid=985663341/sr=8-1/ref=aps_sr_b_1_1/002-8298663-4861620

Tuesday 010327

Today is metabolic conditioning:

Warm-up through stretching then,

Row 500 meters
Rest 10 minutes
Row 1000 meters
Rest 10 minutes
Row 2000 meters
Rest 10 minutes
Hang from pull-up bar and slowly touch toes to bar 20 times
Back extension 20 reps
Rest 1 minute
50 sit-ups, use ab mat
Back extension 20 reps
Rest 1 minute
25 Pike-ups (laying face up flex rapidly at the hip only touching the toes
before unfolding, minimize trunk flexion)
30 slow reverse back extensions (lie across something dangling legs
and hips freely then slowly without throwing bring legs and hips up to
parallel, hold and relax)
____________________
When you blame others you give up your power to change.
~ Author Unknown ~

Here is a good article on hamstring anatomy and physiology that I recommend you all read.
Mr. Poliquin is a first tier trainer. The anatomy here is indispensable. The physiology is good.
The exercise prescription is OK.
http://www.charlespoliquin.net/charles_poliquin/articles/hamstring1.htm

Monday 010326

Ab-bench (or other sit-up that ranges from trunk extension through to flexion) 30 reps at max weight
Back extension 25 reps
Air Squat 50 reps

For the next phase we are doing pull-ups and dips or muscle-ups if you've got one!

Six sets of pull-ups (max effort, record the total, take as much time as needed between sets)
And,
Six sets of dips (max effort, record the total, take as much time as needed between sets.
OR, if you have a muscle-up,
Ten muscle-ups (max effort, take as much time as needed, record the time to complete all ten)

One rope climb with no legs or five with legs.
Twenty handstand push-ups by any means. Have spotter pull you up by ankles if needed.

Practice lowering from handstand to planche (body parallel to floor, arms locked) Have spotter
support your ankles and lower you to parallel. Hold at parallel, with spotter minimally helping,
for five full seconds.

Repeat for ten attempts. Do on padded mat, crash pad, or other padded surface!!
Ab-bench (or other sit-up that ranges from trunk extension through to flexion) 30 reps at max weight
Back extension 25 reps
Air Squat 50 reps

This is a really tough day. Don't hold back. Tomorrow is met-con only, so you will be able to rest
your arms, back, and shoulders. You are getting a small taste of the demands of a gymnast's workout.
____________________

Sunday 010325

Rest Day

Today, due to popular demand we are taking a day of rest! If you must, play.
But...stretch and get ready for next week!!
If you haven't checked out our new Bulletin Board take a look.
Let us know how you are doing and just as important how we can better serve you.
___________________
I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening,
I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life.
Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality
of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my
loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have
- life itself.
~ Walter Anderson ~
(American Trainer, Author)

Saturday 010324

You guessed it, today we are determining our total for the three Powerlifting lifts,
the deadlift, bench-press, and the squat.

Take your time. Warm-up with sets of three to five reps. Rest. Increase the weight,
drop the reps, and lift again. Repeat this process until you've established a max
weight for each lift. Total the lifts and submit for ranking. The total is comprised of
your max lift at one rep for each exercise
____________________

"We keep going back, stronger, not weaker, because we will not allow rejection to
beat us down. It will only strengthen our resolve. To be successful there is no
other way."
~ Earl G. Graves ~

Our weight training culminates in the sport of Weightlifting; this is the Olympic sport
that includes the "Clean and Jerk" and the "Snatch." The squat, bench-press, and
deadlift are used to support and develop the Olympic Lifts and themselves constitute
the sport of Powerlifting. CrossFit employs the training techniques and lifts therefore
of both Olympic Weightlifting and Powerlifting as primary weight training concerns.
Here is a site of valuable Powerlifting and Weightlifting sites:
http://www.goheavy.com/links/

Friday 010323

Today is trunk work and a run.

30 sit-ups and 21 back extensions
Run 1 mile for time

No rest between sets for the following:
50 sit-ups
21 back extensions
Hang from bar and slowly raise legs, curl and touch toes to bar 25 times.
Arch rock 1 minute
25 crunches on glute-ham back extension apparatus (upside down on back extension app.)
Stiff-legged deadlift 50 % BW for 25 reps

Stretch
____________________
"Wisdom is better than strength. And a wise man is better than a strong man."
Book of Wisdom 6:1

Our crew spends a good deal of time on the Concept II Rowing Ergometer.
Here is Dr. Seiler examining gender and weight differences, and water performance
as related to the Concept II performance.
http://home.hia.no/~stephens/eliteerg.htm

Thursday 010322

Jump Rope 300 jumps
Sit-up 30
Back extension 20
Walking Lunge 30 steps
Push-ups 30
Pull-ups 15

Bike 1.5 miles
Ab bench 25% BW X 25
Stiff Legged Deadlift 50% BW X 21
Deadlift 75% BW X 15
Bench-press 75% BW X 12
Upright Row 50% BW X 10

Row 1000 meters
Hollow Rock 1 min
Arch Rock 1 min
Back Squat 75% BW X 15
Push-press 50% BW X 12
Power Clean 50% BW X 10

Calculate loads (BW = body weight) before beginning.
Time entire workout. Shortest time "takes it."
____________________
"A True Warrior Never Fights Without a Purpose That is Greater Than Oneself."T. Harv Eker

Here's a great athlete celebrating one of the greatest coaches of all time while sharing
some valuable insights into coaching.
http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/publications/technique/2000/8/valueofcoach.html

Wednesday 010321

Five sets of the triple,
Sit-up
Back extension
Bench-press 5-10RM

Move methodically, deliberately, with precise SLOW movement.
Don't hurry; minimize the cardiovascular quality. This is strength training only!
Make each effort a serious challenge.
____________________
"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to
do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more
ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter,
either. Then willpower will be no problem." Emil Zatopek

The nutritional value of fruit is a regular topic when discussing diets. This is especially
the case with our Jiu-jitsu friends following the famed Gracie diet. Fruit lovers beware!
http://www.beyondveg.com/cat/fruit-dreams/index.shtml

Tuesday 010320

Today we start and end with our calisthenic warm-up and cool down and throw a
little rowing and power cleans in the middle. There's no break between the rowing
and the power cleans. The warm-up and cool down are max or near max rep sets
with lots of rest between efforts. This is a tough one.

Ab bench
Back extensios
Air Squat
Pull-up
Dip
Row 500 meters
Power Clean 21 reps
Rest 5 minutes
Row 500 meters
Power Clean 15 reps
Rest 5 minutes
Row 500 meters
Power Clean 9 reps
Rest 5 minutes
Ab bench
Back extension
Air Squat
Pull-up
Dip
____________________
"I don't know what's wrong with my damned dog; he's dying. He can't keep his food down;
he's salivating and trembling, and I've got him on the best vegetarian diet that money can buy!"
-Bob

Speaking of vegetarian diets, this is interesting:
http://www.beyondveg.com/cordain-l/metab-carn/metabolic-carnivory-1a.shtml

Monday 010319

Back Squat for five sets each at ten reps:
1st Super-slow, 20 seconds round trip
2nd Bottom-to-bottom (rest at bottom, no stop at top)
3rd Ten second pause at bottom of each rep
4th Eyes closed (better use spotter or you'll die)
5th Ease down, EXPLODE-UP!!!
Swim a mile. This is about 30 lengths of a 50-meter pool
___________________
"Explosive hip extension is necessary, and damned near sufficient, for elite athleticism."
Coach Glassman

Midline stability, control of the major body axis, is a CrossFit constant.
Here is the concept applied to track sprinting. http://www.pnc.com.au/~stevebn/sprint.htm

Sunday 010318

Today: Find your way to a track with a place for pull-ups.
Often, there will be parallel bars as well as a pull-up bar.
Run 400 meters (once around for those new to the track)
Do 50 pull-ups in as many sets as required
(if you don't have 10 pull-ups, do 200 jumping pull-ups)
Run 400 meters
Do 50 dips or 75 push-ups in as many sets as required
Run 400 meters
Do 75 air squats
Run 400 meters

Ranking based on total time for workout
___________________
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered
by failure . . . than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer
much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
Theodore Roosevelt

The message regarding sound nutrition must filter through a ceaseless torrent of
misinformation from the popular media. Here is more on the paleodiet:
http://www.paleodiet.com/lindeberg/

Saturday 010317

Today's workout is a "gimme." We are doing five sets of bench press.
We are giving the "power-zone" (mid-section) a rest. Know why?

Perform your bench press at 5-4-3-2-1 reps. Increase weight at each set.
Take long break between sets. Go for max weight at each lift.

Stretch.
____________________
"Excess, upon occasion can be exhilarating, because it prevents moderation from
acquiring the deadening effect of a habit."
Somerset Maugham

The CrossFit Program harvests a multitude of elements from the sport of gymnastics.
Here is a page of floor exercise skills and drills. Moves are graded A-E, from easiest
to hardest. See how many of the A moves you can to. Study as many of the moves
as you can. The first step to kinematics mastery begins in the imagination. Advanced
body control firsts manifests as extraordinary will.
http://www.drillsandskills.com/skills/Floor/Z

Friday 010316

Row a 2K for a personal best.

We will continue today on our recurrent theme of core-focus.

1) Hanging from the pull-up bar SLOWLY lean back and lift your feet towards your
hands until your tows gently touch the bar. Repeat for a total of twenty times.
2) Arch rock for one minute. If you've forgotten what the arch rock is go to: http://www.audiblefaith.com/artists/rharrell/gympag/condstr.html
(You are supposed to be practicing for the moves on this page regularly anyway!!
3) Fifty sit-ups with substantial support (towel or abmat, etc.) under the lumbar spine.
Knees up and apart, feet together.
4) Thirty back extensions.
5) Hollow Rocks for sixty seconds. Again if you've forgotten: http://www.audiblefaith.com/artists/rharrell/gympag/condstr.html
6) 20 Stiff legged deadlifts. These are performed with an arched back! From the stand,
bow down letting the chest lag behind as far as possible. Do not surrender the arch in
your lower back. Done right you won't get anywhere near the floor with the barbell. If
your mechanics are correct you will feel an extraordinary tightness in the hamstrings.
7) Hold an L for sixty seconds. Repeat two times for a total of three efforts.
8) Twenty five times perform a "hug-a-twinky". If you don't know the movement here it is: http://www.audiblefaith.com/artists/rharrell/gympag/condstr.html

Some of you may be tempted to slough off the moves that you can't perform. You need to
understand that what you can't do here clearly defines your deficiencies as an athlete.
Any reasonably conditioned athlete can do all of these without much difficulty. If you find
a chink in your armor, work daily on correcting it.
_________________
"Man is not cut out for defeat. Man can be destroyed but not defeated."
E. Hemingway

We included this link from this same thread about two weeks ago. Not enough of you paid
close enough attention, so we are including it again. There is a gold mine of information
here about proper training of your abdominal muscles. This is must reading!
http://www.abmat.com/intro.htm

Thursday 010315

Start with a calisthenic, whole body, single set per exercise mini-routine.
We will explore dozens of these "mini workout warm-ups". They all contain
elements of hip/trunk flexion & extension, pushing and pulling.

Stretch (hips, legs, back, chest, and shoulders)

Sit-ups
Back extensions
Squats
Rope climb or pull-ups
Dips or push-ups
Clean and Jerk 15,12, and 9 reps (If you need help with this movement contact us.
We offer regular free seminars in the Olympic lifts)

Finish with the same effort coming in.
Sit-ups
Back extensions
Squats
Rope Climb or pull-ups
Dips or Push-ups

Stretch

No metabolic conditioning today. That suggests something about tomorrow to those
of you who are paying attention.
____________________
"Nobody ever got fit, or even close, through a combination of long slow aerobics
and bodybuilding routines."
-Greg Glassman

The USDA places grains at the base of its utterly ridiculous food pyramid. Here is
some sanity brought to that issue by Dr. Cordain.
http://www.beyondveg.com/cordain-l/grains-leg/grains-legumes-1a.shtml

Wednesday 010314

Stretch: back, hips, legs, chest, shoulders.

Trunk flexion: sit-ups.
Trunk extension: back extension.
Hip flexion: knee ups.
Hip extension: air squats.
Push: dips.
Pull: pull-ups.
Weightlifting: deadlift
Row: 2K meters

Stretch: back, hips, legs, chest, shoulders.

See how tough you can make this workout. This is a high intensity training session.
We're just doing one set of each exercise make it a killer! Each set should be a max effort.
No resting during set. Rest as needed between exercises.

Report your efforts for feedback. Include times in your workout, but don't include stretch time in total.
____________________
"Even the strongest have their moments of fatigue."
Friedrich Nietzsche

Here is a cheater's version (yet still of extraordinary value) of the one legged squat.
The one legged squat has much of the quality of a weightlifting movement but still a calisthenic. http://weww.totalcoaching.com/strength/onelegsquat.html

Tuesday 010313

Today we're on bikes. Find a climb, close to home, of about 1,000 feet.
Tackle this thing with every once of effort you can muster. This is a 100% effort.
Submit/save the time for posterity

The psychological and metabolic benefits of high intensity hill climbing, i.e., competitively
and for time, are enormous. If you don't like it, good. If you think it's fun it's doing you no good.
Be tough, be aggressive.
____________________
"All men are created equal, some are just faster than others"
Darren Franklin, amateur mountain biker

Here are some thoughts on bicycle hill climbing.
http://www.chainreactionbicycles.com/hills.htm
And a little technique.
http://www.bicyclesource.com/you/road/road-climbing.shtml

Monday 010312

Here we go again!!
We're returning to the "CrossFit Challenge":
Apply the "Tabata Interval"
(20 secs of work followed by 10 secs of rest repeated 8 times) to:

Rowing
Squatting
Pull-ups
Push-ups
Sit-ups

For the Rowing record the number of meters you complete in each interval.
For the other exercises record the number of reps you complete in each interval.

You get a minute break between each exercise.
The lowest numbers from each exercise are added for a total score.
This is an extremely challenging workout. It takes exactly 24 minutes to completion.
Your final score is an excellent measure of your total fitness
___________________
"The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest his patients in the care
of human frame, and in the cause and prevention of disease."
T. A. Edison

The evolutionary argument for the Paleolithic Diet is powerful, sound, and compelling.
We will regularly return to this thread. It is well worth the time to bookmark this link and
explore its reaches until you are intimate with the details of this perspective. http://www.beyondveg.com/cat/paleodiet/index.shtml

Sunday 010311

Rest Day

As an exploratory and a day of active rest we want you to go to http://www.audiblefaith.com/artists/rharrell/gympag/condstr.html

And explore as many of these movements as you can in an hour. Don't focus on the
obvious and easy. You all know how to do push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups; try something
you don't know or haven't seen. You are laying the groundwork (no pun intended) for
some very advanced assignments as well as developing coordination, balance, accuracy,
agility, strength, and flexibility. Combine with lots of stretching.

I suspect that those of you who understand the rigors of the CrossFit Program know that
there is ample reason for the reduced workload today and yesterday. Take full advantage
of these two days of relative "active rest." Beware tomorrow!!

I want everyone to concentrate on getting five good days of eating next week. Let’s focus
on including as many of these elements at as many meals as possible this Monday thru Friday.

Build meals around:
1. Fresh Vegetables.
2. Lean meat (poultry, beef, or fish) or soy products.
3. Monounsaturated fat like nuts, seeds, and avocado.
While avoiding or at least minimizing the use of:
1. Sugar.
2. Starchy carbohydrates like pasta, rice, potato, and bread.

If you want to report your efforts to feedback@crossfit.com on Friday for the week,
we’ll give you some input as to how you are doing. Include foods, and quantities as
accurately as you are able.
___________________
"If you believe in yourself, have dedication and pride and never quit, you'll be a winner.
The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.” Paul "Bear" Bryant
(Late, great coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team)

Saturday 010310

Today we are swimming. This is a breathing exercise designed to improve
anaerobic performance. We’re taking a bit of a break. Get ready for Monday!!
Swim the entire length of an Olympic Pool underwater.
When able, return surfacing once at about the middle of the pool.
Again, as soon as able cross. This time surfacing only twice, once at
about 1/3 across and again at 2/3 across.
Repeat this pattern 4 times for a total of 5 times or fifteen lengths.
Record your total time to complete the exercise.
Done right, this has much of the feel of drowning. Good luck!

Rankings based on total time to completion. Rest after each pass only as long
as needed to complete the next pass. If you should have to surface more than
the pass requires, rest andrepeat the effort.
___________________
"Part of the beauty and much of the moral seriousness of sport derives from the
severe justice of strenuous play in a circumscribed universe of rules that protect
the integrity of competition. Records are worth recording, and worth striving to
surpass, because they serve as benchmarks of excellence achieved under the
pressure of competition.”
George F. Will

We recently examined the effects of aging on skeletal muscle. Here’s Jim Martin,
an exercise scientist from University of Texas, Austin on the effects of aging on
performance, specifically power.
http://home.hia.no/~stephens/maxpower.htm

Friday 010309

Jump rope, double under for two minutes.
(Double under is where the rope passes under the legs twice for each jump)
Lunge forty steps, twenty each leg, alternating right and left.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Lunge twenty steps, ten each leg, alternating right and left leg with dumbbells totaling 1/3 your weight.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Lunge 10 steps, five each leg, alternating right and left leg with dumbbells totaling ½ your weight.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Jump rope, double under for two minutes.

These are walking lunges, not the ineffective ones!
Submit time and bench press reps for ranking.
____________________
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."
Vince Lombardi

Paul Chek runs a program in San Diego that shares many of the CrossFit precepts.
Here Paul is taking a shot at bodybuilders.
http://www.paulchekseminars.com/articles.cfm?select=4

Friday 010309

Jump rope, double under for two minutes.
(Double under is where the rope passes under the legs twice for each jump)
Lunge forty steps, twenty each leg, alternating right and left.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Lunge twenty steps, ten each leg, alternating right and left leg with dumbbells totaling 1/3 your weight.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Lunge 10 steps, five each leg, alternating right and left leg with dumbbells totaling ½ your weight.
Bench-press body weight for max reps.
Jump rope, double under for two minutes.

These are walking lunges, not the ineffective ones!
Submit time and bench press reps for ranking.
____________________
"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."
Vince Lombardi

Paul Chek runs a program in San Diego that shares many of the CrossFit precepts.
Here Paul is taking a shot at bodybuilders.
http://www.paulchekseminars.com/articles.cfm?select=4

Thursday 010308

Today we are employing a drill the CrossFit crew calls the “wall-ball.” The wall-ball drill is
a deep front squat followed through with a push-press and overhead throw. The ball, a
20 lb Dynamax medicine ball should make contact with the wall at about two feet over your
reach and rebound to your hands where you immediately bring the ball back to your chest
and squat to absorb the impact. The movements up and down are mechanically identical.
Stand about 18 inches away from the wall. The idea is to be in constant motion either on
the way up or catching and lowering. The major faults here are either to not squat to
parallel and to let the ball contact with a thud rather than gently absorbing the impact with
the arms and legs.

Run 800 meters.
Stretch for ten minutes.

Wall-ball for 50 throws within 2 minutes.
Immediately do as many pull-ups as possible in five minutes.
Rest 5 minutes.
Wall-ball for 50 throws within 2 minutes.
Immediately do as many pull-ups as possible in five minutes.
Rest 5 minutes.
Wall-ball for 50 throws within 2 minutes.
Immediately do as many pull-ups as possible in five minutes.
Rest 5 minutes.
Run 800 meters.

Stretch for ten minutes.
__________________
"Don't worry about upgrading your equipment. Upgrade your body."
-Anonymous cyclist

There are adaptations to endurance training that are inconsistent with the needs
and aims of most athletes. Endurance work is vital, yet must be limited if you want
optimal fitness and health. Here is Dr. Seiler articulating the third wave of adaptation
to endurance training. The adaptation he reviews in this article is essential to elite
endurance performance. Can you explain precisely what it is about this adaptation
that seriously curtails elite high intensity performance?
http://home.hia.no/~stephens/effiperf.htm

Wednesday 010307

Row 5k
___________________
"The heights which great men reached and kept, were not attained by sudden flight,
they, whilst their companions slept, were toiling upwards in the night.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I know I've discussed high intensity training protocols versus periodized protocols with
some of you. Here is a coach, Jim Kielbaso, defending the high intensity training (HIT)
protocol with remarkable candor. In the world of strength and conditioning, the coach
is still the authority, not the scientist.
http://www.cyberpump.com/hitstuff/callit.html

Tuesday 010306

200 sit-ups no matter how long it takes. Make them nice!
Stretch thoroughly. Used as a rest to slow down pace and come in to the next phase relatively fresh.
Do 50 dips, with or without assistance. This is a 50RM set, i.e., ideally, 51 should be impossible.
Immediately, run for ten minutes on a “windsprint” bike or a stairclimber at max level.
Rest as needed.
Do 35 dips, with or without assistance. This is a 35RM set, i.e., ideally, 36 should be impossible.
Immediately, run for five minutes on a “windsprint” bike or a stairclimber at max level.
Rest as needed.
Do 20 dips, with or without assistance. This is a 20RM set, i.e., ideally, 20 should be impossible.
Immediately, run for five minutes on a “windsprint” bike or a stairclimber at max level.
200 sit-ups no matter how long it takes. Again, make them nice!

Note: Do as many of the dips as you can without assistance on failure jump to Gravitron
(or like) and complete set with minimal assistance. We are exhausting the pushing function
partially with an eye to making the arm supporting contribution on the bike or stairlcimber
very tough
__________________
"There will come a point in the race, when you alone will need to decide. You will need to
make a choice. Do you really want it? You will need to decide."
Rolf Arands

We're going back to Dr. Seiler's site today for a look at lactate threshold. For you techies
and coaches this is essential stuff. You may recall that lactate threshold is the second
wave of endurance adaptation. (The first being VO2 max.) At CrossFit we are only
interested in the first two waves of adaptive response. The third comes at great cost to
your overall physical capacity. http://home.hia.no/~stephens/lacthres.htm

Monday 010305

Today we are going to run and deadlift.
This was reported to be a pernicious combination last week,
so here it is again! (Just for you, Garth)

Run 200 meters, then immediately
Deadlift 10 RM load (a load you can lift ten times but not eleven) 10X
Rest as needed

Run 400 meters, then immediately
Deadlift 5 RM load 5X
Rest as needed

Run 600 meters, then immediately
Deadlift 3 RM load 3X
Rest as needed

Run 800 meters, then immediately
Deadlift 1RM load 1X
Done
These are max efforts at each lift. The runs are all-out, no whimping out!
The entire workout must be completed within an hour. No exceptions.
___________________
"You have to go into the jungle, find the lion, and spit in his face...then shoot him.
You guys are not good enough to win on talent alone...you have to want it."
Herbie Brooks- coach of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team

HOW NOT TO JUMP!
Here is a computer animation that simulates a vertical leap at three heights.
Though the simulation MAY accurately represent typical mechanics of an
untrained athlete, it is flawed from the perspective of optimal performance.
All of this is amusing because the animators are proud of their incorporation
of biomechanical analysis in their work. The biomechanical errors are not
glaring but very real and fairly obvious. Can you report the problem?
(Hint the problem is worse on landing than taking off.)
http://www.cc.gatech.edu/gvu/animation/Areas/humanMotion/transitions/landing.qt

Sunday 010304

This is an amazingly complete workout in only twenty-four minutes.

Set-up the rower for intervals of twenty seconds work and ten seconds rest.
Set the rower to display meters in the lower window. Go all out on the first effort.
On subsequent efforts work to capture as many meters as in the first effort.

In the same interval pattern, 20on/10off X 8,
Squat (air squat).
Same interval pull-ups.
Same interval push-ups.
Same interval sit-ups.

If you transition from one exercise to the next in ten seconds, this is a
twenty-minute workout. For all but the best athletes this will be all but impossible.

Transition from one exercise to the next as quickly as you can. One-minute maximum
transition break! No ranking will be considered for total time that exceeds twenty-four minutes.

Ranking is based on least number of meters in each of eight rowing intervals, and least
reps in each of eight intervals for each of the other four exercises.

Submission includes five numbers: least number of meters in rowing, least number of squats,
least number of pull-ups, least number of push-ups, and least number of sit-ups.
___________________
"One shouldn't be afraid to lose; this is sport. One day you win; another day you lose.
Of course, everyone wants to be the best. This is normal. This is what sport is about.
This is why I love it."
Olympic Gold Medallist Oksana Baiul

The 20 seconds on / 10 seconds off interval repeated 8 times is the interval first
researched by Dr. Izumi Tabata. The CrossFit crew was early pioneers of this interval
and was first to apply it to the squat. Today we are going to use this interval with five
separate exercises. We will row, squat, pull-up, push-up, and sit-up. This represents
the range of functional movements (met. con, hip extension, pulling, pushing, and trunk/hip flexion).
First review the Tabata interval:
http://www.cbass.com/searchof.htm

Saturday 010303

Rest Day
____________________
"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence."
Vince Lombardi

Here's another interesting and successful approach to dieting.
This approach is a close cousin to the Anabolic Diet. The science here is solid.
http://www.mesomorphosis.com/exclusive/mcdonald/carbup.htm

Well about now you're pretty beat-up. Today is a day of active rest.
We want you to stretch thoroughly and participate in some recreational
activity, i.e., softball, basketball, mountain bike, surf, swim, etc.

Get ready to fire back up on Sunday.

Friday 010302

We are ready for a break from the neurological and orthopedic stresses of
weightlifting and hard and heavy leg work.

Here is an interval that the NSCA identifies as being smack dab in the middle
of the lactic acid metabolic pathway. Remember one of the advantages of
interval training is that we get extended exposure to cardiovascular work
without the muscle wasting consistent with extended aerobic work.

On the Concept II Rower set up for intervals and go all out for 60 seconds
Row easy for two minutes.
Repeat for a total of fifteen efforts.

This is a total of forty-five minutes, yet the work is designed to enhance anaerobic
capacity. Now here’s the really cool part: even though this work is predominantly
anaerobic (lactic acid pathway), it carries a heavy aerobic benefit without the
disadvantages of reducing speed, power, and strength known to accompany
aerobic training.

On setup scroll the display to show meters in the lower window. On your first
effort throw as many meters up in the minute as you can. On the subsequent
fifteen efforts fight for as much of the first distance as you can.

On completion use recall to scroll through all fifteen intervals and record and
submit the meters rowed for each interval.

If you need help setting up the rower email us at feedback@crossfit.com.
If you don’t have access to a Concept II Rower, buy one.
___________________
"There's No Easy Way"
Allan Wells (1980 Olympic 100m Champion)

Here is a cool site with some reasonable discussion on the benefits of
high intensity training.
http://www.totalcoaching.com/strength/hitsuccessseries1.html