Core Strength

Here is a great article on core strength. It explains why the squat, deadlift, clean, and press are much better at developing the musculature of the "core" better than doing silly light weight dumbbell "moves" on a bosu ball. I don't even need to say anything more, because Rippetoe already uses common sense to do so.

Core Stability Training

*Update*

I will not be posting any more WODs in the near future. I plan on joining A CrossFit Training Facility in a couple weeks and I will definitely return to coaching more regularly as soon as I can!

WOD 12 Nov 09

“Joshie” hero WOD for the board
3 rounds for time:
21 DB Snatch Right Arm
21 L Pull Ups
21 DB Snatch Left Arm
21 L Pull Ups
Coach’s notes: For the snatches guys use 40 lbs dumbbell and gals use 20 lbs. Snatches are full squat catch. Scale DB snatch and L pull ups as needed. Post time to comments.
The [...]

WOD 11 Nov 09

As many rounds and reps in 20 mintes of:
10 Wallballs
10 Box Jumps
10 Deadlift
10 Burpees
Coach’s notes: Guys use 20 lb balls and gals 14 lb ball for wallballs and box jumps are 20 inches. For dealdift, guys use 205 lbs and gals 145 lbs.

WOD 10 Nov 09

Thruster 5x5
10 minutes of double unders for reps

Coach’s notes: Post load for each set to comments. Post number of reps to comments.

Friday Nov 6

WOD

5 rounds for time:
25 Push Ups
25 Cal Cardio
25 Overhead Walking Lunges
Rest 2:00
Coach’s notes: Guys use 40 lbs and gals 20 lbs for lunges. Post times for each set and total working time to comments.

Thursday Nov5 WOD

As many rounds in 20 minutes of:
10 Power Snatch
20 Pull Ups
Coach’ s notes: Guys use 95 lbs and gals 65 lbs for power snatch. Post number of rounds to complete to comments.

WOD 4Nov 09

Warm up: pigeon pose, samson stretch, leg swings, 3x15 air squats

Back Squat 5x5
Coach’s notes: Go as heavy as you can. May substitute barbell with dumbbells. Post load for each set to comments.

WOD 3Nov 09

21, 18, 15, 12, 9, 6, 3 rep rounds for time:
Knees to Elbows
Box Jump
Back Extension
Wallball
Coach’s notes: Guys use 24 inches for box jumps, gals 18 inches and 20 lbs and 14 lbs for wallballs. Post time to complete to comments.

The When and Why of Static Stretching

WOD 2 Nov 09

100 DB Clean and Jerk for time

Coach’s notes: Guys use 40 lbs and gals 20 lbs for the C&J, or scale as needed. Post time to complete to comments.

Thursday, October 29, 2009

10 sets for distance:
1:00 Row
1:00 Rest
Coach’s notes: Post distance per row and total distance to comments. Use these sets to play with different damper settings, look at average power output in watts and use the graph function to see how efficient your strokes are.

Nutrition 101

1-99% of your shopping can be done on the outskirts of the grocery store. Meat & veggies, nuts & seeds…that’s all you need on hand at home.

2-If it was created by nature eat it, if it is processed, don’t.

3-Animal protein foods, milk and eggs always come with fat and this is how we should eat them. Animal fat supplies vitamins A&D and are needed for the assimilation of protein. Consumption of low fat milk products, egg whites and lean meats can lead to serious deficiencies of these vital fat soluble nutrients. Moreover, animal fats and gelatin rich bone broth spare protein which means that meat goes further.

4- While some lucky people are genetically equipped to digest milk in all its forms, the milk sold in your supermarket is bad for EVERYBODY.

5-You DO NOT NEED CARBS-carbs are not used as structural components in the body; they are only used as a form of fuel. Glucose in the blood stream is toxic to humans unless it is being burned immediately as a fuel. Moreover, humans can exist quite easily without ever eating carbs since the body has several mechanisms for generating glucose from fat and protein consumed.

6-Ideally we should be able to get all necessary nutrients from the food we eat, but with pollution on the rise and the diminishing quality of the food purchased in the supermarkets a good multi-vitamin is becoming essential (as is magnesium, fishoil and glutamine supplementation).

7-Give yourself a break. Can’t be perfect all the time. Allow 1 cheat meal a week where you can eat what ever you want. This also eliminates the potential danger that if you completely eliminate a food group your body will lose the ability to process it. However the rule is once you get up from the table the cheat meal is over. No cheat days allowed ☺

8- Changing your eating patterns is not easy and it takes your body time to adjust. You are asking your body to produce energy from new sources so it is completely normal to feel a bit lethargic at the beginning. Give your digestive system the same consideration you would give your muscles when undertaking a new exercise program. When you start replacing starchy carbs with fat it can take up to 3 weeks for your body to learn how to use fat as a source of energy after which point in time it can become a much more effective source than the short burst starchy carbs.

9-All nutrients in some way or another affect insulin resistance or insulin sensitivity and insulin sensitivity is the route of all hormonal imbalances. Without first controlling insulin, all other efforts will be wasted.

10-Persistent cortisol release (which happens when you are under low levels of stress-such as over exercise, constant lack of sleep...) requires other vital mechanisms to effectively shut down-immunity, digestion, healthy endocrine function...among other stress-health associations, the link between elevated cortisol and weight gain
has already been established. So REDUCE YOUR STRESS!

http://www.fit4younutrition.com/article2.html

WOD 28 Oct 09

4 rounds for time(s):
10 Deadlift
20 DB Swings
30 GHD Sit Ups
Rest 3:00
Coach’s notes: Guys use 200 lbs for deadlift, gals use 100 lbs and 55lb and 30lb for DB swings. Post time for each set and total to comments.

Fat disguised as meat!

Fatty meats: Year Round Staples in Western Diets that show fats disguised as meats in western society:

• Salami-74% fat, 22% protein
• Bacon-77% fat, 21%protein
• Ground Beef-64% Fat, 33%protein
• Hot Dogs-82% fat, 14% protein
• Pork Ribs-72% fat, 26% protein
• T-bone steak-68% fat, 30% protein

WOD 27 Oct 09

“Cindy”
As many rounds in 20 minutes of:
5 Pull Ups
10 Push Ups
15 Squats
Coach’s notes: Post number of rounds completed to comments.

Food Pyramid

http://www.fit4younutrition.com/index.html

WOD 26 Oct 09

(Behind the neck) Jerk 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
Coach’s notes: Catch in a power or split stance. Post load for each set to comments.

WOD 23Oct 09

WOD 23Oct 09
Run 800m
25 Pull Ups
50 Double Unders
Run 800m
25 Pull Ups
50 Double Unders
Run 800m

What Is Intensity?

AMRAP in 12 Mins:
5 HSPU
50 Sit Ups
*Scale HSPU as follows-
1 – Abmat
2 – Abmat and 25# Plate
3 – Heavy Strict Press

Endurance:
10 x Sprint 100m

CrossFit is Rehab!

We believe that the need to have proper mechanics before adding load or reps is the only way to prevent injury and, over time, increase performance. Therefore, we stress the importance of best orthopedic function, proper mechanics and injury prevention more than 90% of the trainers out there. Elite performance and sound orthopedic function are one and the same. You could call us performance-based physical therapy. The CrossFit method is used to reduce nagging training limitations like limited joint range of motion and soft tissue dysfunction.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Kelly Starrett, a licensed physiotherapist talks to Crossfit Radio on the subject of "Crossfit as rehab."

WOD 12Oct 09

Run 400M
15 Deadlifts (M: 225# W: 95#)
Run 400M
30 Burpees
Run 400M
60 Pull Ups
Run 400m

Force, Distance, Time

The following is a summary of Greg Glassman's brief lecture of force, distance, and time on 3/16/09 at a Crossfit Level 1 Cert in Brisbane, Australia.

So, basically we want to measure human performance and it has not been done yet thus far in academia (universities, published journals). To start, we need to use the fundamental units of measurements that physicists use to measure any kind of movement. There are only 3 units to measure movement (force, distance, and time). Everything else that measures physical movement (kinetic energy, acceleration, velocity) are derivatives of force, distance, and time. If you want to measure a rocket ship, a rock you throw, galaxies, stars, anything, you must use force, distance, and time.

Academia (and I could speak of my own experience at UBC) has us studying things like the Krebs citric acid cycle (basically what happens to oxygen in a cell). The Krebs f'n cycle hasn't taught us a thing about how to advance human performance! Nobody has ever trained differently because of what they learned about the Krebs cycle.

We want a technology on how to advance human performance, not an understanding. It's purely telological, meaning we need an end state. We want to model our training methodology to reach this end state and our end state is to increase work capacity across broad time and modal domains.

On a side note, a lot of communities like the swiss ball or pilates community is saying that they're functional. We are the most functional fitness program there is because to call yourself functional, you must define what "functional" is. And we could list a set of characteristics explaining what functionality is. We could say that functional exercises induce a wave of contraction from core to extremity, that they're safe, essential, that they're built in our DNA, it's how we're designed to move. Soon enough, we get to the fact that they're efficient in there unique way to move large loads, a long distance, quickly. If that sounds familiar to you, we're back at where we started, in using force, distance, and time to measure functional fitness

Crossfit Group Training

Here is a great video of how a CrossFit class runs. CrossFit is truly for everyone, look at the diversity of clients we have in one class. We can scale the exercise, load, and intensity for every individual depending on your fitness level and capacity.

You don't have to worry about not keeping up or not being able to perform the exercises correctly, we make you do one on one sessions with our trainers so you can learn all the foundational movements and exercises. Until you can show us you can perform all of the exercises sufficiently, then we'll put you in a group class. We value mechanics, safety, and consistency. Also there is always a trainer running the class to continually train you as you're working out.

Personal Training is Dead

Fitness should be accessible and available to everyone. Unfortunately not everyone knows how to work out or improve their fitness levels beyond what they could do themselves. There are many different fitness services out there that's available to the general public, including personal training, bootcamp classes, yoga, pilates, aquafit, or even a gym membership.

In this article, I will explore the pros and cons of each of these modalities and explain what is the best option. Personal training would be the best option because a trainer can assess your fitness levels and prescribe a workout program that's suitable for you. However, personal training is very expensive, ranging from $50-$100/session. Unfortunately, that is not very affordable for a single mom, student, or anyone with a minimum wage job who still needs to get fit.

A more economical option would be to join some sort of bootcamp class. These classes are becoming much more popular as more and more classes are popping up all over the city. It is much more affordable than personal training. However, in my experiences, I have seen too many people being asked to do exercises outside of their physical capacities and also too many people doing the exercises with poor mechanics.

Yoga and pilates are also two great ways to increase flexiblity, core strength, and coordination. However, they don't train for real world enviroments (ground reaction, momentum, fast eccentic movements, 360 degrees of freedom), they also don't train for functional movement patterns you see in everyday life and sport, high intensity and power movements.

A gym membership costs anywhere between $20-$100 a month, however, you are basically on your own without any expert advice. If you don't know how to work out. Good luck because you won't be seeing any results.

That leaves us with CrossFit. CrossFit is cheaper than personal training and can provide a lot more. A CrossFit Coach is more qualified than the average personal trainer. I say this because I have learned a lot about improving one's fitness form CrossFit than I have from any University Professor, Physiotherapist, or Personal Trainer I have ever met. CrossFit focuses more on form and mechanics than any other fitness program I've ever come across and I've tried them all! The cheapest personal trainer you can find will cost you $50/hour. For $150, you get 3 sessions. CrossFit classes are $150/month for unlimited classes.

You won't get any added benefit with any modality that you won't get from CrossFit. CrossFit trains for maximum specific movement strength, endurance, total body coordination, flexibility, rehabilitation, core strength, gymnastics, and everything in between!

But personal training will give you a tailored workout that CrossFit won't.

Wrong, CrossFit can be universally scaled to your fitness ability. We have the elderly and Olympic athletes in the same program. We can scale the exercise, load, and intensity according to your capacity.

With all these considerations, it's amazing how so many people are still working with personal trainers when they can be working with CrossFit coaches who are better trainers with proven, better programs, and more cost effective!

Jason Khalipa, Crossfit Games 2008 Champ: male division

Crossfit Lions

I will now be coaching at Crossfit Lions, a facility in North Vancouver. So all of you on the North Shore, give me a call!

WOD 30 Sept 09

6 Rounds For Time
Run 200m
10 KB Swings (M: 55# W: 35#)
Rest Exactly 2 Mins
6 Rounds For Time
10 KB Swings (M: 55# W: 35#)
Run 200m

Strength:
3 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 3
Hang Power Clean
3 x 30 Second Hand Stand Hold

WOD 29Sept 09

Warm up:

• 20 burpees (slow and easy)
• Standing ITB stretching
• Tucker’s figure-four single leg squats

WOD 29Sept 09

• Jog 400m (0.25mile)
  
• Rest until your breathing returns to normal
• Run 800m (0.5mile) like you're being chased by a bus full of rabid wolverines
• Rest until your breathing returns to normal
• Jog 400m (0.25 mile)
  


This is MAX EFFORT 800m run. Go fast. Time it.

Accumulate 2:00 of static plank hold, either on elbows or in push-up position.

Mobility Matters

In the current fitness/training exercise-osphere, there is much lip service given to the bastard fitness components of mobility and flexibility. And, in spite of how much talk there is about "stretching" and "yoga", ask yourself; "Am I serious about my flexibility?"

Chances are you are not alone if you answered by saying, "yes, I can stretch more."

But let's put the dirty chore in terms to which you can relate. I'm talking about performance. Hot, dirty, nasty performance. Wanna be faster, lift more, be more explosive? Of course you do. Taking your mobility and flexibility a little more seriously will get you there.

Take Whiskey here: She is able to generate more force with less effort because of her ability to maintain this difficult, flaw exposing position.

Coach K, San Francisco Crossfit

http://sanfranciscocrossfit.blogspot.com/2007/01/mobility-matters.html

WOD 28 Sept09
For Time

30 Hang Power Cleans (M: 95# W: 65#)
30 Double Tire Jumps
20 Power Cleans (M: 95# W: 65#)
20 Double Tire Jumps
10 Squat Cleans (M: 95# W: 65#)
10 Double Tire Jumps

Thoracic Extension Limiting, Your Ribcage is Tight

Hey Gang!
It is far too common amongst athletes to be stiff between their neck and the bottom of their ribcage (the thoracic spine or T-spine.) Most often, lack of mobility in this region is expressed by a resultant lack of shoulder flexion (raising your arms up over your head.) In most daily activites, poor t-spine mobility is hardly a limiting factor, but... In positions requiring overhead support like a press or overhead squat, positions of dynamic shoulder loading like the kipping pull up, and in positions of static strength like the front squat, it becomes painfully clear that lack of mobility of the T-spine leads to overall decreases in applications of strength and power throughout the kinetic chain. That is your overhead squat, the speed of your tennis serve, or the amount of glide you get during each swim stroke is likely a function of your t-spine mobility. The good news is, that mobilising this region of the spine is relatively easy and will lead to immediate, meaningful changes in functional status. So, ask your coach about how you can do something about your stiff rib cage.

Coach K, San Francisco Crossfit

WOD 25 Sept 09

Choose a barbell. (M: 95#, W: 45#). Scale weight if needed

3 Mins – Power Clean
Rest 1 Mins
3 Mins – Shoulder Press
Rest 1 Mins
3 Mins – Back Squat

Strength:
5 x 5
Deadlift (Heavy)
1 x 20 Kipping Pull Ups
1 x 12 DH Chin Ups
1 x 12 DH Pull Ups
1 x 20 Kipping Pull Ups

Gillian Mounsey, Camp Barrett, Quantico VA

WOD 23Sept 09

As many rounds as possible in 20 Mins
Run 800m or 0.5 mile or Row 1000m
20 Knees To Elbows

WOD 24Sept 09

6 – 9 – 15
Push Jerk (M: 95# W: 50#)
Pull Ups (Chest to Bar)

Endurance:
15 x Sprint 100m
Rest 30 Secs Between Efforts

Don't say you are functional until you can define it!

Functional Movement's are:

1. Essential to independent living - we do these movements in everyday life - eg. Deadlift (pick stuff up), Press (put stuff overhead).
2. Safe - Because they are natural, not created by man, they are thus, safe.
   
3. Pre-historic - Universal motor recruitment patterns - they are found everywhere - someone invented the peck deck but knowone can say the invented the squat.
4. Compound yet Irreducible - These movements work multi joints and different areas but you cannot reduce them. Working the little parts will make you good at little parts - the only way to get better at squatting is to squat BUT people who squat a lot will be great at the little parts...not that we would be seen on a leg press.
5. Core to Extremity - A strong core does not mean trunk flextion but trunk extension. For example - keeping a lumbar curve (tight back) on a heavy deadlift involves a strong core. In CrossFit we do not really "rock our abs" - we Stabilize the Core like MotherF***er.
6. Move a Large Load, Long Distance, Quickly - F*D/T = Power - In CrossFit we are concerned with power output (how much we can move and how fast we can do it). The power we create with functional movements cannot be matched with non-functional movements.

WOD 22Sept 09
For Time
Start w/ 40 Sit Ups
4 Rounds
10 DB Cleans (M: 20# W: 8#)
10 Ring/Bench Dips
10 DB Front Squats (M: 40# W: 20#)
Finish w/ 40 Sit Ups

Endurance:
5 Rounds
Run 2 Mins
Rest 1 Min

Exercise this way!

WOD for Monday 21Sept 09:
4 Rounds For Time
25 KB Swings (M: 40# W: 25#) *Full Overhead
50 Double Unders
Run 400m

Endurance:
Run 1 Mile Max Effort

Squat!

Weight on Heels, Back Straight/Good Lumbar curve. Knees tracking directly over toes. This is a strong, functional position.

WOD 18Sept 09
Teams of 2
Using a dumbbell, perform all of this.
(M: 25# W: 10#)
Run 1 Mile
25 Pull Ups
Run 800m
50 Sit Ups
Run 400m
*Db can be carried however during runs. Pull Ups/Sit Ups 1 Working 1 Holding Db

Strength:
1 x 10 DH Pull Up
1 x 3 Snatch
1 x 10 DH Chin Up
1 x 3 Snatch
1 x 20 Kipping Pull Up
1 x 3 Snatch
*Start snatch immediately after dropping from pull up bar. Rest as needed between pull/snatch combos.

WOD 16Sept09

WOD:
3 Rounds For Time
Elliptical 50 Calorie forward
25 Calories backward

Total Calories burned: 225

Strength:
5 x 3
Push Jerk
3 x 5
Push Press
*Use a low weight and work speed

Inspiration: “I’ve had smarter people around me all my life, but I haven’t run into one yet that can outwork me. And if they can’t outwork you, then smarts aren’t going to do them much good. That’s just the way it is. And if you believe that and live by it, you’d be surprised at how much fun you can have.” -Woody Hayes

Crossfit Level 1 Cert

I just received my Crossfit Level 1 Certification this past weekend. I am now a Crossfit Level 1 Trainer! Yeah! In the 3rd picture from the top, I am the bottom right guy sitting with my legs sprawled out.

WOD 15Sept09
10 Rounds For Time
5 Pull Ups (CTB)
5 Squats (Below Parallel, Fully Open Hip)
5 Push Ups (Chest/Chin/Quads All On Ground, Fully Extended Elbow w/ Rigid Midline Up)
5 Sit Ups (ABMAT, Hands Touch Ground Above Head, Hands Touch In Front of Feet)
*NO Full ROM = NO Rep

Endurance:
10 Rounds
Run 1 Min
Walk 1 Min
Rest 3 Mins
Run 1 Mile Max Effort

"Let food be your medicine, let medicine be your food" - Hippocrates

- Eat Small Meals
- Have some protein at every meal
- Eat primarily vegatables
- Take your fish oil (15 grams/day)

By Dr. Barry Sears

Obesity Is Suicide

Diet Philosophy

This is my stance on diet. This video explains how we should eat in regards to our genetic makeup. Enjoy!

WOD 02Sept09

4 Rounds For Time
25 Thrusters (20# Dbs)
5 Hanging Knees To Elbows
25 Squats
5 Hanging Knees To Elbows

Endurance:
2 Rounds
Run 12 Mins
Rest 2 Mins

Weightlifting Belts, don't wear them!

Unless you are a competitive power lifter or olympic lifter, you should not use a weight lifting belt! A weight lifting belt increases the intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) to support the lumbar spine better (lower back). Therefore, it helps a powerlifter or olympic lifter lift more weight. However, by using an accessory to help increase the intra-abdominal pressure, you are thus, not using your own muscles to do the work.

EMG (Electromyography) research has shown a decrease in the activities of the spinal erector muscles and the Transverse Abdominus muscle when using a weightlifting belt. Therefore, the muscles that you are born with to use are de-activated, or disengaged, meaning they get weaker from disuse. In particular, it is very important that the Transverse Abdominus (which is basically your body's own weightlifting belt because it wraps around your torso from the ribs to your pelvis) is activated.

In conclusion, if you use a weightlifting belt, sure you could back squat or deadlift more weight, but only if you're wearing one. Once you take it off, you actually have a weaker core, and you will not be able to lift more.

WOD 31Aug09

“Angie”
For Time
50 Pull Ups
75 Push Ups
75 Sit Ups
100 Squats
*Must complete all reps prior to moving on

What's the deal with Core training?

Core training is very important. No matter which trainer you decide to hire, every one of them will tell you it's important to train your core. But every one has different methods to train your core. The bad trainers will just give you a variation of some sort of sit-up while tossing a medicine ball around (not exactly a bad exercise if you use a full range of motion at the hip, but I usually see a shortened range via a V sit). They throw in a couple of "core exercises" at the end of your workout that works your abs.

Is this what core strength really is and is this the most effective way to train the "core"? To find the answer to this, we must start with a definition as with anything we attempt to answer. The definition of core strength/stability according to someone with ample knowledge of exercise physiology is: the ability to maintain a rigid mid-line (spine) through functional movement.

If you were to do the most basic exercise, say a squat, but you cant' keep your hip anteriorly tilted through the full range, that's your core not being able to do the work. In other words, if you round your lower back or unable to keep your low back flat during a squat, your core strength is the limiting factor.

Sure, a lot of core strength is required to lie flat on an exercise ball with your feet hooked on something straight out in front of you and holding a medicine ball overhead so that you're perfectly horizontal. But alas, there's nothing functional to that. Now unless, that sort of strength can translate well into maintaining a rigid spine or midline through a functional exercise like a push-up, squat, or deadlift, then, you would have core strength.

So what's the best way to train the core? Don't just add a bunch of sit-ups and crunches at the end of your workout, especially if you don't have full extension of the hips at the bottom position. Everything you do should involve the core. I have most of my clients perform exercises on their feet. For example, I could have someone do a seated shoulder press but this de-activates the core since you're sitting down. Or having the do a standing overhead press, which is a lot better because now they engage the core, trying to keep a rigid midline while pressing a weight overhead. Besides, it's more functional, when would you ever sit down to lift a heavy box to the top shelf?

So the next time, you prescribe exercise, ask if it's functional because if it is, it usually involves the core. What's the best exercise for core strength you ask? The overhead squat. Watch the vid, I dare you to tell me she doesn't have the capacity to maintain a rigid core/midline.

Buy-in

• Dislocates, rotational dislocates
• walking lunge hamstring stretch

WOD 26Aug09:

For Time
30 Back Squats (M: 105# W: 45#)
10 Push Jerks
30 Front Squats
10 SDHP

Cash out
Accumulate 1:00 in an L-hang position

Jason Khalipa

Jason was the Crossfit Champion of 2008 and had a strong outing in the 2009 games placing 5th overall. If it wasn't for his poor performance in the first event which placed him in 72nd place after the first event, Jason would've probably won two years in a row. Nonetheless, here's one of the fittest athletes on the planet!

Buy-in

• Dynamic warm-up drills
• Figure out roughly 50 feet (about 15 meters)
• Perform each drill up and back (except the last)
• Walking on heels
• Walking on toes
• High knees (jogging, pick your knee up high with each step)
• Butt kicks (jogging, kick yourself in the butt with each step)
• Side shuffle
• Skip forwards
• Skip backwards
• Inchworms with push-up x 5

WOD 25Aug09

12 – 9 – 6
Squat Cleans (M: 40#Db W: 15#Db)
Ring Dips/Bench Dips

Cash out

• Run an easy 400m
• Run a max effort 400m

Zone Diet and Inflammation

it’s all about your genes, especially how an anti-inflammatory diet, like the Zone Diet, can turn off inflammatory genes and simultaneously turn on anti-inflammatory genes that promote cellular rejuvenation, repair and healing. Your ability to control inflammation becomes the molecular definition of wellness. Furthermore, both physical and mental performance are optimized with an anti-inflammatory diet.

WOD 24Aug09

Buy-in

• 3 easy rounds of “Cindy”
• 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats

WOD

5 sets of 3 reps
Back Squat

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes
400m
15 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups

Cash out

• 3 rounds for time:
• 21 air squats
• 14 kettlebell swings (25#/15#)

The Squat and the Hamstring

Proper squats accomplish the exercise objective of moving more muscle over a greater range of motion, allowing athletes to lift more weight and get stronger. Hip drive engages the posterior chain. Correct stance and bar placement are essential. In the low bar back squat, the back angle is much more horizontal than in the front squat. The only way to do a front squat is with an almost vertical back.

The hamstring crosses two joints and serves two functions: knee flexion and hip extension. If the hamstring is already in a short position at the bottom of a squat, it cannot be a major contributor to further hip extension. But a more horizontal back and opening the knee will further stretch out the hamstring. The distance over which the hamstring can contract will be increased, provided squat requirements are met. The lumbar spine must stay in extension and the pelvis must stay locked with the lumbar spine.

reference: Crossfit Journal 21Aug09

20Aug09

Buy-in

• Dislocates, rotational dislocates
• 20 push-ups, 20 pull-ups

WOD:

150 Air Squats
Break Up Sets However You Want

Strength:
3 – 3 – 3 – 3 – 3
Deadlift
6 x 7
3 Sets Pull Ups
3 Sets Chin Ups
*Alternate Each Set

Congrats to Crossfit Games Champs!

Big shout out to Mikko Salo and Tanya Wagner, the respective "fittest man and woman in the world" for winning the 2009 Crossfit Games!

Rest Day

Why Balance?

I see a lot of trainers use various balance and stability equipment in their training, anything from bosu balls, foam blocks, and half foam rollers. Sure these things are great for developing balance but is it necessary to develop balance at the expense of decreasing work output? Why do we need to balance so much?

Think about going through your daily activities, is there any point in time where you say hmm...I want to balance on one leg and open this door, or I'm going to balance on one foot to lift these boxes up. No! We would never say that, so why do we train on one leg on an even more unstable surface? Sure it is good sometimes to do one legged squats as they are great for developing balance. Balance is one of the 10 components of fitness. But if every exercise you're doing is on some sort of unstable surface, then you are compromising your work output. You wont' be able to do much work. You can't lift as much on one leg on a foam block, your reps will be much slower, therefore your power output is lower = lower intensity.

And if you're number one goal is weight loss, toning, or muscle mass. Work output is what we should focus on, I'm sorry, but it takes precedence over balance. So get your butt off that machine, get on two feet (not one foot on a piece of foam) and start lifting stuff!

WOD 19Aug09

4 Rounds For Time
Run 400m
15 OVHD Squats (M: 45# W: 20#)
10 Burpees

Strength:
3 x 5
Strict Press
3 x 5
Hang Power Clean*
*Work Speed Through Middle

Inspiration: “If you sacrifice early, you’ll win late.” -Charles Haley

Solving Knee Problems

By Kelly Starrett

“The squat magically cures knee pain if you squat correctly,” Kelly Starrett told participants at a one day seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz on March 14, 2009. Starrett is the owner of San Francisco CrossFit and a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Improper squat mechanics under load will lead to problems over time. Muted hips and knees bent forward are common faults. Starrett said one patient at his clinic was an elite, world champion athlete who had flown in for a consultation. The problem was the athlete simply didn’t know how to squat. Starrett blamed the athlete’s coach and PE teachers for failing to provide proper instruction. “No one ever taught him to squat right,” Starrett said.

The body weight squat to a high box can be a good way to start. Kelly tells his clients to keep their spines straight, stick their butts back, break their knees at the same time as they reach back, and put their hands up for balance. Athletes find they can squat with no pain because they are unloading their quad tendons. It takes them off tension and they don’t get a down/up stretch cycle. The eccentric/concentric chain is broken and the athlete is able to rise properly from the squat. The shin is pretty vertical and the femur is rotating around a pretty vertical tibia.

When athletes are put in the best position, with maximum congruency of the joints, hotspots are unloaded. Keeping the shins vertical maximally unloads the patella tendon.

WOD 18Aug09

As many rounds as possible in 15 mins
15 Ring Dips
15 Ring Push Ups
*Do Endurance Workout Immediately Following

Endurance:
Immediately Following WOD
2 Rounds
Run 200m
Run 400m
Run 800m
Rest = Work

Inspiration: “The Six W’s: Work will win when wishing won’t.” -Todd Blackledge

Client Of The Week: Steve

Here are the before and after pictures of Steve, my most successful client to date. When he started training with me, Steve was 260lbs, as of today, he is a lean 167lbs. I give a lot of credit to Steve though, he had to cut out a lot of bad foods from his diet and make a drastic change. Steve used to drink 3 cans of pop a day, he had to cut that down to 1 can/day and now he has cut that out completely from his diet. He also stopped eating sweets like cookies and cake and replaced them with protein bars.

Steve is a real world example to the testament of hard work pays off. He started working out 5 times a week with Vuong Fitness doing a mixture of high intensity cardio and weight training. He now works out 3 times a week to maintain his weight while still playing a variety of sports he enjoys. Keep up the good work Steve!

WOD 17Aug09

WOD:
3 Rounds For Time
10 Power Cleans (M: 45#DBs W: 25#DBs)
Run 800m or Burn 50 Cal
15 Pull Ups
Run 800m or Burn 50 Cal

Strength:
Front Squat
Using 50% of Your 3 Rep Max
3 x 5
Hold The Down Pos For 3 Seconds Then Explode Up

What do I think about the P90X?

A lot of my clients come up to ask me about the latest fads and gadgets and I'm always happy to inform them of their effectiveness. The P90X is the latest fad to generate much hype amongst the masses. In my opinion, I don't think it's a fad. I'd much rather break it down in it's pros and cons.

Pros
- great value
- constantly varied program
- intensity high enough to yield results

Cons
- may not be safe without a qualified trainer to supervise you
- workouts are only scaled to a degree, some programs may be too hard or too easy depending on your fitness levels
- exercises are mainly bodybuilding exercises and are not very functional

WOD:
Teams of 2 (1 Working 1 Resting)
Each Teammate Complete The Following For Time:
100 Push Ups
100 Air Squats
100 Lunge Steps (1 Step = 1 Rep)
100 Jumping Squats (45#)
*Break Up Exercises/Reps/Sets However You Want

Strength:
5 x 3
Snatch
3 x 5
OVHD Squat

Inspiration: “It is not the will to win, but the will to prepare that makes the difference” -Paul “Bear” Bryant

"Core" Training with the Bosu Ball

I always find it amusing when I see trainers make their clients do bicep curls or lateral raises on a bosu ball, or even worse, an upside down bosu ball because it works their "core." Core strength is defined as midline stability through functional movement. So as long as you have the capacity to maintain a rigid midline (core), then you are working your core. You do not need to do exercises on a bosu ball because it's not functional. Doing exercise on a bosu ball will only make you better at doing exercise while balancing on a bosu ball! Unfortunately, in life, we will never have to balance on a bosu ball ever outside of the gym! If you want better balance, let's say...for ice skating, well then the best plan of action is to ice skate and get better at it! Good balance on the bosu ball will not transfer to better balance on skates. Better balance on skates transfers to better balance on skates.

Furthermore, doing exercises on the bosu ball means that you won't be able to lift as much as you would on the ground. Therefore, your power output and work capacity are decreased because you are lifting less weight, which means doing less work. Remember, power=work/time or (force x distance)/time And we never want to compromise our power output for anything.

WOD:
6 Rounds For Time:
M: 40#DBs W: 20#DBs
6 Front Squats
6 Strict Press
6 Back Squats
6 Push Press

Endurance:
+ 5 Hours After WOD
Run 2 Miles
Max Effort