06 Mar 2014
CF Open Workout 14.2
I was hoping to track down this quote last week, before the Open registration closed.
Oh well.
Those who signed up have my respect, regardless of their Leaderboard finish.
Friday’s Workout:
CF Open WoD 14.2
Every 3 minutes for as long as possible complete:
From 0:00-3:00
2 rounds of:
10 overhead squats
10 chest-to-bar pull-ups
From 3:00-6:00
2 rounds of:
12 overhead squats
12 chest-to-bar pull-ups
From 6:00-9:00
2 rounds of:
14 overhead squats
14 chest-to-bar pull-ups
Etc., following same pattern until you fail to complete both rounds
MEN – includes Masters Men up to 54 years old
95-lb. overhead squats
Chest-to-bar pull-ups
WOMEN - includes Masters Women up to 54 years old
65-lb. overhead squats
Chest-to-bar pull-ups
Saturday’s Warm Up:
Coach Choice Dynamic Warm
Saturday’s Workout:
3 Way Wod
In teams of 3 complete…
135 abmat situps
135 Wallballs 20/14lbs
135 burpees
3000m Row
*One person working at a time until a single exercise is complete.
05 Mar 2014
Do you have Duck Feet?
Take a look at people around you… heck, take a look at yourself….
Do you walk like this?
Even a slight external rotation of the feet could affect your walking, your running, and your posture.
Kelly Starett talks about running and walking like a duck here:
Interesting, no?
How are you sitting right now?
How do you stand when you brush your teeth??
For those who don’t know, my mother is a pretty kick-ass physio (in Alberta unfortunately) and her big schtick is ‘Feet Straight’. Ask Patty sometime, she gets almost violent about it. 
Another interesting read on foot alignment is HERE.
Take a look at people around you today. Do the fit ones walk toes splayed, or do they seem to be more in-line? How about babies and little kids?
Food for thought…
Squad
w/u: 10min amrap of the following
20 glute bridges
10 wall angels
5 yoga push up
15 Russian K/B swings
Tech: take the time to work your deadlift up to a heavy 5 rep, then preform a 5 rep deadlifit emom for 10mins.
Workout: 7 min amrap
12kettlebell swings
20Double unders
Charlie
As some of you know I have been running a weakness-focused specialty program. Over the last 8 weeks 16 people have been working hard to improve their weaknesses.
I’ve decided to change the name of the program from Weakness 101 to Skill Development 101. Sunday night Cindy MacMillan came up to me with a petition.
“Tom, I petition that we change the name of the program from Weakness to Skill Development, this whole weakness thing is killing my mood”.
I liked it.
Its true, the initial name is a little misleading. Like I mentioned before with the launch of this program I feel that to have a long term commitment to CrossFit, or any training in general you must avoid injury, over training and work on becoming better at the things that are holding you back from even greater results. Also known as weaknesses. The point is not to practice weaknesses over and over but to use drills and tools to turn those once weaknesses into strengths, also know as skill development.
For anyone who wants work on serious skill development I am planning on running this program again April 9th-June 29th. If you have any questions ask some of the folks who are still in the program about their experience and how they feel it has helped them so far.
More details in the coming weeks.
Tom
Warmup: Running
800m run/rest 3mins
400m run/rest 3mins
800m run/ recover
Tech: Pistol development/ progressions
Workout: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1
V-snaps
Burpee pullups (on odd #’s only)
Alternating pistols (on even #’s only)
Charlie
03 Mar 2014
Recover like a Pro
The competitive season is upon us.
Many of us (you) have been training like a pro all year long, but few of us (you) have been recovering like a pro.
Outside of extra big helpings of good food, the mobilizing/stretching, the foam rolling, compression tights, massage, active recovery, and good sleep hygiene;
I want to give a few more recovery ideas for you to play with:
1. Epsom Salt Baths.
Magnesium is chronically low in most North American diets, and especially low in most athletes. An epsom salt bath gets Mg into the body through the skin, avoiding the digestive system (which is sometimes compromised in folks who walk around in a highly adrenalized/high cortisol state).
Mg helps reduce inflammation, and high blood pressure. It helps lower histamine, vascular spasms, estrogen, and blood clotting in the body. It regulates blood sugar, nerve function/transmission, and relaxes resting muscle tone,
These are all very good things for a Crossfitter. Especially before bedtime. If the bath is hot, sip a drink that contains a little sugar and some salt to keep the adrenalin down.
Start with 2-3 cups in your bath and tritrate up form there depending on how you feel 30min after bath, and how well you sleep.
2. Light Therapy
Bright light simulates the mitochondria in your cells to produce energy (ATP). Darkness and florescent light causes the mitochondria to slow energy production. This is a huge problem for athletes, especially in these winter months. When energy production is low, stress hormones like adrenalin are released to help meet demand. Walking around 24/7, all stress-hormoned up, is not great for performance or recovery. Anxiety, cravings, fatigue, and insomnia are common when adrenalin is chronically high. Chronically high cortisol cannibalizes muscle tissue.
Bad and Bad.
So a) take a beach vacation, b) go outside on the weekend, c) clip a Near Infra Red Light in your office or living room and get 20 min in with a lot of skin showing, or d) go with a 250w heat lamp (chicken light) from the HomeDepot and do the same thing.
3. Autogenic Training
Autogenic training is a progressive relaxation/medical meditation protocol. Adopted by NASA and the German and Russian National (athletic) Programs and backed by over 3000 studies.
These studies show A.T. measurably increases an athlete’s (or worker’s) physical and psychological resilience. Allowing them to tolerate increasing amounts of stress.
During this style of guided mediation, you’ll be focusing intently on your internal body maps, and your ability to self-regulate your nervous system.
Good and Good.
The easiest way to get started with Autogenic Training is to check out this article this video or to download an App from iTunes. Block off some time, and practice.
Recover intentionally.
A
Warmup: 6 min AMRAP
30 dowel dislocates
12 alt T-spine bridges
30 sec’s holding a goblet squat
30 sec’s handstand hold
Workout: O-H-S (10×10)
This will be the 1st of 4 Tuesday’s that we’ll touch on the (10×10) overhead squat. We’re looking for incremental progression each week so I suggest starting today at a moderate weight.
Charlie
the