Just a quick note about today’s training.
It’s 5-3-1 week (week 3) of cycle 1. Today was deadlifts, and I finished out at 285, and got 5 reps. My shoulder was 100% in the game, and pain free. As if I never hurt it. So, when that feeling exists in all my lifts, I know I’m back.
I didn’t get in a metcon today. Thinking about 2 tomorrow if I can fit one in at lunch. We’ll see. Helen anyone?
Full 720p HD download of the Beginner’s Guide to CrossFit – Episode One – Introduction.
This is the first part in a series covering a broad cross-section of common questions, pitfalls and mistakes for new CrossFitters.
DOWNLOAD FILE (.wmv | 389 MB)
Tanya Wagner, 2009 CrossFit Games Champion. Strong, quick and fast personified.
Good day. Wanted to get some posts on my training, and add some thoughts about conditioning. Started week 3 of the 5-3-1 program today. Last week, week two, was sets of 3, as you can see at the end of my post. Today’s Metcon:
5 Rounds for time
Run 400m
25 Kettlebell swings, 44#
Time: 19:28 – If I didn’t break 20:00, I would whip myself 10 times for not scaling. So if you do my WOD today, and you don’t break 20:00, you should have scaled. More on scaling coming soon.
These mediocre numbers show the loss of capacity during my shoulder injury. It’s amazing what the loss of use of one body part can do to the whole machine. My dead and squat numbers were stagnant over 6-9 months, while my shoulder strength (as seen in pressing and bench) plummeted. But, I’m on the mend now, and working back to something that resembles a marginal athlete. I’m a living lesson of what NOT to do. Look for more info on this during my upcoming video series, “The Beginner’s Guide to CrossFit.”
This brings me to my thoughts on conditioning, as they are similar to the “whole machine” I just mentioned. As CrossFitters, we fight the battle of “fitness” as defined by the world, every day. Our fitness is broad and inclusive. Our conditioning is across time and modal domains. We’re strong and fast, under heavy load and light. We move our bodyweight, and we move barbells. We run, we sprint, we jump and we squat. We do not rely on one aerobic exercise (like running, or biking) to define our conditioning, let alone our total fitness level.
So, if you’re new to CrossFit, or just finding your way onto my blog, take in context what you’re seeing. You’re seeing world-class fitness programming that will give you a broad, general and inclusive fitness that will make you better at whatever it is you like to do. Be it running, biking, lifting, swimming or wrestling. Don’t get hooked on the long-slow-distance snake oil any longer. Road work is only a piece of the puzzle. And it’s not even a corner piece.
My strength training last week:
DAY 1 Press 112.5
Reps Weight
3 78.75 70%
3 90 80%
3+ 101.25 90% – 8 reps
DAY 2 Deadlift 301.5
Reps Weight
3 211.05 70%
3 241.2 80%
3+ 271.35 90% – 5 reps
DAY 3 Bench 139.5
Reps Weight
3 97.65 70%
3 111.6 80%
3+ 125.55 90% – 9 reps
DAY 4 Squat 225
Reps Weight
3 157.5 70%
3 180 80%
3+ 202.5 90% – 6 reps
I cringe most of the time when I’m asked that question…”how much does it cost?” I know it’s shocking at first, and there are many boxes who charge twice and three times what I do, and I still think I’m “too expensive”.
Let me back up a bit. I don’t really think I’m too expensive. I think I’m perceived as too expensive. What’s too expensive is a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet that leads to countless ailments. That crap is expensive. Add up your medical bills this year. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
And not just what you pay out of pocket, but all those statements you get from your insurance company too. Remember to include cold medicines, upset stomach relief, expensive acne treatments, and over-priced “health foods”.
The masses (that’s you) pour their cash, and the cash of others (that’s me), into bottomless pits; searching for immediate relief of what ails them, and a quick burst of “glee”. None of which is lasting, or credible.
CrossFit, and the nutritional advice we espouse, will lower these costs drastically. Over the near term, you will be challenged, exhausted, elated, and hopeful. Over the long term, you’ll be healthier by being stronger, leaner and faster. Your immune system will boosted by hormonal balance and optimum nutrient intake.
Additionally, think of the lowered costs of your family’s health care by the positive example you begin to be to them. Two parents who CrossFit, and eat Paleo, will in-turn hopefully feed their children the same way, and encourage them to stay active as well. What better gift are you giving your children than a healthy, long, active life?
In a world that is bent on selling you the quick fix, and the quick fix for your quick fix that didn’t fix anything quick…. why not try the alternative? Why not try working for something, instead of buying something? Let’s earn our health! We may all set goals for our max deadlift or 5K run times, but the real reward isn’t in achieving that goal, it’s the ability to set another goal after that, and another after that. Longevity.
Yeah, CrossFit is expensive. But the alternative should be unacceptable.
<RANT MODE ON>
I submit this article for your review, please read before continuing. I’ll wait patiently….
http://www.aolnews.com/sports/article/….
This, my friends, is not only stupid, it is negligent. Disgusting. Oh, and totally avoidable.
The “weird” condition they are talking about is Rhabdomyolysis. From wikipedia, Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown (lysis) of skeletal muscle (rhabdomyo) due to injury to muscle tissue. The muscle damage may be caused by physical (e.g., crush injury), chemical, or biological factors. The destruction of the muscle leads to the release of the breakdown products of damaged muscle cells into the bloodstream; some of these, such as myoglobin (a protein), are harmful to the kidney and may lead to acute kidney failure. Treatment is with intravenous fluids, and dialysis or hemofiltration if necessary.
Does this sound like something your kids’ coach knows about? This is a very real danger during high-intensity exercise, repetitive movements, especially concentric and eccentric muscle contractions repeated ad nauseum. Think push/pull. Two-a-days for football in the searing heat will cause fatigue and dehydration, and the chances of muscles breaking down go up. Add to that an inexperienced coach, kids that most-likely sat on their butts all summer playing Call of Duty or texting their girlfriends. Certainly, this is an extreme case, but nevertheless, the ridiculous amount of “conditioning” youth sports teams put their kids through is mind-boggling, and frankly, dangerous. What are you conditioning them for? They’re not going to war, people, they’re playing a game.
Non-sport-specific conditioning is something I dabble in a bit, and over the past two years I’ve had 16 different teens come through my doors, spend on average 3 hours a week doing CrossFit and CrossFit Kids workouts, and weightlifting. All of them know the difference now between good conditioning and torture. All of them have heard me talk about “rhabdo”. Teens are easily over-worked. Their bodies change overnight sometimes. Their muscles don’t grow as fast as their bones, and they can be easily stretched to the limit. I’ll listen to an athlete complain about me limiting their weight/rep scheme for days rather than one sentence from a parent; “my kid is in the hospital.”
Functional movements, strength training, explosive movements with weight, short interval sprinting, jumping, couplet and triplet metcons; these are the things that create athletes. Multiple laps around the track followed by pushups and situps do not. Wonder why your team has more injuries than touchdowns? Poor conditioning. Wonder why your smallest soccer player is the strongest on and off the ball? Great conditioning. Why can your lineman weigh 20 lbs. less than his opponent, and yet push him back 10 yards? Powerful movements with weights! aka Great Conditioning!!!
If I seem a bit peeved, it’s because I am. I don’t have the time or personal finances to quit my job, and volunteer to train everyone year-round. Trust me, I would do it in a heartbeat. (if you’ve got a pile of money sitting around…. hit me up) I believe every coach’s biggest fear should be that we will fail our athletes, that they will get injured or otherwise fail in performance because of our neglect. That falls 100% on our shoulders when we carry the name “coach”.
I experienced this fear first-hand last week. One of my top athletes was down for the count. A stomach bug bit her hard and she was sick for a week. Still, when she went to the doc for an IV and blood tests, all I could think about was that I over-trained her and somehow this was my fault. Logical reasoning tells me that was not the case, but it doesn’t tame the fear one bit. It keeps me on my toes, and keeps me from losing sight of what is really important.
Some of the useless tubs of lard out there who carry this “coach” sign around your fat neck next to your spit-filled whistle should wake up and put the kids first and your lost high school years behind you. The coaches in the article above should be ashamed of themselves. I don’t care why it happened, because it should NEVER happen.
<RANT MODE OFF>
Yes, I’m still looking for a good name for my blog. So until I get some decent input, it’s going to get silly up in here.
Yesterday was the last day of week 1, cycle 1, on the 5-3-1 for me. Did bench press, and conservatively picked a max of 155#. I have no idea what my real max is post-surgery, and honestly don’t want to find out right now. I was happy to move some more weight around, and today be able to keep my arm in the typing position without pain. I think this surgery thing might catch on, it works.
Anyway, after a quick warmup, I went through 5 reps at 90 and 105, and 120 for 10 reps. I could definitely feel the weakness and instability in my left shoulder on this movement. I’ll be doing some more TGUs, etc. to keep the re-hab moving along.
Afterward, I joined Marissa and Melissa in a little ditty; 25-20-15-10-5 of burpees, box jumps (24″) and situps. It was a scaled version of the mainsite WOD, about 103F in the garage, and just plain sucked. Took me 17:38 and I was dripping, like a faucet, with sweat. The burpees were fine, though, considering that is where I placed most of my shoulder-worry.
Today, assuming I feel no ill-effects from the bench pressing as the day goes on, I plan on starting week 2, with presses. However, I’ll put it off a day if any DOMS shows up later. So far so good. The metcon I have programmed for the garage has high-rep 95# snatches, so if I don’t do the 5-3-1 reps today, I’ll hit that metcon. Otherwise I’ll probably do some sprints, or something along those lines after pressing.
Third pull punks! Yes, my arms are bent, I'm on the way down.
Back in the day, like early 2008, I used to keep a daily blog of my CrossFit adventures. That blog lead into all this CrossFit California City mess you see around you.
As my shoulder heals, and gets stronger, and I continue to train, I’m finding it necessary to start blogging again. Not only for myself, but for my athletes who at the very least look to me to lead by example. I don’t wish for them to idolize me, far from it. I want them to see tangible proof that I believe what I tell them. You know, walk-the-walk. I also log all my workouts on Beyond the White Board, that is when I remember to. I’m trying to make it a habit again.
So, starting today, my blog is back. How often will I blog? Who knows. Will it be worth your time? Who knows. Regardless, it will be here, and I hope I can entertain, inspire, or otherwise boggle your mind with my athletic prowess. That there is called sarcasm, if you’re new to my blog, get used to sarcasm.
Workout Notes:
I started Wendler’s 5-3-1 program last week, and still have one more exercise to do if I’m going to call week one “complete”. I setup a 4-day week, with press, deadlift, backsquat and bench press as the movements. The goal is to use 5-3-1 to slowly (and safely) regain and increase my strength as my shoulder completely heals. In addition, I want to lay the groundwork for a more aggressive strength program after 3 cycles of 5-3-1. More to come on that later.
Week one had me using the following numbers as my 1RM:
Press 118#
Deadlift 335#
Backsquat 250#
Bench press TBD
If you know 5-3-1, then you know week one is 3 sets of 5 reps, at 65%, 75%, and 85%. The third set is 5+, so however many you can get.
Press was 70#, 81# and 92#, and got 7 reps at 90. You don’t know how good it felt to press with any weight, pain-free, and feeling strong.
Deadlift was 195#, 226#, and 256#, and I got 7 reps at 256 as well. This felt good, and my grip was the limiting factor on that set of 7. My fault totally, could’ve got 8 or 9 I think.
Backsquat; I’m using 250, even though my 1RM is 270, because I’m just not feeling strong enough yet. I neglected to keep the backsquat strong during my shoulder down-time because of the pain of getting into position. I could’ve modified, sure, but like an ass, I didn’t and just didn’t backsquat. I was the one-armed metcon king. So, I knocked by the 1RM number to 250 to regain some of that capacity. Week one started with 146#, 168# and 191#. I got 9 at 191.
I’ll get the bench press done tonight.
During the next three months of 5-3-1, I also want to hit 3-4 metcons a week. I got in three last week, plus some weighted pullups and a max effort mile (7:38…bleck)
So, welcome (back) to my blog. Please feel free to comment. Oh, and I’ll need a name for this blog…. help a brother out.
The Big Picture
By Bob Guere
I’ve rambled much over my two and a half CrossFit-years about big picture stuff. I’ve talked about why I CrossFit, what this community means to me, how important I think our role in the community is, and how vital our impact on youth fitness will be. This has been a very busy summer for me; the garage box is as full as it’s been in the short time since I began training. One thing that has been solidified in my goals as a trainer is the “big picture” implications of my deeds. I’m a big picture guy.
I try to be a giver. I regularly look for ways to help my athletes, to give them what they need to be better CrossFitters, better athletes, and in the end, better people. I don’t train for me. I train for them. I don’t read the CrossFit Journal every day for me, I do it for them. Every time one of my teens call me “Coach Bob”, I remember these things, and the summer of 2010 will be the year I remember how this all started.
Outside of one article that boldly described the “Righteousness of CrossFit”, I don’t often fold my personal religious beliefs into my CrossFit coaching out of respect for everyone’s right to believe what they wish. I don’t hide it, nor am I ashamed. However, one of my duties as a Christian is to give lovingly, selflessly, not in search of return, but trusting that my gifts will be used righteously for the good of others. In turn, I am blessed with the fruits of my labor. More than any quest for gain can ever return, I am regularly filled with the joy of a Husband, a Father, and a Coach.
As a Coach, I don’t give to my athletes for personal gain, but for the betterment of their performance. My teen summer camp this year has returned to me more than I feel I could have given. Including my wonderful daughter, my group of sixteen teens has impressed me with their ability to strive for perfection in the face of sheer exhaustion, their quest for knowledge, and their willingness to trust their coach. How anyone can underestimate a child is beyond me. I’ve seen first-hand the breaking of barriers; kids taking that next step that they thought they couldn’t take. Do they know what that does for me? Does it matter? To me it does not. I don’t do it for me, and I don’t want them to do it for me either. I don’t even know why they trust me? I’m just a CrossFit Coach; a friend to many of them, a stranger to some before camp. I take my small role in their lives very seriously.
Herein lies the big picture for me, and I will submit, for all coaches. When we see the light bulb, all our efforts have been worth it. The hundreds of hours, countless corrections, numerous failures, frustrations, and backward steps all shrink to nothing and become worthy of your sweat when you make the tiniest breakthrough with a young athlete. I believe CrossFit holds more of these moments than other sport-specific programs, because we demand so much from our athletes, in so many modalities.
Part of what keeps me going is the constant fear that I might fail them. All the moments of triumph will then pale in comparison to that one moment where I let them down. I know that moment is inevitable, because I am only human. But I quietly fear that moment more than anything. I don’t feel the same fear for my adult athletes, at least not the same level. I worry, but I don’t fear. With kids, there is genuine fear. Their parents have entrusted me with their safety, and ultimately with their health. CrossFit can be dangerous in the heat of intense movement. I hope and pray that the days without failure continue to click by, and the pile of triumphs continues to build.
In two weeks, my teen athletes will embark on a task that I have feared from the beginning might be too much. Outwardly, I have told everyone, “They will be ready!”, but inside, I wondered if I have failed in preparing them. I do not fear that their effort will be too small, or that their drive to perform will be inadequate. I fear the shortcomings of their coach. I have asked them to run 100 kilometers, as a team, to raise money for The Disposable Heroes Project. They will all share the load, each running what they can to help the team accumulate the 62 miles of the course. Realistically, they will be fine. To ask a teen CrossFitter to run 5 or 6 miles over the course of 12 hours isn’t asking much. I can’t say the same for most teens, by the way. But the event is nonetheless daunting, and I do not want to let them down. Knowing them as I do now, I know my fears are unfounded, and they should all be ashamed of me for thinking it. But I have grown to love these kids over the summer, and it will be the culmination of nine weeks of hard work and sacrifice on their part, and mine.
What did your kids do this summer? These kids did a ton. They gave up some good couch time to sweat. They gave up some of their favorite foods in favor of a diet that would help their performance and recovery. They worked through bumps and bruises, sprains and torn hands. And they keep coming back for more. What’s wrong with them? Nothing is wrong with them, because they have changed my world. The small part of my world that they occupy is changed forever. They are part of an effort to change the fitness and health of the world, and I hope that seed is planted firmly. They have raised money to support the men and women who defend our freedoms right up to the ultimate sacrifice. These are special kids.
As the end of the summer approaches, I can only hope one thing; that I have showed them the big picture. We are more than our actions; we are all part of a larger task. I hope that I have taught them that quitting is never an option. Slow down, throttle back, and then attack. But never quit. You can do more than you think, always.
The Righteousness of CrossFit
by Bob Guere, CrossFit California City
If you are a regular CrossFitter, and an active member of the the “CrossFit Community”, you might gain much simply from the title of this article. I’ve written much about the reasons I choose to be part of this community, and why I choose to use CrossFit to keep myself fit, but I’ve purposely stayed away from publicly voicing my ideas concerning the Righteousness and Godliness of CrossFit. Not because of shame, far from it, but out of respect. There comes a time, however, when it becomes clear that an opinion might just be a theory, and theories might be true. So, take this with a grain of salt, as it is just my theory and opinion based on my perceptions and observations, and is not intended to sway you one way or another. So save that commentary please.
CrossFit, as an organization, is largely libertarian in its views, at least from what is generally made public on www.crossfit.com. A stance I can appreciate, and on many issues, agree with. CrossFit, as a community, is a body of like-minded athletes and trainers, striving to make their lives healthier, their bodies fitter, and their impact on those around them more profound. The values we (the CrossFit community) hold dear are short in list. Care for others. Treat others like you want to be treated. Help whoever you can, whenever can. Don’t dwell on what you’ll get in return. Give lovingly and often. Applaud effort, rejoice in victory, cry with those who stumble. Unbridled selflessness. If you are a regular CrossFitter, you have embodied all these qualities, or have witnessed them first-hand.
Godliness is a term used to label traits and values that embody those of God Himself, or simply striving to embody those values. Righteousness is adherence to moral principles. Let’s put aside the belief in God for a moment, and just focus on the labels. If you live your life, day in and day out, striving to help others whenever you can, genuinely caring for those around you, giving selflessly time and again, then I dare say you are “Godly” in your actions, regardless of your beliefs. You are displaying the values that God Himself has challenged us to embrace, whether you know it or not. Likewise, if you hold these values dear as moral principles that guide your life, then you are “righteous” in your ways.
I have been on the receiving end of this selfless giving since I first joined the CrossFit Community early in 2008. From the very first conversations I had with CrossFitters to my Level 1 certification, to the recent overwhelming generosity by CrossFit friends; I have grown to fully appreciate this community. I started CrossFit like many, reading the website and message boards, failing miserably at home, learning on my own. I blogged regularly and made a number of e-friends. I was contacted by Lisa Lugo, who said she loved my blog, but since I was using the “CrossFit” name in the blog name, it was time to get legal or shut it down. Fair enough, I totally understood the position. She continued by offering to comp my Level 1, which then lead to my affiliation. It was generosity from the get-go that brought me in. Cynics will say that was the carrot to lead the horse (me) into affiliation, yada yada. No, that’s not how CFHQ operates; it’s not the Glassman’s modus operandi, and it’s not how I perceived it. It was the continuation of the gift of CrossFit that started when the Glassman’s first posted a WOD for the world to see. The generosity continued as I ventured into the CF Kids world, and I could write for days about the selflessness of the Martin’s at CrossFit Brand X. But, instead I’ll challenge you to get your behind to Brand X and take the CF Kids cert, you’ll learn for yourself.
Most recently, I was holding an essay contest, the winner of which would receive a full sponsorship to my teen summer camp. This is my second year holding the camp, and it’s a general teen CrossFit camp, designed to teach fundamental fitness to kids, and to prepare them for the fall school sport season. I asked a few trainers and CrossFitters to read the essays, and help me pick an un-biased winner. There were four entries. Nobody picked a winner. Instead, they offered up sponsorships so all four could attend the camp. Selfless giving.
Nothing we do is more important than our service to kids. We are given the vast responsibility and opportunity to impact their lives at the very core. By teaching children how to be fit, and be good to each other, and to take those habits into adulthood, we are giving them a gift far greater than we can imagine. Coaching has been said to have a larger impact on a young man than his father. While I wish parents were always the prominent player, that is just not the case today’s world. Many young men and women look to their coaches for advice and guidance instead of to their parents. Our response to this call is more than important, it’s vital. If we choose to bear that load, we better be righteous in our actions. We’ll need the help.
Therefore, we give without any expectation of return. If we ask anything, it’s that you take what we give (knowledge) and pass it on. If CrossFit has helped you, then tell someone about it. In my mind, as a believer in God, this goes to the core of Godliness. Love unconditionally. Share good with others, help those who need help. We eat well, live well, and eliminate many of life’s contaminates as a rule. We celebrate victories and cry together when we stumble. In return, our giving is multiplied back to us. Ask a CF Kids trainer if the reward of a successful squat isn’t reward enough. I doubt they’ll disagree. (See my article on CrossFit Kids at The Arnold)
I don’t necessarily have a hard list, mental or otherwise, of tenets that I live by. I live by principle. But if such a list were to exist, on it would be; “not believing there is God doesn’t mean He doesn’t exist, it only means you might be wrong.” I am a strong supporter of a person’s right (and responsibility) to choose freely of himself, what he believes. However, if you want to enjoy that right, I require you to respect my right to do the same. I believe the good in people, CrossFitter and otherwise, comes from God. I know many of you believe you are the source of your entire destiny, and make and break your own goodness, but I respectfully disagree, while supporting your choice to believe as such. I think God uses believers and non-believers because good is good. I think CrossFit, and the movement in the recent years to drag our society out of the pits of unhealthy lifestyle-induced sickness, is righteous in purpose, even if not only practice.
This is not exclusive to CrossFit, of course. I’ve met many trainers who are doing the same thing, day in and day out. And this is not to say all CrossFitters fit the bill. I’ve met some real selfish folks, forgetful of the big picture really and hurtful in their actions and words. The spirit of competition we garner at the CrossFit Games brings out the extreme in both, yet I still hold on to the good. There is good in everybody, CrossFit can bring it out. Sure, we cuss too much and make a lot of snatch jokes, but we get the big things right. Keep it up, our work is not yet finished.
I have great news for all the Essay Contest entries. They were all so good, so honest.
I had decided to give out two scholarships, the original one from Rich Hodgson and one from us at CrossFit California City. In the very moments I was deciding this, two CrossFit Kids affilates have offered to sponsor two more athletes. The result? All four essay contest entries will receive a scholarship. How cool is that? I will let the individual winners know who sponsored them soon.
I want to thank CrossFit Kids Headquarters and CrossFit On The Move for their scholarships. This is what the CrossFit Affiliate Community is all about, people. Kids, let this be lesson #1. Generosity pays back triple-fold! It’s going to be a great summer!
