Month: November 2014

WOD

“Kelly“

Five rounds for time of:
400M Run
30 Box Jump 24/20″
30 Wall Ball Shots 20/14lbs

35 Minute Time Cap

Workout notes: This classic CrossFit named workout is a longer duration metcon and sits outside of what we normally see.  Ideally for a workout like this you are working continuously and pushing the pace for yourself the whole time.  Scale the workout to 3 rounds if you see yourself falling off and losing all intensity because of the total volume.

Skill
E2MOM 14 Minutes
3 Power Clean & Jerk

Work up to a moderate load and then perform 3 Clean and Jerks every 2 minutes for 14 minutes.   Target a weight that is a bit heavier than you would use during a metcon but use this as technique practice.  Each lift does not need to be performed as “Touch and Go” but that is an option. Focus on catching the bar with your elbows up and in a partial squat.  Drive the bar up with your body and drop again into a partial squat to catch the bar.

WOD

For Time
30 Pull-Ups
30 Burpee Bar Hops
30 Power Cleans 135/95lbs

Workout Notes: This workout should fall somewhere in the sprint range.  Getting a large set of pull-ups out of the way from the get go is a good idea but just make sure you don’t go to failure.   Work through the burpees quickly as they represent the longest rep time of any of the movements.  The cleans are most likely going to feel harder when you are fatigued.  Move at a steady pace with singles or by performing sets with short rest.

Skill

Tabata Support Hold On Rings
Rest 1 Minute
Tabata L-Sit (Floor)

The skill work today involves two basic gymnastics movements that can be very challenging. Hold as much of each interval as you can in these positions.  With the support hold on the rings make sure your elbows are straight with your hands turned out.  You can scale up to a Muscle-Up with support hold as well as scaling down to the p-bars or a bench.  Holding the L-sit on the floor is scaled by leaning back and holding your torso well behind your hips.   Better L-sitters can move your hands forward to increase difficulty.

WOD

AMRAP in 8 Minutes

10 Deadlift 185/135lbs
5 Double Dumbbell Strict Press 45/30lbs

Workout notes: With deadlifts we always focus on the setup first.  Straighten your back and make sure your feet are under your hips.  Pick  the bar up with the legs and allow some bend in the knees as you start the lift.  Be sure to distribute the work evenly and don’t just lift with your low back.  The strict press will get hard fast so be sure to choose a weight you are fairly certain you can do at least few rounds unbroken.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
[odd] Toes-To-Bar
[even] Plank Hold

Use this time to work on improving your Toes-To-Bar by learning or refining your kip.   If you are new to the movement first work on bringing your knees to your chest and then extending the knee and pointing your toes at the bar.  Work on timing your swing so your body is behind the bar when you kick up.  Experienced athletes work on efficiency and speed by utilizing a smaller kip and actively pressing down with your shoulders.  Perform one sub-maximal set each round.  On the alternate minute perform :30-45 seconds a plank hold.  If you can hold the position for most of the minute that is fine but make sure it doesn’t knock you out of the skill work!

WOD

For time

10-8-6-4-2

Burpee Box Jump 24/20″
Squat Clean 155/105lbs

Workout notes:  This workout is relatively low in the total rep count but don’t discount the two movements! The Burpee with a high jump is way harder than a vanilla burpee or a burpee over the bar.  Heavy squat cleans will tax your legs so be careful with your box jumps after you do the barbell movement.  If you are having trouble figuring out the mechanics of the squat clean, don’t push it!  Perform a power clean and front squat for each rep. Setup and make sure your knees are out and you are squatting with your elbows up.

Skill 

EMOM for 10 Minutes
3 Hang Power Snatch

Work up to a light weight Hang Power Snatch and perform 3 repetitions every minute for 10 minutes.  Ideally you choose a weight that allows you to do all three reps in a row.  Be sure to drop under the bar and land in a partial squat for every rep.   Review the hook grip!  If you are not using the hook grip method you may have trouble holding onto the bar.  It may feel uncomfortable the first few times but just stick with it for all of your olympic lifts and you’ll never be limited by your grip for a lift!

WOD

AMRAP in 10 Minutes
5 Strict Pull-Up
10 Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
15 Ab Mat Sit-ups

Workout notes:  The strict pull-ups will get rough right away for most folks but if you are able do them stick to it even if you are dropping down and doing 1 rep at a time.    We saw Russian(eye level) style heavy swings two weeks ago.  For the smaller set size here you might try, “American” style swings if you can manage.  Keep in mind your grip will be taxed so swing the kettlebell only as high as you are comfortable.

Strength

Front Squat 8-5-3-2-2-2-2

Work up to a strong effort 2 rep front squat. Start light and increase the weight for each set. The focus here should be on keeping your torso upright and tracking your knees over your feet. If your chest and elbows are collapsing forward and unable to keep the elbows up and pointing out you may need to keep it light and work on the mechanics. Establish good form early and increase only if your movement is sound.

WOD

AMRAP in 12 Minutes
20 Push-Ups
30 Air Squats
200M Run

Workout notes: The strict push-up and bodyweight squat might sound easy but they present some strong challenges.  Performing high rep sets of push-ups can have you hitting a wall fast.  Stick with whatever scaling method you choose for the entire workout and break up the set when you need to.  The gold standard is plank with your chest and thighs hitting the ground and then reaching full extension without arching.  If you have been using the same scaling method for a while take this opportunity to try out a more difficult push-up method.  Maintain plank and avoid sagging, reaching or resting at the bottom.

[creativ_alertbox icon=”” colour=”red” custom_colour=””]Starting THIS MONDAY the 8am class will be moving to 7am! Come start your morning off right with our fab CFD Coaches! There will also now be Open Gym from 8-9:30 as well for those of you doing extra work! [/creativ_alertbox]

WOD

2x Through with 5 Minutes at each station.

Row For for Calories

then

AMRAP of

5 Burpee Box Jumps 24/20″
10 Bodyweight Lunge Steps

Workout notes: You will use a continuously running clock set for 20 minutes switching stations every 5 minutes working at each station twice.  Your score will be your total amount of calories rowed and your reps completed in the two 5 minute AMRAP’s.  The two 5 minute rowing intervals are not something we see often  so you might need to pace your row a little slower.  It’s a big chunk of time, make and effort start at a sustainable pace and pick it up in the second half rather than go out too strong and hit a wall.  It will be hard but look to  maintain a similar pace on your second time through the stations.

WOD

“Nancy“

5 Rounds for Time

400M Run
15 Overhead Squats 95/65lbs

Workout notes: This workout is another of the famous CrossFit benchmark “Girls” workouts.  The Overhead Squat requires a lot of mobility to pull off! You’ll to actively press the bar up overhead and keep your arms externally rotated.  The best overhead squatters have the range of motion in their joints to keep an almost vertical structure from arm all the way down to the feet. This means getting your hips low keeping your chest up.  If you don’t have the ROM now that’s okay! It doesn’t mean you can’t practice the movement.  Go as deep as you can into a squat with a weight you can keep supported overhead.  If OHS isn’t happening today substitute a front for back squat and start spending some time working on that ROM!