Month: February 2016

Strength

Front Squat

3-3-3-3-3

Today we’re working up to a strong effort 3 rep front squat.  With the front squat we want to focus on keeping the elbows up and point out and in turn the chest.  As with any kind of squatting you’ll want to practice keeping your knees out and tracking over your feet. Remember to release the grip on the bar a little bit in the front squat and load the bar onto your torso. That should help you keep your elbows and chest up. If you have a mobility problem holding you back from keeping your elbows up you can always try crossing your arms across the bar or modifying that in some way.

WOD

AMRAP in 8 Minutes
12 Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
24 Sit-Ups

Workout notes: 

Today’s workout involves two movements that compliment each other in that their recruitment chains are functionally the opposite.  With that in mind focus on continuously working for the entire 8 minutes by strategizing  your rest periods and moving at a sustainable pace early on.  Use this opportunity to attempt swinging a kettlebell that is a bit heavier than normal for you if you feel you are ready.  Scale by swinging them “Russian” style, going only to eye level.

WOD

Deadlift  5-5-5-5-5

Work up to a strong effort set of 5 deadlifts.  Start with a light weight and make sure that you have established a straight back and appropriate setup as you address the bar.  Be sure to maintain your posture as you progress though each set of five and as you increase in weight.

WOD

AMRAP in 8 Minutes
15 Push-Ups
15 Box Jumps 24/20″

Workout notes: As always the push-up can be one of the more difficult movements for newer CrossFitters.  Whatever scaling method you choose remember to perform the strictest push-up possible try to compensate by breaking at your midline. Push-ups tend to fall off fast so remember to break them up early!

WOD

for time
1 Mile Run
100 Wall Ball Shots 20/14 lb 10/9′

Workout notes: Our workout today is in the format of a chipper with two movements! You will start with a 1 mile run and finish with a set of 100 Wall Ball shots.  The run will consume a large part of your time, most likely nearly half of your workout so try to run at a good pace but not at max effort as you have a straight set of wall ball shots to tackle after the run! A good strategy for the wall ball shots is to hit a large set in the beginning and move to smaller sets after that.  Just try to keep the amount of time the ball is on the ground to a minimum!

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

8 Overhead Lunge Steps 95/65 lb
8 Burpees
8 Overhead Lunge Steps 95/65 lb
8 Chest-To-Bar Pull-Ups

or

8 Front Rack Lunge Steps 45/35 lb
8 Burpees
8 Front Rack Lunge Steps 45/35 lb
8 Jumping Pull-Ups

Workout notes: This workout is a slight remix of our latest CrossFit open workout!  Unfortunately we won’t be able to do walking lunges for distance as the Open competitors are.  Instead of walking lunges we will perform step back lunges in place.  If you are not performing the workout Rx attempt the suggested scaling alternative above. For jumping pull-ups use a bar that puts your arms at full extension.  Remember if you are participating in the open you CAN NOT do the workout during class time. You need an official judge so you need to do the workout during open gym or come in on Saturday at 10:30 and get signed up for a heat.

Strength

EMOM for 10 Minutes
1 Squat Snatch with Pause

Today we work on the squat snatch.  The movement is very difficult and requires a great deal of mobility. Warm up to a weight that is in the 60-70% range and work with that weight for for all ten repetitions.  Test the movement at a low weight to make sure you are using a weight that you can land into a deep squat with your feet flat and your chest up.  Adding the pause will increase the difficulty of the lift so be conservative! If the squat snatch isn’t happening today due to mobility issues work on a power movement but in addition work on some very light overhead squats with a PVC or empty barbell so you can get the feel for the movement.

WOD

5 Rounds for time
20 Kettlebell Hang Snatch 24/16 kg
50 Double Under
200M Run

Workout notes: Take some time to review the kettlebell snatch.  Usually the best method is to attempt rotating the kettlebell around your arm rather than just flipping it over your wrist. A good way to practice is to start with the kettlebell overhead and practice “unwinding” from the top to learn the motion.  This is NOT at AMRAP so there is no clock to save you if you are new to double unders! Scale the volume in each round to a number of repetitions you can complete in about a minute.

Sign Up at games.crossfit.com! Workout 16.1 will be released tomorrow! Don't miss out on an opportunity to be a part of the @crossfitdavis and @crossfit community! #Crossfit #open2016 #yesthatsarealdog #dontletwinstondown

A photo posted by CrossFit Davis (@crossfitdavis) on Feb 24, 2016 at 9:50am PST

Strength

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1

Work up to a heavy single deadlift.  Start with a light weight and make sure to have an appropriate setup as you address the bar. A proper setup includes the bar over your mid foot at the start of each rep, shoulders starting over and slightly in front of the bar, and most importantly a flat back throughout the lift.  Try to lift the bar in a vertical line because this shortens the distance the weight travels from floor to top of the lift and keeps the weight over your feet.  Be sure to maintain these good mechanics as you progress through each single at increasingly heavier weight.

WOD

5 rounds for reps with

1 minute on each station
Deadlifts 185/135 lb
Push-Ups
Strict Knees to Elbows

Workout notes: This workout will be scored as you would a workout in the format of “Fight Gone Bad”.  Count your total reps across all stations to arrive one big number as your total score.  There is no rest between stations so practice quick transitions between each round.  You can easily game this workout by going easy on the strict KTE but that is not the intent of this workout!  Attempt as many reps as possible during that minute just as you would any other movement.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
2 Power Snatch

Perform 2 Power Snatch every minute for a total of 10 rounds. The weight you choose should be in the  moderate effort range but consider this as primarily skill work. These can be “touch and go” or one at a time but do them in quick succession so you are looking at a heavy double. An appropriate weight would likely be 60% or less for newer lifters.  The pace will be fairly rapid if you are lifting every minute so for that reason go a little lighter than you might with more resting time in between sets.

Metcon

For time

21-15-9
Power Snatch 95/65lbs
Burpees
Front Squat 95/65lbs

Workout notes: You should have a good idea what an appropriate weight would be for you following the skill work today.  Your technique shouldn’t falter now that we are performing the workout for time.  Focus on driving the bar off of the ground with your hips staying low and catch the bar in a partial squat. Your snatch weight will most likely be the deciding factor when choosing a load if you are scaling. You should be able to tackle the first round in several sets rather than resorting to single repetitions.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes

1 Squat Clean

Work up to a moderate to strong effort squat clean.   Start by working through the movement with an empty bar bell and practice catching the bar with your elbows high and chest up.  As you get comfortable with the movement ride the bar down into the bottom of your squat and then stand up. After you have warmed up to a light to moderate weight perform 1 repetition every minute for 10 minutes. Increase only if you are successful with the mechanics of the lift and consistent with every repetition.

WOD

Tabata Sit-Ups
1 Minute Rest
Tabata Row (calories)
1 Minute Rest
Tabata Ring Dips

Workout notes: Today’s workout uses the Tabata interval. Usually the Tabata interval is scored by your lowest number of reps at each station but for this iteration we will score it by TOTAL reps. The interval is 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for 8 rounds. You will be working at each station for a total of 4 minutes with 1 minute rest to transition to the next movement.  Because we are scoring by total reps you can go a little harder initially but use the work rest timer as a guide so you don’t hit failure!

Here we go again! The 2016 CrossFit Open competition starts this Thursday with the announcement for workout 16.1! CrossFit Davis was exceptional last year qualifying two individuals and a team for the California Regional. We’re excited to see how much progress you have all made and can’t wait to share the open experience with our new members. Remember that the Open is truly Open to everyone! Scaled and age specific workouts are available alongside the announced workout.  We will be running workouts on Saturdays just like last year and would love to have all of our members be a part of it! Ask a coach if you have any questions and click on the following link to register and select CrossFit Davis as your affiliate.

Strength

Weighted Pull-Up
2-2-2-2-2

Perform 5 sets of 2 Pull-Ups and increase the weight across each set if possible.  Perform the pull-ups strict and without weight rather than kipping if you are not quite ready for weighted pull-ups.  If you do not have strict pull-ups yet perform 5 sets for max reps of supine ring rows.

WOD

For time

400M Run
50 Air Squats
30 Hang Power Clean 135/95 lb
50 Air Squats
400M Run

Workout notes: Spend some time reviewing the hang power clean and work up to the weight you will be using for the workout.  Use a load that isn’t so heavy you will have to do single cleans the whole time.  Note that if you scale the workout and go unbroken you may have gone a little too light but that is okay. Notch up the weight next time around!