Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Day 58: Rest Day

WOD
20 Minutes of Rowing For Maximum Distance

Strength
5x12 Behind the neck snatch grip press
5x50 Dubbs
5x12 Ring dips



The great thing about training for CrossFit is that there is always something that you can do on a "rest" day that is easy on the body. I have yet to have a day where I do absolutely ZERO physical activity in over 3 months. I don't know if its a good thing or a bad thing but I am seeing good results from this. Try it out. Rather than do nothing on a given rest day, try jogging or rowing for 20-30 minutes or something else that is relatively low intensity compared to the average WOD. I have noticed that it will help in my recovery much better than taking the day completely off. What do you think about rest days?



Monday, February 25, 2013

Day 56: "Peaking"



Strength
10 Minute Bear Complex:
Perform 1 squat clean + 1 Jerk + 1 Back Squat + 1 Jerk without dropping the bar until done with reps
Bar Weight=225#
*Do this every minute for 10 minutes. 

WOD
5 Minute AMRAP:
7 Box Jumps / 7 Chest to bar pull-ups

-Rest 2 minutes-

5 Minute AMRAP:
7 plate burpees (burpee ending with a jump on top of a plate)
7 Power Cleans @ 135#

-Rest 2 minutes-

5 Minute AMRAP:
7 Thrusters @ 135#
7 Toes to bar

-Rest 5 Minutes-

1 Mile Run




The open is just over a week away. For those of you who are signed up, how are you guys training? Are you guys increasing WORKLOAD? Or are you guys tapering off to be fresh and fully recovered for the open? Do you believe in "peaking" for the open? Do you believe there is such a thing as "peaking" in CrossFit? As for me, I am increasing my WORKLOAD going into the open so that I will be able to handle the WORKLOAD that the open has to offer. The CrossFit Open is all about WORKLOAD; about who can do more work in a given amount of time. So over the past 2 Months I have been dramatically increasing my WORKLOAD to be able to handle the WORKLOAD to come in the OPEN. Like I said before, the workouts I post on here are only about 50-75% of the actual WORKLOAD that I do. I do a lot of extra running, cycling, strength training, and accessory skill workouts. I guess you may be able to determine from what I wrote above that I do not believe in "peaking" in the Sport of Fitness/CrossFit. I will save my opinion as to why for a future post. 

As of now I want to ask you guys as to what you think about "Peaking" in the Sport of CrossFit. *If you do not know what I mean about "Peaking", then I don't want to hear from you (for obvious reasons). For those of you who know what I am talking about when I say "peaking"; I want to hear from you about your opinion.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Day 53: Answers and "The Planche"

AM WOD
Battle Rope 6 x 1 minute intervals
6 x 75 yard steep hill sprints w/ 1 minute rest

PM Strength
Overhead Squat 10-8-6-4-4

PM WOD
20 Minute AMRAP
8 Ring push-ups
8 box jumps
8 GHDs
8 Pistols









Responses by Coach Mike: How does CrossFit Help with Cardio? 
That's a great question Diego! By "Cardio" I'm assuming you are referring to your long running that you've been doing to prep for the Army Physical Testing that you will undergo in a few weeks. The whole idea behind "cardio", or the heart's efficiency to pump Oxygen-rich blood through the body, for most people, is to sustain an elevated heart rate ranging from 120-150 BPM(beats per minute) for a long duration, usually ranging between 30-60 minutes. This is a difficult task for most people because after doing a general lift session at LA Fitness, 120BPM can be out of most people's comfort zone, causing lots of stress on the heart who aren't used to it.
        At NoX, we do our strength sessions, which are "slightly different" than the average sessions done at LA Fitness, and then we do our WODs, which average between 10-15 minutes. The primary goal of our WOD portion is intensity. To become uncomfortable quickly, and to fight it out for the remaining time or until you complete your task. In a 10 minute WOD, your Heart rate will range from 150-200 BPM throughout a majority of the WOD while having to lift heavy weights, jump, crawl...etc, which is why sometimes you wonder why you're doing it and that you hate me. After 2 months of training like this, you have become more comfortable with being extremely uncomfortable , and so now when you do your 2-6 mile runs, never reaching more than probably 140BPM, which is well under your uncomfort level, and all you have to do is run without worrying about lifting, jumping, or counting reps...it becomes an easy task.

What does your nutrition consist of? 
As far as my diet goes, I don't follow any particular one. I don't have an eating schedule and I don't count my calories. I have a high volume training schedule, and with the little appetite that I have, I find myself force feeding myself so that I get enough to sustain my training without diminishing my muscle tissues. My breakfast usually includes 2-3 eggs, a slice of toast with peanut and jelly on it, sometimes oatmeal, and a protein shake if I have one. I'll snack on a fruit or walnuts during my training. Post training is probably my largest meal containing, mostly eggs, beef, vegetables, potatoes, bacon...etc. Yeah I love breakfast. And then often  I'll snack on ice cream, chocolate almond and fruit with peanut butter, putting me in a massive food coma. I try to earn my naps with a 2-3 hour training sesh and a 1500 calorie meal. I then force feed myself at around 530 before heading back to the box, which usually contains whatever is convenient around the house. I have a pretty simple diet but I make sure to take a multi vitamin to supplement any deficiencies from my diet alone. When I compete I don't change anything with my diet. If you train day to day with certain foods, then I don't see any reason to change it one day for a competition. On competition days I will eat a large breakfast with eggs, oatmeal, fruit...etc. and I'll make sure to sustain my energy with fruit and some cliff bars, and also some lean meat such as chicken breasts. Staying hydrated is important, using a combination of water and Carb drinks such as Gatorade and pedialyte. Everyone is different, and require various amounts of caloric intake, this works for me and may or may not work or you. Training is when you experiment with your diet, and put together a plan that works for you. 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Day 51: "Cardio"



Strength
10 Minute Ladder:
195# Bench Press / 205# Power Clean
As soon as the time starts do 1 Bench Press and 1 Power Clean. 
Then 2 Bench Presses and 2 Power Cleans
3 and 3
4 and 4
5 and 5
...etc until the 10 minutes are up

Skill
Perform 3 Ring Muscle Ups every minute for 20 Minutes
*first 10 minutes with 25# weight vest

WOD 1 (AM)
TABATA: 20 Seconds work, 10 seconds rest, 6 Minutes Total
Alternate between Air Squats and Ring Push-ups

WOD 2
15 Minute Run for Distance

WOD 3 (PM)
10 Minute AMRAP:
20 Kettle Bell Snatch w/ 50# Kettle Bell
3 Deficit Hand stand push-ups
20 Double Unders



What is "Cardio" and how does CrossFit help improve "cardio"? On yesterday's post I invited every to ask any question to have Coach Mike Answer. This is the first question that will be answered within a few days. Feel free to keep the questions coming. 
Email: anolympiancsuftrack@yahoo.com
*Subject: QUESTIONS 


Here is a Hint as to what the answer will entail: 
“The notion that holding a heart rate of 180 bpm for twenty minutes on a bike is good cardio whereas holding 180 bpm for twenty minutes in a circuit of weightlifting is of lesser cardiovascular value is widespread yet ludicrous.”





Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Day 50: Countdown




Ever have any thoughts and/or questions about CrossFit (or any elements of physical fitness training) and why we do some of the things we do or do not do in training? Every wonder what the benefits are of certain workouts and/or exercise movements? If so, here is your chance to pick the brain of an individual that has been training for athletic competition for over 17 years of his life (and he is only 24 years old!!).  This person knows from first hand experience what works and what does not. In addition, this person is also book and classroom educated in Kinesiology. This person is Coach Mike (my brother). Feel free ask any questions in the comment section of this blog or email any questions you may have and Coach Mike will answer in his opinion based on his substantial experience in physical fitness. If there are too many question to answer he will pick a common theme or pick a few of the best questions. So go ahead and ask your questions. 
*Email: anolympiancsuftrack@yahoo.com
*Subject: QUESTIONS
*Please indicate whether or not you will like to keep your name anonymous when Coach Mike creates his response to your question. 


Warm-up

1k Row
5 Burpess every minute for 10 Minutes

Strength WOD

3 Deadlifts @ 325 and 30 Double Unders
Perform the reps Every Minute, on the Minute, for 12 Minutes.
*Goal is to complete every round in 30 seconds so you have 30 seconds rest (1:1 work/rest)

-Rest 10-15 Minutes-


WOD

For time:
5 Bar Muscle Ups
15 Snatches @ 135#
25 Pull-ups
10 Snatches @ 155#
35 Toes to bar
5 Snatches @ 175#


Giving it my all to prep for the CrossFit Open! Balancing Law School, Coaching, Training, and everything else life has to offer is tough but not an excuse for poor performance. If something is an excuse for reaching a goal then maybe the goal was not really a goal. 


Monday, February 18, 2013

Day 49: Blur The Distinctions


"Blur the distinction between strength training and metabolic conditioning for the simple reason that nature's challenges are typically blind to such distinction."


WARM-UP
800m Run
Then, 10 burpees every minute for 5 minutes. 

Strength
3 Touch and Go squat cleans every minute for 17 Minutes @ 205#

-Rest 10 Minutes-

WOD
9 Minute AMRAP: 
15 Box Jumps @ 24" Box
12 Pullups
9 Strict press @95# 
*resort to push press once you can no longer strictly press the weight

-Straight into-
6 Minute AMRAP 
10 Wallballs (20#)
20 Double unders
*do not pace the 9 Minute AMRAP for the purposes of going strong through the 6 Minute AMRAP. Get out hard and just try and survive!


HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE STILL ALIVE IN THE BURPEE CHALLENGE? IT IS DAY 49 AND I WANT TO SEE WHO CAN LAST AT LEAST THIS LONG. IF YOU ARE NO LONGER IN THE CHALLENGE, WHY NOT? 49 DAYS IS TOO EASY TO NOT MAKE IT. HOWEVER ONCE YOU'RE OUT, YOU'RE OUT;  I HOPE YOU DON'T FAIL ON ALL OF YOUR OTHER GOALS AND RESOLUTIONS YOU SET FOR THE YEAR.  TIME TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT OUR GOALS... I ALREADY HAVE. 


Check out my team mate Genie's Blog For more great insight into the world of CrossFit from an Elite Crossfitter's perspective. Be sure to subscribe to her blog for fresh content on Diet and Nutrition, WODs, Philosophy, and anything inbetween. 






Saturday, February 16, 2013

Day 47: Results of our Practice


'No successful strength and conditioning program has anywhere ever been derived from scientific principles. Those claiming efficacy or legitimacy on the basis of theories they've either invented or corralled to explain their programming are guilty of fraud. Programming derives from clinical practice and can only be justified or legitimized by the results of that practice."
-Greg Glassman-

NoX Training: Legitimized by the results of our practice. 



Rich Froning: His training is Legitimized by his results

*Click Photos for full size