Slow Days

Posted on January 27, 2012 by RX

The great news is that ever since I started CrossFit/Paleo I haven’t been sick, haven’t had the cold or flu. I do have days though when the barbell feels extra heavy, the rings just don’t want to play along and the speed rope, well, isn’t speedy. Today was one of those days. I thought I could reduce the weights but that always feels like cheating… Luckily I found the Crossfit Games 2011 WOD 6 where I could do full weights but a bit slower than full-out and still get an awesome kick.

Skills Practice
- Muscleups, Double Unders, Handstand Pushups

WOD – CrossFit Games 11.6
As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes:
- 3 Thrusters (100lb) and 3 chest to bar pullups
- 6 thrusters and 6 chest to bar pullups
- 9 thrusters and 9 chest to bar pullups
….
SCORE:  9 thrusters / 9 Chest to Bar + 8 thrusters

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Jonesworthy

Posted on January 26, 2012 by RX

Digging around in the old CF archives I found a neat benchmark workout called Jonesworthy named after Gym Jones which by the looks of it a tough gym for firebreathers… My January travel downtime is coming to an end soon and I’m looking forward to visiting some boxes in Asia and Hawaii. In fact, the first WOD in the CF Open will be at Crossfit Upcountry in Maui. I can’t wait…

Strength
Wendlers 5 – Overhead Squat
Wendlers 5 – Shoulder Press

WOD ”Jonesworthy” 
6 rounds for time:
- Squat: 80-64-50-32-16-8
- Kettlebell swings: 40-32-25-16-8-4
- Pullups: 20-16-12-8-4-2

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CrossFit Life Lesson 9 – Be a Participant

Posted on January 25, 2012 by RX

A hundred million Americans are spectators of various sports yet a fraction of us are active in sports. Especially after the college years. This is astonishing considering how much more time it takes to watch a football game than to play one in the backyard or to hit the gym.

Some argue that any activity that provides connection with others, variety and significance becomes addictive. Like when your team finally makes it to the Superball. Celebrating with fellow fans, watching the highlights over and over and feeling like we rule the world…. . Certainly more so than the average gym experience where most don’t have fun, have little variety and don’t really have quality connections with others.

Another reason why CrossFit is so addictive for some is that it makes us feel important, we’re constantly growing, it’s a very connected community and there is a ton of variety. Maybe it has a real chance to turn more spectators into participants…

Rest day today…

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Balancing Rest and Improvement

Posted on January 24, 2012 by RX

How much should I rest between workout days? This may be one of the most important questions to consistently improve performance – yet this one is not clearly prescribed. Crossfit recommends a 3-day on 1-day off regimen with variations like 2 on 1 off or 5 on 2 off to match the work week. Mark Sisson of Primal Diet fame works out 5 days with 2 recreational days. Most gyms support a 3-days a week membership program (that makes it 3 on 4 off). And some firebreathers do multiple WODs a day…

We’re supposed to listen to our bodies – which is easier said than done. Most days our bodies are beaten up from the WODs and cannot be trusted for sound advice. Also, we’re supposed to challenge our bodies with demanding programming. Plus there are so many things to get better at, it seems like wasting a WOD is a crime…

I tested multiple schemes and 3-days-on/1-day-off seems to work best. I like adding stretches of 5-7 days sometime when I do WODs every day or even double-WOD it. A good 24-36-hour recovery period seems enough most of the time since we’re not training to muscle failure and rarely stress the same movement 2-3 days in a row.

I think programming rest days is as important as programming a WOD. I force myself to take the 3rd day off even if I feel fine. Also, I’m not quitting on day 2 unless I have an injury.

WOD
10 rounds for time following this pattern:
1 clean, 1 front squat, 1 burpee
1 clean, 2 front squats, 2 burpees
. . .
1 clean, 10 front squats, 10 burpees
TIME: 13:59 @ 115 lbs

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On Lifting

Posted on January 23, 2012 by RX

Sooner or later many of us realize that technique can fix muscle ups, pull-ups, ropeclimbing or handstands. Endurance helps with the runs, rows and jumps. Eventually though we all have to pack on raw strength and it will come from lifting. A lot of lifting. Adding Wendler’s 5/3/1 to my daily WODs helped a ton in getting closer to RX weight in many WODs and certainly may prove crucial for my first time attempt at the Open. Heavy weight will be an eliminator. I can clean 165. But can I clean 20 in row? I’m turning to 5/3/1 for that extra help.

WOD
10 rounds, 2 lifts every minute on the minute
Shoulder Press – for max 2-rep weight: 115

Skill
GHD Situps, Back Extension, Hip Extension

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