RX THE WOD

The Mental Game of CrossFit

Posted on October 17, 2012 by

There is little practical training in CrossFit on the mental game of the sport. Each coach will tell you that “success is all mental”, “don’t listen to the voice in your head” or the perennial favorite: “just suck it in”.
Mark Divine at SealFit may be the only one offering a structured program for CrossFitters to really teach you how to attain mental focus, visualization and calmness in the moment. I have to admit, when I started with their program I was quite skeptical that meditation, yoga and visualization will actually improve my game. Then my Fran time dropped in half as did some of my key benchmarks in September as witnessed on my blog. Is it all due to the mental prep? Probably not. But I no longer have butterflies during the 3-2-1 countdown and I am a lot more comfortable “sucking it in” especially when I get to rehearse the WOD in my head… Namaste!

SEALFIT DAILY
Warrior Yoga, Visualization, Hip Flexibility, Mental Focus Drills
STRENGTH
– DeadLift 5-5-5-3-2-2 (225, 275, 295, 315, 335)
ENDURANCE
– CFE Drills 8 x 400m
– 500m Row Sprint @ 1:35 then 40 double unders in 20 sec
METCON “31”
– 31 deadlifts 225lbs
– 31 burpees
– 31 kettlebell swings 40lbs
– 31 pull-ups
– 31 push-ups
[11:24]

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Tabata Chipper

Posted on October 16, 2012 by

Endurance workouts are very important for stamina and particularly effective if performed at very high intensity. No leisurely jogging or cycling around town… For me, nothing beats tabatas. There is something uncanny about the 20 second work with half the rest. It is a mind hack and an effective one…
SEALFIT DAILY
Warrior Yoga, Hip mobility, Mental Focus Drills
ENDURANCE
– Tabata Double Unders [160]
– Tabata Row [850m]
METCON
– 10 snatches 95#
– 20 DB thrusters 45#
– 30 GHD sit-ups
– 40 push-ups
– 30 kettlebell swing 45#
– 20 air squats
– 10 push presses 45#
[7:30]
STRENGTH
– Clean 5 x 95, 115, 135, 155 lbs
– Clean Pulls 3 x 185, 235 lbs

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Death by Clean

Posted on October 15, 2012 by

The time has finally come when my 9-year old finally beat me in a WOD… She was in heaven and I will probably not hear the end of this… And I could not be happier seeing my girls falling for the sport I love.
SEALFIT DAILY
Warrior Yoga, Mental Focus Drills, Hip Mobility
STRENGTH
Bench Press 5 x 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200lbs
ENDURANCE
3 rounds for total distance:
– 2 minutes at each station with 10 sec to change over:
— row
— run
— indoor bike
[5,200m]
METCON “DEATH BY CLEAN”
Every minute on the minute 1,2,3,4….n Squat Cleans
Until you cannot complete round within minute…
[11 rounds + 11= 77 reps @ 105 lbs]

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Of CrossFit and Fall Festivals

Posted on October 14, 2012 by

Something irrevocably changed at fall family events. I remember just a year ago, explaining to friends and strangers what CF was over Halloween parties, fall festivals and Thanksgiving dinners. Mostly to blank stares and curious questions.

Not any more. This weekend I went to two events and almost everyone knew about the sport. Some had a friend in the local box, others remembered seeing a poster, some watched the Crossfit Games while stranded at an airport bar and a few tried it to relive their high school or college sports greatness…

Will we ever come to a point when friends have tailgating parties prior to local throwdowns or your buddies coming over to your house for a Helen or a Fran?
That may be a while…

Found on CrossFit Merge…

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Cold Park WOD

Posted on October 13, 2012 by

Ridley Park was colder than usual which is a sign of what winter workouts will be like. Fortunately doing bench presses suspended on a elevated bench with fair amount of running tends to fix shivering…
It was great watching Team USA win the first CrossFit Invitational from London. It also reminded me that I should work harder to get comfortable with the 185lb range for cleans, thrusters and snatches. And soon…

SEALFIT DAILY
Warrior Yoga, Mental Focus Drill
STRENGTH
Snatch 5 x 45, 65, 75, 85, 95, 105 lbs
ENDURANCE
CFE Drills 2 x 800, 400, 200, 100, 50m
METCON
3 rounds
– 15 GHD bench press 45lbs
– 25 back extensions
– 800m run
[14:16]