Fran and Proof that CrossFit Simply Works

Posted on September 2, 2012 by

I completed my fourth Fran today. Since the beginning of my CrossFit journey I kept records of every workout, lift and move. Both here for all to see and also in a journal (which is now finally being digitized on Beyond the Whiteboard).
I thought after my 6-month review that some improvements cannot get much better and then today proved me wrong. My Fran time dropped from over 13:15 minutes to 3:55 in a year. I wonder how many other sports can show similar results as a rule not as an exception. Facts should trump opinions. I also completed the 2000 burpee challenge….
Starting tomorrow a new challenge emerges… Hint: rings…
Benchmark WOD “Fran”
21-15-9 of
– thrusters 95#
– pullups
[3:55 Rx] a PR
Strength
Wendler Deadlift 5-5-5  [315+]
Cashout
200 burpees (2000 of 2000 done)

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What Mary teaches us about training

Posted on September 1, 2012 by

Benchmark WOD “Mary” is a great example of a triplet that has 3 moves, at least one of which will be challenging to most without proper practice. In my case it was the pistols (one-legged squats). Admittedly I don’t practice it enough – as opposed to handstand pushups that is an obvious dread until you master it. After which it is just a pushup, right? In my posts in the last two days I argued to schedule the weaknesses (goats) into daily skill sessions. I would schedule a tough WOD that tests one of those weaknesses at least once a week. Coach Burgener reminds us to always train with a goal in mind. In this case – train to never have to fret a movement in a WOD.
Took the kids to Dorney Park in Allentown today. No training angle there except the 2-mile hike from the parking lot… It would be great to have a proper obstacle course in one of these parks… I would sign the waiver, no problem.
Benchmark WOD “Mary”
AMRAP in 20 minutes:
– 5 handstand pushups
– 10 pistols
– 15 pullups
[10 rounds + 5 HSPU – pistols scaled]
Cashout
200 burpees [1,800 of 2,000]

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Do you really do CrossFit as prescribed?

Posted on August 31, 2012 by

A friend of mine asked me the question and actually it points beyond doing the workout with prescribed weight or time. Doing CrossFit may have us go back to Coach Glassman’s original 100 words describing elite fitness. Those words hang in many boxes, but do you ever think about them? I did. We could circle every week anything we are NOT doing as prescribed by those words… Like getting beyond the major lifts and learning the flips or the holds like the iron cross… How about the part about learning new sports? How many new sports have you learned last month or even last year? Like parkour, vault, badminton, archery or sailing? Or just nor eating sugar at all. Ever.
Forcing ourselves to work on weaknesses and learning new things is part of CrossFit as Rx. Not just the last PR on the lift or the box jump.

Recovery Day with 200 burpees. [at 1,600 of 2,000]

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Snatching the Moment

Posted on August 30, 2012 by

We can rarely reach our goals without proper planning. I do not think fitness is an exception. Many CrossFit athletes, me included, secretly hope their weaknesses do not get scheduled often on WODs. Our goats should stay in the barn? Not.
Certain aspects of our training needs to be scheduled and cannot be randomized.
This includes an individualized strength regime (Wendler, 5/5/5, something) and also mandatory work on the weaknesses. At least one a day. Every day. No exception. Oh, and mobility as well. Keep forgetting… By the way my 7-min max burpees improved by 50% since the CF Open.
Skill (Goals)
– Muscle-up  5 x 3
– Handstand Pushups 5 x 3
Strength
– Front Squat 5-5-5 [180+]
MetCon
3 rounds for time:
– 10 snatches 95#
– 20 pushups
– 30 box jumps
[10:45]
Cash Out
– Max burpees in 7 minutes
[110 vs 73 @ CF Open] standing at 1,400 of 2,000.

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A Better Hotel Gym

Posted on August 29, 2012 by

It rarely happens that I run into a good hotel gym, in fact I stayed at the Marriott Marquis a dozen times before I realized what they had to offer. I could not drop in the Black Box today because of an early meeting and was pleasantly surprised at the hotel. Beyond the gym’s massive size (by hotel standards), hidden behind dozens of treadmills there are some gems: not one but 2 regular pullup bars, a C2 rower and at least ten different sizes of kettle bells. I have only seen KBs once in a hotel in Palo Alto before. They did have the smith machine instead of regular barbells but we can’t have everything, can we. I had to wait with my cleans until the evening back home…
Strength
Wendler Clean 5-5-5 [130+]
MetCon (W+M)
Tabata Kettlebells [95]
then
Tabata Stationary Bike [max level]
Cashout
100 burpees [1300 of 2000]

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