turkish get up

MON 30/08/10
WOD 21,15,9 rep rounds for time of
45lb bar Turkish get ups + Scotts press


Today was a workout from crossfit HQ and it felt great to do a workout on the day i should. This was very demanding, on the TGU's i had to swap arms every rep and the right was fairly straight forward but the left was a different story altogether, i think i need to work on left shoulder stability and stamina.

The Turkish get up is an old time powerlifting training move where you must simultaneously hold an object in one hand, press it up (whilst laying on the floor), then get to your feet whilst holding the object overhead. The Scotts press is a shoulder press but you use a snatch width grip and complete the press whilst standing in the bottom hold of a squat, yes this is compoundily challenging after completing 21 turkish getups.

today i finished this workout in 21:37 and was just happy to have completed it as Rx'd.

I hope everyone has completed last nights homework and discovered the names of the back muscles involved in the deadlift; The Latissimus Dorsi and Trapezious. Remember these because i will refer to them from now on.

Homework for tonight will be to learn the Turkish Get up and Scotts press, look them up on www.crossfit.com or youtube and learn the form and technique.

Who hath not known ill fortune, never knew himself, or his own virtue.- Mallet

Functional

SUN 29/08/10
WOD Back squat 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Today is a catch up of a crossfit HQ workout from a few days ago, it seems like every workout is a catch up lately and when i am on holidays from TAFE it's gunna be on!!!

I chose this pic for today because its really important to understand what goes on during a complex move like the deadlift, because even though it is complex it is extremely fundamental and developing proper technique is crucial to not only improving performance in the gym but also in everyday life now and especially in the future.

Your extra gym activities now will include learning about the body and physiology (first task is find out what physiology is!)

I'll post homework every post, which should be everyday and i'll do my best to keep that up.

Today's homework is to learn the names of the 2 large muscles of the back. These are synergist's in the deadlift .

"The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense."
- Thomas A. Edison

spent

FRI 27/08/10
WOD "Fran" - 21, 15, 9 of 95lb thrusters
pullups

Today was a bit of a "train what feels good day", Andrew was at the box again and for his early testing he took on a scaled version of the great Crossfit benchmark, Fran.

I myself then felt compelled to have a stab at Fran and this time my form was near spot on (maybe one or two slightly shy pullups and not enough depth in the thrusters) but this workout i completed in 9:36, which is a whole minute faster than my previous attempt, YAY.

On that note i would like to talk about safety, when attempting a workout is is important to consider 3 things
1: choose weight and reps that will allow you to complete the workout without hurting any muscle, ligament or tendon.
2: Research before you try a new move, practice it with light weight and outside of a timed WOD to ensure you know what you are doing is not going to damage any structure within you.
3: Warm up properly by completing this warmup every time you are going to train or even stretch
2 rounds;
10 pushups
10 situps
10 overhead squats with pvc or broomstick
10 lunging steps
10 pullups
10-15 sec of the "samson stretch"
(samson stretch is a lunge with the fingers interlaced overhead, palms toward the sky and chest out pushing as deep and high as possible.)

So until next time good luck and remember to love the pain(as long as it's the right type.. hehe)

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."
- Abraham Lincoln

mobility

WED 25-08-10
WOD 400m walking lunge for time

Tonights WOD was from the crossfit main site a few days ago and although i didn't actually participate i think this workout is a great addition to the program because it it a break for the cardiovascular system and focuses on balance, agility and co-ordination as apposed to speed, strength, power and endurance.

I would also tonight love to recommend a new website by the one and only Kelly Starrett, he has started a new blog that is of very similar setup to this website (his is better in every detail) but follows a daily entry with a WOD to do, His WODs are based solely on mobility and for just about every one of you out there this is an issue in your training, and here is the solution; Daily WOD to help improve all areas of mobility like tendon, ligament tightness, muscular inflexibility, pain and soreness

so i will add a link to his site on the blog and please let me know what you think, also let him know!

"And for crying out loud. Don't go into the pain cave. I can't stress this enough. Your Totem Animal won't be in there to help you. You'll be on your own. The Pain Cave is for cowards.

Pain is your companion, don't go hide from it". - Kelly Starrett.

Stabilise- to the max

MON 23/08/10
WOD: "Elizabeth"
21, 15, 9 rep rounds of Clean 60kg
Ring dips

Today i had the pleasure of Andrew accompany me in the box, i taught him a few of the crossfit fundamentals, assessed his present form and the scaled and completed a workout with him. Today i performed Elizabeth as Rx'd and made it in 8:36 and felt amazing.

My post today is about pain, working with it, past it and enjoying it. Weather you are riding 100km, doing 100 pullups, or completing a WOD if you are trying as you should be you encounter some pain, learning to love the pain is crucial to improving because if you simply train up to your pain threshold every time you will only get as fit as that limit will let you, there will be no reason to get fitter. By asking more of your body, weather that is more weight, more reps, better form, longer holds, higher jumps or faster times all this is related to pain. If you can learn to get past the initial onset of pain then you can demand that your body gets better.

And once again i would like to reiterate form, please take time next workout to ensure you are performing each rep as it should be done, no slacking off; open up your hips on a box jump, get parallel on your squats, get under the bar fully in the clean.

“The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides the champion from someone else who is not a champion. That's what most people lack, having the guts to go on and just say they'll go through the pain no matter what happens.” - Arnold Schwarzenegger

improvise

16/08/10 MON
WOD: Weighted pullups 1,1,1,1,1,1

In today's workout from crossfit HQ, i had to perform 6 sets of max load weighted chinups, I've never tried these, the only thing close was weighted dips using a towel and dumbbell. I looked at the height of my chinup bar ( just out of jumping range even with a run up) and knew i would have to think hard to make this work.

I started by getting as much chain as i could, i joined a larger one to a smaller one and found the perfect length so i could hang off the bar with no slack on the chain, attached to the weight below. As you can hopefully see( sorry bout picture quality i promise ill start using the real camera soon) i used the bumpers as i felt if i jumped down to quick i could do some damage. I twisted an old bucket handle wire into a circle and fed this onto the chain so it didn't pull back through and attached the other end to a standard weight belt.

After a light warmup and about 3 sets of 6 dead hang pullups i started with just 10kg, then 20kg, then 30kg and at 40 kg i couldn't quite get my chin over the bar, so i knocked it back to 30kg, then 20kg where i had this photo snapped.

The whole point of me explaining all this is to let you know that your own strength and conditioning studio doesn't need to have all the bells and whistles because with a Little know how we can make anything work.

Over the next few weeks ill be making a plethora of equipment that will be multi- functional and relatively cheap compared to purchasing at your local fitness store (if they even stock anything like it).

“Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose.” - Tom Krause.

The squat

MON 09/08/10
WOD: Practice as many variations of the squat as you can for 45min

Today is free time to practice with the squat: Some variations include
Back squat
Front squat
Overhead squat
Zercher squat
Dumbell squat
Squat snatch
Squat clean
Air squat
One legged squat (pistol)
Jump squat
Wall squat
Sumo squat
Split squat
Hack squat
Sissy squat
Wide, narrow, deep, Shallow.

Give yourself a point for every different variation you expose yourself to and post points to comments.

Remember to keep the toes in front of the knees, Core tight, head and back aligned, spine neutral, legs steady and hips below parallel. Pull the bar down when rising, drive through the heels and exhale at the top.

"The (parallel) Squat provides not only strength, but speed, explosive power and
muscular endurance. In my opinion, it is the most important strength exercise for
athletes." - Bill Kroll, Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Illinois.

Goodluck with the creativity.