100m sprints

10x 100m Sprints

image courtesy of motivate.maths.org

Shoulder Press/ Pull-ups/ Double Unders

image courtesy of St Pete CrossFit

Shoulder Press 3 of 5

Weighted Pull-up for 1rep max

Double Unders for max reps

Adrenal Fatigue: The Naturopathic Boogey Man

I'm seeing this "diagnosis" more and more often. First it started sprouting up on message boards frequented by naturopathic doctors, and somehow it has made its way into the fitness community. Often times athletes complain of symptoms that would normally be dismissed as overtraining, yet, on message boards and forums, naturopaths and nutritionists are telling them they have adrenal fatigue. What's worse is their information is down right incorrect. On one forum, I read that adrenal fatigue makes you retain fat. If they had any understanding of adrenal deficiency they would know that impaired adrenal function causes weight loss. Before I get too far, let's address what adrenal fatigue is. Some of the common symptoms are being tired, having trouble getting up in the morning, caffeine addiction, feeling run down, feeling stressed, craving salty or sweet snacks, struggling to keep up with life's demands, illness, stress, and not having fun anymore. You may have just one symptom or all of them. Some common causes of adrenal fatigue are lack of sleep, eating flour or sugar, not eating enough raw vegetables, using caffeine, eating sweet or salty foods, staying up late, trying to be perfect, no win situations, driving yourself, or too few enjoyable activities. The condition of adrenal fatigue is reached when the amount of stress exceeds the body's ability to cope with with stress.

Considering these symptoms and causes, it's clear that absolutely everyone is at risk of developing adrenal fatigue. For those of you with experience in pathology, you know that this is not possible. Conditions with symptoms that overlap and apply to everyone smack of fear mongering. Adrenal fatigue reminds me of a book I read by Dr. Sarno, The Mindbody Prescription. In it, Dr. Sarno discusses the many psychosomatic "diseases" that have progressed over the years. It used to be that everyone had ulcers, then migraines, all children had ADD, back pain, tension myositis syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, autism, and I feel that adrenal fatigue is simply the next ailment that everyone has. Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying here, if you have these symptoms, clearly something is not functioning optimally, but the diagnosis of adrenal fatigue is a blanket diagnosis with no actual medical basis. Further, just because something is psychosomatic doesn't mean you aren't actually experiencing the symptoms, but there must be an underlying condition. I believe in the power of the mind, but I believe that symptoms are the manifestation of underlying physiological disturbances.

Briefly, an opinion on why adrenal fatigue is an unlikely, if not impossible, condition. For thousands and thousands of years of human evolution, humans as a species existed like wild animals fleeing from predators, chasing prey, surviving extremes of cold and heat, fighting with other tribes, and fighting for survival on a daily basis. The idea that adrenal glands incapable of keeping up with daily high stress situations would have survived natural selection is absurd. Surely ancestors who did not have the capacity to produce adequate amounts of cortisol, aldosterone, and adrenaline would have been eliminated by the demands of survival long before civilization began to offer a slightly less dangerous life. Even still, let's imagine that some of those genes survived the paleolithic era, it would be hard to argue that the demands of daily life today are anywhere near the capacity of our adrenals. I would believe that our young men fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan are under a daily level of stress that could exceed their bodies' ability to produce stress hormones, but I do not believe that even the most overtrained athletes are anywhere near that stress level.

So, if it's not adrenal fatigue, what is it? Well, if you are in fact suffering from "adrenal insufficiency," then you likely have something more quantifiable like Addison's disease, Schmidt's syndrome, polyendocrine deficiency syndrome, tuberculosis, or amyloidosis. Most common in 30-50 year olds, it can be a life threatening disease. Inadequate production of the adrenal hormones causes weight loss, fatigue, body aches, low blood pressure, and hair loss. It can be diagnosed through blood tests and treated by taking hormones that mimic the hormones normally produced by the adrenals. Because of this hormonal deficiency, it is necessary for persons suffering from any of these conditions to carry an injectable form of cortisol with them and an identification card to alert emergency personnel to inject cortisol if they are found injured.

If you are not suffering from a chemical deficiency, but you are suffering from the symptoms of "adrenal fatigue," you are likely suffering from what was previously accepted as overtraining. Realize that once you reach a level of overtraining, it is absolutely miserable and can take up to 3 months to recover from. We can only push our bodies so far before we surpass our ability to recover and progress. If we push this threshold for too long, it can take weeks and even months before we return to a level where our capacity for recovery matches our level of training again, but it is necessary that we take this time off if we are to improve and progress as athletes.

As always, if you suspect that you may have some form of adrenal dysfunction or other condition, you should see your health care professional, and don't be afraid to ask for your doctor to order tests. It is your health, a good doctor will respect your concerns.

The Experience Is In the Coaching

Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been paying great attention to how other Crossfits and other gyms operate. It will come as no surprise that the primary focus of “globo-gyms” is simple, make money and don’t get sued. Not even safety, but simply don’t let people get injured in a manner where they could blame the facility. This is why there are machines everywhere, joint dysfunctions, movement dysfunctions, and fat people. I’m not criticizing them because they are fat, I’m only pointing out that their fitness program is failing to provide them with results.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, what about Crossfits? What is the primary focus of a Crossfit? First off, Crossfit is not a gym. The gym is simply a tool that Crossfit utilizes. You could build a gym in your garage just as easily, but a lifting platform, Olympic barbell set, and a pullup bar doesn’t make it a Crossfit. What is it that you, the athlete (or “client” as globo-gyms call you), are coming to Crossfit for? The answer is coaching. If you are looking for a gym, you can shop around for one with a spa, find one with a pool, look for something that Rocky Balboa would be proud of, or create your own in a basement or garage. If you’re looking for instruction and coaching, there is no equal to Crossfit.

This instruction is what makes Crossfit so special. It is an understanding of the movements both from experience and knowledge. The environment is conducive to developing great coaching. Anyone can study and get their CSCS, NASM, ACE, etc. Those certifications say nothing about the individual’s ability to coach or correct movement though. I’ve seen coaches with Master’s degrees and PhDs who can’t recognize or correct improper lumbar extension on a shoulder press or sacral flexion on a back squat. The certification, degree, or knowledge amounts to very little without the ability to apply it. The goal is to not only to perform the workout, but to perform it correctly. Simply completing the range of motion is not enough.

This reflects back on trainers above all. I believe Nicki Violetti posed the question first, if you are not providing coaching, then what are you providing? As a coach/trainer, whatever you chose to call yourself, it is your job to provide the best level of instruction and attention you are capable of. This means guiding your athletes through class from beginning to end providing feedback, both reinforcement and correction. Proper instruction requires 100% of your attention. Anything less than that is a failure to provide your athletes with appropriate coaching. Without it, small deviations in form such as an anteriorly rotated pelvis will manifest into conditions such as facet syndrome or SI joint dysfunction. It is not enough to just recognize the big things like a spine in flexion while deadlifting, the over extension is just as serious and actually more likely to cause injury. A failure to recognize these faults is as much a failure to coach as providing no instruction at all. Perfection is non-negotiable.

Simply because it’s still fresh in my mind, I refer back to my recent “Tour de Crossfit.” At some Crossfits, I saw coaches who prescribed the workout, gave instruction during the workout, and nothing more. At other Crossfits, I saw coaches who were more like cheerleaders than coaches, providing plenty of verbal motivation but relatively no useful instruction. But, at the best Crossfits, I saw coaches who from the time class started, their only focus was the athletes. They weren’t working out, they weren’t carrying on conversations, they weren’t cheerleading, they weren’t warming up for their workout, or distracted with anything. They were there to do one thing, coach. They led the athletes through the warm up, they instructed them on proper form and technique for the workout, and they provided both constructive criticism and positive reinforcement.

A great example of this professionalism is my friend, Sage Burgener. I attended as many of Sage’s weightlifting classes as I could get to. Each class, it was clear that she was there for her athletes. Class started with a warm up, where she not only instructed us on the progression, but also provided feedback on form and technique. Then she would begin the workout where she provided constant attention and instruction to the athletes. Her carefully trained eye quickly picked up every deviation in form, and she provided instant correction. While working with Sage, I learned to correct the second and third pull of my clean, and because of her instruction, I PR'd on my front squat while there, and I recently PR’d on my snatch upon my return home. The athletes who train with her regularly are very lucky to have such a focused and knowledgeable coach. Her positive attitude and genuine encouragement drove me to push hard, but her attention and instruction maintained my form and technique. Each time I worked with her, I improved as an athlete. I think that all coaches should follow an example like Sage and strive to conduct their classes in the same manner.

I also had the pleasure of training with Ben Oliver at Crossfit Coronado. Ben’s coaching is what I have based many of my recent changes on. Ben began class with movement prep which he led us through from movement to movement. He then explained the workout and took time to determine appropriate modifications for each athlete. I settled on a 1.5 pood kettlebell and a 30” box, however, a 2 pood kettlebell and a 36” box was available for those with the courage. During the workout, Ben moved among the athletes providing feedback and instruction. Because of Ben’s attention and knowledge, I was able to correct my form on my handstand pushups which allowed me to perform them pain free. His enthusiasm was contagious, and it was evident that everyone enjoyed training with him. Afterwards, Ben instructed everyone to cool down with some stretching and foam rolling. It was a great environment, one of the friendliest groups of people I’ve met, and an awesome coach to work with.

I relate these experiences because this is what makes Crossfit so unique. I could’ve bought a day pass to a YMCA and done some lame workout by myself, but at a Crossfit, the coaching you receive makes the workout. The same workout at any other place just woudn’t have been the same experience.

Clean & Jerk/ Run

5rnds:

Clean & Jerk x3

Run 200m

Jerk it up

photo courtesy of www.dynamic-eleiko.com

Work up to a heavy jerk weight.
4x Push Jerk lower the bar, Split Jerk

Snatch Practice

Colombian Angela Medina performs during the women's 69 kg in the '07 PanAm Games

Photo courtesy of www.dailylife.com

OH Squat 3 sets

Snatch Balance 3 sets

Hang Snatch 3 sets

Snatch (until you get it right)

Fight Gone Bad 4

We will be hosting FGBIV Sat, September 26th. Last year, our little gym raised $3,000 to support The Wounded Warrior Project and Athletes for a Cure and the CrossFit community as a whole raised over $500,000.

You can find more information at www.FGB4.org Sign up under the ThreeRivers CrossFit team. There will be divisions for all levels from beginners to elite CrossFitters. If you can't participate, please make a donation to support these two great causes.

Squat/ Press/ Row

3rnds:

Squat Jump x25

Press x7

Row 500m

DeadLift & HSPU

DeadLift 3of3

HSPU 1 set for Max Reps

Burpee Pull-ups

Greg Amundson photo couresty of CrossFit SanDiego

"G.I. Jane"

100 Burpee Pull-ups for time.

Check out Greg's performance on this WOD

The NEW Whiteboard

For those of you who have been in, you already know, but if you missed me saying it, the whiteboard is yours. I want you to write on it when you come in. There is a section to add your goals this month. Each month you should work towards something, and when you complete your goal, write the date completed next to it. There is also a section for PRs. Every time you PR this month, add it to the board. It doesn't matter if it's a new 1RM Deadlift or 10 seconds off your Fran, it goes on the board. There is also a running tally for the days that you come in, a chart to keep track of your lifts so we can quickly scale workouts, and a monthly challenge winners' board. This month's challenge is to eat a healthy breakfast. You will randomly be asked what you ate for breakfast so start eating. Additionally, I will be adding all the new members names so you can quickly see who is new this month, and there is a weekly homework assignment. There will be a question about the homework, and the person who can answer the question first wins. Just for fun, we have a list of quotes of the month, anything funny that spontaneously erupts will go on the board. Anything you guys want to add to whiteboard, tell me and we'll find space. I have just one rule, no profanities/obscenities. If you haven't already, be sure to add your goals this month, and if you haven't been in yet, we miss you, come in soon.

New Format, Rules, Etc.

During my recent trip to California, I visited as many gyms as I possibly could, and one of the things that set some gyms apart was how they ran their classes. I quickly saw that the gyms with the best athletes also had the best coaching and class format. This is to say that they ran their classes efficiently with structure and purpose. At Crossfit Invictus, I watched a young lady practicing O-lifts with the guys, then completely kill the WOD. Something tells me she is doing more than just showing up once a week, hitting just the WOD, and going home. Yes, at Crossfit we believe their is validity and progress to be gained from short 15 minute workouts, but that is because we put in the extra work before and after the WOD.

Further, I read CJ Martin's new format for his gym on the Crossfit Invictus blog, and I think that we could all gain alot from following a similar format at our affiliate as well. Granted, we must alter some of it to fit our situation, but as we work to help the gym grow, a structured class will help monumentally with our ability to train more athletes.

I have posted CJ's article here for you to read as well. Please consider it an example of what we are ultimately working towards.

Go With the Flow - New Gym Routines and Procedures
Written by C.J. Martin

All gyms have a natural flow to them - a pattern by which members arrive, situate themselves and prepare to have a great workout. For some, it’s sprinting in and joining the already-in-progress group warm-up (ahem, “A”-Game), but for others it entails some pre-WOD mingling and catching up with friends. I love this, and heartily encourage it as our community is what makes CrossFit Invictus so different from other places. Nonetheless, I am proposing some new rules that will improve both your socializing and athletic performance. So next time you are in, go with the following flow of the gym:

1. Check-In at the Front Desk - This is not optional. You all have really cool little key fabs or membership cards. Please scan them when you arrive.
2. Gather with Friends at the Back of the Building and Roll - Some of the best tools in the gym are the black foam rollers and lacrosse balls (individual and those taped together). In my opinion, they are not being used nearly enough. Rolling some of your tight muscle groups helps get needed blood flow to them, loosens them so they will contract and relax better, and generally improves their functionality for the athletic endeavor you are about to embark upon. And the great thing is, you can roll and socialize at the same time. Yes, your conversation might be interrupted occasionally by a yelp, but that’s just good fun and provides for some comedic relief. So gather there and roll while you catch up with friends.
3. Dynamic, Skill-Based Warm-Up with Group - Once group session begins, your coach will put you through a dynamic warm-up. Recognize that this is not only a warm-up, but also an opportunity to put your body in ideal positions. Use this time to reinforce proper mechanics. For instance, when you lunge, think about how you lunge in a split jerk or split clean. Are you grooving that ideal pattern, or are you forward on the toe and too narrow? Make the most of this time and perform each movement perfectly.
4. Strength/Skill Work - No ego. Nobody is impressed when you deadlift 400 lbs. and herniate two discs in the process. Strive for virtuosity here. Move well and your numbers will progressively skyrocket. Move poorly and you might get some big numbers for a while, but you also run the risk of missing valuable training sessions because you are nursing injuries. This is your chance to perfect movements without a clock pressuring you to move quickly. Take the opportunity to be perfect. Once you have been consistently perfect, then begin to be consistently perfect with big weights.
5. Timed Workout - Go hard . . . and be damn-near perfect. I can accept slight deviations of form when you’re hitting it at high intensity, but you should be striving for perfection. (And if your coach’s interpretation of “slight deviation of form” is different from yours, you are the one who is wrong. Listen to your coach and slow down.)
6. Clean Up - Once you have completed your workout, please give us a hand by wiping down the bars and placing everything back where you found it. There is, however, one caveat: Be respectful of those who are still working out. It’s better to cheer someone on or relax than walk right in front of them with your barbell and weights. Nobody likes to be last, particularly when everyone else is cleaning up around them. Wipe down your bar and do a little static stretching while you cheer for others, then you can put your gear away and give them a hand with theirs.
7. Log Your Performance - If you don’t have a Performance Log, your coach will be chatting with you this week. They are essential to tracking your athletic progress. You will never know if what you are doing is effective unless you can track what you have been doing. This is the best $15 investment you will make in your fitness.
8. Post-WOD Recovery Work - If your coach puts you through a post-WOD recovery drill (stretching or additional skill work) please view it with the same respect you view the first portions of the workout. Recovery is instrumental to getting more fit. If you slack here, it will show. If your coach ran out of time, you’re not excused from stretching. Most of you know our protocols for post-WOD stretching, and even if you don’t, any stretching after your WOD is better than none. Get it done - your body will thank you.
9. GHD Machines - Almost as neglected as the foam rollers are our beautiful GHD machines. End your workout the way you began it, by socializing near the back wall. Jump on the GHD and knock out 10 sit-ups and 10 hip extensions. Then let a friend on to do the same. Switch on and off until you have done somewhere between 30-50 sit-ups and extensions.
10. Grab Your MMMM Good Meal or Invictus Shots - Invictus Shots help you recover quicker by replacing depleted glycogen stores in your muscles. Shoot one immediately after your workout and your muscles will start recovering quicker - which means you might not be as sore the next day. Grab a meal for later while you’re at it. They’re delicious, nutritionally balanced and inexpensive - plus, you didn’t have to cook it.

Courtesy of CJ Martin of Crossfit Invictus


As I said, our gym is a slightly different situation, but that's not a reason why we can't follow a similar format. Obviously there's no need to check in currently. I know you're there, but if you've seen the new whiteboard, then you know that I'm keeping track of who is coming, so go add a tick mark next to your name when you come in, add any goals to the board as well, and congratulate your friends on their recent PRs.

It is necessary that everyone is on time. This is not just so that you are there for the entire class, but it is difficult to conduct class when everyone is at a different point in the workout. Similarly, everyone in the class will be doing the same workout. We can still modify and sub movements based on ability or injury, but those cases excluded, everyone needs to do the same workout. It is impossible to appropriately coach two separate workouts at the same time. One person doing a different workout than everyone else requires a different warm up as well as lessens the coach's ability to provide the best possible instruction for the other members. If you want to do a different workout than what is being coached in class, please schedule private training. We would be more than happy to meet you outside of class times and work with you one on one.

What I hope to achieve is a flow of events where we are able to complete everything we need to within our hour, so that we don't hold anyone up, and so that people who want to work on a skill have time as well. This starts with everyone arriving on time. We will start movement prep at five after. During those first 5-10 minutes you are there, this would be a good time to roll anything that is sore or nagging. Once we start movement prep, I'd like to see a moderate effort. The other day when I was training with Jason, I could see that he was hitting the movement prep with the same intensity and effort that he puts into the WOD. To be totally honest, this is more effort than is necessary for movement prep, but I like where his head is at. I don't want to see anyone exhaust themselves before the workout, but movement prep is your warm up, so go hard enough that you're starting to sweat.

After our movement prep, we will begin the scheduled WOD. If it is a strength WOD, we will pair up according to max lifts and rotate on the bars. As CJ noted, leave your ego out of this, do it right. If you can't perform the movements correctly, we will keep the weight light and focus on technique. For example, if you cannot squat below parallel, you have no business squatting with max weights. On squat days, you should spend the time developing a proper squat by practicing your form with light weights and stretching if that is hindering you from being able to squat. Check your ego, develop a perfect squat, and then when you start adding weight again, your gains will be tremendous. No one is impressed by your max lifts if you're miss a month because you're injured from it. Further, no one is impressed if your big squat is above or barely parallel. We are about virtuousity, strive for perfection.

If it is a metcon, we will go over the movements briefly, and then begin. If there is one thing I have learned, form is everything. I have never done a sub-4 Fran, but I promise you, you can't take even one rep away from me. I won't lie to you, really focusing on form will slow you down a little, but you'll gain much more from doing it correctly than you ever will from doing it fast and sloppy. Don't worry about your times, they are only a measure of YOUR progress. I could train everyday for the rest of my life and never beat Usain Bolt, but I can beat my own times for years as long as I stay focused and consistent.

After the workout, please enjoy the comfort of our floor. CJ makes a great point, nobody likes to be last, so take a seat, cheer your friends on, and clean up afterwards. A note about cleaning up, I know it's not our members, but often times when I come into the gym (especially on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays), the gym is a mess. There are dumbbells, medicine balls, plates, boxes, bars, sand, tape, candy, garbage, etc all over the place, strewn across the floor. I have been trying very hard to keep the gym as clean as I can considering we have such limited space. I really appreciate any help with putting anything back neatly. My hope is that if we consistently have a clean and neat gym, others who use it will recognize that we keep it in order and will begin to clean up after themselves as well.

You all have training logs from John, please remember to bring them with you, you can even store it in the gym so you never forget it. We will do a group cool down stretch to maintain flexibility and relax the muscles. This is also a good time to address any personally unique flexibility issues. When we finish, you can also use the trigger point balls to release some muscle tension in particularly overworked muscle groups. With any time remaining, I suggest working on a skill. It may be a set of GHD situps, some pullups, double unders, rowing, whatever you're struggling with.

I see big things for us all in the future. I have been working really hard to improve our classes. I hope that this new format is a step towards a more efficient class, and a better overall experience for everyone.

RACING TO SAVE LIVES

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/nattri09/jwagneroyp

Hey guys, my cousin is participating in this race to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Statistically we all know someone with cancer, please help the LLS's mission.

Hahahaha. This is going to be fun.

SWOD: 3 max sets of Hand Stand Push-ups (If you can't do HSPUs, do handstand holds for max time)

WOD:

4rnds for time:

7cycles of:

Clean

Thruster

Back Squat

Rack Jerk

After cycle is completed 7 times:

20yd Bear Crawl (Across the room and back twice)

Do not drop the bar. If you do, 1 burpee penalty for every time the bar is dropped.

Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

Post results to comments

Endurance Work:

Run 6x400m Keeping best possible pace. If you go 3 sec slower than your best pace=Foul= 3min isometric wall hold.

S&S Nicole

SWOD: 

Squat 3 of 5

Bench 3 of 5

WOD: (The S&S is for Short and Sweet)

AMRAP in 15min:

100m sprint

max reps pull-ups

Post rounds and reps to comments.

Succesful Running Clinic

The Running Clinic last weekend was a huge success. We averaged a 15% improvement in running efficiency. For those who didn't improve, keep up with your drills and it will come together. There was a lot of information thrown out in those 5 hours and you can't expect that it will turn out productively in one shot.

If you missed out this time, don't worry. We will be holding another one soon.

Run or Row "4-2-1 Ladder"

4min on: 3min off
2min on: 30sec off
1min on: 3min off
2min on: 30sec off
4min on: Done

Post distances to comments

Jerk, Pull-up, Push-up

SWOD: DeadLift 5RM

WOD:

7rnds:

3 Jerks (155/105)

6 Pull-ups

9Push-ups

Post weights and times to comments

An Argument for Strength

by Erik Sarson

Each of the 10 general physical skills is important. An athlete with a healthy balance of proficiency between all 10 will be superior. However, there is not one physical skill more foundational than strength. Strength allows us to achieve power and speed. It also assists us in improving our balance, agility, coordination, and accuracy. Strength even provides the building blocks for stamina and cardio-respiratory endurance. Properly conducted strength exercises also increase flexibility. Thus, serious athletes include a good portion of strength training in their programs.

Strength is one’s ability to apply force. Power is the ability to apply a force over a distance in a certain amount of time. CrossFit’s typical measure of performance is an athlete’s power output. It is easy to understand how a strong athlete who can apply a large amount of force would have a high power output. He applies that large force over a long distance in a very short amount of time. The power clean is a good example of this.

Speed is the time it takes to repeat a movement. Consider the same athlete doing 30 power cleans for time. The force and power parts of the equation are still there, they are just multiplied by 30. The ability of his muscles to efficiently contract, expand, and repeat the exact movement will determine his speed. Without a significant amount of strength, our athlete would break down quickly.

Balance is the athlete’s ability to control his center of mass in relation to his base of support. Our athlete now does a set of low-bar back squats. Each time he does a repetition he is practicing balance. As his strength increases, the weight on the bar increases, magnifying the importance of balance. This is because his center of mass (athlete + load) is moving further and further away from his base of support (feet).

Agility is the ability to minimize transition time from one movement to another. Coordination is the ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into one. The power clean requires a fast transition from a deadlift, to a vertical jump, to a landing under load. Being an essential strength exercise, the power clean allows the athlete to improve agility and coordination while developing strength.

Accuracy is the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity. The power clean is also great practice for accuracy. Each time the athlete does a power clean, he is landing under a heavy load. If his bar path is not accurate, then he will be off balance when he lands, and possibly miss the lift. Accuracy also applies to the athlete doing efficient squats, deadlifts, presses, and bench presses.

Stamina is the body’s ability to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy. Stamina is, essentially, muscular endurance, and may be best measured in medium duration exercise in the glycolytic pathway. Cardio-respiratory endurance is the body’s ability to gather, process, and deliver oxygen. Cardio-respiratory endurance may be best measured in long duration exercise in the oxidative pathway. The athlete trains his body systems to deliver energy primarily in the phosphagen pathway while strength training. He is also exercising and improving the efficiency of his cardiovascular system. A stronger cardiovascular system leads to improved cardio-respiratory endurance. Efficiency in the phosphagen pathway also provides a foundation for efficiency in the glycolytic and oxidative pathways. This is not to say that strength training is sufficient for stamina and cardio-respiratory endurance. However, a judicious application of strength training will significantly assist the athlete in longer duration challenges such as WODs or a triathlon.

Flexibility is the ability to maximize range of motion at a given joint. In most cases, the average person off of the street will not perform the squat, deadlift, press, bench press, or power clean correctly. Even those who have strength training experience often don’t know the proper technique. The most common fault in the squat and press is short range-of-motion. When executed properly, the squat significantly stretches the hamstrings in the bottom position. This allows for the most potential energy from the posterior chain. When conducting a set of squats, our athlete starts with an empty bar and works his way up to a heavy set. This allows him to practice the movement, get warm, and stretch his hamstrings under a light load before placing them in a full stretch under heavy load. Again, this is not to say that strength training is sufficient for flexibility, but it definitely trains it. That is, unless your idea of strength training is a circuit of single joint, partial range-of-motion exercises.

It is important to make a distinction between strength and some of the other physical skills, especially cardio-respiratory endurance. We already know that we can improve our cardio-respiratory endurance with strength training. The opposite does not apply. In fact, overtraining in the oxidative pathway leads to significantly decreased strength, power, and speed. It also causes oxidative damage (aging effects) to the body, and limits testosterone production/utilization. A similar, but much less drastic, distinction can be made between strength and stamina.

In conclusion, the best athletes incorporate strength training into their programs. There are many ways to do this. A good general guideline is two to three strength focused workouts per week along with three to four metcons. If you are doing a strength workout and a metcon on the same day, then do the strength one first. If possible, get a few hours rest between the strength and metcon workouts. A beginning strength program should revolve around the squat, press, bench press, deadlift, and power clean. Sets should be of 5 or less, working up to weight as discussed earlier. Do two to three lifts each strength day. Go get strong!

Erik with Mark Rippetoe at the Basic Barbell Cert

On the Minute

Squat 3 of 5
Press 3 of 5

On the minute:

Perform 2 Power Cleans on the minute for 15 minutes.

*Start the clock. At the top of every minute perform 2 Power Cleans.
*Use a maximal weight. 80% - 85% of 1 RM
*For every rep not completed, perform 5 burpees during rest time.

Endurance Work:
Tabata Run or Row 20:10x8