Level One - WOD Thirty-Seven

Good Morning, Athletes!

Hope you had a solid weekend. With perfect weather, amazing company (thanks, SP!), and a stellar WOD this last weekend was one for the books. Memories abound and new ones beckon.

Let's get started...

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up: 3 x 10
* WOD
- 3 Rounds for time
> Hang Power Clean, 12 Reps, 25/15# DB
> 12 Burpees
* Cool-down, Roller/Stretch/Yoga + 1 liter water

Remember: A Hang Power Clean starts with the bar/dumbbell at the knees. You will thrust hard pushing the hips through drawing the weight up. The "power" means that you will receive the weight as high as possible - meaning that you will catch it in any position other than a full squat or full stand. Then finish the movement by standing tall. Re-watch the videos a few times, and practice the movement slowly before attacking the WOD. Your partner is responsible for ensuring you are doing the movement consistently.

Post time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-six

Good Morning, Athletes!

This week, these posts will be short and sweet. Not too much additional information to take away from your work.

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 3 x 10

* WOD
- 4 Rounds for Load and Time
> Back Squat, 3 Reps
> Bench Dips, 10 Reps
To do the back squat, use dumbbells or plates and put them in a bag that you can hold across your shoulders or strap on your back. If you have access to a bar and plates, obviously use that instead.

* Cool-down, Roller/Yoga/Stretch + 1 Liter Water

Post Time and Loads to Comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-Five

Good Morning, Athletes!

This week, these posts will be short and sweet. Not too much additional information to take away from your work.

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 3 x 10

* WOD
- With a continuously running clock:
> Clean One Rep every minute on the minute for 15 minutes
These are dumbbell cleans. You did the DB split clean last week. This is the same movement without the split. Use the same weight that you did for last week's workout.

* Cool-down, Roller/Yoga/Stretch + 1 Liter Water

Post thoughts and loads to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-four

Good Morning, Athletes!

This week, these posts will be short and sweet. Not too much additional information to take away from your work.

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 3 x 10

* WOD
- 3 Rounds for Time
> Walking Lunge, 50 feet
> Squats, 20 reps
> Back Extension, 10 reps (sub: Superman +3 seconds)

* Cool-down, Roller/Yoga/Stretch + 1 Liter Water

Post Time to Comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-three

Good Morning, Athletes!

This week, these posts will be short and sweet. Not too much additional information to take away from your work.

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 3 x 10

* WOD
- AMRAP, 10 minutes
> Pull-ups, 3 reps (sub - 1/2 BW pull-down, 6 reps)
> Sprint, 50 meters
> Dumbbell Shoulder Presses, 3 Reps, 20/15#
> Handstand Hold, 20 seconds

* Cool-down, Roller/Yoga/Stretch + 1 Liter Water

Post Rounds, Subs, and Loads to Comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-two

Good Morning, Athletes!

Have you been working any of your skills lately? Remember that taking time to practice your skills after a WOD will make it easier to perform the WOD’s later. It also reinforces good habits, gives you a chance to break bad habits, and practice time skills (like handstand holds, walks, levers, et cetra) outside of a WOD.

Furthermore, you absolutely need to practice for technique and consistency – that way when you hit the intensity button your form does not break down immediately negating all the positive results you could have achieved from the work performed.

At CFC we use the model of Warm-up, Strength or Skill, WOD, Durability (longer skill set), Cool-down. If you get right to work and don’t take long breaks, most of the time, this takes our athletes approximately one-hour to complete. Next week, I will start implementing a similar method that you are absolutely expected to follow. You can cheat and quit early or not complete your workout as assigned and nobody will care – but you will always know. Remember that you are doing this for yourself and your family – why would you cheat them?

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD:
o AMRAP – 20 Minutes
> Deadlift: 60/45#, 5 Reps
> 13 Push-ups
> 9 Box Jump, 14 – 20” box
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty-one

Good Morning, Athletes!

Have you assessed your nutrition lately? Sit down with your journal and take a hard look at it. Are there placed you can improve? May I suggest ensuring that you are extremely light on the tubers and starches? This includes cutting out most of the potatoes and carrots as well as the breads and pastas. I know, I know. Those are the best tasting, easiest to make, and cheapest. They just don’t do you any favors nutritionally and will thwart your best efforts in the long run. Pick one cheat meal for the week and have them at that meal only (for me that is Friday dinner), but be mindful of how much you are eating. An entire plate of chicken alfredo over linguine basically trashes your nutrition journal and clean-eating for that week.

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD: “Filthy Fifty” Scaled.
o Perform all exercises in order. Complete the prescribed movement and reps before moving on. THIS IS FOR TIME SO KEEP PUSHING!
> 20 Box Jumps : 14 – 20 inches
> 20 Jumping Pull-up, or 20 one-third Bodyweight Pull-downs
> 20 Dumbbell Swings: 25#
> 20 Walking Lunges
> 20 Sit-ups
> 20 Push Pres: 25 or 30# dumbbells
> 20 Back Extensions or Super-mans
> 20 Wall Ball: 10# Med Ball
> 20 Burpees
> 20 Single Under Jump Rope
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Thirty

Good Morning, Athletes!

Start working on adjusting your schedules so that you can increase the number of times that you will be able to perform your WOD. The CF community is well known for finding success in a 3 on, 1 off schedule. You may not be able to flex for that rotating off day. Instead, good success has also been found in 5 on, 2 off. It becomes extremely difficult to push through that fifth straight WOD which is why I don’t recommend it (perhaps a 3 on, 1 off, 2 on, 1 off is possible?). If you are up for the mental challenge then get at it. Let me know so that the programming can be done and ready for you. Currently, I have your programming prepared approximately 2 weeks in advance.

Today you get the chance to meet one of our “girls.” She is a benchmark workout that will come to the party every so often so that you can retest yourself and see how you are progressing. The girls were designed by CrossFit Founders Coach and Lauren Glassman as a way to assess the functional power and progress of the athletes they were training.

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD: “Erin”
o 5 Rounds for Time
> 25 – 30 # Dumbbell Split Clean, 15 reps
> 21 Pull-ups – if you don’t have the ability to do assisted pull-ups then do 30 ½ bodyweight pull-downs
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Twenty-Nine

Good Morning, Athletes!

By the end of this week you will have completed your CrossFit training four times a week for eight weeks. That is a solid effort! In this time you will have seen in yourself an increase in energy, an increase in general well-being, and the start of a physical transformation that signals to everyone else that YOU have been doing something extra-ordinary. It is my hope, as your coach, that you are pleased with your progress and will continue on this path to happiness, fitness, and pulchritude (Hi, Erika!).

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD:
o 5 Rounds for Time
> 50 # Back Squat, 15 reps – Put the weight in a backpack or hold DB’s in a hammer-curl position at your shoulders.
> Handstand walk, 15 yards – If you don’t have a handstand walk you can sub in the following: Handstand walk down the wall (side-shuttle style) or with a partner supporting; Wheelbarrow carries (person doing the WOD is down); or Bear Crawl.
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Take a look at the following video. This movement is in tomorrow's WOD. Take some light dumbbells and work on learning the skill today in a slow and controlled manner. Remember, when working skills we are looking for perfect form. It is about technique first. When you get that do a few in a row for consistency. You'll get to boost the intensity tomorrow. Dumbbell Split-Clean


Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Twenty - Eight

Good Morning, Athletes!

Of all the workouts this week – today is by far the shortest. I won’t say easiest because if you keep the intensity up then no day is easy. Never should you get done with a CrossFit WOD and say “That was easy.” If you do, then you need to up the weight, drop the time, and do it again.

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD: 7 by 7
o AMRAP – 7 mins
> 7 reps, Flutter Kick - 4 count
> 7 reps, Row - +10# warm-up weight
> 7 reps, ½ body-weight pulldowns
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga

Post thoughts and rounds/partials to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - WOD Twenty - Seven

Good Morning, Athletes!

How was your visit with my friend? Did he treat you well? Or did you tell him where to stick it?

Whether you want to believe it or not, every single workout that you do – be it grueling and intense or easy and balanced – makes Mr. Time have to wait just a tad longer for you to come to the party. If for no other reason – working out certainly makes sense to me!

No fancy names for today’s workout. It’s just a solid mental day. At some point you will have to dig in and push.

We also introduce you to the concept of the FOUL. This will come up periodically. Usually they are used extensively in endurance training so that the athlete can learn to judge and maintain intensity to keep them from crashing before the finish line. You will do the same. If a workout signifies a foul then you are to complete it if you do foul. You are to complete as many foul’s as you had. So if you fouled five times in the workout, you will complete the foul work five times. Questions?

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD:
o 30 Rounds for Time
> Med Ball Thruster Toss (6 pace distance)
> Walking Lunge, 6 steps
> Sprint to retrieve the ball (if needed) and bring back to start line

Ball must reach the 6 step distance line or FOUL

FOUL: 1 min max rep BURPEES

• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga

Before you get started, designate a start line and take six giant steps (3 left, 3 right), mark this end line.

Post thoughts, time, and fouls to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Twenty - Six WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

I’d like to introduce you to my friend. He’s a nice guy, really. Perhaps a little dark. Sometimes sinister. Usually with a cackle in his laugh. Yet, he is tireless. And will play his game long past when you wish he would quit. It is up to you to laugh back at him. To visit that dark place. Get up. Go again. You can’t cheat him. And he really hates it when you make him wait. So get up. Go again. Do it one more time. Tell him where he can shove those sands of time. F*ck off, Death. I ain’t done yet.

Today’s WOD: “Death By…Squats, Push-ups, Sit-ups.”
• Warm – up, 3 x 10. Drop the squat, sit, and push to 3 x 3 today only.
• WOD:
o With a continuously running clock, on the minute – perform one rep of each exercise the first minute, two reps in the second minute, three reps in the third, and so on. After you fail to perform the required reps of an exercise in that round – drop that exercise and do the remaining exercise(s) until you fail to complete a round completely. Your rest time is however much time is left in that minute after you completed all three exercises for the number of reps required in that round.
> Squat
> Sit-up
> Push-up
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga

Do not change exercise until you have finished the required reps. I expect that somewhere around round ten it will become difficult to get in all of an exercise at once. Do them with rest as needed. Do all of your required squats in that minute before moving to the sit-up before moving to the push-up. If your sit-ups take up a lot of time and you fail to complete all of your push-ups then you failed at the push-up. Drop the push-up at that point and move to the next round to do the squats and sits. Eventually you’ll fail the sits too. Drop those and keep going until you can no longer get in the number of squats you need to for a successful round.

Post the number of rounds/partial rounds for each exercise.

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Twenty-Five WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

How did your travel workouts go? Did you successfully complete them? Were there any issues that prevented you from doing them? Let us know how they went!

This week is a good chance to increase the intensity with which you perform these workouts. Remember, that just performing the work is a great start, but it is the intensity that you perform the work with that will continue to drive positive results.

We have many new challenges this week along with some old movements that caused us chagrin a few weeks ago. Let’s get to it!

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 3 x 10.
• WOD:
o AMRAP – 9 minutes
> Single Under’s (Jump Rope), 36 reps
> Suicide Run, 9 yards/18 yards
> Dumbbell Shoulder or Push Press, 9 reps @ 15 pounds
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga

Set up your suicide run and do this work outside if the weather permits. You should do it outside no matter what the weather is, however if you choose to do this inside due to weather then set the treadmill at 5.2 mph and 10% grade – go for 5 secs, jump off onto the rails, jump right back on and go for 10 secs.

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day's Twenty-Three and Twenty-Four WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NORM!

These next two WOD’s come as a special request.

Many times, our lives find a way to get in between our health and fitness. This is not always a bad thing. It teaches us adaptability. We learn how to take what we are given and make it work for our purposes. As we said in the Marines, “Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome.”

WOD’s Twenty-three and Twenty-four are travel work-outs in which absolutely no equipment is needed. A couple weeks ago, two of our athletes found themselves in a hotel room with no ability to do the entire WOD as prescribed so they made some changes and found out how awesome a simple 2-flight set of stairs can be in kicking one’s ass.

Whenever you find yourself somewhere other than home, get into the habit of looking at what is around you and thinking in terms of “How can I use that in a workout?” Benches in the park become box jumps, one-legged step-ups, elevated push-ups, and dip stands. Ottomans in Grandmom’s tea room become dip stands, agility ladders, and prowler sleds. Curbs, stairs, books, doors, and more become tools for training. Even cars. Find a parking lot, pick a time or distance, put it in neutral, and PUSH!

Here are two workouts to put in your back pocket for any trip. You will be doing both this week – however when you do them is up to you, obviously dependent on when you can find the 15 minutes to get it in. Remember – they take no equipment whatsoever and can be done anywhere so if you get to bed and realize that you had not completed the workout then…you got it. Get it done!

Travel WOD’s (to be done in any order you choose):

• 1 Round for time
o 21 push-ups, 42 squats
o 15 push-ups, 30 squats
o 9 push-ups, 18 squats

• AMRAP – 12 Minutes
o 10 Bench Dips
o 10 Box Jumps
o 10 Lunges (each leg) – change direction each round, lunge forward first, then backward.

Super simple. Enjoy.

Post thoughts, time, and reps to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Twenty-Two WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

How was your trip down memory lane? Did you perform as expected or better than expected? Assuming that there was no out-lying factors (current illness, injury, death, etc.) we should always expect to see some positive result. Many times, our athletes see positive results in lower times or more reps. Other times they see results in increased intensity as evidenced by higher weights and less scaling.

And with that we move on to the next challenge.

A new movement! Athletes meet the Man-Maker. You know his brother intimately, especially after yesterday. Grab a set of light dumbbells and get ready to learn this movement.

The Man-Maker is very similar to the Burpee. The biggest difference is right there in your hands – extra weight. The next difference is that there is no jump which makes this very similar to the military’s old PT stand-by, the Bodybuilder. Perform this movement very slowly for the first few times. You will speed it up during the workout, though we don’t expect you to do it very quickly ever. If you can start to do these as fast as a Burpee then you’ll need to increase the weight.

From the neutral standing position with your arms holding the dumbbells loosely at the sides, squat down until the DB’s touch the floor. Kick back to a push-up position with your feet in the wide stance. Perform one push-up. Then one-arm row your right arm. Put the weight back down and do the same with your left. When completed, bring your legs in to the squat position. As you stand, hammer curl (keep your wrists in the same position all the way up, similar to holding a hammer) the weight to your shoulders. Once you are standing with the weight at your shoulders perform an overhead press. Bring the weight back down to your shoulders and reverse the hammer curl until your arms are loose at your side again. That’s one.

This can be performed with dumbbells, med-balls with handles, kettlebells, little children… You get the idea. You’ll be starting light at first though are expected to increase the weight as needed.

Today’s WOD:

• Warm-up, 2 x 15

• WOD:
o 3 rounds for time
> Wallball – 10# ball, 10 reps
> Sprint 60 seconds (200 yards) [1% at 8 mph]
> Man-maker – 15#/10# DB, 10 reps
> Sprint 30 seconds (100 yards) [1% at 8 mph]
> Rest 1 min

• Cool-down; Roller/Stretch/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Twenty-One WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

Welcome to Week Six! Do you realize that by performing work four days a week for the past five weeks that you have successfully completed twenty workouts unrivaled by anything you have ever done before? Congratulations!

So – how are you feeling? Are you hooked yet?

Last week you were given the option of getting on the scale after a full month of more nutritious eating and CrossFitting. What did you decide? If you got onto the scale and took your measurements, let us know! Email your results to me and I will post them in a web-friendly format based upon your previous results. If you are changing your diet next month to become more Zone friendly – we will need to get on the scale at that time; there is no getting out of that weight/measurement session.

Today, we go back in time. Every so often (not very often) CrossFitters re-visit previous workouts to gage their performance gains. If you look at the main-site WOD’s you will find that this occurs about once a month and the workout you are looking back at may have occurred up to 18 months earlier. To me, one of the coolest things about CF is evidenced by just that – it took 18 months before a workout was repeated, once. And at that, it was by design and did not have to occur at all if Coach didn’t want it to. That is only one of the things that make us so unique. Follow any other style of workout and you’ll get a week’s worth (maybe 4 or 5 days) of workouts then are told to repeat them for four to six weeks if not more. Boring in my book. That must be what sells all those magazines. Boredom crying out for something different.

Enough pontificating. It’s time to get to work.

Do you remember WOD #2? We’ve brought it back for you. Grab a treadmill and a spot of floor – we’re doing Running Burpees!

Today’s WOD:
• Warm – up, 2 x 10.
• WOD:
- 5 Rounds for time
> Run 30 Seconds
> 10 Burpees
• Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Ready?

Have fun. DO WORK!

3…2…1…GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Twenty WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

Since you survived Super Nineteen... Come get some! You're scheduled to do some serious rowing today. Ready?

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 2 x 10.

* WOD:
- Row with cable row machine (70# men/50# women)
> 60:30 x 2
> 30:15 x 3
> 20:10 x 4
> 10:5 x 5

* Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter water.

By the way, that is 60 seconds on, 30 seconds off; 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off; et cetera. Questions?

If you have access to a rowing machine - set it to level 5 (guys) and level 4 (ladies) and do the same workout. Post your total distance to comments.

Post thoughts to comments.

That's it! Go out and do something special tonight.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Level One - Day Nineteen WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

Do you feel like you climbed a mountain after yesterday's 70 four-count mountain climbers? Working them hard yesterday has helped you "grease the groove" for today. Get a good warm-up with lots of good deep squats and keep those hip flexors loose. You pumped out a solid time trial earlier this week. Today you get to push the interval button. Plus a new movement! What fun!

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 2 x 10.

* WOD:
- 3 rounds for time
> 30:15 x 4, 7% @ 4.8 mph. [30 seconds on, 15 seconds off for four rounds then...]
> Sub-round x 3
. Weighted Sit-up, 7 reps [with 10# ball or 10# dumbbell held at arms length]
. Inchworm, body length [from the planche position - scoot your elbows forward until your back starts to "collapse" and you start to fall to the ground, quickly scoot your toes forward until you are in a solid planche again. Do this for the length of your body. TIP: figure out your start and stop points before starting the workout]

* Cool-down, Roller/Stretching/Yoga + 1 liter Water

Before I get a million requests for explanation...
You will do four sets of the run interval then you'll do the sub-round 3 times (sit, inch, sit, inch, sit, inch). That is 1 total round. You'll do that three total times. This is with a continuously running clock so go for broke! You can rest all you want as you're laying in a pool of sweat! Ahh, the cooling factor...

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Super Awesome. Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Eighteen WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

How did your time trial go? Are you pleased with the result? If not then think of what you would have liked it to be and add the words "In six months, on (date), I will reach a distance of...in ten minutes." We will try it again then.

In the meantime...we've cooked up a great new WOD for you to try today!

WOD:
* Warm - up, 2 x 10

* WOD:
- 7 rounds for time
> 10 mountain climbers (4 count)
> 20 single unders (single jump with jump rope)

* Cool-down, Roller/Stretch/Yoga + 1 liter Water

A few notes:
- Really do your best to get rolled and stretched out. This is crucial for your recovery.
- This week starts your mandatory Yoga. This is 10 - 15 minutes of relaxed poses and breathing practice. This can be done after the workout or any other time of day. Might I suggest after supper or right before bed? There are countless free Yoga videos on YouTube and iTunes.
- Please ensure that you are posting your times/rounds/reps/etc to each WOD after you do it. It would be truly beneficial if you would also post some thoughts about how you felt before/during/after the workout.

That's it. Kick it hard.

Post thoughts and time to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach

Level One - Day Seventeen WOD

Good Morning, Athletes!

A new week beckons. It has now been one month of CrossFit for you! Care to give us your thoughts so far?

I am very proud of each and every one of you. Congratulations on committing to this lifestyle change that will only benefit you.

You have this entire week to decide if you want to do the deed and finally get on the scale again. After Sunday - this is no longer an option. If you do, be sure to get your results to me. I'm sure that you will see positive results!

Today we're going fast and hard. It's the start of Met-Con weeks! Enjoy.

Today's WOD:

* Warm-up, 2 x 10
* WOD:
- Time Trial, Max Distance in 10 minutes
* Cool-down, Roller/Stretch/Yoga + 1 liter water.

Run fast. Run far. Don't give in. It's only 10 minutes. Push. PUSH. PUSH!!!

Post distance to comments.

Have fun. DO WORK!

3...2...1...GO!

Coach