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Having many different modalities, or ways to train in a program for fitness, is key to the efficacy and efficiency of a general preparedness training program. It may seem counterproductive to work on so many skills at once or even at all, but science supports the claim that everyday life punishes those who specialize. CrossFit uses learning and memory tactics to curve the difficulty of learning so many skills and makes them easier to be developed at a beginner, intermediate or advanced training level. These concepts work for grade school, for example learning to type on a computer is similar to learning to push press a barbell at the gym.
In psychology there are different ways to learn and remember. Some are more effective than others and such will work better depending on the athlete and type of movement being trained. One variation of this is blocked, or constant learning, which is done when the same material is covered repeatedly in succession. Another version is variance learning, which is small doses of content in short successions. Both types of learning can be applied to fitness training. Studies show that blocked practice is more effective for performance in training environments, which in CrossFit is a daily workout with skill practice. By using blocked learning, newer CrossFit athletes can grow very quickly, but the ability to change tasks and adapt is stunted over time. In general, blocked learning is highly effective for newer athletes and for learning most basic skills like a squat or kip swing. Each day, enough time is spent in a blocked style setting to practice certain movements before the workout. This is generally called “skill” or “build-up” work. These drills and progressions focus on mechanics and consistency before the workout, targeting the key movements for that day’s workout. This is like massed practice where training is done in a continuous and concentrated way. Variance practice or variable practice is more effective when taking tests, in CrossFit this would be a benchmark workout or competition. From day to day there is plenty of variances in the movements, implements, loading, time domains, reps, and distances traveled. This is proved to increase adaptation for the demands. This is like spaced practice where skills are learned in short periods over several sessions. CrossFit uses this version more often because utilize a lot of variance, and this type of practice is better for retention of skill in the long run. We want to adapt when we train and test. Our bodies go through a feedback loop, and if there is enough appropriate training taking place then that feedback loop tells our body to grow in healthy ways. Using all these principles of learning and memory helps decrease skill decay and keeps transfer specificity fresh. The psychological reason that constantly varied programming works for fitness in the long run is because we are more likely to adapt to adversity and changes. In our daily life, this makes us more likely to recover from mishaps and accidents – like a trip and fall. This adaptive training is transferable to sport as well because we are required to figure out new and unique situations both defensively and offensively with many situations that out of our control. Send us an email to get started: info@CrossFitAFK.com
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5 rounds for time of:
10 deadlifts 10 bar facing burpees 10 pull-ups M: 225-lb barbell F: 145-lb barbell At Home WOD: 4 rounds for time of: 10 single arm deadlifts each side (use a backpack or other household object) 10 burpees 10 single arm bent over rows each side Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. As many rounds as possible in 15-minutes of:
10 toes-to-bar 25 double-unders 10 overhead squats M: 155-lb barbell F: 105-lb barbell At Home WOD: As many rounds as possible in 15-minutes of: 10 sit-ups 25 jumping jacks 10 overhead squats (PVC pipe or broomstick) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Clean
3-3-3-3-3 reps At Home WOD: 10 attempts for total distance jumped: Max broad-jump Rest as needed between attempts Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Protein is one of three macronutrients that our bodies need daily. Protein is important for your body to keep, repair, and build muscle among other valuable physiological processes. Your body can only process so much protein before starting to create fat. Alternatively, your body will eat muscle when protein is not being supplemented properly. If the body receives the nutrients to keep muscles strong and healthy, we can make small changes to other nutrients to complement our muscles. The Zone uses protein as a baseline to determine how much food should be eaten per day. This amount is measured in "blocks." Zone blocks are based on your body’s lean muscle mass, which includes bones, organs, and muscle (basically everything in your body except fat). With the Zone method, we can estimate lean body mass and precisely eat the amount of protein to allow muscles to repair everyday wear and tear. Zone also brings activity level into the equation, so athletes who are working their muscles harder and more often are also consuming enough protein to supplement that lifestyle. With this we can aim our nutrition at any body composition goal we have in mind. In every block of food there is 7 grams of protein. Try looking at some nutrition labels and see how many blocks of protein you are eating per day. There is a new variation of the “Block Prescription Based on Sex and Body Type” chart at the bottom of this post showing how many grams of protein you should be eating daily based on sex and body type. Small female: 70g protein per day (10 blocks of protein) Medium female: 77g protein per day (11 blocks of protein) Large female: 91g protein per day (13 blocks of protein) Athletic, well muscled female: 98g protein per day (14 blocks of protein) Small male: 112g protein per day (16 blocks of protein) Medium male: 119g protein per day (17 blocks of protein) Large male: 133g protein per day (19 blocks of protein) X-Large male: 140g protein per day (20 blocks of protein) Large hard gainer: 147g protein per day (21 blocks of protein) Athletic, well muscled male: 161g protein per day (25 blocks of protein) Have questions? Send us an email:
info@CrossFitAFK.com Enjoying our content? Give us a like on Facebook or Instagram! @CrossFitAFK 5 rounds for time:
500-meter row 10 dips At Home WOD: 5 rounds for time: 25 hang squat cleans (use a backpack or other household object) 10 chair dips Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. On a 12-minute clock:
3-minutes of handstand push-ups 3-minutes of dumbbell deadlifts 2-minutes of handstand push-ups 2-minutes of dumbbell power cleans 1-minute of handstand push-ups 1-minute of dumbbell squat cleans M: 50-lb dumbbells F: 35-lb dumbbells At Home WOD: On a 12-minute clock: 3-minutes of pike push-ups 3-minutes of sumo deadlifts 2-minutes of pike push-ups 2-minutes of sumo deadlift high pulls 1-minute of pike push-ups 1-minute of snatches Use a PVC pipe, broomstick, backpack, or other household item. Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. For time:
800-meter run 77 GHD sit-ups 77 hip extensions (every break on the GHD is 15 double-unders) At Home WOD: For time: 6-minute run/walk 40 V-ups 40 good-mornings (every break on the V-ups and good-mornings is 15 jumping jacks) There are several ways a strength and conditioning program can be ordered. Traditionally, styles of ordering workouts have been to do muscle or body part splits or to separate lifting days with long aerobic sessions. Although these versions of programming work, they might not be the most effective, especially when looking at sport. Sports often require the body to be strong and bear a high heart rate simultaneously. For this reason, training should also demand this combo of strength and conditioning. In sport, movement is regularly large patterns utilized in high intensity situations. The older training methodologies do not lend themselves well to train and adapt for this level of stress on the body. Of the many sports, we are most interested in the sports where the test is exactly based on the movement the athlete performs. We see this in the best gymnasts, weightlifters, powerlifters, endurance athletes, and more. Someplace between all these well-specialized athletes is a well-rounded athlete. Important movements like squatting, lunging, jumping, and lifting all benefit themselves when trained in the gym and when trained together in combination. Being able to indirectly train upper body strength and lower body power with constantly different movements at a relative intensity to the individual yields significant results in performance. This is important because many of the best athletes in these sports have health and fitness benefits the general population needs. We have found that these sports are the best place to start because the sport is based around moving the body in efficient and functional ways. After looking further at the tasks gymnasts, weightlifters, powerlifters, endurance athletes, and more are doing, we have found these athletes share a common trait. All these athletes have gotten immensely good at one very specific movement: whether that be swinging on a pull-up bar, lifting a heavy barbell from the ground to overhead, bench pressing, or running. These athletes are extreme variations of what a general person needs. By studying the most effective qualities of these extremes, we can derive an effective program (CrossFit) that every person can, and should, partake in. This derived program is intentional and produces the best results from all extremes without lacking skills in any, creating a very well-rounded athlete (see “aims part one”). The ability to be well-rounded can improve quality of life, by having the ability to both lift a grandkid off the ground (powerlifting) and carry them around (endurance). Send us an email to get started: info@CrossFitAFK.com For time:
2000 meter row At Home WOD: On an 8-minute clock, complete as many rounds as possible of: 16 alternating plank shoulder taps 10 reverse lunges Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Push Press
5-5-5-5-5 reps At Home WOD: Tabata 8 rounds of 20-seconds on, 10-seconds off of: Push press (use a backpack or other household object) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Here is what you need to know about Zone:
Have questions? Send us an email: info@CrossFitAFK.com Enjoying our content? Give us a like on Facebook or Instagram! @CrossFitAFK Strict Cindy
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20-minutes of: 5 strict pull-ups 10 push-ups 15 squats At Home WOD: Complete as many rounds as possible in 20-minutes of: 5 bent over rows 7 kneeling push-ups 9 squats Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Front Squat
7-7-7-7-7 reps At Home WOD: For time: Goblet squat hold Accumulate 3-minutes at the bottom of a goblet squat Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. 4 rounds for time:
10 pull-ups 10 kettlebell swings 10 calorie bike Men perform with 50-lbs kettlebell Women perform with 30-lbs kettlebell At Home WOD: 2 rounds for time of:
1000-meter row 40 burpees 20 kettlebell swings At Home WOD: 2 rounds for time of: 50 standing high knees 40-ft bear crawl 30 glute bridges Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Deadlift
5-5-5-5-5 reps At Home WOD: Single leg deadlift 8-8-8-8-8 reps each side (unloaded or use a backpack or other household object) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Benefits to following a well-balanced strength and conditioning program include all the regular improvements on health and performance as the parts that make up that program. This means by including all the safe and effective training protocols that CrossFit and even other training methodologies use, the results soon speak for themselves. Participating in regular strength and conditioning improves bone density, balance and coordination, pulmonary and respiratory performance, and even mental health and cognitive ability.
Training in the gym has clear benefits outside the gym, too. These improvements on the quality of life go beyond their common primary focus on burning fat, building muscle, and looking good naked. With all these positive outcomes in mind, they also have tertiary effects like slowing the aging process, one that if unattended, leads to a life of requiring constant assistance with lifting, walking up and down steps, and even bathing and showering. It is important to put distance between you and the rising morbidities that are associated with this lifestyle such as heart diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes and more. Even if genetics are in play with current life, living a healthier life will aid in decreasing the negative outcomes involved with chronic diseases. It all comes back to being chased by a bear, bees or a dog - you must be able to get away or you’ll be stung, bit or worse. Life happens, and if you are stronger and more conditioned physically, you worry less when inevitable sickness or accidents do happen. This all comes back to the constantly varied training we do, so that we can be more prepared for the constantly changing world around us than we would be otherwise without it. Resources: British Journal of Sports Medicine ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal 4 rounds for time of:
24 wall-ball shots 12 pull-ups 200-meter farmer carry At Home WOD: 3 rounds for time of: 14 thrusters 8 bent over rows 4 10-meter shuttle goblet carry Use a backpack or other household object Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. For time:
5k run At-Home WOD: For distance: 20-minute run/walk Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. 4 rounds for time of:
20 GHD sit-ups 15 hang squat snatch 2-min rest between each round At Home WOD 4 rounds for time of: 20 sit-ups 20 hang snatch (PVC pipe or broomstick) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Living healthfully is a lifelong process requiring effort in the gym and the kitchen. Nutrition and exercise together can accomplish what neither can alone. Measuring our food for our lifestyle and goals is important.
If you understand or have used the method “calories in, calories out,” you have the tools to be successful using the “Zone.” Zone is what CrossFitters use to determine how many calories in each macronutrient will benefit the body in the most impactful and successful way, while also creating lifelong habits that will continue to work after a weight goal has been met. “Calories in, calories out” is a very simple way to start a weight loss journey, but many times can be challenging to adapt after the journey starts or has been successful. “Calories in, calories out” assumes that the body processes and uses all calories the same way, but our bodies are not that simple (for a quick article on this, click here). Zone takes “calories in, calories out” and adds human physiology to determine the most perfectly balanced meals based on your goals. Like having a balanced training program, our food, and energy from that food, should come in balanced amounts too. Zone uses your general activity level and body type to calculate how many “blocks” of food you can eat per day. The “blocks” are balanced between protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Using “blocks” to represent the food you are measuring is a helpful tool in visualizing the process but is not mandatory. Some tinkering is necessary over the first few months as everyone’s bodies are different, but a good starting point is 30% fats, 30% proteins, and 40% carbohydrates. We will break down Zone more in future blog posts. Whether you are just starting your nutrition journey, or are a seasoned pro, we encourage you to go back to the basics for a week or so – continue getting comfortable in the supermarket and reading food labels (see our previous post about supermarket tips). If you have some extra time, use the “calories in, calories out” method to become familiar with those food labels and how eating to your needs affects the body. Check back over the next few weeks to stay updated on minor changes you can make to the “calories in, calories out” protocol to continue to refine your nutrition to meet your goals. Your mindset is what will keep you going in your health and nutrition journey. We have some tools that, if applied correctly and consistently will enhance your experience along the way. Have questions? Feel free to send us an email at info@CrossFitAFK.com. We would love to help in your journey to health. Resources: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/CFJ_2015_09_Calories_Cecil.pdf Shoulder press
7-7-7-7-7 reps At Home WOD: 5 rounds each for max reps of: Inverted pushups Rest as needed between rounds Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. Complete as many rounds as possible in 20-minutes of:
30 double-unders 15 dumbbell front squats 15 burpees M: 35 lb dumbbells F: 25 lb dumbbells At Home WOD: Complete as many rounds as possible in 20-minutes of: 20 jumping jacks or line jumps 10 goblet squats (use a backpack or other household object) 10 burpees (without pushup) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. 3 rounds for time of:
10 clean and jerks 5 rope climbs M: 135 lb barbell, 15 ft rope F: 95 lb barbell, 12 ft rope At-Home WOD: 12 clean and jerks (use a backpack or other household object) 8 turkish get-ups, alternating (unloaded) Post scores to comments, include scales and modifications. |
