19 OCT 2012 - Heavy Push Press

Kate "Killer" Rawlings lifting a fire hydrant

INTENSITY:
Rest Day

RESET:
Run 1 Mile
Then find something heavy, awkward and unwieldy - lift it 20 times (preferably something you can lift to shoulder level) 

The CrossFit Clean - what are the standards?

A question was raised by some trainer friends of mine about what CrossFit considers "the standard" for the Clean. Away from the CrossFit world, I think most people agree a solid rack, with the arms parallel to the deck are generally required for a strong, complete Clean position.

In fact (as Ryan Kittrell, Level 1 CF Trainer was kind enough to Google up): "The power clean is best thought of as a jump with the bar in the hands, followed immediately by an upward forward slam of the elbows to rack it on the shoulders." ---Rippetoe

The 2012 Games recently displayed the standard as basically having the elbow in front of the bar. In this video, I explain my thoughts on the CrossFit Clean and a few differences between the actual "Rippetoe" definition and the standard at CrossFit.

Elbows are good - but the head is NOT neutral. Judging by this stance,
he appears to be a little far forward  and above that 90-degree sweet spot

Virtually NO rack at all. What's worse is this gal is posing
for a model-type picture, presumably demonstrating the Clean

I think this may have been at CrossFit regionals or maybe even
the CrossFit Games. This, in my opinion is NO REP. The elbows
are down and the knees are WAY forward. Poor form if nothing else

Just. Freaking. Awesome.

A progression picture. The top is AFTER, the bottom
the BEFORE picture.

18 OCT 2012 - CrossFit Overhead Squats, Run, Weighted Sit-Ups

INTENSITY:
3 Rounds for Time of:
15 Overhead Squats (95/65)
800m Run
15 Weighted Sit-Ups (45/25)

RESET:
2 Rounds of:
60s Spiderman Lunge Right
15 Air Squats
60s Spiderman Lunge Left
15 Bench Dips

17 OCT 2012 - Squat Clean Thrusters and K2E

INTENSITY:
5 Rounds for Time of:
7 Squat Clean Thrusters (135/95)
9 Knees to Elbows

RESET:
20 Suspended Mountain Climbers
20 Landmines Press (45/25)
20 Samson Lunges

Strength Training Mesocycles - how we train at SVG FIT

Author's Comment: The question was put up on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/SVGFIT) about whether there were any questions I could answer about the SVG FIT programming. I realized when I received some of the responses that I don't really have a cut and dry instruction manual on how to get started with SVG FIT! I am a CrossFit certified instructor and most of my workouts follow the CrossFit mentality of constantly varied, functional movements performed at a high intensity, but we do have subtle differences in our programming techniques that beg an explanation. SO, I'll start here, and put up a video later to better explain things!

From Brandon: 
Well I need to get into shape after my baby was born I have gotten way outta shape. So I saw ur post and just thought its time to do something about my fitness. Can u explain the rotation for the WOD. Intensity then the reset or is the reset In between each rotation of the intensity. Thanks buddy!

My thoughts exactly!

My Response: 
Hey, man! How's it going? Congratulations on the little one! That's awesome!

I can definitely explain things; but it might be a little on the lengthy side! I need to put a video together that outlines it, because I know you're not the only one that looks at it and wonders what's going on!

Basically There are four portions to each workout:

• Warm-Up: 10 Minutes
• Heavy: 20 Minutes
• Intensity: 20 Minutes
• Reset: 10 Minutes

60 minutes total.

 The RESET can be left out if time is short. I don't recommend it, however as it definitely has an impact on flexibility and range of motion over time. (Author's Note: I STRONGLY recommend getting something in post-Intensity rather than just 100% stop at the end of it)

HEAVY - the Heavy section is posted every week on the right side of the page. That is a constant 3 on, 1 off model. So you have 3 days of work and 1 day of rest. The Heavy follows a 16-week Mesocycle that is broken up into phases from 1 to 5.

We just started Phase 1 this week on the next meso, so (as an example) we are doing all of those lifts listed on the right in the following format:

4 Sets
15-20 Reps
60-65% of our 1 Rep Max for that lift

HEAVY strength training Mesocycle

In other words, on Monday we did bench press as the Heavy lift. I did 4 sets, 15 or 16 reps at 135lbs or 60% of my 225 max (yea, no comments from the peanut gallery).

Today we're going to do that same scheme for the Deadlift (that will be a little more respectable 240 from my 405 max).

INTENSITY - then we have Intensity. This is the WOD. My WODs, because they are associated with the HEAVY work as well, are typically a little shorter than those posted on CrossFit.com - mine usually are between 7 and 15 minutes.

The Intensity also runs 3 on, 1 off - BUT they are offset of the HEAVY by one day. So If we start on a Monday, it would look like this:

Monday: HEAVY / REST
Tuesday: HEAVY / INTENSITY
Wednesday: HEAVY / INTENSITY
Thursday: REST / INTENSITY
Friday: HEAVY / REST
Saturday: HEAVY / INTENSITY
Sunday: HEAVY / INTENSITY

RESET: 
First and foremost - there should be a RESET every day. The Reset is more than just a cool-down after the workout. It's a low-intensity exercise set that seeks to the reduce the likelihood or severity of muscle-soreness. In general, it seeks to expand on the flexibility, balance and coordination domains of CrossFit.

Warm-Up Example:

400m Run or 500m Row or 100 Double Unders

Joint Mobility
- Arms (arm swings)
- Shoulders (shoulder shrugs, band pulls)
- Hips (high kicks, walking lunges, samson stretch)
- Legs (spiderman lunge, squat bridge)

3 Rounds, 10 Reps of:
- Push-Ups
- Sit-Ups
- Air Squats

NO STRETCHING! Do not STRETCH; any mobility in this Warm-Up should be some sort of activity OR a joint opener. Do not stretch cold muscles. It will inhibit performance and could lead to injury.

I STRONGLY recommend the Catalyst Athletics Warm-Up routine -


That's PLENTY of information for now. Try to digest that and let me know what questions you have.


Stay Savage, My Friends!

16 OCT 2012 - Barbell Walk, Snatch Press, OHS

INTENSITY:
3 Rounds For Time of:
200m Barbell Walk (from the shoulders)
15 Snatch Push-Press* (135/95)
10 OHS

*Snatch Push-Press starts with the bar on the shoulders with a snatch grip. Use a push-press movement to get the bar overhead to the snatch / ohs position

About Matt and SVGFIT - he is a CrossFit certified instructor living in Wichita, KS. He has been training and coaching people for over 5 years of motivational fitness with the CrossFit mindset - Constantly Varied, High Intensity, Functional Movement. His focus is on Olympic and Power lifting commonly found in CrossFit routines. 

Matt currently runs this blog while working on his Pre-Physical Therapy degree, along with his full-time job and family at home. Matt ran Blackhawk Fitness and CrossFit Wichita for five years before selling the gym before deploying to Afghanistan in October of 2011. SVGFIT is a way he can continue to help the community and provide a training source for those interested in a more Oly-centric program. For more information or if you would like to chat with Matt, email at svgfit (at) gmail (dot) com.

RESET:
10 Sandbag OTB
60s Pull-Up Bar Hang (straight arm)
10 Cobra Push-Ups
60s Squat Bridge

15 OCT 2012 - KB Swing, Box Jumps, Double Unders

It's a great time to get started with SVG FIT! We are starting WEEK 1 of PHASE 1 this week! Get started on your new YOU starting now!

INTENSITY:
21-15-9 rep rounds of:
KB Swing (1.5p / 1p)
Box Jumps
Double Unders

RESET:
400m Jog
15 Bench Dips
60s Cobra Pose
15 Toe Touches
60s Plow Pose

SVG FIT Motivation #2 - Fitness Results: Setting Expectations

Author's Note: I originally titled this slow and steady - but it ended up being not so much about "slow and steady" work over time as it was about setting proper expectations. Changed the title appropriately. 

How many times have you started a diet or a new, flashy fitness program only to bail-out after a few weeks or maybe even a few days when you don't see the results you thought you would?

C'mon - you know I'm talking to you. You know, deep down, you quit too early. I'm not a big statistics guy, but I would venture to say that almost EVERYONE has tried some sort of fitness or diet program because they saw some good looking guy or gal who swore up and down "it works" and so they bought into it.


Something you need to keep in mind when you see those ads on TV, on the Internet, or in print: Those people make a living off of their fame or their appearance!

They are certainly not exclusively using the product they are advertising!
You don't honestly think the "Shake Weight" models achieved those six-pack abs and bulging biceps using that ridiculous 3-pound device, do you?

 They are there to sell you their gimmick and that's it. They don't care about you or your health or your situation. They are being paid to sell you a product. Once you've made the purchase, they move on to the next chump.

Selling gimmicks one commercial at a time

There is no "secret pill", there is no one exercise or program that has the market cornered on your health and fitness. No matter how hard you try or how much you wish it were true, you are going to have to put the time in to lose weight, stay fit and stave off the affects of aging. Diet pills, energy drinks and fad diets do way more harm than good when it comes to your continuing and future health. It's a package deal - there is no all of some and none of the other. You cannot workout every day, smoke and still call yourself healthy. You cannot exercise just to have an excuse to eat at Taco Bell or McDonald's!

When you start a program like CrossFit, you are beginning way behind the "starting line". There are no two way about it. This is especially true if you are significantly overweight. Results take time because your body is  not yet able to produce the work or intensity required to burn massive amounts of fat. Additionally, you probably have not curbed your diet to the point where you are burning excess fat - as I intimated above, so many people I've talked to in the past joke around about having worked out, so now they can go home and "enjoy that pizza" or treat themselves to something excessive. It doesn't work that way and you're setting yourself up for failure by not admitting you need to make changes in that thought process.

You have to burn 3500 excess calories just to shed one pound of fat.

Running or Walking one mile for a 200 pound person only burns about 113-120 calories. While the length and disposition of CrossFit or other HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) programs varies greatly each day, we can expect the Rx (perscription) 15-20 minute workout to burn (roughly) 300 calories. A person has to burn 3500 calories to shed ONE POUND of excess fat.

In addition, the average resistance training program will afford the participant about 1 to 2 pounds of muscle gain per month. This is assuming a consistent and persistent weight training regimen.

Discouraging Truth: Running doesn't burn calories well. 1 Mile is about 113-120 Calories

In later topics, we'll discuss the deceptive nature of worrying about calories over the quality of the food you eat, but for now let's just look:

3500 calories to burn, per pound you want to lose.
CrossFit workout: 300 calories per day x 20 workouts in a month = 6000 calories
From the math alone you can see this is not even two pounds of weight loss in a month!

Paleo Diet - the true food pyramid

Assuming you have not changed your diet and ONLY added in exercise, there is simply NO WAY you can hope to achieve your goals (whatever they are) in just 30 days or even 60 days. The expectations have been set TOO HIGH in a social climate that expects results YESTERDAY.

By taking things slow and steady, working with your trainer to set expectations in the correct framework; combine those two things with changing your diet with an exercise program and you will see exponential gains over time.

Do not walk into ANY program, be it CrossFit or Lunchtime Yoga thinking you are going to see changes and results in just a few short weeks. Rapid change is unhealthy and perhaps just as important, not permanent!

This DOES NOT MEAN you can work at it half-heartedly over the next 90 days and still expect to see something. You will only get out of it what you put into it - if you want BIG GAINS you have to WORK HARD to achieve them.

Slow and steady progress WILL win the day!

Stay Savage, My Friends!

14 OCT 2012 - Sunday Funday! Dumbbell Work

If you feel like this after a workout - you're doing it right!

INTENSITY:
Without putting the dumbbell down perform

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep rounds of:
Single-Dumbbell Deadlift
Single-Dumbbell Hang Power Clean
Single-Dumbbell (Back) Squat
Single-Dumbbell Press
Rest no more than 60s between rounds

RESET:
Work on what hurts or what is sore - 10 minutes active stretches or joint work