Efficient Technique Maximizes Intensity

(Pat showing how to maximize intensity with an efficient kipping pull-up in Peru)

Today I had an awesome time hitting a WOD with Auty Brooks owner of CrossFit Edmonton. He works on the base as a member of the PSP team. We did a Maxfit USA WOD called "Running Grace" but scaled the weight to 135lb for the whole WOD instead of increasing to 155 and 175 for rounds 2 and three
"Running Grace"
135lb Clean and Jerk x 15
Run 100m
135lb Clean and Jerk x 10
Run 200m
135lb Clean and Jerk x 5
Run 400m
Sean: 8:58 Auty: 7:51

Today was a lot of fun and I look forward to doing it again. Auty has over 2 1/2 years as an owner of a CrossFit gym. I look forward to picking his brain about his business and other areas of coaching and CrossFit.

Technique and Intensity
For those of you that don't know, Intensity is strictly power output. So, for example, in Grace I can calculate my power output by multiplying the work done (load moved) by the distance traveled and divide by time to get power. Power is exactly equal to intensity. So, to increase intensity in Grace I would have to do it faster...simple right? Now, today my clean and jerk went from semi respectable to "horifically shitty." I could have easily had a better time by more efficiently executing my clean with a bigger shrug etc. Problem is, fatique tends to send that plan into the trash can pretty quick. My new mindset is to focus more on efficient movement during my workouts to conserve energy, get a better time and increase my power output. By increasing my power output I will be increasing my intensity which is "almost always the independant variable associated with optimizing returns" - Greg Glassman (the shotcut to the good stuff).

Questions or Comments?

CrossFit Edmonton

Just got back from CrossFit Edmonton, I had a blast. They have a super nice facility and a great group. I think there were about 10 - 12 people and a good mix of males/females. We did a "grinder" Push Press 3-3-3-3-3. I have never done it this way....but I like it. Usually I warm up and hit all three near a 3 rep max attempt. Today I hit 95-135-145-155-165x2 with a bit of a jerk. My overhead is still weak but its great to work on it again, I just pressed the other day but didn't blog it.
WOD
3 rds
10 chest to bar pullups
10 front squat at 165lbs
10 burbees
9:40
This was a great WOD. The weight was a bit heavy, I might have had a better power output by lowering it a bit but peer pressure doesn't accomodate scaling ...haha.

I loved the group setting at this gym, they have everything dialed in and down to a T. I want to learn as much as I can about how they became so successful. I look forward to training there again and picking the brains of the owners.

Nutrition Lecture

(This little bugger in Miami stole Dani's pearl earing...but we got it back.)

So I will be practicing delivering my Nutrition lecture tomorrow night to three lovely ladies. I have taken knowledge from Robb Wolf and added a Pat Sherwood twist. It fits with my own style but still has lots of tweaks to work out. I don't mention the zone at all, I think it is not necessary for my audience. This may carry on, I might just mention the zone for people that simply can't give up grains and dairy or that want to really crack down on the diet. I truly believe Paleo is the way to go for the average person and Paleo Zone for the serial killers that want to maximize performance.

Although, at the end of the day, if someone can't live without cheese they are going to eat fucking cheese! I want to make this thing attainable and phase people in. I will not consider it successful if only 2 of 10 people I give the lecture to stick with it. Thus, my lecture explains a lot of the "whys" and discusses health risks and disease.

Yes I need to post more on this....my Star Wars disease post is coming soon specially for Johnny.

Also, tonight I am going to CrossFit Edmonton for a WOD. Looking forward to checking out the box and talking with them about the business. I plan on visiting as many affiliates as I can in the next little while to get ideas for my business. There are a lot of successful affiliates that can't stop growing at a rapid pace....I have an idea of why that is but I want to learn more.

Not as big news as me going to CrossFit tonight but relevant to my family that reads this blog. It is official...I graduated with a BA in Political Science.

Affiliates that play together Thrive Together

(Dani, Me and Three amazing and knowledgeable trainers: Maggie, Dave and Pat.)

Yes, I know I haven't been posting my workouts, or anything for that matter. I will return to posting workouts soon. Today I have better things to talk about.

Dani and I will be affiliating with CrossFit soon. We have starting but there is still lots to do. More to follow on this.

Revisiting Peru, I spoke to Coach about affiliating and he gave me a boat load of advice. One of the pieces of advice I liked the most was the stories of affiliates that are literally 2 blocks from each other. CrossFit affiliates should not look at each other as competition but as partners. In addition we talked about professionalism and passion regarding a job. A true professional is always learning and trying to get better, that includes taking criticism and listening to clients. In addition, they have a passion for what they do and actually enjoy going into work everyday.

There are many other aspects that go into a good trainer but I think professionalism and passion are very key variables. Greg Glassman said, "Clients are not harvested like a fruit, they are made." I look forward to building great clientel and "playing" with the other affiliates.

Maggie-Dabe Colby = Intensity

I didn't PR in Fran but Maggie sure yelled at me enough to get a decent time

"C'MON DANI!!!!"

So I was joking with Dani before the Cert that Maggie was going to yell at us. She is famous for her intensity video on the CrossFit main page. Well our jokes became reality as soon as we hit Fran with Spanish Salsa music blasting in the backround. She would not accept anything but the best from everyone. It was like she came alive after 3 - 2 - 1 - GO! I like her style of coaching, it is a in your face motivation which is relentless. Pat Sherwood had something interesting to say about intensity and that is: "We write more parking tickets than speeding tickets." Meaning, with new clients it is very unlikely you are going to get one that you have to tell to slow down because they are so new to CrossFit. Most likely you will be motivating them to speed up. It takes a lot to possess the mental toughness to not put that bar down, or drop off the pullup bar during Fran. Fran hurts - but I vow my next meeting with her will be a PR.

More on Coach

So I asked Coach how low he thinks CrossFit times will get. His answer was long and very good but I can summarize it with what he said initially, which was, "Power output will not exceed materials." Meaning, Fran will eventually level off like the 100m world record when our muscles and fibres can no longer support such a high power output. Where does that power output lie? I think he said in between 24 000 and 25 000 ft/lbs is where the maximum lies. I could be wrong, but I think that is what he said.

Coach knows he is in the business of advancing human performance and eventually wants to offer a large cash prize for the CrossFit games. He said, "a large purse drives sport." So his goal is to have the CrossFit Games similar to a World Cup event in which athletes compete for a large cash prize. This would enable athletes from other sports to come over to CrossFit. It would be a, "Union of Capacities" that would include all of sport.

Don't expect to see the CrossFit Games in a stadium anytime soon. They want to keep it as a festival type event. This year should be lots of fun but they eventually want to air it on the internet. They were joking about the Games becoming a Woodstock type environment with bands and drinks; I guess it would be similar to the Calgary Stampede. I thought that was cool.

I still have lots to rant about...but I will leave it there. Post thoughts, comments or questions and I can elaborate.

"Let's go Dani! 2...1...Pick it up let's go!!!"

Some Insights from Coach Glassman

This weekend we had a great opportunity to speak with Coach Glassman in person and listen to two separate Q&A sessions in which I asked a lot of questions  - there was a lot said and discussed...I will just go over a few things here so this isn't a massive post.  

When I initially spoke with Coach we discussed how receptive the military community and Exercise community has been.  In a nutshell he said in person they seemed receptive and open minded but behind his back the problems occurred.  His plan with all groups is to implement CrossFit while maintaining the current PT test - eventually after a few years everyone is going to be crushing the current PT test after doing CrossFit for a while.  At that point the Generals and higher ups will wonder why this is occurring?  He gave the example of Colorado State Patrol (I believe...could be wrong), he used this strategy and now thy are switching to a PT test that includes: Helen, FGB and Fran.  So, he understand he can't walk in the officer of a general and tell them to switch, he understands there is a lot of politics and ego that gets in the way.  

Why the military?  Why Police and Firefighters?  Well, think of fitness as a pyramid, at the top is people who need it for their lives, followed by those for their livelihood and etc. until you get to the bottom which is average joe and sally who just use fitness to lose weight.  He wanted to establish a beachhead with those that require fitness for their lives because he knows that people will take the program more seriously if the Navy Seals are doing it.  He likes to make fun of Richard Simmons, not because he isn't successful but because he targets the average housewife and thus is not taken seriously.  That is part of the reason why the WOD on the mainpage is so hard - to grow, the program has to be taken seriously and kick people's ass.  

CrossFit is currently growing 1% a day, I asked Coach Glassman where he sees CrossFit down the road.  In a nutshell, there are 1300 affiliates now, he doesn't see why there can't be 15 000 - "how many times does 150 divide into 7 million?"  This was a response to the question how many affiliates could Lima, Peru support.  I once heard Coach Glassman state, "CrossFit is a full frontal assault on the fitness industry."  I really think this is his strategy to avoid all the politics and bullshit that is involved with "convincing" the exercise scientists and military communities.  If the front line soldiers are doing it and kicking ass and if average joe is doing it and is healthier than ever, eventually they are going to have to jump and board and stop making up lies and avoiding the elephant in the room.  

"There are more room for CrossFit gyms than 7/11" - Coach Glassman 

That's it for now - next post I will go into other growth of CrossFit he discussed including CrossFit Golf and CrossFit Fire.  

Back from Lima but BUSY!

(Carlos, the winner of the qualifiers. He is from Ecuador and I will be rooting for him in California. Great guy and awesome athlete!)

(Dani going head to head against the qualifying female for South America, she had the lead up till the last few thrusters when Susana edged her out for the Win. It was a great effort by Dani against the home team favorite.)

So we just got in late last night from an AMAZING trip. I will be blogging about both the trip and the CrossFit part of the trip. Dani did great competing in the first even of the South American Games and I got a chance to be a judge for some great athletes. We met people from 7 or 8 different countries who were all great people. Coach spoke twice, taking questions, at the cert and I had a chance to talk to him one on one for about 20 minutes. The things he says have a great impact on my thoughts...they are "mind bottling." He covered a wide range of topics and answered some very pressing questions I had about CrossFit.

So I am driving out to Edmonton tomorrow so I have to get my stuff in order...more to come on all of this!