CrossFit L1
CrossFit L1
Intro
Alex Gowers - CrossFit Reston/fairfax Kristin Bowen - CrossFit takeover
CrossFit Definition
Constant movement that’s infinitely scalable
Definition: constantly varied, function movement executed at high intensity
Function movement
Over used word - everything is functional
6 characteristics
- Natural
To human movement No one has taught you how to do these movements. Not gym movements, you do them anyway
- universal motor recruitment patterns
They are found everywhere. We are wired to do them.
- essential
To independent living and quality of life …squat out of feet, deadlift something off the floor. Loss of functional capacity is what puts people in nursing home Acts as a hedge to decrepitude
- Compound yet irreducible
Multi-joint Cannot train these movements in isolation. Can’t expect to get the same results if we do Function movements elicit a systemic response
- safe
They are natural. We are BUILT to do them. Done *correctly, there’s an even distribution of force Hierarchy of safety. A post-max load on a back squat is still safe while a post-max load on a chest fly will hurt you Least safe — not training these movements at all More safe — training functional movements (even with bad form) because it will get better Most safe — performing functional movements with good form
- Core to extremity movement patterns
Punch, throw, kick, swing all start at the core and radiate out to extremities
High force producing, low velocity Core, hips, erectors -> medium force, medium velocity legs -> low force, high velocity arms, hands, wrists
None are more important than the others
High intensity
Move large loads, long distance, quickly
Move large loads - Force long distance - distance quickly - time
(F * d) / t = power
This is objective, not subjective.
It’s measurable, we can put a number to our output
Intensity = average power A lot of use of this word is correlates of intensity
Heart rate does not equal intensity
The independent variable most commonly associated with maximizing the rate of return on favorable adaptations
OR it’s where its at
It gets us results
Intensity is relative relative to physical and psychological tolerances What can the body handle What can the mind handle
If you keep people pushing their relative intensity, they will see results.
Needs of Olympic athletes differ by degree, not kind from ‘regular’ people. Whether that’s a PR at 315 or 65 lbs.. it matters that its the right intensity for that person
Constantly varied
Broad, general, and inclusive
We fail at the margins of our experience.
If you’re on a regular gym lifting routine, you experience won’t be very broad
We want to blur the lines of experience with real life
Environmental factors don’t need to be tweaked as much as force, distance, and time.
It’s a compromise of skills
A GPP program
What is Fitness?
Adaptive capacity to span any specialty you choose
The overlap of different sports is fitness
Different models of fitness
Ten general physical skills
Balance of physiological adaptations
Organic skills - mostly training
- cardio respiratory endurance
- Strength
- Productive application of force
- Productively overlaying coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy
- Productive application of force
- Stamina
- Flexibility
Combination from both organic and neurological
- Power
- Speed
developed through practice — neurological skills Technique and task accomplishment DU
- Coordination
- Agility
- Balance
- Accuracy
develop these skills with a combination of training and practice
the hopper
Perform statistically best across different athletes
Balance of skills and drills
metabolic pathways
ATP is what your body needs
- Phosphogen pathway 100% Anaerobic
- glycolytic 70% Anaerobic
- Oxidative pathway 40% Aerobic
Balance of bioenergetics
sickness / wellness / fitness continuum
Balance of lifestyle
Sick -> Well -> Fit
Fitness is a state of super health
You want to push yourself to as far to fit as possible
This all comes from measured observation — empirical.
Work capacity across broad time and modal domains — throughout life (health)
Technique
Functional movements have a neurological component. This comes down to technique
What qualifies as optimal technique? The movements/positions used to accomplish a task
Optimal task accomplishment.
Coordination and accuracy can result in greater fitness because you are more efficient with the strength and stamina you have
Technique vs intensity
- adding weight
- Volume
- Faster
There’s a universal tension of precision and speed are required for success.
This is balanced with threshold training - as you succeed in one of the areas, you push the other
Mistakes are an inevitable for progression.
Consistent correction of mistakes at higher and higher speeds is when we become great at something
This develops virtuosity Doing the common uncommonly well
Coaching environment
3 different athlete category
- pukie
- All over the place with their lifts
- Have huge intensity but not control
- Kevin
- Look at coach after every rep
- Goldie
- Good for a few reps then technique breaks down
There is just enough intensity that your technique breaks down a little bit so you get better.
What are the points of performance of the movement? Is the athlete hitting all the PoP? Are they responding to cues? What’s the capacity?
3 key aspects of adjusting intensity
- Safety — risk
- Efficacy — results
- Efficiency — seeing results in timely manner
Too much emphasis on one will diminish or erase the others
Charter — Step 1: Mechanics can my athlete get into the proper positions. Can they do it consistently Step 2: Consistency Step 3: Intensity Doesn’t matter how long it takes to get to intensity - just that it happens eventually and progress is made
It’s technique and intensity
CrossFit Nutrition
Programming
Do 6 months of CrossFit.com programming to expose yourself to the longest source of programming out there
Workout elements and variance
Movements
- Modality Gymnastics - body weight, own body through time and space Weightlifting Controlling the body in addition to an external object Monostructural metabolic conditioning Classic cardio.
- Number of movements 1, 2, 3, 4+ Most intensity lies in couplets or triplets
- Function Push / pull Upper body / lower body Pressing vertical / pressing horizontally
- Load Body weight -> 1RM
- Rep / distance 1-1000+
Time
3 priority
-
task priority - volume is set. You know the exact work that is to be completed As time goes down power goes up
-
time priority - duration is set. You don’t know how much work you’ll do As reps go up, power goes up More incentive to pace on time priority workouts.
-
heavy day As you add load, power goes up
Combining elements effectively
Themes that are more often programmed
- Couplets and triplets
- Full body workouts
- Task priority workouts
- Shorter in over all duration (<= 15 min)
- Complimentary movement pairings Muscles you use to squat and press are different than pulling (Fran)
You only get better at the things that you do.
Some workouts that have movement interference and localized muscle fatigue are beneficial (JT) to throw in for variance.
Session Elements — 5x5 squat example
(Minutes) Warm Up (3) Go over logistics
- general (5) Elevate heart rate, raise core temperature, dynamic stretching
- Specific (15) Show them how to squat, go over PoP Show how to actually squat with a barbell Athletes need to warm up to working sets (3) minute break Workout (27) Feel like you need to have rest after 80% + generally Cool down (7) Regaining homeostasis Stretching and recording scores
Shorter workouts mean more time warming up / adding skill work / adding low intensity accessory
Scaling
Endeavor to preserve as much of the original stimulus as possible
- Scale intensity
- scaling load
- scaling volume
- Substation of movement
- swap function that’s close as possible goal is to preserve range of motion of original movement
- Remove a function
- Change function
Goal: drive forward progress, get better Not just be easy
Rest
Choose rest before rest chooses you
- Full
- Active Recovery Walk/ hike is active recovery, not full rest.m
Actively program rest
Movements
Common themes or PoP
- midline stability
- Posterior chain engagement
- Core to etremity movement patterns
- Full range of motion
- Active shoulders
The movements bellow are the 9 foundational movements. Knowing these 9 and you are a couple steps away from any other functional movement
[10 general physical skills]: ../10 general physical skills “10 general physical skills” [CrossFit Nutrition]: CrossFit Nutrition “CrossFit Nutrition” [Movements]: Movements “Movements” [pop]: pop “PoP” [Squat Movements]: Squat Movements “Squat Movements” [Press Movements]: Press Movements “Press Movements” [Pull Movements]: Pull Movements “Pull Movements” [//end]: # “Autogenerated link references”