Announcements:
– Reminder Today’s 7:30 AM class will be assessments only, I will also be doing assessments at 4:30 PM
– The CrossFit Games finals will be live streamed online all weekend, check it out here
Are you a Warrior? A new challenge is coming…. more Tomorrow, and Monday!
Announcements:
– Next round of Oly Classes start tomorrow, 3 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. Single sessions now available.
– Wes will be doing free assessments during the 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM Class on Tuesday and Thursday this week, Thursday’s 7:30 AM class will be assessments only.
Announcements:
– Next round of Oly Classes start tomorrow, 3 PM, 6:30 PM, and 7:30 PM. Single sessions now available.
– Wes will be doing free assessments during the 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM Class on Tuesday and Thursday this week, Thursday’s 7:30 AM class will be assessments only.
Help us improve the gym… did I mention free food and booze?
It’s been a while since our last work party where we ripped up and replaced the flooring. This time around things should be much easier. Improvements will include organization of the front area, painting, building shelves, etc.
Come lend a hand or just hang out and have a good time. Work will begin around 11am, following the Saturday team WOD.
First let me say that I have a couple main goals when it comes to training you: To make you a stronger, faster, healthier person… and, more importantly, to keep you safe.
Rx is a term from the medical world that stands for “Prescription” we use it in the CrossFit world to mean that you did a workout “as prescribed.” So, the infamous Fran workout is 21-15-9 of 95lb Thrusters and Pull-ups. Any scaling from there would mean the workout was not done Rx.
What must be realized is that the workout “as prescribed” is designed for top-level athletes, and will not and should not be the proper level for most of the people in the gym.
“My goal is to wear the same shoes as Shaquille O’Neal.”
What’s wrong with that statement? Well… forget about Shaq’s horrible taste in footwear, with the noted exception of the neon-blue CO2 auto-pumps of ’94. The shoes are designed to fit his specific feet, U.S. shoe size 23 (You know what that means… he has a REALLY big …bill from the custom shoe store), and even though you can probably get your feet in them and hobble up and down the court, it won’t be pretty and you won’t get much out of it.
First the easy Topic: Safety
We can all understand that in any given movement, there will be a line where a movement becomes unsafe: too much weight, too fast, for too long, etc. Even though you MAY be able to pull a 500lb deadlift doing your constipated dog impression, it probably isn’t the best idea.
How’s my form?
If you really want to sit on the couch for the rest of your life, there are better ways to go about it than attempting to shoot your vertebrae out your ass. If you guys don’t understand this, just ring your call button, and Tommy will come back there and hit you on the head with a tack hammer.
…and now Performance
a.k.a. Results a.k.a Why you guys are in here busting your asses
Wanting to do workouts Rx’d is the same as the Shaq situation. Although our strength and conditioning programming may look more or less Random, there are set stimuli and responses that we’re trying to achieve through thorough and methodical planning. These WODs (and strength sessions, skill sessions, movement preparation, and mobility work) are designed to maximize effective time in the gym, and more importantly… drive results (or as Kelly Starrett would say: “dirty sexy nasty performance increases”).
BEWARE: Science & Graphs follow…
There are three metabolic pathways that provide the energy for our movements. These “metabolic engines” are known as the phosphagen pathway, the glycolytic pathway, and the oxidative pathway. The energy production and time domains are displayed above. The phosphagen pathway dominates intense movements that last less than about ten seconds. The glycolytic pathway, dominates moderate-powered activities that last up to several minutes. The oxidative pathway, dominates low-powered activities, those that last longer than several minutes. Hint: You’re probably in the oxidative pathway right now, unless you’re sitting at your preacher curl station reppin’ out sets of 10 while reading this (in which case you’re probably still in your oxidative pathway). Each one of these metabolic engines will tax different systems and elicit a certain response. We program for these specific responses.
So, if someone does Fran in 4 minutes, they will achieve the desired stimulus and the designed results. If someone is stumbling through Fran for 15 minutes, do you see how they might not be getting the same stimulus? While you will probably still get something out of lifting 95lbs overhead 45 times, if you scale to 65lb thrusters and band pull-ups, to a level where you can get the desired stimulus, you’ll see much better gains in the short and long term.
At the same time, maybe someday we will ask you to do Fran with 95lbs, even though it won’t be easy, and it may take you a little longer, because we’re trying to build your strength and mental capacity that day. We do these things for a reason, not because we love torturing you, or making you look bad on the world wide internet by displaying your time with some scaling next to your name. Chances are good that your grandma, or that cheerleader you dated in middle school, or your dog Duke won’t ever even read the results… but come pool-time, everyone will notice.
…So if someday you want to get to the place where you’re one of those top-level athletes who steals Mikko Salo’s milk-money on his way home from the gym… THAT’S AN AWESOME GOAL. It’s our goal to get you there, but if we want you to do 75lb thrusters so you can stay in the desired metabolic pathways, and generate gains, realize it’s with good reason. Take your 75lbs and run with it. Bust out Fran in 2 minutes with perfect form. Show us you deserve more weight, and keep grinding away. You’ll get there! Just understand if it’s not today.
The idea behind the burpee bank is simple! Purchase a burpee for anyone in the gym to do for $1… and all the proceeds go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Purchase as many as you’d like for anyone here at CFA…this burpee bank will be active until the end of July, and at the completion of the time period I will host a BBQ and burpee pay-off day! The burpee bank is in the gym now and located above the computer area! There is a small index card holder(on the key box) with cards and a sharpie to write the name of the recipient and the donor, as well as paperclips for your cash or check! I will update the bank regularly so that you can see where the standings are, and see who needs a few more!
Remember all of the days that burpees were in the WOD’s? Remember how much you love them? Remember how many each of the coaches have made you do? I will definitely remember that as bad as burpees suck, cancer sucks worse!
All of the proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to further the mission of eradicating blood cancers. Think about donating a few dollars a week to this cause, because only a few things suck more than burpees…
The On Ramp program is designed to teach you the fundamental movements of the CrossFit program and prepare you for the rigors of our group classes. The On Ramp Program consists of six classes over a two week period. We also offer one on one training as a substitute for the On ramp class. Once you have completed our On Ramp program either as a class or through one on one sessions, you will be eligible to participate in our group classes and open gym sessions.
The two-week On-ramp class costs $100 and includes an introduction to the foundational CrossFit movements and nutrition. Click here to view the class schedule. To pay for the class and reserve your spot, please click the link below.
Due to popular demand, and the awesome feedback from our first clinic, we’ve asked pose experts Dr. Mike Maggio and Valerie Hunt to return for another clinic. The 4-hour class will take place on Saturday, May 8th from 11:30am to 3:30pm. The class is open to both members and non-members. $100 is a small price to pay for 4 hours of specialized instruction, and a lifetime of improvement. Reserve your spot now!
Join us for 4-hours of improving running performance and comfort through technique, theory, drills, and video analysis with Pose Method® Certified Running Level-II Coaches Valerie Hunt & Dr.Mike Maggio.
Prevent overuse injuries
Move faster with less effort
Unlock your natural potential
Get better results
Price is $100 for the 4-hour session including individual video analysis.
Class size is limited, so click the link below and register to reserve your spot:
It’s been WAY too long… time to come out and hang with all the fine folks from CrossFit Austin. We’ve had a lot of new members join up since our last happy hour, and it’ll be a great chance for everyone to get to know each other. Come on out and share a few drinks and a great time.
We’ll be meeting at the Red Shed Tavern, just a few feet North of CrossFit Austin on South Congress. Feel free to bring your friends & family and hit us up if you have any questions. Look forward to hanging with you all!