Repeat WOD: "Just 9 Minutes"

Warm-up:  Continued practice with snatch progressions

Strength Training:  3x5's

MetCon:  "Just 9 Minutes" from Crossfit Invictus

Three rounds for max reps of . . .
    - 1 minute of powercleans
    - 1 minute of frontsquats
    - 1 minute of pushpress
    - 1 minute of rest

From Invictus:  "Prescribed loads are 95# for men and 65# for women - light enough to make continuous motion a reasonable goal.  Scale up or down as you see fit."  You've done this one before, so use your previous loads as a guide.

Burpees + Swings

Strength

3 x 5's

By now, the weight you're using on your work sets should be pretty close to what you were using before Winter break.

Metcon

3 rounds of...

2 minutes of work

     AMRAP
   - 5 burpees

   - 10 kb swings

2 minutes of rest

Start the 2nd and 3rd rounds wherever you left off.  For example, if you were able to get 2 rounds plus 3 burpees in the first two minutes of work, begin round 2 by doing just 3 burpees and then moving on to the swings.  Your score is the total number of rounds completed, plus any extra reps.

Monday

BH:  6 rounds + 5 burpees + 2 swings (20#)

BU:  7 rounds + 1 burpee (10kg)

Tuesday
BH:  8 rounds (20kg)
KE:  7 rounds + 5 burpees + 9 swings (30#)
BB:  7 rounds + 5 burpees + 5 swings (12kg / 26.4#)
KD:  8 rounds + 5 burpees (12kg / 26.4#)

"Helen"

Warm-up:  Practice with snatch progression, OH squat

Strength:  3x5's

MetCon:  a modified version of "Helen"

3 rounds for time of . . .
    - run 300m, 0.20 miles on treadmill (or row 375m)
    - 20x swings (pick a fairly heavy weight)
    - 10x pullups (subs = jumping pullups, ring rows, inverted body rows, or lat pulldowns)

Box Jumps + Push-press

Warm-up / Skill Work
Hang Power Snatch and Overhead Squat

Strength
3 x 5's

Metcon
5 rounds, AMRAP
30 sec box jumps
30 sec rest
30 sec push-press
30 sec rest

This is a "power bias" workout.  Rest is built into the workout, so we want you going as hard as possible during the work periods.  Power, by the way, is work divided by time.  The time is fixed at 30 seconds in this workout, so the more work you do, the higher the power output.  If athlete A does 10 reps at a given weight in 30 seconds, and athlete B does 5 reps at the same weight in 30 seconds, then A's power output is higher.  More work is being accomplished in the same span of time.

THE MAIN POINT OF OUR STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING SESSIONS IS TO INCREASE YOUR POWER OUTPUT ACROSS A WIDE RANGE OF MOVEMENTS AND TIME.

In CrossFit terms, we're seeking "Increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains."

box jumps reps / push-press reps
KZ: 56#, 18" - 11/11, 11/11, 11/9, 11/7, 12/5
SS:  56#, 17.5" - 11/10, 12/9, 12/9, 12/9, 13/9
BU: 33#, 17.5" - 10/12, 10/13, 10/12, 10/10, 10/12
BHeg:  44#, 12" - 9/10, 9/10, 10/8, 10/5, 11/6

BHam:  67#, 24" - 10/15, 10/14, 11/12, 12/13, 13/14 (Totals = 56/68)
DF:  67#, 17" - 10/13, 11//11, 10/10, 10/8, 10/7 (Totals = 51/49)
KS:  33#, 13" - 10/11, 12/12, 11/10, 12/11, 10/11 (Totals = 55/55)
KD:  33#, 17.5" - 11/12, 12/13, 13/14, 13/13, 13/12 (Totals = 62/64)
KE:  44#, 19" - 10/11, 11/11, 11/12, 12/11, 12/10 (Totals = 56/55)

Modified Cindy

Strength

3 x 5's

Metcon

Modified Cindy

12 minutes, AMRAP

5 ring rows (or jumping pull-ups)

7 push-ups

10 squats

Monday

SS: 12 rounds (strict push-ups)

KZ: 11 rounds, +5 ring rows, +5 push-ups (strict push-ups)

BU: 10 rounds, +5 lat pull-downs (at 5 plates), +7 push-ups (modified)

Tuesday
KD:  14 round, +1 push-up (5 strict push-ups per round, jumping pull-ups)
KE:  14 rounds, +5 pull-ups (strict push-ups, jumping pull-ups)
BB:  14 rounds, +5 squats (modified push-ups)
KS:  7 rounds (modified push-ups)
DF:  10 rounds, + 10 squats
BH:  11 rounds (elevated rows)

Past efforts can be seen HERE and HERE.

"Diane" (deadlifts/pushpress)

Strength Training:  3x5's

MetCon:  modified "Diane"

Rx'd:  21-15-9 225# deadlifts + handstand pushups

Our version:  21-15-9 deadlifts (about 60% of 1RM) and pushpresses (about 80% of your 5-rep working load on SOHP).

This is a short, heavy metcon that some of you have done before.  Use your loads from last time to set yourself up today.  Ideally, you want to get this work done between 5-8 minutes.  If you went beyond 10 minutes last time, you were loaded too heavy.  (You may have had the strength to do it, but this workout is intended to be a high-intensity anaerobic effort; if it's too heavy, you'll have to stop too often to achieve the desired effect.)  If you finished under 5 minutes last time, bump up the weight today.

KZ:  6:47 (99#, 44#)
SS:  6:51, nearly a minute faster than before! (99#, 44#)
BHeg:  6:54 (55#, 30#)
DH:  6:22 (99#, 48# / 22kg)

The Up's -- Pulling Style!

Strength

3 x 5's

Metcon

"The Up's - Pulling Style"  (see the original)

2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2...  twice!

Step-ups

Ring rows*

Sit-ups

KZ  17:43 (18", 10kg)

DH  19:34 (19" 12kg -- 20kg for first 2, 4, 6!)

SS  20:03 (17", 20#)

PR  21:39 (18", 44#)

BH  19:34 (17.5", 20#, up + down + back up to 10)

BU  12:35 (17", 12kg, subbed modified push-ups, up + down)

KE ~21 minutes (19", 5kg dbs)
KD ~21 minutes (18", 10# dbs)
DF ~ 21 minutes (17.5", 6kg dbs, up/down + back up to 10)
BB ~ 22 minutes (17", 6kg dbs for the first pyramid)
KS ~ 24 minutes (11", unweighted stepups)
BH 19:32 (24", 6kg dbs)

*Coincidentally, there's a great photo on today's Crossfit.com website that shows how "[T]he physical demand in the ring row varies dramatically based on the position of the heels and the height of the rings."  Check it out.

Tuesday: One-arm DB Snatches + Sit-ups

Strength
Back to a linear progression, adding a bit of weight from Monday's starting point.
3 x 5

Metcon
See the notes HERE for technique tips on the one-arm db snatch.

3 rounds...
As many REPS as possible...
1 min one-arm db snatch
1 min sit-ups
1 min rest

This is a power-biased effort.  We're giving you a minute of rest each round so that you can go all out during the two minutes of work.  Don't hold back!

Athlete: load // snatch reps // sit-up reps
BH: 18kg // 21, 21, 22 // 22, 23, 24
BB: 12kg // 28, 29, 30 // 21, 21, 22
DF: ?? // 20, 20, 22 // 21, 16, 12
KD: 15# // 21, 25, 25 // 26, 25, 23
KE: 10kg // 14, 18, 23 // 24, 28, 34
KS: 10# // 20, 15, 23 // 21, 17 ,18

Monday: Thrusters + Burpees

Strength Training: Continuing 3x5's

MetCon:  7 rounds for time of . . .
      - 7 thrusters (db or barbell)
      - 7 burpees

KZ, with 33#, 12:23
SS, with 33#, 12:12
PR, with 44#, 11:11
DH, with 10kg dbs, 9:47
BHeg, with 4-8# dbs, 11:58
BU, with 8# dbs, 12:38

Sunday Seven

(1)  Can you get fit in 5 minutes?
(2)  Top 10 foods for fat loss and optimal body composition
(3)  Post-workout nutrition tips
(4)  Why free weights are better than exercise machines
(5)  Nothing beats deadlifts for a strong and healthy back
(6)  Should you exercise when you're sick?
(7)  Seven fitness myths you should know

One-arm DB Snatches + Sit-ups

Today you learned a new movement: one-arm db snatches.  Key points:

-Use your hips and legs.
-Keep the db close to your body and close to your vertical mid-line.
-Be fast and explosive on the pull.
-Come up onto your toes (or actually off the ground!) to get full extension.
-Try to time the catch at the top with the landing of your feet.
-More good instructional points here.

This video is a bit shaky, but it shows pretty good form and demonstrates the difference between the dumbbell and kettlebell version of the lift.

Strength
Back to a linear progression, adding a bit of weight from Monday's starting point.
3 x 5

Metcon
3 rounds...
As many REPS as possible...
1 min one-arm db snatch
1 min sit-ups
1 min rest

This is a power-biased effort.  We're giving you a minute of rest each round so that you can go all out during the two minutes of work.  Don't hold back!

Athlete: load // snatch reps // sit-up reps
KZ: 6kg // 23, 28, 28 //  36, 36, 35
PR: 10kg // 20, 24, 22 //  28, 29, 29
SS: 10# // 24, 26, 29 //  31, 28, 26
BH: 10# // 24, 25, 25 //  25, 23, 23
BB: 17, 18, 19 //  21, 20, 20 (subbed 12" box jumps for snatches)
DH: 10kg // 22, 25, 26 // 32, 30, 32

Manmakers/Swings

Strength Training:  Your goal is to re-pattern the proper movements and find a weight where you'll resume your linear progression, working back up in strength.  Start light, focus on form.  Do 3-4 sets, adding weight to the bar each time as necessary.  If the bar speed slows and you're grinding out, it's too heavy.  Strive for a weight that is difficult but doable with perfect form.

MetCon:  Re-visiting an old couplet, slightly scaled as we get back into the groove....

6 Rounds for Time:
     - 5 manmakers (pushup, pull L, pull R)
     - 15 swings

Wednesday:
DH:  5:13, 8# mm's, 30# swings (10 swings each round)
BH:  6:36, 0# mm's, 10# swings  (working on full pushups for mm's in rounds 1-4)
KZ:  6:16, 0# mm's, 10kg swings (working on full pushups for mm's)
SS:  6:02, 0# mm's, 10kg swings (working on full pushups for mm's)
PR:  5:49, 12# mm's, 20# swings

Thursday:
KE:  6:08, 5kg mm's, 20# swings
KD:  7:24, 0# mm's, 12 kg swings (full pushups on mm's!)
BH:  7:09, 12# mm's, 35# swings
BB:  6:43, 8# mm's, 15kg swings (working towards full pushups)
KS:  6:55, 0# mm's, 15# swings (scaled to 3 & 10 reps per round)

Welcome Back! CrossFit LA Fitness Test

Happy New Year!

Strength:  Your goal today is to re-learn proper movement and to find the weight where you will resume your linear progressions.  Start very light.  Focus on form.  Do 3 to 4 sets, adding weight to the bar each set.  If the bar speed slows, you're too heavy.  Strive for a weight that is difficult, but doable.

Conditioning:  CrossFit LA Fitness Test

Here's the test, Rx'd:

For time...

500m row

40 squats

30 sit-ups

20 push-ups

10 pull-ups

We dropped the pull-ups, and made other individual modifications as necessary.  We did this to get baseline data, so we were sticklers for proper form.

MWF

KZ 5:31

SS 5:25

PR 5:08

BH 7:20

DH 5:15

BU 7:42 (ran 1/4 mile, modified push-ups)

T/TH
BB 5:35
BH 5:24
KE 5:48
KD 6:05
KS 6:07 (modified push-ups, 1/2 reps)

Training supplements for the New Year

Some of you have asked about protein powder supplements, and since you may be traveling someplace where you can get this stuff cheaper than here in Delhi, here's what we recommend.... 

(1)  We use daily a cheap whey protein powder that we buy at Wal-Mart for about $15 per 2 pounds.  It comes in lots of flavors, but I like plain ol' vanilla best.  Look for leucine, an essential amino acid that helps with muscle recovery/repair and growth.  Avoid anything soy-based.  Remember, you're aiming for at least .8 g/pound of bodyweight of protein per day.

(2)  I also strongly recommend taking fish oil.  There are too many benefits for me to explain!  (I take about 3.5 grams daily to get my omega-3 fatty acids.)

(3)  Optional:  Once your protein and omega-3 fats are dialed in, the next step in supplementation, in my opinion, is creatine monohydrate, not only for its athletic benefits, but for all the other health benefits as well (for your brain and metabolism).  I've been taking 5mg of pure creatine monohydrate ($30 from GNC) daily for the past semester, and it's had a remarkable effect on my ability to recover.