4.1

Three quick announcements: 

1. This week will be a "mini deload" week. The Oly Volume and weight will decrease a bit. You're welcome.

2. No Sunday Oly session with the millers this week. Don't worry, you will still get 8 sessions with them.

3. We will host an in house "CFOKC Oly Cycle Competition" the date is looking to be August 9th.

Oly Strength

     1. Snatch
           2 @ 60%, 2 x 2 @ 65%, 3 x 2 @ 70%
     2. Snatch Pull
           2 x 2 @ 100% (of SN), 2 x 2 @ 105%
     3. EMOM for 8 Min
          2 Hang Power Snatch (start at 50% and work up to heavy)

Comp WOD

     AMRAP in 12 Min (Partner WOD)
     You-Go-I-Go Format
     6 Heavy Russian KB Swings
     50 M Sprint

Class WOD

     Four Rounds for Total Reps
     4 Min AMRAP
            5 Pull Ups
          10 Push Ups
          15 Air Squats
          1 Min Rest Between Each AMRAP

Sunday 3.5

3.5 Sunday

STEVE/LOREEN MILLER SESSION
     Either 1:30 or 2:30
     Please attend the same session as last week unless you have been told otherwise

GOAT WORK
     You may do this in the On Ramp area during the opposite Oly session

COMP WOD 3:30
WOD TBA

Saturday 3.4

3.4

GOAT WORK (As Warm Up, No more than 15 Minutes)

OLY STRENGTH (No more than 45 Minutes)

1. Snatch

2 @ 60%, 2 @ 70%, 1 @ 80%, heavy single

2. Clean & Jerk

2+1 @ 60%, 2+1 @ 70%, 1+1 @ 80%, heavy single

SQUAT STRENGTH (No more than 45 Minutes)

      1. Back Squat

            10 @ 60%, 10 @ 65%, 8 @ 70%, 8 @ 75%

      2. Front Squat

            5 @ 60%, 5 @ 65%, 2x5 @ 70%

3. Romanian DL

3x5 Heavier than last week

WOD
11:00 TBA

3.3

The Whiteboard Mentality... Part 2

     Compete Daily. Thats what we will eventually focus on. but first:

     History is important. Lineage is important. Lets talk about it.

     Crossfit in Oklahoma, in a competitive light (ok any light), is absolutely phenomenal.  We compete in a region made up of 11 states, but we contribute enough athletes for almost 1.33 states. Lets look at some facts.

     Oklahomans
3 Men have qualified for and competed at the Games as individuals
1 Masters Woman Games athlete
2 Teams have qualified for and competed at the Games

And this confusing chart

     All you need to know from this, is that our state sends 5 men, about 4 women, and about 4 teams to Regionals every year. For our Region, we send athletes as if we were one and a quarter states and our top competitors each year average a 4th place team, a 5th place female, and almost a 3rd place male.

     The overwhelming majority of these competitors have originated at one of two gyms: CFOKC or CF Jenks. GK and I have had the privilege of being members at both of these gyms. The owners Jason Boag of OKC and Breck Berry of Jenks have both qualified for the CF Games as individuals. To say that they set the tone for competitive Crossfit in Oklahoma would be an understatement.

     Now that we have some background, lets actually move on to this portion of the Whiteboard Mentality. I want to specifically focus on Jenks, today. Sort of.

     It was somewhere around the summer of 2009. The whiteboard had existed before this time, but not to the degree it soon would at CF Jenks. Breck Berry was competitive at heart. Everyday in the gym was an all out battle for him, and he was and is a machine.

     Everyday, as we raced to finish the WOD first, we would yell "TIME" upon finishing the WOD... and Breck would write our name (and whether or not we did the WOD as Rx'd) in his famous spiral notebook. The original spirals are rumored to still be in existence.

     I believe that it was this summer that he decided he would have a daily/monthly Leaderboard...and it was this summer that he would begin to create monsters. He made a whiteboard with 31 lines and placed it on prime "front and center" wall-estate. The premise was this: Win the WOD that day, get your name on the board. The competition was on. Everyday was a battle.

     Breck coached every class and ran every warm up. Essentially his methods would "standardize" the day. This meant that, for each class, the only variables that were different were the time, the amount of sun, and the weather.

     The Men fought hard daily in order to dethrone Breck from his regular spot atop the board. The Women did the same in the chase for GK's position. Here is what was amazing, they started doing it. Men and Women rose to the challenge. Breck and Ginny didn't get worse, they got exponentially better (forged from the fires of competition). Everyone else just happened to do the same. Iron sharpened Iron on a daily basis.

     It is my opinion that because of this "Compete Daily Whiteboard Mentality" CF Jenks can boast this: Almost 60% of the Oklahoma Regional competitors and around 80% of Oklahoma Games competitors got their start at CF Jenks.

     As I mentioned earlier, Breck ran his daily classes very specifically. For this reason a lot of controllable variables were controlled. He couldn't change the amount of sleep the athletes got. Or what their diet was like. Or whether they were mentally prepared for the WOD. He couldn't control which guys/gals were sandbagging the strength portion in order to do beter on the WOD. He couldn't control the temperature outside. Or any other of the thousands of factors that go into WOD performance. The "TIME" that he wrote down had no asterisk with a reference reading  "up all night studying/with crying baby", it was just a number (your result for this day). You received a number daily though, so everything seemed to average out over time. If you went to class at Jenks, you posted on the website. (I will cover this later) You also checked the website through out the day and for some reason you always thought "so-n-so" cheated (thats for a later post as well).

     And now with all of that in mind, lets fast forward this...the fall of 2009. I visited CFOKC. There was a plethora of competitive guys at CFOKC as well. I specifically remember one of the CFOKC guys being very interested in how Denver McPhail was able to post certain times on WODs. These CFOKC guys looked at Breck's programming on a regular basis and they also tried to beat the Jenks guys on a regular basis (future post). I loved the enthusiasm, but I realized very quickly that they were missing the intangibles, namely Breck's vicious "warm ups".

     The "Compete Daily" view that comes with this area of the "Whiteboard Mentality" is invaluable for fostering a competitive gym environment. Breck's whiteboard experiment proved that to me unequivocally. I watched Iron sharpen Iron and I walked Breck create fierce competitors.

     The question I will pose is this: Is there a gym to gym breakdown? If you are comparing yourself to someone from another gym, how can you be sure that you have both done the same workout. My answers are: Yes there is a break down, and essentially you cant compare....but more on this later.

To Be Continued...  

3.3

OLY STRENGTH

1. 3-Position Clean (floor, below knee, above knee) + 1Jerk

3+1 @ 60%, 3+1 @ 65%, 3+1 @ 70%, 3+1 @ 75%, 3+1 @ 80%, Heavy set

2. Clean Pull

4x3 @ 110% (of Clean)

3. Good Morning

3x5 Heavier than last week

COMP WOD

5 Rounds for Time

4 R arm DB OHS (60/30)

4 L arm DB OHS (60/30)

8 Renegade Rows 

          Scale to a weight you can use and still finish in under 10 minutes

3.2

3.2

     Hi fitness friends. This is your Assistant Competitor Team Coach, GK, speaking. Don't let Head Coach Drew get too much of an ego because he has a cooler title than I do. 

     He's not my boss. I'm just his helper. There is a difference. P.S. Great post yesterday, Drewby. 

     We are now into our third week of our Competitor Team training. I have loved seeing the enthusiasm and commitment from each and every one of you. I hope you are utilizing your specialty coach. If you have not talked to them, make sure to check the list at the front desk. You have been assigned to someone fabulous. 

     When you took on the role of a member of the CFOKC Competitor Team you did so knowing your goal was to improve. At least, I hope that was one of your goals. All of us talk about how important the mental aspect of competition is. You have to be prepared mentally before you go into any competition. If you aren't then you will just flop around like a fish out of water.  You have to know the WODs and know how you plan to attack them anytime you compete. 

     Training should be the same way. Train like you play. If you want to be prepared for competition you need to be prepared for your training session. What does this mean? 

     Read. Memorize. Educate yourself. 

     Your workouts are posted for you by 8PM the day before you walk into the gym to go through training. You have computers, phones and iPads with ample amounts of wifi and data service. There are zero reasons you should not know exactly what you are doing for training when you walk into the gym to train. ZERO. 

     Tuesday 5PM and Thursday 6PM classes have been dedicated to the Competitor Team training. However, all of our other CFOKC members are still invited to participate and join in the fun. As a team member, you are expected to be prepared. It's like studying for a test. You should already know what is expected of you before Drew, Bryan or myself tells you what is happening. You should already know what 60% of your snatch is before one of us says, "Today we are snatching". (Let's face it...that's pretty much every single day.)

     Time is precious. We have allotted 90 minutes two days a week specifically for you guys. You are so special, right? Don't waste that time! We will not wait for you. I don't want to leave you behind, but we are not willing to sacrifice the time of those who are ready to go so you can look at a calculator. If you need to, have your weights written down when you walk into class, do it. It should be like clockwork. We are all adults and we are all committed to the process. 

     If you are late, jump in and get started. If you aren't sure what we are doing, have your phone with you and look it up. As much as we love answering fifteen questions during class, it keeps us from coaching those who came prepared. We won't leave you high and dry. The information is surrounding you in the form of the blog, coaches in class and fellow team members. 

     In saying this, please don't hesitate to ask us questions outside of class. We want to help you. That is why we do this. Find your specialty coach. Use them! We just ask that during class time you are ready to go and ready to work. Be prepared. See you in class. 

     

The First Golden Hammer

OLY STRENGTH

1. Power Clean

3 @ 70%, 3 @ 75%, 3 @ 80%, 3RM

2. Power (Push) Jerk

3 @ 60% (of split jerk), 3 @ 65%, 3 @ 70%, 3RM

3. 1 Heaving SN Balance + 2 OHS

2x1+2 @ 70%, 1+2 @ 75%, 1+2 @ 80%, Heavy set

SQUAT STRENGTH

      1. Back Squat

            8 @ 65%, 8 @ 70%, 6 @ 80%, 6 @ 85%

      2. Front Squat

            5 @ 60%, 5 @ 70%, 5 @ 75%, 5 @ 80%

GOAT WORK   

3.1

     I witnessed most of what Drew wrote and what you are about to read. I have read it about four times and haven't teared up every time, almost. 

      I was in the stands during men's Event 1 in 2011 and saw what Drew writes about here. I then coached him and the CFOKC 5th place Regional Team in 2012. I knew (or thought I knew) what Event 1 in 2011 had done to Drew's confidence. I hated it because I knew he was a "Regional podium athlete". I told him this often. I wanted him to know what everyone else saw. His good friend J Muse and I talked about this. Muse said something that became my Mantra for Drew. Muse said "Drew would be unstoppable if he would just get out of his own way". Muse was there in 2011. He saw what I saw, what we all saw.

     I had written programming for a fews years before I started doing Black Horse. BHT began as a result of multiple phone conversations Drew and I had in October 2012. It was started to support all our athletes, but especially Drew and GK as they chased the regional podium. 

     Drew's Regional training schedule was interrupted 11 days before NC Regional. He spent the afternoon of May 20, 2013 and the following morning on a search and rescue mission clearing the rubble of a well known elementary school that was hit hard by a well known tornado. I cannot imagine the personal strength that it takes to press on with life after being so close to a tragedy likes that. I am still amazed that he was able to compete just days later, after what must have been a physically and mentally draining time. 

     Drew is a hero and a warrior. He is a Humble Hulk of a man. He knows about defeat. He knows about struggle. He knows about victory. 

  

Determination and Redemption

Getting Out of Your Own Way

Drew Hymer

     Well first off, I am super excited to follow two collegiate athletes’ posts. I'm a product of home school sports and community college, WHAT?!! I digress. GK and KD are amazing. They push me, they inspire, they laugh, and they make me want to dance on a daily basis.

     I would like to talk to you guys about a few things with my post-DETERMINATION, GETTING OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY, and HAVING FUN!

    I started my "CF chase for fitness and abs" back in Jan of 2007. When the butterfly pull up hadn’t been invented yet, and 135# snatch was really heavy for a WOD, and when you could just compete at the CF Games if you had the money to fly there.

  

   I remember a friend of mine, who I was doing Jiu-Jitsu with at the time, telling me about a gym where he was going to work on his cardio (lolz) and grip strength. My first workout with Jason was a half Cindy, I don’t remember how many rounds I got or even if any of my reps would have counted, but I knew I was hooked and loved they way I felt after. (Note-no abs were gained that day.)

    I consistently continued for the next few years to attend CF classes and do any extra work I could. I'd just mess around and I thought I was getting better at stuff. I would work on these things, well you know, they are called strengths! Heavy movements like DLs, Back Squats, Bench Press and flipping tires. That’s what I thought I needed to do to get better and to be the best.

     At this time, and where I was at, I hadn’t even thought about more gymnastics movements. The sport hadn’t evolved that far yet: BUT IT WAS COMING 

     ::scary music plays::

     Fast forward to May of 2011. The Open had just ended and, if I remember right, I had finished 4^th in the region. I was pretty pumped. I had really surprised myself with where I had finished, and now the only thing left to do was accept my invitation to compete at regionals as an individual. 

     ::more scary music plays::

    Then, the workouts were released. The very first workout was:

            1000 m Run

            30 HSPUs

            1000m row 

                  Time cap 15 Minutes

     Needless to say I was crushed. Why was a crushed? I was crushed because I had neglected to work on things I couldn’t do or things I was really bad at. I couldn’t do a strict HSPU and I had never taken the time to learn kipping ones.

     So, I watched a bunch of videos and prayed a lot. About 5 days before the Regional, I learned the kip. I tested the WOD twice before I left and let me tell you it wasn’t pretty, but I felt that I could get through the HSPUs and get to the rower.

    Day 1 at regionals and I was in the warm up area before my heat. I was so worried and scared about the HSPUs that I feel like I probably did 70 kipping HSPUs warming up just so I didn’t forget how to do them-IDIOT.

     3,2,1 go… We head out on, and then finish, the 1000m run. I was next to last on the run because I was trying to conserve my energy for the HSPUs. I get to the wall, take a breath, and kick up. 1 rep, 2 rep, kick down. After I kicked down I looked and saw some guys were already done with 30 UB HSPU. I think "well better get back to it", so I kick back up.  I do 1, then 2, then go for a 3rd and fail. This process of fails and no reps (because my judge didn’t think I locked out my elbow enough) went on for the remainder of the workout.  At the end I had completed 17 good reps and what was probably around 40 no reps. It was the first workout of regionals and I finished DEAD last.

    The rest of the weekend was spent trying to play catch up and do my best in each WOD to salvage some sort of pride (NOTE-Still NO abs were obtained at this point).

     When the weekend was over, I promised myself that last place would never happen again, especially at the hands of  HSPUs.

     Over the next two years, with the help of Kody and GK's programming and encouragement and Megan's love and support, I attacked this weakness. In November 2012 Kody brought about the BHT programming. GK, the Rhinos, Brad, Dolf, and I started following.

    We each had our own weakness that was programmed for us, along with helpful videos. Over those months, which has turned into years, I worked every sort of rep scheme and assistance movement associated with HSPUs. Everything from strict shoulder press to seated DB press. 3 to 4 times a week I was also working on some sort of something upside down. I was focusing on kipping HSPUs and doing a certain amount of reps each set with as little rest as possible in between. I had really good days. I had REALLY bad days. I kept thinking about 2011 and how I never wanted that feeling again. I was DETERMINED to be better at this weakness. I knew that when the time came to prove to myself, my hard work and Determination would pay off. (Note-still no abs had been obtained)

   Now, fast forward to 2013. The open has just finished again and this time I had finished 8^th in the region. I felt good about it but still had this thought in the back of my mind “What if there are HSPUs again at regionals?” I continued to work on them. Then, the regional Events were announced. Yes, there were HSPUs.

     You would think I would be happy that this time that there was not 30 of them. I wasn’t, because this time there was 50. This workout would be on the 3^rd day of the regional and it was:

          100 DUs

          50 HSPUs

          40 T2B

          30 S2OHw/160# Axel bar

          90 foot walking lunge with Axel bar

                           Time cap of 14min.

     Needless to say I was depressed at first (because of the amount of HSPU), but I kept trying to remember the work I had put in to prove myself this time. We had about 5 weeks (I think) to practice the WODs. In that time I think I practiced this Event, or some variation of it, at least 20 times. Kody had gotten it down to a science for me and he knew how many sets and how many reps I could do at a time and how long to rest each time. I had made a goal to myself that I would be happy just to get through those 50 reps. 

     3^rd day of regionals and I am standing on the start mat about to face a WOD, with my nemesis, and I remembered that feeling I never wanted to feel again. 3,2,1 and here we go. DETERMINATION was what I kept telling myself through my DUs, I finished the DUs and climbed under the wall to start my HSPUs. I started with a set of 5 then 4 sets of 3 then 6 sets of 2 and the rest were singles. Toward the end of the singles I was so excited and thought to myself "I am going to do this, all my DETERMINATION has paid off". 

     I came down off my last rep and gave the "pistols firing" sign to everyone that was supporting me. I know that everyone there knew at the moment how happy I was that I conquered this hurdle. I went on to finish the WOD in under the time cap and finish 7^th at regionals, but there was no greater moment than when I finished those HSPUs and that WOD. My DETERMINATION had paid off! (Note-still no abs had been obtained)

   Everyone has a different weakness (or stage of that weakness). Currently, mine is strict HSPUs, KB OHS, and the constant pursuit of abs. Wherever we are in our fitness there will always be something to conquer: movements, ourselves, confidence or any number of other things. 

     As we go along trying to improve on these things lets remember that we are only as good as an athlete and person as we allow ourselves to be. GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY means: Do not take yourself or your fitness to serious, it is important to stay healthy and make your body a temple but not at the expense of FUN or FRIENDS or FAMILY.

     I challenge all of you to be DETERMINED to be not only the best athlete you can be, but to also be the best Friend, Father/Mother, Spouse and person you can be. And by all means, be DETERMINED to have ALL THE FUN! 

WEEK 3

3.1

OLY STRENGTH

1. 3-Position Snatch (floor, below knee, above knee)

60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, Heavy set

2. Snatch Pull

4x3 @ 110% (of SN)

3. Push Press

5 @ 70%, 5 @ 75%, 5RM

            4. EMOM for 6 Mins
                        6 Russian KBS (Heavy as Possible)

COMP WOD

4 Rounds for Time

8 Alternating 1-arm DB snatch (80/50)

8 C2B pull-ups
     12 Minute Time Cap

Sunday 2.5

Yay Sunday

2.5 Sunday

STEVE/LOREEN MILLER SESSION
     Either 1:30 or 2:30
     Please attend the same session as last week unless you have been told otherwise

GOAT WORK
     You may do this in the On Ramp area during the opposite Oly session

COMP WOD 3:30
     
Time 0:00   4 rounds of:
                      With 3 min clock
                       200 m Run
                       4 Man Mankers
                         Rest remaining time

Time 12:00   4 rounds of:
                      With 3 min clock
                       200 m Row

                       8 KB OHS (4 each arm)
                        Rest remaining time
Time 24:00   6 rounds of
                      With 2 min clock
                       20 Double Unders 

                       12 Double arm KB Deadlifts
                         Rest remaining time

Saturday 2.4

The Whiteboard Mentality...Part 1.

     I recently read an article about pieces of the "The Whiteboard Mentality". 5 Whiteboard Misconceptions That Are Ruining Your CrossFit Experience.  It made me want write about multiple topics. Some topics are covered in the article, most are not. I agree with most/some of the article, and it is an easy quick read (that means you should read it).

     Its my opinion that the heart and soul of what have made the Crossfit model so successful are the clock and the whiteboard. 

     To me, the whiteboard is a metaphor to most things Crossfit. In the early days Glassman would hold court on this topic. About how the clock and competition were what made CF so unique and successful. My plan is to expound on the Whiteboard Mentality through a series of posts.   

     In this first installment,  I want to write about movements vs standards and training vs competition.  I will start with a movement that everyone is familiar with, the chest to bar pull up. I remember when I first saw/heard about C2B pull ups. Hells Half Acre 2009 Regional Qualifier in Fort Worth. WOD 2 was 50 C2B Pull Up/50 Burpee (GK and Boag both finished 3rd on the WOD). 

     Why do I even bring this up? Nothing new about C2B pull ups now, right?   

     The point I want you to get is this, this movement was invented as a standard. It was invented so that the judges would have no question when trying to decide if a pull up was good or not. Did the chest hit? Yes... then good rep.

     I also remember when the first whisperings about the butterfly pull up began. Brett Marshall one of the CF originals is credited with inventing this movement. Somewhere deep within the world wide interwebs is a video of him doing the fastest Fran time ever recorded (the fastest at that time).  At Hell's Half Acre, only about  3-5 men in the field were able to utilize a butterfly pull up for the WOD. Less than half of the competitors were even familiar with this movement. Crossfit way back then sounds so primitive., right?

     Breck Berry finished 2nd at the Regional Qualifier. He won two of the WODs but got 4th or 5th on the pull up WOD. For years (months) afterward, I tried to convince Breck Berry to learn the butterfly pull up. "It's not a functional movement" he would tell me... and he was right. Try climbing on top of a wall with this kip. Or climbing up onto a branch to escape from a Black Bear. Not possible, because its not a functional movement. I would come back with something like "I understand it's not functional, but its allowed at the CF Games and in competition". He finally learned it. 3 years later her ruptured his bicep tendon at the CF Games. 

     I am not trying to say that I think the butterfly pull up was the cause of his tendinitis that lead to the the rupture... but it certainly contributed. The butterfly kip, and the gymnastic kip for that matter, put an undue and continuous eccentric load on many of your tendons... but particularly the bicep. Eccentric loads lead to soreness. Repetitive and continuous eccentric loads lead to tendinitis. Unable to straighten your arms after Murph? Yup? Then you know what I mean. 

     So now you ask... "What in the Hell's Half Acre does this have to do with the Whiteboard?"

     These things (C2B and the Butterfly) are an expression of the Whiteboard Mentality. So I will ask you, "Why did you try to learn the butterfly?" and you answer "To do Fran faster." Then I ask "When did you start doing C2B pull ups?" and most of you will answer "While preparing for or doing my first Regional or Open WOD." The two movements were born out of necessity. They were invented because of the need for what Glassman would call "...an accurate measurement of... the prescription" One was invented so athletes could go faster. The other was invented in order to accurately measure that athlete.

     In late 2010 I was in a CF class... somewhere. A girl in the class asked a question and then answered her own question. It went like this. Push ups were in the WOD. She asks "Are they Games standard push ups?". (She means hand release push ups, HRPU) Then she answers herself "I mean, I know they are better for you so I bet they are Games standard push ups." I overheard her say all of that and my brain wanted me to say something or anything about it. I didn't.

     This girl didn't understand the history. She didn't understand the standard. She didn't understand the need or reason for that standard. Hand release push ups had been introduced as a Games standard. For some unknown reason (I assume ignorance) she assumed that just because the Games athletes had done HRPU in the Games that year they were "better for you"

     Nope

     HRPU was a way to prove to your judge that the chest had touched the ground. That's it. They aren't better for you, they aren't faster, they don't make you stronger, they don't create a more effective push up...They are just easier to judge. Like Burpees to a plate, or over a bar, or to a 6 inch target, or over a box.

     An already fit athlete does Fran in time 3x. He uses strict pull ups. He learns the gymnastics kip a week later and does it in time 3x-x or 2x. He is a super athlete and learns the butterfly kip a week after that and he Frans in 3x-2x or x. In just 2 short weeks he has reduced his Fran time to 2/3 of what it was initially. It has been 2 weeks, is he really that much better at fitness? I say no. Has he gotten stronger or had a dramatic increase in his GPP. I say no again. But his Fran time is faster. He is a god among Fran boys. Nope.  He is adapting though... to the whiteboard.

    When you train, remember these things. HRPU, C2B, Butterfly Kip they aren't terrible additions to this sport. Just remember that they are additions to the SPORT. They exist because the Whiteboard exists. They exist because athletes want to go fast and they want to accurately document it. They exist because at the end of the day you present yourself to be judged by the whiteboard. They exist because we all have a "Whiteboard Mentality"

     To Be Continued.

HOA 2012 "We are gonna be like the Black Horses..."

2.4 Saturday

GOAT WORK 

     (As Warm Up, No more than 15 Minutes)

OLY STRENGTH 

     (No more than 45 Minutes)

     1. Snatch

               2 @ 60%, 2 @ 70%, 2 @ 80%, heavy single 

     2. Clean & Jerk

               2+1 @ 60%, 2+1 @ 70%, 2+1 @ 80%, heavy single

SQUAT STRENGTH 

     (No more than 45 Minutes)

     1. Back Squat

               10 @ 60%, 8 @ 70%, 8 @ 75%, 8 @ 80%

     2. Front Squat

               5 @ 60%, 5 @ 65%, 2x5 @ 70%

     3. Romanian DL 

               3x5 Heavier than last week

Competitor WOD

Time 0:00     10 Min Time Cap
                         3 Rounds (Partner WOD, you go I go)
                            16 one arm alternating KB SN
                            50 m Run
Time 10:00     10 Min Time Cap
                         15 Rounds
                            1  Power SN
                            1  Power Clean and Jerk
Time 20:00     14 Min Time Cap
                            300 m Row
                            1 MU
                            250 m Row
                            2 MU
                            200 m Row
                            3 MU
                            150 m Row
                            4 MU
                            100 m Row
                            5 MU
Time 34:00     EotherMOM for 8 mins
                            Even: 200 m Run
                            Odd: 5-10 unbroken pull up
Time 42:00     Rest 4 Min
Time 46:00     10 Min Time Cap
                         3 Rounds (Partner WOD, you go I go)
                            16 alternating pistols
                            50 m Run

2.3

     GK is my wife. She is cool. I nerd out on this sport because of her. We know how to help you because of where she has been and how she has gotten there. Prior to her Back to Back 4th place finishes in the North Central Region, GK had two different shoulder injuries that "temporarily set her back".

     She hated every minute of her rehab and rest time. But she had the patience and the foresight of a champion... she humbled herself and took a step back so that later she could take two steps forward.

     I asked her to write this because many of you have had, do have, or will have injuries. Learn from her experience.

     Most of you don't realize how incredibly unique it is to have so many seasoned CF athletes next to you everyday. Don't tell her I said this, but Ginny King is an elite animal... and she is human... and she can become injured. The difference is: She attacks injury like an elite athlete. 

GK 2012 NC Regionals, 4th Place

Injury.

It can make you anxious and angry.

Ginny King

     I am really excited that my little insight gets to follow Kelsey's. She talked about patience and perseverance yesterday. I'm going to continue that trend and add in the word "stubborn". Being stubborn is a blessing and a curse.

     I grew up an athlete. I swam, played soccer and softball. I played softball in college at a very good NAIA program (yeah, we were little). I'm used to being successful in competition because success is what has always been expected of me by my team, coaches and mostly myself. Good enough was never good enough if you wanted to be great.

     I remember, in college, being told I had to leave the cage because I wouldn't stop hitting. If I was having a bad hitting day I would just keep going and going thinking I was going to hit my way out of bad training day. Trust me, that doesn't really happen. It would only create worse habits and I would become more frustrated. I was stubborn.

     I started CrossFit in July 2008. I picked up on it quickly. I started to compete the first year that athletes had qualify for the Games. I placed 10th at the Hell's Half Acre Regional qualifier. the top 5 were sent to compete in Cali. I was addicted and I wanted it. Bad.

     The next year Kody started programming for me. We worked well together. He did the research and I did the work. He loved watching me succeed and I really enjoyed being good at something competitive again.

     We knew things like muscle ups and handstand push ups could possibly show up in competition. I was nowhere close to having these movements. Nowhere. I worked and worked and worked. The thing about working a particular movement over and over and over again is that you use the same muscles and joints over and over and over again.

     Guess what? That isn't good.

     After nagging pain in my right shoulder for a few weeks, I finally listened to Kody ::cough cough:: you were right ::cough cough:: and stopped using my arm. I laid off any pressing with my right arm for two weeks. It was miserable. It started feeling better so I started using it again just like I had before. It was fine for a day or two, but then felt exactly the same. Ugh. I was panicked.

     This was in January of 2010(before the invention of the Open) and just three months before the Oklahoma Sectional to qualify for the South Central Regional. I had no choice but to just stop using my arm. It was so overused and inflamed that everything I did hurt. It hurt just walking around at this point. That's not good. I kept thinking, "OK, it will be better next week". Wrong. "Surely after two weeks of nothing it will be fine!" Wrong.

     I was off my arm for close to eight weeks. Nothing. For two months. I didn't touch a weight, do a push up, pull up, or ring row.

     There were movements that didn't hurt, but I still didn't do them.  Once I got the green light to test my shoulder I had about three weeks until the sectional. I had no pain. Hooray!

     I placed 3rd at the sectional.

     Four weeks later, I got my first muscle up.

     Four weeks after that I placed 7th the South Central Regional. In the final event, I completed ten muscle ups and fifteen STRICT handstand push ups. I could not do either of those movements before my injury, let alone that many of them!

     I was able to accomplish these things because even though I was injured, I was smart. I continued to keep my other side strong. I worked on things I normally wouldn't have and it made me more a well rounded athlete.



     It is a frustrating thing as an athlete to sit and wait, know you need to get better at very specific things, and not be able to work on them. I get it. It can make you anxious and angry.

     I watched girls in my gym get their first muscle up while I was doing one armed DB snatches. I'm not ashamed to say I cried about it at home and in the gym bathroom. Every single one of you understands "that feeling" whether you shed tears about it or not.

     I was stubborn and didn't listen when I was told to take it easy when my shoulder first started hurting. I didn't listen and do the exercises I was told to do to help rehab my shoulder. I was really bad about taking the anti-inflammatory meds on a regular basis. I was really bad about resting it when I knew I should have rested.

     If I had listened, I could have easily taken two weeks off and been fine, but I let it get too bad and spent two months watching everyone else get better.

     December 2012 an almost identical situation came up. It was my left shoulder this time and in a different location on my shoulder. Immediately I knew what to do. I stopped everything. I even dropped out of a competition I had been looking forward to for months.

     I had plans and goals and those included qualifying for the 2013 CrossFit Games. I was not going to ruin my chances of reaching my goal to do some things that maybe seemed important at the time, like keeping up with everyone in class or placing well at a well respected competition. Eyes on the prize.

     I took my time off. I did my rehab. I stayed strong on my "good" side. At the end of my rest period I competed at Fittest in the OK. I had been "back in the game" for just one week before the competition.

     I placed 2nd.

     I remember being terrified to compete. I didn't want to embarrass myself and I didn't want to re-injure myself. On day two of the competition there were ring dips. Dips had been excruciating for me before my time off. I have a very vivid memory of warming them up on some bars and starting to panic and cry because I didn't think I was going to be able to complete the workout. I told Kody I wanted to drop out. He calmed me down. He told me if I was injured, I should drop out. He also told me that if  I wasn't injured, I should get out there and win. I ended up doing extremely well on the workout and didn't have any pain. I was just scared.

     That year, I placed 4th for the second consecutive year at the North Central Regional. I was able to do this because I listened to my body, remembered my goals, and focused on my long term training.

     Do I think if I hadn't have had those two months off things would have been different? Maybe, but probably not. If I had been as stubborn as I was in 2010 would things have turned out differently? Absolutely and for the worse.

     I'm sharing this because I want YOU to know that I get it. I understand the drive and frustration that comes with wanting to be good at something and trying to overcome a setback or injury. If you do not take care of yourself then you will never see your full potential. You will continue digging a hole that becomes harder and harder to get out of.

     When coaches suggest that you take a day off, do it. If we suggest that you lay off certain movements, listen and do it. We aren't trying to be dramatic. You're probably fine, but an extra day of rest or two or three never hurt anyone.

     It is very hard mentally for anyone who is competitive to be told not to do something. Get over it. Work around it. Get creative. Ask us. I promise many of us have been there. It doesn't make you weak or less of an athlete to take care of yourself. It makes you smart and it makes you better.

     Be relentless, but don't be stupid. The fact is, we do this because we have fun. We aren't professional athletes. There is no need to destroy your body. I promise your body will tell you everything you need to know. Just listen to your body and follow it's suggestions.

I typically like to end my blog posts with a picture, lyric or video. I'm super obsessed with this song right now. This video is so fun. For some reason it really resonates with what I'm trying to say...and the dancing is super fun. The line of people are anxious, frustrated and just want to move, but they can't. Waiting can drive you crazy, but be patient. "Ohhh crazy's what they think about me, ain't gonna stop because they tell me so. Cause 99 miles per hour baby is how fast I like to go".

     We have nothing to prove. Be smart. Have fun. Be awesome.

2.3

OLY STRENGTH

     1. 3-Position Clean (floor, below knee, above knee) + 1 Jerk 

          3+1 @ 60%, 3+1 @ 65%, 3+1 @ 70%, 3x3+1 @ 75% 

     2. Clean Pull 

          2x3 @ 95% (of cln), 2x3 @ 100%

     3. Good Morning 

          3x5 @ Heavier than last week

COMP WOD

     AMRAP in 7 Mins

          15 double Unders

          7 Dumbell Burpees

Rest 2 Mins

     1 Max Set of MU (scale to C2B, chin over bar pull ups, or incline ring to chest rows)

then immediately after last rep

     400 m sprint run (record run time)

2.2

     Prepared for the volume and level of training. 

     Many of you were collegiate athletes and have this "athletic background" that you hear CF coaches and and commentators talk about. These are the type of people who have trained for the majority of their lives.

     It never ceases to amaze me the type of people that walk around thinking "I could do what _____ does, if I trained all day". These are the same people who never put their money where their mouth is.

     I have asked a few of you to write about parts of your CF experience. The trials and tribulations that come along with your journey as a CF competitor. 

     I could go on for days about Kelsey. She has this "athletic background" that made it so easy for her to ramp up the training volume. She has the experience of competing in a team sport that is also an individual sport at a collegiate level. She was also one of the first OKCers to buy in to this experiment. 

     Her story, and others like it, are why we do what we do. 

     I asked her to write about her MU and CF competition journey. 

     This is what Kelsey has written for you . It is better than what I asked for. 

KD. Such Muscle Up. Much hair. So flying.

"Patience. Perseverance. Let It Drive You"

Kelsey Duncan

     Anyone who competed in sports in high school or college can understand what I am about to say… Once I graduated and was done with swimming, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I swam with a team all my life and now I was expected to work out on my own? Needless to say, that didn’t really happen. I ate, played video games and got super depressed. Finally, I decided to make a change in the Winter of 2011. I began running with a friend who was also a former swimmer. Yay, we had purpose again! However, my running career was short lived. After training for and competing in a half-marathon (wtf? how did I ever do that?) I realized running was about as exciting as staring at the bottom of a pool for hours a day.

     My Crossfit journey began in March-ish of 2012. I had read about it in a couple magazines and decided that it would be a great way to supplement my running. I quickly took to it  (and quickly stopped running) because it was the exact opposite of what I was use to…it had VARIETY! I found it exhilarating to master a new movement. First it was a clean, a deadlift, a push press, knees to elbow… everyday was a PR. I was becoming competitive in classes and my coaches began to take notice.

     Now, I was not at CFOKC. I was at a small gym in Florida. Competition was, at first, frowned upon. I was told many times that doing Crossfit competitions were a waste of time and that I should do this strictly to stay in shape. I didn’t like that. I didn’t listen. I signed up for a competition in Miami that was a few months away. When I asked if there was anything extra I could do to to meet the scaled standards, I was told there was not enough room in the gym for any outside work. (You guys realize how lucky we are to be at OKC, right?) After begging and pleading for a few weeks and talking a few other rebels into signing up for the comp, we finally got what we wanted...30 mins to work on standards before the 11AM class.

     We went to Miami and I ended up in 4th. I surprised my coaches, friends, Dan and more importantly… I surprised myself. I was hungry. I wanted to compete and be better and do great things. 

     Shortly after, Dan and I moved to Oklahoma. I had visited CFOKC a few times before I moved back and knew this was where I was going to get better. I met Ginny and soon after I met Kody. Some of my first interaction with Kody resulted in my very first pistol. He was watching me go to a 12’’ box for about 10 mins when he walked over and said “just do a pistol”. 

I said “I can’t”.

He said “Just do a pistol”

So I did. I surprised myself, again. He wasn’t surprised. I don’t think he ever is.

     Jump to early January 2013. "BHT Training Camp” We broke out into groups to work on skills. I started with toes to bar, moved over to pull ups and then wandered my way to the rings by the garage door. I watch Alex Cunningham and Bart Terrell get their first Muscle Ups. It was awesome. Everyone was cheering and screaming. I was just staring at the rings when Drew said “go try one”. 

So I did. I missed.

Bryan said “One more, try again.”

So I did. I missed, but I was closer.

“Bigger hips”

     I set my hands, picked up my feet and the next thing I know, I’m pressing out of a dip onto of the rings. I hear Ginny yell, everyone cheering, my eyes are filling up with tears and all I can think is “how the hell did that just happen”

     So I tell you about achieving my first pistol and muscle up… but reading this so far it looks like all these things just fell into my lap, right?

WRONG.

     Before I had left Florida, I began working on both of these movement. I began with a 20’’ box on pistols and slowly worked to a lower box. I was obsessed with getting one. I worked on them probably every other day for 6 months before I got one.

     Muscle ups were a different animal. They required so much more time and patience. I worked on pull ups and kipping nearly every day that my hands weren’t torn since the day I started Crossfit. I worked transitions, I did jumping muscle ups (a whole helluva lot), I did banded bar muscle ups, I worked my strength. I got frustrated. I never gave up.

     Those were my goals. Those were the skills that were eluding me and I attacked them. I set goals and I WORKED. 

      I wanted to share this with you all because I needed to share it with myself. It is easy to lose sight of what you are working for. You get frustrated. You see other people achieving what you want. I tend to be very hard on myself and it is easy for me to get upset when I fall short of my own expectations. 

     I envy the environment many of your are starting in. I wish I had started my Crossfit journey here. This gym inspires, motivates and encourages growth. I feel so lucky to be a part of it.

     Patience. Perseverance. Let it drive you. Let it push you to work harder. Sometimes it just takes a simple reminder of how far you’ve come. 

2.2

CFOKC CLASS

OLY STRENGTH

     1A. 3 Power Snatch + 1 OHS

          4x3+1 @ 75% 

     1B. Snatch Pull 

          4x3 @ 95% (of sn)

     1C. Glute Ham Raise

          4x10 (slow and with perfect form)

SQUAT STRENGTH

     1. Back Squat

          10 @ 60%, 8 @ 65%, 6 @ 70%, 6 @ 75%, 6 @ 80%

     2. Front Squat

          5 @ 60%, 5 @ 70%, 2x5 @ 75%

GOAT WORK

2.1

Recruit Your Confidence

     I have an obsession with composition notebooks.

          Especially ones with graph paper

     This is a photo I took and sent to GK in April of this year. This was a few weeks after the initial idea for a CFOKC Competitor Team was born. She and I had been tossing ideas around since October/November but we hadn't really decided on how we could make the Competitor Team work... and its still in progress.

     Sometimes I have what I call "The need to create". Its like this virus. I catch it and I have this feeling in my chest, like some feeling that I have to make some demonstrative expression of myself somehow. When this happens I grab a pen and paper (preferably the paper inside a composition notebook of the graph persuasion)., then I just "happen" on the page. I doodle or write ideas, some become something, most become trash or frustrated doodle pages... I dunno, I'm strange...I digress.  My Point: This picture was a small result of one those aforementioned times.

     This particular time, I initially started writing mantras. Statements that I felt were pertinent to most, if not all, of the athletes that GK and I had worked with. RECRUIT YOUR CONFIDENCE. It was literally the first thing I wrote. I wrote it for you. I probably wrote it for myself also. I did. I need to see, say, and hear this myself.

     I need to say this to myself.

               I need to do this... for myself.

     When you recruit something, you seek it.

               Once it is sought and found, you then persuade it to join your cause.

     From the Latin meaning "again grow"

                When you recruit, you build allies.

      Recruit Your Confidence

                 Grow an ally of confidence within you

     This is done through success, but it is also realized through failure. 

     You can do this everyday at the gym as you challenge yourself  with the new programming. Like knowing that HAP means "Heavy As Possible". I listened to Adrian Bozman talk about CF Mainsite programming in a video...and I was struck by something he said. He was defending Mainsite programming and the concept of the "single modality day". Like when "Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5" is the only thing posted. He said something that really stuck with me. It stuck with me because of how he said it, nonchalantly and as if it was a commonplace and logical mindset to have about lifts... it was old hat to him, but it was a concept that was new idea to me. If between his sets of 5 back squats and while defending the programming he said "The best set of 5 is a set of four"...My mind was blown. So much sub context in such a simple statement. The best set of 5 you will ever do is that set where you are challenging yourself to be better... so much so that you leave the opportunity to fail out in the open. You take a risk to be better. You Recruit your Confidence in a way that says "I have a goal, but I am not afraid to fail". Quality of training over Quantity of training.

     So two quick challenges. 

          1. In the gym, push yourself while seeking quality in 

              everything that you do and while listening to you body. 

          2. Challenge yourself by finding a competition to compete in this Summer/Fall

     What I call "Off Season Competitions" will begin soon. I am referring more to "local" competitions, but also to our "in house competitions" that will be part of the competitor team. You have made a commitment to yourself and your team to that you will BE better. These competitions are a great test to 1. see where you are compared to other CFers that are competing and 2. Realize weaknesses.

     Recruit your confidence everyday. 

WEEK 2
2.1

CFOKC Competitor Class

OLY STRENGTH

     1. 3-Position Snatch (floor, below knee, above knee)
               60%, 65%, 70%, 75% x 3 sets

     2. Snatch Pull
               95% (of sn) x 3 x 2, 100% x 3 x 2

     3. 5 minute EMOM of following complex:
               3 SN Grip Push Press
               1 OHS
                    Heavier each set, HAP

COMP WOD

     4 Rounds
5 1-arm KB Clean/arm
5 KB Push Press/arm
3 KB Back Lunge Pistol/leg
45 second Rest
  KB weight HAP to finish in under 15 mins, 
may use different/no KB weights for each movement if needed

Weekend 1 WODs

If you didn't read the post for Sunday 1.5 ... read it. I hope your fathers day was filled with fun, family and fitness.

Saturday 1.4 Competitor WOD 

Part 1  Time 0:00
     With 8 Min Time Cap
          400 m Sprint Run
          21 pull ups
          30 KBS (55/35)
Part 2  Time 8:00
     With 8 Min Time Cap
          400 m Sprint Row
          21 Pull Ups
          30 KB SN (55/35)
Part 3  Time 16 Min
     10 Min to Complete: Tulsa Sled Sectional
          50 m For. Sled Drag
          21 Burpee
          50 m Back Sled Drag
          15 Burpee
          50 m For. Sled Drag
          9  Burpee
          50 m Back Sled Drag
Part 4  Time 26 Min
     8 Min AMRAP
         12 DB Thruster (50/30)
          DB farmer carry
          5/3 MU
Part 5  Time 32 Min
     Rest 6 Mins
Part 6  Time 38 Min
     Team Prowler Rope Climb

Sunday 1.5 Competitor WOD

     12 Min Time Cap
          30 WBS
          30 Box Jump Overs
          30 Dips
          30 Box Jump Overs
10 Min Rest
     8 Rounds (24 total minutes)
          Every 3 Minutes:
          100 m sprint row
               then
     Round 1 - 8 SN (135/95)
     Round 2-  8 Clean (135/95)
     Round 3-  8 S2OH (135/95)
     Round 4-  8 OHS (135/95)
     Round 5-  8 FS (135/95)
     Round 6-  8 BS (135/95)
     Round 7-  8 Thruster (135/95)
     Round 8-  8 CnJ (135/95)

Sunday 1.5

The first week comes to a close after today.
The next 7 weeks will be very similar to it.
This week should have given you an idea of the type of volume you can handle.

Programming Bias

       Bias is such a negative word. Like generalities or stereotypes. Everyone tries to stay away from it...right? Here is my suggestion to you:

     You have a life. A job. A kid. 9 kids. A pregnant wife. You ARE a pregnant wife. School. Soccer practice. Chores, errands, surprises, road trips, bro sessions. A call pager. Night shifts. Whatever it is, you've got it. Let the close of this week (and your Rest/Recovery day on Monday) be an opportunity for you to reflect on your goals. (Even though that was a suggestion, it is not the suggestion I referred to previously)
     Last Tuesday you listed out some goals. You also listed weaknesses. We have begun a plan that will take you down the road to accomplishing the goals and demolishing the weaknesses. This is my suggestion. When that cumbersome thing called life gets in the way of your training, have the patience and the strength to attack your weaknesses.
     You might be "Hang Clean Harry" and you only show up on hang clean day. Or "400 meter Freddy" and all you do is run WODs. Challenge yourself to attack those holes in your game.
     There will come a time when Hang Clean Harry is gonna only have 15 more minutes at the gym. He has 15 Minutes and he's gonna have to choose between:
     1. Olympic Strength work of heavy hang cleans
              OR
     2. an EMOM of Rope climbs that is on his goat training list for today.

Pop Quiz Hot Shot. You are Hang Clean Harry. What do you do?

     What I am saying is this. "Train with the long term in mind." This requires you to attack weaknesses. It requires you to train like a seasoned athlete and not like a gym rat or weekend warrior. It requires you to understand when your body is fatigued/overtrained/injured and have the patience and the foresight to see that end game. Your Programming Bias should be a bias that is "Patiently goal oriented".

     I listen to Barbell Shrugged Podcast on long drives. They recently had two episodes that dealt with fatigue, injury, and overtraining. Episode 120 and Episode 113. Listen to them while you drive, while you meditate, or while you pretend to work.

     This is a Year Long/Year Round Competitor Training Cycle, treat it as such. Realize there will be good days, rest days, PR days, missed days, screwed up days, rough days, days where you walk into the gym start to warm up and realize your body is not ready, high days, and low days...be smart, train smart, and just keep showing up.

2012 North Central Regional - 5th Place Team

1.5 Sunday

STEVE/LOREEN MILLER SESSION
     Either 1:30 or 2:30
     Please attend the same session as last week unless you were told otherwise

GOAT WORK
     You may do this in the On Ramp area during the opposite Oly session

COMP WOD
     3:30 Sunday Afternoon
     WOD is TBA