Fri. 7/31

MetCon

5 Rounds of:

Max Pushups

Max Pullups

Running

100, 200, 400, 800, 400, 200, 100

-Rest 1 min after the 100's and 200's, and 3 min after the 400's and 800

Thurs. 7/30

Metcon:

30 Power Cleans @ 135 lbs (Each clean must start from the ground)

Rest exactly 3 minutes

20 Squats @ 135 lbs (I am not so concerned with speed on this one. Make sure you have good form and go AT LEAST to parallel on your squats. Better start getting used to this now...)

Post time for power cleans to comments.

Wed. 7/29

Rest Day

I know there are some incoming freshman looking at this blog. I encourage you guys to post your times as well as any questions you guys have regarding the workouts.

Tue. 7/28

Strength:

Squats 5 x 5

Rest at least 30 min-1 hr...

Running:

3 sets of (10) 40 yard sprints

-2 minutes rest between sets,

-As soon as you breakdown after each sprint, get back on the line and start the next one (minimal rest)

-Sprints should be run at 90-100%, don't allow yourself to fall under this

Mon. 7/27

MetCon:

15-12-9

DB Thrusters (55 lb each hand)

Pullups

Sun. 7/26

Box Jumps

- Go as high as you can

- As you being to warm up, mix up the type of jump (no step, 1 step, 2 step)

- Use a 1 step jump as you begin to reach your max

MetCon:

Tabata (:20 on/:10 off, 8 Rounds)

Power Clean (95 lbs)

Pullups

Pushups

DB Swing (35 lbs)

Mountain Climbers

Rest Day

Day off, back on Sunday

Fri. 7/24

MetCon (found this one online...looks like fun)

A. perform 22 burpees in 60 sec

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before B; if you do not complete this you have 1 min rest before B

B. perform 40 box jumps in 60 sec

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before C; if you do not complete this you have 1 min of rest before C

C. perform 45 air squats in 60 sec (get below 90 degrees)

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before D; if you do not complete this you have 1 min of rest before D

D. perform 75 double unders or 120 single jumps in 60 sec (If you don't have a jump rope, emulate the motion without one and do the jumps)

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before E; if you do not complete this you have 1 min of rest before E

E. perform 40 jumping chin ups in 60 sec

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before F; if you do not complete this you have 1 minute of rest before F

F. perform an average of 14 sit ups anchored on a tabata protocol for 8 sets (20 sec on, 10 sec off)

if you complete this you have 3 minutes rest before G; if you do not complete this you have 1 minute of rest before G

G. perform 50 hanging knees to elbows in 3 minutes

if you can complete this you have passed, congrats; if you cannot, you have to perform 75 hanging knees to elbows for time to finish including reps you have already completed within the 3 minutes

Thurs. 7/23

MetCon

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

KB/DB Swing (45 lbs)

Sprint 50 yards

Start with 10 Swings. Sprint 50 yards. Perform 9 Swings. Sprint 50 yards. Perform 8Swings. Sprint 50 yards...down to...1 Swing. Sprint 50 yards.

Rest Day Part 2

Second, some of you may be wondering why I've been shoving all this CrossFit stuff in your face. Let me clear a few things up... We will be doing these type of workouts when you get back to Trinity and there will be 100% participation. Nobody will be doing their own shit this year. I know some guys think they know a lot when it comes to training, (some of you actually do know quite a bit) you aren't on my level when it comes to this stuff. I don't mean to come off sounding like a cocky bastard on this, but this is what I do now. I read, watch, and listen to material everyday to continue building my knowledge base to help you guys train better.

As you guys know, I worked my ass off while I played at Trinity. I didn't have a clue when it came training efficiency, I just busted my ass every day from the moment I stepped on to campus. I wouldn't ever change anything that I did because things worked out for me in the end, but I could only imagine the athlete I could have been had I had the opportunity to using the methods I am sharing with you guys.

The workouts we have and will be doing promotes power, strength, speed, endurance, athleticism, and most importantly...MENTAL TOUGHNESS. Baseball is all about being able to grind through repetition after repetition and being as precise as you can with every swing you take, every ground ball, every fly ball, every single thing you do in practice and in games requires a level of focus and conviction. That is why the game is so tough mentally. I was pretty good at this part of the game, not perfect by any means, but I know that I could bring a level of focus to the field day in day out. Was it easy for me? Hell no, this game beats you up every day you step on the field, if you don't believe that you're not going about things the right way.

For those of you who have been doing my workouts, I'm sure you can attest to the fact that they require the same kind of mental toughness and grind that the game does. The butterflies you get in your stomach before starting a workout are similar to the ones you get before a big game. Granted, they are very different reasons why you get this feeling, but in both cases you are preparing yourself to perform and that is why these workouts are so great. The grind of getting through every repetition of a workout coupled with the efficiency and form required for each repetition are definitely related to the work you do on the field.

You have about a month left of summer, get after it

Rest Day Part 1

A couple things today...

First and most important, DIET. Got this short article from San Francisco Crossfit website:

Crossfit's 100 Words of Fitness suggests the following dietary guide-lines: Eat meat, vegetables, nuts, seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. This is easier than it sounds, even on the road, if you are conscious about your eating decisions. A few simple points to consider:

1)Try to get some quality protein at every meal. A piece of meat about the size of a deck of cards should do it. You can find this anywhere, even if it's just adding some chicken to a salad. Protein helps spare muscle tissue breakdown and helps to stoke your thermogenic fire. It also helps you feel full and satisfied with your meal. Don't miss it.

2)Substitute vegetables for rice/bread/potatoes. Most restaurants will happily substitute veggies for your starches. This helps keep your portions under control (starches are usually the largest part of a restaurant meal), while increasing the nutritional density of your meal. Veggies are also loaded with fibre...you know the deal there...nobody likes to be 'off schedule' when traveling.

3)Get rid of the 'dead weight' in your meals. Need some protein? Order a burger, but that bun is just dead weight...get rid of that empty starch. Eat your side salad and your meat. By changing one element of your meal (eleminating the dead or nutritionally empty bits) you've made it a lot healthier.

4)Don't be afraid to mix and match. Need some protein to go? Get some low sugar beef jerky (check the labels) or some string cheese. Grab some almonds and an apple and you've got a pretty complete meal.

Remember: The items that pass your lips determine how you will feel for the next 4-6 hours. You are in complete control of this decision, even when on the road. It may take a little more effort on your part, but you'll feel much better for it.

Tue. 7/21

Strength

Find max deadlift (stop if you start to lose form...)

MetCon

21-15-9 of:

KB/DB swings (45 lbs)

Lateral Burpees

- lateral burpees are the same as a burpees except you jump laterally over a barrier. For example, we used a small box in the weight room today and jumped over that

Mon. 7/20

MetCon:

100 pullups

100 pushups

100 squats

100 situps

- Complete all reps of each exercise before moving on to the next

Sun. 7/19

Sorry for the hiatus...

MetCon:

Four rounds as quickly as you can of:

12 x Deadlift

9 x Hang Power Clean

6 x Front Squat

3 x Push Jerk

15 x Pull-Up

-Suggested weight is between 105 and 135

Thurs. 7/16

*Don't forget to warm up by practicing movements every day. Don't be an idiot and jump right into these workouts

Metcon:

Part A:

95# squat clean x 5 x 3 sets

95# hang power clean x 5 x 3 sets

95# jerk x 5 x 3 (split jerk if you feel comfortable doing this movement)

- work on speed and intent; rest as needed b/t sets and exercises

- watch videos from exercise demos link to refresh your mind on correct form

Part B:

3 sets - 10 chest to bar chin ups

3 sets - 15 high speed air squats

3 sets - 20 anchored sit ups

-work on speed of each movement; rest as needed b/t sets and exercises

Part C:

Run 10 sec on @ 100%, run easy for 1 min x 3-6 sets based on how you feel

Rest Day

An article about the importance of sleep from San Francisco CrossFit...

OK athletes, time for yet another gut check. This time we are talking about sleep.

So the last few days have found me with very little sleep, and because I'm obsessed with such things, I felt the need to discuss it with you.

Here goes: Sleep is important. Check.

Obviously brain function is slightly (ironic tone) decreased with missing sleep. But how smart do you really need to be?

The real reason sleep matters is because all of the good hormones and growth factors that are released during the deep sleep, stage 3 and 4 periods. This is your body's time of peak anabolic activity (build muscle, burn fat, repair tissues, etc.) and occurs throughout the night but with diminshing efficacy.

If you aren't getting enough of this deep, quality sleep, chances are you aren't optimizing recovery or performance. You are in fact creating stress hormones that are trying to kill you. And you face book and crossfit.com addicts, I'm talking to you.

Your body treats lack of sleep like a direct stressor, the same as starving, or being chased by a lion. So quit being so cavalier about your late nights and crappy sleep.

The goal is to get as much stage 3 and 4 sleep as possible. To this end, here are a few sleep hygene guidelines.

1) Try to go to sleep at the same time every night.

2) Avoid coffe and alcohol before bed.

3) Sleep in the blackest, darkest room possible.

4) Sleep in a cool room.

5) Treat your sleep as importantly as you treat your workouts and protein blocks.

Think of sleep as recovery. And recovery completes the exercise and nutrition trifecta.

Mission:

Keep a sleep journal for a week. Track hours slept/bed time/awake time/ and note when and how much caffeine/alcohol was consumed before sleep. Also note how your performance was during the day. See any patterns? Are you trashed by the weekend. How much "blue time" are you serious about getting in the chart above.

Sleep rules

Tue. 7/14

Strength:

5 x 3 Front Squat

MetCon:

30 Box Jump

12 Burpees

12 Squat Clean @ 95

20 Box Jumps

9 Burpees

9 Squat Clean @ 95

10 Box Jumps

6 Burpees

6 Squat Clean @ 95

Mon. 7/13

Running:

(10) 100 meter sprints

-Start each sprint at the top of the minute for 10 minutes

Sun. 7/12

Strength:

100 Pullups as fast as you can

(Work on kipping, I promise it will pay off if you can start getting good at these pullups)

MetCon:

5 Rounds of:

25 Knees to Elbows

25 Situps

25 Back Extensions

Saturday...Rest Day

Another article from againfaster.com...

----Finding the Switch----

The human body is capable of amazing things. In the past few years, we've seen spectacular demonstrations of will Lance Armstrong winning seven consecutive Tours after a crippling battle with cancer, Curt Shilling blowing out the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS with a bloody sock and a stapled tendon, Kerri Strug landing a gold-medal winning vault in the 1996 Summer Games with a sprained ankle.

We call these performances heroic. Mention Lance or Shill to any casual sports fan, and they know exactly who you're talking about. They've entered our collective unconscious as heroes, because they were exceptional strong and unrelenting, they blocked out pain and fatigue to achieve greater glory. We know that lesser athletes would've failed, trailing off the lead, hitting the showers early.

They didn't, and we idolize them for it.

These athletes have a special gift. They know that the limits of human performance are dictated only by the mind, and they tap into this realization to overcome the trivialities of pain, oxygen deprivation, and lactic acid buildup. When the body begs to quit, their minds say No!, and the Switch is flipped.

Last night, I was training a client. Halfway into the workout, he stood beneath the pull-up bar, hands on his knees, sucking big gulps of air, and showing no signs of forward progress.

I told him to get back on the bar. We were training the Switch.

He kept going. Finishing the workout a few minutes later, he collapsed off the rower with a familiar mixture of relief and exhaustion. He;d pushed through his body's protestations, seeing the workout to its end.

The ability to will your body onward through adversity creates athletic monsters. The difference between first and last place in a Crossfit workout doesn't depend on exercise speed it depends on how long you rest during the effort.

I've watched the video of Greg and Annie pushing through Fran upwards of ten times, trying to decipher the secret of their 2:47 performance. It's not the speed of movement, (although this does play a part). It's the lack of rest.

They just don't stop.

Don't make the mistake of thinking they're so damn fit that they're not winded. Fran isn't a walk in the park for anyone, these guys included. They work within the same general physical limitations as the rest of us.

Like Lance, Shill, and Strug, these athletes have superb control over the Switch. When their bodies threaten to quit, they turn a deaf ear. They've refined this capability at ever-increasing levels of fatigue, making the Switch an instinctual response.

At first, the Switch requires conscious effort. As you stand beneath the pull-up bar, seemingly incapable of another rep, go ahead and get on the bar. Do it before you think you're ready.

It doesn't involve too much coherent thought. Just go.

To find your Switch, you need to eliminate the idea of personal incapability from your thoughts. If your body fails you, so be it, but don't let your mind be the source of your limitations. Dont think I can't.

Think I will.

Practice this. Once a workout, keep going when you want to stop. As you accumulate experience flipping the Switch, the process will become automatic. You'll rest much less, and your workout times will go through the roof.

In essence, you'll trick your body's defense mechanisms into remission. With time, they won't kick in as easily, and you'll work harder and longer. Your fitness will reflect your increased power output.

Go ahead. Flip the Switch. You can thank me later.

Fri. 7/10

MetCon:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Squat Clean @ 95 lbs

Pullups

- Go here to see what a squat clean is...

- 1st round: 10 squat cleans, 10 pullups...2nd round: 9 squat cleans, 9 pullups...3rd round: 8 squat cleans, 8 pullups...you should get the pattern by now

Thurs. 7/9

Strength:

Find max Power Clean

MetCon:

3 Rounds:

10 Squats @ 185

15 Box Jumps

20 Side-to-Side Jumps

- make yourself work on the side2sides, set your targets at least 6 ft. wide

Post weight and time to comments...

Rest Day

Much needed day off... I know I'm spent after the last 3 day set.

Quote from James Fitzgerald at optimumperformancetraining.com. He's one of the top guys in the CrossFit world...

You can make your life a triumph in spite of every adversity. Or you could make your life a mess in spite of every advantage. Success does not depend on where you start. If it did, no one would have ever been successful. Success comes from what you choose to do with whatever you have. It is fully available to anyone who decides to make the effort and the commitment. Whatever the day holds, it also holds the possibility of success and achievement. Whatever the situation may be, there is a way to create real value from it.

Tue. 7/7

MetCon:

5 rounds, 2 min rest between rounds:

10 Thrusters @ 95 lbs

20 Pullups

Post each round time and total time to comments

Mon. 7/6

MetCon

part A:

5 rounds:

185#/135# Dead Lift x 8

15 push ups

rest 3 min

part B:

5 rounds:

15 box jumps - 24"

15 KB/DB Swing - 40 lbs

rest 3 min

part C:

5 rounds:

8 pullups

12 Goblet Squat - 60 lbs

Add total time of part A, B, and C and post to comments

- Goblet Squat...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pg406rGg8b0

Back at it

Hope you guys had a good 4th...

Strength

5 x 5 Deadlift

Metcon

5 Rounds of:

6 Power Cleans @155

6 Box Jumps

- Cleans can be scaled down if needed

Post time to comments...

Rest Day

Article from Againfaster.com...

----A Few Truths----

The following list stems from my recent successes and failures as an athlete and a coach, and I hope you find it useful. Because it is my list, it is more for me than it is for you, but there is no harm in sharing.

1.) It is always possible to work harder. Not necessarily longer or more often--just harder.

2.) If you try to accomplish everything, you won't accomplish anything. Pick a single goal, and dedicate yourself to achieving that goal.

3.) The further you go from your home gym, the more likely you are to run into someone who is faster, stronger, and more powerful than you. Travel, and bring your humility.

4.) You must surround yourself with those who share and support your goals. If your friends scoff when you leave for the gym at 5 a.m., get new friends.

5.) You cannot coach yourself. "Coaching by mirror" is a great way to know what a movement looks like and a horrible way to know what a movement feels like.

6.) You need to analyze your training, qualitatively and quantitatively. If you don't know why you're doing what you're doing, stop doing it.

7.) On a related note, human beings are capable of rationalizing anything. If you go looking for proof that you're on the right track, you'll find it.

8.) Easy fixes are few and far between. If it's easy, chances are it's incorrect, incomplete, or both.

9.) It is human nature to get where you want to be and immediately stop doing the things that got you there. This is a fantastic way to stay right where you are.

All lessons can't be bright and cheery. Get rid of the crap that's holding you back, and have the courage to realize that a healthy dose of self-criticism can go a long way toward making you a better athlete. We all need a kick in the ass once in a while.

Go faster!

Wear It

MetCon

5 Rounds of:

200 m Sprint

10 Burpees

Rest 1:30 between rounds...

Site Relocated

First post at the new site... decided to used a free site as opposed to paying $100 bucks to use apple's program any longer than the free trial they offered.

This site is a little more simplistic but will serve it's purpose nonetheless.