J O U R N a L September 2009

JOURNAL ARTICLES

September 2009

title author

Challenging the Definitions of Fitness Warkentin

More Pop at the Top Starr

Smart Shopping for Your Home Gym Hall

Centers of Excellence - Part I Warkentin

The Chink in My Armor Amundson

The Panther Recon Downrange Gym Hoff

Forcing the Issue Kilgore

The Story Behind the Success Thiel

You Be The Trainer! #4 Budding, et al.

Challenging the Definitions of Fitness The Firefighter Combat Challenge is about power and functional movement. So is CrossFit. What does that mean for the future of fitness?

Mike Warkentin Jim Shields

“The whole point of this thing is to sort of beat you down. When it’s all said and done, you’re moving very heavy masses and trying to move them fast.” Dr. Paul Davis isn’t describing CrossFit. He’s talking about the Firefighter Combat Challenge, an event he invented in the ‘70s to predict the success of the men and women who run into burning buildings and carry out the people trapped inside.

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The Blackboard and the Whiteboard John Leonard Davis’ creation is now a big-time event with a World Championship held every year. It’s been featured on ESPN for over a decade and can now be seen on the Versus network. Davis calls it “the toughest two minutes in sports,” and the Firefighter Combat Challenge just might be the most difficult workout not spent in the company of Fran. During the event, two competitors race through a course that includes a five-storey tower climb, a 42 lb. hose hoist, a chopping simulation with a 9 lb. shot mallet, a serpentine run/hose pull, and a dummy drag (175 lb.). The challenge is done with full turnout gear: a high- pressure breathing apparatus and structural firefighting equipment certified by the National Fire Protection Association. The goal of the course is to simulate the tasks firefighters see every workday. “The components that comprise the Firefighter Challenge are actually criterion tasks that were identified through a comprehensive job test analysis for their frequency, reproducibility and arduousness,” Davis says. “So they are, if you will, a microcosm of what firefighters are expected to do.” He continues: “The mission statement for our research design was to identify those physiological constructs that were predictive of success in structural firefighting: to wit, why you could then use this as an employment Globo Gym can’t help you: functional fitness is required tool. I subscribe very strongly to the theory that it should to do well in the Firefighter Combat Challenge. not be management’s responsibility to rehabilitate you to get this job. You should show up prepared to go.” Jim Shields

Suddenly the blackboard near the drill tower was full of names and times, with elite firefighters attempting to best their brethren on the gruelling course.

CrossFit helped Chris Cerci lower his Combat Challenge time from around three minutes to a fast 1:39.

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It took several years for Davis to discover that his By 1980 Davis was marketing the event, and a growing challenge was more than just a way to measure fitness— number of firefighters were registering to compete. The it was a way to encourage it. event itself was teaching many competitors a definition of functional fitness that went beyond big biceps. “When we set this scenario up at the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute,” Davis recalls, “we had asked these fire- “In 18 years of having run this competition, we’ve got a fighters to self-pace through this assemblage of five tasks lot of misconceptions still,” Davis says. “People miscon- as they would at a fire, and what became immediately strue the constructs and dimensions of fitness. They apparent was, No. 1, there are huge variations in physical come back and they’ll say, ‘I added 75 lb. to my bench capacity and capabilities, and two, that those firefighters press,’ and I go, ‘OK, and that does not translate into high who tend to be on the more fit side are hugely competi- performance.’” tive. They’re not satisfied with just a mediocre approach. Davis says his sport is about power—moving a lot of These guys wanted to go after it tooth and nail.” mass in a short time. Suddenly the blackboard near the drill tower was full of Sound familiar? names and times, with elite firefighters attempting to best their brethren on the gruelling course. CrossFit and the Combat Challenge “We’re interested in looking at the physiological Chris Cerci works for the McKeesport Fire Department constructs that predict success: oxygen uptake kinetics in Pennsylvania and is a veteran of about 35 Combat and lactate levels and all this sort of stuff,” Davis says. Challenge events. When he first tackled the course, “Quite frankly, firefighters don’t give a rat’s ass about his times were near the three-minute mark, well off the that stuff. They just want to know, ‘How fast can you do world record that sits below 1:20. this?’”

Brandon Cunningham (left) has used CrossFit methods to dominate the Firefighter Combat Challenge for the last three years.

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“Previously, I just tried to maintain a pretty healthy Brandon Cunningham is the three-time defending lifestyle,” Cerci says. “I wasn’t really training at the level Combat Challenge world champion. He isn’t about to I needed to be training at to advance on this course refute Cerci’s claims. In fact, Cunningham is proving because it’s so brutal.” them to be accurate by recently posting a blistering time of 1:17.31 at a Scott FireFit Championship event held Aug. Cerci altered his training to include intervals, but then he 15 in Windsor, Ontario. The Canadian course is very made a discovery that changed everything. similar but not identical to the American version, so the “In 2007 I started hearing guys talking about CrossFit Combat Challenge world record of 1:19.02 still stands— and stuff, so I started adding some of the CrossFit but Cunningham’s time is impressive nonetheless. workouts into my training regimen as well. ...” Cerci says. “In 2006, that was the first year I won World’s, and the “... Once I started doing that, 2007 was my best year. I times were good,” says the firefighter based in Augusta, had my fastest time. I ran a 1:39 time, which at this point Georgia. “I had a personal best of 1:24, I believe. And is my fastest on record.” then I just rolled with CrossFit. ... I started dabbling in The results were on the scorecard, and they spoke that, and then I went up to the CrossFit gym in Atlanta volumes. Cerci was hooked on CrossFit. because there was none here in the area at that time, and I started adopting some of that stuff, and it seemed “This (CrossFit) is the best thing I’ve come across ever better. My PR increased by two seconds.” for fitness,” he says. “I’ve tried my own things in the past and stuck to that bench press, shoulder press, all that CrossFitters, of course, know every second counts, and bull crap at the regular Globo Gym. CrossFit is—by far, two seconds is a large margin in the upper echelons of hands down—the best I’ve ever come across.” any sport—or in a fire. “Towards the end of last year and this year, what I’ve found is I’ve really dialled it in using the CrossFit methodology and the movements and applying it to sport- “It’s easy to tell the difference specific training,” Cunningham says. The Firefighter between someone who Combat Challenge World Championship will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November, and Cunningham is consistently trains for functional pretty sure he’ll be there to defend his crown. He’s also fitness and someone who got his sights set on another competition—one held at a doesn’t, because you’ll see those ranch in Aromas. shortcomings. Someone may be The Firefighter Combat Challenge World Championship will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November, and strong as a bull and they’ll get Cunningham is pretty sure he’ll be there to defend his tired quickly.” crown. He’s also got his sights set on another competition—one held at a ranch in Aromas. —Brandon Cunningham “I’d love to do the Games,” Cunningham says. “I’m fortunate enough with the Challenge that I’m about to the end of the road. There’s not much left to do as far Beyond sprinting up stairs at the Challenge, Cerci as accomplishments. I love CrossFit, I so I’d like to start believes CrossFit makes him better at his job. doing that and possibly make the Games next year.” “It’s not that hard to explain: I don’t get tired,” he says. In the meantime, Cunningham is planning to open his “I can go and go and go. People have to tell me to take a own CrossFit box and has started the affiliation process. break, and I’m like, ‘I don’t need a break. I’m still fresh.’ Meanwhile, guys will go in there and they’re done in 10 minutes. It (CrossFit) produces such a standout person just because of the level of work power that they can put out. I just work and work forever.”

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More Challenging Than Fran? Staff Photo Jeff Leonard of Pleasant Hill, California, won the NorCal Regional Qualifier and finished th14 overall in the CrossFit Games. Less than a week later, he won the Freemont, California, Combat Challenge with a time of 1:28.81. Leonard had no idea how he’d do in the Challenge after the Games left him sore for most of the week between the events. When asked about whether Fran is harder than the Challenge, Leonard is noncommittal. “Aw, they both suck,” he says. “It’s a different feeling you get for each one. After the Challenge, it’s a lot more legs. You have a really hard time walking. Fran, overall your body just feels horrible.” He adds: “I’d say the Challenge is probably harder because you have to concentrate more because you’re doing more manipulation and moving yourself through space more and you have to make sure that you’re not Jeff Leonard used CrossFit training and skills learned only pushing yourself as hard as you can but doing things on the job to finish second in the row/sledge/row WOD absolutely 100 percent correct.” at the CrossFit Games. John Leonard Competing in previous Combat Challenge events obviously prepared Leonard for the row/sledge/row workout from the CrossFit Games, where he finished second to Tommy Hackenbruck. Leonard uses about half his year to get ready for the Combat Challenge and spends the other half training for the CrossFit Games.

Dr. Davis has been compelled to research the CrossFit program and its methodology because he sees its efficacy at every Combat Challenge.

“When I was training for the Games, what I would do was a strength workout where I’d take a front squat or something pure strength-oriented, either front squat or deadlift or back squat, and then I’d follow that up with a clean or a snatch workout,” Leonard says. “Then I’d go into some sort of circuit, like a pull-up/push-up, or a pull-up/ Jeff Leonard managed to recover from the bench press/jerk workout, trying to combine those three. CrossFit Games and win the Combat Challenge Then I’d go into doing some Combat Challenge course in Freemont, California, less than a week later.

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work or some sort of anaerobic tolerance workout, doing Mark Gist hill sprints or bleachers, something really high intensity, trying to mimic the Challenge.” Presently, Leonard is training for the Combat Challenge World Championships, where he’s finished th11 for the past two years. A CrossFit Combat Challenge? In addition to Cerci, Cunningham and Leonard, many competitors at Combat Challenge events are strong supporters of CrossFit. Given that so many of his athletes speak so highly of CrossFit, Davis has been compelled to research the program and its methodology. After all, he sees its efficacy at every Challenge—an event specifically designed to predict the success of firefighters in the real world. “The proof is in the pudding, because it’s pretty evident that a lot of our standout athletes regularly engage in (CrossFit),” he says. With that in mind, Davis is presently considering a crossover event where CrossFitters might compete in the challenge, much like NFL players have in the past. “We like to say it’s a competition with a purpose, and therefore the fitness has to come with a purpose,” Davis says. “We’ve actually been thinking about opening up certain opportunities for CrossFit people to come out and actually apply this training to see what it translates into in terms of our world.” Three-time world champion Brandon Cunningham nears the Combat Challenge finish line at the World The doctor wants to find the best ways to make firefight- Championships in Las Vegas. ers successful on the job. CrossFitters want prove the program’s value in a measurable and repeatable manner. The Firefighter Challenge offers an opportunity to do both—and who wouldn’t want to see Mikko Salo racing Brandon Cunningham? “Imagine how much fun it would be,” Davis says. “I’m very interested in where this thing could go for both of us.”

About the Author Mike Warkentin works for the CrossFit Journal. He’d like to thank Chris Spealler for teaching him kipping knees-to- elbows during a recent workout with James (OPT) FitzGerald, Brett (AFT) Marshall and Lisa Ray in Calgary, Alberta.

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More Pop at the Top Finishing the pull is the only way to succeed in Olympic lifting once the plates start adding up.

Bill Starr s Davi of CrossFit Courtesy

This article is for any athlete who’s trying to improve numbers on any type of dynamic pulling exercise— power cleans and snatches, clean- and snatch-grip high pulls, shrugs and, of course, the Olympic lifts. Every serious strength athlete should include at least one of these exercises in his routine.

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Moving a weighted barbell through a range of motion full-snatching big numbers. Those who use sloppy form in an explosive fashion builds strength in the muscles often end up in the same boat as beginners. Because and attachments in an entirely different manner than they never fully extend, their traps are not called into play when an exercise is done more deliberately. Whenever nearly as much. Therefore, their traps are not worked as muscles, tendons and ligaments are exercised dynami- diligently and fall behind, strength-wise. cally, the benefits derived from that work are more In many cases, the athlete’s form isn’t really that bad, but readily converted to other athletic endeavors. In other she doesn’t fully extend when she’s snatching or cleaning words, someone who can power-clean or full-clean a because she’s lightning fast going under the bar. Due to heavy weight is going to be able to better utilize that exceptional foot speed, she’s able to slip under a snatch strength in sports. or clean even when it’s not pulled very high. While this Learning to Finish Strong may seem like a huge plus, it’s often just the opposite. The exercises I mentioned are extremely beneficial in Eventually the weight will become too heavy to rack or building a strong back because they work all parts— lock out overhead if the lifter cuts the pull. This is inevita- lower, middle and upper. They work them equally, so this ble, and if she wants to continue to improve on the quick helps to maintain a healthy balance between the three lifts, she has to make some changes. In many cases, it segments. I realize that the three parts of the back are means going back and starting from scratch. This is not not distinctly divided and that they overlap one another, an easy thing to do, but the step must be taken. but it’s important to understand that there are differ- ences in the muscular makeup of this important body part. Gaining significant strength in the back is critical to being able to handle more weight on the front and back The bottom line: squat and all the shoulder-girdle exercises. In order to technique is paramount. overhead press or jerk a heavier poundage, the athlete absolutely must have a strong back to provide a solid base of support. Not fully extending on the dynamic movements often There is yet another reason why time must be spent happens to those who train alone or do not have anyone making and keeping the back strong. Those are the to scrutinize their technique. Or the coach doesn’t know muscles that support the spine. Countless lives and what to look for. Before moving to York to work and serious injuries have been spared because of strong train at the York Barbell Company, I was in charge of the backs—a fact that really needs to be considered by weight room at the Marion YMCA in Indiana. Because I anyone of any age. was the authority on Olympic-style lifting, no one ever thought of criticizing my technique. I honestly thought I Every exercise is made up of a start, middle and finish. was extending fully on my cleans and snatches. Turns out While all parts must be done correctly for that exercise I wasn’t. The first week I trained in the York Gym, Tommy to be productive and in order to handle heavy weights, Suggs and Bob Bednarski picked up on my form flaw. the finish is usually the reason the maximum attempts are either made or missed. In previous articles in the I had been competing for eight years, and my keys on the CrossFit Journal, I’ve covered the start and middle. This various lifts were deeply ingrained in my mind. What I one is about the finish. had do if I wanted to compete on a national level—and I did—was alter that final key on my cleans and snatches. I Athletes do not have a strong finish for two main reasons: had to learn to wait just a tad longer before moving under a lack of strength and improper form. The first usually the bar. It took a great deal of practice, and it helped to applies to youngsters and beginners who have not done have such experts as Bednarski and Suggs watch me and enough training on the groups responsible for that final, provide me with feedback. I finally got the feel of what snappy surge at the very end of a lift. The traps play a key I needed to do. Once I was able to pull higher, my lifts role in any dynamic pulling movement, and the longer improved right away. It had nothing to do with my trap the pull, the more the traps are involved. That means strength. The strength was there. I just wasn’t using it powerful traps are needed for power-snatching and effectively. The bottom line: technique is paramount.

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The High Pull Whenever I see an athlete cutting his pull on power Strap onto the bar, flatten your back, make sure your snatches, power cleans, and full snatches and cleans, frontal deltoids are slightly out in front of the bar, tighten I have him set those exercises aside for a while and every muscle in your body, then move the bar off the replace them with high pulls. I make sure he does both floor in a smooth fashion. The bar starts against your clean- and snatch-grip high pulls because each version shins and stays close to your body as it moves upward. of the exercise works the many muscles in the back Your arms are straight. As the bar reaches mid-thigh, somewhat differently. drive your hips forward violently and shrug your traps. Only after the traps have been activated do you allow The reason I like high pulls is that they allow the lifter your elbows to bend. Drive your arms up and out, not to focus his full attention on pulling the bar higher and back. Keep in mind that once your elbows turn backward higher without having to be concerned with racking the you’re no longer able to utilize your traps, which are weight or locking it out overhead. The high pulls also help needed when the weights get demanding. to identify the perfect line of pull on the various lifts. As a bonus, they strengthen the muscles and attachments At the end of the pull, you should be high on your toes that are directly responsible for lifting heavy weights. with your elbows up and out, and your body needs to be perfectly vertical. The move from the floor to the Use straps. Initially, you may not need them, but even- finish has to be done in a smooth fashion—no hitching tually you will be handling 50 or more pounds over what or hesitation at all. The bar leaves the floor slowly, picks you can use on the dynamic lifts, so it’s a smart idea to up speed through the middle and becomes a blur at the get used to them from the onset. Even if the athlete has top. done high pulls before, I have him approach them as if they’re a new movement. It’s a relearning process, so During the high pulls, your back has to remain flat. If he starts with the basics. While the exercise is indeed it rounds, even slightly, the bar will move out of the explosive when done correctly, at this stage the start and proper line and this will adversely affect the finish. To middle are done rather deliberately and only the finish help maintain a very flat back, lock your shoulder blades is done with a pop. This helps to establish a perfect line together. and body positioning as the bar climbs higher. s Davi of CrossFit Courtesy

High pulls allow a lifter to learn what full extension feels like without having to quickly pop underneath the bar. Ideally, the elbows will stay high and outside as long as possible to utilize the traps to their full extent.

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Initially, the high pulls are used to teach the correct On the first few sets, the bar may climb up over your line of pull, the exact sequence between the traps and head. Excellent. That’s exactly what you want to do for arms, how to drive the elbows upward and how to get both snatch and clean pulls. Once an athlete shows that full extension of your body. Doing them as an overload- he’s got it figured out, I have him add a bit more weight ing exercise comes later. For now, think of them as a and provide him with a tangible goal to aim for. I hold drill to teach you how to pull longer and provide some out a stick at the height I want him to pull the bar to. pop at the end. Without that final pop, you’re not going When he hits the stick easily, I raise it a few inches. It’s to be able to handle heavy poundages. That final snap surprising how well this works. I’ve had athletes swear will cause the bar to jump and allows you time to move they were pulling just as hard as they could, but when I under the bar. used the stick, they ended up pulling it another 6 inches higher. Tapping that stick has a Pavlovian effect and Until you have the movement down pat, stay with rela- motivates the lifter to extend higher and do her best to tively light poundages, such as 225. That will be heavy put a charge in the last few inches of the pull. enough to force you to pay close attention to the various form points yet not so demanding that you cannot get Over the years, I’ve watched countless Olympic lifters the feel of what you’re after. Start with 135, move to who were able to pull the bar plenty high enough for 185, then on to 225. From your very first rep, it’s critical them to get under it and rack it or lock it out overhead, yet that you pull the bar just as high as you can. When you they failed on the attempt simply because the bar never do this, you establish a pattern, and as the weights get picked up any speed on its upward flight and had no pop heavier, you’re still able to elevate it higher because the at the top. As a result, the weight crashed downward like pattern is fixed in your mind. an angry guillotine and the lift was a failure. When the athlete knows what he is trying to accomplish, he can also use high pulls to overload his back. Eventually, you should be handling 75 more pounds in the The reason I like high pulls is that clean high pull than you are using in the full clean, and 50 they allow the lifter to focus his more pounds in the snatch high pull than you can snatch. full attention on pulling the bar However, these overloading sets have to be done with perfect mechanics or the benefits will not carry over to higher and higher without having the quick lifts: concentrate on using good form on every to be concerned with racking the rep. If you find you’re breaking form, as in dragging the bar through the middle or rounding your back, use less weight or locking it out overhead. weight. Remember, practice makes perfect only if you’re practicing correctly. s Davi of CrossFit Courtesy By learning to recognize full extension of hips, knees and ankles, athletes will know exactly when they should start to pull themselves under the bar.

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The “Throw” I came up with the next exercise at the ‘68 Olympics Soon, he was throwing 220 a good three feet over his in Mexico City. I was working with Ernie Pickett in the head, and the crashing bar made a tremendous racket. training hall, and he was having difficulty with the finish Ernie was thoroughly enjoying himself, and so was I. on his snatches. I stripped the bar down to one big plate When we finished and were leaving the training hall, on each side. They were in kilos, so it was 132. I told we heard several other loud crashes and laughed. A few him what I wanted him to do and he was hesitant. It coaches were using the throws on their lifters. It should was a tad bizarre, but the platforms were extra stout be noted that this was before rubber bumper plates and could handle it. Plus, I told him with a grin that he came on the scene, so the dropped weights sounded would be sure to attract a great deal of attention from like bombs going off. the other competitors and coaches. I’ve taught this exercise to nearly all my Olympic lifters. Because Ernie was always up for anything that would Having bumps makes it much easier, although I’ve used stun those around him, he did what I suggested— metal plates on occasion. When I do, I take the lifter throwing the load just as high as he possibly could, then outside to do throws on grass. Also, I use an old bar or stepping out of the way of the descending bar. Well, he one that may be defective. I realize that doing throws is certainly did get everyone’s full interest. The first few no more harmful to a bar than dropping a heavy jerk, but times he did what I call “throws,” the bar barely got there’s no sense taking a chance with an expensive bar higher than his head. I kept giving him form keys and when a less-than-perfect one works just as well. Also, if reminded him that he wanted to actually throw the bar they’re done in a gym, the ceiling has to be high enough upward. This meant he had to pull longer than normal, so that the weights don’t crash into it. extend on his toes more, extend his body more erect and think about hurling the puny weight to the ceiling. s Davi of CrossFit Courtesy

A “throw” teaches a lifter to pull longer than normal, which will translate into full extension during cleans and snatches. Simply grip the bar and attempt to throw it as high as possible—then get out of the way.

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While a throw is a simple movement, it takes some Courtesy of CrossFit Davis practice before an athlete can get the hang of what he’s trying to accomplish. In addition, it takes a bit more courage because that bar is flying directly overhead. Sometimes I have the lifter just use the bar until he figures out how to really put some power in that final move to send the bar soaring. Invariably, the first few attempts don’t climb very high. The athlete is more concerned for his safety than the height of the throw. Once he learns to stand in and pull the bar correctly, it starts to go higher. As his confidence grows and he can step out from under the bar rather easily, he then begins to incorporate all the pulling keys. This enables him to put a jolt into the final move. This exercise is so beneficial because it carries over directly to pulling a heavy weight. I start athletes on snatch-grip throws and then let them do some clean throws if they want. In truth, the throws have more value to the snatch than the clean because it’s a much longer pulling motion. The very next time an athlete does full snatches after a session with throws, his extension is remarkably improved. Only do singles, for obvious reasons, and don’t use straps, again for obvious reasons.

Bill Starr started using throws with athletes at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Of course, having an Olympian throw 200 lb. of iron three feet overhead was a lot noisier than a CrossFitter training with bumpers.

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Clean- and Snatch-Grip Shrugs The next exercise requires straps: clean- and snatch-grip pull. You will gain more strength for every inch higher shrugs. These are the very best exercises to strengthen that you pull the bar. the traps: the primary source of power for the finish Five sets of five works well, and the final set should be of the clean and snatch. They are the best because so so heavy that the bar only moves a few inches. But if much more weight can be used on the shrug than any you’re conscious of giving it a punch at the very end, other exercise. While high pulls are great, athletes who you’re going to have traps that look like small hills on are capable of high-pulling 350 can handle close to 600 your shoulders. in the shrug. Some racks are too narrow to do snatch shrugs inside I realize some coaches teach their athletes to shrug them. When this is the case, I have athletes do Hawaiian- with their elbows locked. I don’t think this is nearly as style shrugs. For the first two years that I coached at the effective as using the same motion as when the bar is University of Hawaii, there was no power rack. Athletes being cleaned or snatched. That means bending the did shrugs by taking the weight off two pins on the back arms. Also, when the arms are bent during a shrug, of the squat rack. This version is more difficult since many more groups become involved and therefore get much more control of the bar is required and the line stronger, such as the all-important prime movers of the of pull is more precise, which is a good reason to do upper arms: the brachialis, brachioradialis and the rear Hawaiian shrugs every so often. Less weight is used and deltoids. everyone quickly figures out not to move too far from the rack. Putting 500-plus lb. back on the pins after having shrugged it five times is no walk in the park. You only have to move back a few inches because the line of Think extension. The higher pull is straight up.

your pull the weight, the more Staff/CrossFit Journal benefits you will derive from the movement.

Shrugs can be done inside or outside a power rack, but I recommend staying inside until form is perfect. Set the pins so the bar is at mid-thigh. It’s best to learn clean shrugs before trying them with a wider grip. Make sure your body mechanics are right: bar tucked in snug against your thighs, back flat and tight, with your frontal deltoids out in front of the bar. Press your feet down into the floor and tense all your muscles. Use your hips and legs to set the bar in motion, then quickly follow through by shrugging your traps and bending your arms. As in the high pulls, you want to pull the bar as high as possible on every rep. This will send the first couple of sets up over your head. Think extension. The higher your pull the weight, the more benefits you will derive from the movement. As the poundages start to add up, your stroke will be much shorter, yet if you continue to think extension you will strengthen those groups providing A snatch-grip isometric hold burns the feeling of full extension into the muscles and strengthens them at this critical point. One work set of the finish to the clean much more so than if you cut your eight or 12 seconds will be enough.

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Isometric Holds The final two exercises also require a power rack. For the off the pins and hold it off them for a count of 8 or 12. As clean, an isotonic-isometric hold at the very top of the always, you have to maintain an erect position. Stay high pull, set the lower pins at belly button height and the top on your toes with your elbows up and out. They’re going pins a few inches higher. Extend the bar up to the higher to want to turn backward as you tire, but you must fight pins, lock it in place, then hold an isometric contraction that and hold steady. If a set is easy, use more weight. for 8-12 seconds. Until you get the feel, you might need Conversely, lower the weight if you aren’t able to hold to do a couple of lighter warm-up sets. If so, do three the bar off the pins for a count of eight. reps. You will just tap the top pins three times and not try This is perhaps the single best exercise to strengthen the to hold it for a count. Then on your work set, tap the top rear deltoids. They’re extremely difficult to hit directly, pins once or twice, then lock it in for an iso contraction. and it’s even harder to overload them. These do both and will convert to power and full snatches right away. Try these exercises, and once you learn the technique, lean on them and make them considerably stronger. When you do that, you’II be pleasantly surprised how much more pop you have at the top of your pulls.

F Jody Forster Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

For isometric holds, you’ll need to find a way to stop the bar from moving upward while you pull against the pins. A power cage or some old-fashioned ingenuity is usually required.

It’s imperative that your body mechanics are absolutely impeccable. One of the main things to remember is the time you hold the isometric contraction is more About the Author important than how much weight is on the bar. If you Bill Starr coached at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, the can’t sustain the contraction for at least eight seconds, 1970 World Olympic Weightlifting World Championship use less weight. When you get to a 12 count and still have in Columbus, Ohio, and the 1975 World Powerlifting some gas left in the tank, increase the poundage. One Championships in Birmingham, England. He was selected work set per session is sufficient. Isotonic-isometrics are as head coach of the 1969 team that competed in the very concentrated work. Tournament of Americas in Mayague, Puerto Rico, where The same move can be done with a snatch grip if you have the United States won the team title, making him the first a power rack that’s wide enough. If not, place the bar at active lifter to be head coach of an international Olympic a height where your breastbone ends. You’re not going weightlifting team. Starr is the author of the books to be able to use very much weight on these so don’t get The Strongest Shall Survive: Strength Training for Football overly ambitious. Most are tested with 100 pounds less and Defying Gravity, which can be found at The Aasgaard than they can snatch. Strap onto the bar and move it up Company Bookstore.

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Smart Shopping for Your Home Gym The author analyzes 18 months of main-site WODs and comes to some surprising conclusions about what equipment you should buy and when.

Matthew Hall

For less than $1,500 in equipment purchases, you can perform 80 percent of the WODs on CrossFit.com in your home gym. Invest in a bar, squat stand and bumper plates right away. Buy those rings. Get a pull-up bar and an AbMat. Put dumbbells, kettlebells, a Concept2 rower and a GHD machine at the bottom of your priority list. Surprised? So was I.

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Breaking Down the WODs Table 1: The most-used pieces of equipment To determine the most important pieces of equipment, Total Average Price/use I went through all the main-site WODs from January Equipment 2008 to mid-June 2009. I tallied how many times each uses price ($) ($) particular exercise was performed and then broke each Bar 276 192.00 0.70 exercise down by the required pieces of equipment. I also looked online at three common CrossFit equipment Weights 269 640.22 2.38 suppliers and averaged the prices for each product. Pull-up bar 114 152.50 1.34 I was able to compile a list of the equipment and sort it by how many times each item was used (Table 1). Squat stand 109 258.00 2.37 I then figured how much it would cost per use based Place to run 90 0.00 0.00 on the average price over those 18 months (Table 2). I also wanted to see how much of the CrossFit program Rings 44 68.67 1.56 could be accomplished with different purchases, so I Back-ext. bench 37 200.00 5.41 made a third table showing how many more exercises could be done with each additional piece of equipment AbMat 36 29.95 0.83 purchased, and how that would affect the total cost of 24-inch plyo box 22 109.00 4.95 the gym (Table 3). 20 lb. medicine ball 21 101.00 4.81 I did not take into account many desirable but non- essential purchases such as floor mats, collars or Concept2 19 895.00 47.11 weight stands. But the analysis still has value in showing GHD 17 437.00 25.71 the order in which equipment should be bought for CrossFitters doing the main-site WODs in home gyms. Jump rope 17 12.75 0.75 It may also be of interest to new affiliate owners who 2 pood kettlebell 10 124.00 12.40 want to start small and then add equipment. 1.5 pood kettlebell 9 83.00 9.22 The Data I wanted to allow for heavy Olympic lifts without 1 pood kettlebell 7 64.00 9.14 breaking the bank on bumpers, which can get pricey. Bench 7 152.50 21.79 When calculating the cost of the weights, I totaled the average cost of 45 and 25 lb. bumpers and then sets of 15-foot rope 7 237.00 33.86 2.5, 5, 10 and 45 lb. iron plates. One of each of these 40 lb. dumbbells 4 83.00 20.75 sets plus an extra set of iron and rubber 45s gives a total weight (with the bar) of 490 lbs. This also yields 310 Body armor 4 115.00 28.75 pounds (bar, bumpers and change plates) for Oly work. 30 lb. dumbbells 2 63.00 31.50 50 lb. dumbbells 2 105.00 52.50 35 lb. dumbbells 1 72.50 72.50

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The squat stands are more necessary for some exercises Table 2: Equipment sorted by price/use (back squats) than movements where the weight can Total Average Price/use easily be cleaned into position (thrusters). For this Equipment analysis, I decided squat stands would be used for push uses price ($) ($) jerk, push press, shoulder press, thruster, back squat, Place to run 90 0.00 $0.00 front squat, overhead squat and bench press. If you do not mind cleaning weight before the prescribed exercise, Bar 276 192.00 0.70 then you may want to reduce the importance of the Jump rope 17 12.75 0.75 squat stand relative to its position in my analysis. AbMat 36 29.95 0.83 Table 1 illustrates the frequency of use for each item: the equipment is simply sorted by the total number of Pull-up bar 114 152.50 1.34 times it was used in the 18-month sample. Make sure Rings 44 68.67 1.56 you have at the least the top six items on this list. The price is the average cost from three suppliers: Again Squat stand 109 258.00 2.37 Faster, The Garage Gym Store and Rogue Fitness. This Weights 269 640.22 2.38 list is sorted based on the most-used items. 20 lb. medicine ball 21 101.00 4.81 Table 2 includes the same information as Table 1, but it is sorted by the price per use of each piece of equipment. 24-inch plyo box 22 109.00 4.95 This table is best used to figure what small or infre- Back-ext. bench 37 200.00 5.41 quently used pieces of equipment are the most economical and what can wait until later. The cost is divided by 1 pood kettlebell 7 64.00 9.14 the total number of uses to yield the cost per use over 1.5 pood kettlebell 9 83.00 9.22 the 18-month sample time frame. The equipment is listed with the most economical items at the top. 2 pood kettlebell 10 124.00 12.40 I sorted Table 3 by my rough guess as to the order in 40 lb. dumbbells 4 83.00 20.75 which I would outfit my gym based on frequency of Bench 7 152.50 21.79 use and price per use. It illustrates the number and percentage of main-site exercises you can do with each GHD 17 437.00 25.71 additional purchase, as well as the total cost of each Body armor 4 115.00 28.75 addition. 30 lb. dumbbells 2 63.00 31.50 15-foot rope 7 237.00 33.86 Concept2 19 895.00 47.11 50 lb. dumbbells 2 105.00 52.50 35 lb. dumbbells 1 72.50 72.50

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As an example, an AbMat was used 36 times (4.72 percent of all exercises). Adding an AbMat would increase the percentage of exercises you could do from 70.73 percent to 75.46 percent at a cost of about $30. Exercises low on the list may require equipment from the top of the list to be completed. A bar, for example, was only used on its own 7 times in the 18-month sample. However, another 123 exercises can be done when plates are purchased. That number increases to 139 when squat stands are bought.

Table 3: Progression of equipment purchases

Average cost Accrued cost Total uses Percent (%) of Accrued percent (%) exercises of exercises ($) ($)

Place to run 90 11.81 11.81 0.00 0.00 Bar 7 0.92 12.73 192.00 192.00 Weights 123 16.14 28.87 640.22 832.22 Squat stand 139 18.24 47.11 258.00 1,090.22 Pull-up bar 136 17.85 64.96 152.50 1,242.72 Rings 44 5.77 70.73 68.67 1,311.39 AbMat 36 4.72 75.46 29.95 1,341.34 Jump rope 17 2.23 77.69 12.75 1,354.09 20 lb. medicine ball 21 2.76 80.45 101.00 1,455.09 24-inch plyo box 22 2.89 83.33 109.00 1,564.09 Back-ext. bench 37 4.86 88.19 200.00 1,764.09 Concept2 19 2.49 90.68 895.00 2,659.09 GHD 17 2.23 92.91 437.00 3,096.09 Kettlebells 26 3.41 96.33 271.00 3,367.09 Dumbbells 9 1.18 97.51 177.25 3,544.34 15-foot rope 7 0.92 98.43 237.00 3,781.34 Bench 7 0.92 48.03 152.50 3,933.84 Weighed vest 4 0.52 98.95 115.00 3,896.34

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$1,500 Goes a Long Way in CrossFit The most important idea to take away from the data: it costs close to $4,000 to completely outfit a CrossFit home gym, but 80 percent of exercises can be completed by spending about $1,500. Most of that total goes to CrossFit staples such as a bar and weights. They cost less than $1 per use. Less expensive items such as rings and medicine balls are used frequently. Buying them adds to the percentage of the program that can be completed. A jump rope is used infrequently but costs just $13. Buy one. One surprise was how high a back-extension bench placed on the list. It is not sold by any of the three suppliers I used for compiling average prices, but a quick online search yields many items in the $200 range. The GHD is an obvious substitute, but even when all back extensions are done on the GHD, the cost per use only falls from $25.71 to $9.44, which is still almost twice the cost per use of the back-extension machine ($5.41). It appears that a back-extension machine would be a wise purchase for those with a more limited budget. The other notable conclusion is the occasional use of kettlebells and dumbbells. While both are frequently listed in a garage-gym equipment package, they are not used often enough in main-site WODs to justify purchas- ing in the initial stages of outfitting a home gym. The Concept2 rower is used a fair amount but costs $900. If one-third of all runs were replaced by rowing done on a used machine purchased for $400, the price per use is still relatively high at $8.16. This indicates the rower should be one of your final purchases unless you will use it more than prescribed.

About the Author Matt Hall is a second-year medical student at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He recently proved the efficacy of the CrossFit program by scaling Mount Rainier (elevation: 14,411 feet) in his home state of Washington with no training other than the daily WODs.

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Centers of Excellence - Part I Athletes from CrossFit Calgary and CrossFit Central did extremely well at the 2009 CrossFit Games. In Part 1 of this two-part series we talk to James (OPT) FitzGerald and Brett (AFT) Marshall about their training secrets.

Mike Warkentin

James (OPT) FitzGerald won the 2007 CrossFit Games. His training partner, Brett (AFT) Marshall, was two points behind in second place. In 2008, OPT was 12th and AFT was 39th out of 196 athletes. Six other CrossFit Calgary competitors also made the trip to Aromas. At the 2009 CrossFit Games, CrossFit Calgary had four athletes in the Top 16, and their Affiliate Cup team—led by AFT—finished fourth overall. Coincidence? Probably not. Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

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Experience Points CrossFit Calgary was originally based out of Optimum “When you walk into OPT and our facility, it’s a code Performance Training, a smaller training facility that that you have to expect to eat well and train hard,” OPT was intended for individual clients but was modified to says. “There’s no halfways about it, and I think that the accommodate groups. In March 2009, CrossFit Calgary expectation that Brett and I had coming back from ‘07, moved into a larger facility that used to be a trans- we taught other people about that, about how special mission shop, and now customers waiting in line at the this sport is and how really frickin’ hard it is, and what Minit Lube next door get to witness CrossFit chaos from you’ve got to do to excel at it. I think we just surrounded the comfort and safety of their SUVs. ourselves with other people who really fed off that passion, and it just bleeds through when you see it in Do not tap glass; do not feed the athletes sugar. subsequent Games.” According to OPT and AFT, the seeds of CrossFit Calgary’s success were sown in 2007, when a couple of Canadian training partners flew down to California to do “Those (2007) Games were a a few workouts at a ranch in Aromas. chance for us to show everyone “Brett and I came back from the Games in ’07, and we were in love with CrossFit,” OPT recalls. “Well, I that we take this shit seriously, was in love with CrossFit over two years prior to those and we really love it as a sport.” Games, and those Games were a chance for us to show everyone that we take this shit seriously, and we really — James FitzGerald love it as a sport. We basically bleed it, pretty much, to the point where we’ve given up a lot of ourselves and our lives to create this so other people in our community That’s not to say CrossFit Calgary is packed full of can experience this.” firebreathers tackling every WOD as if it’s a precursor to the CrossFit Games. While OPT demands his athletes OPT believes the culture he created at the original pay attention to nutrition, recovery and rest in addition to facility—which still exists for personalized training— their training, he also understands that many CrossFitters has been recreated in the new space a short drive from just want to get fit and stay healthy. Calgary’s Olympic Park. Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

OPT (left) and AFT (right) used their experiences at the 2007 CrossFit Games to prepare their athletes for the 2009 competition.

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“We give off a sense that this is serious and we love it,” OPT explains. “If you want to be a part of it, then we’re going to teach you how to prep and how serious you have to be about it. And if not, that’s OK, too. You can still work out with us and still love it as a fitness regime.” Strength and Success AFT handles the programming for CrossFit Calgary, and he loosely bases it on the main site. “The only reason I deviate from CrossFit.com, I guess you could say, is that it gives you a little bit more control as an affiliate to manage your clients and where they’re at,” he says. “But the other thing is that you’re managing logistics to a certain extent. It may or not work to run Lynne, for example.” While featuring the constantly varied, high-intensity OPT’s Training for the Games functional movement CrossFitters know and love, AFT OPT wasn’t planning to compete in the Games works in a bit more strength work. After seeing Josh after bowing out of the Canada West Regional Everett in action, Marshall was convinced that stronger Qualifier in order to organize it. When a special invitation from Coach Glassman came to athletes were better athletes. the 2007 champion, OPT was left with only That notion was confirmed for him at the 2008 Games, five weeks to prepare for the gruelling test at where he saw Jason Khalipa warming up for the final The Ranch. WOD: 30 reps of full squat clean and jerks at 155 lb. OPT quickly designed a regimen that was based Khalipa didn’t even bother to jerk the weight because he on 11 cycles of two days on and one day off, with was strong enough to drive it overhead without dipping different energy systems targeted all the time. underneath. When Khalipa managed to use his brawn to “I think I did 11 cycles of two and one, and on the beat the technically solid Everett and win the overall title, two, the first two, I did two workouts,” he says. Marshall decided strength was of utmost importance to “The second two I would do three workouts. The his athletes. third two, I would do four workouts, and then I would go back to two and then three and then four, and then I built intensity and volume into those twos and threes and fours, over and over.” For example, in the first cycle OPT would pair heavy Oly lifting one day with a 16-minute met-con involving running on the next. On the following cycle he would do a shorter high-power WOD and then a longer body-weight met-con in the evening of the first day. The following day would involve heavy training on a single lift or higher reps of one movement. And so on... . “Basically, I tried to fit in all different energy- systems scenarios with high load, low load, body weight, all different metabolic or monostructural modalities, basically just to hit on so many

Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit different things,” OPT says.

D.J. Wickham finished 10th at the Games after strong showings Training Continued ... in the deadlift and snatch WODs.

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“I told all my clients—all my private clients, all of our members—that we have to be stronger, so I do have Training Continued ... a bit, I would say, of a strength bias in my workouts,” he says. “Whether it’s individual clients, we’re doing Although he was in good shape when he started strength work more often than you’d see on the main the program, he felt as if it really prepared him site. It’s not that we’re not doing met-cons, but often I’ll for the Games. be doing strength and following with a shorter met-con after that. And I try to get as much strength as I can into “From five weeks out I was still fit, in good shape, but I didn’t do a lot of pain training, and basically the programming for our gyms.” we’re just getting into those scenarios and General programming aside, the other members of putting up with pain and learning how to screw CrossFit Calgary’s Affiliate Cup team—Rob Corson, things up and then get out of it appropriately— Geoff Aucoin, Michelle Savard, Laura MacDonald and just learning how to battle basically all the Stacey Deering—all worked one-on-one with AFT, who demons that come on with fatigue and stuff,” he says. “So it took me about five weeks ... to get to delivered periodized programs designed to prepare the that point where I felt really confident.” athletes for the Games. OPT believes he might have peaked one week “Two or three months out it was, ‘Let’s work on every- early, so he cut down his volume in the final days thing that you hate and everything that you suck at,’” before the Games. Once he was in California, a Marshall laughs. “So workouts weren’t fun. ... It was great run along the beach confirmed that he was just being mindful of overall fitness, knowing that in a ready for the Games. CrossFit competition, be it the Games or what you’re “I felt good to go for Saturday morning.” facing on a daily basis, it could be anything.” OPT was forced to withdraw from the final event He continues: “There is a definitely a drop in volume and due to injury but still managed a 13th-place finish, increases in volume and intensity to get them to a peak adding yet another accomplishment to a growing state. But again, I don’t stick to any sort of format, per se. list of impressive Games performances. If I wanted Michelle or Stacey increasing their intensity and volume in a given week or two but it looked like they F weren’t going to be able to do that at that point, then I’m backing off.” Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

The members of Calgary’s Affiliate Cup team benefitted from individualized programs designed by Brett (AFT) Marshall.

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Running With the Big Dogs

The individual competitors at the CrossFit Games—D.J. Staff/CrossFit Journal Wickham, Michael (Bro-PT) FitzGerald and Lauren Pryor—were on a more specific program designed by OPT himself. (See sidebar beginning on Page 3 for OPT’s personal preparation for the Games.) The Big Dogs program evolved from—what else?—a series of whiteboard workouts OPT used to post at the smaller Calgary facility to challenge athletes and coaches who were looking to get away from named WODs and really dig into constantly varied movement. As with all things CrossFit, what started on the whiteboard soon made it to the web, and OPT’s personal blog now has followers from Calgary to North Carolina. OPT monitors the times and loads posted in the comments section and then programs the site based on what he sees from his athletes. “Basically, what I offered to it was a little bit of an individualization approach to it,” OPT says. “And I still uphold that today to the Big Dogs blog in that it’s kind of a nice number right now and has been for a year, where I can analyze and change based upon weaknesses and strengths.” He adds: “With the Big Dogs stuff it just seemed that, because I knew everyone that was doing it, whether it was 10 people or 40 or 80 or 100, I kind of got a drift as to what people are good at and was keeping those things in mind with the principles of fitness. I was kind of able to individualize a lot of the stuff on there and work on things people needed to improve in order to create that philosophy of whole fitness—which is what OPT really speaks of and is quite passionate about.” Four athletes from CrossFit Calgary made it into the Top 16, including Lauren Pryor, who finished 14th. The site is specifically periodized to prepare for competitions up to and including the CrossFit Games, and the August 2009 programming featured an increase in volume and skill work and a decrease in overall intensity to reflect the post-Games condition of the athletes. In The individual competitors at the the coming year, OPT hopes to include more competi- CrossFit Games—D.J. Wickham, tions in the schedule, and he’ll continue to periodize his Michael (Bro-PT) FitzGerald and workouts accordingly. Lauren Pryor—were on the more “Going through the competitions throughout the year will allow people who want to do the Games or prep for specific Big Dogs CrossFit program the Games to get a sense as to what it’s like to do that designed by OPT himself. in relation to volume, higher intensity and lower volume before competition, and basically how to peak for it appropriately.”

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Besides basic workout prescriptions, the site also A Scientific Approach features speed recommendations for the reps. For Both OPT and AFT are quick to point out that their example, “Chin-ups @ 30X1” means “three-second success doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve found some eccentric phase, no seconds spent at the bottom, secret program. In the end, they’re just doing CrossFit as explosive concentric phase and a one-second hold at the Coach Greg Glassman intended it. top. Specific rest periods between sets are also included, as well as post-WOD nutrition based on gender and “Yes, we’re putting together the program for them that body composition. gets them ready for the Games or whatever it is, and potentially that’s different than what other affiliates are doing, but that’s the black box,” AFT says. “That’s what everybody is doing. I don’t think any one affiliate is doing “When you walk into OPT and our the same thing, and I think it would be the wrong idea to say, ‘CrossFit Calgary has a better model and let’s follow facility, it’s a code that you have to their model,’ because all of a sudden you’ve lost that expect to eat well and train hard. ability to try new things and see what works.” There’s no halfways about it.” Nevertheless, the results of the three editions of the CrossFit Games prove that CrossFit Calgary is doing — James FitzGerald something right. OPT believes that as CrossFit becomes more recognized as a sport, success will come to the trainers and athletes who take it very seriously and approach CrossFit in a “When you start following the blog, you’ll see that the scientific and open-minded manner. community has the utmost respect, but they also will let you know that you’ve got to have your shit together in “You’re going to see those folks excelling at the Games,” relation to your food if you’re going to uphold the kind of he says, “as well as large groups and communities training that goes on in this arena,” he says. “And what excelling at the Games.” I mean by that is prepping yourself appropriately for higher peak phases or higher volume or ... knowing how F to do pre- and post-workout nutrition, knowing how to balance your insulin throughout the day and just using different methodologies that I have.” About the Author Mike Warkentin works for the CrossFit Journal. He managed to draw blood while doing Fran at CrossFit Calgary but still had fun doing it. He hopes the people in line at Minit Lube enjoyed the show.

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The Chink in My Armor One of CrossFit’s top athletes learns a tough lesson when his poor command of double-unders costs him a trip to the Games. What happened after that is the real story.

Greg Amundson Courtesy of Greg Amundson of Greg Courtesy

Paul Szoldra, the active-duty Marine who videotaped my failed attempt to get to the CrossFit Games via the Last Chance Qualifier, may have summed up the whole thing best. As I lay on the floor gasping for breath and thinking I was about to die, Paul offered these kind words: “That’ll teach ya not to practice double-unders!” Thus began my journey of self-discovery into the skill of the double-under.

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Deciding to Compete But let’s back up. I had been fairly adamant in my decision not to compete in the 2009 CrossFit Games. Military and law-enforcement duties had kept me away from previous editions, and my desire for public competition had declined significantly since my first introduction to CrossFit nearly nine years earlier at CrossFit Santa Cruz. Then I got a phone call from CrossFit Games Director Dave Castro, who offered a special guest invitation from Coach Glassman to compete in 2009. I was deeply honored by the gracious offer, but I decided after much soul-searching that I would compete only if I could actually qualify like the other athletes. Editor’s note: Greg is an extremely popular figure in the CrossFit community but has recently been out of public Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit view. Coach Glassman agreed with the suggestion to see how CrossFit’s original firebreather would do in today’s Greg Amundson is well known as the original CrossFit competition. firebreather—but even Greg found out he has a goat. The invitation and a visit to the Southern California Regional Qualifier rekindled my inner competitive instincts. The decision was made: I would attempt the Last Chance Online Qualifier.

It was clear to everyone—except for me—that I was avoiding the constantly varied component of CrossFit programming that is so critical to elite human performance.

If I was going to attempt the video qualifier, I could think of no better CrossFit facility to use than The Warehouse at CrossFit Camp Pendleton. Although The Warehouse is a four-hour drive away, it holds a special place in my heart. The facility is home to the original CrossFit Headquarters gym equipment and magically maintains the energy of the first CrossFit gym. Attempting the qualifier with the equipment I had trained so hard and diligently on during the early years of my CrossFit experience seemed the best way to capture the spirit of the event. Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

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Amundson ripped through the weightlifting portion of the deadlift/double-under WOD but lost a lot of time when he picked up the rope.

Training and Workouts Off to a Good Start I have always been a true believer in the benefit of The Last Chance Qualifier required three workouts to be following the CrossFit main-site WODs. Sort of. Many of completed within 24 hours. First up was Jackie. It played the CrossFit Santa Cruz athletes, such as Tony Budding, to my strengths and consisted of a 1000-meter row, 50 would often call me out for cherry-picking from the thrusters with 45 pounds and 30 pull-ups. I finished in famous “girls.” It was common practice for me to test 5:55. So far, so good—but not for long. myself against the list of standard girls (such as Fran, During my rest before the next workout, I started to Helen and Diana) on a weekly basis. I improved steadily practice the double-under. I discovered very quickly in these specific workouts. However, it was clear to that I had absolutely no competence in the skill. I sent everyone—except for me—that I was avoiding the a humorous text message to Dave Castro and asked if constantly varied component of CrossFit programming he could meet me at The Warehouse and teach me how that is so critical to elite human performance. There was to jump rope! Mallee and I dug into the web and found no way for me to find the chinks in my armor because I an excellent double-under instructional video by Jon spent too much time in the comfort zone of my preferred Gilson of Again Faster. Armed with some basic cues and CrossFit stimuli. progressions, I spent the next hour practicing the skill. At 7 a.m. on the day of the Last Chance Qualifier, my By the end of my session, I was barely able to perform 10 wife Mallee woke me up and said, “Honey, do you know double-unders in a row. how to double-under?” At that moment, I couldn’t think The next workout I attempted was the 10-to-one triplet of of the last time I had even held a jump rope in my hands, cleans, chest-to-bar pull-ups and kettlebell swings. This but I was confident I could perform the skill at a compet- was a tough WOD that completely taxed me. Although itive pace. How hard could it be? All it would take would I had never attempted the workout before, it tended to be some warm-up and a little practice. I had a recent play to my areas of strength in CrossFit conditioning. I Fran time of 2:30, a Helen of 7:10, and my Diana was at finished in 11:36. I decided to spend the next two hours 3:05—all at a body weight of 200 lb. I was in the best practicing the double-under before attempting the final shape of my life and ready for any challenge. workout. But I was about to discover how wrong I was!

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Going After the Goat At 6 p.m., I stood over a bar loaded with 275 lb. and took myself to alternate between singles and doubles. Finally, a deep breath. The final workout was upon me. Up to after seven minutes and 20 seconds of sheer agony, I this point, I was looking good for a chance at making it finished the workout. through the qualifier and on to the 2009 CrossFit Games. Over dinner that night, Mallee, Paul and I agreed the final Only one workout stood between me and Aromas. With workout left me with no hope of qualifying. I decided the standard announcement of, “3, 2, 1… go!” I was off to Mallee and I would set our alarm for 4 a.m. the following the races on the final workout, which I have since named morning and give the double-under workout one last “G3” for my third Games online qualifier attempt. You attempt. In the covered parking lot of the Hampton Inn can watch Paul Szoldra’s video of the WOD here. in San Clemente, I poured my heart and soul into the I ripped through the deadlifts without any problems and workout that had nearly killed me. then picked up the jump rope. I stumbled through the first 10 double-unders in a row before getting tripped up and missing a revolution. With a deep breath, I attempted to focus myself before starting on repetition “That’ll teach ya not to practice 11. Then something amazing happened that astonished double-unders!” me, Mallee and Paul: I performed 33 double-unders in a row. That was 23 more than I had ever done before. — Paul Szoldra Then all hell broke loose. As I started my attempt for repetition 44, I failed. I tried again and failed. This continued for a painstaking full minute. It got to the point that I was unable to perform even a single accurate jump. It was One More Shot horrible. I simply lacked the neurological connectors to My strategy was to alternate between singles and get my body to co-ordinate the timing needed to achieve doubles. I knew it would take a long time to get through, the skill. Perhaps through sheer luck, I was finally able to but I hoped this strategy would allow me to perform the perform the remaining seven double-unders in a row. jumps consistently and minimize missed attempts. My As I lifted the barbell for my second set of 10 deadlifts, plan didn’t work. Although my technique had slightly it felt like the weight had tripled. I struggled through improved from the night before, my overall time was 10 the remaining two rounds of double-unders by forcing seconds slower. Courtesy of Greg Amundson of Greg Courtesy

After struggling with the deadlift/double-under WOD, Amundson tackled it one more time in a San Clemente parking lot at about 4:30 a.m. His time was 10 seconds slower than his previous attempt, ensuring he would not be competing in Aromas.

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As I lay on the cement ground of the parking structure, exhausting and downright discouraging, but I felt myself Mallee and I could only laugh and reflect on the past 24 making progress and started to gradually piece together hours. I knew there was no chance I was going to the the skill in my mind. Games. However, I was grateful I had tried. I knew as an The jump rope was my constant companion. I added athlete I would learn more from the failed attempt than 10 jumps a week for three weeks. By my third week I if I had actually qualified. But at the time, my heart was was gaining a lot of confidence in the skill. I was able to heavy as Mallee and I started our long drive back home. consistently average 20 jumps in a row before I had a Time to Practice missed attempt. The first thing I did when I got home was purchase a new I realized one day while practicing the skill that I had gone jump rope. Then I set off to learn how to double-under. It as far as I would physically. Further improvement would was a slow and frustrating process. Double-unders posed now depend on my mind and my ability to visualize a different kind of challenge than hitting muscle failure on success. For three days, I put the jump rope away and a max set of pull-ups. No amount of strength would help “performed” three sets of 50 double-unders in a row me now. It was evident that I had failed to venture into in my mind. The image was crystal clear, and I ensured the critical fitness domains of accuracy, co-ordination, my technique was perfect. With increased confidence, I agility and balance. These fitness domains would require then repeated the G3 workout that had cost me a trip to diligent practice and an awakening of a part of my brain Aromas. and body that I had not yet explored. I was eager to learn the skill and excited about my potential to improve in After four weeks of diligent practice, I took nearly three areas of my fitness that had been dormant for years. minutes off of my time. I made it through the workout with consistent double-unders and only four missed attempts. My time was 4:35. I was overjoyed at how far I had come, and I was determined to improve further. After four weeks of diligent Along the way I decided on two sub-goals that would help improve my double-under: I wanted to make 100 practice, I took nearly three double-unders in a row and 150 in less than two minutes. minutes off of my time. I made it I accomplished both goals on the same attempt, six through the workout with consis- weeks after my failed Games qualifier. I made 105 double-unders in a row and finished the remaining 45 tent double-unders and only four on only one missed attempt. My time for the entire 150 missed attempts. was 1:45. The time had come to repeat my last workout from The Warehouse. It was time to face off with G3 once again.

I decided to do five sets of 10 double-unders a day for a The Final Attempt week. Mallee would videotape my attempts so I could On a hot midday afternoon in August, Mallee and I set up compare my form and technique to the Jon Gilson video. the workout in our garage gym and positioned the video I noticed that I jumped incredibly high and that my arms camera to capture the event. With a joint countdown would start to move away from my hips. This would of, “3, 2, 1… go!” I forged ahead into the workout. Two inevitably lead to a missed attempt and a soaring heart minutes 59 seconds later I was done. I had taken 4:21 off rate. my first recorded time. You can watch the video of that I needed to learn to relax through the skill, minimize attempt here. the height of my jump and keep my hands close to my sides. My self-imposed rule was 10 double-unders in a row. If I missed an attempt, I would start over from the beginning. My first week averaged 15 minutes to complete five sets of 10. It was mentally and physically

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Was I stronger, faster and more physically fit? Using Courtesy of Greg Amundson CrossFit’s definition of power and fitness, I had increased by a measure that I had never experienced before. But the change was more mental and neurological than it was physical. Something had changed in my body and mind. I noticed that my reaction time and cycle speed in other skills had greatly improved: • My max box jumps in one minute to a 24-inch box had increased from 35 to 51. • My 400-meter sprint had finally dropped to under a minute—58 seconds flat. (Both the box jump and sprint were skills I had not seen improvements on for over a year.) • Also interesting to note was my improvement in firearms accuracy and manipulation. I was shooting faster and with more accuracy than I had ever experienced before. I attribute these seemingly unrelated improvements to my practice and eventual compe- tency in the double-under. The lesson I learned from the approximately 15 minutes of despair during my first two attempts at the double- under workout was immense. By diving headfirst into my weakness, I was able to see substantial improvement not only in the substandard skill, but also in fitness domains and job-related skills that had otherwise seen the ceiling of improvement. I also learned that having the courage to step outside of a predetermined comfort zone and tackle chinks in the armor is the best way to improve fitness at any level in the game.

Unwilling to give up, Amundson spent the next four F weeks practicing double-unders. When he tackled the troublesome WOD again, he finished in 2:59. About the Author Greg Amundson works in federal law enforcement and is a well-known CrossFit certification trainer. Described by his peers as the original CrossFit firebreather, Greg has been coaching and training in CrossFit since 2002.

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The Panther Recon Downrange Gym Staying fit on the frontlines presents unique challenges to soldiers in Iraq. Here’s how one squadron used ingenuity and the CrossFit Journal to create a special gym near Baghdad.

First Lieutenant Matthew Hoff, U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division Lt. Matthew Hoff Matthew Lt. st Courtesy of 1 Courtesy

A quick Google search of “Iraq” and “nuclear” will bring up references to the Osirak nuclear power plant. In the late 1970s, Saddam Hussein purchased a nuclear reactor from France and began to build a power station. The ruined site sits near the town of Jisr Diyala, southeast of the city of Baghdad. As the plant was nearing completion in 1981, the Israeli Air Force bombed it into unrecoverable ruin during an air strike known as Operation Opera. So what does this quick history lesson have to do with CrossFit?

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Fitness on the Frontlines On the other side of one of the 200-foot-tall dirt mounds The first stage of the gym made it to the CrossFit main that separate the ruins from the town is an American site on March 21, 2009. Since then, the equipment has combat outpost. Since the occupation of COP Cashe grown to include homemade parallettes, medicine balls, South, the base and the living conditions have been adjustable plyo boxes, a climbing rope, rings and a 12-foot- slowly improving for the soldiers stationed there. Less tall addition that serves as a perfect platform from which than 24 hours after 5th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment to hang the rings. Tucked into a nicely air-conditioned assumed control of the area, the gym facility transformed warehouse, the pull-up bars are co-located with all the from a collection of broken cardio equipment and cable Olympic bars, squat racks, treadmills, dumbbells and machines into a downrange garage gym worthy of those other fitness equipment—yes, elliptical machines, a it serves. Smith machine and various other cable devices can still be found in the facility. The centerpiece of the facility takes the concept of the garage set-up one step further: it’s a rapidly deployable While the gym itself is enough to make any new box gym. The equipment can be assembled in about the jealous, what makes it unique is its true grassroots same amount of time as a brand new Swedish living- foundation. The squadron doesn’t have a Level 1 CrossFit room set, and the elaborate set of pull-up and dip bars trainer or a Games-qualifying firebreather. Instead, we served paratroopers from the squadron at three different have a group of paratroopers committed to improving bases during our deployment to Iraq. the functional work capacity of both themselves and their charges. Leading the Charge Toward Fitness Building a functional fitness gym The impetus behind the facility is a non-commissioned officer who wanted to do what he could to take care of his in six hours from popping the lock “pipe-hitters.” Sgt. Maj. Mario Cockrell, the squadron’s on a container to the first pull-up operations sergeant major, is the man responsible for the construction of the gym. He combined the resources is an asset to any deploying unit. available to him from the technical competencies of his paratroopers and the CrossFit Journal, and he built something special in the desert. Courtesy of 1st Lt. Matthew Hoff Matthew of 1st Lt. Courtesy

Due to lack of equipment and unpredictable schedules, it’s hard to stay fit on the frontlines— which is exactly where you’re going to need that fitness most.

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Sgt. Maj. Cockrell was first exposed to CrossFit by Courtesy of 1 his company commander while assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He admits that his first few WODs st hurt so badly that he wanted to opt out of physical Lt. Matthew Hoff training. His commander “Ranger Challenged” him to continue and, like most CrossFitters, he saw the results of the pain and was hooked. The inspiration for the Panther Recon Gym came from a trip to the sprawling Victory Base Complex in Baghdad. While there, Sgt. Maj. Cockrell saw a similar apparatus in the compound for an elite unit, and he brought the idea back to squadron with him. The CrossFit Journal article Mobility in Design: A Portable Pull-Up Structure served as the primary reference and guide in the construction of the gym. The influence of the Journal is readily evident: articles on training in austere environments, monster mashes, Iron Majors and special-forces preparation hang on a corkboard outside Squadron Headquarters. Using the welding and construction skills of the squadron’s Forward Support Company, an exceptional pull-up and dip station was built from scrap metal. Emblazoned with the Panther Recon crest, the apparatus has several “Little groups of paratroopers” were effective in Normandy key features. Because one of the major constraints was in the Second World War, and they’re pretty good in mobility, the rig was designed so the entire assembly the CrossFit box, too. could fit inside a 20-foot metal shipping container. Courtesy of 1 Remarkably, on our last move it took five people only six hours to reassemble the gym. Building a functional fitness

gym in six hours from popping the lock on a container to st the first pull-up is an asset to any deploying unit. Lt. Matthew Hoff

Paratroopers from our squadron and sister battalions and even contracted civilians started using the gym at all hours of the day and night.

Surprisingly, the hardest part of building the gym (besides finding time for construction in an already full schedule) was creating the plyo boxes. While the skill required to nail a few pieces of plywood together is significantly less than constructing a masterpiece of welding, finding wood—or “Class IV material” as the army supply system calls it—capable of supporting burly, fully equipped Staff Sgt. DeWolfe of 1st Platoon demonstrates functional fitness soldiers was more challenging. with a .50-caliber overhead squat in full kit. Total weight: approximately 155 lb.

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Using the resources in the CrossFit Journal, members of 5-73 Cavalry constructed the portable, rapidly deployable Panther Recon Gym.

Once again, Sgt. Maj. Cockrell came through and was At the beginning of our deployment, CrossFit was known able to find a way to get some good, sturdy American to many, and many others dabbled in it. For many, the plywood. The result is a set of durable and adjustable initial appeal of the program was the length of the WODs. boxes covered with a non-slip surface. Creative solutions While more traditional bodybuilding isolation circuits like this came at almost every turn of construction and and long, slow distance runs on the treadmill require a will continue as the Panther Recon Gym continues to significant time investment and may or may not be inter- evolve. rupted, CrossFit WODs can usually be completed under a half hour including warm-up. The Squadron-sized garage gym utilizes programming from CrossFit.com and a system of peer training. The The revolution started at Forward Operating Base absence of a certified Level 1 trainer in the unit and our Loyalty at the beginning of the deployment. While the widely varied schedules due to combat operations mean FOB had a gym that was both well stocked and close, it coaching is—out of necessity—done in the chow hall, was far enough away and crowded enough at peak hours before meetings and anywhere else we can find a free that it provided several readily available excuses for minute. Admittedly, this is not the ideal. There is a world already swamped paratroopers to skip a workout. When of difference between asking someone to explain how to the welded set of homemade pull-up and dip bars was do a proper below-parallel squat and having a CrossFit placed right outside Squadron Headquarters, conve- trainer walk you through the progression with proper niently between the entrance and the closest latrines, cues. the main excuse quickly disappeared. If You Build It, They Will Use It Paratroopers from our squadron and sister battalions The Osirak garage gym is a CrossFit field of dreams: and even contracted civilians started using the gym once it was built paratroopers flocked to it. While it’s a at all hours of the day and night. One of these visiting long way away from qualifying as anything close to an paratroopers was a CrossFit dignitary. Capt. Steve Smith, th affiliate, it does provide paratroopers with very severe a competitor who finished 48 at the CrossFit Games, time restraints the means and direction to achieve took advantage of the gym as part of his training. world-class fitness between patrols, meetings and myriad other duties.

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While the bars became the cornerstone of fitness for Constantly improving the position in Iraq was key in the the soldiers living on the FOB, what truly speaks to the time before most of the people in the unit were even in the efficacy of CrossFit is that paratroopers doing refit on the army. The primary meaning of this was to continually add FOB would make a WOD at the gym an essential part of defensive measures to a location. After almost a decade their visit. It’s common to see a team-sized element still in Iraq, the mandate has expanded beyond defensive in combat equipment doing highly functional movements measures and force protection to include improving the at the Panther Recon Gym. quality of life for soldiers. The CrossFit gym was the first major improvement made at COP Cashe South once 5-73 Cavalry assumed control of the base. I cannot do justice to the positive effects CrossFit has The Osirak garage gym is on general physical preparedness, combat effectiveness, a CrossFit field of dreams: mental health, stress relief, focus and a plethora of other human needs. What I can vouch for is that, with once it was built paratroopers a little ingenuity, the line between “austere training flocked to it. environment” and “CrossFit box” can be blurred. Add the expertise and detail of the CrossFit Journal and a strong peer-support network, and world-class fitness is available to everyone—even those living and conducting Even more effective was the whiteboard. Paratroopers special combat operations near a blown-up Ba’ath party are, by their very definition, a competitive group of nuclear reactor. people. Having a whiteboard displayed in such a public Unique to our gym is its legacy. This apparatus has place was almost an open challenge to all comers. served hundreds of paratroopers at three forward bases Imagine the spike in membership if everyone could take in eastern Baghdad, and it will redeploy back to Fort their affiliate’s whiteboard to their workplaces and put Bragg, N.C., with us as a functional testament to the it up on the wall. Like Coach Glassman says, “Men will squadron’s commitment to excellence. die for points.” Placing the whiteboard where everyone could see it served as a catalyst at two different bases, and the board may even redeploy with us. F The gym was made possible only through a significant amount of time and effort by Sgt. Maj. Cockrell. When About the Author asked if he would do it again or if he would do it for 1st Lt. Matthew Hoff is the Scout Platoon Leader assigned to another unit he was assigned to, his response was an First Platoon, Bandit Troop, 5-73 Cavalry (Panther Recon), emphatic, “Definitely!” He sees CrossFit as an important 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. He is tool in improving the performance of his soldiers, which currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a key task in his role as a senior NCO. is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West “CrossFit’s benefits are threefold,” according to Sgt. Maj. Point (2007). An Infantry Officer, he has achieved Ranger, Cockrell. “It is just awesome in the way that it brings Airborne and Air Assault qualifications. people together, prepares soldiers for the physical challenges of combat and builds a state of mental fitness in the individual.” The Legacy of the Panther Recon Gym The list of firsts, PRs and success stories achieved on the Panther Recon Gym is simply too long for this article, but the improvements seen here add to the evidence of CrossFit’s effectiveness.

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Forcing the Issue If movement is the product of unbalanced forces across a joint, what does that mean for traditional agonist-antagonist strength ratios? Dr. Lon Kilgore believes training to conform to hypothetical ratios is impractical and will not result in greater functional fitness.

Dr. Lon Kilgore Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

“I find your lack of faith disturbing.” And then squoosh—Force choke! Silent, brutal, indefensible. In one dramatic squeeze of a fist, Darth Vader redefined the popular notion of what The Force was. Albeit a really cool mystical entity, The Force in application still falls under the same basic laws of physics and forces that we mere mortals are resigned to live under.

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The first order of business here is to define what a force The second order of business, because we now know is. A force is simply a phenomenon that can cause an what a force is, is to examine what types of forces are object to move or accelerate. A force, by definition, has a relevant to the study of exercise anatomy and physiol- magnitude (how big the force is) and a direction (which ogy. The type of force and its method of application to way it is pushing or pulling), making it a vector quantity. the body are extremely germane to understanding how Vader’s Force choke indeed had a magnitude—large the body moves during exercise, and that understand- enough to crush a human trachea—and it had a direction. ing proves useful in knowing how to coach movement. Let’s assume the Force choke acted like invisible fingers Different types of forces act on human anatomy in being squeezed toward the heel of the hand. It’s fairly different and specific manners. Conversely, the human amazing that Isaac Newton had described the physical body is constructed to accommodate these forces and realities of the mythical forces in the Star Wars universe to adapt to changes in the nature of their application to by 1687. Force generation and application is how we ensure survival. Forces acting on the body thus test the move our bodies. The rules surrounding forces and their limits of existing anatomy while simultaneously driving application have been known for centuries. changes in anatomy. In modern physics we can precisely quantify forces in a variety of units (newtons, dynes, kiloponds, pound- force, or foot-pounds), and we can determine in which Forces acting on the body thus direction the force is acting. This quantifiability makes test the limits of existing anatomy force measurement an attractive means of assessing efficient human movement and fitness level, and it even while simultaneously driving forms the basis of many sports. changes in anatomy. Staff/CrossFit Journal Staff/CrossFit

When rising out of a squat, traditional wisdom holds that the hamstrings are antagonists to the quads. More correctly, the hamstrings are agonists working to achieve hip extension.

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Figure 1: Compression Figure 2: occurs when the Tension occurs body is between when gravity an immobile acts to pull surface and a a suspended load attempting body toward to move toward the ground (as the immobile shown here), surface (as or when two shown here), loads moving or when the are attempt- body is in ing to move in between two opposite direc- loads moving tions and place in opposite a stretch on the

Courtesy of Dr. Lon Kilgore Lon of Dr. Courtesy directions. body or a body segment. We can divide the basic types of exercise-related forces Tension as such: compression, tension, torsion and shear. The opposite of compression is tension. If someone hangs on a high bar, gravity is going to act on the body Compression by attempting to pull it down to the ground. The grip If you put a barbell on someone’s shoulders, gravity is on the high bar prevents this from occurring, but the going to pull the weight toward the ground with a force downward force along the long axis of the body remains. that is applied along the long axis of the body. In other This is tension. You can think of tension as a stretching words, the body is being squished between the weight force. Adding weight to the system (weights on a hip belt and the earth. It’s a good thing for us that the body is and chain, for example) is one way to increase tension, built precisely to tolerate huge compressive forces. After but adding movement to the system can also increase all, supportive bones such as the vertebrae have similar tension. In the performance of a back hand-swing on a compression resistance to oak structural beams. It is gymnastics high bar, a child can experience a stretching relevant to note here that in healthy trainees, compres- force along the long axis of the body of nearly six times sion of the skeleton rarely leads to structural failure gravity (6 G). (things breaking). Paul Anderson stood up with over 6,000 lb. on his shoulders. At age 70, Bill Clark did a hip Again, the human body is built to handle application of lift with in excess of 1,000 lb. Both are huge compressive such linear forces. Our ligaments represent a safeguard, forces that produced no anatomical damage. whose engagement represents the limit of space between the bones comprising a joint (exceeding that limit repre- Proper exercise technique in the face of large compres- sents ligamentous injury). Vertebral ligaments, once sive forces prevents injury because it allows bones to engaged, can stretch about 20 mm before disruption, support the weight, not the less rigid muscles, tendons and a single intervertebral joint will withstand about and ligaments around joints. Obviously, these latter 224 lb. of tension before failure. Note that this value is structures contribute, but proper alignment of skeletal from a cadaver study and thus underestimates the force elements during exercise allows distribution of compres- required to disrupt a living joint by about 25 percent. The sive forces to those structures that are most resistant value also represents an unresisted load, whereas in the and thus prevents orthopedic problems. living body the vertebral musculature would produce a Bone-on-bone movement provides more effective force counterforce that would make the actual force required transfer as an added perk. to produce an injury significantly larger. Regular progres- sive performance of exercises that produce tension When done progressively, exercises that possess drives gains in tolerance as the loaded ligaments become compressive characteristics develop additional tolerance stronger and thicker. More importantly, the musculature to compressive force. Exercises with a compressive that counters the effects of tension becomes stronger, nature, when done for months to years, stimulate bones more enduring and more effective in maintaining joint to add new mineral content, thus reinforcing the bones integrity. and making them even more resistant to fracture.

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Torsion Courtesy of Dr. Lon Kilgore If we put a wrench on a nut and then pull on the wrench, the force is applied to the nut in a rotational manner. We can call it torsion or torque (ever heard of a torque wrench?). The same thing occurs in most instances during human movement. We can induce torsion on the vertebral column simply by selectively contracting our own muscles to move our shoulders left or right. Torsion is a normal part of human activities, and inclusion of torsional exercises or exercises that develop the ability to produce or resist torsion is an appropriate training strategy. We need to prepare our bodies beyond producing and resisting linear movement.

Torsion is a normal part of human activities. ... We need to prepare our bodies beyond producing and resisting linear movement.

In many instances we can be recipients of involuntary torsion. A gut wrench in wrestling places a large amount of torsional stress on an opponent with the express intent of forcing them to rotate their body to expose their shoulders to the mat. Torsion applied to joints not designed to move in a rotational manner is a problem. This is a rather common problem in plant-and-twist sports such as basketball, soccer (football) and football (American), where we see a large number of ligamentous knee injuries from rotating the femur on top of an immobile tibia. It may not seem intuitive, but comprehensive strengthening of the knee musculature has been shown in many, many studies to aid in reducing the frequency of this type of injury, most likely due to a stronger set of muscles keeping the joint within its normal ligamental limits. For precision here we need to acknowledge that the preceding is a conceptual presentation. The nut described above rotates on an axis, and although the force applied FigureS 3a aNd 3B: to the nut through the wrench produces rotation, the A load placed on the body that applies a rotational force more accurate term is “moment.” The distance between is torsion or torque. In Figure 3a, during the good morning exercise the bar is pulled down by gravity and torsion occurs the point of resistance (the nut) and the point of force around the hip, the axis of rotation (or fulcrum of the system). application (the hand on the wrench) is called a moment If the load placed on the vertebral column is greater than the arm. The longer the moment arm, the larger the moment vertebral extensors can maintain in proper position, there will be a series of induced moments around which individual at the axis of rotation. This will be useful information vertebrae will rotate, thus allowing bending of the vertebral when we discuss levers later in this series of essays. column (Figure 3b).

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Copyright © 2009 CrossFit, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Subscription info at http://journal.crossfit.com CrossFit is a registered trademark ‰ of CrossFit, Inc. Feedback to [email protected] Visit CrossFit.com Force ... (continued) Shear Using the forces If one segment of the body has force applied to it in one But let’s turn to another issue related to force production: direction and an adjacent segment has force applied to the balancing of forces across a joint. In most instances it in an opposite direction, a shear force is present. The during exercise we want to create, through muscular presence of shear is not particularly dangerous as long as contraction, an unbalanced force across a joint or joints the musculature involved is developed to the point that in order to create movement. If I am down in a squatting it is strong enough to prevent movement of the adjacent position and I want to stand up, I have to generate a force segments in opposite directions. with my hip and knee extensors that is greater than the effects of gravity on my body mass. If a greater force Unresisted vertebral shear could pose significant does not work in the direction opposing gravity, either problems, so exercises directed at development of the because of weakness or because of an additional load musculature that accomplishes vertebral column stabi- on my shoulders, I cannot stand up. That is usually a bad lization are important to fitness, sport performance and thing. avoidance of orthopedic injury. However, even when the shear force is unresisted, it takes about 336 lb. of pressure across one intervertebral joint to induce failure and bone translation (linear sliding) in cadaver studies. Again, in Any movement of the human the living human it requires a greater unresisted force to induce joint failure, and when muscular contractions body, by definition, must be the produce stabilizing forces, the amount of force required result of an unbalanced force, and for failure would be even higher. the magnitude of force produced Muscular contraction alone, muscular contraction in by the agonist is irrelevant to a concert with or against gravity, or muscular contraction acting together or in opposition to gravity and other predetermined ratio. bodies can produce any of the forces described here. And that is an important concept to understand. The body can experience these forces from external appli- But when we consider joint integrity during movement, it cation, and it can also produce the forces described is often proposed that we need to balance forces across through contraction. the joint in order to stabilize it. This point is interesting: we do need to counter any force that actively attempts to engage ligaments at their limits (muscles and tendons try to keep joints pulled together while ligaments act only to prevent them from separating). For example, having the hamstrings and quadriceps co-contracting effectively during squatting prevents forward or backward movement of the knee joint (shear between the femur and tibia). This is a good thing. But how do we manage to produce an unbalanced force driving movement and then balance force across a joint?

FIGURE 4: Shear occurs when two segments of the body are pushed in opposite directions. In the example here, the table provides an upward force on the thigh, and gravity provides a downward force on the unsupported lower leg. This places a shear force on the knee. If the complete musculature surrounding the knee is well developed this is not a problem. If an injury exists, or in conditions of extremely low fitness, shearing force can produce movement (shear), which may be a problem. Courtesy of Dr. Lon Kilgore Lon of Dr. Courtesy

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That brings us to the final order of business, a consid- A balanced force across a joint is not the same as eration of agonist (primary mover) and antagonist “strength balance” between agonists and antagonists. (resists the action of the primary mover) muscles and A precisely balanced force across a single joint would the mythical optimal strength ratios. It is common to see result in an isometric muscle action and produce no suggestions that there is clinical and exercise-training movement. Antagonist muscles are not recruited exten- relevance produced by dividing things like hamstring sively or are inhibited in force production in order to strength by quadriceps strength to obtain an indica- allow the agonist to drive movement. In fact, one of the tion of muscular balance. It is frequently suggested first basic physiological adaptations the body makes that the agonist-antagonist ratio should approach 1:1 in in the first few months of training is learning how to rehabilitation and exercise settings. The International turn off antagonist muscles more completely in order Fitness Professionals Association provides the following to maximize the efficiency of the agonist muscles in strength (force-generating) standards to its members: executing a movement. Less resistance from the antagonist means more available force from the agonist.

Muscle groups Balance ratio Ankle inverters and everters 1:1 A one-size-fits-all statement Ankle plantar flexors and dorsiflexors 3:1 about optimal strength balance is Elbow flexors and extensors 1:1 not possible, and if someone does Hip flexors and extensors 1:1 per chance hear or read about Knee flexors and extensors 2:3 one, know that it cannot provide Shoulder internal and external 3:2 rotators us with any practical advantage in Shoulder flexors and extensors 2:3 coaching in the gym. Trunk flexors and extensors 1:1

A problem with this concept is that it is not reflective of real-world movement. The leg-extension and leg-curl exercises, involving only the knee, are the usual tests of lower-body muscular balance (because every fitness club and clinic has these machines). These two movements do not occur during normal human ambulation, sport or exercise movement without being accompanied by other joint movements. The same can be said of the other muscle groups listed and their methods of assessment. More importantly, a second problem is that these ratios are frequently interpreted to imply that the opposing groups are active during activity at the ratio listed. This leads to a misunderstanding of the fact that any FIGURE 5: In the balanced-force case here (a), equivalent and movement of the human body, by definition, must be opposing forces cannot induce movement. Only with the result of an unbalanced force, and the magnitude of an unbalanced-force scenario (b), where one direc- force produced by the agonist is irrelevant to a predeter- tional force has a magnitude greater than the opposing directional force, can a load be moved. The greater the mined ratio. difference in magnitude between the opposing forces, the more impulse available to move the load quickly.

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This renders the 1:1 (or 2:3 or 3:1, etc.) concept of strength For example, if you bench press, then you need to press, balance irrelevant during movement. If it takes 25 dip, chin and do deadlifts or rows to “balance” the kilograms of posterior force to maintain knee-structure strength of the muscles around the shoulder joint. If a stability during movement, does it make any difference complex movement develops force-generation capacity if the muscles providing that force can, at maximum in multiple axes around a joint, then forgo isolation effort, produce 50 kilograms of force or 500? Not exercises, as strength balance will be naturally obtained really. Obviously, a minimum level of force is required during the execution of the compound exercise (think of to maintain structural integrity of joints, and stronger is how this happens in the squat). always better, but the ratio of agonist-antagonist force Where force production is concerned, we need to focus production during movement is a function of physical on programming exercises to improve force production, task requirements and individual anatomy. force tolerance, and absolutely of most import, func- This does not mean that an antagonist muscle may not tional fitness enhancement for the real world. be active during agonist contraction. Think about the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosis and semi- F membranosis) when one stands up out of the bottom of a squat. The hamstrings are normally thought of as antagonists to the quadriceps (vastus medialis, vastus About the Author lateralis, vastus internus and rectus femoris). They are Lon Kilgore is a professor at Midwestern State University, quite active in this movement but not as antagonists to where he teaches applied physiology and anatomy. He has the knee extensors: they are themselves agonists in hip also held faculty appointments at Kansas State University extension. That is their job. That is the job of all muscles: and Warnborough University (IE). He graduated from to produce, not resist, large-scale joint movement. In our Lincoln University with a Bachelor of Science in biology and squat example, the traditionally held antagonist muscles earned a PhD in anatomy and physiology from Kansas State simply, as part of their roles as prime movers, generate University. He has competed in weightlifting to the national the necessary joint stabilizing counter-forces. This is an level since 1972 and coached his first athletes to national involuntary by-product of basic anatomy, physiology championship event medals in 1974. He has worked in the and physics. trenches, as a coach or scientific consultant, with athletes Do not get me wrong: antagonists are important as from rank novices to professionals and the Olympic elite, and they assist in deceleration, stabilization and fine motor as a collegiate strength coach. control, but the notion that we can magically determine He has been a certifying how strong the multitude of agonist and antagonist instructor for U.S.A. muscles—the ones active in simple exercise—need Weightlifting for more to be is not practical. Measurable estimations of the than a decade and a relative contributions of individual or groups of agonists frequent lecturer at events and antagonists during complex movements are not at the U.S. Olympic well known, especially in fit populations, so how can we Training Center. His construct a hierarchy of concepts and terminology based illustration and authorship upon something that is so poorly understood? efforts include books, A one-size-fits-all statement about optimal strength magazine columns balance is not possible, and if someone does per chance and research journal hear or read about one, know that it cannot provide us publications. with any practical advantage in coaching in the gym. It is our charge to develop our trainees to be fully functional, able to both tolerate and produce a complete spectrum of real forces. We need not minimize the forces presented during training or tune force-generation capacity to a hypothetical ratio. The best advice is to strengthen all relevant axes of movement around a joint.

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The Story Behind the Success CrossFit Central is a great success story, with membership over 500 and revenue approaching $100,000 per month. Jeremy Thiel explains how he was able to use passion, commitment and great service to create a profitable business—and a community.

Jeremy Thiel y Dave Re Photograph Re and Dave l Centra of CrossFit Courtesy

I founded CrossFit Central along with my sister, Carey Kepler, back in 2006. We were the 150th affiliate, and we were starting from scratch—no clients, no box and no credibility. But we had a mission: to build a fit community and affect people’s lives.

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Since affiliating in 2006, CrossFit Central has grown Staff/CrossFit Journal from zero paying clients to over 500. We are profitable and remain debt-free in a time when our economy is failing. We have 22 coaches and a staff of four people earning incomes ranging from $35,000 to $85,000. On average, 20-30 new people sign up each month, and we are changing lives daily. Our clients are getting fit, losing weight and hitting PRs. In addition, our clients are transforming their mindsets to tackle projects in the workplace and go after their dreams. I don’t believe there’s only one right way to run and operate a CrossFit affiliate, and that’s the beauty of this business. The systems we’ve developed work and are the best for us and our clients. That said, our route to success might help you find your own. The Business of Fitness If you’re getting started as a CrossFit affiliate, the first thing you have to ask yourself is this: “Am I running a business or is this a hobby?” Answer that question first. Either way, great things will come, but it helps to frame your endeavor from the outset. For us, CrossFit is a business, and we take it very seriously—it is not lacking in service, structure or systems. We only hire trainers who are serious and desire to be full-time coaches. We have a commitment to our product, which we believe brings financial prosperity. Here are three key factors to success when starting up a business: 1. Make alliances.

2. Model successful people.

3. Become consistent and relentless in customer service.

When I decided to create my business, the initial step was to form important strategic alliances, the first of which was with Carey, who is the co-founder of CrossFit Central. At the time, Carey had eight years of experience working as a personal trainer in Austin and had developed many personal relationships in the local fitness community. I then partnered with another personal trainer in Austin who had a large network of In 2006, Jeremy Thiel teamed up with his sister, people he worked with. Carey Kepler, a personal trainer working in Austin. Kepler finished third at the 2009 CrossFit Games.

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I started collecting e-mails and studying other affiliates I Roughly 16 months into running bootcamps, we were thought were successful in the community. In particular, profitable enough that I felt comfortable looking for a I modeled my affiliate after CrossFit L.A., CrossFit Ann gym. I found two personal trainers with a private space, Arbor and Mt. Baker CrossFit. Using the e-mail addresses and I leased a 1,500-square-foot space on a month- we had collected and the network of people we now had to-month basis. For me it was ideal: it was safe, and access to, I sent out e-mail promoting bring-a-friend if anything were to happen we could get out of it. We discounts for our bootcamps (we still do so to this day). started running CrossFit programs, and in the first few months only had 5-10 paying CrossFit clients. We used We ran our bootcamps in a park with little-to-no the same marketing and development plan as we did overhead. Starting off, we didn’t have a gym, and our with our bootcamps. Less than one year later, we were equipment consisted of some med balls and dumbbells. busting at the seams. Most of our classes were nearly We were able to start the company debt-free and have full, and we had to utilize our parking lot for training remained that way over the last four years. space. It was time to look for a new location. As we grew, the need for more coaches also increased. Any time I hire someone to work at CrossFit Central, I look We have a commitment to our for one of two things: I see if they are they drinking the Kool-Aid and I evaluate the person’s character. Coaches product, which we believe brings at CrossFit Central have to be “CrossFit”: they need to financial prosperity. believe in CrossFit.com and know the culture of .com. First and foremost, they have to be loyal and committed to the CrossFit Central community. About 75-80 percent of our coaches come from our client base. This model comes directly from Coach Glassman. He taught us to I updated our blog, answered e-mail, manned the phone, hire from among our clients—just look at Nicole Carroll, tracked expenses and profit on an Excel spreadsheet, Annie Sakamoto and Eva Twarkdokens. instructed 75 percent of our group classes, and sent out group e-mail promoting our programs. By choice, I The CrossFit Culture worked roughly 80 hours a week. I was 23 and single and To be a successful affiliate, I believe you have to buy able to live off $1,000 a month. My sister was married, into the culture, humility and brand of CrossFit. Think and she was soon pregnant with her first child. She about the humility and approachability of Coach Greg maintained enough personal-training clients to sustain Glassman. The first certification my sister and I went to, a stable income while growing and developing our group we were welcomed immediately, and the people were classes, which would later become the CrossFit Central more supportive than I’ve ever experienced. We wanted we now know. to bring this feeling back to our facility. We believe Staff/CrossFit Journal

CrossFit Central requires its trainers to be “CrossFit.” Crystal McReynolds, ninth at the CrossFit Games, certainly fits the bill.

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CrossFit Central is based on the closed-class model, which Thiel believes is key to helping clients get to the box for a WOD.

recreating this atmosphere is probably the biggest factor to our success. We try to be as welcoming and approachable as Coach Glassman was to us. To be a successful affiliate, I The CrossFit brand is West Coast, urban and grassroots. believe you have to buy into the It’s mohawks, intensity and roll-up garage doors. It’s “SicFit.” “Sick” describes something so unbelievable or culture, humility and brand of awesome that it’s on another level. SicFit describes a CrossFit. person’s ability to operate at a higher level of intensity that’s so unbelievable you have to coin a word for it. CrossFitters are SicFit. Look at CrossFit Central. We have a very professional You have to implement elements of this culture into your and clean-looking brand and Web site, but we also run specific affiliate brand, but be wary of going too extreme programs that tap into the hardcore intensity of CrossFit. on any one end. If all your website talks about is getting Our Spartan 300 Challenge offers athletes a chance ripped and being hardcore, you’ll automatically cut out a to test themselves against the workout made famous large portion of your potential client base. Some people by the movie 300, and our box has five roll-up garage might think a more inclusive approach waters down the doors that create the look and feel of a garage gym. On brand of CrossFit, but if you’re running a business and the inside, the lobby area looks more like the business CrossFit is your product, that product has to be available standard: counter, computers, desks, etc. The presen- to everyone, and it has to welcoming to all levels of tation is going to appeal to both the 40-year-old female fitness. CrossFit is about firebreathers, but it’s also about advertising CEO and the 32-year-old former Division 1 kids and seniors and everyone in between. athlete.

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Our clients range from age 7 to 70, they come from all Courtesy of CrossFit Central different backgrounds, and they all have different fitness levels. We run CrossFit Kids programs for kids ages 7-18 looking to improve their overall general preparedness. Our PowerPlant Athletics Program is geared toward the young athlete aged 10-18. About a year ago we opened CrossFit Women, which has been a huge success. These classes go on at the same time as the co-ed CrossFit and Dave Re Photograph classes but are for women only. Bootcamps, corporate wellness and hybrid programs are all based on our outdoor bootcamp model. These classes are designed to improve the 10 general physical skills with a focus on cardiovascular endurance, co-ordination and agility. y

For CrossFit Central, the closed- class model helped us create more accountability, build the trainer-client relationship and focus on building the community at our box.

The atmosphere at our box on any given day is like a big party. It’s high energy and everyone is having a blast. This stems directly from the presence our coaches bring to class. All of our trainers are highly energetic and very encouraging. More importantly, they expect their clients to come to class and get results. They hold them accountable. Two Models for Success One system that’s been very successful at our box is what I call a “closed-class model,” where we limit the number of clients per class and everyone has to sign up for a specific time. This is in contrast to the unlimited, open- class model, which has also seen great success. Andy Petranek of CrossFit L.A. runs an open-class model, and he’s very successful in his business. Like I said before, I don’t believe there’s one right way. Starting an affiliate is difficult and requires a great deal of work—but the possible rewards are well worth the effort.

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For CrossFit Central, the closed-class model helped With the closed-class model you always know how us create more accountability, build the trainer-client many people are showing up, who’s showing up, and relationship and focus on building the community at what the revenue is for each class. As a business owner, our box. People are used to signing up for a program I was able to leverage the closed-class model as a way of and being held accountable. The majority of people who keeping our coaches motivated with incentives. Instead come to your box are looking for some version of this. of getting paid a flat rate for the class, they are paid on a The one-percenters will come no matter what—capped sliding scale according to how many people are in their class, closed class, open class. It doesn’t matter to them. program. This gives coaches ownership of their class They are firebreathers, and they come to train. We love and gives them the incentive to keep their classes full them, of course, but what about the other 99 percent or sold out. of your clients, the ones who need the accountability, follow-up and camaraderie of a class to keep them coming back? Show up, work hard—and do You’ll find this “fitness culture” and “group cohesion” forming in an open-class model as well, but for us it it again, and again, and again, formed faster and easier with a closed-class model that and again. emphasized accountability and commitment. Table 1 Closed-Class vs. Open-Class Models Michael (Big Mike) Gregory is the head trainer of our co-ed programs at the gym, and he thinks the current Open-Class Model: model has a number of benefits. Monday-Friday 6-7 a.m. (open —no cap) “Being that we’re a gym with 200-plus clients, a closed- Monday-Friday 12:15-1:15 p.m. (open—no cap) class model allows us to keep people accountable,” Gregory explains. “We’re aware of who’s going to be in Monday-Friday 6-7 p.m. (open—no cap) class, and we expect them to be there. To me, it creates a true client-to-coach relationship and enables us to stay on top of them. Closed-Class Model: “When I know exactly who’s coming to my class, I Mon/Wed/Fri 6-7 a.m. (limited to 18 people) know everything about them, including how they’ve Tue/Thu 12:15-1:15 p.m. (limited to 18 people) progressed, what they’re eating and what their goals are. This just heightens their experience. For the client, the Mon/Wed/Fri 6-7 p.m. (limited to 18 people) closed-class model allows them to develop relationships in the class and form bonds and friendships.”

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We’ve always run a closed-class model. We do have Courtesy of CrossFit Central some people who want to drop in, but they’re never going to get the full exposure and experience of CrossFit by popping in every once in a while. A lot of people criticize this model because they believe people should be able to CrossFit five days a week. Our business model is focused on the general population. Whenever people

want to up their training they will find a way to start and Dave Re Photograph doing CrossFit on their off days or will join our unlimited “platinum program.” I determined our pricing by taking the lowest-priced bootcamp in our area and the highest-priced personal training session and finding the middle ground. No matter

what, recession or no recession, people are always going y to want to improve themselves. In a recession, you’ll find that people will stop spending money on material things and instead start spending money on self-improvement. Fitness and education are two key places the majority of people will turn. Paul Pilzer, author of Unlimited Wealth, tells us that people, no matter what, will demand excellence. They will seek it out, and when they find it they’ll reward it with money. Resources Is it hard starting an affiliate? Yes, it’s tough. But CrossFit.com gives us a vehicle to promote what we do, and without it I wouldn’t have as much credibility as I do now. Greg and Lauren Glassman gave me the confidence to take people to the trough. I put my belief in the community as opposed to me being the go-to expert. CrossFit.com is the expert, and I lead my clients there. CrossFit HQ gives us the training protocol, the data and information, and the method. They give us the opportunity to tap into this amazing community. Outside of that, as far as running an affiliate business, CrossFit HQ doesn’t really offer a lot of help. In saying that, this is exactly why I am a CrossFit affiliate owner. I don’t want anyone telling me how I can or cannot run my business. Books that I have studied that have helped me shape our business are Good to Great by Jim Collins, The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson, Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki and Sharon Lechter, and Wild at Heart by John Eldredge, as well as selections by Tony Robbins. I also attend business training seminars Jeremy Thiel says focusing just on firebreathers is a mistake. put on by Dani Johnson and Advocare Success School. A wide variety of programs, including CrossFit Kids and women’s only classes, help his affiliate appeal to everyone.

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The Flywheel Effect

People always want to know what’s the one thing you Staff/CrossFit Journal can do to make your company profitable and successful. The truth is that it’s never just one thing. In Good to Great, Collins says this is the “flywheel effect,” where your business is a giant metal disk that needs to be put in motion. “Your job is to get that flywheel to move as fast as possible, because momentum—mass times velocity—is what will generate superior economic results over time,” Collins writes. Collins explains that you have to put in titanic amounts of effort to get the flywheel moving, and each degree of movement takes lots of sustained effort. With perse- verance and hard work, the wheel starts to move faster. “You keep pushing steadily,” Collins writes. “It makes three turns, four turns, five, six. With each turn, it moves faster, and then—at some point, you can’t say exactly when—you break through. The momentum of the heavy wheel kicks in your favor. It spins faster and faster, with its own weight propelling it. You aren’t pushing any harder, but the flywheel is accelerating, its momentum building, its speed increasing.” It’s a great analogy, and here’s what I take from it: show up, work hard—and do it again, and again, and again, and again. When your intentions are true, the cash flow will follow. We intend to build a fit community, not only in Austin but worldwide, and we believe we are on the right track.

About the Author JeremyThiel is the owner and co-founder of CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas. He is a Level III CrossFit trainer and a Level I U.S.A. Olympic Weightlifting club coach. Through his youth strength and conditioning company, PowerPlant Athletics, Jeremy has coached hundreds of young athletes. He Jeremy Thiel finished third at the 2008 CrossFit Games specializes in group instruction, youth coaching (ages 12-18) and 16th in 2009. He says CrossFit is his sport. and adult training. His expertise includes general sports conditioning, sport-specific skills, and speed/agility training. Jeremy is an avid endurance enthusiast and half-marathon, marathon, and triathlon competitor. Pursuing the sport of fitness is his greatest passion. In 2008 Jeremy placed third at the CrossFit Games held in Aromas, Calif.

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A client crushes Grace but hates pull-ups. He’s strong, but his movement is poor and he’s been unwilling to change. He’s finally come around-so how do you change his bad habits?

Sammy is a big guy with years of bad Sammy is a large man. He’s 6’4”, 255 lb. and 38 years old. movement under his He played two years of Division 2 collegiate football belt. His reps are always (inside linebacker) back in the day. He’s been part of your questionable, and he’s CrossFit gym for just over four months. Before that, never been responsive he was a member of the town’s largest Globo Gym for to your coaching. He 15 years. His routine was a wide variety of weight training finally wants to move four days a week (lots of back and bis, chest and tris, but also including the powerlifts and the occasional power better and has booked a clean), with racquetball every Wednesday and pick-up one-on-one. basketball every Saturday.

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THE DETAILS SUNDAY

As you’d expect from looking at him, Rest Sammy is strong. None of the RX’d MONDAY loads are too much for him, especially in the first round. He has decades of Grace: 2:53 (as RX’d) bad habits, and he’s pretty committed to them. He never argues with you, but TUESDAY getting him to move properly through 5 rounds of: a full range of motion is a major challenge. He’s not openly defiant 15 deadlifts (185 lb.), run 400 m at all, but your cues just don’t make Time: 15:10 much difference in how he moves. He hits the workouts hard, even when he’s WEDNESDAY one of the slowest. Rest

He hates body-weight workouts. Grace THURSDAY is by far his favorite workout, and he The workout was Murph, so Sammy started definitely does better with shorter to leave. As a compromise, you prescribed a WODs. The high-volume stuff really “Running Cindy”: Run 400 m, 5 rounds of Cindy, works him. He doesn’t mind running, run 400 m, 5 rounds of Cindy, run 400 m but he keeps the same pace whether Time: 28:00 (because you made him repeat so it’s 200 meters or 5K, first round or many reps due to partial range of motion) fifth. You’ve tried several techniques to get him to push harder in the runs. He FRIDAY just laughs and keeps on going. Max push jerk: 285 lb. (sort of) His workouts so far this week: Sammy doesn’t push jerk. They’re all push presses. His shoulder flexibility is so bad that he even finishes the presses too far in front and you’re not sure you should count them.

On Saturday morning, he calls you and says he finally gets it. He needs to move better, and he wants to pay for a one-on-one later that day. You have a free hour for the private session. It’s on. What do you do with your session?

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because he hits the workouts hard and has a smoking Grace time. I don’t care how strong you are: you are still have to want to hurt to go sub-three on 30 reps of 135 lb. clean and jerks. I think the problem is Sammy’s definition of hard work. Fifteen years of Globo Gym have taught him he’s only working if his muscles are contracting hard (“Feel the burn, baby!”). He’s only done “cardio” for fun (racquetball and basketball). After so much strength training, he has poor strength endurance and lactate tolerance, so body-weight exercises seem unachievable. He never develops the capacity because he doesn’t believe he can, blaming it on his size. Sammy’s range of motion is poor. Some people cheat range to get out of work, but that doesn’t make sense with Sammy. He stuck with the repeated reps on the modified Cindy workout and didn’t walk away. This shows he wants to do Matt Swift it right. I know he’s horribly tight in his shoulders CrossFit Brisbane and is also probably tight in the hips and thoracic spine. Getting full range of motion is likely to be I’m excited. Sammy is the guy I’ve been waiting an incredible battle for him, and I think his lack of to get my hands on. He’s been frustrating me in flexibility is the basis for his cheat reps. groups, and I know I can sort him out with a bit of quality one-on-one time. Sammy needs a new way of thinking and a better strategy to approaching the workouts if he’s Sammy has been training for four months and going to hit his potential. At the beginning of is past the intro stage, so I can safely push him the session, we’re going to discuss some truths. without worrying about rhabdo. At 38, he’s no I’m going to challenge Sammy to approach spring chicken, but I’m confident he still has a every workout the way he approached football: lot of training in him, and while he’s probably he needs to give 100 percent or he’s letting the thinking it’s time to slow down a bit, I want him team down. to rediscover intensity. I think if we can do that he’ll rekindle the enjoyment he used to get from I also want him to know that being big is not the his football days. I want him to love training reason he gasses out on the body-weight stuff. again so he sticks with CrossFit for the rest of He just hasn’t built up capacity. In addition, he his life. needs to understand that his poor mobility is making his training more awkward than it needs As a former linebacker, Sammy might have some to be. Basically, I want him to stop using his size running speed he’s unaware of, and I want him as an excuse. If big John Welbourn can do chest- to feel what it’s like to push the envelope again to-bar pull-ups and handstands, I’m sure Sammy when he’s running. I know Sammy likes to work can, too.

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Starting in this session, he’s going to approach tempo and work-rest ratio will allow him to get body-weight exercises differently: no wasted through a lot more work and avoid blowing out. reps, full range of motion and better manage- This is going to be his new strategy for all body- ment of lactate. A better strategy will lower his weight exercises. I’ll leave him with a challenge frustration levels and give him some success to to do use this strategy to do Murph later in the use as a foothold. Most importantly, he has to week and report the results. get with the program. Now the good stuff: I’m going to use a workout After our talk, we’re going to start the session to teach Sammy about running intensity. Given by working through the basic body-weight and the week he’s had, he’s good for a short, hard foundational movements using the broomstick. met-con gasser. Sunday will be a rest, so I’ll tell I’ll tell Sammy we’re doing this to make sure he Sammy that he has absolutely no reason to hold knows where he has to get to for full range of back. I need to kick into coaching hyperdrive motion, and also to find out exactly where his here and link back to his previous experience mobility is lacking. During this assessment, I’m on the football field. Did he ever go soft on the going to manhandle him into the best position field? My aim is to get Sammy to push himself we can achieve and make him strive for every bit in the run and feel how hard he needs to push all of mobility he’s got. I’m going to use whatever the time. I want him to know that running is real physical cues I need to get full range: bum balls, work and is just as intense as strength training. overhead targets, etc. Assuming that in Tuesday’s WOD he was When we hit genuine mobility limitations, completing the deadlifts in under a minute (they I’m going to break out and show Sammy the were light for him), he was running each 400 warm-up exercises he can do to start improving in over two minutes—way too slow. I want to mobility (thoracic rolling, triggering, rehab get him down under 2:00, and ideally in the exercises, stretches). We’re going to repeat this 1:30-1:45 range. Most importantly, I want him until he has a rehab plan for every limitation. I trying as hard as he can on the run. I know he’ll want him to walk away realizing that when he always choose heavy lifting over body-weight really tries, his range is better than he thinks, and exercises, so I’m going to use this as incentive to for every limitation he has, he can do homework get him to push himself. He previously ignored to improve it. I want him back in control of his me when I tried to push him, so I want him to body. The whole time, I will reinforce the idea choose to do it himself. that better mobility will improve his movement This is his workout: and help him get stronger. 3 rounds for time of: After the assessment, we’ll work through a new Run 400 m Rest 2 minutes or approach for body-weight exercises. We’ll play 5 power cleans (185 lb.) with the push-up, and I’m going to get him to or 50 squats (bum to ball) do as many good push-ups as he can, as fast as Here’s the rub: on each round, if the time for the he can, to failure. After he recovers, I’m going 400 is faster than 1:30 he gets his choice of rest, to get him to do three slow push-ups, then rest power clean or squat for the second exercise. for the same amount of time it took him to do If the time is between 1:30 and 1:50 he gets his them. We’ll repeat this for as long as he can, and choice of power clean or squat for the second then we’ll compare totals. This is going to be a exercise, and if his time is slower than 1:50 he physical demonstration of how managing his has to do bum-to-ball squats.

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Sammy has a choice: work hard in the run it’s unlikely I’m going to take a big, tight, thick- and get rewarded with rest or go slow and be skinned guy and turn him into well-rounded fire- punished by his least favorite exercise. My breather in an hour. We’re going to tackle some expectation is that he’ll hurt in the run to avoid weaknesses in his warm-up, then break down a having to do the squats. Any increased 400 time semi-familiar lift and roll it into his WOD. I want is a win, and I’m going to jump all over it. him to go home knowing he made a big step in After the workout, I’m going to talk him the right direction, and I want to leave him with a through what he’s learned; he can get into game plan for continuing down that path. better positions than he thinks, he can improve We’re going to start our session discuss- his mobility, he can attack the body-weight ing where Sammy stands. He played football, exercises with a better strategy, and he can go powerlifted and can push-press a house—he fast when he tries. The take-away message for knows how to open his hips and push. However, Sammy is to stop being a pussy. Sammy wants his inflexibility through the hips and shoulders to work hard, and he’s going to walk away fired is a major liability. He has a strength surplus, up. I’m confident he’ll hit the next WOD with a and it’s limiting him in other areas (from the new attitude. Oly platform to the racquetball court). Lastly, we’re going to draw our power curve on the whiteboard and show him what his area looks like (cliff diving comes to mind). He has to start developing capacity in those middle domains, and beyond. For his warm-up, we’re going to dive into some of the foundational movements and start drilling for consistent mechanics. I’ll demo each movement, hit the major points of performance and hold him to them. We’ll throw in some runs at different paces so he has to mentally change gears.

Warm-up - 3 rounds of: Run 200 m (Round 1: slow jog. Round 2: run. Round 3: sprint) Squat therapy x 8 Med-ball clean x 8 Justin Bergh CrossFit SS For the WOD, I want to choose a technical lift I know we can improve today. We’re not going Sammy saw the light and wants to move better to jump into a snatch or jerk because I don’t right away. I dig the enthusiasm! want to fight his tight shoulders for an hour. I want him in a positive state, and I can’t fix his Priority No. 1 is keeping that momentum going shoulders today. and starting to make him better today. However,

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We’ll settle on squat-clean therapy because he on Nancy. Proficiency at the overhead squat-run went heavy overhead yesterday and hasn’t done couplet would be a big benchmark in his pursuit any major pulling or squatting in the last few of fitness. In the meantime, his homework is days. We’ll start off with front squats and nail going to be to roll, stretch aggressively and start the main points. I’ll drive home the rack position looking for some fast breaks in his next pick-up and make sure he keeps the bar on his deltoids basketball game. and off his wrists. It’s super important to receive the bar low and tight in the clean. Next we’ll work from the top down, starting with a hang squat clean, then having him pull himself under the bar rather than pull the bar to him. We’ll start light and focus on mechanics and range of motion, but we’ll get some moderate weight in the air before scaling down for the WOD. The key take-away points are going to be: “Full extension at the top, and stay low and tight at the bottom.” As he ties those together, we’ll start working on speeding up the turnaround, but I want to drive home the movement pattern, even if it’s a little choppy today. For the WOD: Pat Sherwood CrossFit HQ 5 individually timed rounds of: The fact that Sammy finally understands he 5 hang squat cleans needs to move better is an amazing step in 10 wall-ball shots the right direction. Although he’s astoundingly strong, he’ll soon plateau in his fitness without Sprint 200 m proper mechanics. Now is our opportunity to set Rest 90-120 seconds between rounds him on the right path. Each round is individually timed so he can force One key point needs to be addressed before we himself to finish the run beyond his comfort start: how do we approach a client like Sammy? zone. We’ll use a med-ball as a depth gauge on Up until he asked for personal training, he the wall balls. With these types of workouts, was not listening to any of the cues for proper athletes can usually shave valuable seconds off technique or range of motion. He’d simply laugh their first round. I want Sammy bearing down them off. That is not acceptable. Sammy would and gunning for a faster time each attempt. attack the WODs hard and push himself (not on the runs), but he never pushed himself to try and When he’s done, we’ll hit 20 PVC pass-throughs, achieve the range of motion or mechanics. then get his big body on a foam roller and start digging into those hips to loosen things up. This I truly believe “problems” like this can be is important, and it leaves us with some floor addressed the first time someone walks into time to talk about how things went and potential your gym. As the trainer or owner of your box, next steps. I’d encourage him to set his sights you are in 100 percent control of the culture

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that develops in that environment. Attention through brute strength. Regardless of how strong to the fundamentals and basic standards for all the athlete is, everyone will plateau eventually. movements starts the first time you open your This plateau will only be overcome through mouth to instruct or demonstrate a movement. technique. I’ve met some trainers who feel a gym will wind Even though Sammy can push press a tremen- up as one of two different extremes. On one dous amount of weight overhead, he’ll eventu- side is the gym where trainers never correct ally reach the limits of his push press and won’t clients on range of motion and do not hold them add one more pound to the bar until he learns to a standard. The trainers don’t harp on them the technique for the jerk. So Sammy (and all because they feel it would make the gym less athletes) will never maximize work capacity fun. The other extreme is the “form nazi” gym. without technique. Sammy needs proper This is what the first group fears becoming and technique to keep him safe and to increase his why some of them don’t hold their clients to a efficiency so he can maximize his power, his high standard of movement. They feel that if intensity and, ultimately, his fitness. they’re too strict, the gym won’t be fun and the This all starts on Day 1. Educate your clients as clients will leave. to why these things are important. The principles As many of you already know, a gym can have a that underpin CrossFit were established for a perfect blend of both. It’s possible to have clients reason: they work. Make your clients intelligent who move well, listen to cues, execute full range athletes in the pursuit of elite fitness. of motion and have a complete blast while doing Lastly, with a client like Sammy who is simply it. This is the culture I believe every gym should not listening, take away sub-standard repeti- strive for. Range of motion is non-negotiable. tions during WODs and use the whiteboard to Trainers need to educate their clients on why your advantage. It’s a powerful tool. If Sammy’s moving properly is important. Clients need full movement was not to the standard you uphold range of motion because it’s what life demands. in your gym, simply write “scaled” or “modified” It is the standard for the movement, and it will or “not as RX’d” next to his name and time on give them the ability to move the load a greater the WOD if he did not listen to you. He’ll soon be distance and elicit more power. More power striving to move properly. Good behavior from is more intensity. More intensity equals faster clients is contagious in a gym, as is bad behavior. results. The “results” are work capacity or Make sure you have your gym and your athletes fitness. going down the proper road. You are in control. You are the trainer. As CrossFit trainers, we are in the business of improving our clients’ lives through increasing That said, let’s dig into the session. We have to their work capacity. This is accomplished in know that one hour with Sammy is only going to many ways, but two key aspects are technique scratch the surface of what needs to be accom- and intensity. Sammy is bringing plenty of plished with him. But an hour is all we have, so intensity to his workouts, but he needs to do it let’s get to work. with proper range of motion. Also, he was not Sammy will not be a happy with what I have concerned with proper technique. Sammy is a planned for him. The main reason for his unhap- big, strong guy. He’s so strong that he was able piness is that the heaviest thing he’ll touch to do relatively well at many WODs simply during the session will be a PVC pipe or wooden

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dowel. We need to get this athlete back to the We would build off the good squat mechanics fundamentals of the movement. By looking at that are fresh in his mind and add in shoulder what Sammy has been up to, the way he is built, flexibility, an overhead position and active and his likes and dislikes, we can make some shoulders. Of course we’d start off with some educated guesses about what would greatly pass-throughs to warm up his shoulders and benefit him. help out his mobility. Sammy may be collar-to- collar due to tightness in the shoulders. If that’s After warm-up, we’ll focus on three moves: the where he is, then so be it. It would only further air squat, the overhead squat and the push jerk. reinforce how crucial it will be for him to develop We would start off with the air squat simply capacity in this movement. because it’s the absolute cornerstone of every- If the air squat was not his friend, the overhead thing else we’re going to teach Sammy. If he’s squat will be his worst enemy. However, this is not moving properly in the squat, then we’re exactly where he needs to be. On top of doing doing our client a disservice. Also, judging by the 15 good, slow air squats as part of his daily fact that he’s 6’4”, 255 lb. and hates body-weight warm-up, I would recommend he do pass- movements, I’m guessing he’s not a big fan of throughs and 15 overhead squats as well. going below parallel. Three out of four WODs he did this week did not take him below parallel. The final move I would spend time on is the push The one that did (running Cindy), took him far jerk with PVC. I know he’s strong. The guy push- longer than it should due to sub-standard reps pressed 285. Apparently he can drive some that did not count. While I’m sure some of his substantial weight overhead with his hips. The pull-ups and push-ups needed work as well, I’ll problem for him lies in the fact that he cannot bet many of the air squats were very high and or will not retreat back under the bar (not to not rooted firmly in his heels. mention his shoulder flexibility). We would go step-by-step through the points We would do the push-jerk progression, walking of performance for the air squat. I would have through it step by step. I need to get Sammy Sammy bright red and sweating from simply aggressively opening his hips and then quickly working on technique. I would not be concerned pulling himself down into that partial-squat with intensity at all. I would set high standards receiving position. Once I got him opening his for his movement and be relentless in its pursuit. hips and quickly diving back under the load We would do as many good, slow reps as we I would focus my attention on his overhead need to improve his air squat. We could probably position. We would get that PVC pipe truly over burn up the whole hour with this, but it would kill the middle of his foot, get those shoulders active, him and he would grow bored and lose interest. and make sure he is not over-arching to get into that position. I need to have Sammy tighten up With Sammy good and loose, we’d move into his abs and lock those ribs down. the overhead squat. This guy hates going below parallel, hates moving his body mass around and I have no doubt that this will be a tremendous has tight shoulders. I can’t think of anything he struggle for him. Inflexibility took decades to needs to do more than overhead squat a PVC creep in, and we’re not going to fix it in one day, pipe. I believe this move would have tremendous let alone one hour. But we need to show Sammy benefit for him. the path he needs to be on. This is the path he should have been on from the start: mechanics, consistency, and then intensity.

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Justin is using rest intervals to help Sammy pick up the intensity, and he’s designed the workout brilliantly. As Sammy breaks some bad habits, his movements will become more efficient, and he can actually improve his time in subsequent rounds. This has a potent effect on a client’s mindset and drives home one of CrossFit’s most significant training points: we train proper technique in order to improve performance. Discussing it is one thing; proving it in the middle of a workout is totally different. Pat takes a very different approach. He’s going The Last Word: straight at the problem without a “workout.” Tony Budding, CrossFit HQ He’s just going to manhandle Sammy until he makes progress in the quality of his Sammy is a creature of habit. He loves his movements. The overhead squat and push jerk routine. Unfortunately, this routine makes him are perfect for this. They exaggerate existing highly resistant to change. He’s physically and issues, and making improvements in the mentally rigid, though he’s a great guy with a movements also forces the underlying issues very pleasant disposition. He’s worn you down to correct themselves. This is the majesty of over the past few months because nothing these movements. Not all trainers can pull this changes with his movement quality no matter off, but Pat can. He’s immensely competent what you do. in training these movements and has helped Matt and Justin know Sammy’s request for the thousands of athletes learn them. Sammy is private training is the window of opportunity stiff, not injured. He needs to get uncomfort- they’ve been waiting for. They jump on it hard, able and push into natural positions that are far knowing it’s going to take much more than just from normal for him. one session to make any real changes. Sammy has a strong will and can be stubborn, I love Pat’s response. He’s a former Navy SEAL, but he’s no match for Pat Sherwood. Pat is the and no one in his gym is going to get away with kind of trainer who can bring a grown man to bad movement. When Pat opened up CrossFit tears and then have him be grateful for it. Pat Virginia Beach, he was the first affiliate to have an has complete confidence in the efficacy of official “Asshole Clause” in their waiver—if you’re these movements and knows the effect these an asshole, you will be told to leave—so he takes changes will have on Sammy. Sammy will 100 percent control of the culture of the gym. resist, but once he gives in just a little, Pat will The main challenge here is to get Sammy to show him the way, and Sammy will appreciate experience at least one quantum leap. He has to it. Matt and Justin rely more on finesse, but move far enough out of his comfort zone that he both approaches can work miracles. In either can see just what he’s been missing. Everyone case, this is no time for hesitation. Be bold, be wants him to squat and work his shoulder confident, and change your clients’ lives. flexibility. These are essential. Matt and Justin are going to force him to break his running pace F to feel that difference. Matt’s strategy of time rewards is brilliant. I’ve seen approaches like this work miracles when done right.

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