I promised a follow-up post on CrossFit sometime last week, but unfortunately I got carried away painting furniture over the weekend and fell through on that. My apologies!
So, what is this gym cult I've signed myself up for? CrossFit is actually the basis for many police, fire, tactical, and pro athletes' training programs. It is intended to provide a workout not only for these elites, but for your Average Joe as well. Every day, a new workout is available at www.crossfit.com, or you can join an affiliate gym (called a "box") - their workouts usually differ in specific routines and content from the website, but you will see similar workouts over time between the two.
A workout consists of two parts: the warm-up, and the workout of the day, or WOD (sounds like wad, as in a wad of gum). But it's not usually your relaxing warm-up; our mantra is "Your workout is my warm-up." No joke! Today's warm-up wasn't bad, but usually the warm-up is 20-30 minutes of the hourlong workout.
Today's warm-up:
- 800m run
- Dynamic stretching
- 10 reps of each move in the WOD (named "Filthy Fifty"):
- Box jumps
- Jumping pull-ups
- Kettlebell (KB) swings
- Walking lunges
- Knees to elbows
- Push press
- Back extension
- Wall balls (WBs)
- Burpees
- Double unders (DUs)
So... in my mind, that's a whole workout! But we're literally just getting started! At my box, the workouts (from here out, "workout" refers to the warm-up + WOD, as opposed to the workout of the day, which will always be referred to as WOD) start every hour on the hour, from 5am to 7pm (gym closes at 8pm). You're expected to be in some stage of the warm-up by the top of the hour. Most people arrive 5-10 minutes before the official start to kick off their workout. Sometimes part of the workout will be timed, but unless indicated, it is do on your own free will. The warm-up always includes some kind of stretching, and sometimes mobility (stretches held for more than a minute, focusing on one or two body parts). The entire workout is always written on a whiteboard in the front of the gym (in the case of my box, anyway). My workouts are also posted online the night before (which, sadly, I like because it aids in clothing choice!).
Then the coaches gather everyone around to go over the WOD. The coaches are certified by CrossFit to coach - there are usually two in each workout (though sometimes only one). They make sure everyone is doing enough weight, but not too much, and that their form is correct. This is one of my favorite things about my gym - they are very good with form instruction, because they want you to get fit, not hurt.
Any weighted activity (such as the box jumps (for height), KB swings, push press, and wall balls), will have two weights listed after them on the board. These weights are called "prescription", or RX, and represent the maximum weight anyone in the group will do. Supposedly these are derived from physiological weight requirements (i.e. under no normal circumstances will a woman ever need to press more than 65 pounds over her head), but regardless, it helps you determine what weight you should be doing that day. Typical RXs (men, women) are:
- Push presses, cleans, front squat: 95lb/65lb (all barbell)
- Kettlebell swings, snatches, goblet squats: 55lb/35lb
- Deadlifts: 190lb/135lb, OR 285lb/205lb (depends on the intent of the WOD)
- Box jumps: 24"/18" (some days are higher depending on WOD intent)
- Wall balls: 20lb/14lb
Not many people can do RX though, so you're expected to scale yourself. Right now, I usually do 45lb for push presses, 115lb for deadlifts, and 20-30lb for KB exercises (depending). There are many other routines we do, utilizing the kettlebells, barbells, or even plates (1.2mile plate carry = tough morning!), and we're always doing common moves in different orders to mix things up. At the end of the WOD, there's a board at the back of the gym for you to write your name, and time or score (depending on the WOD) in a sort of wall of fame.
Additionally, the pace of the workout is usually fast, fueled by a "for time" qualifier (i.e. do all the listed exercises as fast as possible, for time), or a directive to do as many rounds or reps as possible (AMRAP) in the specified time. Your score then is either your time, or your rounds/reps.
Most of the time, the WOD is made up by the head trainer, but from time to time we do WODs that have a name, such as "Fran" or "Murph" - or the "Filthy Fifty". The WODs with guys' names were all named after military personnel killed in action (The Heros), and then there are The Girls. Today was the Filthy Fifty. Remember the list of exercises I had in today's warm-up above? Yup, we did 50 of EACH. For time. So here is today's WOD, with the weights I did (and RX).
Today's WOD:
- 50 Box jumps, 18" (24"/18")
- 50 Jumping pull-ups
- 50 Kettlebell (KB) swings, 30lb (55lb/35lb)
- 50 Walking lunges (25 each leg)
- 50 Knees to elbows
- 50 Push press, 30lb (55lb/35lb)
- 50 Back extension
- 50 Wall balls (WBs), 10lb (20lb/14lb)
- 50 Burpees (I did "sumo deadlift high pulls" - SDLHP due to my rib-scapade - at 35lb).
- Double unders (DUs)
My time? 35:54. Such a feeling of relief when you're finished!
There are a few exercises that probably aren't universal, so let me explain.
- Jumping pull-ups: actually easier than regular (dead-hang) push-ups. With your feet on the ground, your hand should actually extend above the pull-up bar when you reach. Hold the bar like you normally would, then hang down into a squat, with your elbows straight. Jump and pull up. Simple!
- Knees to elbows: FANTASTIC ab workout. Hang from the pull-up bar, and bring your elbows to your knees by folding at the hips. Not too bad for the first five down...but 45 to go? Ouch.
- Wall balls: these are a CrossFit staple! We used to have separate marks for men and women (at ten and eight feet high, respectively) in our old box, but when we moved, everyone got shifted to a ten-foot mark. Using a large, padded medicine ball of aforementioned weight, hold it like you would a basketball in front of your chest. Take a deep squat (in CrossFit, squats mean your knees bend past 90º by bowing you knees away from your centerline), then quickly stand up and use the momentum to propel the ball to your ten-foot-high mark. Catch, return to squat, throw the ball. 48 more times.
- Double unders (DUs): Start with a jump rope - cable ropes are best due to the Need for Speed - and have it pass under your feet twice within one jump. Not as easy as it looks! Usually the coaches have people do 4x as many singles (single jumps) when we have DUs listed. Fortunately, this crabby lady can do them! (though after about 20-25 in a row I have to stop for a break).
And lastly, SDLHP: stand with feet wide apart, hold a kettlebell that is sitting on the floor directly in front of you (you look like a sumo wrestler about to start). Keeping your back straight, straighten your legs and move into a deadlift, but once your knees are straight, keep pulling up on the KB until it is at your collar bone.
Tomorrow's workout just posted:
WOD: Tuesday 7/31/2012
Warm-Up
- 400m Run
- Dynamic Stretching
WOD 1
Every 30 sec for 10 min- 1 Squat Clean 115/85
- 1 Thruster 115/85
Notes: You are allowed to rest as many rounds as necessary w/no penalty; score is total rounds completed (ie max score = 20).
WOD 2
4 Rounds for time:- 1 Shuttle Sprint
- 5 HSPU
- 250m Row
Notes: 1 Shuttle Sprint = 5 yds/back, 10 yds/back, 15 yds/back
Looks like a good one!
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