Home workouts are a fun and quick way to stay fit. Picture the scene, it’s the 24rd of December and your family is all gathered together in the house where you will all be spending Christmas. It’s 30 minutes until dinner is served, but you are craving your workout and already missing the Box.
You excuse yourself and find some space in the spare room / garage / garden etc, start pumping the music out and jump straight in! After completing the WOD, recording your time, showering and changing, you are already finished and feeling great, all in the same amount of time that it took everyone else to drink a glass of wine!
1. CHELSEA
Chelsea is a great way to improve your pull-up, push-up and squat skills. It is one of those EMOMs that will challenge you to stay consistent throughout the full 30 minutes and really test your form under fatigue.
EMOM for 30 min:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
If you don’t have a bar, try a tree branch or scaffolding. Get creative
5 Joint Restrictions that could be Affecting your Mobility and Performance
In Crossfit programming, there is revolution in the way coaches and trainers look at movement. Most Crossfit exercises and workouts emphasize what I call global quadruple extension. This means the athlete extends the foot/ankle, knee, hip, and the thoracic spine. The inability to get to this position results in poor performance and pain. The following is a list of joints that I find are routinely restricted and prevent athletes from moving efficiently into this globally extended position. Keep in mind that dysfunction at one joint leads to dysfunction throughout the entire body.
Enhance Your Performance: 5 of the Best Mobility Drills for Crossfitters
Improve your movement patterns, lifts, recovery, gymnastic ability and avoid injury with these drills.
Deep lunge with rotation
Standing Hip CAR’s (Controlled Articular Rotations)
Tabletop bridge
Goblet squat curls/heartbeats
Active/passive hangs with rotation
Scapular Health: 4 Banded Mobility Exercises to Bulletproof Your Shoulders
Scapula health is important for effective movement
Understanding your scapular health and using these mobility exercises will help you to boost performance and prevent injury in the long run.
Your scapulae (scaps for short) are the foundation of your shoulder joint and these flat wing like bones help to anchor your shoulder to your torso. Any exercise where you move your upper arm utilises your scapulae in some way and any weakness in the 17 different muscles that connect to it will translate into weakness in the movement. They are an incredibly mobile bone, tilting and rotating to accommodate the wide range of movement of the shoulder joint.
Here’s a quick test for you: grab a small straight object like a pen or toothbrush, one in each hand and stand up straight, shoulders relaxed. Are your objects pointing straight ahead or inwards?
Julien Pineau: Strength, Muscular Imbalance & Intensity in Crossfit
Julien Pineau, coach at CrossFit Invictus and Strongfit discusses muscular and strength imbalances, embracing pain, the role of intensity within CrossFit and the difference between the US and the European Crossfit scenes.
I realised that it was not about volume, but intensity and that’s what has always been really important to me…and also just the understanding of you being tough and knowing how to switch that on.
Julien Pineau coaching
Effective Stretching Exercises to Improve Crossfit Performance & Recovery
Stretching is a vital part of improving your range of motion, flexibility and assisting the recovery process.
Warming up and stretching are two different things, but stretching exercises can help to prepare you for a WOD and improve your recovery.
A proper warm-up will help any athlete have a better session with the weights and equipment and greatly reduce the risk of an injury.
Snatch Mobility Tips to Improve your Lift and Movement
Using Mobility to Avoid Injury and Increase your Performances
At the very core of Crossfit is the principle that movement is an essential component of a healthy, functional and successful human life. MAKE TIME FOR MOBILITY!
The pertinence of great posture and mobility work should never be underrated, and every Crossfitter should specifically set aside time to work on these areas. This doesn’t mean five minutes of half baked stretching at the end of a session. It equates to a serious analysis of your own movements and techniques, and specialised focus on how they can be enhanced.
‘Improving your ability to move well will increase the efficiency with which you perform in Crossfit.’
From a long, barbarous set of Wall Balls to your next (or first) Ring Muscle-Up, every exercise involves the ability to move confidently and competently. Crossfit is a competitive sport, and Crossfitters like to see results. We want to observe the blood, sweat and tears that we put into our training manifested as cold hard PR results on the whiteboards of our Box walls.
Ankle Mobility: How and Why you Need to Improve Yours Today
Imagine a bridge without stable pillars. It can hardly hold itself, and will collapse when burdened with weight. It’s the same with your ankles. How can your body squat heavy weights if your supporting limbs aren’t able to keep it safe?
An important joint to work on
Think about all the movements which are directly and indirectly influenced by tight ankles. By improving your ankle mobility, you are increasing the range of motion for your:
Squat
Clean
Snatch
Deadlift
Boxjump
Wallball
3 Simple Ways to Improve Your Front Rack Mobility
Front rack mobility in competition
Front squats, thrusters, the clean and the jerk. What do these all have in common? They all require you to be in the front rack position, and demand excellent mobility to do them well.
Learn how to:
Improve flexion/extension
Decrease tension in the shoulders/lats
Improve your thoracic position
Mobility Tips: Easy Fixes for your Back Squat
If something doesn’t feel right…then something isn’t moving right. Do something about it before it is too late.
Every time you eat it is an opportunity to take you closer to your goals.
Crossfit places huge demands on the body so it is imperative that you support your training by eating the correct foods. The list of foods below have been put together based on the inflammation factor, the ORAC scale, Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) rating and the Naturally Nutrient Rich (NNR) score.
Regardless whether you want to put on muscle, lose fat or just fuel for performance, making these foods a regular part of your diet will help you achieve your goals.
Get on the right track
Crossfit Nutrition Advice for Morning Training
Getting out of bed and being ready to smash a WOD at 6am takes some dedication. However the sense of achievement to get your workout in before most people have wiped the sleep from their eyes is an awesome feeling!
Properly fuelling exercise at this time of the day is a tricky task. Get the right nutrition advice and you can supercharge your gainz, get it wrong and you risk feeling hungry, bloated and battling brain fog all day. So lets start by breaking your nutrition into 3 phases:
Pre-workout
Intra-workout
Post-workout
Crossfit Nutrition for Evening Training and Eating Well
Do you train in the evening? There may be issues that consistently occur and impede your progress. Make sure that you use nutrition to get the most out of your training and your sleep.
Nuts and berries are a great addition to any diet
The Crossfitters Guide to the Zone Diet
The Zone diet states that a food plan with a balanced ratio of carbohydrates (40 percent), protein (30 percent), and fat (30 percent) is the optimal mix for how the human body is genetically programmed, and will allow the body to enter an efficient metabolic state (what is called “The Zone”). Certain foods (including sugar) are excluded, and the method is used to:
Stabilise insulin levels
Avoid spikes and dips in hunger levels
Reduce the risk of inflammation
Minimize the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure
Nutrition is vital!
5 Essential Vitamins ALL Crossfitters Need to be Eating
Nutrition and vitamins play a huge role in determining the effectiveness of your training, recovery and performance. The following 5 vitamins are essential to all these aspects of your fitness and for your general health. You should integrate them all into your daily meals and lifestyle (as food is not the only place they come from). Understanding why each vitamin is important, as well as knowing where to get it from will help to make this task easier for you, and allow you to easily improve your health, performance, training, recovery and well being.
7 Steps for Losing Weight Without Counting Calories
Burning off unwanted fat is an important motivation for many individuals, so whatever training you are doing, make sure your nutrition is helping to set you up for success.
Crossfit pyramid with nutrition at the base
Why Eating Enough is More Important than Eating Clean
It can be close to impossible to eat clean 100% of the time and still make sure you get the calorie intake that you need in order to maintain a high intensity sporting lifestyle. So what’s the solution?
Nutrition and Performance: A Guide to Eating Right
A good, consistent training program alone won’t even get you halfway to the goals you aim for – whether you are trying to lose weight, build lean muscle, or regenerate faster and get in shape. A huge factor for your success or failure will come from how well you eat!
You are what you eat, so don’t be fast, cheap or fake!
Crossfit Post-WOD Nutrition
Exactly why, when and what you need to eat after each workout, according to Ben Bergeron – the coach of the fittest man and woman in the world.
Crossfit Coach Ben Bergeron with Katrin Davidsdottir
10 Foods to Boost Crossfit Performance
Nutrition is the base of all performance. Make sure yours is on point by bringing these 10 foods into your diet & improve all round well being & Crossfit performances.
The power snatch can be used to train speed and force production in both the second and third pull by limiting the amount of time and distance the lifter has available to get under the bar. It can also be used as a lighter snatch variation for training days. The power snatch can also be useful as part of a learning progression for beginners, or as a variation for individuals who are not mobile enough to sit low enough into an overhead squat.
As the power snatch is simpler and less exhausting than a full squat snatch, it gets interesting for Crossfitters when it comes to WODs including Olympic Lifting. By using the power snatch you can hit more reps in less time. Sounds effective. But don’t forget that the power snatch is thought of as an assistance lift for the full snatch, so don’t put your whole effort into this movement and forget to train your squat snatch!
SET UP FOR THE POWER SNATCH
Stand over the barbell with the heels positioned under the bar at hip width or slightly wider than hip wide apart. Squat down and grip the bar with a wide overhand grip. Position your shoulders over the bar with your back arched tightly. Arms are straight with elbows pointed along bar.
Power snatch set up
BASIC TECHNIQUE FOR THE POWER SNATCH
Pull the bar up off the floor by extending hips and knees. As bar the reaches your knees, the back stays arched and maintains the same angle to the floor as in your starting position.
When the barbell passes your knees, dynamically raise your shoulders while keeping the bar as close to the legs as possible.
When the bar passes the upper thighs, allow it to come into contact with them.
Jump upward and extend your body.
Shrug the shoulders and pull the barbell upward with your arms, allowing the elbows to pull up to sides, keeping them over the bar for as long as possible.
Throw your body aggressively under the bar.
Catch the bar at arm’s length before your knees bend lower than 90°.
Performance nutrition is essential for any athlete that wants to reach their full potential and live a healthy life. Even the best training plan, coach or facility will never allow an individual to succeed if these factors aren’t combined with top quality nutrition.
Reach your full potential
When we train we apply stress to the body. The body reacts in such a way as to meet the demands of the stress and prevent damage. In the post training period, the body will try to reverse the impact of stress induced by training. In an effort to cope better with future training the body will attempt reset the level of homeostasis higher than before. This adaptation is what improves our ability to perform during competition. It makes us fitter and stronger.
Nutrition, recovery and training work together to create positive lasting effects on an individual’s health, happiness and training performance. Get your performance nutrition right, and the foundations for success will be firmly set in place.
WHY NUTRITION IS THE BASE OF PERFORMANCE
All training and recovery relies on proper nutrition to fuel the body, give it enough energy for every workout and provide it with what it needs to heal effectively.
Nutrition and training also work together to improve aspects of an athlete’s health in slightly different ways. Take the benefits of fish oil and strength training for example, two things not commonly associated with one another, and look at a few of the positive physiological effects that they cause.
Both help to prevent heart disease, reduce the risk of osteoporosis and lower blood pressure. Fish oil won’t help to improve your back squat PR, and strength training doesn’t have much impact as an anti-inflammatory, however these example demonstrate the common positive impacts they can both have on your general health and performance.
THE BENEFITS OF FISH OIL ON HEALTH
Increased levels of Vitamin A and Vitamin D
Anti-Inflammatory
Lowers high blood pressure
Prevents heart disease
Assists to Alleviate depression
Helps to heal skin rips and wounds
Reduces the risk of osteoporosis
HOW TO MAXIMISE RECOVERY AND TRAINING
Supplements help to bridge potential gaps in a nutritional program
To recover properly and fuel your body effectively, you need to use the best quality produce that you can get your hands on.
Food produced today is significantly different from food produced just fifty years ago, it is grown quicker, in larger amount and with more pesticides. As a result, it can often be harder to provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to perform and recover properly.
Pure Pharma can help bridge the gaps and solve the most common vitamin and mineral deficiencies that will negatively affect recovery and training.
For optimal training, recovery and health
HEALTHY FATS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR TRAINING, RECOVERY, YOUR HEART AND YOUR HEAD
Their fish oil contains 2,000 mg of healthy omega-3s that help your heart function due to a high content of the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. As all Crossfitters know, balance across the board is vital for success. Just like a scale, your body needs a certain ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids to stay balanced. Both fats are important for optimal health, but Western diets tend to skew much higher in omega-6s.
Make it your goal to increase your intake of omega-3s and get back to balance.
Healthy fat is a good thing. Your brain is 60% fat. Especially the essential fatty acid DHA constitute a large part of the brain. These fats are especially important in brain development but no matter what age you are, O3 helps maintain your brain function with high-quality omega-3s.
EXTRA VITAMIN D IS HUGELY IMPORTANT FOR THE WINTER MONTHS
Vitamin D supports the absorption of calcium and phosphorus and improves the capacity raising the generation of testosterone. Vitamin D helps muscle development and is essential for healthy immune function, bone development and reducing inflammation.
A deficiency of vitamin is common, resulting from the fact that most people don’t spend enough time outside in the sun (or it simply isn’t there), which is the biggest supplier of vitamin D. The demand per day is 15 micrograms (equal to 3 ounces of salmon). If you have a lack of vitamin D your body reacts with muscle weakness and excessive sweating.
perform, recover, progress
Training through the winter months requires careful attention to ensure that no vitamin D deficiency could be affecting your training. Fish oil is an effective nutritional solution.
PROTEIN AT BREAKFAST IS CRUCIAL
Now this will make a huge difference to your health and performance regardless of your goal. Breakfast is often one of the meals that people eat a solely carbohydrate based meal. Cornflakes and milk for example! Some people can go until 1.30pm before eating any form of protein (and even then, it is usually only a small amount). If you want to make sure your recovery and training is on point then get some protein in your breakfast!
Protein at breakfast will help to:
Boost neurotransmitter production – boosts memory, attention and drive for the day ahead.
It is linked to eating less throughout the day
Stabilises energy levels – no mid-morning energy dips
Provides amino acids to build muscle and recover from training.
It doesn’t matter whether you do the 6am conditioning, the 8pm weightlifting class or train after work, you need protein at breakfast!
TIMING IS HUGELY IMPORTANT
In the past, the traditional approach has been mainly focused on the total daily energy intake and the ratio of the macronutrients, but the most recent evidence has highlighted how the distribution during the day of the different nutrients has an important impact on training and performance.
Train hard and recover effectively
Say you are going to hit a WOD. You need fuel for it beforehand and the proper nutrition afterwards to recover and replenish what you have spent. This will differ depending on how and when you train.
Some simple advice that you can follow is keep protein intake consistent, increase carbohydrates on training days and increase fats on non-training days. Carbohydrates to replenish muscle and liver glycogen, fats to help cellular regeneration and lower muscle soreness.
PERFORMANCE NUTRITION: THE IMPORTANCE OF NATURAL AND ORGANIC FOODS
It goes without saying that organic and natural foods are vital. Crossfitters are committed to excellence, quality and always working to become the best possible version of themselves. This integrity should spread to the performance nutrition that every athlete puts into their body. Buy the best that you can afford, but take precautions to bridge any gaps that could occur in your recovery and training.
Thuri Erla Helgadottir: Strategy, Mobility and Technique in Crossfit
Core work and Mobility is vital to improve and avoid injury
Small but mighty Thuri is an incredibly talented 4 x CrossFit Games Athlete and a national Icelandic weightlifting champion. She packs exceptional skill, speed, coordination and strategy into her performances, so how can she help you become a better Crossfitter?
6 Tips to Improve your Snatch & Clean from Freyja Mist Olafsdottir
Freyja Mist Olafsdottir
Freyja is the 2x Junior Nordic Weightlifting champion, as well as a Crossfit coach. Find out what you can learn from her about lifting, and why the Crossfit culture is so strong in Iceland.
Maya Nassar: The World’s First Arabic Fitness Model
Maya Nassar Arabic Fitness Model
Maya is the first ever government endorsed fitness model and competitor in Lebanese/Arab history! She regularly competes in international bodybuilding competitions on behalf of Lebanon.
Alessandra Pichelli: How to Avoid injuries and Train like a CF Games Athlete
Qualifying for The Crossfit Games again
Learn more about how to train for the unexpected, avoid injuries and attack your weaknesses from 4 x CrossFit Games Athlete Alessandra Pichelli.
BOXROX Interviews Andrea Berggren: Regionals Success and the Power of the Community
Andrea Berggren handstand walks and pull ups
Andrea Berggren is the 9th fittest woman in the Meridian Regionals after rising from 32nd in the Open. She explains why all Crossfitters need fighting spirit, the amazing power of the community, and why it is an honour to compete against the best girls in the game.
The new year is almost here, so what Crossfit goals and targets have you set yourself for 2017? Whatever the scale of your ambitions, these 10 tips will help you achieve them, provided you are willing to put in the work.
1. BE CONSISTENT
When it comes to hitting the goals that you have decided to set for yourself, there is simply no substitute for consistency. This doesn’t mean always performing at 100% (we all have bad days), it means showing up and doing the work.
Think realistically about how much time you can set aside for training. Whether that is 2 nights a week, or twice a day for 6 days a week, this can help you determine what is, and what is not, realistic based on your circumstances.
With intelligent programming, volume and time spent performing the movements and exercises that you wish to get better at, will help you to hit your goals.
Don’t overestimate what you can do in a month, but don’t underestimate what can be achieved in a year.
GOAL SETTING TIPS FROM CROSSFIT INVICTUS
The following 6 tips come from CrossFit Invictus.
2. IDENTIFY WHAT YOUR GOALS ARE
This is important because you need to make sure your goal is in line with your values. Identify your core priorities and make sure your goal doesn’t detract from your overall values. Instead, your goal should support your values and work in harmony with them.
3. BE SPECIFIC
Identify what it is that your really want. Be very specific; don’t leave any room for questioning later down the road. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. Once you identify what it is that you really want (this can be a challenge within itself), then set your goal.
4. WRITE YOUR GOAL DOWN AND SHARE IT WITH A LOVED ONE
Make your goal visible so that you can have daily reminders to stay focused. This is very helpful because when you don’t write a goal down, it tends to become obtuse. The goal suddenly shifts depending on your circumstances at the time, gets pushed to the side if it is inconvenient and can change from its original purpose. If your goal is written down and shared with someone then you can be held accountable for your goal. Your goal now becomes real and not just an idea that never comes to fruition.
Learn from the best…
5. MAKE IT MEASURABLE
Be precise when setting your goal. Give your goal a deadline and give your goal dates, amounts, times, etc. so that you can measure your progress.
6. CROSSFIT GOALS: MAKE A PLAN
Identify how you are going to accomplish your goal. This is important. Anyone can set a goal but not everyone can accomplish a goal. You must identify how you are going to reach your goal. Are you not drinking alcohol for the next 30 days? Then write out how you will stay on track for those 30 days (don’t go to certain restaurants where it is tempting to drink, prepare a polite reply to decline alcohol when it is offered, etc.)
Anticipate any roadblocks that may come along and find ways to overcome those roadblocks.
7. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE THAT WILL HELP YOU TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
It is crucial to have support when you are trying to achieve something that takes perseverance, dedication and determination. Your support group should be made up of people who have your best interest at heart. They can help motivate you and provide encouragement along your journey to success. They also provide needed accountability. Identify those who detract from your stated goal and try to eliminate their influence as much as possible.
Let the community help you!
8. FOCUS ON PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION
One of the most underrated ways of actually hitting the Crossfit goals that you set for yourself is to try and remove the concept of perfection from your mind. Instead of trying to always be perfect, concentrate on being a bit better than before, each time you train.
To save you the suspense, perfection is never attainable. Improvement in anything is normally a slow and arduous process. Building strength takes time, mastering a single barbell technique can take years (people dedicate their entire lives to this pursuit), improving flexibility will not happen overnight and generally confidence grows gradually. Change takes time, so give it time.
9. CELEBRATE THE SMALL VICTORIES
As outlined above, progress occurs in incremental steps. Sometimes this can be annoying, because who doesn’t want to PR every session or make rapid developments in every workout. The reality, as I’m sure you know, is very different.
If you celebrate the small victories, then you will constantly reaffirm the FACT that you are improving. Half a second off your Fran time is still a PR. An extra kg here and there on your major lifts will all add up over time.
10. ENJOY THE PROCESS
If you enjoy your training, then you are much more likely to continue. If you reward yourself for the small improvements that you keep making, and you train with a community of people that you like, and that support and motivate you, then you are much more likely to consistently show up for training, do the hard work, and actually hit the goals that you wish to achieve.
When it comes to AMRAP workouts, mental toughness is an irreplaceable factor. The higher rep ranges that you will face will push you to your limits and the inexorable running of the clock will test just much pain you can stand.
NO BARBELLS! 10 BODYWEIGHT WORKOUTS FOR CROSSFITTERS
You don’t always need a barbell to create a high-intensity WOD. Bodyweight Crossfit workouts can even be a harder test of fitness, especially if your endurance and gymnastic training has been neglected.
No matter if you are a total beginner or an elite athlete, this format will be challenging. If you need to do band-assisted Pull Ups, or Press Ups on your knees instead, then do that. AMRAPS can be easily scaled to suit all abilities, the right attitude to give it all you have is the most important thing!
This kind of workout is very intense and time efficient. It’s individually challenging due to the possibility to create a personal plan for every skill level. You can integrate all kind of exercises and it presents a perfect mixture of strength and endurance training.
5 OF THE BEST ENDURANCE WODS FOR CROSSFIT TRAINING
Endurance WODs in your Crossfit training are a vital way to build mental strength, aerobic capacity and the ability to just keep going. Long, slow conditioning work such as running, cycling and swimming will build cardiovascular ability, but they are not the only way to improve your endurance.
EMOM WORKOUTS TO IMPROVE STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING
Benefits of EMOM workouts:
Pacing: EMOMs remove much of the thinking from a workout. The clock decides when you’ll be working and when you’ll be resting. Every minute you’ll also be able to see if you’ve done the given work in a faster or slower pace.
Progression: EMOMs are a great instrument for measuring progressions from week to week.
Adaptability: EMOMs can be programmed to train anything: power, the aerobic or anaerobic systems, mechanics or skills.
Rest Periods: Well-programmed EMOMs should have built in rest periods. Unlike a normal WOD, these rest periods allow you to analyze your performance after each minute. Feeling? Technique? Did your pace slow significantly? After analyzing each set, EMOMs allow you to redo the work at the start of the new minute.
10 CHIPPER WORKOUTS THAT EVERY CROSSFITTER HAS TO TRY!
Chipper WODs consist of a series of different exercises completed in sequence. Usually the movements are (generally) performed with lighter weights over higher rep ranges. Chipper WODs train endurance, strength, technique and pure mental toughness, and will test you to your limits!
The name comes from ‘chip away’ which underlines that they are hard and extreme. Chipper workouts are exhausting, but will make you feel accomplished and happy at the end! Use lighter weights than usual so you can concentrate on speed and intensity. Scale accordingly to make sure that you don’t pause or rest for long between any exercises.
You have to complete each set before you are moving to the next one. Try to be as fast as possible, each one is a race against the clock!
WORKOUTS TO TEST AND IMPROVE YOUR GYMNASTIC SKILLS IN CROSSFIT
Mobility and gymnastics are hugely important elements of Crossfit. Although gymnastic work requires exhausting lessons, and progress is often slow, it should be an irreplaceable component of every crossfitter’s daily process. Combined with strength and power, gymnastic skills will gives you the possibility to drive into new areas and dominate even the hardest WOD.
The WOD (Workout of the day) is an important part of training for all beginner Crossfit athletes. Sometimes it can feel daunting at first, with the wide selection of exercises and different structures, but feeling like this is only natural. These 3 workouts are perfect for helping you get more familiar with how they work.
They all contain simple body-weight exercises, so you can try them at home or anywhere else that you like. Good luck, and remember that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.
If there’s someone who can show you how to feel less pain, it’s Julien Pineau. This guy carried 1,000lb on his back, literally felt his femurs bending — and never once thought about giving up.
Think about the last two minutes of your workout, where it’s time to crank it up a notch. Or when you’re on the Assault Bike and your legs feel like they’re about to fall off. The pain cave is the place that makes you ask yourself, “Why can’t I do this?”
It’s where you say to yourself, “You know what maybe I’ll rest for 5 seconds.” I wouldn’t expect this superpower to come overnight. But with consistency and patience, you can become the guy or gal who blows past your box rival when duty calls.
Part 1: The energy system that takes you into the pain cave
You have to keep in mind that Julien is a man of principles, not methods. He hesitates to give you the “What should I do?” If he were to give you that without the “Why” and the “How”, you wouldn’t be able to reap the full benefits of the intended stimulus.
The anaerobic threshold is the energy system that drags you into the pain cave.
Mental strength is vital for top performance
Knowing how to pace yourself is a fundamental skill that you do have to spend time working on. But if we’re talking about developing this specific energy system, you’re going to throw pacing out the door for the session.
Anaerobic threshold is typically very high effort and high intensity.
Think about 60 seconds of Max Effort on the Assault Bike. You’re going to reach a level of intensity where lactic acid builds up in the body much faster that it can be flushed away. That heavy feeling you get in your quads, where everything starts to burn, and the fan slows down.
Part 2: Principles – Low SEW
Julien talks about increasing intensity without increasing stress on the body. The formula for that is Low SEW
Low Skill
Low Eccentric
Low Weight Bearing
Julien Pineau coaching
“The lower the SEW, the higher I’m going to push the intensity.”
Metcons are not the only way to train this energy system.
If you use high skilled movements to train intensity, you’ll be limited by the movement itself before you tap into your full mental capacity. “The skill is very limited on a sled push. I know there’s not much that’s going to stop you from taking two more steps.”
“Low eccentric means I don’t go against muscle fibers. So there is no muscle breakdown, the chances of tearing, rhabdo, etc is very small.” Sidenote: This doesn’t mean that Julien never works eccentric contractions because it’s a core part of his philosophy. For this energy system, he’s looking for ridiculous contractions of the muscle.
“Low weight-bearing, I don’t go against the joints. A lot of the lifting we do is pretty taxing on the central nervous system.” When you wake up the next morning and feel your knees aching, you might be able fight through for a while. Eventually this pain is going to cause fear, which limits you from really going to that dark place.
“If there is the possibility of structural damage, then the body will signal pain. Pain is an interpretation of the brain, nothing else. If you start to associate intensity with pain, you’re training yourself to feel more pain. The lower the level of intensity is where the pain is going to start. At any intensity you will start to feel pain all the time.”
“So that means no energy is spent on eccentric. There is no grinding of the joints. There is no skill to stop you. That means I can push the intensity as high as I want. You’re going to be able to push as hard as YOU want. The body has no reason to not go a little bit further into intensity.”
“With a low SEW over time, you’ll be able to increase the rate of intensity of your workouts a little bit every workout. You won’t pay the price for it in the sense of, your knees won’t ache the next day, your back won’t be destroyed”
“If you can train at a level where there is no structural damage, then what is your excuse not to train harder the next time?”
“With LOW SEW, I can make you understand that you should push harder in every single training station. Over time you can build up to a ridiculous intensity. Then you start to look at it like DISCOMFORT.”
Part 3: Ready to try it?
We want to have a clear objective and task that solely tests if you can go from Point A to Point B. Choose something that allows you to see the finish line. You are strong enough. Just move the needle from A to B. When you start to slow down, there’s no time for 5 seconds of rest. You stay moving. One foot in front of the other.
Improve your ability to operate with intensity
“My favorite tool is the sled. I can do so much more. I can drag it. I can push it as a sprint. I can put a harness with a shitload of weight and bear crawl it. I can pull it with a rope. I can do a lot of movements that allow me to hit different planes of movement and hit the weaknesses I need to hit, basically using a sled. Which every time is a low SEW. It allows me to do so much with a simple sled. SO it is by far my favorite one.”
Try one of the following options to get your feet wet. Remember, these are BALLS OUT efforts.
Rest however long you need to once the task is complete. Then do it again trying to beat or match the same intensity. Rinse and repeat for 5 rounds.
Workout #1: For total cals: 60 seconds Max Effort on the Assault Bike
Workout #2: For time: 100 ft Rope Pulls
Workout #3: For time: 100 ft Sled Push
Workout #4: For time: 50 ft Overhead Yoke Carry
Workout #5: For time: 50 ft Farmer’s Carry
You don’t need to do this everyday or all at once. You can start with 1-2 times per week to get your dosage in. The Invictus Strongman Program is designed by Julien specifically for this. If you want to listen to our full conversation where we talk about things well beyond training yourself to feel less pain and handling extreme discomfort, check out the podcast episode here.
These 12 portraits of CrossFit Games athletes were created to show the different moments within the sport of fitness that we all go through and understand. Triumph, pain, PRs, victory, pride and the dedication to push hard every day in order to improve and develop. From sketches of Josh Bridges after a phenomenal win at the Regionals, through to Sara Sigmundsdottir sprinting for the finish, each one tries to capture a particular moment during a workout.
Each artwork was drawn by our Editor-in-chief, Robbie Wild Hudson.
A few weeks ago, the Dubai Fitness Championship (DFC) final took place and welcomed 80 athletes during 5 amazing days of tough events!
When I saw the leaderboard with names like Mat Fraser, Ben Smith, Annie Thorisdottir, Sam Briggs and Thuri Helgadottir, my first reaction was “Wow, all these great competitors in one place !”
I followed one particular athlete, Nathalie Geurts, who is unknown internationally yet has had good results in European competitions, and won the Belgian open in 2016. She finished the 5 days in 28th position whilst Sara Sigmundsdottir (3rd at the CrossFit Games 2016) won the competition.
It was on Saturday I met Nathalie and her husband Pieter Vanbussel (who is also a European competitor) at their box: CrossFit Bilzen – Box 1984 (Belgium). The atmosphere was relaxed and fun. The coaches and the members were getting ready for a 50 minute WOD. Work, passion, sharing and fun seem to be the spirit that Nathalie and Pieter want to spread in their box.
WOD time at CrossFit Bilzen
Let’s see how an athlete can reach a high level and compete at International competitions.
1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Before she started Crossfit, Nathalie did a lot of regular fitness and she was also an Indoor Cycling instructor. She also liked going out for long runs. Pieter also trained hard, ran and practiced Muay Thai. They have both competed in several Final European competitions and achieved good results.
Competition time at the German Throwdown
“I love Crossfit because it’s so varied and at the same time so complete. The fact that I can challenge myself over and over again motivates me extremely. The feeling after a good WOD is like a drug to me. Feeling and seeing the improvements in my body and my fitness is what drives me every day. Crossfit is my medicine… Pieter totally agrees with me!”
2. TRAIN BOTH YOUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRENGTH
When Nathalie heard she had qualified, she was completely blown away. It took a couple of days for her to realise fully that she would be there amongst all these famous competitors doing Crossfit on a high professional level. She was both excited and scared, but thanks to great support, her proud husband, she believed in herself.
Some athletes that she went up against also participate in the Games, and the WODs themselves were tough. Nathalie confessed :
“It was hard and intense, not only physically but also mentally. Although I knew I wasn’t going to finish high in the leaderboard, I wanted to give the best I had. Already after the first 5 events on day 1, my body felt so tired though…not exactly sore but tired, empty. Starting with a 36 km bike was something I’m not used to and so quite challenging for my legs :-). So you can imagine, the final day, I really had to push myself way over my limits. However, I have to say that the events were very well thought out and perfectly organised. I truly loved every event, even though there were many where I had to fight my weaknesses.”
3. BE HONEST ABOUT YOUR WEAKNESSES, AND CONSTANTLY WORK ON THEM
Training and practice on the field are some of the keys to improve and learn about our weaknesses.
The Belgian athlete realized that she still has lots and lots of work to do : “It was an unforgettable experience to be on the same competition floor as these top world athletes. Even now, sometimes I still think it was a dream. It was challenging though, not only physically but definitely also mentally. And I learned that both aspects still need a lot of work and fine tuning! But I came back inspired, extremely motivated and hungry for more!”
She adds that she will attack her weaknesses as much as possible and keep on training as hard as she can.
4. DUBAI FITNESS CHAMPIONSHIP: HAVE A PLAN
An athlete who wants to improve and to compete needs a program and good support.
Nathalie told me that she put a lot of trust in the program “The Training Plan” created by Jami Tikkanen. As a big support, she can count on her half and partner wod, Pieter : “I cannot be more proud of my wife, I know she works hard for it and Dubai was a great reward and fantastic experience, for both of us. She stood her ground amongst world class athletes, so again, I’m a super proud husband!”
5. BE DRIVEN BY YOUR PASSION
In personal as in professional life, when you love what you do and work for it, everything is possible.
Pieter and Nathalie
Nathalie and Pieter are the perfect example of this.
They both love Crossfit, they understand each others’ addiction.
They know what it takes to chase goals (not only in training but also as owners of their box and the will to satisfy their members).
They support, coach and motivate each other.
They can share ideas and talk on the same level. “That’s priceless. And we never fight about coming home late from training (laugh). We do talk a lot about Crossfit, also at home, and sometimes this can get annoying. I compare my training results with Pieter all the time, which sometimes can end up in a big discussion because I couldn’t beat him again (joke or not).
6. BE HUMBLE
When I visited the couple at their box, I saw what, according to me, distinguish a good athlete to an exceptional athlete. Training with their members, having some fun and motivating each other seem to be their leitmotiv. I asked to Nathalie which competitors have impressed her during the DFC and she humbly answered :
“Although I’m absolutely impressed by the performances of the top 3 European ladies (Sigmundsdottir, Briggs, Thorisdottir), I have to say that I met so many good athletes, I was quite impressed by all of them. It was very nice to meet Laura Horvath, Allessandra Picelli and Kari Pearce, not only because they are world class athletes, but these ladies are so nice and friendly, humble and for me that’s what makes an athlete a great and inspiring one. And when Ben Smith said “good job” after the WOD, I must admit I was quite honoured. The Smiths’ brothers by the way are super cool dudes: very friendly, relaxed and “down to earth”. That’s the way I like it ”
7. TRAIN HARD AND BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Tackle your challenges and never let anyone bring you down! Most of all: enjoy the journey!
Here is the last (but not least) advice from Nathalie.
“Anyone aged 14 or older can compete in the Open. All you have to do is sign up at Games.CrossFit.com and log your score each week. Workouts are released on Thursdays at 5 p.m. PT, and athletes have four days to complete the workout for the week and submit their score. Scores are due before 5 p.m. PT the following Monday. Complete the workouts at a CrossFit affiliate with a judge, or film your effort from anywhere in the world and submit a link as proof.”
17.1: Feb. 23 – 27
17.2: March 2 – 6
17.3: March 9 – 13
17.4: March 16 – 20
17.5: March 23 – 27
At the end of five weeks, the fittest move on to the next stages of competition: The Regionals and The Online Qualifier.
SO WHY SHOULD I ENTER THE 2017 CROSSFIT OPEN?
8. UNCOVER NEW WEAKNESSES
One of the best parts of Crossfit is its constant ability to help you uncover personal weaknesses that need to be improved. This is true for athletes of all abilities, from CrossFit Games winners right through to complete newbies. Look at Katrin Davidsdottir and Rich Froning on rope climbs. Each of these CrossFit Games athletes met an exercise that they had not mastered, and severely struggled with it during each respective workout.
The point is that this can happen to you regardless of ability, and that it is a good thing because ultimately it will lead you towards becoming a better athlete. Entering the CrossFit Open 2017 will surely uncover a weakness or two for you to work on and improve upon in the future.
7. CONNECT WITH THE WORLDWIDE CROSSFIT COMMUNITY
Undoubtedly you have a great community at your Box, which is why it’s fun and productive to train there. The CrossFit Open 2017 gives you the opportunity to expand that community internationally. Instead of your small group of fellow Crossfitters that go through the shared suffering of each workout, you will now be working out with the world! There are hundreds of thousands of other Crossfitters experiencing the same hardships, triumphs, and sense of achievement that you will.
6. BECAUSE YOU MIGHT SURPRISE YOURSELF!
Stepping out of our comfort zone is always easier said than done. Humans are wired to seek balance and safety and familiar surroundings, but signing up for the 2017 CrossFit Open will give you 5 new workouts to try, and allow you to test yourself against some of the best athletes in the sport.
You still complete the workout in your Box, but the context is different, and that added dimension can be helpful for pushing you further and harder, hitting PRs and new exercises for the first time.
Last year many people nailed their first bar muscle up when it was revealed to be in one of the Open WODs. The added pressure can often be a huge help to spur you on to surprise yourself!
5. TRAIN YOUR COMPETITIVE SPIRIT
We are all competitive in different ways and to varying degrees. If you are one of the top athletes in your Box, then the open lets you compete against the best from your area, country and other potential Regionals athletes. If you are very new to Crossfit, the Open will enable you to see how you are doing against many other newcomers from all around the world.
Have fun competing against the best
4. LEARN FIRST HAND JUST HOW GOOD THE TOP ATHLETES ACTUALLY ARE
Additionally, for the fun of it, it can be very interesting to measure own your score against the top athletes in Crossfit. This gives a powerful impression of just how fit and talented they actually are! Watching Camille Leblanc Bazinet clean and jerk twice her bodyweight on Instagram is impressive and motivating, but very different from comparing times when you’ve both just finished the same workout!
A video posted by Camille Leblanc-Bazinet (@camillelbaz) on
3. RECONTEXTUALISE TOUGH MOVEMENTS
Do you have any exercises that you still struggle with? Double unders, muscle ups, handstand push ups or walks for example? Sometimes its easy to put these movements on a pedestal, which often makes them even harder to achieve. The Open can help to change that framework.
Last year I watched a Crossfitter at the Berlin Throwdown string together rows of 5 or 6 muscle ups in quick succession, and by the end of the workout she was elated! Prior to the competition, she had never been able to complete more than one. The atmosphere, change of scenery and competitive environment allowed her to completely step up her game. The same can happen to you!
2. IT IS SUITABLE FOR ALL FITNESS LEVELS
Since 2015 there has been a scaled division in the Open. This is great because whatever level you are, each workout can be scaled to suit you, yet still lets you compete. Whether that means working with an empty bar or doing jumping pull ups instead of muscle ups it doesn’t matter. You still get the chance to workout, enjoy the atmosphere, sense of international community and measure your times against others of your level (if you want).
Emily Abbott and Chyna Cho compete alongside other beginner Crossfit athletes
1. BECAUSE IT’S FUN
This reason is pretty simple and speaks for itself. Just enjoy the experience and give the 2017 CrossFit Open a go.
The sport of fitness is evolving and the growth of the mental aspect of the sport is also changing. A time where mental toughness alone was enough to push you to the highest level has passed. We are becoming increasingly aware of the use of mental conditioning techniques, life and performances coaches in the sport.
“You can Train three things: Your mind, your body, your craft” Ben Bergeron
Ben Smith and Katrin Davidsdottir are excellent examples of athletes that have displayed signs of having an unstoppable mindset during competition. There are many examples we could use, but think back to the 2015 Games, and listen to the dialogue between Ben Smith and Matt Fraser.
Matt Fraser focused a great deal on Ben smith, whilst Ben focused on what he could control.
A great example of this in effect was during the pig workout. Throughout the weekend, his focus on ben had built momentum and so had his performance anxiety (Matt Fraser was being sick just before each workout). Ben confidently and strategically completed the Event and tackled the Pig with a cool head.
Matt struggled with the Pig, attempting to BICEP CURL it! This then resulted in him having no grip or energy left in the tank for the rope climbs! His mental toughness kicked in and he kept attempting, but that wasn’t enough and he did not complete the wod.
Matt Fraser repeatedly said he had never ‘failed like that before’, later asking Ben how he flipped the pig so effectively? Ben replied “I just told myself I was flipping a tractor tyre!”
Mat Fraser Snatching
Matt frasers 2016 prep was different to his 2016 it also Involving a great deal of mental conditioning training with Ben Bergeron, which he discusses in multiple interviews, and we all saw how phenomenal he was!
The mind is a muscle and it MUST BE TRAINED. Knowledge is power if applied, if not it’s just information.
3 MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL CONDITIONING
MYTH 1 – Mental Strength Conditioning training takes too much time
We appreciate your time is already spread thinly between training and the rest of your life. The tools and techniques below can be incorporated into your physical training and done on a daily basis for 5-10 mins a day.
MYTH 2 – You’re born with a strong mindset
It’s easy to believe that a strong mindset is a characteristic that we either gifted with or do not have, and we cannot change this. That is a myth.
We are all born with certain physical and psychological predispositions, but mental skills are shaped through our experiences of everyday life. Being motivated, staying calm under pressure, or maintaining confidence in the face of adversity are skills that take time to develop.
Earn an iron mindset
There are mental conditioning skills and practices that great athletes have learned through experience or through MSC training.
MYTH 3 – Mental Strength Conditioning training provides a quick fix
We all recognise that physical skills take countless hours of practice to develop, but some people expect mental strength to happen much quicker.
A day before a competition is not the right time to work on your mental game. would you change your clean and jerk tekkers just before attempting a one rep max lift in a comp? NO, of course not. That’s because you realise that after countless hours of practice in training, you can automatically set up for your lift without a conscious thought.
Introducing a new way of performing an exercise a day before a comp like the Open can cause you to start thinking about how to perform the skill and this will disrupt your performance. The same is true for mental skills training. It takes time and effort and is NOT a magical quick fix.
SHOULD I WORK ON MY MENTAL CONDITIONING BEFORE THE OPEN?
If you are going to hit the open workouts of 2017, or just want to improve your performances, read the list of states below the diagram. If any of these apply to you, then check out a few of these resources for how to improve your mental toughness:
Also look out for the rest of the articles in this series, which will provide you with the tools and techniques you need to tackle the Open and perform well!
MENTAL TOUGHNESS VS MENTAL STRENGTH
Strengthen your mind
If any of the below resonate with you then you are not alone! Mental conditioning exercises can help to improve any of the following states.
you do not have well – defined goals or goals specificity (may lack direction)
you perform better in practice than you do competition.
you are Self Conscious; you worry about what others think about your game.
you maintain many self-doubts about your ability before or during the wod.
you worry about letting others down by not performing up to others expectations.
you suffer from Anxiety, worry or excess tension before, during and after a competitive wod.
pre-game jitters do not go away after the first few minutes of competing.
you attach yourself worth to how well you perform.
you go through the motions physically without mental focus or intensity.
you have trouble of letting go of a ‘bad performance’ which may enable you to take the lesson from it and move on.
One of the main foundations of mental conditioning is GOAL SETTING.
GOAL SETTING
Now the first step in setting the goals you want to achieve seems easy. But in truth, setting true goals can be much more difficult.
Speaking recently to an athlete about their goals, they wanted to contribute to a team score in the 2017 CrossFit Open. When asked about their nutritional focus, the athlete replied “leanness…” which is actually counterproductive to his performance! So is the open his true goal… or is it a 6 pack?
Goal setting is a mental technique tool and one of the most important when it comes to applying strategy. Sounds easy right? Set a goal then execute it! Well it isn’t, so a good way to avoid failure at this first step is simply to write the goal down.
Your goal should terrify and excite you at the same time.
Ultimately your ‘athletic’ goal should take you out of your comfort zone. As a athlete you are not afraid of hard work, but our beliefs and emotions can often get in the way and distract us from our goal.
This is why we have set a whole work shop and series of articles specifically on mental conditioning and goal setting.
PRINCIPLES OF GOAL SETTING THAT CAN HELP YOU
With the Open only 8 weeks away, many Crossfitters (of all levels) are preparing and defining their own goals, reasons and expectations. Whatever your standard, however much time you are able to put into programming, nutrition, recovery and training, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by any goal that you set. Here are a few principles that we teach to our athletes.
We get athletes to set their Goal then REVERSE ENGINEER it.
We teach taking the Goal and breaking it right down to daily ones which turns the focus to progress not perfection.
Setting realistic and challenging short term goals provides a sense of direction thereby increases motivation.
Challenging realistic goals helps athletes get into their optimal Energy Zone and direct that energy to the task in hand
Effective goals direct athletes attention to what they need to focus onto succeed
Although striving to win is important focusing on winning can create excessive stress
When athletes perceive the challenge not as winning, but as achieving their own realistic set of performance goals, the challenge will always be near the athletes present skill level and will create an optimal skill challenge balance
Ultimately GOAL SETTING enables you to Get Real, to stay in your own lane, be accountable for your own actions and move forward confidently, acknowledging and celebrating your small victories and trusting yourself along the way.
‘Be stubborn about your Goals and flexible about your methods’
United by fitness, the Reebok Nano 7.0 continues a partnership with CrossFit that operates at the forefront of elite fitness. Made by Crossfitters for Crossfitters, this new training shoe is functional, stylish and durable.
Also, if you buy a pair in selected European countries, you also get free entry to the CrossFit Open!*
REEBOK NANO 7.0 QUICK SPECS
NanoWeave tech upper for breathability and comfort
Anatomical toe box and a low-cut design for a natural feel and ankle mobility
Ortholite sockliner for cushion
360 degree TPU heel wrap for a locked in feel
Crystallised rubber outsole flexes naturally for balance and stability
4mm heel to toe drop
£89.99 GBP / 129.95 EUR / 129.99 USD
FUNCTION COMES FIRST
Make every nanosecond count
STABLE COMFORT
Redesigned sole
On first impression, the new Performance Sole is one of the most striking features on the Nano 7.0. It is designed to provide improved stability, durability, traction and comfort.
The Crystallised rubber outsole flexes naturally for balance and strong support. The shoe grips well, feels stable and is also highly responsive to sharp turns and quick explosive movements. Testing the shoe across many different exercises, from box jumps to burpees, the Nano 7.0 felt secure, light and stable.
Rich Froning and Katrin Davidsdottir test the new Nano 7.0
Reinforced heel clip
A new 360 degree TPU heel wrap creates a locked in feel, perfect for helping to improve support and control during high repetitions of weightlifting exercises such as overhead squats or deadlifts as well as other movements like thrusters, wall balls and sled pulls. The design allowed me to achieve a solid base with my feet and heels during workouts.
Heel lock
ULTIMATE PERFORMANCE
Nano weave technology provides breathability and flexibility for your movements. This means that your feet stay fresh during longer workouts, and the material is exceptionally responsive to your individual style of movement.
The upper and lower work together to compliment the natural movements of your feet throughout any workout you face. All us Crossfitters constantly step into the unknown, and we need shoes that are able to augment, support and enhance our performances in these situations.
STRONG FOUNDATION
The Reebok Nano 7.0 has been designed with an anatomical powerlaunch toe box to improve power, fit and stability.
The low-cut design enables a natural feel and promotes ankle mobility. There is nothing worse than trying to workout in shoes that feel clunky and unresponsive (ever had to complete a normal WOD in lifters?), so this balance between support and movement is ideal.
STYLING AND AESTHETICS
The stripped back, minimal aesthetic to the Nano 7.0 gives it a sleek and refined feel. These trainers are also undoubtedly eye catching with the fiery Solar yellow and black colourway, and the choice not to include any superfluous styling.
Reebok have paid a lot of attention to detail on the visual as well as the performance side. For example, the debossed CrossFit logo on the inside of the upper is subtle and balances the embossed Nano 7.0 on the outside of the shoe.
Built for performance
THE EVOLUTION OF THE NANO
Since the first Nano shoe, Reebok have been working tirelessly to adapt and evolve the features that actually matter to those who take part in the sport of fitness. These are made by Crossfitters, for Crossfitters, which creates a deep understanding of the tough conditions that each pair will be put through every single day. From widening the toe box on the Nano 2.0, the addition of Kevlar on the Nano 5.0, to the Performance Sole and Nano Weave of the Nano 7.0, these features and technologies are developed and improved over time, in accordance with the exact needs of Crossfitters all around the world.
“Full effort is full victory”
Reebok work with a choice selection of the best athletes in CrossFit, providing the kit that will perform for everyone, from everyday Crossfitters pushing their fitness and limits, right through to professional Games athletes.
Make every nanosecond count with your brand-new Reebok Nano 7.0
*The Promotion is open to all individuals who are residents of Germany, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia and Spain, who have reached the age of 16.
Trusted by top athletes such at Matt Fraser and Sara Sigmundsdottir, The Nike Metcon 3 is designed for the demands of modern training, in their iconic signature style. The cross-training shoe’s light breathable construction, moulded flex grooves and embroidered TPU heel reinforcement make it uniquely adapted for explosive movements, rope climbs, wall balls and intensive lifting. With exclusive versions for men and women, it’s time to take your training to the next level.
Push your performance
DETAILS
Flywire cables offer powerful lockdown
Mesh on the heel and ankle helps keep you cool
Forefoot flex grooves allow for natural movement
Heel clip reduces drag during wall exercises such as handstand push ups
Sticky rubber in the forefoot provides powerful traction
Textured rubber wraps up the midfoot for durability during rope exercises
EVOLUTION FROM THE METCON 2
One of the big questions everyone is asking is how does this Metcon compare to the popular previous models? How does it feel and perform?
Lift, jump, run, cut and progress!
The designers of the Nike Metcon 3 have reduced the amount of thermal wrap material in the upper, which gives the shoe a lighter feel that the Metcon 2 and much more of a snug fit. Another advantage is that this helps to reduce cuts and abrasions occurring in the material when the shoe is put through hard training in different weather conditions, both in and outside.
I found the new fit especially helpful for fast movements and quick lifting. There is more flexibility, which makes training more comfortable, yet without any loss of stability, which is often a common problem when shoes are designed to be more lightweight.
Function first
STABILITY FOR LIFTING
The TPU plastic heel has been lowered in order to create a better lock in for lifting. If you ever experienced any heel slippage with the Metcon 2, then this improvement provides an even more stable foundation for you to power your lifts from. The combination of a flat platform and a firm-rubber heel give you incredibly powerful stability, exactly what you need for explosive lifting.
CUSHIONED FOR TRAINING
The updated drop-in midsole is softer and more flexible in the forefoot, which is perfect for quick responsive movements for such as box jumps and bar facing burpees.
An abrasion-resistant film around the midfoot helps to reduce heat and friction during training, and gives the Nike Metcon 3 dependable traction that performs on the gym floor, the track, and training grounds far off the beaten path.
Designed for the toughest workouts
LIGHTWEIGHT AND DURABLE
With embroidered reinforcement in high-wear areas, the Metcon 3 is tough enough for intense training and light enough to help you stay fast on your feet.
The redesigned midsole is eye catching with its interlocking web like texture, whilst also providing strong grip and durability for rope climbs. Effective rope climbing technique is all in the legs, so the confidence I got from this increased lock in translated directly into my performance on the rope, especially when fatigued.
Grip and strength for rope climbs
NIKE METCON 3: SIGNATURE STYLE
The dynamic triangular lines and new textured wraps up the side of the midfoot add great style to the overall aesthetic. Nike have provided a selection of different colourways from the minimal and striking black, white and grey right through to the colourful version with an all almost old school gum coloured sole.
My personal favourite is the all black variation, which accentuates the sharp, clean lines of the trainer. This variation comes with the addition of a swoosh that is luminous in the dark, making it safer for running at night or in the early morning.
If there is one thing that Nike do well, it is creating iconic shoes. The Metcon is no exception to that rule. The Nike Metcon 3 not only looks striking, but it performs when it matters. With these cross-training shoes, form follows function, and the aesthetics, materials and features converge into a meaningful update of an already excellent shoe.
Christmas brings us athletes many gifts and training gear such as a flashy new lifting belt or those cute pink wrist wraps you’ve always wanted. However over-reliance upon equipment can hide some weaknesses that could lead to injury. Questions about what shoes to wear, what knee sleeves to buy, whether one should wear wrist wraps are so common that I feel that now is the time to explain when and where to use supports in your training.
3 Things To Consider Before Reading On
What gear do you use for training?
1. How long have you been training?
Front rack and full squat positions, overhead movements, kettlebell work and other exercises all require time to let the body adjust to the stresses upon itself. This may take months or years. Your ankles and wrists will become more flexible, your legs will become stronger and your core strength will improve ten-fold.
2. Do You Have Any Previous or Recurring Injuries?
Anyone carrying a previous ACL (knee ligament) tear should probably support the knee during the heavy parts of training if they are unsure as to whether the knee is ready for it. The body will often adapt and strengthen without the use of these ‘crutches’ but you must also be aware of your own injury conditions and levels of risk.
3. How Often Will You Be Training?
Training two to three times a week will give the body plenty of time to rest and recuperate. Training up to five or six times a week the joints and muscles can become almost chronically fatigued, especially if you are attacking a WOD each time. One fatigued and badly timed clean could result in a wrist sprain. Adapting your use of equipment to suit any niggles or injuries during each heavy training period can help avoid injury but also reduce any over reliance on equipment.
EQUIPMENT
Train for success
BELTS
We have all seen the ‘gym bro’ wearing his belt for the entirety of his session, and so loose that it provides no support whatsoever. A tight core allows power to pass into the barbell or item you may be hoisting into the air.
The belt is there to increase that intra-abdominal pressure which helps to create tension in the core.
Therefore there are two factors to consider:
When you breathe in and engage the abs does the pressure tighten the belt? (Are you using your belt correctly?)
Does your belt increase the kilograms on your lifts? (Does it actually help?) I find a belt really helps with jerks and not much the clean.
If you think 70kg is going to hurt your back, then we really need to work on some back strengthening. Increasing your deadlift (no back rounding!) will help that confidence. Warming up every session with abdominal and back work before you do any lifting from the floor will help. If you are going to use a belt then I recommend only buckling it up past 85% of your one rep max. I did not start using one till I had cleaned 140kg, Back Squatted 190kg and Deadlifted 210kg (at 77kg bodyweight). A piece of material isn’t going to hold your spine together, a strong core will.
Mikko Salo Squat: 7×3 at 180kg
WRIST WRAPS
A common complaint from the front rack position (for front squats, thrusters, push press) is wrist pain. Consequently rolling (using a peanut or lacross ball) and stretching the wrists, forearms, lats and triceps will help get those elbows into a better position. If you find handstands painful on your wrists then work on loosening the forearm area and stretching the wrists, otherwise approach the other areas mentioned above. However anyone with a previous wrist injury or with a lot of muscle mass in the shoulder area will always be at risk. At this point I recommend wearing wrist wraps just to allow the individual to do the movement.
KNEE SLEEVES
Knee complaints are so frequent and Crossfitters and Weightlifters often have terrible tissue quality in their quadriceps and hip area, mostly because the breaking down of tissue and rebuilding is all part of the process of getting stronger but also because people do not take the time to massage and stretch.
Joint pain often comes from the surrounding muscle tissue and fascia. Whilst a nice warm neoprene knee sleeve will warm the knee and surrounding area up, it may not loosen those tight quadriceps. Whilst I do recommend keeping the knee warm and protected during those cold winter months, our lifters very rarely wear knee protection on our Beaches and Barbell’s training holidays in sunny Cyprus because of the wonderful temperature keeping the muscle tissues warm at all times. We recommend these for competitions or personal best attempts if you are ‘weaker’ in the squat.
TRAINING GEAR – SHOES
If you care about lifting more weight then make sure you wear weightlifting shoes.
Not wearing weightlifting shoes is like playing tennis with a ping pong bat, sure it looks similar, but it makes the game a lot harder.
They may be expensive but treat them well and weightlifting shoes will last for years! Nike Romaleos, Reebok Legacy Lifters, Adidas Power Perfect 2’s, Adipowers, Leistung & Drehkrafts, and some old school Do-Win’s will all do well in weightlifting but the heel height and wedge is too aggressive for CrossFit. However the Adidas Power Lifts, All of Reebok’s CrossFit range, Nike Metcons, and the Inov-8’s are for Crossfit but often will not suffice for heavy weightlifting because of the lack of ankle flexion and stability they give you.
Things do take time and the body will adjust, albeit up to a certain point so the correct use of equipment will help you reach your potential When it comes down to it, you must ask yourself… does your training outfit match?
This should go without saying. Sometimes it can be easy to lose count when fatigued and in pain, and it happens, but deliberately cutting reps to speed up a score and beat a rival is just sad, and I bet you’ve probably seen someone do it before.
The competitive element of Crossfit is a lot of fun, but the idea of any workout is primarily to make THE ATHLETE fitter, stronger, healthier and more mentally resilient. This changes in Crossfit competitions because the aim is to win, but at this level there are judges anyway to call out any cheaters.
These are some of the funniest memes around, and I guarantee that you will find a lot that relate to the common problems that all athletes, especially Crossfitters, face.
Hey Max, so lets start with your current Snatch and Clean and Jerk PR?
Snatch 153 kg
Clean and Jerk 190 kg
How did you get into weightlifting in the first place?
To be honest, I never had any contact with weightlifting before I started doing this sport. Before, I played soccer in a bigger club in Germany and went to a ‘sports school’. But they kicked me out because of too many injuries. So in order to stay in the ‘sports school’ I decided to change to weightlifting. That was the start of my weightlifting career.
As a professional weightlifter, what does a typical training week look like for you? How does this vary to prepare for competitions?
A typical training week consists of about 8 Sessions: Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 2 per day respectively. Tuesday and Saturday consist of one training session each. Each session takes about 2 to 3 hours. The morning sessions are the preparation for the second session on that day.
In competition weeks we need a lot of rest, so we lower our sessions to 4 per week to be totally recovered for the competition.
What accessory exercises work well for you, and you would recommend as essential to other athletes wanting to improve their lifting?
The basis for weightlifting is a lot of squats and pulls to improve one’s strength. In addition, exercises that protect your body from injuries are essential, especially for your shoulders, knees and back.
Important exercises for athletes who want to improve their lifting are muscle snatches and snatch balance for the snatch. For clean and jerk the exercises are hang cleans, push presses and jerks from blocks.
How do you program basic strength work such as squat variations, deadlifts etc into your training?
Basic strength work is very useful especially in the beginning of a new preparation period. In addition, I also use machines for training purposes. Instead of deadlifts, I do snatch- or clean pulls with heavy weights until the hips. It does not really matter what exercise you do, but they must be new to your muscles.
Max competing
How do you improve speed under the bar in the Snatch?
That’s not easy to say, because I started with this sport nearly 10 years ago. It seems to have improved throughout the years and I more or less do it without thinking about it.
Good exercises for an improvement could be snatch balances and snatches from the block, because you have to be fast to have a good lift.
Olympic Weightlifting is obviously an incredibly technical sport, how do you stay focused on the small details, especially with once the weights get heavy for you?
That’s simple! When doing the snatch, you have your starting position: first pull, second pull and the transition. Most athletes see two steps, pulling and standing up. But I try to work step by step in every training session and after a while you will do this automatically. So in my mind, I run the course of the motions and the steps that I have to focus on. For me these are the starting position and the second pull.
Do you have any mental tactics for staying focused and lifting well during competitions?
I always look for a chair, sit down, put a towel over my head and try to cool down for a moment and focus again.
Calm, determined and mentally on point
What do you think about the way that Crossfit workouts incorporate Olympic Weightlifting exercises?
The idea is very good! Weightlifting is perfect to improve one’s strength and you work on a lot of muscles and muscle groups. The problem is that Crossfit is dependent on time… so a lot of athletes forget to do the exercises properly and with good technique. When these athletes lift heavy weights with bad technique, that can be bad for their health and bodies later on.
Have you ever tried a Crossfit workout before?
Yes! My first WOD was „FRAN“, three years ago and it was tough. A new experience for me. Every part of my body was in pain after the WOD, but it was nice.
What advice would you give to Crossfitters in order to stay safe with their lifting at such high intensity?
I would say that especially in the training sessions where they only lift, one has to train with a lot of patience. Being hasty is not going to get you anywhere. The technique must be clean and well-performed, even more so when all of this takes place in high intensity. You also have to be extremely concentrated for every lift.
Focus is vital
You lifted at the recent German Throwdown, how did you find the experience? How have these two sports had an impact on each other in your opinion?
The German Throwdown was awesome! A lot of people visited the hall and made a lot of noise! I was able to meet a lot of athletes and had some nice conversations. I really enjoyed it and had a lot of fun.
The Crossfit athletes were able to improve their weightlifting skills with our help. Some of them actually started to lift for weightlifting clubs to get better. People started to be interested in weightlifting through Crossfit. So it’s a win-win situation for both sides.
THE FUTURE OF OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING
What was your opinion of the various medal disqualifications due to doping and the scandal involving the Russian team at the Olympics?
I mean the Olympic idea is to do have a fair and clean competition. If there are athletes who sabotage this idea, the only logical consequence is to disqualify them. It is simply unfair and disrespectful to all the athletes who follow the rules.
What steps should be taken to provide a positive, drug free structure in International Olympic Weightlifting?
A step could be to make sure that every doping test is safe. Independent inspectors and labs. I also think that every coach or official who ever coached a positive-tested athlete or ever was positive himself, should be banned.
MOBILITY AND STRETCHING
How much time do you dedicate to improving your flexibility, and how much of an impact does this have on your lifting?
Not enough. Flexibility is a very important part of weightlifting. I would say you have to do special sessions only on flexibility. More flexibility reduces the risk of injury, you will get a higher range of motion and more strength. And more strength is really the big goal.
Flexibility is a hugely important part of Weightlifting
Any tips for improving shoulder mobility and strength?
Banded distraction and loaded stretches. And you can also follow me on Instagram and take a look at my YouTube channel. We do a lot of mobility exercises in cooperation with my friends of „Tools for Success“
Do you have any long-term goals for your weightlifting career?
Sure! To stay healthy and never to lose the fun in weightlifting!
What do you like to do when you get a well-earned day off?
I am usually very tired after all the previous sessions. So I like to chill, listen to music and have a nice dinner.
As I’m sure you all know! The open is upon us! A time I absolutely love. As really as mean as the workouts can be, it does give you a great marker to see where you’re at, what you have improved on and what you still need to improve on, such is the life of a crossfitter… You’ll always have something to keep getting better at!
Pretty much, your strength work is done! It’s all about how fast and well you can do reps for time now and the better you move the more you can concentrate on your breathing! Here are 3 tips to help you with your efficiency with the workouts and hopefully aid you to hitting that first muscle up when they inevitably come out again!
1. BARBELL CYCLING
In certain circumstances, you are only as good at lifting weight as you are at setting it down again! This is the number one error I see at beginner Crossfit competitions. When you are doing touch and go reps you HAVE to set yourself up in a good position to lift again on your reset.
If you don’t you’re going to risk getting tired faster and also a niggling back injury! Loading the posterior chain and just lightly touching the floor and going for your next rep will make the weight lighter to you and also help you to conserve energy. Not having to “save” dodgy lifts, if you feel like you need to completely relax in the bottom then take the break.
This applies to your ground to overhead, snatches, cleans and deadlifts. This will feel like a lot of hard work the first few times you drill it but ultimately, when it becomes second nature to you, your fitness will seem to increase dramatically for some magical reason…
2. WALL BALLS
Again, that slight shift in position will mess up everything and cause you to lean forward or even MISS (but it’s probably the judges fault right!?). Focus on the front squat and keeping your elbows up and really power the movement from the legs! Same applies to thrusters too! Everyone seems to want to push early with their arms and it’s just wasted effort! Use the weight as your counterbalance to make your squat easier and you’ll be far stronger and not gas as quick either!
3. THE OPEN: TIME FOR THAT FIRST MUSCLE UP!
For some of you it is coming! I don’t normally let any of my athletes attempt a kipping muscle up until they can do a strict one… But it is the open and I know you are all going to do it anyway.
Please DO NOT attempt if you cannot do a solid ring dip from the very bottom position. Have patience! Hips to the rings or bar THEN sit up, if you can use your lats to give you the height in your kip and use a good hollow body position you’ll nail it! Be fast but at the right point! I have demonstrated a few quite slowly to show how much time you have if you can just get the height with your kip!!
If you find these tips helpful and would like to see more please follow my coach page and don’t be afraid to say hello!
Get your wods on! Don’t skip any classes and get signed up! Ask your coach what you need to work on and get some honest feedback! Good luck everyone!!
“So that means no energy is spent on eccentric. There is no grinding of the joints. There is no skill to stop you. That means I can push the intensity as high as I want. You’re going to be able to push as hard as YOU want. The body has no reason to not go a little bit further into intensity.”
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double body weight!!! #grunt #causeyourabeast Hahahahahaha that’s exciting! #tokyo2020 #olympicdreamcomingatya #workhard #beproud #mint @cjinvictus #tinybutmighty @haloneuroscience
