Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Lots to Do!


FIRST OFF, THE CAMP PENDLETON MUD RUN GOES LIVE THIS WEEKEND!
IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER ON JANUARY 1, YOU WILL MISS OUT ENTIRELY.
This is an absolute BLAST!!! You will Kick yourself if you miss it!

Here Is The Schedule:
SAT Jun 5th – Solos
SUN Jun 6th – Teams Of 5
SAT Jun 12th – Solos
SAT Jun 19th – Solos
Here's a photo of Team CrossFit Academy's Red Militia (including yours truly) crossing the finish line. We earned a first place medal in the boots and utes category. 

How about a TEAM SURVIVAL team for 2010?


WOD
Texas Cardio V2
(Courtesy again of our friends atTeam CrossFit Academy)

Wanna know what this is? You've got to show up to find out.

Other than that, I wish all of you and yours a very
HAppY NeW YeAr!!!

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

What Does it All Mean?

PM CLASS WILL BE MEETING INSIDE TONIGHT DUE TO RAIN.
10438 ORO VISTA AVE AT NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH. ENTER OFF ELDORA, WHICH IS THE STREET BETWEEN ORO VISTA AND SCOVILLE.


WOD
BACKSQUAT
2-2-2-2-2-2


Followed by a very short visit to something hellish.


Monday, December 28, 2009

Is Sugar a Drug?

Dr. Barry Sears, who wrote The Zone has become the "nutritionist of choice" of CrossFit HQ. Per Coach Glassman, this is primarily because the Zone can be measured, and thus is easier to adjust.


Dr. Sears admits that ideally one should eat a Paleo Diet in Zone proportions, but he also states emphatically that he believes food combining is far more important to one's health than eating Paleo in unlimited quantities. If you are a subscriber to the CrossFit Journal (see link from my home page), there is a terrific video regarding this found in the archives of December 6, 2009.


That is a pretty powerful statement and perhaps worth exploring. Once again, per Dr. Sears, FOOD COMBINING (40% CARBS, 30% PROTEIN, 30% FAT) AT EVERY MEAL IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN EATING HEALTHY FOODS IN UNLIMITED OR UNCOMBINED PROPORTIONS.



Ok. So what does that have to do with sugar? Find out whether cocaine or sugar is more addictive. Here is a short excerpt from a video from Dr. Sears' site that is literally food for thought. Click here. Then click on "Sugar Addiction". 


SCROLL DOWN ONCE YOU CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO THE VIDEO CALLED "SUGAR ADDICTION".



What do you think of this? Will this change how you proceed into 2010 regarding your eating habits? 


WOD FOR TUESDAY
BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL AM AND PM
3 ROUNDS FOR TIME

50 M WALKING LUNGES
50M BEAR CRAWLS

100 M SPRINT
50 M BURPEE BROAD JUMPS
50 M BACKWARDS RUN

100 M HI KNEE SKIPS  




 





Sunday, December 27, 2009

Welcome Back from Holiday Land

CrossFit Warrior WOD
"The Murph"

1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run


In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005. 

To read more about Lt. Murphy click here: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_seal_moh_071011w/ 

TUESDAY AM/ PM MEETS AT BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL TRACK.

  
Post times and comments.





Friday, December 25, 2009

Caption this Photo


I love this photo!
Caption Contest:
Write a caption for this photo--best one gets to create a WOD for next week.

Merry Christmas Everyone!




Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Twas the Night Before Christmas



 
 
 
 
 
 
Filthy Fifties Pics from Last Week Revisted

WOD AM ONLY (NO CLASS PM)
BURGENER WARM UP
LEARN THE SNATCH



FOLLOWED BY:
3RFTO
200 M SPRINT
20 PUSH UPS
20 BOX JUMPS


Post thoughts, hopes and wishes to comments


Tuesday, December 22, 2009

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
CHRISTMAS EVE AM CLASS ONLY 
CHRISTMAS DAY CLOSED
NEW YEAR'S EVE AM CLASS ONLY 
NEW YEAR'S DAY CLOSED

WOD
AMRAP IN 25 MINS:

100 jump rope
200m Farmer's Walk (M 60/W40) 
20m OH Walking Lunges w/plate (M 35/W25)
15 Squats
10 Sit Ups w/plate
Weight flips back to start


Followed by:
Max Box Jumps 1 Minute
 

Monday, December 21, 2009

 
Team Hamstring Stretching Post 4 mile run from Last Week

Here is an excellent video on heel striking from CrossFit Endurance:

WOD
6 x 200M SPRINTS WITH 20 SECS REST IN BETWEEN
REST 3 MINS
10 x 100M SPRINTS WITH 10 SECS REST IN BETWEEN

Meet at Burbank High School
Park in the Garage Underneath and Meet on the Track

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Another Great Weekend!

Thank you all so very much for attending the First Annual Team Survival Christmas Party on Friday night. WHAT A BLAST!!  We had so much fun playing beer pong, eating amazing Paleo Spaghetti Squash with Meatsauce and Jenny's (now) famous Paleo brownies, pot roast, flank steak, fruit, nuts, veggies....well, you know!

If you missed out, hey, there's always next year!

 
 
 
 
 
MONDAY WOD
"Fran's Sister"
21-15-9
Squat Thrusters (M 95, W 65)
Push Ups
Followed By: 85% Max DL
2-2-2

TUESDAY AM/ PM
MEET AT BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL

Did you have fun? What are your goals for next year?


Thursday, December 17, 2009

Ready to Cut Loose?

It's PARTY TIME!!
Come all ye Team Survivalists to our First Annual Holiday Fest and PARTY! Let's get down and get funky!

 Tonight
7:30pm
Jacque's House
8520 Wyngate, Sunland, CA

(SW Corner of Floralita and Wyngate)
Bring something Paleo

WOD (AM ONLY)
AS A TEAM, COMPLETE:


WALL BALL SIT UPS
DEADLIFTS
JUMP ROPE
HANDSTANDS
BEAR CRAWLS
WALL SQUATS
SUICIDES
PUSH UPS

For those who aren't coming to the party, who want a Friday night WOD, complete:
75 SIT UPS
200 JUMP ROPE
10 HANDSTANDS
100m BEAR CRAWLS
15 WALL SQUATS
100m SUICIDES X 5

25 PUSH UPS

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Thursday WOD

We will be meeting INSIDE the church on Thursday AM and on the basketball court in the PARK in the PM.

WOD
Test for Max
Shoulder Press or Push Press


Followed by:
50 Sit Ups for Time

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Blame it on Jacque

Jacque requested we do "Filthy Fifties" again, so here it is:


For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions (subbing supermans)
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders



If you have a favorite workout, or if you have an idea for a WOD you like to do, submit it to comments section of the blog. Then you can have as many friends as Jacque will after this!

WE WILL BE MEETING IN THE PARK BOTH FOR AM AND PM CLASSES.

Monday, December 14, 2009

New Year's Eve Race or 179 Mile Relay Anyone?

C'mon! Can you think of a cooler way to celebrate New Year's Eve than with 100 CrossFitters running a race that culminates in a huge New Year's Eve bash?  I can't.

So join me and a bunch of our friends from Team CrossFit Academy at the Midnight Marauder Run this New Year's Eve!

ALL of the details can be found here: www.teammisdirected.blogspot.com but here are some of them:


What: A New Year's Eve adventure race. There will be a long and a short course.

Where: The race will be hosted by Team Misdirected and will start at the Baumgartner's:
1641 Delford Ave.
Duarte, CA

When: New Year's Eve

Race starts at 8:45, with instructions prior to.

Race will finish before we ring in the New Year

Race check-in will be between 7:30 and 8:15.


Who: We hope all of you. Teams can be either 2 or 4 people.

Registration Fee:  None


THEN...
Prepare to run ANOTHER race
Ragnar Relay Series

PICTURE THIS: Beach Bunnies. Movie Premiers. You and 11 of your closest friends running day and night. Starting in the American Riviera, Santa Barbara, your team of 12 runners will embark on a 177 mile adventure-fest. The party in your van will only get better as you leap frog your way down the beautiful Pacific Coast. You'll feel the ocean-spray as you fly past the star-studded Malibu, Ca and the "South-Swells" of Huntington Beach. The race (and your stamina) will wrap up where the spectacular bluffs meet the crashing waves of Dana Point.

Running three legs during a 24-hour relay race is much easier than you think. Each team member runs three legs, ranging between 3 and 8 miles. This relay race is physically demanding, but legs vary in difficulty, and runners can choose their legs. This unique relay format makes Los Angeles an accessible race for beginners yet challenging enough for the most competitive.

How do you get from one exchange to the next? Each team is allowed two support vehicles. The first vehicle will drop off the first runner, drive ahead a few miles, cheer the runner on, and provide them with water, snacks, and plenty of love. That vehicle will then drive ahead to the first exchange point to drop off the second runner and pick up the first runner when that leg is complete. They will repeat this pattern for six legs until they hand off to their second vehicle. This leapfrogging pattern will continue all the way to the finish line. 

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
a.
All LOCAL teams must provide three (3) volunteers* for the race (van drivers do not count as volunteers). Teams are considered LOCAL if they have 1 or more team members within 100 miles of any point on the course. If no one on your teams lives within 100 miles of any point on the course you do not have to provide volunteers. 


Deadline: 01/15/10

Team Fee: $1,140.00



  Registration fees are non-refundable.
 

Deadline: 02/28/10

Team Fee: $1,320.00




CHARLES BALDERRAMA IS OUR TEAM CAPTAIN. CONTACT HIM VIA THIS BLOG IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, SO HE CAN COORDINATE THIS EFFORT.


We need 12 people, 2 drivers and 3 volunteers in order to pull this off!
Post name and interest level to comments section. I'll forward your email address to Charles.


POST NAME AND COMMENTS REGARDING ANYTHING!

WOD
(Meeting at Burbank High School AM/PM)
Run One Mile @ 85% effort
Rest 1/2 the time it took you
Run Two Miles @ 90% effort
Rest 5 minutes
Run One Mile at 95% effort



Sunday, December 13, 2009

Badass Babes, Holiday Ho Hos and other Craziness



Jacque and Sandra completed the Say No to Drugs 5K race on Sunday. Both ladies turned in stellar, PR performances.  Jacque landed a 3rd place medal in her age group with a completion time of 26:06 and Sandra came in 6th place in her age group completing in 27:56.  Very well done, Badass Babes of Team Survival!!  Just more proof that CrossFit programming works.

Update on our Holiday Fest/Party this Friday Night
We have more meat than we'll know what to do with. We have spaghetti squash and meatsauce, a roast, a turkey, and flank steak. We also have chopped veggie salad, and steamed veggies. We need a veggie tray, nuts, avocados, gluten and sugar free treats, fruit salad, beer and wine. If you have a specialty, by all means bring it! 


Please reply to comments with what you are planning to bring if you haven't told me already.


Dave, Keren and Charles replied to my Secret Santa hint email, so if you drew their names and want some help, see me on Monday. For the rest of you, please check your email boxes and get your info to Shannon.

 WOD
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
PUSH UPS
HANG POWER CLEANS (95/65)
SIT UPS
SQUATS
"What’s a Power Clean? The Clean starts in a position similar to the Deadlift. Clean the barbell from the floor. Catch the bar in the Front Squat starting position. 
  • Hang Clean. Cleans with the bar starting around knee level instead of on the floor. The bar “hangs”. Powerful movement.
  • Power Clean. Hips don’t come lower than parallel. You need to pull the bar higher & accelerate as much as you can.
Mike Burgener Coaching Sage Burgener on the Power Clean

TUESDAY AM/PM CLASSES MEET AT BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL
WEDNESDAY AM/PM CLASSES  MEET AT STONEHURST PARK

Post comments, thoughts and results

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Christmas Party and a CRAZY UPCOMING RACE



PM CLASS WILL MEET INDOORS TONIGHT DUE TO RAIN. 
We will be meeting at New Hope Community Church, which takes up the block on Foothill Blvd. between Oro Vista and Eldora. Park on Eldora. Look for my car (gray, Nissan Xterra). I will be parked right next to the door. Come on in, it will be warm and TOASTY!


The following is a list of all people who have RSVP'ed for our First Annual Holiday FEST at Jacque's house on next Friday, December 18th at 7:30 pm. 

IF YOU ARE ON THIS LIST AND SHOULDN'T BE OR ARE NOT ON THIS LIST AND SHOULD BE, PLEASE RESPOND ON THE BLOG OR TELL SHANNON ASAP. 

Charles, Rosa, Shannon, Jacque, Jenny, Dave S., Keren, Prisca, Sandra, Janet, Elia, Veronica, Greg

Maybe List
Christy

Maryann
Mari
Bret

 

This will also be our SECRET SANTA list!!!!

Come Join Us on April 23-24 2010 for the RAGNAR RELAY SERIES, this is a 6-12 person TEAM relay of 179 miles from Santa Barbara to Dana Point. If you are interested in participating in this event please contact Shannon right away or leave your name on the blog.
Don’t miss out on the fun!!!


Ragnar Relay Series

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Learning to Suffer

Yesterday we did Fight Gone Bad. The entire workout, including 2 one minute rest periods, is 17 minutes. Did you suffer any?


I hope so. 


Jacque  mentioned that one of the reasons she likes CrossFit is because through it, she has learned to suffer.She realized that it is only through suffering that there is growth.



The old adage "no pain no gain" came about through the fitness industry.


Society teaches us to avoid suffering at all costs. Psychiatrists want to put us all on drugs, so we can handle life better and avoid all pain and suffering. Truth be told, the only way to handle life, is to handle life.


Is learning not to fear suffering a step toward conquering it? What are your thoughts on this?

REMINDER, AM CLASS IS MEETING INDOORS AT THE CHURCH, PM CLASS IS OUTDOORS AT THE PARK.
WOD
LEARN TO FRONT SQUAT
FOLLOWED BY 10 x 100M SPRINT REPEATS WITH 10 SECONDS REST IN BETWEEN 

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Fight Gone Bad

REMINDER: WEDS AND THURS AM CLASSES HELD INDOORS AT NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH

PM CLASS WILL BE OUTSIDE IN THE PARK ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. DRESS WARM, BUT BE PREPARED TO SWEAT!

"Fight Gone Bad!"

This is CrossFit's famous "Fight Gone Bad" workout. It has been used extensively to prep fighters for the UFC. In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. This has been in 3 and 5 round versions. Today is 3 rounds. The stations are: 

Wall-ball 20 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps) (Women's 16 pound ball, 8 ft target)
Sumo deadlift high-pull 75 pounds (Reps) (Women's 55 pounds)
Box Jump 20" box (Reps)
Push-press 75 pounds (Reps) (Women's 55 pounds)
Row (Calories) (Team Survival will sub burpees)



The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate", the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep.



Post your experience and/or thoughts to comments.

Monday, December 7, 2009

All New Nutritional Information

Excerpted from The Paleo Diet Update www.ThePaleoDiet.com
Loren Cordain, Ph.D.

December 6, 2009 Volume 2 Issue 2
(Originally published July 1, 2006)

 
"Recent Scientific Findings: Acid/Base Balance
One of the major nutritional characteristics of ancestral human diets that have been almost totally ignored in both the lay and scientific literature is acid/base balance. Pick up the latest best selling diet book, be it a reincarnation of Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution, The South Beach Diet or whatever, and I can guarantee you that it will not even touch upon this crucial concept.
Briefly, let me review the basic concept. All foods upon digestion report to the kidney as acid, base or neutral. Acid yielding foods are all cereal grains, meats, cheeses, fish and salt. The only base yielding foods are fruits and vegetables1, 2. Fats, they typically displace base yielding fruits and vegetables, they are partially responsible for the net acid load in the typical western diet3, 4. There are a number of adverse health effects either partially or wholly caused by a net acid yielding diet including: osteoporosis, hypertension, stroke, calcium kidney stones, age-related muscle wasting, asthma and exercise-induced asthma2-6. For more information visit: http://www.thepaleodiet.com/nutritional_tools/acid.shtml."

And from the other CrossFit loved nutrition guru, Dr. Barry Sears, CrossFit Video Series, December 5, 2009

Paleo VS Zone: Part 4 of the Conversation

"Dr. Barry Sears has no problem with the Paleo Diet recommendation to only eat foods that were around 10,000 years ago. The creator of the Zone Diet takes issue only with the idea that you can eat unrestricted quantities of those foods.

“Ancient foods” are more compatible with our genes, but Dr. Sears contends that balancing fat, carbohydrates and protein is still critical to reducing inflammation and improving health. The strict Zone Diet is actually a Paleo-Zone plan that balances these macronutrients in high-quality foods and spreads calorie consumption out through a series of smaller meals. It turns out low food quality isn’t the only thing that can damage your health.

“The other way to raise inflammation is to consume too many calories at each meal,” Dr. Sears says. “So what is too many calories? Anything more than 500 calories. Maybe six, max.”

If Sears had to choose between weighing and measuring quantities of any food and eating unregulated quantities of Paleo foods, he would choose the former. The best approach is to actually combine the two. 

“I think that the consistency of using the weigh-and-measure approach will give you far greater anti-inflammatory benefits than basically an unlimited, unrestricted Paleo Diet,” Sears says. “Now combine the two, well then basically it is truly synergistic.”

Post Thoughts and Comments 

 WOD
AT THE BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL TRACK AM AND PM
1 MILE SPRINT
AMRAP IN REST OF 20:
25 BURPEES
25 LUNGE STEPS
 






MONDAY NIGHT BOOT CAMP IS ON AT INSIDE LOCATION

ATTENTION:


Thanks to New Hope Community Church, we have a home for this evening's boot camp. New Hope Community Church is located at 10438 Oro Vista Ave in Sunland. If you are coming from Stonehurst Community Park, head East on Sunland Blvd (into Sunland). PASS Oro Vista Ave and turn right at the very next street, which is Eldora. There is no street sign there, but if you pass Scoville, you've gone too far. Park on Eldora. The church is right on the corner. You'll see my car parked in a driveway. The entrance is right there.


See you tonight!!


Also a big thank you to Pat and Barbara of Horsepower Golf who also offered up their space. We will definitely take you up on that next time!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

The Importance of Fitness and Its Impact on the Will

I want to remind everyone that our First Annual Christmas and Boot Camp Graduation Party will be on Friday night, December 18th at 7:30pm at Jacque's house (address released later). We will be having a gift exchange, only for those attending the party, so if you're planning to attend, you MUST let me know today, so I can put your name in a hat. Just say yes or no on the blog; that will suffice.

If you have not been to boot camp in a while, you are still warmly invited! Everyone must bring a Paleo dish or treat, as this will be a potluck style affair.

THERE WILL BE NO PM BOOT CAMP ON THAT DATE!

NEW INFORMATION
For the rest of the Winter, until further notice, AM boot camp will meet indoors on MONDAYS AND THURSDAYS (not Wednesdays as originally stated).

ONCE AGAIN, AM BOOT CAMP MEETS AT NEW HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH ON MONDAY AND THURSDAY MORNINGS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. We will still meet at the park on Wednesdays and Fridays, and we will still do some sort of trail or speed work on Tuesdays, so continue to check the blog on Mondays for further details.

THIS WEEK'S TRAIL/SPEED WORK WILL BE ONCE AGAIN AT BURBANK HIGH SCHOOL FOR AM AND PM CLASSES. WE WILL BE DOING AN ASSESSMENT.

From the CrossFit Journal 23 article, "Why Fitness"?, July 2004, by Greg Glassman

"For CrossFitters, fitness is part of a distinctly human enterprise – conscious and deliberate self-actualization. Being, very deliberately, all we can be. Our various capacities certainly include many that are physical. In some circles, affecting complete disdain for physical activity and achievement, artfully suggests intellectual focus, and hopefully, superiority. For us, evidence, experience, and logic favor models that recognize a vast and often irreducible interaction of mental and physical domains. We believe that exercising is smart and makes us smarter.

Recent analysis of the profound difference in genetic expression between exercising and sedentary people and the resulting disorder in multiple body systems of the sedentary suggest to us that normal brain function in sedentary individuals may eventually be shown by disadvantage of gene expression to be impossible. http://jp.physoc.org/cgi/content/full/543/2/399


Anyone who exercises regularly can quickly speak to its impact on mood and mental function. Someday, science will show that exercise doesn’t exactly produce unnaturally ebullient or buoyant mental states as much as being sedentary induces unnaturally depressive brain chemistry environments.


There’s another nonhealth advantage to becoming fit that doesn’t require blurring conventional or colloquial distinctions between mind and body but, rather, acknowledges the distinction and uses physical experience and successes to draw effective strategies for success in non-physical domains.


At CrossFit we call this the “transference effect”. What we know is that the gym is a testing ground for improving and developing the will. Physical achievement, fitness, requires repeatedly converting thought to action or giving expression to your will. The costs to physical achievement are real, painfully tangible, measurable, and fleeting while the rewards are equally real and measurable but sweet, not painful and long lasting rather than fleeting."


WOD
IN TEAMS COMPLETE

AMRAP IN 20 OF
SUICIDES TOTALING 100M 
CONE SHUFFLE
10 SQUATS
10 SIT UPS
20' BEAR CRAWLS

 

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Okay everyone, it is set. Our Christmas Party is Friday, December 18th at 7:30pm. Bring something Paleo for a potluck dinner. We will draw names out of a hat on Monday for a gift exchange. YOU MUST BE AT THE PARTY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GIFT EXCHANGE. A $10 maximum is allowed.



WOD
A Jackie Kind of Relay

In Teams of 2

1000m sprint
50 Squat Thrusters w/ 45# bar or DBs
30 Jumping Pull Ups

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Learning the Backsquat

From the CrossFit Journal article, "Popular Biomechanics" by Mark Rippetoe,  first published in Journal Issue 55, March 2007.


"..It is possible to identify certain aspects of any correct squat, regardless of bar position.

At the top of the squat:


• All the skeletal components that support the bar—the knees, hips, and spine—will be locked in extension so that the muscular components have to exert only enough force to maintain this resting position
• The bar will be directly over the mid-foot


At the bottom of the squat:


• The spine will be held rigid in lumbar and thoracic extension
• The bar will be directly vertical to the middle of the foot
• The feet will be flat on the ground
• The acetabulum, or hip joint, will be lower than the top of the patella"




With subscription to the CrossFit Journal, entire article is available here:

WOD
LEARN THE BACKSQUAT 

On Virtuosity

An Open Letter To CrossFit Instructors: CFJ Aug 05 Coach Glassman


“In gymnastics, completing a routine without error will not get you a perfect score, the 10.0—only a 9.7. To get the last three tenths of a point, you must demonstrate “risk, originality, and virtuosity” as well as make no mistakes in execution of the routine. Risk is simply executing a movement that is likely to be missed or botched; originality is a movement or combination of movements unique to the athlete—a move or sequence not seen before. Understandably, novice gymnasts love to demonstrate risk and originality, for both are dramatic, fun, and awe inspiring— especially among the athletes themselves, although audiences are less likely to be aware when either is demonstrated.


Virtuosity, though, is a different beast altogether. Virtuosity is defined in gymnastics as “performing the common uncommonly well.” Unlike risk and originality, virtuosity is elusive, supremely elusive. It is, however, readily recognized by audience as well as coach and athlete. But more importantly, more to my point, virtuosity is more than the requirement for that last tenth of a point; it is always the mark of true mastery (and of genius and beauty). There is a compelling tendency among novices developing any skill or art, whether learning to play the violin, write poetry, or compete in gymnastics, to quickly move past the fundamentals and on to more elaborate, more sophisticated movements, skills, or techniques. This compulsion is the novice’s curse—the rush to originality and risk. The novice’s curse is manifested as excessive adornment, silly creativity, weak fundamentals and, ultimately, a marked lack of virtuosity and delayed mastery. If you’ve ever had the opportunity to be taught by the very best in any field you’ve likely been surprised at how simple, how fundamental, how basic the instruction was. The novice’s curse afflicts learner and teacher alike.


Physical training is no different. What will inevitably doom a physical training program and dilute a coach’s efficacy is a lack of commitment to fundamentals. We see this increasingly in both programming and supervising execution. Rarely now do we see prescribed the short, intense couplets or triplets that epitomize CrossFit programming. Rarely do trainers really nitpick the mechanics of fundamental movements. I understand how this occurs. It is natural to want to teach people advanced and fancy movements. The urge to quickly move away from the basics and toward advanced movements arises out of the natural desire to entertain your client and impress him with your skills and knowledge. But make no mistake: it is a sucker’s move. Teaching a snatch where there is not yet an overhead squat, teaching an overhead squat where there is not yet an air squat, is a colossal mistake. This rush to advancement increases the chance of injury, delays advancement and progress, and blunts the client’s rate of return on his efforts. In short, it retards his fitness.
If you insist on basics, really insist on them, your clients will immediately recognize that you are a master trainer. They will not be bored; they will be awed. I promise this. They will quickly come to recognize the potency of fundamentals.
They will also advance in every measurable way past those not blessed to have a teacher so grounded and committed to basics. Training will improve, clients will advance faster, and you will appear more experienced and professional and garner more respect, if you simply recommit to the basics. There is plenty of time within an hour session to warm up, practice a basic movement or skill or pursue a new PR or max lift, discuss and critique the athletes’ efforts, and then pound out a tight little couplet or triplet utilizing these skills or just play. Play is important. Tire flipping, basketball, relay races, tag, Hooverball, and the like are essential to good programming, but they are seasoning—like salt, pepper, and oregano. They are not main courses. CrossFit trainers have the tools to be the best trainers on earth. I really believe that. But good enough never is, and we want that last tenth of a point, the whole
10.0. We want virtuosity!”


Aimee Anaya demonstrating full triple extension on a Snatch.
For more information about her and Snatching, visit www.cathletics.com

WOD
AMRAP IN 25 OF
200 M SPRINT
20 BOX JUMPS
20 BURPEES