We have been using the percentage based lifting protocol for a while now at CrossFit Edmonton and have some really great success. With many new people in our program these days I thought I’d give us all a refresher of why we do it and also when we do it.

The particular template we have adopted was developed by Micheal Rutherford out of Shawnee Mission, Kansas where he runs a successful gym and CrossFit affiliate. Coach Rutherford has been in the strength and conditioning industry for many years and is highly accredited by his peers including Robb Wolf (NorCal Strength and conditioning) and Greg Evert (Catalyst Athletics). Coach Rut (as he is referred too) along with some of the other mentioned coaches also spoke at the first Black Box Summit, which was a CrossFit affiliate-run event that Chad got a chance to attend and spoke very highly of on his return.

The reasoning for adopting his strength template was to give our clients a more focused and planned approach to strength training.  For each workout there is a specific amount of weight assigned by way of a percentage of your 1Rep Max to each set. This allows you to map out a targeted plan for that session. It gives you a training goal and removes the subjective tinkering we’ve all done to the ladder approach “just lift as heavy as you can, every time”. A successfully executed workout is one that lets you know your heading towards your goals and a unsuccessful execution allows you to dial in more closely a goal that is appropriate for you.

Now this is all fine and dandy for someone who has a solid idea of what their 1 Rep Max is for the various lifts, but what about the beginner, someone who doesn’t know their 1 rep max value? The beginner will approach the work out similar to how we used to, in that, over the assigned amount of sets the individual will lift up to a weight that feels close to a max in 1, 3 or 5 reps . Then a coach will help estimate a 1 rep value for you.  For example if the work out was a Back Squat with 5 sets of 3 reps prescribed to it, a beginner will lift their first set based on what a coach may suggest and then increase the weight each set until the weight feels substantial. With the help of a coach you will be lifting a weight that is appropriate for your level as your heaviest set.  If this all seems complicated, don’t worry, the details of the design is not important to you coming in and doing the work out, as always a coach will be there to guide you through each step.

With the benefits and the logistics laid out loosely we can now discuss how to maximise your strength gains. The percentage based strength program is threaded into our monthly planning in a particular way. To maximize the results of this method, it is important that you attend the specific classes in which the strength thread is prescribed. The following is an example of a 3 week cycle in which the target is to lift a previous 1 Rep max or set a new 1 Rep max.

Percentage based strength program- 3 week cycle

Percentages for 5,3 and 1 rep work outs are:

If your still with me at his point, the importance of knowing this is to allow you to see forward what days will be strength days and allow you to plan your attendance accordingly. This is important because to best obtain your strength goals you must complete the 5 and 3 rep workouts leading up to the 1 rep test day. But don’t worry, you will still see great results in your fitness by attending the classes that you can when you can. This system is for the individual who hasn’t seen the types of gains they once did and is interested in dialing in the strength training a little more. If this is you then feel free to ask Auty, Suzanne or Brian any questions.

Bill cranking out some weighted ring dips!

Every once in a while I think back to how I first found CrossFit. What was my first workout and what did I think of after doing that first workout. Then I start to think about why I came back for more. Why do I continuously come back for more and what keeps me sticking around. No mater what, and no matter how insane some people say CrossFit is, the answers always put a smile to my face. Maybe I’m just crazy or maybe I just get it, but there’s definitely something here as far as I’m concerned.

However, there’s plenty of people out there who never do either. They never start (possibly because they hear stories and see pictures like the one below) and if they do, they don’t stay. What gives? What sets us apart from the rest? What’s your story?

How did you first hear about CrossFit? What made you decide to actually give it a try? And more importantly, why do you keep coming back for more?!? Please share you stories in comments.

And this is when the husband says “Why the F@<& do you keep going back to that place!?!?!”

This was taken from Greg Everett’s newsletter at Catalyst Athletics:

There is a lot of confusion surrounding the differences in executing a power snatch or clean vs the full squat variation of the lift. Here’s the good news – There’s really no difference. The mechanics of the lifts are identical – the only difference is the height at which the lifter receives the bar and arrests downward movement. For a lift to qualify as power, the athlete must stop with the thighs above horizontal. It doesn’t matter how high the bar is turned over and either fixed overhead or racked on the shoulders; if the athlete continues into a squat or any depth below horizontal thighs, it is not a power snatch or clean.

In all cases, it’s critical to understand that the bar is received above the bottom position and the athlete squats with the weight to some degree. One of the most common mistakes beginners make is trying to “catch low”. This creates problems like incomplete pulls, the bar crashing on the lifter, disconnection between the lifter and the bar, reduced ability to absorb the downward force, less opportunity to correct instability, and more difficult recoveries.

In most workouts, we typically perform power cleans/snatches as they have a faster cycle rate. This has lead to decreased capacities in a squat versions for many people and even a fear of the movements in some. What has been your experience with the squat movements and which do you prefer? What’s your reasoning?

Brett’s vest is only 20lbs and he needed 25… Crossfitters are genius!

Ever tried running barefoot? You have probably seen a few of us around the gym wearing our Vibram Five Fingers. (the funky toe shoes that look silly) We wear these to allow us to run barefoot (or just be barefoot) but still have protection from sharp objects on the ground.

The number one question I get asked when I wear them is “what are those for” while the person points at my feet. Because I’m typically a smart-ass, I usually respond with “what are those for” and I point to their feet. I then say that they serve the same purpose as shoes do to protect my feet but allow my feet to work the way they were designed. They allow my foot and lower leg to absorb my body weight the way nature intended. The way evolution has made them.

The shoe does do quite a good job at absorbing your weight, but it will never be as good as your foot and leg can do. Check out the video below and if you’re up for the challenge, try a short barefoot run. Like anything, your body will get some soreness using new muscles but don’t worry, these muscles were meant to be used!

If you’ve ever run barefoot or in Vibrams, let us know your experience. Post thoughts to comments.

It just keeps getting better and better!

The feature list is amazing! So many uses for a handel!

UPGRADE!

Dual drive gearbox to put you in an ideal workout position!

This one is so good I didn’t wan’t to imbed it here… if you can make it to exercise 10 you’ll be ordering one immediately!

Fun, easy, and only 3 minutes a day! 

Post thoughts to comments.

We are about to make a new equipment purchase but wanted to get some feedback to see what everyone thought first. Below is a great instructional video. Personally, I’m a big fan of the range of motion available with this product.

I still can’t fully decide if it’s actually work/family safe…

This is a 100% legit device!

Oh, and there’s one for men too!

At CrossFit Edmonton, we like to think that the concept is pretty simple. Show up and work hard. That’s about all we ask too. If you come into the facility every time as a motivated person ready to work hard, we can guarantee your results.

The trouble comes with the simple ‘work hard’ principle. Most everything in our lives these days is geared towards convenience and making things easier. So much so that we even start to think that fitness should come easy. We get sold into buying one of the million gimmicks out there thinking it will be that “Magic Pill” Unfortunately, there will never be a magic pill. There is no substitute for good old fashion hard work.

At CrossFit Edmonton, we work hard to create a program that will truly maximize your results. Combine our programing with your hard work and we have a perfect recipe for results.

So the next time you swing by our neck of the woods, know that we only ask one thing of you: show up and work hard!

Post thoughts to comments.

Hard work was everywhere at the Central Canadian Sectionals!

There is no doubt that a CrossFit work out is intense. This intensity is the very thing that can accelerate you to higher levels of fitness by increasing your output. However, we need to manage that output with adequate amounts of recovery in order to find an effect dose of training. Sleep, diet, stress, and the frequency of your training will all have an impact on the quality of your recovery. Ultimately it is the recovery that allows you to most effectively adapt to your training. If your recovery isn’t matching your output, you may be running the risk of overtraining.

Overtraining is a condition that manifests in a number of symptoms. The following is a list of things to watch for as signs of overtraining.

1- Joint pain

Joint pain is related to inflammation within or around any particular joint. This can be caused by factors including poor diet, poor technique and over use. While training can be a great way to help rehabilitate joint pain, too much training can worsen the problem. If you are experiencing joint pain during your CrossFit work outs, please consult with a coach. The pain may be remedied with an analysis of particular techniques or perhaps a referral to a professional who can direct your recovery more specifically. A nagging pain is your body letting you know that something needs to be adjusted with your training. Don’t dismiss joint pain and fight through it. Talk to your coach and we can help direct you towards better recovery.

2- Loss of motivation

If you’ve felt like your work outs have been lack lustre, or your finding it hard to get yourself to the gym, this may be a sigh of overtraining. When your stress-recovery ratio is out of whack your body does a good job giving you signs. The tough part is listening to those signs. In this case you may decide to take a couple extra days off during the week to soak up some more recovery. Heck you may even need to take the whole week off. If your in a sate of overtraining and your worried about losing fitness by taking a week off, think again.  Remember the recovery from the stress that makes you stronger and fitter.

3-Sleep disturbance

When you train intensely, all the systems of your body are demanded to kick into overdrive. In recovery, these systems relax and other systems activate to rebuild and prepare for the next bout. If your recovery systems aren’t completing their job this can leave you feeling restless and excitable during sleep. Poor sleep amplifies poor recovery and this too can lead to overtraining.

4- Performance decrease

Tracking your daily performance can tell you a lot about your progress. The whole point of training is to see an improvement in your performance markers. If these things take a general dip and continue to worsen, it could be a sign of overtraining.

The remedy to overtraining is simple, get better recovery. Better recovery comes from better diet, better sleep and sometimes taking a break. Taking a break might just be the best thing to accelerate your fitness to the next level. Be aware of the signs o overtraining and make sure to take appropriate action. Overtraining isn’t something you can just grit your teeth and train through. Ask a coach if you think you are feeling symptoms of overtraining. If you’ve experienced any of this personally, please share in comments. Often times people can connect much better with a personal story from a peer than from our ramblings on the website.

People who misunderstand CrossFit commonly view pictures like these as Overtraining. Those who have experienced an effectively coached CrossFit program, and therefore properly understand CrossFit, easily recognize pictures like these as Recovery, a key component to avoid Overtraining.

Over the past couple of weeks you may have noticed a percentage prescription attached to our strength workouts. We’ve tried to give everyone a quick run down on the reasoning for this, but i feel like a more detailed description will allow you to appreciate it and plan  in accordance to maximizing your strength results.

The particular template we have adopted was developed by Micheal Rutherford out of Shawnee Mission, Kansas where he runs a successful gym and CrossFit affilate. Coach Rutherford has been in the strength and conditioning industry for many years and is highly accredited by his peers including Robb Wolf (NorCal Strength and conditioning) and Greg Evert (Catalyst Athletics). Coach Rut (as he is referred too) along with some of the other mentioned coaches also spoke at the first “Black Box Summit” recently which was a CrossFit affiliate-run event that Chad got a chance to attend and spoke very highly of on his return.

The reasoning for adopting his strength template was to give our clients a more focused and planned approach to strength training.  For each workout there is a specific amount of weight assigned by way of a percentage of your 1Rep Max to each set. This allows you to map out a targeted plan for that session. It gives you a training goal and removes the subjective tinkering we’ve all done to the ladder approach “just lift as heavy as you can, every time”. A successfully executed workout is one that lets you know your heading towards your goals and a unsuccessful execution allows you to dial in more closely a goal that is appropriate for you.

Now this is all fine and dandy for someone who has a solid idea of what their 1 Rep Max is for the various lifts, but what about the beginner, someone who doesn’t know their 1 rep max value? The beginner will approach the work out similar to how we used to, in that, over the assigned amount of sets the individual will lift up to a weight that feels close to a max in 1, 3 or 5 reps . Then a coach will help estimate a 1 rep value for you.  For example if the work out was a Back Squat with 5 sets of 3 reps prescribed to it, a beginner will lift their first set based on what a coach may suggest and then increase the weight each set until the weight feels substantial. With the help of a coach you will be lifting a weight that is appropriate for your level as your heaviest set.  If this all seems complicated, don’t worry, the details of the design is not important to you coming in and doing the work out, as always a coach will be there to guide you through each step.

With the benefits and the logistics laid out loosely we can now discuss how to maximise your strength gains. The percentage based strength program is threaded into our monthly planning in a particular way. To maximize the results of this method, it is important that you attend the specific classes in which the strength thread is prescribed. The following is an example of a 3 week cycle in which the target is to lift a previous 1 Rep max or set a new 1 Rep max.

Percentage based strength program- 3 week cycle

Percentages for 5,3 and 1 rep work outs are:

If your still with me at his point, the importance of knowing this is to allow you to see forward what days will be strength days and allow you to plan your attendance accordingly. This is important because to best obtain your strength goals you must complete the 5 and 3 rep workouts leading up to the 1 rep test day. But don’t worry, you will still see great results in your fitness by attending the classes that you can when you can. This system is for the individual who hasn’t seen the types of gains they once did and is interested in dialling in the strength training a little more. If this is you then feel free to ask Auty, Chad or Suzanne any questions.

Seems like certain coaches do ALL the work around here…

There is no secret as to why CrossFit training is effective for developing fitness: Athletic, full body exercises combined into a multi-modal format ramped with high intensity. The equation is flawless for improving work capacity. But how do these work outs fair against the needs of individuals. For the able-bodied folks our scaling and modifying systems work great for matching individual strength to weight suggestions and offering modifications to exercises difficult in strength or technique. But what about for those with sore elbows, shoulders or knees?

Chronic inflammation is a common thing amongst our society. Many factors contribute to these types of injuries including poor diet, repetitive stress in the work place or home, sedentary lifestyle, poor technique in the gym and lack of recovery. A lot of the time an individual may not even have noticed these sore spots until endeavouring in some kind of fitness program. Thankfully with some adherence to solid technique and light ramp up these things are rectified with ease. However if these nagging pains go un-checked a far greater inconvenience could be looming. While exercise can be a fantastic fix for chronic inflammation injuries it can also exacerbate the issue. An injury that is repedativley stressed and not given sufficient recovery will worsen. This is an important point in your training where using your coaches becomes crucial. You have to speak up!

At CrossFit Edmonton we employ competent coaches with ample experience. We are there to instruct and help individuals set up for their workout to ensure everyone is able to safely and effectively execute the WOD. However, if you neglect to inform us of a pain or issue, you may be setting yourself up for problems in the future. As coaches we understand these issues and we know how to modify your workout so you can continue to forge towards elite fitness while working on proper recovery from inflammation. We may have suggestions for speeding up recovery or recommend you make alterations to your training schedule. The quest for ultimate fitness is a valiant one, but in our experience, it is unique to each person. Speak up if something bothers you whether it’s at the beginning of the work out or half way through. There is no bad time for us to help you, but you have to speak up. Your coaches are there for you.

Have you experienced working through an injury in CrossFit? Are you currently experiencing any issues? If you’ve felt like a CrossFit Edmonton coach has helped you by making modifications, please share in comments.

Last weekend  CrossFit Edmonton hosted the 3rd “Inner City Challenge” and once again the event was a great success! I want to send big thanks out to all who participated.  We had members from other affiliates as well as a handful of Crossfitters not associated to a particular gym. In the spirit of competition we all gathered to sweat, bleed and burn through what can be argued as the most intense physical sport on the planet.  In the end we had many outstanding performances and a close race for the podium spots.

CrossFit Edmonton members Lisa Dika(1st) and Aaron Chetek (3rd) both finished with podium placements. Congratulations to them and great job representing our club. We also had great performances from a number of other members, both seasoned veterans of our program along with new recruits battled through the vigorous work out and all finished! Congratulations to all of you!

In the spirit of competition many things can happen, but what is assured, is a strengthening of community. Whether you’re a competitor in the ring or a volunteer helping out you equally contribute to this. If you’ve been involved lately with a competition as a competitor or a volunteer what are your thoughts? What things did you find exciting? Are there things that can be improved?

Congratulations to everyone who participated in yesterday’s Fight Gone Bad Fundraiser for the Prostate Cancer Foundation. We had a great turn out and as a community raised over $4200! We have uploaded pictures of the event to our online gallery here. Feel free to download any pictures you’d like and also upload any that you may have taken personally. Also, we’d like to receive everyone’s final score from the day. If you can’t bring in your original sheet, please post your score to yesterday’s comments or email them to info@crossfitedmonton.ca. Thank you.

120% at FGB III

For today’s discussion, please post your personal experience of the event and/or how we can make it bigger and better next year.

Let’s get ready for the Zone Challenge! This week I would like to gather and discuss quality Zone resources. If you know of a good book or website that we can refer to for this challenge then post it here. If you know of a site with recipies you like or have come up with your own, post theme here.

Please note posts with more than two links will be held for moderation.

“The Zone Challenge”

Now that we’ve started our Burpee Challenge, I’d like to put out the idea of a Zone Challenge. CrossFit’s diet of choice is The Zone and we have a few clients that follow it. If you are wanting to get more out of your training or see more dramatic results in your fitness goals, you should be on The Zone.

Lets discuss a challenge to try and get more people on board. When should it be? How long should it last? Those of you who’ve done The Zone, is it worth it? Post thoughts to comments.

Today is Day 1 of our Burpee Challenge!!

Today we are starting our 100 day Burpee Challenge. For those of you that frequent our Message Board you may already be aware of this. For those of you that aren’t, we are challenging all CrossFit Edmonton members and anyone they want to bring along to 100 days of Burpees. The full event details are here on our Burpee Challenge Page. Please register at the bottom of the page.

This page is accessible through our new Events page that you may notice in our Navigation bar at the top of the page. This Events page is to inform you of all current and upcoming events for CrossFit Edmonton. Please check it out to see what’s happing over the next few weeks at CrossFit Edmonton.

This weeks discussion is about training certain body parts too frequently. Since we are about to embark on training burpees every single day for nearly a third of a year I thought it fitting. We get many complaints when we happen to prescribe too many leg workouts or too many pull up workouts in one week. Is it wrong to do that? Do we need to spread it out a little more? Please watch this video (wmv) from CrossFit.com today and post your thoughts to comments.

Rest Day

Promoting Community

For those of you who have been around long enough to remember, we used to have a Sunday Discussion post each week. We veered away from a weekly discussion with the start of our Message Board. With this post I am taking a step forward to bring that back. Not only to stimulate discussion but to promote community and give updates as to what’s going on at CrossFit Edmonton.

It is a very exciting time at CrossFit Edmonton now that we are finally in our new facility. The energy is increasing and it’s showing. More and more new faces are coming through our doors these days and I want to be the first to make sure they feel welcome. I know I’m not alone because we have a great community of Crossfitters that make our facility feel like home.

With this post and the revival of our Sunday Discussions I’d like to draw your attention to a few of the current discussions on our message board. The first is our intent to start up a Burpee Challenge next weekend. Please read the thread to see what that’s all about. There are two other threads that have just started that are worth a read as well. One being about Scaling Workouts and the other about Coaching Preferences. I strongly encourage you to catch up on the discussion and post your thoughts. If you haven’t already, you must Register on the message board before you can post a reply.

As for this post specifically, I’d love to hear what you think. Does the idea of weekly discussions/updates appeal to you and will it help strengthen our community? Post your thoughts to comments.