Category: Blog

This weeks piece is part 3 of the Open Gym series. We’ve discussed the importance of mastering and improving the basics (9 foundational movements) and using the Athletic Skill Levels Chart. This week we’ll move on to using The Benchmarks: the famous CF WOD’s, The Girls, The Heroes and other named workouts! To recap the beginning of the Open Gym series we’ll start here.

You can probably find yourself in one of the four following categories when it comes to open gym time.

1. AHHH this is too much freedom I don’t know what to do!!! I’m not going!

2. Hmm… I’ll do what everyone else is doing.

3. There’s so many things to work on what should I do!?!?!?

4. I have a game plan and I’m sticking to it.

If you’re in one of those first three this article is for you! Lets start with the basics to help you first establish what is going to be the productive use of your time. We’re going to assume that we all have the same goal here, to improve our fitness. There are 3 methods in which we will highlight our efforts.

1. Technique, Consistency then Intensity of the 9 Foundational Movements.

2. Following the Skill Level Chart (Today’s Topic)

3. Using and analyzing Benchmark workouts to define your programming.

 

This article will begin covering the third strategy, The Benchmarks. 

Benchmark (noun): a standard of excellence, achievement, etc., against which similar things must be measured or judged.

The purpose of using these benchmarks is to compare our results against a past version of ourselves or to others. For our purposes we only need to know a measurement against ourselves. If we can find an improved score: more reps, less time, more rounds, new max, best height etc then we know we’ve made progress towards our goal of improved fitness. Here is the list of WOD’s every CrossFit athlete should instantly be able to state when questioned (if you go to another box and they ask please, please, please don’t embarass us!)

Before you complete these workouts it can not be understated the importance of doing these (and every other workout) to the highest standard. I have to make this remark because without 100% adhearance to the standards you’ll set yourself up for perceived failure. For example if in your first attempt at Fran your last 9 pull ups your chin doesn’t get over the bar. Now when held to 100% standard in your second attempt, it’s a different workout, a more difficult workout. Standards are in place to make sure you’re measurements are good and valid, remember that when you feel like shorting your squats. You are setting yourself up for disappointment in the future.

Now the benchmark WOD’s at the top of the list to complete, in no particular order:

Fran, Helen, Fight Gone Bad, Diane, Cindy, Nancy, Annie, Grace, Isabel, Jackie, Karen, CrossFit Total, Mary

This is the starters list. Until you have all of those scores in your journal and logged to memory you are still a rookie. Now this list is just the beginning and we’ll extend from this later. But your first task is to complete each of these workouts as closely to RX’d as possible. This will take you 13 sessions if you have not completed any of them. These scores and numbers are as important as any you will keep.

After the completion each of these workouts journaling them is incredibly important especially as you begin advancing to higher levels of fitness. So how do you journal. Write the workout. Modifications from the prescribed workout. The time you finished or reps completed during the time allowed. WRITE EVERYTHING YOU THINK COULD POSSIBLY BE EVEN SLIGHTLY IMPORTANT. You think you’ll remember but when you don’t redo that workout for two years you will forget that you used, WRITE IT DOWN. A quick example.

"Fran", For Time: 21-15-9 Thrusters(95), Pull Ups 2:41

The workout: "Fran", For Time: 21-15-9 Thrusters, Pull Ups

The weights you used: (95#)

Any modifications from exactly as it was written: for example if you used bands or jumping pull ups. You would write which bands or how high the jumping pull up bar was(exactly, which means you’d have to have measured).

Analysis

Once you’ve completed all of the 13 benchmarks listed above it’s time to begin the breakdown. Start with RX’d vs Scaled list.

RX’d: FGB, Cindy, Nancy, Grace, Jackie, CFT

Scaled: Fran, Helen, Diane, Annie, Isabel, Karen, Mary

We’ll consider the RX’d list as completed for the time being and we won’t return until all of the others have been completed RX’d. Now we will priortize this list. Which one in your own estimation are you closest to finishing? Pick that WOD and only that WOD. What kept you from doing that WOD RX’d? The answer to that question will tell you what you’ll be working on. Let’s look at an example, Diane. I have a couple strict handstand push ups, but the most I’ve done in a day is 20, I can’t get 45 in one workout. There’s an excellent starting point. Work on the skill/strength needed to complete the WOD as prescribed. Once you’ve built the strength, skill and confident to give it a shot RX’d do it then add it to your RX’d list and move on to the next closest. Continue to do this until all 13 of these workouts have been completed RX’d!

This is exactly how I started my CrossFit life… I think I can do that, holy crap that was way harder than I thought. Work, work, work, let me try again… RX YES! On to the next!

 

Brian

 

With fitness defined in a measurable way it allows us to make real decisions on precise data. How do we know if we attain fitness?… We can look at actual results and instantly be able to tell if we have become more fit, if we are fit or if we have become less fit. This is where benchmarking comes in… doing workouts more than one time to see whether or not you’re improving. Based on the practice of benchmarking we are able to collect results on what methods work best to help us attain fitness.

Let’s remember the definition of fitness: increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. In terms you can understand: improved the ability to complete more measurable work during short, medium or long efforts that include many different types of movements.

There are three components that define CrossFit and make it a meaningful program for those looking to make marked measurable improvement in fitness performance and they are.

Constant Variance. Functional Movements. High Intensity.

Constant Variance: consistently changing the stimulus(workout) which will provide constant state of challenge in which the human body most readily adapts without plateau.

Functional Movements: multi-joint movements which incorporate coodination of many muscle groups to work in concert with one another. Doing this provides a larger stimulus in which creates greater adaptation.

High Intensity: which is measured in relation to an individuals maximum intensity. Which means some component of every workout will present high challenge. This trait(high intensity) is the trait most commonly associated with positive adaptation in training.

Ways to constantly vary your training for maximum result.

Time… constantly changing the length of effort ranging from just a few short seconds to lengths up to several hours.

Reps… constantly changing the amount of reps of a particular movement. Your body will adapt differently when completing a heavy single deadlift than fifty at a sub maximal weight. Both have benefits of a different variety that will both improve your fitness.

Weight… constant variation of weight used will allow your body to adapt differently allowing for it to build strength and endurance not just one or the other.

Movement types and modalities… constantly vary the types of movements: pressing, pulling and squatting. Gymnastics, Weightlifting and monostructural.

Functional Movements that provide optimal results:

Training the main lifts: Deadlifts, Squats, Presses, Snatch and Clean & Jerk.

Practicing gymnastics: Handstands, Push Ups, Pull Ups, Muscle ups and the like.

Running, biking, rowing and jump roping often.

Learning new sports and movements at every opportunity.

Using high intensity:

High intensity is relative to your skills and abilities. Doing a proper air squat for a day one athlete is often quite difficult(relative high intensity). Each day athletes should be working to their maximal ability that day. The intensity should begin as FOCUS a mental intensity on perfect TECHNIQUE and position through the entirety of single reps. Then the intensity will build into being FOCUSED for CONSISTENT multiple reps. Then the intensity will build further by doing high quality multiple reps with SPEED. The intensity of workouts will then intensify even more as reps are completed under fatigue, with no rest, under duress, with weight and pace.

It is important to note that there are many programs that can help you get more fit. These three components are absolutely necessary for sustained improvement however. Without them a plateau will arrive. CrossFit is constantly varied, functional movements executed at high intensity and is scientifically proven to be the best way to attain fitness.

Get started today!

Pictured is Coach James Grbac with his instructors for his CrossFit Kids seminar.

 

Over the course of two days James soaked up lots of information on how to apply the CrossFit methodology to training children. Over the course of 16 hours coaches are tested on their ability to coach the 9 Foundational Movements of CrossFit Kids. James is eager to get started applying the knowledge he learned at the course to the CF Kids classes he will be leading in the near future.

 

Adults beware that James also learned a few new warm up games and is excited to run you guys through them!

 

Congratulations Coach Grbac!

 

Brian and Vanessa

You can probably find yourself in one of the four following categories when it comes to open gym time.

1. AHHH this is too much freedom I don’t know what to do!!! I’m not going!

2. Hmm… I’ll do what everyone else is doing.

3. There’s so many things to work on what should I do!?!?!?

4. I have a game plan and I’m sticking to it.

If you’re in one of those first three this article is for you! Lets start with the basics to help you first establish what is going to be the productive use of your time. We’re going to assume that we all have the same goal here, to improve our fitness. There are 3 methods in which we will highlight our efforts.

1. Technique, Consistency then Intensity of the 9 Foundational Movements. (Today’s Topic)

2. Following the Skill Level Chart

3. Using and Analyzing Benchmark workouts to define your programming.

Today we will be discussing Method 1:

The 9 Foundational Movements of CrossFit

Squats: Air Squat, Front Squat, Overhead Squat

Presses: Shoulder Press, Push Press, Push Jerk

Pulls: Deadlift, Sumo Deadlift High Pull, Medicine Ball Clean

These nine movements are the platform in which your fitness future will be built. Perfecting these movement will take time but training them well will raise your fitness ceiling beyond any gimmicky routine. These may seem boring but perfection of these nine will quickly lead to more challenging and fun movements. Start each session with a warm up of your choosing. Each session is going to be broken into three parts: warm up, drilling, WOD(workout of the day). Each session will have 3 drills, one for squats, one for presses and one for pulls. During the workouts during this phase of training the focus is first on technique, consistency and only then intensity.

Week 1:

Drills

3×5 Slow Air Squat to a Target, continue to lower target as you’re range of motion improves.

3×5 Slow Shoulder Press with a 3 second hold in active shoulder position at the top.

3×5 Slow Deadlift with a 3s pause at the knee to ensure a flat back is maintained throughout.

WOD

Every Minute on the Minute (EMOM) for 10 minutes

5 Air Squats to a target

5 Shoulder Press with a empty barbell

5 Deadlifts with a kettlebell

 

Week 2:

Drills

3×5 slow Air Squat to target

1×5 Find front rack

3×5 Slow Front Squat to target, raise target as necessary

2×5 Dip-Drive

2×5 Press

2×5 Dip-Drive Press

3×5 slow deadlift with kettlebell

1×5 slow high pull

2×3 deadlift+high pull

2×3 deadlift+sumo deadlift high pull

2×5 sumo deadlift high pull

WOD

10 Rounds:

5 Air Squat to Target

5 Push Press(empty bar)

5 Sumo Deadlift High Pull

 

Week 3:

Drills

3×5 Slow Front Squat to target

3×3 Slow Overhead Squat to target with PVC

2×5 Slow Shoulder Press with 2s Active shoulder pause

2×5 Dip-Drive

2×5 Push Press

1×5 Power Drops

1×5 Super Slow Dip-Drive-Power drop and Press-Stand

1×5 Dip-Drive-Power Drop and Press-Stand

1×5 Deadlift with medicine Ball

1×5 Deadlift-Shrug with medicine ball

1×5 Drop Squat

1×5 Front Squat

1×5 Shrug-Drop Front Squat

1×5 Deadlift-Shrug-Drop-Stand

WOD

10 min EMOM

5 Front Squat to target

1 Shoulder Press

1 Push Press

1 Push Jerk

3 DSDS(Med Ball Clean)

 

Week 4:

Drills

3×5 Slow Air Squat with 5s pause in bottom

3×5 Slow Front Squat for best elbow position

3×5 Slow Overhead Squat to target

3×5 Shoulder Press

3×5 Dip-Drive

3×5 Push Press

1×5 Power Drop and Press

2×5 Push Jerk

1×5 Deadlift

1×5 Sumo Deadlift High Pull

1×5 Med ball Clean

WOD

Timed:

30 Air Squats

30 Shoulder Press

30 Deadlift

20 Front Squats

20 Push Press

20 Sumo Deadlift High Pull

10 Overhead Squat

10 Push Jerk

10 Med Ball Clean

 

This program is simple and technique based. Cycle through it several times at the start of each cycle add: weight, reps or faster pace to each workout. For example your first cycle may be done with only 20# the next cycle 30#. These simple workouts and drills will help to build a solid base for more advanced training. Chances are you’re working with awesome coaches during your other sessions during the week and this once a week program will help you hone in your basic skills which you may not have as much time to work on! More to come on the Skill Level Chart method and the Benchmark Testing method soon!

 

Brian

Everyone starts out with a goal some are trying to lose weight, improve their looks, get stronger, improve performance or just getting healthier. All of them start with, fitness.

We’ve had over hundreds of people take our First 60 Days and we start the first session with a questions “What is fitness?” We’ve had dozens of different answers and we’ve yet to have someone answer definitively. Thanks to CrossFit founder Greg Glassman we no longer have to wallow in the wishy washy world of chasing a dream we cannot measure. Any program claiming to produce fitness had best first start with and observable, measurable and repeatable definition, right? Here it is!

Fitness is: increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains.

Jeez, I’m not really sure what that means… you can join the club of thousands who’ve said that upon first hearing the definition but lets break it down.

Work Capacity: is the ability to complete work. It is most commonly measured in ft x lbs (foot pounds). If you moved 100lbs 10 feet you would have completed 1000 ft(lbs) of work.

Broad Time: a wide spectrum of time. Small units could be measured by tenths of seconds, large units may be hours or days. A broad time gap would be from 1 second to 2 hours.

Broad modal domains: a wide spectrum of types. In the case of fitness types of work(types of movement). For example we can classify movements as pushing, pulling or squatting. Another way would be Monostructural (repetitive movement), Gymnastics (controlling ones body in space) or weightlifting (controlling and object). We will say that nearly any movement could be included.

Now going back to the definition of fitness: increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. In terms you can understand: improved the ability to complete more measurable work during short, medium or long efforts that include many different types of movements.

Because it is measurable we can graph it…

What you will find is that if we do a good job testing our fitness that we can find an accurate line that will indicate our physical capabilities. For example if I give my best effort on a 1RM Deadlift and lift 400lbs, we know that I will be capable of lifting anything lighter than that if requested. The same would be true of a half marathon, if you finished in 2 hours then I asked “run 13.1 miles under 3 hours” you could certainly oblige!

What does this improved work capacity mean to you? Well for one you are now capable of more physical tasks, whether that is defeating an opponent, carrying your groceries from the car to your kitchen or being able to clean yourself up after using the bathroom. Our goal is to increase your capabilities so that you get so fit that you have a huge buffer before passing through wellness and into sickness. So whether you are interested in winning your next race, looking better or just being healthy increasing your fitness should be paramount.

The next all important question… How do we attain fitness?

Achieving fitness success requires finding an activity that you enjoy and sticking with it. Whether it’s going for a daily walk, playing slots with the best casino welcome bonuses, or taking Zumba classes, the key is to find something that you look forward to and that you can do on a regular basis. In addition, success also depends on setting realistic goals. Don’t try to lose 20 pounds in one month or run a marathon if you’ve never even run a 5K before. Start small and build up gradually to avoid getting discouraged. Finally, remember that success is not defined by how you look but by how you feel. As long as you’re maintaining an active lifestyle and feeling good about yourself, you’re on the right track.

Awesome job Team CrossFit Jungle Gym on the great showing at the Ryan’s Quest 5k at Mercer County Park this past Sunday May 22nd!

 

This is our second consecutive year taking home the trophy for the fastest team, I guess this CrossFit stuff works for running!

 

As many of you know Ryan’s Quest is an organization to help raise awareness and money for research for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. All of  your registrations have helped raised money for this cause so thank you! It was also awesome to see Ryan get to participate in the race on his motorized scooter!

 

Congratulations to all of our participants especially those of  you who set new personal records on your 5k times! Click here for the official results!