Not everything about Barbell Club is with a barbell.
Ladies and Germs,
This week is the week. The free two week trial for Barbell Club is up and we are heading into the 12 Week Macrocycle to bring all the “gainz” to Verve. I want to touch on a couple things that I find to either be important or that have changed in the two week trial period.
The first thing is the days and times. We have taken some feedback into consideration and have changed the days of the week to Monday, Tuesday, Thursday at 7-8pm and Saturday at 9-10am. Hopefully this will give some of those who do not want to give up their weekend Barbell Class the opportunity to participate and make “gainz”.
The other thing I would like to touch upon is the regular Class WODs. If you are planning on doing Barbell Class, I would highly recommend lowering the amount of regular class WODs you attend per week and I would definitely recommend not attending the class strength days (obviously, only if you are attending Barbell Class). The WODs and Barbell Club are completely two different programs that do not take each other into consideration when programming them. By adding in and taking out whatever you feel like, you run the risk of potentially overtraining. Train smarter, not harder.
Lastly, how do you sign up for Barbell Class? Send an email to info@crossfitverve.com and Paul (paul@crossfitverve.com) telling them that you want to become a Barbell Club member. The price is $90 for CrossFit Verve members for 12 Weeks of Barbell Club and $400 for non-CrossFit Verve members for 12 Weeks of Barbell Club. Once, you have notified info@crossfitverve.com and paid, you will be allowed to attend classes as well as receive an e-mail with a password to the Verve Barbell Club page on our website, link is included below:
Sprint class working on max rep burpees, main class working on max rep deadlifts. Everyone working out together in sweet max rep heaven.
**Free introductory Nutrition Lecture will be Thursday September 15th @ 7pm.**
We will be canceling our last class for the day to host the lecture. For 1 for we will discuss CrossFit’s nutrition prescription of eating for wellness (paleo) and eating for performance (zone). There will be time for Q&A at the end. This lecture is open to everyone, including non Verve members. Please sign up on MBO so we can have a head count. Thank you. Verve will be hosting 3 separate CrossFit trainer courses throughout October and November:
October 8th-9th- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course The Level 1 Certificate Course is an introduction to CrossFit’s methodology and foundational movements. The course includes classroom instruction on these topics, as well as hands-on small-group training for the movements. These group sessions are conducted under low intensity with a focus on improving mechanics. Students’ movements are observed and corrected, and they engage in dialogue concerning effective coaching techniques. Large group CrossFit workouts are conducted as an example of bridging the gap from theory to practice. These workouts provide examples of how to:
-Conduct a class. -Hold a standard of effective technique at high intensity. -Achieve relative high levels of intensity for each individual. -Scale for any ability level.
The Level 1 provides introductory education on the fundamental principles and movements of CrossFit. It is structured to meet two goals: 1) Provide attendees with the knowledge to better use CrossFit methods for themselves; and 2) Provide attendees with an initial and foundational education to begin training others using CrossFit. Click here to register
October 15th-16th- CrossFit Kids Trainer Course The purpose of this course is to learn specific methods for teaching CrossFit to children and adolescents. Participants learn techniques to overcome the unique challenges of teaching kids CrossFit methodology, as well as how a CrossFit Kids program can help build one’s affiliate. Attendees will also see how CrossFit Kids is changing the lives of children and teens around the world for the better. Other topics covered include neurological development as it relates to exercise, weightlifting, health and safety, programming, teaching styles, class structure, and kids games. Throughout the course, participants learn how to pair fitness with fun – which is essential in promoting a lifetime of fitness. Affiliate owners, teachers, coaches, parents, home-schooling families and others benefit from learning this unique, kid-friendly approach to teaching CrossFit. Click here to register
November 5th-6th- CrossFit Competitor’s Course This course is designed for athletes, and the coaches of athletes of any skill level, interested in competing in fitness competitions – be it local competitions or official CrossFit competitions such as the Open, Regionals, or the CrossFit Games. This is an advanced course that builds on the CrossFit methodology, movement technique and programming presented at the Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate Courses. The course focuses on all aspects of training necessary to best prepare for an upcoming competition: programming, nutrition, mental preparation, movement technique and workout analysis. Participants should come prepared to participate in lectures, small-group training sessions and workouts. Peers and instructors provide coaching, evaluation and feedback in interactive lectures and group work. Click here to register
Stay tuned for more details about those weekends and workout times.
Were you a regular attendee of Dan’s Tuesday gymnastics class? Then you might be ready for today’s gymnastic workout.
Thursday September 15th Verve is hosting a Beginner Nutrition lecture. This lecture is open to Verve members and non-Verve members at no charge. As I prepare to offer up the necessary information to those in attendance, I am sitting referencing World Class Fitness in 100 Words By Greg Glassman. Sound familiar? Well, if you’ve never had the opportunity to read this, now you can:
“Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise, but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, and presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc., hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.” – Coach Greg Glassman, CrossFitFounder and CEO (Courtesy of CrossFit Inc.)
The first sentence is CrossFit’s nutrition prescription. Eating for both health and wellness and eating for performance. For the lecture in 2 weeks I will be diving into this sentence even more and hopefully answer all your nutrition questions. But what about the other 74 words? CrossFit Redding did a great job of breaking down Glassman’s World Class Fitness in 100 Words for us to truly see his vision of health, wellness, and fitness.
Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. The health benefits of functional weight training have been proven time and time again. With poor nutrition and the inevitable factor of aging, our bones lose density and osteoperosis becomes a legitimate threat to our wellbeing. But have no fear because lifting weights has been proven to increase bone density and keep away this painful disease.
Not only are we concerned with the strength of our bones, but muscles will strengthen and body fat will decrease as well as coordination, agility, and flexibility – all being the benefits of throwing some weight around. Remember that the functional movement we train and use promote compound movements that use multiple joints, including your hips which are prime movers. Another benefit of strength training is, yes you guessed it,….strength!
Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, and presses tohandstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. We all let out a curse or two when a gymnastic workout is released. But pull-ups, dips rope climbs, and the other basic moves are not only a great conditioning tool, but help you to become more mindful of your overall body awareness. Learning to control your own body is important. As a child we learn basic motor recruitment skills and as we age, it is up to us to continue practicing new skills. Basic motor skills should be developed and used daily which is what we try to do daily in the class WOD’s. Don’t take your basic motor skills (or fined tune ones, either) for granted.
Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Don’t worry this is our part -we’ll make sure you run…and row…really hard and really fast. But you’re the one responsible for the time commitment: five to six times a week. Swim if you haven’t been swimming in a while, jump on a bike and pedal or go for at trail run and learn what it feels like to run on an uneven surface at speed and for distance – vary your training. Can you still lift your legs when you’re tired, fatigued, and your heart rate is elevated? Challenge yourself and if you think you can’t, do it anyway.
Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. This is why it is never the same when you walk into the door, the daily whiteboard is always a surprise. We may program in a short strength routine or progression, but never the same workout over and over again. Burpees every day?… No thanks (you’re welcome)! Our bodies learn to adapt to the physical activity that we put it through, so a constantly varied program is needed for continued results – to burn fat, strengthen the muscles and mentally speaking, to never get bored with the same routine. Our physical work varies from short and intense to longer “grinders” that test us both mentally and physically across a wide spectrum.
So what to do with all this fitness?
Regularly learn and play new sports. Go out and try something new, whether it be stand-up paddle boarding, mountain biking, tennis, volleyball, or fencing. Whatever the sport, we urge you to challenge yourself to something you never thought possible. The tools are there so go use them!
3 Rounds for Max Calories: 10Deadlifts at 40 percent of 1 rep max 2 minutes max calories on rower
Rest 2 minutes between rounds
After the third round rest 5 minutes then:
3 Rounds for Max Burpees:
8 Hang power cleans at 40% of 1 rep power clean
1 Minute as many reps as possible of:
Burpees over the bar
rest 2 minutes between rounds
Check out the video posted above of our own, Paul, talking with Emily Schromm about the changes you should expect to see in the beginning stages of adapting a new diet. In the video we break down some common myths and try to give realistic expectations. Below are 3 common myths and 3 things you should expect with starting a new diet:
Myths:
If I don’t see the scale change that means my body composition isn’t changing.
The number on the scale is the only thing that matters.
The less food you eat, the more weight you will lose.
Expectations of new diet:
More energy in the morning and throughout the day.
Better sleep.
Less need for the afternoon coffee, which is another reason you may have trouble with sleep.
Check out the video and let us know what you think. Also, this is the last week of our two week free trial for our new Barbell Class. This week we will run classes on Wednesday and Friday at 7p and Saturday at 12:30p. Everyone should come on out this week to check out what the program has to offer.
In teams of two complete the following for time:
200 Wall Balls 20#(14#)*
*Every 50 reps team must run 400 meters with medball. Partners have to switch who carries the medball every 200 Meters during run including a 400 meter run after the 200th wallball.
Management at Verve wants you to enjoy your holiday weekend!
First off all – Happy Labor Day! Second of all, we at Verve are looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow on hopefully a day that you don’t have to go to work. Monday, 9/5, we will have class at 9a and 1130a with Open Gym between 10-1130a. Come get your workout on before heading out to the barbecue. Below are three easy steps to take to make sure a holiday barbecue doesn’t get in the way of your goals:
Choose a lean, unprocessed protein.
It very easy to head over to Whole Foods and pick up a lean cut of ground beef or ground turkey to turn into patties to throw on the grill.
Stock up on fresh veggies.
Instead of going for the hamburger and hot dog buns, buy some peppers and onions and make some kebobs to put on the grill as a healthier option.
Keep count of the alcohol.
No, a 1-2 drinks on a special occasion will not completely throw your goals out of line. However, 6+ in one sitting can easily do that. Go in with a plan for how many drinks you will allow yourself to have and stick to it. You will definitely thank yourself on Tuesday.
Do you even mobilize bro? May be you should. All the cool kids are doing it.
What’s on the agenda this month. . . and next month. . . and the month after?
Monday is Labor Day, Verve has an abbreviated schedule. Please check MBO and sign up for the class you wish to attend.
CrossFit Games Team Series starts Tuesday September 6th. Click here for more information and to register a team. The workouts needed for the competition will need to be done during open gym hours.
Free introductory Nutrition Lecture will be Thursday September 15th @ 7pm. We will be canceling our last class for the day to host the lecture. For 1 for we will discuss CrossFit’s nutrition prescription of eating for wellness (paleo) and eating for performance (zone). There will be time for Q&A at the end. This lecture is open to everyone, including non Verve members.
Verve will be hosting 3 separate CrossFit trainer courses throughout October and November:
October 8th-9th- CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Course
The Level 1 Certificate Course is an introduction to CrossFit’s methodology and foundational movements. The course includes classroom instruction on these topics, as well as hands-on small-group training for the movements. These group sessions are conducted under low intensity with a focus on improving mechanics. Students’ movements are observed and corrected, and they engage in dialogue concerning effective coaching techniques. Large group CrossFit workouts are conducted as an example of bridging the gap from theory to practice. These workouts provide examples of how to:
-Conduct a class. -Hold a standard of effective technique at high intensity. -Achieve relative high levels of intensity for each individual. -Scale for any ability level.
The Level 1 provides introductory education on the fundamental principles and movements of CrossFit. It is structured to meet two goals: 1) Provide attendees with the knowledge to better use CrossFit methods for themselves; and 2) Provide attendees with an initial and foundational education to begin training others using CrossFit.
The purpose of this course is to learn specific methods for teaching CrossFit to children and adolescents. Participants learn techniques to overcome the unique challenges of teaching kids CrossFit methodology, as well as how a CrossFit Kids program can help build one’s affiliate. Attendees will also see how CrossFit Kids is changing the lives of children and teens around the world for the better. Other topics covered include neurological development as it relates to exercise, weightlifting, health and safety, programming, teaching styles, class structure, and kids games. Throughout the course, participants learn how to pair fitness with fun – which is essential in promoting a lifetime of fitness. Affiliate owners, teachers, coaches, parents, home-schooling families and others benefit from learning this unique, kid-friendly approach to teaching CrossFit.
This course is designed for athletes, and the coaches of athletes of any skill level, interested in competing in fitness competitions – be it local competitions or official CrossFit competitions such as the Open, Regionals, or the CrossFit Games. This is an advanced course that builds on the CrossFit methodology, movement technique and programming presented at the Level 1 and Level 2 Certificate Courses. The course focuses on all aspects of training necessary to best prepare for an upcoming competition: programming, nutrition, mental preparation, movement technique and workout analysis. Participants should come prepared to participate in lectures, small-group training sessions and workouts. Peers and instructors provide coaching, evaluation and feedback in interactive lectures and group work.
3/4 sleeve Rogue shirt + tight grey sweats hiked up the calf = “fashion”, according to Stan and his twin Jay.
CrossFit is just as good for the non-CrossFitter as it is for the CrossFitter. Say what? By (in small part) Courtney Shepherd and (in large part) Tony Leyland
CrossFit is considered a General Physical Preparedness Program, also known as GPP. In an article by Tony Leyland, published in the CrossFit Journal in September 2012, the author explains why general physical preparedness is a good thing for everyone from elite level athletes to beginners. CrossFit is considered the sport for the non specialist. We specialize in not specializing. Which turns out to be one of the biggest criticisms from the non CrossFiting world. For those athletes that do, in fact, specialize in a sport, their argument is how can we be really good at any one thing when we are constantly working on everything. CrossFitters will never have a 4 minute mile or a 1,000 lbs deadlift. Our argument as CrossFitters would be that we don’t want either of those things. Because if I have a 4 minute mile, I probably can’t deadlift by backpack. And if I have a 1,000 lbs deadlift, my cardio for the day consists of walking to and from my car. As CrossFitters we want a happy blend of both worlds, which is entirely possible. There are some CrossFit athletes out there with 5 minute miles and 500 plus pound deadlifts. I don’t know what you think about that, but I’d say well blended my friend, well blended.
Tony Leyland states, “. . . as the understanding of CrossFit grows, two large groups of people will view CrossFit as either beyond their capability and/or not relevant to their training needs. One group comprises competitive athletes who think CrossFit workouts are not relevant to their sport. The second and larger group comprises those looking for general fitness, those who are by nature not competitive and those who believe the general misconception that aerobic conditioning is all they need.”Building a strong work capacity across broad time and modal domains will help all athletes achieve their goals. For the non-competitive persons, this broad and general fitness can help them perform their daily activities more easily and reduce injuries.
Here is what Greg Glassman, founder and CEO of CrossFit, has to say about a General Physical Preparedness Program and CrossFit:
• GPP is the most underdeveloped and neglected aspect of athletic training, especially in elite athletes.
• CrossFit produces an unmatched GPP in novice, intermediate, and advanced athletes regardless of their prior training and sport.
• Every athlete we’ve worked with, from Olympic medalists to UFC legends, has some glaring chink in his/her GPP, and it takes at most two hours, two sessions, on average to find these chinks.
• Fixing these chinks, these deficiencies, has an immediate benefit within your sport and very often in ways not quite obvious mechanically and perhaps metabolically. For instance, more pull-ups make for better skiing and skiers. Upper-body pushing movements make for better rowing and rowers. Anaerobic training is a boon to endurance athletes.
• There’s greater margin for improving performance in elite athletes by improving GPP with CrossFit than can be garnered through additional sport-specific training.
• “CrossFit produces a ‘ready state’ from which more advanced or sport-specific training becomes very efficient.” —Mark Twight
• CrossFit will for many sports reduce the total training volume, reduce training injuries, and allow more time for vital sport specific skills and drills.
• CrossFit is more fun and seems more athletic to experienced athletes than does traditional GPP.
• CrossFit has athletes improving their fitness for years beyond, to levels significantly beyond, traditional GPP.
• Sport training and physiology are not so well understood that highly specialized strength and conditioning routines are optimally effective.
Greg Glassman and Tony Leyland are not suggesting that to be a specialist in a sport doesn’t require a great amount of training in that sport. They are both merely stating the great benefits that come from GPP, improving over all fitness to a point that allows specialists to advance in their specialty. Can we possibly make the argument that working on the mechanics of, and mastering the kipping pull-up will have a benefit to the soccer player’s throw in? Or working on a kettle bell swing, thruster, or sumo deadlift high pull can help improve the core to extremity power for a baseball player stepping up to bat?
As for the general public, the non-competator, the person who simply wants health, happiness, and longevity in their lives, “If you are not a specialized athlete, your training should be aimed at keeping you healthy and prepared for the variety of challenges life will often throw at you. Unfortunately, many individuals with no aspirations to be competitive athletes train only in one or two physical skill areas and only in the oxidative energy system. Hence, they become specialized without intending to. Many others just lift weights and are only fit to lift weights. The net result is that many of the exercising public totally ignore, or are unaware of, the need for GPP. A strong argument to make when suggesting a non-athlete try CrossFit is that there are diminishing returns when you keep doing the same thing over and over.”
Imagine, if you will, some of our daily activities. Picking up a 35 lbs bag of dog food off the ground and heaving it into the back of an SUV, tripping and falling on the ground, then having to pick yourself back up, sitting down on the couch/ toilet/ bed and then standing back up without needing assistance. These things look like a clean & jerk, a burpee, and a squat. All functional movements that if trained outside of real life applications would mean that facing them in our everyday lives would be that much easier. Or what about having to carry a crying child, several bags of groceries, up several flights of stairs, with the other child clinging to your leg as you walk. . . that’s basically a WOD, for time. Our bodies are made to be challenged, and training for these challenges makes them easier when they show up in the real world.
No matter the kind of athlete you are or wish to become, I will simply end on this, as Tony Leyland said it best, it takes a larger foundation to build a church than it does to build an outhouse. So get your GPP on my friend, CrossFit is for everyone.
I want to do Barbell Class, but I can’t do a bodyweight Overhead Squat, what should I do next? Why is this one of the two only requirements for Barbell Class?
First of all, I would like to talk about the bodyweight Overhead Squat. In CrossFit it is a benchmark to be able to do 15 reps of the Overhead Squat unbroken at bodyweight, so asking for one is not something that isn’t reasonable. The main reason for this requirement is to make sure that your shoulders can support the load and volume of going overhead anywhere between 3-4 days a week. It’s to make sure that the members of CrossFit Verve remain healthy and functioning properly. It’s because we care.
Next, if you do not have that bodyweight Overhead Squat, what can you do? Well, there are two ways to attack this thing in my mind, mobility and stability. What do you need most? It depends on whether you find it more difficult to get into a position like the bottom of a snatch or if you find it more difficult holding the weight overhead. Mobility would be more of a position issue, where stability would be if you tend to shake uncontrollably the second you are at the top of an Overhead Squat, Snatch or Jerk.
How should you address mobility issues for Olympic Lifting? There are some unique spots that really affect the positions of the Snatch and Clean and Jerk. Places that you should address are your Thoracic Spine, Hips and Ankles. Some good drills are listed below
T:Spine
Foam Roller T:Spine Extensions x 10 reps x 3 spots
Side Lying T:Spine Rotations x 6-8 reps/side x 2-3 sets
Wall Angels x 10 reps x 2-3 sets
Hips:
Psoas Mash x 2:00-3:00/side
Banded Couch Stretch x 2:00-3:00/side
Pigeon Pose x 2:00-3:00/side
Ankles:
Banded Dorsiflexion Stretch x 1:00-2:00/side
Banded Ankle Distractions x 10-15 reps/side
Bottom of Foot Mash x 2:00-3:00/side
Now what about if stability is your issue? I recommend spending some time adding in certain drills before or after your training. Some of the drills that I like to do for sticking spots such as overhead stability and the bottom of the squat are listed below:
Overhead Positon
Snatch/Jerk Grip Overhead Hold Carry
Using Kettlebell
Using Barbell
Using Bamboo Bar
Bottom Position (Squat)
Squat Holds
Start unloaded and progress your way to holding empty barbells in the back and front squat for up to 2-3 minutes at a time.
Sott’s Press
Hopefully this answers some of your questions about the Overhead Squat requirement and what you can do to make sure that you are on board for Cycle 2!
First and foremost, Barbell Class starts tonight (Monday) at 7pm. Be there. Second, with barbell starting right at 7pm, what should you be doing before hand to get ready? I’m going to outline a good warm-up to be ready for Barbell Class.
First, I recommend trying your best to get to Verve about 30 minutes early. If you haven’t noticed in most class structure we take our time in beginning of class to get your bodies ready to do some heavy lifting. Barbell Class is no different. Here is the four step process I typically go through before doing any lifting:
Mobility
Monostructural Warm-up
Dynamic Warm-up
Specific Warm-up
Okay, great, now how do I address these. Here is how:
Mobility:
Think about lacrosse balls, foam rollers, bands and all of the toys that we have at Verve in the front right corner of the gym. You should spend somewhere between 10-15 minutes before lifting to help open up some tight spots. I would pick 2-3 drills and perform them each for about 2-3:00/side of whatever you are working. Some trouble areas typically lie in the T:Spine, Pecs, Lats, Hip and Ankles. I would start there. ?
Monostructural:
This is the actual first part of getting “warm”. I like to pick something that will get me to start breaking a sweat. I like to pick from running, rowing, assault bike and even sled work. You want to perform this at a conversational pace.
Dynamic Warm-up:
This is where we start putting our bodies through an active range of motion. Some good choices are arm circles, leg swings, air squats, glute bridges and step ups. Pretty much anything that gets your body moving in a range of motion you will be using that day. Perform each exercise for 8-10 reps/side
Specific Warm-up:
Well, it’s Barbell Class, so the last 5-10 minutes before class, I would suggest to start moving an empty barbell or a PVC. If you are performing snatches that day, I would do some: Snatch High Pulls, Muscle Snatches, Overhead Squats, Snatch Balances and even some Hang Power Snatches. You want your body to start getting used to the positions you are going to have to be in for the next hour.
The workout starts with the warm-up. If you cut it short, you could be leaving some extra pounds on the table when it comes to the workout. Get those pounds!
I got DOMS. That’s what we are going to call it. “I got DOMS”.
This is the story of the week for most of you folks. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. For some it wasn’t all that delayed. The last few weeks of programming I’ve been throwing in volume days over heavy days, in an effort to build strength endurance over absolute strength. This volume has some of you questioning your life choices, “Why do I come to Verve?” “Why do I live in a house with so many stairs?”. Well here is an article chalk full of information regarding DOMS as well as some ways to help deal with it. I’ll give you a little teaser. . . caffeine consumption can be helpful.
Dealing with DOMS
You can get more information from the article “Nine Amazing Ways To Reduce Post-Workout Muscle Soreness” By The Poliquin Group, just click here.
