Good and Bad In People

Just got my 140lb Snatch.  Notice the spectators on the left yelling.  It was great!  Thanks guys! (Image: journalmenu.com)

 What blew me away the most during the event was the number of spectators.  It was not just athletes, in fact I’d bet athletes were outnumbered 3-1 by spectators.  What was great about all the spectators was that most were not only cheering on their friend or box mate, they were cheering each and every competitor on.  When someone struggled with a lift, you could hear the decibel level go up.  It was really great.

Most importantly for me was how many fellow crossfit 610ers were there showing support for those competing.  I know Molly was very thankful for all your help in setting up, cleaning, judging…. But from my point of view it was that support during WODs that was most noticeable, I swear it helped me a lot in that snatch ladder.  From yelling out tips to just screaming "GET ON THE BAR!" although I can't remember specifics, I can remember hearing a positive vibe.  So thank you very much, it just keeps reinforcing that community atmosphere that we all built at 610.  

You can see me in the back getting my 115lb snatch.  (credit: journalmenu.com)

The bad that I noticed was how some athletes snapped at judges.  It was rare, but it did happen.  From "oh come on" to "that was a rep!" and on to "I know I was there!".  Shut up.  Are your eyes below your chin?  no..ok then you don't KNOW you're there.  See, when you're doing your normal WOD at your box, you will let yourself get away with a few questionable reps, no big deal...but when at a competition suddenly you can't do that.  The judges there are doing the best they can (and let's note here that they are volunteers).  Of course, I understand emotions are high and you're tired and you just want to finish but channel that anger into legit reps and if you get no rep'd then just go harder on the next rep.  If worst comes to worst, make it through that event and then make sure you don't get the same judge for the next one.

Mike said it best...don't waste reps and don't waste time arguing about whether something was judged correctly.  Just go out there and get it done.

(image: journalmenu.com)

(personal note:  I have screamed at umpires in baseball, football, and even got into a heated debate with a golf official once, so I'm just as guilty as anyone else here.  Just thought I would throw it out there.)


WOD Yesterday

Strength: 10 minutes 3 Power Cleans at 85% 1RM at the minute. (145)

5 rounds
12 -1.5 pood KB Snatch
12 - T2B
12 Burpees
Time: 15:41

Crossfit Problems

I see a lot of press about the harmful effects of crossfit.  I don't like it.  I feel like it comes from those who do not think too much, or who are too stubborn to get out of their own comfort zone.  I want to try and let people know the results I have seen, and what my take on their comments are.  So over the next week or so, I'm going to go into some of the common criticisms of the CrossFit program and give my take on the criticism and where I think it may have originated.

So here is one I hear from people who are into the traditional go to the gym and do 10 reps of like 5 different exercises.

"Doing high reps at such heavy weight is really bad for you"

Yes...Yes, you are right, doing extremely high reps of a heavy weight CAN be bad for you.  But let's clarify 2 things real fast.

1.  Not every workout is high reps and high weights.  In fact, if you have a trainer who knows what they're doing, then they will carefully look at the number of reps before choosing the prescribed weight.  Here are 2 examples of that.  First is a dead lift example.  In a workout with 15 reps in a row for 5 rounds, my trainer at the time (Mike) had a prescribed weight of 225lbs.  BUT he MADE each person do 5 reps of whatever weight they chose to make sure they kept their form..if he thought you could not keep your form through the workout  he MADE you take weight off.  He was very careful not to hurt you and hurt your form.  It kicked me down to 185 lbs, which as I'm sure you know is not an extreme DL weight.  The second example is a recent workout.  Molly created a workout where there were a large number of snatches.  The prescribed weight...75 lbs for males.  Surely it could be made heavier, but again, there was a large number of reps done so to be safe it was kept moderate to light.  And during that workout, the presiding trainer (Evan) was all over me to make sure my form was solid.  And that is a good thing.

2. When there are heavy weights involved, they are usually done separate from the WOD.  We start most workouts with a strength session in which we practice our movements.  Sometimes we do weights that are close to out 1 rep max, but the number of reps is low (usually 3).  So we practice our form at low weights and higher reps.

Now, I should have prefaced this with "If you have a good trainer" then this should be the case.  Crossfit is not just about lifting heavy weights as fast as you can.  It's about becoming fit.

There is one exception to this.  The pro's.  The guys you see on ESPN.  They are at a whole different level than those of us that are simply trying to become as fit as we possibly can.

So please, no more about how crossfitters are doing things all wrong.  Because I can walk into any gym across the country and show you 10 "normal" weight lifters who do way more wrong than we ever have.


WOD

Strength: 5x65%; 5 x 75%; 5+ x 85% Back squat.  Then 3 x 70%; 3 X 80%; 3+ x 90% push press
WOD

500 m row then 2 rounds of:
35 DU's
30 Jumping Lunges
25 DU's
20 KB Snatches
15 DU's
10 Turkish Get-ups

Time: 18:57  (I think I did too light a KB)

cash out: 500m Row  Time: 1:42.9 (PR by 0.1 seconds)