CrossFit Debut

If you've read this site for any reasonable amount of time, you've probably picked up on the series of references to CrossFit.  I've mentioned having several friends who are avid Crossfitters and have been gently (and sometimes not-so-gently) selling me on how much fun it would be to join them for a workout (or "WOD" in CrossFit vernacular).  Between my teaching schedule and work travels taking me out of town, finding the right day and time has been a battle for several months. 

Finally, this past Saturday the stars aligned correctly and I made the appointment to join my friends Howie, Jill, and Jenneane at their gym, CrossFit Charlotte for my first ever WOD. 

For background context, Howie (pictured above man-handling some Dead Lifts), Jill, Jenneane, and their brother Joe are all related and are part of the larger group I consider to be All-Star Alumni of my athletic conditioning classes.  We met there originally, and they have now graduated on to bigger and better things.  It may surprise people when they hear me applaud athletes and friends for "passing through" my classes at the Y onto new challenges after a few months, but that should be the goal of everyone who trains, to continually try new things and advance to new fitness levels.

 Anyways, after solidifying plans on Friday there was no backing out of joining them this time.  Most Crossfit gyms post the WOD (acronym for "Workout of the Day") the night before, so I was able to go to sleep with somewhat of an idea as to what I'd be in for.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have been training for several months in-preparation for this day.

As seen above, the WOD featured as many rounds as possible ("AMRAP") in 20 minutes of the following:

• 5 Clean & Jerks (Prescribed weights: Men 135lbs, Women 95lbs)
• 10 Pullups
• 15 Overhead Lunges (Rx weights: Men 45lbs, Women 25lbs)

I mention the prescribed weights, because one aspect of CrossFit I was not aware is that the weights are all scaleable.  Not everyone in the gym is as diesel as Howie, so everyone could bump their weights down to whatever amount is managable for their body type or skill level.

I ended up finishing with 6 rounds plus 8 reps (5 Clean & Jerks, 3 Pullups) as the 20 minute period expired. I made quite a few beginner's mistakes, which I suppose is to be expected.  For one, I started the period with mis-matched weights on each end of the bar, which is inexcusable stupidity for someone who has been weightraining since they were 14 years old. My first few Clean & Jerks felt awkward and unbalanced, then after two rounds of constantly adjusting my grip and altering my foot stance, I realized I had a 25 on one side and a 35 on the other side.

My form in kipping pullups (according to the Coach) was good for a first-timer, but mid-way through the #CrossfitHands WOD once my shoulders and forearms began to tremble and burn, form went south. 

Beginner mistake #2 was not using enough hand chalk for grip.  I've never been the type of person who likes making the same mistake twice, so after ripping open both palms (see graphic photo) I'll probably be either using more tape, or investing in some of the hand grips that gymnasts use.

We finished the WOD by heading outside for 10 hill sprints, which as sadistic as this sounds, took me back to the memories of football conditioning, and was a fun way to end the morning (again, in the sadistic sense).

I've made my feelings about CrossFit fairly well-known on this site so I won't bore by repeating once again.  After finally taking my friends up on their invite however I truly do "get it" and see why so many people have been swept up by this fitness wave.  Obviously every gym is different, and each has their own "vibe", but the atmosphere at CrossFit Charlotte was great.  A tough, competitive atmosphere that definitely made you realize you were in for a battle, however everyone was encouraging and positive. 

There was also a big emphasis on form and teaching, which is another of the widely-held drawbacks of  CrossFit among the masses.  It's true that Olympic-style lifts can be dangerous for those with limited experience, so qualified teaching and coaching is an absolute mandatory.  The coaches at CF Charlotte took special attention to any of the "first timers" prior to the WOD.  

We also spent a solid amount of time on warm-up and joint mobility exercises beforehand, which anyone who takes my classes can attest that I emphasize as well. 

Howie, Jill, and Jenneane always joke that I will soon be drinking the "CrossFit Kool Aid"...(as soon as the raw skin on my palms heal) they might be right.

He's much calmer than during yesterday's WOD, but here's an old video introduction with Coach Andy Hendel of CrossFit Charlotte as he first opened the facility:

CrossFit Charlotte - 6th annual Fight Gone Bad

One of the regulars at my YMCA fitness classes told me he was competing in the CrossFit event, "Fight Gone Bad".  This was the 6th annual event, also serving as a fundraiser for three different charities, including the Wounded Warrior Project. 

I've written about CrossFit before, but as a reminder each workout has a unique name, often in-memoriam of fallen soldiers and servicemen and women.  "Fight Gone Bad" was designed to mimic the physical endurance demands of a mixed martial arts bout, featuring five minutes of work, one minute of recovery, over three rounds. "FGB" got its name after all-time great UFC fighter B.J. Penn undertook the workout one day, and described it afterwards as being much like "a fight gone bad".  The name stuck.

Here's a glimpse at the workout structure:

Three (3) rounds of:

• Wall-ball, 20/14 pound ball, 10 foot target (Most reps) 
• Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 75/55 pounds (Most reps)
• Box Jump, 20" box (Most reps)
• Push-press, 75/55 pounds (Most reps)
• Row (Most Calories according to meter)

The weather was much cooler than a normal early September Saturday thanks to the cold front that came in yesterday, but the athletes toughed it out and I saw some tremendous performances. 

I had been debating taking a few breaks from my half-marathon endurance training (races in October and November) to add some Crossfit-style workouts.  Being in this atmosphere has definitely motivated me to get off the spin bike and put the running shoes away once in a while and not to forget mixing in a CrossFit-style workout.  I'll also be adapting the FGB workout for my YMCA classes, beginning next week.

Here's a sample video of "Fight Gone Bad":

Metro Dash Recap

Yesterday I competed in the Charlotte tour stop of the Metro Dash.  This is an event combining all the "fun" of CrossFit training, and mud runs (minus the mud).  The event features a giant obstacle course with elements like rope climbs, tire flips, wall climbs, monkey bars, and carrying lots of heavy implements like logs, medicine balls, and sledge hammers.

Ideally I would have rested and taken an early morning heat, however I was a guest instructor at a charity fundraiser boot camp in the morning.  I was able to get into a later 1:30pm heat (which can also be taken literally, as it was ridiculously hot).  The schedule meant I had about a two-hour window to cram fast-digesting carbs (rice cakes, bananas, Gatorade, Gu gel) into my system to replenish muscle glycogen.

When I arrived for check-in, I was immediately intimidated impressed by the apparent fitness level of the other competitors I saw.  Even the female competitors looked like they could pick me up by my feet and hold me over a balcony. As I sat in a shaded part of the stadium I definitely had a few voices going through my head wondering if I should even go through with this.  My training wasn't ideal leading up to the event (more on this later), however I felt far more prepared for this event than my horrible showing at the Duke Energy Stair Climb this past March.

My waiting time flew by quickly, and after a few last-minute trips to the water fountain, I downed a Gatorade Prime and another Gu gel and headed over to the holding tank for my heat to begin. 

I ended up finishing the course in 11:39 (unofficial) which certainly was not the best time of the afternoon, however mostly I felt good about the performance.  Overall, I was pleased with how I did, since there was no point during the course when I felt the challenge was so great that finishing was in-doubt.

My worst challenge was the first one out of the starting gate - the ladder climb.  One of the tough aspects of an event like this is that unless you have tried a Metro Dash before, you're bound to face an implement for the first time ever.  I had never climbed a rope ladder of this nature before, so after getting my foot caught for the third or fourth time, I just took my legs out and climbed it with upper body alone.

After the subsequent sled push, during the crawl through pipes I paused for a brief moment to catch my breath. My body definitely had its first "woah this is insane, we should have stayed home and watched TV" moment.

After that, I was able to largely push through the rest of the course.  (*note - the one other scary moment was nearly racking myself at the top of one of the wall climbs, which momentarily put my baby-making future in serious jeopardy.) As I said, I was not the fastest competitor there, but definitely came away encouraged enough to be a lock for next year's event if they return to Charlotte.

I would HIGHLY recommend this event to anyone who thinks they are close to having the necessary physical skillset.  Here are a few other scattered thoughts and points of analysis from Metro Dash:

 Train specifically for this event

Much like the Stair Climb events, this event requires event-specific training, or as reasonably close as one can accommodate. If considering an event like Metro Dash, the check list of training disciplines would be:

• CrossFit
• Rock or Wall Climbing
• Bootcamp or Athletic Conditioning classes
• Pull-ups & Dips (should be able to complete 8-10 reps)

Guys - if you like fit women, this is the place to be.

Sorry but it has to be said.  I've never before been in an atmosphere where 75% of the females in attendance were probably better athletes than me (and I ran college Track & Field for 2.5 years).  In all seriousness, ladies if you spend an hour on the elliptical or stairmaster everyday and think you are getting the most out of your fitness, the women of events like Metro Dash (and CrossFit) would encourage you to branch out a little more.

Get comfortable being "one of the worst"

That's a bit misleading, however I was serious about my earlier point regarding comparative fitness of the ladies group.  Among the men, I would safely put myself in the bottom 25% of overall performers - and I'm a former two-sport college athlete, and certified fitness trainer who works out 5-6 days each week with targeted dietary habits. As I said, I was happy with my performance, but was far from the top of the group.  And I left this event feeling even more motivated (in a positive sense) to attack my training and diet moving forward. 

This is a lesson to anyone who stands on the perimeter of a group fitness class feeling too intimidated to jump in, or skips past P90X or Insanity infomercials on TV because they know they're out-of-shape compared to what they are seeing.  Once in a while everyone should be in an atmosphere that challenges them to improve.  Even the best and the fittest of recreational athletes should challenge himself or herself in an environment where they look around and wonder if they can keep up with everyone else.  Leave your ego in the bag with your car keys and wallet, and go compete.  Chances are one or two of the "all-stars" might end up giving you some encouraging words or helpful tips along the way.  And you might find yourself hungry to come back for more.

As I said, an event like this requires total body fitness, which is why groups like the Navy Seals endorse this style of training.  I will definitely be signing up for the 2012 event, and highly recommend this event to anyone who may fit within the necessary fitness range.

Plyometric Bodyweight Drills

Often I get asked questions like "I don't want to join a gym, but what else can I do besides running?" or "How can I spice up my workouts without having access to equipment?"

I'm a big fan of plyometric bodyweight drills due to my time running track in high school and college. (note - I was not very good and probably lost 99% of my heats)  I use bodyweight plyos as warm-up drills for most of my fitness classes, and also as a form of Tabatas to get everyone's heart rate elevated and make them earn their trip to the water fountain.

Plyo drills are a great way to not only challenge your cardiovascular system, but build your explosive lower body power and fast-twitch muscle fibers.  These drills can be difficult to explain and are best demonstrated - so I've decided to use a pretty accomplished source as an example, IFBB Figure Pro Erin Stern.

Erin Stern is the 2010 Ms. Figure Olympia, and competed in the high jump and heptathlon at the University of Florida.  I'm always biased towards track & field athletes, and Erin Stern justifies my feelings with how well she hits each of these drills shown in the below videos.

Erin Stern is one example of why it takes a lot more than just "going for a jog" or reading a magazine on the StairMaster to achieve the sort of physique you can be proud of.

My Visit to Axiom Fitness

I was called up to Milwaukee last week for business, but that provided a great chance to tag along with my friend Laura Gainor to her normal workout spot, Axiom Fitness.  Laura invited me to a Thursday 6am bootcamp-style workout (note: her husband Brian continues to chose sleep over the AM workouts).

It was a little awkward for me to be on the business end of someone else's Thursday 6am workout, since at that same time my normal class at the Charlotte Dowd YMCA was just wrapping up their workout with a substitute instructor.  Needless to say, it was well worth the lost hotel room sleep to break a sweat with instructor Jen Wenzel. 

Jen warmed us up with a quick bodyweight GPP-style circuit, then broke us up into a series of :30 circuits.  As you can see in the below video segment, Axiom featured a great variety of equipment.  Our workout featured (among other elements):

• Kettlebell work
• Rope training
• Explosive medicine ball drills
• TRX-style suspension training
• Sandbag work

Anyone who has either taken my classes, or read my CrossFit entries knows that I am a big fan of varied equipment and drills to keep things moving, and keep the body guessing.

Your workout is as only as good as your post-workout nutrition, so afterwards we were rewarded with great recovery drinks (also featured in the video) to refuel protein in the muscles.

As an instructor, often you trade time that would be spent on your own workouts to dedicate time and energy towards your classes or clients.  This was a great opportunity for me to jump into someone else's territory and be on the other side of things for a change.  Jen and the crew at Axiom Fitness have a great facility with killer workouts, so for anyone near the Milwaukee area I would definitely recommend a visit.  Bring your gear and be ready to sweat.