This is the first chance I've really gotten to compose a post in the last few days. One of our schools got hit with some nasty malware that infected their server, and subsequently spread to dozens of other schools as well as the central office. So we've been in decontamination mode for the last couple of days.
After reading Melissa's Wheel of Fitness post on Monday, I started thinking more about the CrossFit basics - variety, functional movements and intensity.
I don't generally have a lot of trouble with variety, other than the current limitations caused by my elbow injury. My schedule keeps me from settling into a comfortable routine, which is both a blessing and a curse. I may work out at 6AM at the pool, lunchtime at the Y or 8PM at the soccer park - it just depends on the day. I may have a couple of hours to do a really thorough WOD with buy-ins and cashouts, or I may be eking out 20 minutes for a quick heavy metcon while cooking dinner. Great for variety, but hell on structure.
Like Melissa, I have times when I lack intensity in my workouts. That doesn't happen very often, especially when pressed to get a WOD done in a tight time window. I think, though, that intensity is linked directly to the kind of movements you're doing in any given WOD. For example, I can't imagine thrusters or KB swings or burpees NOT being intense, as long as you're doing them correctly with the appropriate amount of weight.
No, where I'm falling short is on foundational movements. Air squat, front squat, OHS, press, push press, push jerk, DL, SDLHP and medicine ball cleans. Not that I don't do these movements (well, upper-body movements are limited right now) - on the contrary, there are a couple that I do almost every day. But I don't always do them right; that is, with attention to the proper form.
Take air squats, for example. I do these every time I work out, usually as part of my warmup. But I've been putting very little thought into my air squats - they were just something I used to get my muscles warm and ready to do something else. But after taking video of my back squats, I realized that I had issues with my form that could be traced directly back to the sloppy air squats that I do on an almost-daily basis. Stance, moving knees, no hip drive, etc.
So I've gone back to the videos on the main site to try and fix a problem of my own making. I now take time with my warmup movements to make sure that I'm doing them correctly and try to commit those corrections to muscle memory. I'm backing down on the weight and trying to get video each time (although my phone camera really sucks) so I can see where I need to improve.
Monday 9 February 09:
Buy-in: 2 rounds
5 dislocates
10 presses w/dowel
10 OHS w/dowel
10 lunges
10 goblet squats (20#)
10 hip/back extensions
WOD: Back squats 5x5
- Warmup sets @ 45#, 65#, 85#
- Work sets - 5 x 5 @ 95#
Cash out: Little bit of stretching, then had to leave to get back to work.
Tuesday 10 February 09:
Buy-in: 3 rounds
15 air squats
15 situps
15 supermans
800 m jog
WOD: 30:00 easy running with my friend Margaret
Okay, I went to the soccer park with the intent of doing a metcon involving 400m sprints and box jumps. But during my warmup jog, I ran into my friend Margaret, whom I had not seen in several months. So instead of doing my WOD, I ended up running around the complex with her for about 30 minutes while we caught up with each other. I have no idea of the distance, but we had fun. Call it active rest. :D
Cash out: stretching, juggling and passing with KAD.
2 comments:
thats a better looking squat for sure. I always sit back first when doing mine, that was taught to me by my old strongman coach.
and yes you do need to keep that chest out more. That'll help with power as well.
Variety and intensity is key, I plan to up both of those starting with tomorrow's wod.
"quick heavy metcon while cooking dinner" ??? Whoa, superwoman!
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