Fran

21 - 15 - 9 for time of:

BEAST

95# Thrusters

Pullups

INTERMEDIATE

65# Thrusters

Pullups

NEWBIE

45# Thrusters

Jumping pullups

Fran Tomorrow

Skills and Sprints!

Skill Work:
Jump rope 8 minutes, mixing in double unders, crossovers, one leg, etc.
Rest 3 minutes
Handstand practice 5 minutes. Use a wall and work to freestand.
Rest 3 minutes

BEAST
12 x 50yd sprints on the 1:00

INTERMEDIATE
12 x 50yd sprints on the 1:30

NEWBIE
12 x 50yd sprints on the 2:00

Watching, waiting, judging...

Ian Thorpe, the great 200m sprinter. High Elbows!

We will do "Fran" either tomorrow or Thursday....be prepared.

BEAST
AMRAP in 12 minutes of:
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 double unders

INTERMEDIATE
AMRAP in 12 minutes of:
5 assisted pullups
10 pushups
15 double unders or 45 singles

NEWBIE
AMRAP in 12 minutes of:
5 jumping pullups
10 knee pushups
45 single unders

AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible

Heavy 5 x 5

Duran squatting heavy

BEAST

INTERMEDIATE

NEWBIE

5 x 5 Back Squat

Increase weight each set if possible. Rest at least 3 minutes between sets. Post loads of each set to comments.

How to properly perform a heavy 5 x 5 squat:
1. Warm up: Include dynamic stretching, air squats, rowing, etc.
2. Get a couple sets with SUPER light weight. Squat a 45# bar for 2 sets of 5.
3. Work up to your first set of 5. If your first set is going to be 315#; do 135# x 5, 185# x 3, 225# x 2, 275# x 1.
4. Rest, then get under the bar for your first work set

It is okay to fail in your later sets. In fact, I would encourage it as long as you have trustworthy spotters. The point of this workout is to overload the muscular system. If we always squat 225# forever are we getting stronger? Push your body, test your limits, you are capable of much more than you think!

Sunday

BEAST
For time:
1 mile run

INTERMEDIATE
For time:
1 mile run

NEWBIE
For distance:
10 minute run or row

REST 5 minutes

Max reps in 2 minutes of:
pullups
pushups
squats

rest exactly 1 minute between movements.
Post times, distances, and reps to comments

Freakin Weekend Time Trials!

BEAST
Row 5k
or
Swim 800m

INTERMEDIATE
Row 2k
or
Swim 500m

NEWBIE
Row 1k
or
Swim 250m

Time Trials are all out efforts as fast as possible. You are trying to and should be setting pr's for your distance today!

Get it!

First, choose your ability level. Run the prescribed distance then immediately perform the air squats. Repeat 3 more rounds and post your times.

BEAST
4 rounds for time of:
400m run
50 air squats

INTERMEDIATE

4 rounds for time of:
200m run
25 air squats

NEWBIE
4 rounds for time of:
100m run or 250m row
10 air squats

Hail Tuna!

A beautiful combination

Protein shakes are nice. Lots of protein, little carbs, little fat, made in a laboratory, etc. A leading whey protein powder manufacturer boasts a product with:

120 Calories
2g of fat
3g of carbs
23g protein

Now compare this to the 5 oz. can of StarKist Chunk Light Tuna I just quickly disposed of containing:
100 calories
2g of fat
1g of carbs
22g protein
Not to mention the natural source of Omega-3 fatty's!

Heavy Fran @ 115#: 11:44

Beast!

The Minimum...

Does the "Swiss Time Trial Machine" put in the minimum?

So much scientific research is wasted (in my opinion) on uncovering the very least amount of exercise necessary to improve "health". There is a great article on high-intensity training that compares and contrasts the effects of regular endurance training versus brief bouts of high-intensity interval training, and their effects on aerobic capacity. As I'm reading through the article, however, I realize this specific article (like all the rest) is going down the same wrong path and searching for the same insignificant answer: What is the absolute minimum amount of exercise I can do for my wellbeing?
Now don't get me wrong, I haven't seen too many examples where over-training was good for someone (some research does find it favorable occasionally however), but there's a big gap there between the minimum and too much. Why doesn't science take a closer look at getting near the over-training line without quite slipping over instead of concentrating so many resources on the "is this enough?" line?
Have you ever over-trained? It's not that bad as long as you're not too close to a competition because guess what the remedy is....REST.
Guess how you remedy under-training.....TRAIN REALLY HARD
Which side do you want to err on?

Footnote: Conclusion of the article cited above: High intensity training (six sessions of repeated 30-second bike sprints) and regular endurance training (90 to 120 minutes continuous moderate-intensity cycling per session) elicited near identical results in muscle oxidative capacity and exercise capacity, even though the HIT groups total exercise volume was 90% less than the endurance group.

Triathlete Adaptations are Freaky

Research has come out hinting that the modern-day elite level swim/bike/run triathlete has finally caught his single-sport counter-part. Apparently in the 80's when they last tested triathletes' aerobic measures as compared to single-sport athletes, the runners and cyclists were physiologically more capable and better trained in their respective fields. Of course, they get the privilege of training exclusively for their sport and naturally they become beasts in their little niche. But then something happened. The sport of triathlon got huge and grew bigger, faster than any other endurance sport ever has, and triathletes adapted. Recent studies conclude that elite level triathletes' aerobic measures resemble indistinguishably that of endurance athletes competing in single-sport.
We can draw a couple conclusions from this study:

• There's a cross-over. Even after dividing their training across 3 different sports, elite triathletes can become as competitive in a single sport as one who trains for that specific sport exclusively.
• Single-sport athletes are training wrong. The Law of Accommodation shows us that if the human body is placed under the same stress (workout) day after day, eventually the body adapts and progress is slowed. So the triathletes were accidentally training smarter.

Pampa WOD #2

4 rounds of:

15 bar dips / 15 pullups

10 Power Cleans @ 135#

220m run

24:43

Crushed!

Look forward to "Karen" manana!

Definition of Physical Fitness in Scientific Research (yawn)

Wow! Trying to find a good definition of what it means to be "fit" can make one's brain cramp. Starting with the succinct back in 1948, Darling et al. said physical fitness is "The individual's functional capacity for a task." Ok that's pretty broad. Now jump ahead to Fleishman in 1964 who defines fitness as, "Functional capacity of individuals to perform certain kinds of tasks requiring muscular activity." Hahaha, certain kinds of tasks? And he just threw in the muscular activity part and called it a day? Let me get this straight; two decades of research and these guys are still bumbling around with the definition of the exact field of study they are in? Don't get me wrong, there are amazing researchers out there including Dr. Lon Kilgore who, along with Mark Rippetoe, redefined fitness in the Journal of Exercise Physiology in 2007 as, "Possession of adequate levels of strength, endurance, and mobility to provide for successful participation in occupational effort." Yes!

How much?

Adequate levels.

Of what?

3 basic components: strength, endurance, and mobility.

In order to do what?

Whatever it is you need to be doing!

PM Ride:

Distance - 7.18 mi

Avg. - 16.6 mph

Time - 25.56 min.

Max - 28.7 mph

Pampa WOD

1 mile run / 2K row (200 SDLHP's @ 45#) / 1 mile run

Subbed 150 SDLHP

Time 33:23 Ouch!

Research reveals that running performance is improved through resistance training because of the improvements in muscular strength and anaerobic power. The fastest long distance runners possess the most powerful muscles (Tanaka & Swensen, Sports Med 1998). This makes sense when seeing the back end bunch of endurance athletes wobbling through the finish line and then laying around like it's a war zone. If we are to be constantly working to improve our areas of weakness to become better athletes, why then does long slow distance become the only training protocol deemed worthy of the endurance athlete? Remember that a distance event is a race! How fast can you go, not last man standing. A powerful athlete can transfer to a distance athlete easier than the other way around.

Sledge

3 Rounds for time of:

Sledge Hammers x21 ea side

400m Run

15:17