WoD "Chelsea"

No More Rx'd ( Scaling not just for Grandma)

CrossFit is Constantly Varied, Functional Movement, Preformed at High Intensity. Most of you in the gym get this. You understand and appreciate these concepts. However as a whole the gym seems to have forgotten the last part which is not included in my above definition. That is CrossFit is also Universally scalable... and not just for newbies and grandmas, for every one. I fall victim to this my self sometimes. Take Thursday's work out. Remember how I said it was supposed to be under 11 minutes, how many of you finished under that time? Did you notice my time was well over the 11 minute mark as well?

Metcons at CrossFit Tulare are designed with a purpose. Though it may seem like madness at times many of you have felt the effects when you hit Pr's after not back squatting for weeks or coming into a work out not having done a movement or feeling like a movement is a weak point for you, only to find that you have made huge gains in that area. One purpose of the metcons is to train you in different time domains, remember from your intro that CrossFit delivers Increased Work Capacity Across Broad Time And Modal Domains. This means that when I say a work out is supposed to take 11 minutes or less I am trying to place a very specific metabolic stress on your body, if your work out takes too long or you finish too quickly you have missed one of the points of the work out.

This is where scaling and modifying comes into play. Scaling is increasing or decreasing the amount of reps and or weights for the different exercises. Modifying the workout involves changing one ore more of the movements because of injury or lack of ability. Over the next few weeks we will be getting more focused practice on scaling work outs, I will no longer post a Rx'd weight instead I will put a goal time range for the work out and in class we will talk about what the work out is trying to accomplish and what adaptations we are trying to elicit. Do not ask me “What's RX'D ?” because I wont answer instead I will point you to the time domain range. Make it your goal to end within the time domain range for each and every workout.

*For AMRAPS I will be posting desired round ranges. Same rules apply.

"Chelsea"
Set up before a clock, and every minute on the minute perform 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 squats.  continue for thirty minutes?  If you fall behind the clock keep going for thirty minutes and see how many rounds you can complete.

Goal: 30 complete rounds with out falling behind
 Scaling Options :
Scale Down: -1 (or more) from each movement for example  4 pull-ups, 9 push-ups, 14 air squats 
Scale Up: + 1 ( or more) to each movement for example 6-pull-ups, 9 Push-ups, 16 Air Squats

Results of the test day

It has only been 2 months since the last time we did this work out. Maybe a few weeks less. That means that at most you guys have been working out for 8 weeks with me twice a week. and some times not even that because of cancellations due to rain or other circumstances. In that short period of time you have taken 1-2 minutes off your mile time added at least 10 to your squat, push-ups, sit-ups in a minute number. Not only that but each and every one of you made the work out today look easy where as two months ago this was a very difficult work out. All of you have improved Range of motion on your squats and push-ups and have learned numerous new functional movements. Your progress over these few weeks would have been unachievable if you were performing only a traditional program. In addition to your progress in the realm of physical fitness, those of you who have taken the opportunity to read the different articles I post have also gained a great deal of knowledge. Having said all of that each of you have plenty of untapped potential. None of you have reached your potential maximal strength speed or endurance levels, and none of you have been exposed to the full range of what CrossFit has to offer. So as you take a moment to think back over the short time we have had together and appreciate how far you have come take a moment to also realize how little you have actually experienced and how much more you can achieve. This should not discourage you in fact the fact that you have come so far and yet have also barley scratched the surface of what you are capable of should amaze you. You probably still do not even realize what you are capable of. You are all capable of so much more than you now think. Never limit what you will try because you don't think you can do it. Before your time with this class, you knew you couldn't run a sub ten minute mile, or do 40+ squats in a row. i guess what I am trying to say is YOU CAN ALWAYS DO MORE. so go do it.

An early Goodbye letter

( before you freak out I am not leaving yet but simply wanted to open up some discussion about how you will continue with CrossFit after I graduate in April)

Every one did a great job yesterday with the W.O.D. I think that it may have been the hardest one I have programmed for you guys yet, if not physical aspect it was definitely the hardest from the mental aspect. It was not necessarily your physical ability that got some of you through as many as 80+ burpees in addition to your wall balls but your ability to do take one less breath move a step faster in your transitions and push your self past the point when your mind and body are screaming at your to stop. This is one of the biggest aspects of CrossFit and it is often over looked by people who have never tried it. When we started in January non of you had the ability to endure what your bodies have just been through ( even though some of you had the physical ability even then ). This is just one other thing that transfers from our training in CrossFit to the real world, While our movements and methodology of our physical training definitely transfer it is the mental aspect, the increase in Willpower, your ability to endure pain and suffering, and the discipline and drive to push your selves farther than you have ever gone before that I believe will benefit you most when our time is done in a month or so. Many of you have shown a desire to learn anything you can about what we do in CrossFit and subsequently how to better prepare yourselves for the unknown and the unknowable. I applaud your efforts in this and hope that you will continue this after April is over. There are a number of ways you can do this, the best of which is to do everything that is about to follow. Short of that however is to just do something. I hope that all of you will continue to practice and train in the CrossFit methodology and so I give you now some ways to do that( starting with what I consider to be the most effective to the least)

1. Go to CrossFit Malibu 
1. Yes it will be more expensive
2. You will learn and achieve more than you are doing even now
3. If you are unsure then just give him a call and set up a free intro session the coach , Mike, is knowledgeable, professional, and one of the best teachers I have come across in the area of fitness. At CrossFit Malibu you will be exposed to the full range of modalities CrossFiter's train ing ( you have only been exposed to a very very very small part of that thus far) You skill base will grow, your fitness level will skyrocket, and you wont believe how much your performance improves.
4. Probably the second most important thing I believe you will get by going to CrossFit Malibu ( after the increased range of activities and superior coaching) is that you will be introduced to a bunch of fellow CrossFitters , yes there are more of us crazy people out there, and you will have a CrossFit Community to be plugged into. I know that he has classes that will fit your schedule and If he doesn't he will create one for you if enough of you join up
5. Last of all He has graciously allowed me the opportunity to take anyone who is interested there for a free intro class, taught my yours truly simply as a way to get to know him, and the facilities. there is absolutely no commitment it is just a visit to see the place
6. At the very least check out his blog to get a small glimpse of the community he has created there
2. If you feel that CrossFit Malibu is not for you then visit some other CrossFit gyms in your area. 
1. There are plenty of CrossFit gyms around simply visit the  CrossFit.com affiliate page to find some local gyms 
2. 1 word of caution: like anything else you will experience different styles of coaching at different locations as well as different abilities of the coaches. I can vouch for the Coaching of CF malibu but no where else so be sure to do your research and check out the gym before you commit
3. The third best option is to continue doing CrossFit on your own.
1. If this is the route you go  I encourage you to continue your works outs with each other. Community is a huge aspect of what we do with CrossFit so do not lose that. Also You must be very deliberate about continuing your education. You must NEVER stop learning read anything and everything you can get your hands on( this does not mean Wo/Men's Health. It means books like Starting Strength. And articles like the ones from the CrossFit Journal
2. CrossFit main page  has plenty of resources that many of you use already. It allows you to train using their workouts which is a wonderful opportunity
3. a huge downside to this approach is the lack of coaching and accountability. If yo do this make sure to watch videos on all exercises before doing a work out
4. also be sure that you are disciplined enough to stay committed to the program. with no one there to ask you why you didn't show up it will be easy to let it slide. 
4. the fourth best option is not really an option at all but instead something I hope you will continue to do no matter what and that is to continue to follow my blog and the workouts I post here. Obviously I have no videos of proper technique or any way to correct yours as you exercise. However I hope that you will continue to keep in touch through the blog and even by email (bigmikesgym@gmail.com) I will always be willing to answer any questions to have about fitness, exercises, CrossFit, Bunnies, Life the Universe and Everything ( I may not be right but ill have an answer to your question) 

In the mean time continue to ask me questions and come to the classes on Tue and Fri

Also as a side not check out the new Pictures page we have at the top to see pictures of your guys WOD's

Susan was getting a tone of Height on her Wall Ball's through out the
entire workout. Awesome Job !!