Office Crossfit - part 2

92cm box jumps. Convincing fellow colleagues of the benefits of box jumps. Any opportunity for a short Crossfit workout.

Office Crossfit - part 1

I-Bar pull-ups on the balcony. Trying to get colleagues to start exercising. Even at work there is an opportunity to get in a short Crossfit workout...:)

Weighted Vests.....

The benefits of bodyweight training are well documented and an absolute must for any athlete. Once the athlete has adjusted to the resistance provided by pulling or pressing one's own bodyweight, it becomes necessary to consider adding further resistance. This is achieved with the purchase of a quality weighted vest such as that shown in the photo above. The additional resistance is provided by adding weight plates or compact sand or other similar material which provides up to about 120lbs (55kg) added resistance.

Most vests allow the user to add or remove the weights provided. As these vests are quite pricey (between R2,000 and R5,000 - imported from the USA - includes cost of item and shipping costs)one should ensure that product is made from good durable materials and has received good reviews (surf the web, read testimonials, exercise forums etc).

Uses for the vest -

Well basically any exercise you can do with bodyweight you can do with a weighted vest:

Pullups/chinups - incl variations (L-sit, front lever)
Pushups (incl variations narrow and wide arm, ballistic/clapping, pushups on rings etc)
Squats (incl variations - back, front, overhead)
Lunges
Rope climb
Running (sprints, hill climbs, stairs)
Skipping
Dips (incl dips on rings)
Burpees
Mountain climbers/Jumping Jacks
Wall Ball
and basically any other plyometric exercise.
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Overhead Squat.....

This is a fundamental movement that is invaluable as it goes hand in hand with the other Olympic lifts. I really battled with this movement as I didn't have the shoulder flexibility required to keep the bar overhead whilst performing a deep squat.

I borrowed the above photo which shows the various segments of the movement.

1) If you take the weight from a rack, ensure that your feet are placed a little wider then shoulder width with toes turned out slightly,. It is important that once the weight is overhead that you keep the bar over the crown of the head and lock out the arms. Hold bar in a wide grip. The less flexible you are the wider the grip.

2) As you move downwards, push back your hips and keep you back slightly arched. Look straight ahead or slightly up, keep your armed locked, chest open and whilst descending keep your weight on your heels. Ensure that your knees follow the line of your toes ie. don't bend knees inward.

3) Squat to at least a point where your hips and knees are parallel. As you get more flexible you will be able to squat beyond parallel. Previous knee injury will also play a factor here.

As I initially battled with shoulder flexibility, it is a good idea to adjust grip and feet placement - I prefer slightly wider on both.

I suggest that to practice the movement and warmup, you buy a PVC pipe (cut to same length as an Olympic bar) and fill it with sand. You can also assume the lifting stance, hold the bar and extend arms towards your back ie. bar is moved from thighs to rear back -repeat this to improve shoulder flexibility.

Weekly Routine

There are many different views as to how to periodise and structure one's workout, but after some research, I have taken guidance from several Crossfit blogs and sites, and tested the following routine which allows me to get as much in as possible and allows sufficient rest:

1) Train between 3 and 5 days per week.

2) After 3 weeks of training, reduce intensity by 50% on the 4th week. After 3 cycles ie. on the 12th week do not exercise at all. Resume cycle thereafter.

3) I include the following into each workout which in total last around 60 mins:
i) Warm up of at least 5-10min. Increase heart rate and warmup muscles/tendons/ligaments. Jog, skip, dynamic stretching, use light bar/PVC pipe to complete around 20 reps of the strength lift which will follow.

ii) Strength (all major lifts - deadlift, clean/jerk, snatch, squats - Overhead/back/front, benchpress). Complete at least 5 ascending sets and between 5 and 1 rep per set.

iii) Complete a Crossfit metcon workout of between 5-20 min. I include 2-4 exercises in this circuit session with as little rest as possible. I include lifts (as above - but with less weight), bodyweight exercises (pullups/chinups/ring dips), plyometric exercises (wall ball, box jumps) and walking lunges (weight overhead), rope climb, double under skipping, SDHP - sumo deadlift highpull, kettlebell swings etc.

iv) End the workout with Static Flexibility stretches. I have taken guidance from a few sites advocating the use of yoga stretches and I have included a whole variety of these stretches into the 10-15 min post workout flexibility session.

Deadlift Benefits

As a Crossfit pupil, I have benefitted tremendously (improved strength, balance, power etc) by learning the techniques associated with all the major compound movements (deadlift, clean and jerk/press, snatch, squat - back/front/overhead).


I have also learnt that very few other people - who train at local gyms , have any idea as to how to perform these moves correctly or at all!


The above photo and the link below "deadlift benefits" gives a good breakdown of the deadlift movement and its associated benefits.


Remember, good technique is the foundation of all lifting, without which, you will not achieve progressive improvements in PR's and will most certainly get injured somewhere along the line.


Deadlift Benefits

Rope Climb

Rope Climbing is a fantastic way to develop upper body and grip strength.

Portable training frame....

Low cost, portable training frame - used for pullups/chinups, inverted rows, monkey bars, L-Sit, rope climb (single and double climb), rings....... contact me if you would like to order one....:)

I've noticed that all the large local gyms in SA provide really pathetic pullups bars, no ropes in sight and no rings...!

Olympic Weightlifting records.....

Inspirational.....

IWF MASTERS RECORDS - MEN
October 1, 2009

AGE GROUP: 40 - 44

SNATCH

56 Josue FARFAN VEN 96.0 7/18/09 Merida, VEN
62 Yourik SARKISIAN AUS 115.0 10/11/02 MELBOURNE, AUS
69 Seyedreza MOUSAVIAN IRI 116.0 10/02/08 Argostoli, GRE,
77 Sergio MANNIRONI ITA 128.0 5/23/08 Bohumin, CZE
85 David MORGAN GBR 140.0 7/28/05 EDMONTON, AB, CAN
94 Guy MARINEAU CAN 138.0 7/15/07 El Paso, Texas, USA
105 Zenon OSUCH POL 150.0 5/28/99 KAZINCBARCIKA, HUN
105+ Zenon OSUCH POL 150.0 5/22/98 ELZ, GER

CLEAN & JERK

56 Josue FARFAN VEN 118.0 7/18/09 Merida, VEN
62 Yourik SARKISIAN AUS 145.0 10/11/02 MELBOURNE, AUS
69 Pan GRAMMATIKOPOULOS GRE 147.5 5/26/00 KEFALONIA, GRE
77 Sergio MANNIRONI ITA 156.0 8/31/07 Kazincbarcika, HUN
85 David MORGAN GBR 162.0 7/28/05 EDMONTON, AB, CAN
94 Guy MARINEAU CAN 170.0 9/01/06 Eysines, FRA
105 Victor RUBILAR CHI 180.5 7/07/00 PONCE, PUR
105+ Lemuel GRAYSON USA 185.0 8/19/98 PORTLAND, OR, USA


IWF MASTERS RECORDS - WOMEN
October 1, 2009

AGE GROUP: 40 - 44

SNATCH

48 Maria JORGE BRA 57.5 10/08/00 ORLANDO, FL, USA
53 Esmeralda PERDOMO VEN 65.0 7/17/09 Merida, VEN
58 Heather ALLISON GBR 70.0 5/21/00 KEFALONIA, GRE
63 Annette CAMPBELL GBR 80.5 5/23/04 KOLOBRZEG, POL
69 Yvonne VAN DER STOEP HOL 77.5 10/08/00 ORLANDO, FL, USA
75 Laura Denise RAMSAY-O'LL TRI 81.0 9/28/08 Argostoli, GRE
75+ Sandra SMITH GBR 75.0 5/26/02 STOCKHOLM, SWE

CLEAN & JERK

48 Maria JORGE BRA 72.5 10/08/00 ORLANDO, FL, USA
53 Maria JORGE BRA 80.0 9/05/99 GLASGOW, SCO
58 Heather ALLISON GBR 82.5 5/21/00 KEFALONIA, GRE
63 Annette CAMPBELL GBR 95.5 5/23/04 KOLOBRZEG, POL
69 Yvonne VAN DER STOEP HOL 92.5 10/08/00 ORLANDO, FL, USA
75 Laura Denise RAMSAY-O'LL TRI 95.0 9/28/08 Kefalonia, GRE
75+ Sandra SMITH GBR 95.0 5/26/02 S TOCKHOLM, SWE

I love this photo......

Does this not perfectly outline the difference between strength/resistance/anaerobic training and toooooo much long duration aerobic training!

Crossfit - over 40 - and loving it.....

I entered the Crossfit Africa Regional qualifier in May 2010 with the knowledge that I had only learnt some of the Crossfit moves a few weeks prior to the event and had only started Olympic lifting a few months prior to that....this left me a bit apprehensive but so what.....the event is unique and my goal was to prove to myself that I could finish the gruelling workouts...which I did and as only 1 of 2 competitors over 40 years old I was very happy....

The events - all 4 completed in 1 day:

EVENT 1: 2km trail-type run- Sprint the first 800m- Move a tyre (30kg / 15kg) anyhow for the second 800m- Drop the tyre and end with a 400m sprint.

EVENT 2: 1-Repetition Maximum Overhead Squat- Athletes have 7 minutes within which to determine their 1-repetition maximum (1RM) overhead squat.

EVENT 3: Triplet- 5 Rounds for Time of:: 250m row: 5 squat cleans (75kg/45kg): 5 handstand push ups.

EVENT 4: The Chipper:Complete the prescribed repetitions of each exercise before moving on to the next exercise in the prescribed order* 50 pull ups* 50 wall balls (20lbs/15lbs, 10ft/8ft target)* 50 kettlebell swings (24kg/16kg)* 50 shoulder to overhead anyhow (40kg/30kg)* 50 double unders* 100m tyre flip* 50 tyre jumps (both feet in and out as done with a box jump)* 100m walking lunge with load overhead (20kg/15kg).

The comraderie was great, the event was well organised by Crossfit Rebel Fitness and I hope the sport grows from strength to strength.....

My inspiration and motivation to improve my fitness levels comes from the knowledge that there are athletes out there in their 60 and 70's who look 30 years younger by virtue of their commitment to a healthy lifestyle and to them age is but a number .......

Fitness - what does that mean?

"Can't see the wood for the trees"
Defn: if someone can't see the wood for the trees, they are unable to understand what is important in a situation because they are giving too much attention to details After you've spent years researching a single topic you get to a point where you can't see the wood for the trees.

At the age of 41 I must say that I have reached a point where the internet provides so much information about peoples different views on the topic of "fitness" that it was difficult to decide what to adopt and what to ignore.....

I must say that I now believe that I have found the answer......

1. A good eating plan - without which you can forget your plan to look like the guy/girl in Fitness magazine. Eat at least 3 meals and 3 snacks per day, include lean protein, complex/low GI carbohydrates and essential fatty acids into each meal. Ensure that you eat sufficient fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and oily fish (salmon, herring etc) and drink at least 6 glasses of water per day. The size of the portions are important.
   

1. Alternate the Intensity of exercise/focus on large muscle groups and include flexibility after every workout (train at least 3 times per week) -

• After a 5-10min warmup, complete 10-20 minutes of medium to high intensity circuit training, using free weights, bodyweight exercises (incl gymnastic based strength exercises) and plyometrics. Variety is key.

• Alternate with strength sessions that focus on large muscles groups eg squats - back squat, front squat, OH squat, deadlift, benchpress.

• Include a 10-15min flexiblity session after every workout (yoga is great).

• Cardio exercises such as cycling, swimming, running - these can be incorporated into the interval training sessions or focus on these separately.

The Crossfit training philosophy and their methods of training, the training methods of coaches like Steve Maxwell, Craig Ballantyne and Chris Sommer have inspired me to review my training and my outlook as to what constitutes fitness.........(strength, muscle endurance, cardio endurance, flexibility and improved lean mass/body fat ratio)

So ensure that your kCal consumption consists of quality items filled with the necessary nutrients/vitamins/minerals etc that is needed to grow and maintain a healthy body. Ensure that if your goal is to lose weight ( a kCal deficit is required) which is achieved by cutting out saturated fat and poor quality carbohydrates and exercising in accordance with the guidelines above.........

IT'S SIMPLE.......

Its all about dedication, commitment and not making excuses.......

We all work, we all have kids, we all have bosses, we all have other obligations, so it's about ...........finding the 20-30 min per day to train, it's about .............meeting people who have the same outlook or goals in life, it's about...........buying a few pieces of simple equipment to train at your home or a friend's home if you don't like or want to train at your local gym........