CrossFit Koncepts

I know you are all wondering what our hours are going to be in the coming week or so!  Between wanting to fit in WODs between family events and the need to burn off extra calories I completely understand! :)

I get accused of doing some odd stuff in the course of a training session, everything from martial arts to juggling, but there are some wilder training methods out there!  For example check out what these Cirque de Soleil athletes go through to stay in shape for their performances.  NOTE: pay particular attention to the comment about "listening to their body to know what to train".

Also check out part two of this series that follows several athletes during their personal workouts:

As a CrossFitter you need to have more than a passing understanding of how to do the basic Olympic Lifts and barbell techniques.  As opposed to concerning yourself with how each are different I think you would be better served, and grasp their essence faster, if you look at how similar they are. Things like foot and body alignment are universal to all the lifts, as are a score of other aspects, and focusing on these foundational elements will allow you to progress faster.

Check out this video by Dan John on how he teaches the Olympic Lifts to see what I'm talking about!

Welcome to Whacked Out Wednesday Number 36!  This weeks video has been posted before on WWW but I thought it was a good time to revisit it.  This video has accumulated a lot of views since the last time it was featured on WWW, coming in at just under 300,000 views, and (unfortunately) she has no clue how to use the kettlebell! :)

All good intentions aside, and the fact that she is getting the views, I wouldn't recommend using this video as a baseline for your kettlebell skills.  From a poor hinge position to "broken" wrists, if you train with an RKC or HKC, you're going to see all the wrong ways to use kettlebells!

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of both Gray Cook and Dan John.  They are both eloquent speakers and presenters and have the rare ability to take complex subjects and make them easy to understand and apply.

Gray recently published an article on his website entitled "Strength?" where he discusses the use of the word "Strength" and how it is most times meant to describe work capacity instead.  I have to admit that I sometime use the word "strength" when I should really use "work capacity"; my only defense is that most people do not know what work capacity is but have a "fuzzy" understanding of strength.

As a matter of fact Gray gives and excellent definition of work capacity that makes it much clearer to understand.  According to Gray, work capacity is: the integrity of postures and patterns against fatigue across time. So what does that mean in English?  It means how much can you squat, pull, push, hinge, carry or any other movement before fatigue starts to take its toll on you.  This is important to know if you are an athlete in a particular sport but it might be life saving if you are a soldier or law enforcement officer.

So... is your goal to build strength or work capacity?  I can't tell you because I don't know what your goals are.  But I'm going to guess that whatever they are you're going to need to develop both and have strategies and protocols in place that allow you to develop them separately.

BTW - check out this article by Gray as well that this quote is extracted from: "Maybe real functional training is the ability to adapt and tolerate various forms of work and naturally become more efficient."

NOTE: if you are a coach or trainer you need to purchase Essentials of Coaching and Training Functional Continuums.  This DVD has a gold mine of information that you will be able to apply to your athletes and improve their performance.  Don't wait... buy it now!

Just thought I would share a little something from the '80's with those of you who love training as much as I do!  Check out this training montage of Sylvester Stallone from the Rocky movies.  I know... don't look at his technique, definitely "cringe worthy" in some instances, but overall a fun and inspirational clip to watch!

This quote: "The Deadlift is the seed of the Swing..." is worth the time it will take to watch the following video clip of Gray Cook.  If you've been following this blog or train with me on a regular basis then you know that I am a huge fan of Gray Cook and the amazing information that he puts out. This is hands-on, practical stuff - not clinical drivel that won't help you in the long run.

The video is extracted from a new DVD from On Target Publications called Essential of Coaching and Training Functional Continuums and features lectures and demonstrations from Gray Cook, Lee Burton and Dan John.  If you're a coach then this should be on your Xmas Wish List and if you are athlete you should think about getting it as well to give you the information you need to bring your skills and training to the next level.