We have some changes starting this week - including new Olympic Weightlifting class times on Mondays and Fridays at 6:15am. We are starting new cycles in our CrossFit, Olympic Weightlifting and Zone programming this week, so it is a great opportunity to start fresh!
CrossFit
We are starting a new 9 week cycle today! We are changing the focus, slightly, to help guide you toward specific variations in basic strength and conditioning. We tested last week to see where our strengths and weaknesses are, so use that information to help focus you in your training. The new cycle will include the following elements:
Strength:
- Aerobic + Strength Day
- Occasional Heavy/Then Metcons
Conditioning:
- Sustained Effort Intervals
- Dumbbell Focus Day
- Classic Couplets and Triplets
The theme of this cycle will be pacing - we will work on identifying our pace and holding an even pacing (lower than usual, if necessary), in an effort to build up our endurance. We are also incorporating aerobic work into our heavy days in an effort to promote better recovery and to reduce DOMs. Our strength work will be powerlifting biased and we will be working off of percentages each week.
Olympic Weightlifting
Test week! We tested last week for CrossFit, and we will be now testing in Olympic Weightlifting this week. We will figure out where we are at on the Jerk, Snatch, Clean and Clean and Jerk. This week will be important to identify some recent personal records as it will setup the next 7 weeks as we usually work based on percentages, or perceived percentages. Remember, there is a lot that goes into setting personal records, so if you hit one, awesome, if you don't it's okay - are focus is to benchmark in an effort to get a current number to work off of in the next cycle.
We have two new coached classes for you in the AM. Monday's and Friday's at 6:15 are now Olympic Weightlifting classes! This will give you early risers and opportunity to work on your technique and to also build strength.
Powerlifting
This week we are focusing on Banded Deadlift and Floor Presses for our Maximum Effort days. Remember that we want to limit ourselves to 7 lifts once we get into the 80% range on Max Effort days. I would recommend doing 2 sets of 2 in the 80% range, then go for 3 singles in the 90-101% range. This way we manage fatigue as well as efficiently get enough work done in working sets. We are mixing up the accessory work this week with a little higher rep ranges to promote some muscle building. Our speed days reset to another 3 week wave - remember on these days we want you to lift as fast as possible (with great technique) as we are trying to build explosive speed.
Zone
We tested our capabilities last week to see where we would struggle in Murph on Memorial day. This week we are starting with lower volume in the movements and running, with the plan to increase over the next several weeks. We separate our training into a pull/push/leg day, with each having their own cardio piece that rotates through time, distance, and pace training. There are opportunities to get some work in with a weight vest as well, and we labeled the blocks that you can use it (don't use them for the entire class). We want to build up our weight vest usage slowly as it creates more stress on the joints and ligaments.
