TH E I NAU G U R A L I S S UE
April/May 2012
100% CROSSFIT INSPIRED GOING PALEO: ONE FAMILY’S JOURNEY
ROAD TO THE GAMES with GUIDO TRINIDAD
OLYMPIC
WEIGHTLIFTING
101
IT’S ALL MENTAL
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
FROM HEART FAILURE TO CROSSFIT WHY YOUR NEXT APPT SHOULD BE WITH A SPORTS DOC
www.specializedweb.com
305-752-0451 ∙ 1-855-782-2375 1529 NW 89 Court ∙ Doral, FL 33171
What’s Inside... March/April 2012 8 10 12 14 16 18 24 26 26 27 30 34
COVER PHOTO CHALLENGE AROUND THE BOX Giving Back
HOW TO: DOUBLE UNDERS Andres Forero
NO EXCUSES
From Heart failure to CrossFit, Kacie Fischer
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
5 Tips to Optimize Your Training, Adam Saucedo, M.A.
ATHLETE PROFILE: ROAD TO THE GAMES with Guido Trinidad
ELEMENTS OF A CROSSFIT COMPETITION Interview with Matt Franco & Shai Pritz
RECOVERY MASSAGE
When you push your muscles too far, Manuela Santana & Sandra Bravo
WHEN YOUR DOCTOR ISN’T CUTTING IT 5 Reasons to See a Sports Doctor, Dr. Moises Irizarry
WHAT THE PALEO
How one family started eating like cavemen, Amber Close
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING 101 Danny Camargo
FINAL THOUGHT
Motivation, Andre Enriquez
COVER PHOTO CHALLENGE WINNER Megan May, BS is a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer and a National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer. She is certified in CrossFit Olympic Weightlifting and CrossFit Movement & Mobility. Having started CrossFit at Reebok CrossFit Miami Beach in January of 2011, she coached at IMT CrossFit, and just recently relocated to New York City to be one of the head trainers at Reebok CrossFit 5th Ave located in the heart of Manhattan.
We asked our facebook fans and twitter followers, “In one word, what does CrossFit mean to you?”
INYOURWORDS
100% RAW ORGANIC GLUTEN FREE DAIRY FREE GRAIN FREE VEGAN SOY FREE LOW GI LOW SODIUM WWW.URAWKENERGY.COM
PALEO FRIENDLY
FROMTHEEDITORS
what defines an athlete?
A
s we write our first Editors’ Letter, it’s interesting that our polar opposite experiences bring us to the same conclusion. It doesn’t matter that one of us is a life-long athlete, tri-athlete, you name it, while the other’s been in the game for a mere 10 months. We agree an athlete is anyone committed to pushing past their comfort zone with the goal of achieving a higher state of fitness, both mental and physical. That’s who we’ve designed this magazine for—for you, the athletes who push past the pain, the fear and tears knowing in the end your hard work will pay off. In creating BoxLife, we worked to build a magazine that complements your lifestyle, a magazine that educates, inspires and entertains. We aim to bring you fresh, informative and inspirational articles, covering everything from nutrition, weightlifting, product reviews, motivation and more. You’ll notice a large part of the content is written by athletes just like you. In an age where social media allows us to express ourselves at the click of a button or tap of an app, we want to hear and share what you have to say, your success stories and lessons learned. We look forward to the adventures this new journey will bring. Because the lifestyle doesn’t end when an athlete steps out of the box… Enjoy!
Damect Dominguez & Yeimilyn Lorenzo Founders/Editors-in-Chief CONTRIBUTORS SANDRA BRAVO, LMT DANNY CAMARGO, U.S. International Coach USA Weightlifting Level I Trainer, Altamonte CrossFit AMBER CLOSE WhatThePaleo.com ANDRE ENRIQUEZ, Level I Trainer IAMCrossFit KACIE FISCHER, Level I Trainer CrossFit Balboa ANDRES FORERO, Level I Trainer Caution CrossFit ISABEL GALLEGO uRawk Energy Dr. MOISES IRIZARRY, FAMSSM Mercy Hospital Sports Medicine ADAM SAUCEDO, M.A. SaucedoSportsPsych.com MANUELA SANTANA, LMT ART & PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS
by
PRINTING BY Associated Printing Productions, Inc. www.appi1.com ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION INQUIRIES 1-888-822-8541 info@boxlifemagazine.com ARTICLE & PHOTOGRAPH SUBMISSIONS submissions@boxlifemagazine.com
Damect Dominguez & Yeimilyn Lorenzo Founders/Editors-in-Chief
6 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
Visit our website: www.boxlifemagazine.com All rights reserved. Reproduction, either in whole or in part, is forbidden without written permission from the publisher. The views and opinions stated in BoxLife Magazine are those solely of the original authors. BoxLife Magazine is not endorsed and has no affiliation with CrossFit, CrossFit Inc or any of their subsidiaries. In fact we have no association or affiliation with any fitness organization. BoxLife Magazine is an independent magazine for entertainment purposes. BoxLife Magazine is published six times a year by BoxLife Magazine LLC. Printed in the U.S.A.
ProAnox Use Your Power for Good. Train harder. Last longer. Recover faster. Do it Again.
“
ProAnox Genesis — Safe, natural,
I find Proanox simply remarkable” Dr. Christopher Kulp - Crossfit Games Masters Rank #2
www.proanox.com
performance boosting nutritional supplements.
Created by university scientists to safely take your body to the next level. Clinically proven to improve athletic performance, overall health and feel great doing it. Give yourself the performance edge — before your rivals do.
CALLING THE SHOTS COVER PHOTO CHALLENGE SUBMISSIONS
8 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
AROUND the BOX
G I V I N G
B A C K
CAUTION CROSSFIT WODS FOR AUTISM
STORM MAKES A DIFFERENCE CrossFit Storm celebrated its first holiday season by giving back and helping those less fortunate. On December 14th, Storm, located in Miramar, FL, ended a three week toy drive with the Big Mama WOD consisting of 1 minute wall balls, push ups, butterfly sit-ups, and box jumps for 5 rounds. Storm athletes donated over 350 toys benefiting the Team of Life organization led by area resident Essie Reed, also known as “Big Mama.” Big Mama provides temporary shelter to children overcoming hardships stemming from surroundings infused with drugs, alcohol, violence or poverty. “Every time we come together as a family to accomplish a goal, we grow stronger! Storm is an amazing place filled with hardworking and motivated individuals that give their all in their personal and professional lives and of course here at CrossFit Storm…. La Familia” says Clara Balboa, Co-Owner, referring to Storm athletes as “The Family.” To learn more about Big Mama’s Team of Life, visit http://www.bigmamahelp.com. 10 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
On January 21st, members and friends of Caution CrossFit raised over $1,000 to benefit The Dan Marino Foundation. The Dan Marino Foundation’s mission is “opening doors” towards independence for children and young adults with autism and special needs by creating awareness and opportunities. For a minimum donation of $10, athletes took part in a killer WOD for the kids. For more information on The Dan Marino Foundation, visit www.danmarinofoundation.org.
CROSSFIT CALENDAR BENEFITING THE LUCAS THOR FOUNDATION Andre Enriquez and Elle Events Miami launched the 2011 Inside the Box CrossFit Calendar highlighting South Florida athletes and the South Florida CrossFit community. Various boxes participated and calendars were sold for $40. Funds benefited the Lucas Thor Foundation whose main goal is to assist families in need of financial assistance via a spectrum of organizations and charities. To get your Inside the Box Calendar, contact Mike Osuna at mike@iamcrossfit.com.
A RAFFLE TO THUMP CANCER CrossFit Thump Director, Pedro Quiros hosted a fund-raiser at Sandbar in Coconut Grove, FL to raise awareness and over $1,800 benefiting the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. Quiro will take part in the Boston walk this May honoring his mother Ana, who has survived and endured cancer 3 times during the last six years. The event showed the spirit of the South Florida CrossFit community, as boxes donated raffle items ranging from monthly box memberships to hotel stays. “I want to thank everyone that helped with donations: Mike Osuna and the entire I AM CF family, Danny at CF Soul, Chris at CF Threshold, Isabelle from uRawk, CF 305 and the Primal Plan. Thank you all for validating my love for CF. I feel fortunate to be a part of the CF community, thank you all so much for the support,” said Quiros. Pedro hasn’t reached his goal of $5,000, but is humbled by the love and support he’s received so far. If you would like to donate to the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, visit Pedro’s team online at www.immabethecure.com.
DOUBLEUNDERs
By Andres Forero
Have you mastered 100 or so single jumps and are ready to tackle the Double-Under? Understanding the basics of Core to Extremity will help you achieve max rep efforts and unbroken sets. You’ll need to learn to use your large muscle groups for stability and support while using smaller muscle groups to jump and flick the rope. It may be a good idea to grab a partner or use a mirror to keep your form.
The Basics
Keep a neutral chin. Look toward the horizon. Arms should be bent at a 90 degree angle. Keep elbows close to the body.
Tighten up your core for increased stability. Squeeze legs together. Keep butt and legs tight. Lift heels off the ground. Bring feet together, ankles touching, feet pointing straight ahead. Stay on the balls of your feet.
Start with singles. Jump on the balls of your feet. Squeeze your legs together (create a pole with you lower body) and keep your arms close to your body. Remember, your wrists will do the flicking, not your arms.
What to Do After keeping good form for a few singles, try the number system: 1-2-3 and 4. Jump low for the first three jumps and high on the fourth. Don’t worry about double flicking the rope. Double-unders are as much about getting the rope under your feet twice as they are about how high you jump and rebound off the floor. Try jumping low on 1-2-3 and high on 4 until you can jump without landing on your heels. Next, jump 1-2-3 low and 4 high, but this time add the double flick of the wrist. With enough practice, you’ll get it. Form, coordination and timing are everything. Jump on the balls of your feet. Keep a neutral chin, abs tight, butt tight, and legs tight acting as one. Play with the number system. Maybe try 5 low jumps with 1 high jump or 2 low jumps and 1 high jump plus the double flick. Practice makes perfect. Keep practicing and you’ll have your double-under in no time.
DIDU YO W?
KNO
Your body uses 300 muscles to balance itself when you’re standing still. While jumping rope, your calves exert most of the energy to keep pushing you off the ground. Calf muscles are made up of two muscles: the gastrocnemius muscle, the muscle you see when you flex your calf, and the smaller soleus muscle. Although the gastrocnemius muscle performs most of the function of the calf, it’s the soleus muscle that allows us to balance while standing upright. Without this muscle, we could not stand upright and would have to lean forward like some of our four-legged friends!
12 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
NO EXCUSES
From heart failure to CrossFit By Kacie Fischer
I
’ve been an athlete all my life, and started organized sports at the age of 3. I learned balance and coordination in Wee Ones Gymnastics, teamwork in soccer and tee ball, and the value of hard work and determination through competition. The most important strengths I gained as an athlete are mental strength and an appreciation and awareness of my body and health. I developed these qualities when illness ended my athletic career and nearly ended my life.
find the problem. Before releasing me he advised me to stop competing and training, warning me that the next time In the summer of 2005, I finished my I had an episode, I most likely wouldn’t second year of college at California wake up. I don’t know if I was in denial, Polytechnic State University in San Luis being stubborn or Obispo, California and had just turned My heart was beating so hard just plain stupid I couldn’t think; I was scared but I kept all of 21. I was in the best and confused to say the this a secret from shape of my life and least. That was the first time I was training for the collapsed from heart failure. everyone and continued trainheptathlon on Cal ing. After collapsing in front of the track Poly’s Track and Field team. One Saturteam during an intense workout, I knew day afternoon, I went for an easy run by I had to stop and really start assessing myself only to wake up in a heap on the my health. My body had a domino effect sidewalk about two miles away from my of symptoms over the next two years house. My heart was beating so hard I couldn’t think; I was scared and confused including blood clots, external compartment syndrome in both of my legs, and to say the least. That was the first time I a destroyed immune system. I was still collapsed from heart failure. having tests done for my heart, hearing a different story from every doctor, each Something Isn’t Right telling me something new. I was told I I continued to pass out at unexplainable may need a heart transplant, I may need times over the next couple of months, a heart defibrillator, my heart might be waking up on the ground or having a “dying”, and I might have twisted artersudden loss of energy that would last for ies, yet I received no concrete answers. days. I went through months of tests and assessments by a local cardiologist who I wore a heart rate monitor for almost a eventually told me that something was year with my highest heart rate recording seriously wrong; however, he couldn’t at 255bpm; and a low of 27bpm; still with 14 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
no answers. I was having trouble walking because of the compartment syndrome but the worst was when I eventually had to see a therapist to help accept the fact that I was dying. Most people would give up at this time. No Excuses Everything changed for me in February 2008 when I decided to take myself off of the birth control medication I had been taking due to lack of regular menstrual cycles. A prescription every doctor knew I was using, yet encouraged me to continue taking. One month later, I felt like my life restarted. I still could not use my legs due to the compartment syndrome and was told I needed a surgery that would put me in a wheelchair for 6 months. Attempting to avoid surgery, I taught myself how to swim with a flotation support between my knees, swimming only with my upper body, gradually regaining control of my legs. As my legs grew stronger I took up biking and joined a local bike club cycling more than 50 miles everyday. I eventually beat the compartment syndrome with no surgery or medication, and was able to introduce my legs to run-
ning again; leaving the doctors I not only had my life back be good at everything than great at one thing. baffled and dumbfounded. but I set out on a journey to In overcoming my health issues and losing the I believe that refusing to be do and try as many things as ability to exercise and compete, I gained a deep inactive and sedentary saved possible, especially the ones appreciation for new challenges. I will continue everybody said would be to see obstacles as vehicles for improvement and my life. In November 2008, less than 9 months after I was “impossible”. will face them eagerly as they come. CrossFit told I was “never going to run helps prepare me for these challenges. What does again” I completed my first marathon, where I also qualified for CrossFit do for you? the Boston Marathon, which I completed in April of 2009. I not only had my life back but I set out on a journey to do and try as many things as possible, especially the ones everybody said Since her recovery, Kacie has competed in multiple adventure would be “impossible”. races, half marathons, triathlons, a 24-hour mountain bike race, Getting Into CrossFit I was introduced to CrossFit by my fiancé about a year and a half ago, which opened up a whole new world of sport and exercises I was absolutely horrible at. CrossFit is completely different from any other sport I have been apart of and had too many challenges for me to pass it by. I currently coach at CrossFit Balboa in Newport Beach, CA with the founder of CrossFit Football and former NFL offensive lineman, John Welbourn. CrossFit’s philosophy of training for the unknown and being prepared for the unknowable is the philosophy I live and coach by. I avoid specializing my training by mixing up my competition schedule; following a sprint stair race with a half marathon, then I start focusing on my next 60-mile skate. I would rather
and recently won Camp Pendleton’s World Famous 10k Mud Run. She competes professionally as a tower climber and has been ranked in the top 10 in the United States and top 20 in the World. Kacie currently coaches and trains at Crossfit Balboa in Newport Beach, CA. To keep things interesting, she’s training to skate more than 4,000 miles across the country to raise awareness for the 2012 Special Olympics while also attempting to break a few world records. To support Kacie’s cross-country adventure benefiting the Special Olympics, visit www.livegiveskate.org.
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
The importance of the mental component of training is obvious. Pushing yourself past your mental barriers is not easy. Learning to overcome those barriers is crucial in the development of your training. Here are five tips to optimize your training by ensuring that you are aligning your physical training with mental training.
By Adam Saucedo, M.A.
1.
PREPARE. You may have heard people say, “You’ve got to get your mind right before you train.” This is so true. Preparing your mindset before you train is vital. If you are unfoSTAY POSITIVE. It’s easy to be negative when you cused and have not shifted your thoughts miss a rep or when faced with a WOD that’s not suited from the “to-do list” at home or work, you will not be to your strengths. However, your overall attitude has a able to give your workout your full energy. When you profound effect on your performance. If you think train, focus on what you’re there to accomplish! and stay positive throughout a WOD, you’ll maintain the drive and composure, allowing you to perform efficiently. Don’t swear or say negative things to yourself. Keep it positive!
2.
3.
TRACK YOUR SUCCESSES. It’s important to record more than just your PRs when you keep a workout log. It’s critical toremain aware of your personal successes during the workout. Maybe it’s feeling more fluid onyour snatch or feeling like you were able to push yourself harder than the week before. Whateverit may be, it’s important to give yourself a “pat on the back” and appreciate all of your successes,both small and large, in order to maintain your focus and motivation.
4.
LEARN FROM YOUR WORKOUTS. After a workout, ask yourself, “How can I improve what I did today?” By identifying areas for improvement, you’re able to create a plan of action for improvement. By creating a plan with new goals in mind, you’re able to actively make adjustments to your training.
5.
HAVE A PURPOSE. Why do you CrossFit? Answer this question and you’re on your way to understanding your purpose. Knowing why you CrossFit, will serve as a powerful tool. Understanding your purpose you will combat the lack of drive after a long day at work, for example. Whatever your reason is for pushing your body to its limits is ultimately your choice. Identifying this purpose will help you stay committed and consistent through the good, the bad and the ugly WODs!
5 TIPS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR TRAINING FROM A MENTAL APPROACH 16 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
NUTRITION
CEDAR PLANK SALMON with CITRUS-AVOCADO SALSA By Isabel Gallego, uRawk Energy Bars
Servings: 4 You’ll need 2 12� cedar grilling planks.
Prep Time: 1 hour
FOR THE MARINADE
1 tablespoon of freshly grated orange zest 4 tablespoons of Grand Marnier (liqueur) 1 cup Raw Blue Weber Agave
Cook Time: 15 minutes
FOR THE SALSA
1/2 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice 2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lime juice 1 1/3 cup of fresh orange segments (approx 2 large oranges) 1 diced and peeled Hass avocado 1 3/4 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper 1 3/4 tablespoons of finely chopped red onion 3/4 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh chives fresh ground pepper and Himalayan sea salt to taste
4 (6 oz) boneless, skin-on salmon fillets(approx 1 in thick) 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat. Soak the cedar planks under warm water for 1-2 hours. In a medium mixing bowl, gently whisk ingredients for marinade and set aside. Place salmon fillets in a deep glass dish. Pour marinade over salmon and cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, occasionally turning the salmon. In a separate medium bowl, combine ingredients for salsa, toss lightly, cover and refrigerate. Place soaked planks on grill rack, close grill cover and heat for 3 minutes. Planks should look slightly charred. Carefully turn planks over and place salmon fillets (skin side down) on charred side of planks. Baste the salmon with the remaining marinade. Cover and grill for 12-15 min. Salmon fillets should have a beautiful golden color and flake easily when tested with a fork. Spoon the salsa over and around fillets. Drizzle some of the juice from the salsa over each fillet and serve.
ATHLETEPROFILE
ROAD TO THE GAMES I
GUIDO TRINIDAD
t’s a sunny afternoon in February and we’ve just arrived at Peak 360 Fitness in South Miami. It’s great to see Guido Trinidad in his element. Trinidad owes his CrossFit athleticism to the 16-some years of football training. Having finished 5th in Regionals last year, Guido looks forward to another interesting Games Season.
When it comes to competing, what do you think is the most important component of CrossFit? Guido Trinidad: I think its relative to your strengths and weaknesses. At the end of the day though, you need to be extremely strong. That’s obvious. If you’re not strong then the heavier weight will get you tired and you won’t be so great at the 18 BoxLife Magazine April/May 2012
max effort lifts. But all things being equal: strength. Do you think competition, in this case, the Games, are leaning more towards strength? GT: Yeah, you could say that. But I think we’re evolving as athletes. We’re getting better at the sport. In order to separate
good athletes, great athletes, and elite athletes, there needs to be something besides Fran times. As the weight goes up, you separate the guys who are really elite. What’s your athletic background? GT: I’ve played football since I was about 9. That’s pretty much the only sport I ever played. I played in high school and played in college. Did well in college. I played
professionally in Europe, in Sweden and Spain. Played line backer and running back, as well. Like Zach Thomas? GT: Yeah, like Zach Thomas. That guy was my idol growing up. Love that guy. Great work ethic. The fact that he was undersized and played for the Dolphins helped. How was the transition from football to CrossFit? GT: I had a few decent coaches while I played and we did a little bit of CrossFit, a lot of functional movements. Obviously we did a lot of isolation movements, but the background was there. The transition happened when I stopped playing football. I wanted to stay fit, but didn’t have three hours to train like I did when I played football, so I asked myself ‘What can I do?’ I started doing all the workouts I was used to do but did them a little faster, with less reps. I was doing CrossFit but I didn’t really know it. My first exposure to CrossFit was at I Am CrossFit, back in December 2008, I think. From the time I stopped playing football, I stopped lifting heavy weights. I was bored of it. But when I got into CrossFit, I said “Sh!t, if I want to be good at CrossFit I have to start lifting heavy weights again.”
And that’s where it all came back. You’ve been doing CrossFit for a few years now, anything you consider a weakness? GT: Definitely. Anything long distance. Whether it is a long distance row or a long distance run. It’s not fun, mentally or physically. So not long WODs, just a long activity? GT: I wouldn’t say long WODs are my weakness, but a longer run or longer row. After 10-12 minutes of any WOD, it’s all the same. I think if ten of us are racing in a 30 minute AMRAP, after 15 fifteen minutes, whoever is in the lead, is going to keep the lead. I don’t think it makes that much of a difference, I think it’s all mental after that. How do you train? GT: I don’t train nearly as much as I’d like to given time constraints. A lot of things pull me in different directions, being a box owner, opening another box, planning events, being a newly wed. When I played football, I had no doubt I trained all I could have and should have. Now, I don’t have the time. In an ideal world, I’d start with regenerative work, get on the foam roller,
stretch – about 20 minutes of that. Then, 30 minutes of gymnastics, skills: doubleunders, handstand walks, muscle-ups; nothing that’ll make me too sore or too tired. Strength for 90 minutes, and some auxiliary lifts, reverse high pulls, walking lunges, sled pulls, etc. Finally, conditioning, short or long Met-con WODs, tabatas. I write my program two weeks at a time and I try to cover as much as I can – knowing that I’m not going to get it all in. I’ve done 3 days-on, 1-off or 2-on 1-off that seems to work well for me. On those off days I go for a light row, run or swim. Let’s be clear, this is the ideal. This is not happening at all. I also like a lot of unbroken movements. For example, I’ll get a 70lb kettle bell and I’ll just swing it. I want to know how many times I can do it. That way when I go into a workout, I’m not intimidated by things because I know my max. Do you use those maxes as benchmarks? GT: I have. I know they don’t only make me better mentally, but I know they make me better physically. I don’t like to repeat the same workouts. It’s hard for me not to compare myself to other people. I don’t really get to train with others. I train with Chase [Daniels] and Jon Adams, about
once a month. They’ll kick my ass in two WODs and I’ll beat them at two WODs. We always go back and forth. Every once in a while, we’ll share workouts and tips, and that helps too.
if he can be a good Crossfitter, I got a good body, I can be one too.’ Does anyone ever say that about a football player or basketball player or baseball player? No. With my football experience, can I just go and try out for a soccer team? No, Muscle-ups were your goat, how because soccer requires skill, so did you overcome that? many skills. And in my opinion, GT: First, I just had to learn to do CrossFit requires even more skills. the damn thing correctly. I went How long is it going to take for ahead and got Keep practicing your average Joe to learn certified. At first, that? Easily 2 years, and you I was trying to automatically get maybe 3. He may never muscle them up. get there, no matter better. I then realized what his work ethic, it’s like a clean or snatch, very no matter what his background. technical. Its muscle memory. And what about all the things that So like a baseball swing, I kept guy has done throughout his life practicing. Keep practicing and you to limit his abilities? Flexibility automatically get better. I formalize is one of the biggest factors, one WODs that force me to use the of the most overlooked factors of same muscles I use in a muscle up CrossFit, one of my best assets. while being cardiovascularly taxed. Why can I overhead squat over For example, I did a muscle-up, 300lbs? Because I’m flexible. A dumbbell ground to overhead, pistol [squat], for me is easy. I think burpees, where I knew I was going it’s genetic. I never worked on my to break on my last set of muscle flexibility, but I do try to maintain ups. I try to teach myself how it. to pace it. I get creative with the workouts, and do things where I What’s your diet like? can go unbroken, with things that I GT: I think diet is different for cannot do unbroken, and learn how everyone. I’m not trying to get I’m going to break it up. heavier. I think my weight’s fine. How long will it take the average Joe (or Jane) who has some fitness background to make it to Regionals? GT: I give them 2 years. Not knowing the person, I say they need an insane work ethic, some sports background, a “yes sir, no sir, I’m going to do whatever you say sir, whatever you need me to do” attitude. Having participated in a sport is important for strength, conditioning, and for understanding and knowing what it takes. They’d have to be mentally tough as well. There are so many factors. People don’t realize how hard it is to be an elite Crossfitter. They look at a guy’s body, and say ‘Well, hey,
I would just like to get stronger. Ultimately, my eating to live a long life is more important than my eating to get to the Games. I’ve learned about my body and how it reacts to certain things. I used to eat super clean: protein, high fat; I’m not that way anymore. I eat clean foods 85% of the time: clean meats, whole grains, bread, brown rice, not too much brown pasta. I drink lactose free milk, in one protein shake a day. I probably don’t take as much vegetables and fruit as I should. I definitively think I should take more of that. Not as much fat as I used to. Ate almond butter like crazy for 3 years, and I got tired of that. I do eat a lot olive oil; I’m a big believer of it. I’m starting to use coconut oil. I do high-glycemic
carbs after a workout. Eat 5-6 times a day, including a shake. The weekend is a different story. I go nuts! I eat pretty much anything and everything. Obviously, I don’t eat fast food. Who knows what’s in that. Who wants to eat that? But I won’t hold myself back from eating a good pizza. I eat a lot of cheese, nuts; drink a lot of water, some beer. Probably like 3 beers a week. A little bit of wine. No hard liquor. Lots of coconut water. Why do you compete? GT: Because I’m a competitor. It’s who I am. If God has given me these tools, it’s for me to use them. If I’m 50 and I can still compete in the CrossFit Games, without being in the Masters, then I’ll do it. I’m not looking to compete in the Masters anytime soon. I want to compete at the highest level of competition. I want to be the best that I can possibly be. And… also just for the thrill of competing against guys who are at your level. They push you to a level you never know you had. It’s fun. It’s a pretty amazing experience to compete at this sport. Do you think you have to be a little arrogant when it’s time to compete? GT: Yeah, you have to. There’s no doubt. Sometimes you get caught up because CrossFit is such a well rounded sport, you know your strengths and weaknesses, and you start to learn your competitor’s’ strengths and weaknesses. But you gotta throw all that crap out the door, when you walk into aWOD. You gotta think, ‘I am the strongest person in this whole damn room. I am the fittest person in this whole damn room.’ It’s this constant mental battle with reality (possibly not being best at this WOD) and the truth. If you let that little bit of doubt seep in, it can slow you 10 seconds, or make you lift 10 lbs less than you should have. I’m big on
visualization. I’m big on goal setting and breathing techniques. A lot of mental preparation.
competition and paying the price when their body goes crazy. I used to get the runs all the time before, I don’t any more. I actually don’t get that hungry during How do you prepare for a competition? competitions. Maybe it’s the anxiousness. GT: I’ve done so many competitions I recover with a foam roller. I sleep. Toss now that I have my You gotta think, ‘I am the around a football. routine. The week strongest person in this Just do things to before I don’t really whole damn room. I am relax me. I stay off change anything in the fittest person in this my feet and save my training. The week some energy to whole damn room.’ of, I won’t train at crush WODs. all the day before the event. Maybe a jog Now during Games Season, how much or do some mobility. Two days before, of a priority is CrossFit in your life? something real light, a row or pull ups; GT: God and my family are first, then just something to get my heart up. Three or four days before, I’ll do regular WODs, business, friends, and CrossFit. It’s tough. It’s a tough balance for me because I so but not something that’s going to tax me, badly want to go to the Games. I know especially my central nervous system. I belong there. I know I’m that caliber Maybe practice some of the WODs of the athlete. I want to prove it to myself more competition, if they release them. than anything else. I just want it so bad. I can’t describe in words how bad Is there anything you do to keep I want it. But at the same time, this is a yourself going in between heats? business that I am not only passionate GT: I just try to relax. I hydrate. Take about, but puts food on the table. And some recovery: food, protein shakes, my relationship with God and with my something. I wouldn’t do anything family comes before anything. Let’s say different than I normally do. I used to instead of getting home at 9pm to see my make the mistake, and see others make stepdaughter, I fit in another workout. I’ve it, in trying to eat special meals for a
just sacrificed my family and my business because I won’t have the energy to teach a 6:30am class. It’s a battle but I love it. I know a lot of athletes are in the same predicament as me, so I’m not crying, “Hey man, feel bad for me…” Nah, I’m not doing that. I competed with Tommy Hackenbruck, I saw him there with two of his kids, and I know he owns his own box. I have mad respect for him. He won the damn competition and he’s got the same deal that I have going on. I think this is true for most CrossFit athletes, some of the more seasoned guys. If you’re elite and you have all of that going on, it says a lot. Football players don’t have their own businesses. Basketball players don’t have their own businesses. To have your own business, have a family and be an elite athlete, might as well put an “S”. What are the chances we’ll see Guido Trinidad on ESPN competing in the 2012 CrossFit Games? GT: That’s tough man. (pause and laughter) 90%. I’m not trying to be arrogant, but I have to be confident in myself and my abilities.
RTG SAMPLE TRAINING WEEK MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Skill/ Gymnastics Butterfly Pull-ups
Strength Snatch 1x3,2,1,1,1 Romanian Deadlift, 3x8 Sled Pulls 2x100m
Active Rest Regenerate Massage Ice Bath Mobility
Skill/ Gymnastics Muscle-ups
Strength Deadlift Bent Over Row Sled Pulls Endurance Row 5x500m
Game Day Test 1RM Shoulder to Overhead
Strength Back Squat, 3 RM Press, 1RM Reverse Hyper 4x15 Endurance Sprints, 10x200m every two mins
22 BoxLife Magazine
MetCon 3 rounds for time 21 KB Swings (70#) 14 OH Squats (155#) 7 Muscle-Ups
April/May 2012
Strength Clean 10x1 Weighted Pullups, 3RM Unbroken C2B Pull-ups MetCon 5 rounds for time 10 Hang Clean (165#) 10 Box Jumps (36”)
MetCon 5 rope climbs 10 Thrusters (165#) 15 Lateral Burpees 200m run MetCon 15-12-9 Deadlifts (275#) Prowler Push 40 yards
MF: If someone says they’re Rx, they better be able to compete with me. I’m 34 yrs old. I took my ability, which is fairly strong, and started with my prescribed weight. Knowing that we’d have 300+ athletes, workouts would be kept to ten minutes or less. With that in mind, we incorporated strength, gymnastics, we hit all the elements of CrossFit. Would I change a few things? Sure. I originally wanted to do crazier things, but had to take into consideration, how consistent or tired the judges would be. For every 40 judges, 5-10 may suck because they’re not use to judging. Just like basketball, there’s always one ref that’s not very good. We wanted to make it hard, but not too hard.
How were the WODs created? Was there a particular strategy behind them?
EXECUTE
Describe the planning process.
Clash of the Fittest was a great competition. How did you come up with the idea for it? Matt Franco: Given there’d never been any competitions in the West Palm area, I thought it was a good time to bring the South Florida community together and a good way to promote my gym, myself and Shai. We had no aspirations of how big it would be or what the WODs would be when we started.
MF: There are always things that come up at the worst time. You just have to find a solution as quickly as possible without risking not being able to do what the original plan was. You can’t expect it, but you have to plan for it. Like CrossFit.
SP: Matt is being too modest. We dealt with a lot of last minute changes. Two weeks before the event, we learned the floor was too slippery for handstand walks, and needed flooring to keep everyone safe.
MF: The typical hurdles. Getting registration high enough to be able to hold the event, for starters. But with Shai’s experience, we sold out faster than any competition. Late nights with Maverick going over how much weight we’d be working with. Ultimately, once we secured a location, we kept ironing out the details.
What was your biggest hurdle during the planning process?
FOCUS
On December 11, 2011, athletes made the Expo Center on the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, FL their home for the day as they participated in what’s been considered one of the best and well organized CrossFit competitions held in South Florida. Here’s what organizers Matt Franco and Shai Pritz have to say about it...
Shai Pritz: We wanted everyone in the arena. We believe this made the event what it was.
MF: We needed a large location. Registration sold out quickly. We wanted to be able to do handstand walks and wanted an arena feel so everyone could see everything at all times. Next, it was on to recruiting volunteers and judges. I came up with a time line, and everyone was good about following it. Head crew member, Austin, did a great job at listening to what I wanted and delegating to his 30 crew members. Like a pit crew, everyone had their tasks assigned. It’s great looking back and seeing it was a huge success. I can only attribute that to the people I had helping me.
PLAN
BRAINSTORM
MF: We’re looking at dates in December. We began talks with the City of Lake Worth for a two-day event. You can expect people to be swimming in the ocean. Expect the unexpected. With less to worry about, we can put on a better, crazier event. With a two–day event, we’ll have more time for rope climbs, ocean swims…We’ll make it more complete and more fun for everyone to watch.
Any other events planned? What do we have to look forward to?
KEEP MOVING
MF: We wanted at least a Level 1 or 1 year CrossFit experience. Previous judging experience was ideal. Head judges were Level 1 certified. It’s hard to be a judge, you want to cheer but you also have to say no if they’re not doing it right. I’ve been a judge before. It’s hard if you haven’t seen a move before, or aren’t really sure what it’s suppose to look like to judge it.
What were the criteria for judges?
FIND GOOD HELP
SP: Overall, the volunteers gave their time before and after the event. It’s the essence of CrossFit. I take my hat off to them. How the community came together. We wanted the community to have fun. Without our volunteers, it wouldn’t have happened.
MF: I’d have a mock session to practice judging 20-30 movements with light weight. Practice when to say ‘No Rep.’ Inexperienced judges may focus on one aspect of a movement, such as extended hips in an overhead squat, without checking for knees to touch the floor or locked arms above head. In another movement. Judges have to be keen on all the different points of completion.
Is there something you’d do different?
ANALYZE
Final thoughts? MF: Looking back, the athletes were ridiculous and 70 people (judges) who I didn’t know, gave me their day to make my event successful. I can’t repay them enough. I can’t say enough about what they mean to me. It’s amazing to me that people are so open to being a part of what is CrossFit. CrossFit is a hard intense workout, but it’s more than that. It’s a lifestyle, a community; it’s a bond between people that you don’t have to define. It’s just CrossFit, and that’s the beauty of it.
APPRECIATE
MF: I don’t think about it really. I use it as constructive criticism. Will it change how I approach making standards in the future? Of course. But I can’t spend time thinking about it. I changed the standards leading up to the event. But in my mind, everyone who’s scaled should be able to do a kipping pull-up. If you can’t, you shouldn’t be there. If you’re Rx and can’t deadlift 350lbs, I don’t think you should be there. That’s just how heavy I believe you should be able to go and what basic abilities you should have. Should they have been more clearly defined? Absolutely. Overall, people handled what was given them. You can only move forward and make the next one better.
SP: A few people complained about the standards, but that’s a part of CrossFit. Things will change.
You received a lot of feedback before and after the competition via Facebook. What role does social media play in planning these events?
LISTEN
When You Push Your Muscles Too Far
Why Your Doctor Isn’t Cutting It…
How Massage Can Help
By Manuela Santana LMT and Sandra Bravo, LMT Muscle injuries can range from a simple muscle sprain to Rhabdomyolysis. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when the breakdown of muscle fibers leads to the release of muscle fiber contents, such as myoglobin, into the bloodstream. High concentrations of myoglobin are especially harmful to the kidneys and should be prevented. Massage therapy is a great way to speed recovery and prevent injury. Ashiatsu is a form of bodywork originated in Japan, which literally means foot (ashi) pressure (atsu). Ashiatsu consists of the therapist walking on your body using bars and other props to vary the weight and pressure distribution. Benefits • Relaxes muscles • Reduces stress • Improves overall circulation • Swiftly removes toxins, like lactic acid from muscles • Helps recover full muscle function within a day Massage therapy is a great treatment with many benefits, but if performed incorrectly, it can cause a lot of damage. For this reason, finding the right therapist is essential. Before scheduling a session, make sure the therapist is licensed and properly certified for the technique he/ she will be using. Licensing status can be found on state Department of Health websites. Namaste.
5 Reasons to See a Sports Doctor By Dr. Moises Irizarry
1
They’re double boarded: Most Sports Medicine Physicians are also Primary Care Physicians. Training in general medicine and additional training in Primary Care helps doctors understand an average, “non-athletic” body. Sports Medicine Physicians take this knowledge to the next level helping athletes stay healthy while achieving peak performance.
2
My Body's Buddy: Anatomy and physiology are studied extensively in the first years of med school. By the time most general physicians are done with their training, they’ve forgotten most of the general musculoskeletal knowledge. Sports Medicine Physicians understand connections in the human body and how something as simple as a sprained ankle can affect the lower back or even a shoulder.
3
To Play or not to Play? The #1 question athletes ask is 'When can I train again?' Due to fear of liability, general physicians may keep athletes from training when they are injured. However, the body does start to decondition in less than two weeks, and no athlete wants to backtrack. Knowing this, Sports Docs will recommend return to play based on the extent of the injury, the athlete's general ability and the type of training. Stopping all together, except in extreme cases, shouldn’t be an option.
4
In good times and bad times: Given the nature of the specialty, Sports Docs can manage acute and chronic injuries with little equipment. Many Sports Docs cover games and competitions and see injuries as they occur. This helps them better understand the injury and its severity.
5
Not a pill pusher: Generally, Sports Docs skip the meds and treat patients with dietary changes, exercise, and therapy. There are multiple treatments for any injury and writing a script is sometimes the 'easy way out', not to mention possibly impairing an athlete's performance.
WHAT the PALEO
How my family started eating like cavemen By Amber Close
I’
m trying to remember if there was a time when eating wasn’t so complicated. When the question “What’s for dinner?” didn’t set off a moral, philosophical, environmental, political or psychological crisis. I know such a time existed in our house, because we've joked about it incessantly. “Michael Pollen ruined our lives” we'd say, because after we read his book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” I had at least one every day.
“Where did this fruit come from?” “Was this meat grass-fed and slaughtered on site, certified humane?” “What does ‘natural flavors’ mean?” My husband and I couldn’t stop obsessing about what food actually was and where it came from. Then we started experimenting. We researched, filmed, documented, and ruthlessly debated everything we ate. We South Beached, Atkined, low-carbed, and Best Lifed. We did the Okinawa, Superfoods, Nutrasystem, Abs Diet, and [insert list of celebrity] programs. We added calories, memorized the glycemic index (well, he did) and even owned a nifty kitchen scale to make sure we didn’t go over our allotted ounces. This continued for about 3 years. One day, after months of vegetarianism, my husband says to me, “Babe, I’ve been reading about this Paleo thing and we need to try it.” Paleo? Never heard of it. And I thought
we were experts by now. But through all of our research, I didn’t remember hearing about "paleo." “What’s the premise? And what don’t we get to eat?” I asked him. “It’s easy,” he explained. We would eat foods based on the Paleolithic era --pre-agriculture and before the modern diseases that followed. We would eat lots of lean meats and fish, tons of veggies, some fruit and good fats like avocados and nuts. “It’s the original Human Diet, like cavemen!” He exclaimed. It sounded interesting – except… “Did you say meat? I don’t know if I can do that. Besides, you still didn’t tell me what we can’t eat,” I reminded him. “No grains. No legumes. No dairy,” he responded. “And no refined sugar.” I frowned. No bread? No pizza? No pasta? No black beans, no cheese and no sour cream? And, meat? “Read this book,” he said. “Research the science behind it for yourself. Try it for 30 days. If you don’t like it, you can quit.” “I’ll cook,” he added, as he handed me the book - The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf.
I wasn’t even a few pages in and I already felt like we were on to something. Robb Wolf was also a vegetarian at one point and ran into some of the same dilemmas and questions we had. My husband and I easily identified with him. He anticipated my questions, “What about whole grains? What about brown rice? “How will I poop without my fiber?” And then he dropped the one argument that always got me. The science, no matter how solid or how debated, didn’t matter – compared to my personal experience. Why not find out for yourself? Change is hard when you don’t have a system. My husband is a go-cold-turkey kinda guy, whereas I prefer a strategic approach – I’m a working mom and I don’t like to waste time “figuring it out along the way”. But because he was cooking, I let him choose our approach. To tackle the first 30 days, we pieced together the different strategies we spent three years fine tuning, starting with a mental practice week before we kicked off. The effects were astonishing. After two weeks, I already felt great. No, better than great. And, by focusing on what I could eat, I really didn’t miss my bread, pasta, and Friday night pizza. Besides, two more weeks and we could just go back to life
before Paleo. By the time day 30 rolled around, I was feeling awesome. I felt so good, why not go for another 30? By day 60, strange things were happening. My muffin top disappeared and my husband lost 25lbs and 4% body fat. My cholesterol, had which previously peaked at 208, came in at 148. My husband's borderline worrisome cholesterol dropped 20 points and 100 particle points as well. And the bone loss I had experienced after over-
training for a marathon the prior year had completely reversed itself.
the carb itself rather than the source, processed or not.
Naturally, I had to know more. What exactly was it that we were doing? I wasn’t counting calories. I wasn’t making complicated food lists. And when I tried to tell others what we were doing, I found myself stumbling for words. We were simply eating natural and unprocessed foods and were never hungry. Though we ate few carbs, this wasn't your typical low carb diet, which tends to focus on
I also found that we were just at the tip of the paleo iceberg. We had stumbled into the rabbit hole and our journey had only just begun... Amber has been eating paleo since May 2011. She’s a mom, wife and vibramwearing domestic minimalist. Find her online at whatthepaleo.blogspot.com.
STRATEGIES TO HELP YOU MAKE THE SWITCH TO PALEO • This for that. Instead of tossing everything in your pantry and finding yourself with nothing to eat the next day, spend the next week or two trading this for that. Swap the peanut butter for almond butter. Replace your late night ice cream with jerky and avocado. • Watch, then repeat. When you are short on time, take away the mystery behind the cooking and learn from someone who knows their way around the paleo. This mom of three at everydaypaleo.com can show you how to make something yummy and fast – her site was a lifesaver on more than one occasion. • Start a weekly practice day. Pick a day when you have some time to play and get a few solid go-to recipes under your belt. Consult the web or get to the book store (I’m a big fan of paleocomfortfoods.com).
28 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
OLYMPIC WEIGHTLIFTING By Daniel Camargo, U.S. International Coach (USAW)
101
Teaching Priority In Olympic Weightlifting, there is a 4-step priority list that should be followed: Positions, Movement, Speed, and then Load. Each step must be mastered before progressing to the next. How quickly you progress depends on the abilities you possess before stepping foot on the platform. A beginner who has never touched a barbell may spend weeks or months on steps 1 & 2, Positions and Movement respectively. A natural athlete may quickly graduate to step 4, Load, within days or weeks. Stages to Learning Olympic Weightlifting I. II. III. IV.
Positions: Includes your posture, grip, back angle, etc. Movements: Connecting the Positions to perform the actual lift Speed: Turning the Movements into quick, explosive, controlled technique Load: Once technique is mastered, load it up and go heavy
1RM More than likely your Olympic Weightlifting program will use percentages (%) of a max weight, aka 1RM (1 rep max), to determine the 30 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
weight for each set. Most great programs are set on working towards a personal best by way of using percentages of a maximal weight. For instance, if an athlete’s best C+J is 185lbs, more than likely 195lbs or 200lbs will be the goal and their program would have percentages of the goal weight for the prescribed work sets. What if the 1RM is not known? Assuming you’ve just been taught how to Snatch and/or C+J, you do not, under any circumstances, want to max out. You’d be far too new for that. Moreover, at the beginner stage, testing for a max can not only injure someone but really isn’t an effective way to determine what goal weight to use for the program. Rather, start with a low weight, and allow a gradual weight increase while watching for technique to breakdown. It’s that simple. Increase the weight in small increments. Once you begin to lose form, stop, and use that weight as your 1RM. Is it possible that you can lift more weight? Yes, but not correctly, so don’t even try! It’s clear you’ve have reached a point where you can no longer perform the lift appropriately. Chances are this strategy will result in a relatively low max weight
compared to your strength. Don’t worry, you won’t be there long. It might be only a few weeks or months at most before you are clearly able to see the yourself improve and learn to control the movements. Strength Training Only Programming Once you determine your 1RM, you’re ready to move into real programming. Here are important considerations when writing workouts in Olympic weightlifting programs. Considerations: Strength Only Programming •
Complex movements come first
•
Alternate between pulling and pushing exercises
•
Always include a Snatch and/or C+J (or their “power” variations)
•
New athletes should incorporate a variety of exercises
•
Experienced lifters (over a year) should focus on fewer exercises
•
Squat 3-4 times a week (any less isn’t enough)
•
Always consider your program as a guideline that can be modified and is flexible.
Complex comes first Every workout must begin with the most complex movement, followed by a less complex movement, and so on. For example, snatches then deadlifts, then on to squats and presses, and lastly weighted sit-ups. Why should you start with the most complex movement first? It’s simple, you’re fresh, ready to train, and recovered from the previous workout (let’s hope). Why do we want to be fresh when executing a complex movement? Because of how much the Snatch or C+J movements affect the nervous system. It’s best if you’re in an optimal state to train to feel the correct movement of the Snatch and/or C+J. You shouldn’t be fatigued when working on the Snatch and/or C+J. This is why 30 Snatches for time, for example, is completely out of the realm of efficient and effective training to improve the strength of your Snatch. True, it’s a killer workout. I’ve done it, a few times, but it serves a far different purpose than our aim. 30 Snatches for time kills your technique and taxes your nervous system, not allowing you to effectively convey the movements. Alternate between pulling and pushing Working next on a pulling movement, i.e. High Pulls, Deadlift, Pull, Row, etc. will prevent overuse or early fatigue. Would you do burpees, followed by push ups? Would you do air squats followed by lunges? Well, maybe there are those who would, but it wouldn’t be a good idea if you wanted to maximize your intensity. You need different exercises to break up muscle groups and avoid complete collapse (Example: Fran 2115-9 of Thrusters [pushing] and Pull Up [pulling]). Same is true in Olympic Weightlifting. Alternating pushing and pulling allows for a better stimulus and allow you to work on different elements of “the lifts.” After all, the purpose of pulls, squats, and presses are all to increase one’s Snatch and/or C+J.
31 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
Include a Snatch and/or C+J (Or their “power” variations) Next on the checklist is making sure each workout includes the Power Snatch, Snatch, Power Clean or C+J. Why? Because that is the sole purpose of Olympic Weightlifting! Get better at the Snatch and C+J. In order to get good at the lifts you have to practice the lifts. Simple enough. All the extra stuff, pulls, deadlifts, and squats, etc. are utilized to develop technique and strength for the Snatch and C+J. Neurologically speaking, the more you Snatch and C+J the better your timing, skill, and comfort level in the lifts is. How awkward was it the first time you did Overhead Squats? What changed the awkwardness into comfort was your nervous system, and perhaps flexibility, not your strength. New Athlete = More Exercises New athletes should have multiple exercises in every workout. For example, they may Snatch, Power Snatch, Overhead Squat, Pull, and Back/Front Squat, then some core routine that is a bit of a cool down. The rationale is to provide you with as many movements as possible to assist your Snatch and/or C+J development. Experienced Athlete = Less Exercises In contrast, someone who has significant experience in Olympic Weightlifting, say over a year, may not need so many exercises in each workout. Great progress can be seen in these lifters when they have for example, Snatch, Pulls, and Squat only. Experienced lifters should be proficient enough to focus on purely loading and strength. Squat 3-4 times a week (Any less isn’t enough) Squatting is arguably the single most important exercise to strengthen your Snatch and/or C+J. (Front Squats specifically have a huge core stability element). When lifting off the ground
you’re practically in a squatting position. When you receive the bar in Snatch or Clean, you’re squatting, when you’re standing up you’re squatting. Catch my drift? In order to maximize strength you need to squat 3-4 times a week, no less. Squatting 2 times a week is not stimulating enough to gain any significant increase. There are too many muscle groups being utilized for 2 days of work. The bench press or curls are examples of exercises you can do 2 times a week and see significant increases in strength because they isolate few muscles and any more than twice a week could burn you out. However, squatting is far different. You can load up on squats often and see amazing results. Make sure the squats are towards the end of a routine since they aren’t as technical as the Snatch and/or C+J, or even pulling movements for that matter. Modify as Needed Your response to workouts is a huge factor in determining the cycle of training. If you’re clearly not getting enough work or stimulus, increase the weight. If you’re struggling with it, lower it. If your main issue is overhead strength, add more of it into the training. If your legs are weak, add more squats. Modify accordingly. Never assume the workout must be completed as written. Changing the game plan is not to be considered the program’s failure but rather an adjustment to better maximize your potential. Frequency of 1RM Days The frequency you test your Olympic Lift 1RM is the cause of much debate. Some will say each month, others will say each week, others may say 6-8 weeks. The true answer lies in how long you’ve been training. Beginners who’ve shown the proficiency to test 1RM may find great results if they “max out” every 4-6 weeks. However, this is far too frequent for the experienced athlete. Taking it further, the elite level Weightlifters only max, or “peak”, twice a year…. National Championships and the World Championships (Yes, only twice every
12 months). They spend the majority of their time at high percentages (85%-95%) and recovery. This is the far extreme of course and these competitors are world class lifters who undoubtedly have been weightlifting for 5 or more years, in some cases decades. For the rest of us, keep max days around 4-6 weeks for the novice and 8-10 weeks for the experienced, perhaps more.
Beginner Lifter Sample
Oly Training for CrossFit If you’re committed to WODs and Metcons, and can’t afford the time to do a full time Oly-only training regimen, it may be difficult implementing Olympic Weightlifting into your training. Simple solution: Lift first, Met-con second. Done! Great results can be seen by working on Olympic Weightlifting for about 30-40 minutes and ending a workout with a short Met-con, about 10-15 minutes. This format will give you the strength and explosive power training necessary to get good at “the lifts,” while still maintaining your WOD performance and staying within the 1-hour of total training time. How Heavy? When using the Strength/Met-Con format, stay at about 75%-90% max weight during the weightlifting portion. Occasionally, trying a new 1RM is great. Never drop below 75% because it won’t be stimulating enough. To get strong, you have to lift moderately heavy or heavy. It’s still possible to get good technique work as well by staying at the 75% range and then choose to hit 90% on heavier days.
Experienced Lifter Sample
Strength Portion It’s best to stick to only 2 weightlifting movements (again 75%-90%) before hitting the Met-con portion of the training session. Remember you must perform the most complex movement first and always include a Snatch and/ or C+J. So, that means you’re going to Snatch or C+J most days. Second exercise should be a pull or squat. This 32 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
will cover all bases needed: Snatch or C+J = technical and main lift, Pull or Squat = strength building and complement to the classic lift. Sticking to 2 exercises (one technical lift then pull or squat)
will provide enough technique work and strength building and most importantly keep you within that 30-40 minute time frame. After a few minutes of rest and storing equipment, hit a Met-con. Note:
Oly Training for CrossFit Sample
con combination is the very best way to go. You may even be able to shift some “emphasis” without truly changing your “focus.” Daniel Camargo is a 20-year veteran in Olympic Weightlifting. As an athlete Camargo represented Team USA in 9 international competitions and set three American Records (Jr.). At 21 years old, and weighing 83kg (182.6lbs.), Camargo lifted a 152.5kg (334lbs) Snatch and 180kg (396lbs) in the Clean & Jerk; a Junior American Record.
There’s nothing wrong with alternating Snatch and C+J each training day. Lifters do it all the time. If you feel it’s too much, make your Strength Portion a Squat and Pull, no complex movement, and still hit your Met-Con after. Met-Con Portion Vary the exercises, reps, interval, or intensity. It won’t affect your Oly work. What’s important is time. You wouldn’t want to hit a new 1RM then do heavy Squats, only to do the Filthy 50 right after. That’s too long and intense. Yet, if you only spend 15-20 minutes on the Olympic lifting, then you may want to extend the Met-con time. But generally, try a MetCon that keeps you at a 10-15 minute time frame. If you feel the workout’s too short, increase the intensity but keep the amount time the same. After all, aren’t all Met-Cons based on time anyway?
endurance when focusing on strength. Try this with your own regimen. Focus on Met-cons exclusively for a while then go heavy and see what you’ve kept. Then do the reverse, focus on strength for a while and later return to Met-cons or long endurance routines and see how much of that you’ve retained. The results may surprise you. Certainly, for those who cannot afford the time to “focus” on only one aspect, the Strength+Met-
Now in his 11th year as a head coach, Camargo has produced several State, Collegiate and National Champions. His latest accomplishment was promotion to U.S. International Level Coach, as well as being elected as President of the Florida Weightlifting Federation. In 2009, he was selected as Team Leader and Coach of Team USA where he led the US Team to the Junior World Weightlifting Championships.
Strength vs. Endurance I’ve noticed over the years, having come from an Olympic Weightlifting background, that stronger athletes are the better athletes, even if stamina or cardio is lacking. It seems strength makes a difference. I’ve also noticed with my athletes, as in my own training, athletes lose strength when focusing on endurance. Yet, one doesn’t lose 33 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
use special code BOXLIFE321 to SAVE 10% on your order
FINALTHOUGHT
Motivation is key towards the path to success, and yeah, a better WOD time too.
If you’re reading this you are on the right path. Every day is a day you are given to become better. I am not an infomercial on at 2am. I am not a Do not take it for granted. You have the opportunity massive billboard in Times Square persuading to be great, and it all falls in your hands. Be you to purchase a brand. I am, most full of pride with who you are, and certainly not, your boss telling you represent where you are from. You what to do. I am somebody just owe it to the person that stares “I WOD till I become numb, so numb that like you, some days feeling back at you in the mirror. the pain I feel becomes a part of me. A part opportunistic and some Motivation is key towards days not. There are times of me so that any other pain I feel can never compare the path to success, and when things are going to the excruciating pain I put myself through for 5 minutes. yeah, a better WOD my way and other 5 minutes of pain that can be an eternity for one person, ends up times when they time too. in reality becoming 5 minutes of bliss where I come from. Where I take a turn for the come from is a place where others are super-extraordinary. So superThis is just a small worse. In life, you taste of what my extraordinary that I am humbled by their presence day in and day out. I can only be driven life is all about. by one variable, check in and check out. Leaving as if I can conquer the world. And that’s motivation. The BoxLife. exactly it, I am my own person and I will conquer any obstacle, trial, or Motivation tribulation that dares to come my way. My way is a result of hard work, *Disclaimer: If you can arise at the commitment, dedication, determination, and passion. I am passionate didn’t understand most unexpected about my art. This is my art. The craft that I’ve become. I paint a a damn thing I just moment. You have picture every time the clock begins and my painting is done the said then know this. to be aware of it. I wrote the passage you second I yell out time. Do not let time pass you by, because The pain will never go are about to read in away until you’re done, at the end of the day, time doesn’t give a sh*t about the middle of a workout. so you might as well finish anybody, and being a nobody is a waste of time!” Rather strange, I know, what you’ve started. Take to interrupt a workout to jot your hands off your knees, pick something down. But what’s more up the f*ck*ng bar, and finish strong. motivating than being into your 4th round of power cleaning 225lbs for 7 reps unbroken, sprinting 200 meters, sledgehammering the life out of a tire for two minutes within a 7 round WOD? All while being watched by three mechanics in the distance in awe of the agony you’re putting yourself through.
WOD Performed that Day, Hammer Time 2 minutes of: 7 reps at 75% of 1rep max power clean 200 meter sprint (100 forward/back) Max out sledghammer strikes 1 minute rest 7 rounds André “Dré” Enriquez I Am CrossFit - Miami, FL Twitter - @DREiamcrossfit
34 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
Because the lifestyle doesn’t end when you leave the box... www.boxlifemagazine.com
35 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012
PLYO BOXE KETTLEBEL WEIGHT VE WOOD RINGS STRENGTH BA OLYMPIC BAR JUMP ROPES B BUMPER PLA WALL TIMERS GYMNASTIC R PLYO BOXES JUMP ROPES CHECKOUT WITH PROMO CODE
"BOXLIFE" AND SAVE 10% (LIMITED TIME OFFER, EXCLUDES SOME ITEMS)
36 BoxLife Magazine
April/May 2012