The games site is live and you are able to register.  I have registered the team so if you haven’t joined the team….you better cause all the cool people are doing it.

I am curious as to how people are feeling after last nights Games Prep WOD?  Thoughts?  What is going to be the toughest part of the open for you?  What movement is going to be difficult for you?  What will be easy?

Also for everyone participating please reference the drug testing policy from the games site.  Badger Milk and Gluten are not mentioned as performance enhancing…….

Structured Strength (week 2)
-Snatch (18) +5lbs
-GHR 4 x 12

Add 5 lbs from last weeks weight. Figure out any combo to achieve 18 total reps using Prilepin’s Chart.  When you finish do your GHR

CrossFit Strength
Bent Row
4,4,4,4

Add weight each set if possible.

Increase weight over each set. Work on form and technique for this movement.

Did you know Coach Broz has an Olympic Lifting Class on Monday and Thursday at 6pm? Great way to work on your Olympic lifting technique with Coach Broz. A lot of people have said that it has helped them a lot to work with Coach Broz. I highly recommend that if you want to get better at olympic lifting that you show up and take the class. Usually Monday is Snatch work, and Thursday is Clean and Jerk.

There is only 3 weeks till the start of the open!! Excited? Anxious? Nervous? Make sure to create your account on the games site. Go HERE.

Structured Strength (week 2)
OFF

CrossFit Strength
Press
3-3-3-3-3

+2.5-5lb from the weight that was used last week on Wednesday

Games Prep WOD
50 Pull-ups
30 Thrusters 95/65 lbs
50 Kettlebell Swings 72/44 lbs

At the start of the minute do 5 burpees

Post time to completion

You are done when either the following happens:
-you finish all reps (yay!!)
-you have 2 consecutive rounds of ONLY burpees (boo burpees suck)

Skill
Complete 100 Handstand push-ups

Use 15# bumper plates for your hands and abmat in between the bumper plates.

I am curious if tomorrow I will actually be able to register for the 2012 CrossFit games via the website. Last year it was a big debacle. I think the site went down a few times during the first 24 hours. At any rate if you are going to participate in the 2012 games, which you should, registration starts February 1. The first workout is less then 3 weeks away.

Structured Strength (week 2)
-Press (24) +5lbs
-GHD Sit-up 4 x 12

Add 5 lbs from last weeks weight. Figure out any combo to achieve 24 total reps using Prilepin’s Chart.

CrossFit Strength
Romanian Deadlift
4,4,4,4

Increase weight each set. Work on form and technique.

I think a lot of people use the weekend to relax, enjoy time with the family, pretty much do leisurely activities. I only say this because most of the time on the weekend I see only about 20-30 people that I normally see through out the week. First off I applaud those that can take a day or two off and just enjoy their lives. When we allow the body to rest and recover from the weeks onslaught of work, working out, family, errands, etc it allows for not only the physical body to relax, but also the psychological side as well. A lot of the times the human body can undergo physical stress and it is hard for someone to realize that the psychological side is suffering. This is called Adrenal Fatigue.

The best way to illicit change in the body (ie body comp changes for most of the people reading this) is to allow it to enter into a state of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the tendency of a system, esp. the physiological system of higher animals, to maintain internal stability. If, for example, your body temperature moved up some 10% from your average temperature, you would be in a big trouble – that is why the homeostasis working behind the curtains, is good system to have – it keeps your body in order. Homeostasis applies to psychological states and behavior as well as to physical functioning.
OR
Basically your body likes to be what it is and doesn’t want to change for fear of causing harm to itself.

Some ideas to rest the physical self:
-Light activity, but not heavy couch surfing.
-Do a different type of WOD, like Vili’s Saturday class SLEDGEHAMMER STRIKES FTW!
-Stretch perhaps a yoga class
-Massage, can fit in the psychological self too
-Acupuncture
-Ice the soreness away

Some ideas to rest the psychological self:
-Be around friends, pets, and family
-Meditate
-Do something good for the community volunteer
-Play games ie video games(not too much but I suggest SWTOR), outdoor games ie hide and seek
-Learn something new ie cooking, line dancing, carpentry

Do you think CrossFit disrupts homeostasis? What about strength training? How do you unwind the body and mind?

Ok lets hit the gym hard today and get out of homeostasis, if your body was in it that is.

Structured Strength (week 2)
-Back Squat (15) +5lbs
-Max Rep Supine ring pull-ups

Add 5 lbs from last weeks weight. Figure out any combo to achieve 15 total reps using Prilepin’s Chart. How many sets it takes you to complete your back squat reps do that many sets of max rep supine ring pull-ups.

CrossFit Strength
Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

+5-10 lbs from the weight used last week for your back squat.

Confidence Through Strength – Lean Lifting PROMO from Bougie Photography on Vimeo.

This is obviously a strength based site. While sometimes my focus seems to be in other random places I love this video. I love everything strength based. I consider the practice of gymnastic skills strength as well.

Probably often times when women ask me what they should do for x, y, or z they hear the simplest answer: Lift heavy. While this goes against conventional theory and old school thought this is probably the hardest challenge as a strength and conditioning coach. In GENERAL women do not want to lift, they also do not want to put a bar on their back because they feel like they get bulky x, y, or z when they lift. If you are a female and you don’t want to get underneath a bar and lift something heavy ask yourself these simple questions
1) What type(s) of body composition changes do you want to have?
2) What type(s) of diseases do you want to avoid now, in the near future, or late future?

Read these next few articles. HONESTLY DO IT!

If you will sit and read a magazine called Shape, Womens Health, O OR watch other tv shows that only feed the belief that lifting is bad for you, or that a body building approach will help you “tone” then you owe it to yourself to take 5 minutes out of your day and explore something else. I gurantee what you think you need to do and what you need to do are 2 different approaches. AND after you finishing reading that realize that the one way to build muscle is through hypertrophy. How do you do that? Usually high repetitions + light weight. What do you see in said magazines? High repetitions + light weight. What does high repetitions + light weight sound like? Body Pump. Do I ever encourage high repetitions + light weight? Please shot me if I do.

1) What does the conclusion say for this short article?
2) Oh I dont want to end up with metabolic syndrome(diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.)
3) I will even do the hard part for you and google all the results for you to read even more

Paleo + Heavy Bar = Great success, prove me wrong.

Structured Strength
-Deadlift (24)
-Max Rep Pull-ups

Start with about 70% of your 1RM deadlift, each week you will add 5-10lbs.

When you finish you have the same amount of sets to do max rep pull-ups. If it took you 4 sets to finish the deadlifts, you have 4 sets of max rep pull-ups. If it took you 6 sets to finish your deadlifts you have 6 sets of max rep pull-ups.

CrossFit Strength
Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3

Take 3 sets to warm up at or below 60% of your 1RM. After that load the bar up and start with about 75% this week. Do the same weight for all 5 sets. Next week you will go heavier!

Sorry for the late post. It was Chinese New Year on Sunday. I was at dinner with my Family late last night talking. At the end of the night my Grandmother asked me to setup her phone. I am sure there are a lot of people out there that help their moms/dads/grandparents with technology. Earlier that day I was at her house putting her new computer together so she got a boat load of new tech for the New Year.

So this year is the year of the Black Water Dragon…..no not a dragon that is doing contract work in the middle east. The Chinese are all about luck. Water represents your friends, siblings or same generation relatives. The 2012 events will connected to them and spend most of time with them. You will have more energy in social activities. If Water is your Lucky Element, then you will get lots of courage and support from your siblings or friends. If you are doing business, then your friends or business partners will help you to bring in more income. If Water is your Unlucky Element, then your friends or relatives will bring you trouble. They might ask for a loan, or you may be forced to spend money on them.

The major element of Dragon is Earth. Water is afraid of Earth. Earth brings pressure on Water. So Earth represents law, career, boss or position. If you have a lot of Water in the birth chart, then Dragon will bring a job opportunity. If you waste money in spending, Dragon will give you advice on how to save money. If someone wants to borrow money from you, then sometimes Dragon will help you to say no. If you have a little Water in the birth chart, your friends and siblings will fully support you when you face trouble in career, argument or lawsuit.

In general, 2012 will be a very good year for people whose Water element score is low. The high score Water people need a conservative attitude in the Water Dragon year.

Structured Strength
Snatch (18)
Bench (18)

Start about 75% of your 1RM for Snatch and Bench. Remember when you come back to this next week you will add 5-10lbs.

Again this is where your math skills from grade school will help you out. Figure out any combo of reps and sets that work to get you 18 total reps for each

CrossFit Strength
OFF

WORD Games Prep is tonight! I am stoked. I can’t wait to see everyone at 715 ready to get some. Little love that I was introduced to by my New Zealand friend on Search and Rescue. How do you prep yourself for a WOD?

CrossFit Strength
Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3

Start at a weight that may seem lite. Next Week on Wednesday you will add 5-10lbs from the weight used today. You will do that EVERY Wednesday. I good weight would be heavier than 75% of your 1 RM Deadlift.

Another Games Prep is coming on Wednesday. Be ready to go at 715pm. One thing I want to cover is the push-up as its almost a 100% guarantee that it will be in the Open.

I will post the WOD for Games Prep on Wednesday as well as send out an email Tuesday night sometime.

On the note of Games Prep. I am very proud of attendance and overall participation. Who is excited for the Open? Remember where we came from.

Structured Strength
-Press (24)
-GHD Sit-ups 4×12

Start with about 70% of your 1RM press for the beginning of this cycle. Complete 24 reps in any number of sets. The optimal amount of reps per set for 24 rep is 3-6 reps.

CrossFit Strength
-OFF

If you haven’t known about it there is a structured strength program at CrossFit Las Vegas. This time around its going to use a very common chart used by lifters to gain strength.

Prilepin’s Chart

How to figure out the strength doc:
Each day has 2 movements. Somedays there is 1 barbell lift and a gymnastic or assistance, somedays there are 2 barbell movements. When you see the barbell movement you will see a number in parenthesis. That number is derived from the optimal number in Prilepin’s Chart for strength gains. That number is the number of reps you must complete for the day. Here is where a little bit of imagination comes in. You can do the reps per set however you want as long as you adhere to the staying within the optimal reps per set range and as long as you get close to the reps for the lift for the day. See some examples at the end of the post.

Both Joe and I agree that increasing strength will certainly make life a lot easier when doing a typical CrossFit WOD. You gain strength, and better movement patterns with regular exposure to barbell lifts. That said EVERY Monday, Wednesday, and Friday you will find a barbell movement in the usual CrossFit classes from now on. I would recommend lifting during class for about 3 months before starting a more specific strength program. If you have strength goals in mind for the New Year feel free to sit down with me and we can discuss a plan.

Structured Strength
-Back Squat (15)
-Glute Ham Raises 4 x 12

Start off at about 82% of your 1RM. Next week when you back squat you will be adding 5-10lbs
Your optimal sets is 3-6 so you can do as many sets as you want to get 15 reps. 5-5-5, 3-3-3-3-3, 3-4-4-4, 5-4-3-3, etc. Do you get the idea?

CrossFit Strength
Back Squat
3-3-3-3-3

All sets are to be done at the same weight. Next time you back squat for strength you will be adding 5-10lbs.

Wednesday will be eventful.

First off at 430pm an seminar about the new strength program. Plan to meet in the front lobby area to go over a few things and pass out paperwork so you guys can prep and get started next week. Rawr!!

I unfortunately have to move games prep to Thursday at 7p. Sorry guys I am doing a search and rescue training that I can’t miss to keep my emt certification current. For Thursday please bring protective gear for climbing rope. Long songs work well, or wear pants. I suggest socks as they might get eaten and its not a big deal to buy another pair of socks instead of pants.

Open sign ups start in less then 3 weeks! The 2012 games site is live so you can get a preview of it here

Structured Strength
Deadlift 5 x 5

Skill
250 x pistols each leg

Games Prep WOD
10 rope climbs
-Then-

6 rounds for time
10 KB swings 72#/44#
100m sandbag run/100m farmers carry shuttle
10 toes to bar

-Then-
10 rope climbs

The rope climbs do not count for time in the workout. Since we have 2 ropes they way it will go down, is 2 athletes will start their 10 rope climbs. When an athlete finishes their rope climbs their time starts. They will write the current clock time on the ground in chalk and then proceed to do the 5 rounds for time. After they have finished the 5 rounds they will write down the clock time and proceed to finish with 10 rope climbs. During the last 10 rope climbs feel free to allow someone else to go while you rest. Get this done as quickly as possible though.

In regards to the farmers carry sandbag run shuttle portion it will go like this: Everyone is going to start with a farmers carry. 100m away is a sandbag to pick up, you will drop your farmers carry object and bring back the sandbag. For the next round it will be sandbag run first and a farmers carry back.

I also realize that there is only 2 x 72# KB so guys don’t get greedy 53# is just as good