Workout of the Day:
Push Press
3-3-3-3-3
and then,
For time:
10 Box Jumps, 1 Ring Dip
9 Box Jumps, 2 Ring Dips
8 Box Jumps, 3 Ring Dips
…
1 Box Jump, 10 Ring Dips
(Jump as high as you can. If you can jump more than 30 inches, stack plates under the corners of the tallest boxes.)
Training With Odd Real Objects
Written by Mark Riebel
In CrossFit, we build our training and exercises around functional movements and little more equipment than some barbells and bumper plates. But how much does this translate to your everyday life? Quite a bit actually.
Rarely will a situation presents itself where you have an easily-gripped object with symmetric weight distribution that needs to be picked up and hauled somewhere. So why would we bother to train in the gym with such convenient objects? The answer is that having a 400 pound deadlift makes it much easier to pick up that awkward 80 pound object, whether it be furniture, a keg or construction supplies.
But I suggest adding some real objects into your training to give you a sense of what it’s like to deal with items where the weight isn’t evenly distributed and the shape is less forgiving. Some of us have gone out a few times on the beach to drag tires, toss rocks, and flip logs in the sand. Was our form textbook perfect? Not really, but that’s what the situation demanded. Ask any soldier, firefighter or law enforcement agent who has had to help a friend to safety. It wasn’t perfect, but by maintaining a high level of fitness in a gym setting, they were able to accomplish the task much more efficiently and quickly in a real-life situation.
Sandbags are a recent addition to CrossFit Invictus. They only weigh 75 pounds, but do a few cleans and overhead presses with them and you’ll find out quickly just how challenging it can be to work with unbalanced objects. Take a few minutes before or after your workout and carry your buddy around the gym or even around the block. Pick up and carry a few bags of cement somewhere. Push a car. Heck, just pick up and play with your kids. Any of these can be a fun and challenging addition to a workout.
What real-life situations has CrossFit helped you in? What kind of real objects will you train with?
I front squat my doggies, starting with the smallest and working my way up.
Oh, and I C&J Barry.
How could anyone top the first post?
It’s like Cynthia hit a home run on the first pitch in a night game and the ball destroyed the central power circuit and blacked out the entire stadium.
That’s funny b/c I just had a sad moment last night when I picked up my little sleeping daughter to put her in bed, and realized that she ain’t so little anymore!! She is an awkward 65 lb deadlift.
Also, the sandbags ain’t no joke……last September we had our new Chief Petty Officer’s do “Sandbag PT”, where they had to build a fortress wall by filling the bags full with shovels, and then carry them about 50 yds to the build spot. When they couldn’t finish we helped, and it sucked!
Hey, I heard one of the Freischlag brothers miscounted this morning? What’s up with that!!!
1) Lifting our sofa looking for toys or small shoes.
2) Piggyback Jill and Simon up our stairs.
There are probably a few good examples I can post here, but my ultimate goal in CrossFit is to pick up and throw people. Some of you may have heard me say it before, but I think it would be pretty cool if you found yourself in a situation (bar fight?) where you could actually pick a person up from the ground, press them overhead, and throw them…street creds you can’t buy online.
Where am I at with this goal? I think I’ve recently graduated from average adolescent male to average adult white guy (excluding norwegians)
What a timely post C.J. Love it.
First, I did this beach WOD with Manimal and the crew. Funny thing is that I am behind Manimal – really you just can’t see me. I had a blast. It was so fun to be outdoors and put our fitness to the test. Highly recommend it.
As for real life situations where CrossFit has helped me. I have a perfect example from this morning when I was walking Sarah (the dog). I had Sarah’s leash in one hand and my first cup of coffee (a sacred gift) in the other. We were strolling along having a lovely time until she spotted a cat. Thank goodness for CF because I now have the strength to brace myself and restrain Sarah. I managed to pull her back and balance my precious cup of coffee in the other hand. Prior to CF my cup of coffee would have been sacrificed and she would have taken me for a ride down the street after the cat.
My final thought for the day: I had a good chat with a new CrossFitter last night. She reminded me of something I think is very important to remember. Remember why you CrossFit. You don’t CrossFit to become a professional CrossFitter. You CrossFit to either be the best you can be in your sport OR to feel strong and capable in every day life. Try not to lose perspective.
Hope everyone has a great day!
Dantelope out-
Dani – ‘You don’t CrossFit to become a professional CrossFitter’. So true. Well said sister.
Adam – For maybe the second time in my Crossfit life, I called time before my younger and more athletic little brother. However, much to my chagrin, Nate informed me that I may have missed a round of ring dips. Argghh!
I know that he was looking out for my best interest and that we both place a high value on rep count integrity during WODs (as I believe everyone does at CFI). I actually appreciate the check.
So……Nathan could be right. But, since he’s on active duty in the Navy, he would be in direct violation of rule #2 as applied to ‘The Chief’
1) The Chief is always right
2) In the impossible hypothesis that a subordinate may be right, see above
3) The Chief does not sleep, he rests
4) The Chief is never late, he is detained elsewhere
5) The Chief never leaves work early, his presence is required elsewhere
6) Whoever confronts the Chief with an idea of his own must leave with
The Chief’s idea
7) The Chief is always the Chief, even in his shower shoes
Peace!
~BC
Awesome job on the beach WOD!!
M and I tackled the Obstacle Course down at the Amphib base, let’s see, almost two years ago now? The biggest injury was Michele landing on the side of her leg, on top of the chapstick she always keeps in her pocket. The bruise was around for weeks. It is always fun to do workouts (read attempt) that are different, and best of all, outside!
BC,
You forgot:
There is no speck of dirt that will remain hidden, nor a drop of coffee that will remain undrunk in the presence of the Chief.
Commence Field Day!!
Weird. That was supposed to be a number 8.
LOL
Except my brothers, there damn good Chiefs and I cant argue with these rules when dealing with them…
First off, I think the Navy Chiefs came up with these “Chief Rules” because they know how full of S*** they really are
So, Chief… I got nothing… I totally made Adam post that comment to stir the pot. Bottom line is your doing great! And even if I am wrong, I still love to give you a hard time… I should have went a bit higher on my own box jumps any way, oh well…
Chris, it’s funny when you mention “The Chief”.. matter of fact..
i lift spoons of cashew butter into my mouth.
I will beat Nate in a WOD as well one day…this is my Crossfit goal…and the healthy lifestyle stuff as well! : )
Wonder why Mark said “It’s funny you mention “The Chief”?
oops…i meant Mike not Mark.
and i spelled my last name wrong….i’m going to bed.
After yesterdays post I thought CJ would appreciate this… At my new job as a fitness manager in, yes a “globo gym” ( what are you going to do, it pays the bills) I’ve been slowly but surely integrating “our CF philosophies”. Part of the job is to manage all of the trainers in the gym. So I have all of them train me, so I can get an idea of their style and I figure I’ll probably learn a thing or two while I’m at it.
One of my newest trainers is Tyler, a Mike Boyle educated trainer and current employee and a deep believer in his work. Tyler, and Mike Boyle for that matter have made it clear they don’t always agree with the CF philosophies. Tyler was hesitant to even discuss it. However after training me today, and he did a great job; Tylers response was… “ok I have to admit, I thought that was going to kick your ass, and I didn’t come close. You’re
in ridiculously good shape and I’m going to do what you do”…
A tiny success, but progress, in my new world filled with nautilus machines and elipticals. I just thought I’d share… Miss you guys, especially my sis, the queen of the split clean.
Today at a glance–Snipits of CrossFit put to use in the daily life of M Good
8:30AM: “Stupid human tricks” w/ Sage including: human pyramid, back summersault into handstand, various breakdancing moves, etc.
11:30: Balance and coordination used to ride shopping cart as if it were a skateboard from front of store to car in parking lot.
Noon: farmer carry w/ 8+ bags of groceries in each hand in attempt to make only one trip from my car to the kitchen.
1:00PM: Dice 18 eggplant…for time.
3:30PM: SDHP garbage bag out of can in the kitchen then one-arm snatch it into the dumpster outside.
4:00PM: Deadlift box of food to place in car, then deadlift from car to carry into gym
4:30PM: Bottom-to-bottom squats while loading fridge at gym
Dani,
I’m glad you are strong enough to restrain Sarah….I’ve seen her chase after a squirrel with you in tow and it is pretty impressive and hilarious. I must say though, it would have required a lot less physical effort to train her not to pull you in every direction than to become stronger than her. Sorry, that’s just the trainer in me talking.
WOD – fail … gaze was shifting upwards during push press and got a slight nerve pinch that zapped my shoulder and ran down my right arm. Better today, but wary of that in the future.