More people keep showing up for the Sunday class. This past weekend 19 participants braved the cold drizzle to show up. Interestingly (to me at least) is that I am getting a bunch of trainers from “Big Box” gyms showing up. One guy named Steve has come for about 2 weeks, and done very well in all the workouts, and now is bringing friends. One thing I have noticed though, almost all of them seem a bit taken back by our approach to squating. I have noticed this working with trainers in many gyms. Now, I an NOT being critical here. These people are coming to something different, and working hard. It just shows how far removed our approach is from the mainstream “Industry standards”, where a parallel airsquat with an upright torso is a mystery, not a starting point.
At City Fitness, I have a whiteboard where I diagram exercises up in the weight room. Right now its the Overhead Squat. Today one trainers client looked at it, and mentioned to her trainer that she liked the idea. The trainer went on to tell her about how dangerous the OHS is. In fact, she said any squats are just too risky, especially with all the other options she has available. OK here I AM being critical. I don’t think I need to go into detail here, but in my mind, a program that avoids any squatting (for a healthy young client, no less) is just not any good. Period.
Oh, and for the “Danger” of squatting- we do at least 60 squats in our warmup every class, and probably average a few hundred in the workouts (of various styles). Over the last year and a half, more than a hundred classes- not one acute injury, and two cases of tendonosis that were quickly dealt with.
Anyways, this weekend we did:
Warmup with squats, pushups, and samson stretches
PVC OHS practice
50 Rep OHS with weight, as few sets as possible done with
either: PVC, 18 lbs, 35 lbs, 45 lbs, 75 lbs or 95 lbs.
8 Minutes of:
Burpee ladder with shuttle runs
(sprint 15 yards and back, 1 burpee, sprint, 2 burpees etc.)
Then
1 arm DB snatches
Walking lunges
done 15 snatches each side, lunge 1/2 length of BB court and back, 14 snatches each and lunging, down to 10 snatches each side.
Scores to follow.
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Great post Tom…
Sorry I missed the WOD, I love those ladders, simply Brutal!
Yes, the ladders are easy to love from a distance….good from far but far from good.
What you experienced seems to be the difference between training for vanity and training for athletics.
Though a bit awkward to learn, the classic air squat and OHS are crucial skills to master for sports that rely on power, strength, and balance through the legs and core.
But what do I know… I already look great in a little black dress.
Hi Tom!! I’m being evil. My boyfriend is coming to the workout today. He’s 6’2″, 250. Thinks he is tougher than God. Ok, not really but you get the point. Please have a “wonderful” workout ready that will have him crying uncle!! hehehehe… 😉
Working out to “look” good in the mirror and working out for athletic functionality are too different beasts. training to explode in movement again and again and again is the kind of training that is needed for sport. I can’t remember the last time I saw an athletic movement that mirrored a standard bench press, curl, or squat with 2 minutes rest between sets. It is no wonder that so many farmers have gone on to become All Blacks as the grinding day to day work lifting hay and swinging an ax builds core strength in a way that body building style lifting never will. The crossfit style workouts mimic many of these farm type workouts which build core strength and explosive power.
Melanesian mana is thought to be a sacred impersonal force existing in the universe. Mana can be in people, animals, plants and objects. Mana also means pride, in New Zealand Māori.
I got some weird students
Tom,
Are you planning to expand CrossFit DC at any time? If these classes keep seeing 20 or so students I would think you would be close to having enough for a full-time gig. If you are looking into the idea, feel free to include me – I am looking for business/investment opportunities with CrossFit over the next couple years.
We are out of the area this weekend but I told Yin you expect her back at the next opportunity!
Damien
well said Tom, the squat is the KING of all exercises. in fact, after i squat in a wkout, i am in satiably (sp?)hungry for the next coupla days. my friends wonder why i can eat like a hippo and not get fat. cuz ive bolstered my metabolizm with squats!
lets tell those naysayers to shut up and squat.
if you aint squatting you aint working out, and if you aint squatting deep you aint squatting.