Thurs. May 6

Run 1 Mile (3 building laps)
20 Burpees
30 Box Jumps
40 ABMAT
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Strength Bias:
Front Squat
5-5-5-5-5
Press
5-5-5-5-5

then

5 Min AMRAP:
10 GHD Sit Ups
10 Back Ext.
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THE BEGINNER’S DILEMMA: NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS

Article courtesy of CrossFit Evolution Newsletter

Of course we love it when people new to crossfit training find us and start training, all excited, ready to go right away. What we don’t like, is when the beginner gets frustrated because they can’t: do a push-up, a snatch, do a movement correctly, go faster, do more, be less tired, lift heavier… etc. Sometimes, they just get overwhelmed learning “all there is to know”. Just remember, we don’t expect you to get it all and right away. Even the best professional lifters still get coached, and they have to practice and train all the time. You are no different, in that respect.

Practice. Practice. And then go practice some more.
Correct form and movement is essential to crossfit training. This means learning and repeating movements over and over until you always get it right. This takes time. While trying to learn the body dynamics involved in the front squat, now is not the time to load up some weight. If so, it is a sure path to injury or at the very least, disappointment.

We may start with a stick or empty 15, 33 or 45 lb bar. If the form is not sufficient, there is no point going faster or heavier. There are many, many movements to learn at our gym and you must learn to do them all correctly. Good news: many exercises are related and of similar concepts. This is because our exercises are functional and involve universal motor recruitment patterns. This will make your task not so daunting.

Consistency Leads to Speed
Now that the movement is embedded in your muscle/mind memory, it’s time to start moving faster. As you do, you’ll notice that some form deteriorates. That is normal and is okay as long as it’s within an acceptable range (don’t worry, we got our eye on you, and we’ll let you know). If it is acceptable, you’ll progress to the next level, if not… you’ll be told to slow down and correct the movement deficiencies. Your training at CrossFit Evolution is not just about getting the workout done in the fastest time. It’s also about correct form and proper reps (no cheating, cause you’re just cheating your fitness level). Do it, do it right, and then do it faster.

Bring on the Weight
Now you’re ready to load up. The amount of the load is directly dependent upon your form and of course, your strength. Once the form goes, you don’t get to add more weight just for the sake of lifting more. We are here to help you become better and that means injury free and progressed properly with your performance improvement in mind. Your vanity and ego can stay at home. Your “trash-talking” and playfulness are welcome. Bring it on!

Keep in mind that sometimes the training stimulus for the day may be to elicit a particular response. Maybe you can do the super heavy Rx weight, but our planned 15 minute workout will turn into a 1 hour slugfest. You’ll become frustrated or possibly injured, may be told to stop (and then you’ll really be pissed), or maybe you just won’t be able to train for a couple days. Remember the first thing I listed? This was a planned 15 minute workout. To take anymore than twice as long as expected, doesn’t produce any desired outcome that we may be looking for, for your performance improvements. I think we fill up the hour well enough without going into any overtime.

Conclusion
Stick to mastering the fundamentals or basics first. Want it spelled out? I want perfect push-ups with chest touching the floor and full extension at the top. I want perfect pull-ups with the chin over the bar and full extension at the bottom. I want perfect squats with the chest pulled upright, the arch clearly visible and tight, and breaking parallel without the pelvis dipping under.

We constantly strive to introduce everyone to more complex movements in bite size pieces, often. So don’t worry, you are not going to miss anything just because you’re new. Everyone gets exposure, the level of that exposure, just like the workouts, will be scaled individually.

Trying to speed up your advancement on your own will increase the chance of injury, delay performance improvements, and blunt the rate of return on your efforts. Why would you want to do that? You put your trust and money into us to coach you, so let us do it.

Rules for the Hardened Crossfitter
Even the ones who have been around can fall prey to the Beginner’s Dilemma. Be watchful.

* Leave the ego at home
* Sometimes you hit it with everything you’ve got, and sometimes you’ve got to scale it down.
* Going heavy is only cool if you don’t injure yourself in the process
* Watch your reps and be sure of your count
* Full range of motion required, slow down and do it right!
* Always seek to improve your technique, trust me, you still need work.
* Go fast, but don’t get sloppy.
* Biggest Pet Peeve: lack of full range of motion. You know what it is and you know what doesn’t cut it. Man-up!! Do it right. Stop being a girly-man.
* And for the ladies that do it… stop trying to prove that you are not the weaker sex. You are. Get over it. Focus on getting better, focus on improving.