CrossFit Nittany

Skill – Split Jerks

take 5 minutes to work up to 85-90%

then perform 1 rep every :45 for 6 minutes

Conditioning – 6 rounds:

10 cal on AirDyne AFAP

touch & go power cleans

*do power cleans in a wave 3 first round, 2 second, 1 third, 3 fourth, 2 fifth, 1 sixth… going up each round & each wave

-rest 3+ minutes between attempts-

3x:30 L-sit &

3x :30 side planks during recovery

Congrats to Ann Lehman for completing the CrossFit Endurance Trainer Course!  Running mechanics are one of the most neglected aspects of any fitness program.  They should be learned in the same order we use for all others of 1) Safety 2) Mechanics 3)Consistency and lastly 4) Intensity.  In terms of most running programs that means more drills, then more speed and lastly more distance.  Basically, most runners have not earned the right to run the distances they do and that is why they are always injuring themselves.  CrossFit Endurance uses a much safer approach.

Strength – Incline DB Press (or Ring Push-ups) 3×8

Conditioning- 6 rounds:

AMRAP for 1:30

5 Overhead Squats (115/75)

7 V-ups

5 Pull-ups

-Rest 1:30 between each round-

**scale for continuous movement

then rest 5 minutes

4-6 rounds:

Each for distance: Run for 1:30

-Rest 1:30 between each round-

*Perform each at 75% effort / RPE 14…. (for strong runners it is a slow/moderate 400m)

should be an easy 400m

So our 3rd Annual Memorial Day Murph is right around the corner and I want to be sure you guys know that workout on Memorial Day will be accessible to everyone.  We will be doing Full Murph, 1/2 Murph, Team Murph, and Smurf Murph so there is no good reason you and your whole family can’t come out.  We will have food on a grill here and some refreshments available and then usually we decided where we want to go to cool off and keep the BBQ’s going.  Secondarily, keep your eyes peeled for some really cool upcoming events AND the following programs…

CrossFit Nittany Endurance Club

CrossFit Nittany Barbell Club

Strength – 20 minutes EMOM:

Even minutes – 2 squat cleans + 1 push jerk, heaviest possible with great technique

Odd minutes – 2/3 bar muscle ups or 1 bar muscle up and 2/3 c2b pullups or 4 of the hardest pullup you can do

Conditioning – 6 rounds:

run AFAP for 10 seconds

-rest 2:50- (so runs start at 0,3,6,9,12,15)

Memorial Day is just around the corner. That means the Memorial Day Murph is too. If you are considering not doing the Murph because it is to difficult, or you are worried about not finishing, we have some great scaling options available for you. This way everyone can sweat their butts off Monday morning.  Along with the original Murph we will have a Half Murph, Partner Murph and a Smurf Murph for the little ones! If you have any questions you can talk to Bryan or Jen.  See you Monday the 27th!

Gretchen Macht is coming up on her 2 month anniversary of being a regular nooner.  She has Kelly Sprehn to thank for her introduction but herself to be proud of for putting in the effort.  Gretchen always comes ready to get after it and has decided WOD’s she hates most are the ones she seems to go the hardest on (running is evil she says)!  I love seeing someone like Gretchen who just “gets it” grind out the first month working on her weaknesses (like we all should be) with a huge smile… well, at least most of the time!  I’m excited to see how far Gretchen gets over the summer because you can be assured it won’t be for lack of effort and wonderful attitude!!!  Stay after it, 0001!!!

For folks following our 3 day train, 1 day rest, 2 day train, 1 day rest programming schedule the items on the following list are your focal points on a Thursday (rest day)… You need to rest in order to improve.

A.
Aerobic Restoration
25-40 minutes of one or a mixture of the following performed at 50-60% effort – easy, restorative & conversational pace:
* Swim (this is my first choice… it is what I do all summer weather permitting)
* Row (focus on mechanics, smooth and efficient with a very low stroke per minute pace)
* AirDyne (keep the pace conversational and relaxed)
* Cycling (get outdoors and enjoy the scenery as you ride)
* Hike (nothing crazy here, find a nice easy slope and go for a walk outdoors)

NOTE ABOUT ACTIVE RECOVERY – The activity selected must be restorative for you. It can also be an opportunity to work on a skill (like swimming or rowing), but the effort expended should leave you feeling energized at the end of the session, not depleted. I would also always prefer to see active recovery done as soon after rising as possible on the active recovery days. It’s an opportunity to start some blood flowing and aid your recovery.

B.
Mobility and Maintenance

* Body work from a licensed body worker such as Jennifer Borigo (massage, ART, acupuncture, etc…)

-AND/OR-

*YOGA @ CFN (6:30pm)

-AND/OR-
* Choose 1-2 Thoracic Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 5-10 minutes with them.
* Choose 2-3 Lower Body Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 10-12 minutes with them.
* Choose 1-2 Upper Extremity Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 5-10 minutes with them.

C.
Inflammation Maintenance
* This could be a lot of things, but think in terms of compression, contrast baths, salt baths, castor oil packs, etc….

D.
Nutrition Preparation
* Ensure that you have quality foods prepared in the appropriate quantities to fuel your efforts for the remainder of the week, particularly throughout the weekend on Thursdays and for the start of the week on Sundays. Every member of CrossFit Nittany should own a crock pot, blender & farmer’s market schedule.

E.
Mental Restoration
* Different for everyone – could be meditation or could be listening to one of our very talented musician members play or just gathering with friends; the key is to engage in activities that make your life full and help you recharge your batteries.

Strength -
1a) bench press – 5×5 @ 85%
1b) pistols (right) – 5×5 weighted
1c) pistols (left) – 5×5 weighted
Rest as needed

Conditioning – 4 rounds:
Row 500m @ ~90%
Rest 1:1 or 2 minutes

Skill – 7×1 split jerk, rest 90 seconds

Conditioning – 5 rounds for time…
5 push press (155/105)
10 medball sit-ups (20/14)
15 wall balls (20/14)
30 double unders
-Rest 1 minute-

*scale push press up or down to a challenging 5 reps
**anchor feet with db for sit-ups against the wall
***try to operate at 90+% where you are flirting at “red lining”

On a side note, we have a size 6 and 5.5 in women’s black and pink Nano’s we’d like get moving. If you have tiny feet see Jen or Bryan.

Thanks to the committee of members who decided to certify me as an “Ambassador of Awesomeness!”  And Congrats to Ashley Henning and Dan Lehman for taking the CrossFit Level 1 course this past weekend in Alexandria, VA.

Skill – 4 x 1.1.1 Power Snatch (reset/rest 10 seconds between reps and 2-3 minutes between sets)

Strength – 8×3 deficit deadlifts, heavier than last week so roughly 65-75% (same deficit, rest 2 minutes)

Use any remaining time to work on the skill of your choosing or row 2000m at 80% approximately…

Midline – 3×8 Reverse Hypers during the second skill practice

Skill – EMOM for 8 minutes:
1 snatch + 2 overhead squats

Conditioning – 21-15-9
Airdyne for calories
KBS (32/24)
Burpees

I watched a TED Education talk while preparing a late dinner while writing this post. A consultant turned teacher turned psychologist came on WPSU talking about how she got fed up as a consultant and wanted to make a difference so she taught math in a city school. She saw a problem with how we grade and judge students in their ability to learn things quickly but couldn’t place it initially so she became a psychologist to figure out what she was missing. She went and studied people in only the toughest of settings like West Point, Wall Street, troubled schools and lots of settings that were high stress and ultra competitive and got descriptions of those who were succeeding and what traits they exhibited. Only one trait came across in common amongst the people who were most seen as having learned to be the most successful at what they did by their peers and teachers or superiors… They were described as the “grittiest.” They fought the hardest when the going got the toughest. Not the smartest, most gifted, quickest learners, etc. It was those who would fight harder for longer than anyone else under more and more pressure. She stopped her speech there saying she didn’t yet know how to teach kids “grit.” I think i do…

Anyone whose kid isn’t “gritty” enough can come with them tomorrow (just sign a waiver for them and keep them by your side at all times). They need to see their parents being “gritty” and then get “gritty” themselves and when it comes time to decide to quit or keep going YOU will keep going despite a perceived inability to do so in the hope that they will in turn keep going in difficult situations. You will then scrape yourself up and repeat under their watchful eyes this same act 3 more times alongside a dozen of your favorite workout partners. Lactic Endurance training might just save our education system one child at a time tomorrow!

Wednesday:

Skill – 12 minutes to quickly establish a 1RM for the day on Clean & Jerk

Conditioning – 4 rounds:
15 thrusters (95/65)
Row 300m
-rest 6 minutes between rounds-