What's the WOD ?

WOD is "Workout of the Day." The great folks at CrossFit post a workout for each day. The common splits are a) as posted, which is 3 days on/1 off, and b) 5 days on, two off.
If you need explanation on doing the WODs, check here or in the discussion board. Likely your question has been asked before.

Some insight and thoughts on sets and reps:

The WOD descriptions are very literal; don't read into them. If it says "squats" it means bodyweight (aka "air squats") - no added weight, unless it says back squats or front squats.
A "rep" or repetition is one iteration of a movement. One bench press, one squat. A "set" is a group of reps: 10 reps =10 bench presses, 10 squats. 3 sets is do a group of repetitions, rest, repeat, rest, repeat. So, 3 sets of 10 (reps) is 10/rest/10/rest/10. The rest interval is up to your recovery time, and the goal of the WOD. Obviously, if it's a timed WOD, you want to rest less.
Also, rest and reps are frequently inverse. Sometimes a WOD says deadlift 3-2-2-1-1-1. This means a set of 3 reps, a set of 2 reps, another set of 2, a "set of one" aka a "single." This few reps indicates maximal load, and indicates longer rest times.
Back to literal: if the WOD says 21-15-9 reps of bench and pullups in "rounds" (or any two or three exercises as given) you do 21 reps of exercise 1, followed by 21 reps of exercise 2, and 21 reps of exercise 3 if there is a third one. Now do 15 of the first, 15 of the second...9 of the first, 9 of the second.
Most likely you will be breaking the 21's and 15's (and maybe the 9's) into subsets, aka "breakdowns." This is based on your strength and conditioning. Remember if you need to adjust the weight downward, do so, since these are timed WODs.

Here's some insight from Coach on the intent of CrossFit:

"CrossFit is in large part derived from several simple observations garnered through hanging out with athletes for thirty years and willingness, if not eagerness, to experiment coupled with a total disregard for conventional wisdom. Let me share some of the more formative of these observations:
1. Gymnasts learn new sports faster than other athletes.
2. Olympic lifters can apply more useful power to more activities than other athletes.
3. Powerlifters are stronger than other athletes.
4. Sprinters can match the cardiovascular performance of endurance athletes - even at extended efforts.
5. Endurance athletes are woefully lacking in total physical capacity.
6. With high carb diets you either get fat or weak.
7. Bodybuilders can't punch, jump, run, or throw like athletes can.
8. Segmenting training efforts delivers a segmented capacity.
9. Optimizing physical capacity requires training at unsustainable intensities.
10. The world's most successful athletes and coaches rely on exercise science the way deer hunters rely on the accordion."

Source : http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/faq.html

Why Healthy People need to Cleanse

So Why Do I Need to Cleanse?

Given the toxic nature of the modern world, cleansing should be a part of a basic personal health routine for everyone. Even if you feel pretty good today and consider yourself in good overall health with no serious conditions, you should still consider including full-body nutritional cleansing as part of your overall wellness regimen.
Most debilitating health conditions don’t occur overnight, they commonly take years to develop. What’s more, while the human body is very good at detoxifying itself, our modern world exposes us to so many impurities and pollutants that our bodies simply can’t keep up with the toxic overload. These environmental impurities are everywhere – our air, water, soil and food – and the number of these hazards continues to escalate, making the case for consistent cleansing as part of your ongoing personal wellness plan.

 Here are 10 reasons why Isagenix Cleansing is your optimal long-term health and longevity solution.

1) Precious Minerals- Isagenix products contain trace minerals, gentle cleansing herbs, antioxidants, essential vitamins and a rich, undenatured whey protein free of hormones, steroids and antibiotics – all to help nourish and rejuvenate the body, promoting its natural detoxifying abilities.
2) Rich in Nutrients and low in calories- Isagenix helps lower caloric intake. High-calorie diets contribute to many of today’s lifestyle health problems, like obesity.
3) Amino Acids- Isagenix provides your body with all the necessary branched-chain amino acids.
4)Weight Management- a natural and rewarding side benefit of the Isagenix system is safe and effective-weight loss.
5) Lean Muscle- leaner muscle mass is also a common benefit of the Isagenix products.
6) Athletic Endurance- Isagenix is the perfect support of the athletic performance.
7) Remove Impurities- The superior-quality ingredients in Isagenix are the ideal catalyst for cleansing the body of impurities and replenishing it with essential nutrients.
8) Flexibility- the Isagenix system is flexible and offer multiple options to meet the needs of virtually every individual.
9) Gastrointestinal Support- Isagenix supports the liver and gastrointestinal system.
10) Brain food- another terrific benefit of the Isagenix system is that it supports brain chemistry and helps curb cravings.
Isagenix is the prevention key that unlocks a longer healthier life. Cleansing is just one facet of whole-body wellness.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Isagenix system, please comment below and we’ll chat!

7 Major Benefits of a Spin Class

 

One of the best indoor workouts is a spin class. Below are 7 reasons why you should incorporate spin classes into your weekly workout routines.

You can train all year long – Spinning is great, because it can be done all year long...and it's indoors. That means you'll enjoy a bike ride without having to navigate through crazy drivers, pot holes, ice, rain, or strong winds. A 30-45 min spin class is equivalent to about 8-10 miles. A full hour, depending on how fast you pedal, can give you closer to 13 miles!

You workout harder to awesome music – Each instructor uses a different flavor of music. So whether you like pop, hip hop, oldies, rock, or a mixture of everything you can try out new instructors to see who has a similar taste in music to you. However, no matter what type of music is played, you’ll always get a great workout and feel pumped, since all spin classes use high tempo songs to get your legs moving.

Burn a ton of calories with interval training – Another great thing about spin classes are that they use interval training to rotate between sprints, hills, time out of the seat and rest periods. You'll keep your heart rate up the whole time without being overly fatigued. Interval training also gives you the highest calorie burn for the amount of time spent working out.

 Tone more than just your legs – Spin classes tone more than just your legs. You need to use your core when you are pedaling out of the seat in order to stabilize your body. You also activate your glutes when spinning to deliver a fully toned lower body. At both Ravenswood and Edgewater fitness centers we offer several spin classes that also include a yoga or strength training section to give participants a full body workout.

Ride at your own speed – While our instructors encourage participants to ride faster and with more resistance every class, participants are in full control of their resistance and speed levels. This makes spin classes perfect for all experience and fitness levels.

Give your joints a break – Spin classes give your joints a nice break from other classes like bootcamp, tabata, and zumba that use a lot of high impact exercises that can put a lot of pressure on your joints.

De-stress and Re-energize – Exercise in general relieves stress and provides energy. However, spin classes in particular allow participants to get lost in their workout, since the movements are simpler and require little concentration.

CrossFit Hand Care

CrossFitters often revel in the fact that our workouts have bloodied our hands. "We're such badasses! We're SO hardcore!" But let’s call a spade a spade: IT IS NOT “COOL” TO HAVE CHUNKS OF OUR SKIN RIPPED FROM OUR HANDS.

Flayed skin is not a badge of bad-assery. It does not mean that you are tougher or better at working out. And it most definitely does not mean that CrossFit, lifting and/or gymnastics should be avoided because of the possibility that the skin on your hands might get torn.

All it means is that:

You’re a soft-handed newbie who hasn’t yet had the chance to build up thicker skin on your fingers and palms to protect them from tearing, or

You’re not giving your hands the T.L.C. they need to keep from getting shredded.

Torn skin is painful and annoying, and may put you out of commission for a spell. And THAT is unequivocally un-hardcore.

My first encounter with shredded hands occurred shortly after starting CrossFit, back when the roughest activity my hands saw was an occasional difficult-to-open jar of spaghetti sauce. After neglecting proper hand care for weeks. Over the past year, I’ve experienced minor tears and major ones. In this post, I’m going to discuss what I could (and should) have done to prevent bloody hand, and what treatment options are available to those of us unfortunate enough to gash open our hands doing high-rep pull-ups, kettlebell snatches and the like.

Hand Grooming 

Those who are new to gymnastics, weightlifting or CrossFit in general often start with soft, callus-free hands. Ideally, to reduce the likelihood of hand tears, beginners should try to gradually build up calluses (through -- what else? -- handling bars) to the point where the skin on their palms and fingers are tough and thick -- but smooth. Once some skin-thickening is achieved, the goal is to keep any calluses filed down. The goal is have a consistent, smooth palm surface, without noticeable ridges or fluctuating thicknesses of skin. A raised, rough callus will eventually blister and tear away from the surrounding skin, ripping open your hands and making a bloody mess. A general rule of thumb: If you can pinch a raised edge of the callus, it needs to be filed down. Constant vigilance and regular hand care is key to preventing tears.

You can use a number of different tools to keep your calluses in check, including:

• A nail file; 
• A callus/corn shaver;
• Cuticle scissors; 
• A pumice stone; 
• A dull razor blade; 
• Sandpaper; 
• A butter knife; or
• A Dremel tool!

Obviously, don’t be an idiot. Use these tools with care.

As one CrossFit Journal article put it:

Ideally, your entire palm surface should be one thick callus with no bumps or ridges in any one particular area. In order to do this, groom your hands always after a hot shower or bath (this allows the calluses to swell up). While the calluses are still “swollen,” I take a double-edged razor and very carefully shave the dead callus bumps down a little at a time until the bumps are about even with the thickness of the rest of the hand. With my younger students, I simply ask them to get a callus stone (you can buy one at any drug store), and gently sand the callus down even with the rest of the skin. Remember, whenever you groom or shave your calluses, don’t overdo it, since you don’t want to go too deep into your skin. Always leave enough thick skin so to facilitate your workout the following day. The goal is to maintain an even and consistent thickness of hard skin throughout the entire palm.

Also: Lube up your hands. Chalk and frequent washing will suck the moisture right out your skin, and dry, cracked hands do not feel awesome. So listen to the Silence of the Lambs guy: Lotion is important for skin care. (And remember to put the lotion in the basket.) Use Balm or whatever suits your fancy.

This, by the way, is what a well-groomed pair of CrossFitting hands is supposed to look like:

My hands don't look like this. Being the idiot that I am, I’ve never been very consistent about filing down my calluses, and lately, I developed a few big ones with rough edges. I didn’t do anything about ‘em, and as a result, I tore ‘em wide open yesterday. Not fun.

Grip & Technique A lot of CrossFitters rip open their hands doing high-rep bar movements: kipping pull-ups, clean-and-jerks, snatches. But there are ways to tweak your technique to reduce the chances of a nasty tear.

First, use the right grip.When working with a barbell, some folks are inclined to grip the bar across the middle of their palms. This, unfortunately, squishes the fleshy pad below the base of your fingers against the bar, causing discomfort, added friction, blisters, and worse. A better way to go is to grip the barbell across the base of your fingers -- where the metacarpals meet the proximal phalanges. Check out Mark Rippetoe’s explanation of how to grip a bar properly:

5 Steps for a Successful CrossFit Experience

1. Take the introductory course offered by your CrossFit affiliate.

If you are new to CrossFit, taking the orientation course at your CrossFit box (gym) that teaches you proper exercise technique is a must. These introductory classes are vital to your success as a “CrossFitter,” especially if you have never regularly performed the foundational movements of CrossFit. These movements include, but are not limited to, various types of squats, overhead presses, dead lifts, and Olympic lifts. Even if you are an experienced CrossFitter, it’s a good idea to periodically revisit an introductory course to review the basics of proper movement technique.

Bottom line: Make sure you are ready for all of the CrossFit movements by attending your box’s introductory course.

2. Know how to modify every movement, every time.

Practicing excellent form during every repetition of every exercise is one of the most effective injury-prevention strategies. Make sure you know your options for the successful completion of every single repetition. In CrossFit, the workout of the day (or WOD) is posted along with recommendations (or Rx) for load and/or movement skill. For example, the load recommendations for the wall ball movement, which involves quickly moving from a deep squat to standing while tossing a large medicine ball several feet overhead, typically include a 20-lb ball for men and a 14-lb ball for women. However, some individuals cannot safely perform wall balls with that amount of weight. In fact, some people cannot safely perform wall balls at all, and they must modify the exercise to one that is suitable to their capabilities. Whether it’s selecting a lighter weight than the Rx recommendation, or altering the movement (e.g., modifying to a half-squat rather than a deep squat in the wall ball example), knowing how to scale the different variables of an exercise to meet your specific goals or limitations will help you safely and effectively complete a WOD. Knowing the right modifications for your individual needs is best learned during the introductory CrossFit course (see Step #1), and through having a frank discussion with your CrossFit coach (See Step #3). Lastly, understand that your physical capacity changes from day-to-day and, depending on your fatigue level and frequency of training, you might need to modify a movement one day, but several days later perform that same movement at the Rx recommendation.

Bottom line: Be sure you approach each WOD with the knowledge of how to modify a movement, if necessary.

3. Regularly communicate with your CrossFit coach.

Although this is Step 3 on the list, it fits in with the previous points and cannot be emphasized enough. First, let the coach of the class you are attending know about any limitations or past injuries that might make the performance of a particular WOD unsuitable for you. Then discuss with your coach possible modifications in movement and/or weight load that will make the exercises work for you. Be sure to arrive a few minutes early and talk with your coach BEFORE class so that when the timer is winding down to begin the WOD, you are not left wondering what to do. As a coach myself, I ALWAYS appreciate it when participants approach me before class to inform me of any current limitations. In addition, I always announce modifications that can be performed instead of the Rx recommendations before each workout.

Bottom line: If you are unsure about how to perform an exercise so that it works for your individual needs, ask your coach before the WOD begins!

4. Respect your limits.

We all have limitations and strengths. Because the programming is so varied in CrossFit, you will probably find that some movements come more naturally to you than others. For example, people with endurance-training backgrounds who have low body fat and lighter body weights often find the gymnastics-style movements, such as pull-ups and burpees, easier to tackle. However, those same body types often find strength-based exercises such as squats and deadlifts more challenging. The point is to recognize that everyone (including you) will experience exercises that are more or less difficult to master than others. You must respect your limitations and not let the highly competitive atmosphere of performing a CrossFit WOD with your peers cloud your judgment. Only perform movements that you can safely execute with good form. This might mean that you need to unload your barbell during a WOD if fatigue sets in and your form starts to decline.

Bottom line: Be honest about your limitations and avoid letting competition prevail over proper form.

5. Avoid overtraining.

This step might seem obvious, but it can be overlooked by new and veteran CrossFitters alike who are eager to compete and improve. To be successful in CrossFit, participants must train smartly by progressing training volume gradually. The high-intensity nature of CrossFit WODs requires adequate rest and recovery between sessions to decrease the likelihood of injury. Initially, a frequency of two CrossFit workouts per week is a good starting point. Over time, adding in more days, while still paying attention to rest and recovery, can be accomplished. The number of days per week that an individual can tolerate performing WODs depends on numerous factors (e.g., current state of fitness, goals, and desire). Be sure to discuss your goals with your CrossFit coach so that he or she can provide you with safe and effective programming guidelines to help you achieve them.

Bottom line: Have a plan for proper progression to decrease the risk of overtraining.

Source: Sabrena Merrill, M.S., is an exercise physiologist and ACE Education Content Development

How to perform Pistols, Single Leg Squats for CrossFit

Hip strength is Probably the most important factor for almost any sport. It's almost a given these days, that's why we squat, deadlift, clean and/or snatch heavy at least once a week at an absolute minimum.

Bilateral movements (2 legs at a time) are great for developing raw strength but you don't want neglect split stance (lunge variations) or especially movements where you are in a single leg unsupported stance like pistols. One foot on the ground, either balance or hop around pogo stick style until you can get stable again.

If you're already pretty strong at the big lifts then it's time to master the pistol.

Here's how to do it:

Try to treat it just like a 2 legged squat as much as possible
Hips back (at first)
Knees out
Go as low as you can with your heel down
Sit your butt right down to your heel
Stand up!
Hold a plate in front of you if you need a counter balance
Mobility check:

Put your feet together and try to squat all the way down with your knees out, if fall over backward you likely have some type of ankle mobility issues to work on.
Try wearing your weightlifting shoes at first, it'll be a little bit easier having a small heel lift.
Scaling:

Rings: Combo ring row and pistols
Bands: Pulls you out of the bottom of the movement
Boxs: Partial reps, helps to start sitting then stand
Eccentrics: Lower yourself down under control, sit on the floor then stand back up with two legs
We just started a new site that TechniqueWOD will eventually be hosted on called Fitr.tv. We have a weekly video podcast called Barbell Shrugged where we interview experts in fitness and nutrition!

Resistance Band Guide

  Resistance bands, also called resistance tubing, are an exercise accessory made of rubber. Common exercises can be maximized with resistance bands, as the bands increase the load requirement put on your muscles. Because of their versatility, exercise bands are an appropriate exercise tool for people of all fitness levels. Talk with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine, particularly if you have an existing health condition or injury.

Types

 The thicker your resistance band is, the more resistance it will provide. Lighter colors are generally for lighter resistance levels, and as the thickness increases, the colors of tubing get darker. You should use a resistance band that you’re able to stretch, but that is still challenging for you. When stretching your band is no longer demanding, you should advance to the next level of thickness. The varying muscles in your body have different levels of strength, so buy a variety of bands so you’ll be prepared for different exercises. Resistance bands with padded handles are usually more comfortable than non-padded, interchangeable ones.

Usage

Resistance bands are used to gain strength, flexibility and balance. Depending on the exercise, the band can either be fastened to an object such as a door knob, or you can use the band while holding onto the handles. Muscle strengthening exercises such as hamstring curls, bicep curls, squats and reverse crunches are enhanced when a resistance band is incorporated because of the force you exert when attempting to pull the band. You should perform eight to 12 reps of each exercise and two to three sets of each rep.

Benefits

Resistance bands are inexpensive, lightweight and easy to pack into luggage or a gym bag. You can use them with most calisthenic-type exercises, and their versatility will help you concentrate on your targeted muscle groups. For example, if your goal is to strengthen your hamstrings, use your resistance band around both ankles and perform single leg butt kicks while holding on to a secure surface. The resistance from the band will increase the work done by your hamstrings.

Precautions

If a resistance band is joined together at the ends to make one continuous band, the bond where it is joined can be faulty and break, leading to injury while exercising. Choose a band that is a continuous piece of rubber. When performing an exercise that requires the band to be attached to an object, be sure it is fastened securely to avoid slippage. If the rubber on your resistance band shows sign of wear, aging or weather damage, replace it with a new one. If you experience sudden or sever pain while working out with resistance bands, seek medical help immediately.

Source : Susan Presley has been a health care journalist since 2006. Her articles have been published by "Current Health" and the "American Journal of Nursing." With a Bachelor of Arts in communication from Truman State University, she is pursuing a Master of Divinity at Louisville Seminary in Kentucky.