This month we're getting really stuck in on bumping up our stamina and strength, as we work on redundant pairings, strength biased sessions and test ourselves with some CrossFit Games events. What's a redundant pairing? Two similar movements performed back to back, where the fatigue of the first movement impacts the second. We don't often do this, as obviously making a movement more difficult that it already is.. well it's even more difficult. But there's great utility to this, it means that once we remove the redundant pairing and perform that movement again, it feels better than ever! Think of rowing into pull-ups, or burpees into handstands, box jumps into wall balls. This is going to allow us to improve our stamina for particular movements and most likely see an improvement in each movement's maximum expression as well.
Then of course, there's strength work. Getting stronger is tough. It takes a long, long time and is not a smooth journey. Luckily, CrossFit makes it much better. Tackling it this month is going to see 2 approaches, 1) sessions revolving mostly around low reps, very high effort sets. 2) sessions that emphasise your muscles being the limitation. For example, you're smashing through a burpee and rowing workout and what's the one thing holding you back from going faster? Your lungs are hurting- this is a cardio limitation. Now think about performing a workout with strict gymnastics work. What's holding you back from going faster? Your ability to perform the movement itself (you're reaching muscular failure). To be clear, the goal of these sessions is not to reach muscular failure, but to be limited by your ability to repeat reps that require mostly muscular contractions rather than just your ability to breath hard. Workouts with cardio limitations are excellent and we won't be shying away from them, but to help bolster the strength this month we'll be leaning in on those CrossFit style muscle and strength building metcons, rather than just the character building cardio ones!
Then, Games Events!? That's right, we'll be taking on a handful of past events from the CrossFit Games throughout this month. We've already seen a couple this week with 'Rinse n Repeat' and 'Killer Kage.' There's a lot more fun to come!
Here's exactly what's coming up this month:
CrossFit
CrossFit Games Events!
(top secret)
Strength
1-rep max clean and jerk
1-rep max deadlift
Olympic Weightlifting
3-rep max hang clean
3-rep max hang snatch
5-rep max touch and go power snatch
Build
5-rep max weighted dip
6-rep max barbell split squat
1-rep max legless rope climb
Gymnastics
Max unbroken handstand walk
