Author: Phil Gothard

However your 2018 was, whether it was good or bad, flipping the page (so to speak) on the calendar gives us all a chance to hit that reset button and start anew. Personally, 2018 was a mix of good and bad for me, and I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the positive and be grateful for the things I have as well as contemplate how I can learn from my misses and failures to create a better 2019. I hope you are all able to do the same, and I wish you all the very best as we close out this year and move onto the next. Onward and upward!

Now’s the time to sign up for one of our upcoming accessory programs (Cardio Club 1 and Foundational Strength 2), buy your tickets to the 7-year party on the 18th, and refresh your goals. Reach out if I can be of any assistance!

See you all next year 😉

-Coach Phil

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on January 5th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (January 8th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great Christmas and have fun plans to ring in the New Year. I’m really looking forward to everything we have going on in 2019.

I’m excited to announce that I have scheduled some row mechanic clinics for Cardio Club 1 on the 2nd and 5th of January at 6:30pm and 8am, respectively. These classes are available for RSVP on WODhopper and will be a great way to kick off the program I have in store for you all. The agenda for the 60 min class is as follows:

• the intent and outline of the program
• row mechanics (demonstration, application, film, and assessment)
• Q&A

Please RSVP ASAP if you intent to make it out so that I can have an accurate headcount! This class is not mandatory to participating in Cardio Club 1, but it is certainly encouraged and provided with the already very reasonable cost of the program ($45 total!)

Also, Foundational Strength 2 begins on January 7th, and if you’re interested in that, let me know so I can add you to the list!

Last but not least, if you haven’t purchased your tickets to the 7-year CFD Party, please do so! I’m especially looking forward to spending a fun evening with you all in just a few short weeks.

See you soon!

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on January 5th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (January 8th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

Happy holidays everyone! Personally, it’s my favorite time of the year – I love an excuse to eat lots of food and be around family and friends. I’m sure I’m not alone in that, so I wanted to write a quick blog to not only wish you and yours the best, but to also give some insight on how to navigate through the holiday season that is riddled with a plethora of junk food and ways to de-rail your progress in the gym!

I’ve read a handful of great blogs with advice on how to get through the holidays from colleagues of mine whom I respect a ton in the industry, and the message that I agree with across the board is basically this: Enjoy your damn holiday! We’re all human and we all deserve to take a break and indulge occasionally. The key word here is ‘OCCASIONALLY.’ The periodic couple of drinks or comfort food/dessert isn’t what keeps us from making progress, it’s making it a habit.

Have your indulgence, and then let it go.

It’s not that single holiday meal that kills you, it’s grazing all day, which turns into a couple days, which turns into a week of leftovers, which leads to an attitude of ‘f*ck it, what’s another day?’

It might be the fact that, leading up to the holiday season, the other 11 months haven’t exactly been disciplined…?? Hey, if the shoe fits!

I’ll say it again for emphasis – enjoy your indulgence, but then MOVE ON.

The real problem that stands in the way of progress is the fact that, for many, the other 364 days a year aren’t very dialed in. The real culprit is practicing a plan (or lack thereof) that sucks. Nobody is going to be made (or broken) by dialing in your food for a single meal or a single day – it’s a long, slow, consistent, diligent, and disciplined approach that is the key.

It’s having a plan ALL. YEAR. LONG.

It’s about sustainability and compliance.

Then, you can certainly afford your occasional indulgences, and you don’t have to ‘indulge’ with an organic, gluten-free, ancient grain protein cookie that tastes like what a cardboard box’s ass would taste like if cardboard boxes took shits. You can have the real deal and then MOVE ON without feeling guilty about it!

This holiday season, enjoy your company, be grateful for what you have, reflect on the year, deliberate on what you want to make 2019 to look like, and enjoy the moments. Life is short and our time together is limited. Love one another. Have your comfort food, eat that piece of dessert, and then move onward.

From all of us at CFD, we wish you the very best as we wrap up 2018 and look forward to 2019 with you all! I hope to see you at our 7-year party!

Stay the Course

-Coach Phil

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on January 5th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (January 8th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

Foundational Strength 1 Results

(Most of) The results are in! I’m excited to show what we’ve been able to accomplish over only 7 weeks of training.

At the end of Foundational Strength 1, our athletes improved by an average of:

Back squat: 11.6%

Bench Press: 6.8%

Deadlift 7.1%

Front squat: 8.5%

Shoulder Press: 5.5%

Push Press: 4.5%

Weighted pull-up: 36.4%

AMRAP UB strict pull-up: 31.4%

Does anyone else see something interesting about these numbers? UB pull gymnastics absolute strength AND capacity improved by the most dramatic amount after doing an absolute strength cycle!

What are the implications from this information? Well, in short, the data supports exactly what I’ve known for years – the biggest deficiency in most athletes is absolute strength, and by improving those metrics, capacity for other movements (that don’t directly involve a barbell placed on the body) also improve.

Congrats to those of you who participated and made it all the way through the program!

If you are interested in signing up for an upcoming supplementary program, here’s what is just around the corner:

Foundational Strength 2

That’s right, the next step in this absolute strength program is starting on January 7th. The goals here are similar to FS1, but requires a bit more of a time commitment each week due to the fact that this is a 4x/week program. The layout will be significantly different than FS1, but the duration and cost remain the same: $45 for the entire 9-week program (only $5/week!).

Completion of FS1 is not required to begin FS2, but FS2 does require a higher training age to complete due to the fact that there is more variety in movement selection as well as a higher overall training volume.

**If you’re interested in signing up, e-mail me and I’ll put you on the list**

Cardio Club 1

In this 9*-week program, our goal here is to practice sustainability and aerobic capacity over longer time durations. This program kicks off with a single row mechanics and introductory session for all people signed up for the program. There will be a handful of time slots to choose from between the 2nd and 5th of January. Then, the program truly begins on the 7th and is 3x/week until the end.

Cost is $45 for the entire program (still only $5/week after your small-group CC1 session!) and the culminating event is a 1/2 marathon row. This is a perfect opportunity to scratch that cardio itch during the winter months when running outside is a less-viable option!

**If you’re interested in signing up for CC1, e-mail me and I’ll put you on the list**

FAQ’s

Some of the most frequently-asked questions regarding these programs revolve around the community theme. The aspect of CFD that a majority of members value the most is the group setting, and a lot of people fear that these supplementary programs take them out of that element. Here are some suggestions and some things to consider when choosing a program:

• Both programs still support some class attendance – it’s really more about your individual resilience and recovery protocol!
• Doing either of these supplementary programs with a friend or in a small group to hold each other accountable mitigates a lot of the ‘loss of community’ feeling.
• These programs give us a chance to do a more linear program design that I wouldn’t be able to get away with doing in a class setting. These programs are extremely effective!
• All supplementary programs are finite – that is, there is a definitive end-date that you can always look to. Having a test/re-test on your horizon is encouraged at all times! (Hence the goals board…more on that later)
• Plus…you’re not gone! We see you over there grinding away at your eight sets of heavy triple back squats! 🙂

Whatever you decide, the coaching staff at CFD is here to support you towards your goals. My intent is simply to offer choices and give everyone the opportunity to vary their routines and pursue more individualized goals in a cost-effective way. When in doubt, reach out! (Hey, that rhymes…)

Goals Board

Last but not least, I want to touch on the topic of the Goals Board briefly. As I mentioned above, having a goal on your horizon is vital to hold yourself accountable and have a quantifiable destination (even if that destination simply leads to other destinations, but such is the nature of short- and long-term goals!).

Whether you are doing a supplementary program or not, I encourage you all to re-assess what goals are important to you and then add your goal to the list on the board. Let’s move into 2019 with a purpose! Remember to establish a SMART goal: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-based.

If you need help defining a goal, we are happy to help!

That’s all for now, have a great holiday and we hope to see you at the 7-year party!

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on January 5th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (January 8th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

There’s a lot going on in this one, so I’ll keep it as organized as I can!

Contact

In our 7+ years here, I’m always trying to find the best ways to stay connected with you all. In an effort to utilize yet another medium of communication that may be preferable to some, I’ll be sending out e-mails direct to your account information we have on file here when updates, blogs, and upcoming events are posted. In addition to this, we will still be utilizing the whiteboard at CFD, the website, as well as Facebook, Instagram, and WODhopper to push information to you all. No matter how hard we try, information still seems to get lost in the mix, so please let us know how we can best stay connected with you all!

CFD Anniversary Party

Don’t forget, our 7 year party is only about a month away! On Friday, January 18th we will be celebrating our time together at the Best Western. Don’t forget to purchase your tickets and see all additional details and updates here: CFD Anniversary Party on FB

Upcoming schedule

Due to the holidays as well as the aforementioned holiday party, the following schedule changes will occur:

-Monday, December 24th (Christmas Eve): 6:30 and 9:30 classes ONLY
-Tuesday, December 25th (Christmas Day): NO CLASSES
-December 31st (New Year’s Eve): 6:30, 9:30, and 1pm classes ONLY
-January 1st (New Year’s Day): NO CLASSES
-January 18th (CFD 7-Year Party): no 5:30pm class

Supplementary Programs

Be on the lookout for 2 new programs to launch right after the first of the year: Foundational Strength 2 (a 4x/week program) as well as Cardio Club 1 (a 3x/week program). Details for those will be posted on the website (click the hyperlinks above to check them out). If you’re interested in signing up for those programs, e-mail phil@crossfitdubuque.com

 

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on January 5th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (January 8th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

How long have you been a member at CFD, and what made you want to get started?

I have been a member since January 2013. I felt malaise creeping into my workouts, and was ready for a change.

What did you do for fitness prior to CFD, and what do you like most about CrossFit?

I previously did cardio kickboxing for a year and half. Before that, I spent ages 22-26 getting fat and weak.

The thing I like most is the people. I have been a regular at different points in times over the past 6 years at the 6:30AM, 5:15AM, 1PM, and 4PM classes- and each class has a different set of characters that I look forward to seeing.

What is your PR food?

I have hit each my front squat, hang clean, and power snatch PR’s after eating a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch as a midnight snack the night before. It’s possible CTC is a banned substance in the Games.

What is your favorite gym music?

The “old gym” music where the singers sounded like a hot branding iron was being held to their balls while banging trash cans together. One vote right here to bring it back.

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

I like workouts that are long and heavy. I like rowing, cleans, double-unders, and muscle-ups. A workout I would drive through a blizzard so I wouldn’t miss would look like this:

1K Row buy-in
5-4-3-2-1 of power cleans at 225lbs and muscle-ups.
150 Double-Under by-out

I would still lose to Arthur by 5 minutes but it would be fun.

In regards to the strength component- I like all the Olympic lifts, tempo front/overhead squat work, single-leg isolation days.

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

I don’t do well with workouts that are short and light. A workout I would still be trying to push through while everyone else is already putting away their equipment would be 28-21-15-9 of a combination of the any of the following: burpies, thrusters, pushups, dips, deadlifts, box jumps, wall balls.

I am also particularly bad at any grip-strength work like farmer carries. People are packed up and driving away from class while I am still standing in the street staring at my kettle bell and finding the will to pick it back up.

In regards to the strength component- I struggle with deadlifts, back squats, and strict press.

What are your goals going forward?

My goal for each class is to make sure I am healthy enough to show up the next day. In order to do that, I strive for good form. I find it fun to troubleshoot some of the aches and pains- with every ailment I try to learn something new.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

The hardest part is getting courage to even sign up for class and show up for that first foundation class. So the hardest part is over. Now just follow the CFD motto- Stay the Course!

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on December 8th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (December 11th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

Wow, we’re nearing the end of 2018 already! Here are some dates outlining our holiday hours as well as our Anniversary/Holiday party in January:

Thanksgiving Holiday Hours

Wednesday, November 21st (Thanksgiving eve): 5:15, 6:30, 9:30, and 1pm classes ONLY
Thursday, November 22nd (Thanksgiving): NO CLASSES
Friday, November 23rd (Black Friday): 6:30 and 9:30am ONLY

Christmas Holiday Hours

Monday, December 24th (Christmas Eve): 6:30 and 9:30 classes ONLY
Tuesday, December 25th (Christmas Day): NO CLASSES

New Year Holiday Hours

December 31st (New Year’s Eve): 6:30, 9:30, and 1pm classes ONLY
January 1st (New Year’s Day): NO CLASSES

Also, save the date – Friday, January 18th is our 7-Year Anniversary and Holiday Party at the Best Western! Tickets will be available shortly, stay tuned! To accommodate attendance, we will not be hosting the 5:30pm class that day

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on December 8th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (December 11th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

How long have you been a member at CFD, and what made you want to get started?

I’ve been a member for a year and when I retired from the military I wanted to try something new.

What changes have you seen in yourself since your very first day?

I have made huge progress since day 1 when I could not even do a clean. I’m still working on overhead squats and a few other things, but I’m making progress. CrossFit is very beneficial for firefighters as we need to be in great shape and it helps us with the tough tasks we have to perform on the job.

What did you do for fitness prior to CFD, and what do you like most about CrossFit?

I did all kinds of different workouts in the military to include running, swimming, lifting, hiking and so on. What I like about CrossFit most is the group atmosphere, where we all push each other to be better.

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

This is an easy one: the hero workouts, like DT, and all the traditional ‘girl’ workouts like Grace, Annie and so on.

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

There are no workouts I don’t like, there are only workouts I need to work on, especially the ones that include double-unders, overhead squats, handstand pushups, and muscle ups.

What are you goals going forward?

One big goal I have going forward is the CrossFit Firefighter Games, but that is still years out and I need to work on a lot of things.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

Have patience and listen to your coaches. They are trying to keep you progressing and prevent injury. It takes a long time to master these moves.

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on December 8th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (December 11th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!

I’m excited to launch something I have been cooking up for a while—the CFD Foundational Strength 1 Program! Here’s some information about it:

Generally speaking, everyone can benefit from getting stronger

At the risk of being redundant, I have blogged and lectured ad nauseam about the importance of strength training. From:

• having a strength base to prevent injury in sports (and life in general)
• strength training being the second-most important factor that contributes to body composition goals (the most important factor being one’s food profile)
• the importance of skeletal loading as we age to encourage maintenance of bone density and to prevent common health issues like osteoporosis

…everyone, regardless of your current fitness level or your profession, should load their bodies every week and be generally strong. Trust me, life’s easier this way!

It’s for virtually all skill levels

Whether you are new to a fitness program or experienced, this program is appropriate for you. How? This program can be used as a stand-alone program design that is 3 days/week (M, W, F, with a optional active recovery day on Saturday), OR it can be used to supplement the existing CFD group program design we already offer 6 days/week. In short, this works by either (1) executing the program as it is written and by itself, or (2) simply replacing ‘strength components’ with the Foundational Strength Program written for that day, and then continue on with whatever CF style workout is written for the day once you are finished (or treat the day as two separate AM/PM session, etc.).

The interface will be the best yet

In the past, we have implemented Strength Gain challenges and the like through private Facebook groups. As a result of some obvious limitations from using that platform for an unintended use, we have recently started using a dedicated program that allows us to form teams, access all of the information from a great ap right from your phone, and have everyone receive more personalized care with the templated program design. With TrainHeroic’s interface, I am confident we can deliver a great product right to your phone for an incredibly reasonable price. It’s a massive improvement from the way we used to do things!

The cost will be very affordable and have huge value

The CFD Foundational Strength 1 program will run for 9 weeks (1 test week, two 3-week linear progressions with a de-load between them, and another final test week). The cost for the entire program will be $45—only $5 per week.

This is only the beginning…

This program will run from October 15 – December 15. Additional programs I’m working on that will be implemented after the 1st of the year include:

-CFD Foundational Strength 2 (4x/week, continuing on from FS1)
-CFD Cardio Club 1 and 2 in Jan 2019
-CFD Gymnastics Club in Spring of 2019

To sign up, click the following link and create an athlete profile to join the team! I will see who is registered before the program kicks off next Monday, the 15th, and bill accordingly.

**Click here to sign up for CFD Foundational Strength 1**

If there are any questions, reach out via email (phil@crossfitdubuque.com) and I will get you squared away!

Onward,

—Coach Phil

1. How long have you been a member at CFD, and what made you want to get started?

I’ve been a member for 5 months. Hillary Baker, a longtime CFD member, first told me about CrossFit and I thought it sounded fun but also very intense and intimidating, so I was hesitant to actually try it. I’ve struggled a lot with depression and fatigue since my son was born 5 years ago. I tried many different diets, supplements, medications, and therapies but wasn’t getting the results I wanted. I wondered if a more rigorous exercise routine would make a difference and finally worked up the courage to try CrossFit.

2. What changes have you seen in yourself since your very first day?

I feel stronger in so many ways. My right shoulder, which I’ve injured several times, is now pain-free and much more stable. I have better posture. I can better keep up with and have fun with my five year old. I have more energy and stamina for horseback riding, which is a lifelong passion of mine. Also, there’s been a boost in my self-confidence through learning what my body is actually capable of and knowing how much I can lift and move without anyone’s help.

3. What did you do for fitness prior to CFD, and what do you like most about CrossFit?

Mainly yoga, walking and horseback riding. What I love about CrossFit is that I don’t have to think about my workout—I just show up and do the WOD and the coaches are always around to help me do it right. In just 60 minutes I get a workout in that is definitely impacting my overall fitness. I also love that I’m learning new skills that are useful in everyday life.

4. What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Anything that reminds me of how strong and agile I felt as a kid … rope climbing, box jumps, pull-ups (haven’t gotten those back quite yet, but I’m definitely on my way!). Along similar lines, I enjoy team workouts, games, and anytime rest is built into the workout 😉

I also appreciate the workouts that have a deeper meaning, like the workout honoring the 343 emergency responders who died on 9/11.

5. What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

I generally dread anything that’s “for time” because I’m always last to finish!

6. What are you goals going forward?

I’m so new at CrossFit it’s hard to come up with anything specific … for now I just want to keep getting stronger and improving my form. Oh, and mastering some skills like pull-ups and double-unders would be nice.

7. What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

Getting started is hard, but please don’t let that stop you. There’s a lot to learn and you’ll probably be very sore after the workouts. Now would be a good time to check in with your tolerance for humility and vulnerability cause you’re going to experience a lot of it! Take it slow and be patient with yourself. The hard work is totally worth it!

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Not a member? Sign up for an Intro Class today!  The next Intro class takes place on October 6th at 10:00, and Foundations starts the next week (October 9th).
RSVP to the free Intro Class here!