While we’re all recovering from stuffing our faces with chocolate bunnies, I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a few things, and I’d like to make a few announcements!

 

Post-Open 2016

A huge, HUGE CONGRATS to all of the CFD athletes who represented this year in the 2016 CrossFit Open!  We had a great year, a lot of fun, and 5 fast weeks of competition.  I for one was really happy with the quality of the workouts this year—CF has really stepped it up in quality of programming for the Opens.  It’s more inclusive, better tests, and safer (notice I never said easier!!!).  What a fun Open season it was!

Speaking of the Open season getting over with, that leads me to my next point:

 

A new Strength Cycle is written and waiting for you all!

Now that the vast majority of the population’s season is over, it’s time to get back to some quality training.  I have written a new 12 week strength program that is available for all unlimited CFD members. You can access the FB group here for more information.  I’m proud of this one and hope you all love the gainzzzzz!

So….

Who wants to go to regionals?  I have reason to believe that a crew from CFD will be making the trip this coming Memorial Day weekend.  Based on how many people are interested, we can look into potentially traveling together via van or even chartering a bus.  More info will be released soon, but I want to put the bug in your ears now—start figuring out your availability and if you want to go…we’ll be asking about headcounts soon!

One last thing:  If you haven’t ordered your CFD apparel yet, drop your gross peeps and do it now—the order form will close tomorrow morning!  Click here for more info!

That’s all I have to now—have a great rest of your Easter and I’ll see you all bright and early!

 

RLTW <1>

—Coach Phil

Important announcement for 16.3 Heats!

 

There will only be a max number of 4 Rx Athletes allowed per heat.  To prevent confusion, RSVP to your desired heat with your name as well as the Rx designation behind it

(ex:  Phil Rx)

Heats will run every 10 minutes, so this should be a fast-paced night.  Best of luck, everyone!

Update on Friday Night Lights:

 

To keep things running more smoothly and to allow our athletes to be set up for success as much as possible, here’s how I’ll be running FNL from here on:

 

1.  I’ll announce the workout at 5:30pm to all competitors where we will define standards and ROM on all movements, workout strategies, warmup strategies, etc.  You are all certainly welcome to be there plenty early to begin your warmup, especially if you are going in an earlier heat!

 

2.  The heats for the workout will be posted on WODhopper and capped at the maximum number of athletes we can have competing per heat.  YOU MUST RSVP TO THE HEAT YOU WANT TO GO IN, AND IT WILL BE CAPPED.  REGISTRATION WILL BE ON A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVE BASIS.  Since I don’t know what the workout will be (which will affect how many athletes can do it at a time as well as time duration of the workout), I won’t be able to do this until after the workout has been posted.  The heats will be available for signup sometime between about 7-8pm tonight if all goes well.

 

3.  If you miss your scheduled heat time, you’ll get bumped to the back of the line.  We have to keep things moving and on schedule, since everyone else’s warmup and fueling will be depending on their heat times!

 

4.  We will continue to run heats until all athletes who wish to test have tested.

 

I think this is the best way to do it so that everyone can plan and fuel accordingly.  When you sign up for your heat, just make adjustments to your fuel timing as well as when you start your warmup so that you’re ready to go on time!  This will prevent someone from needing to miss their ideal timing window.

 

Thanks in advance, and I hope you all agree that this is the best course of action moving forward to ensure the success of all our athletes competing in the 2016 CrossFit Open!  See you soon!

 

–Coach Phil

The Rx Designation:  What it has become, what it SHOULD mean to you, and what to do about it

 

I write this as the 2016 Opens approach, and in doing so, I hope it gives us all a different lens to view our training through so that we may all find more enjoyment in the process.  Becoming a better athlete is a journey of which there is no end (but everyone has a beginning).  The journey is a little different for everyone, and the end goals may all vary, but the spirit of why we train is almost always very similar:  we value training, we value our health, our capacity to do work, and we find fulfillment in the process.  It is with these thoughts in mind I want to broach the topic of defining the term Rx.

 

The term Rx has evolved into something it shouldn’t, and I’d like to take a moment to discuss it with you all in a way that can hopefully do a lot of good for everyone regarding their purpose as well as everyone’s thought process regarding their training.

 

In the medical community, what is a prescription, or Rx for short?  A quick Google search gives me this one, among others: ‘A recommendation that is authoritatively put forward.’  I think we can do better than that—for our purposes, I like to think of a prescription as a dosage that is specific in type and quantity in order to elicit a particular response for an individual.

 

In the CrossFit community, what does Rx mean to us?  Rather than being a dosage that is specific in TYPE and QUANTITY to elicit a particular response for an INDIVIDUAL, it has instead become a badge of honor that people will gladly renounce receiving the appropriate stimulus for a workout in order to ‘chase’ this particular designation.  It is of my opinion as a strength and conditioning coach that this is an outright wrong, sometimes dangerous mindset that can be one of the biggest obstacles in the way of good training.

 

At CFD, I’d prefer to adopt the former definition, or the one that I suggested above.  Sure, when game day comes along, standards are set and we compete.  HOWEVER, 99% of the time you’re in the gym, you’re TRAINING.  When you’re training, it’s important to elicit the dose response of the workout.  It is NOT the time to forsake the quality of your training day so you can have 2 extra letters behind your score for the day—because that score doesn’t mean ANYTHING in the grand scheme of things!

 

So, listen to your coaches, grasp an understanding of the intent of the training for that day, and modify movements, weights, and quantity to elicit the right stimulus for that day.  Many times this will require you to THINK and apply your brains to the decision-making process, but your safety, longevity, and progress will thank you for it!  Don’t fall victim to the idea of ‘chasing Rx’ if, in turn, you lose training quality.  You all work too hard for that!

 

As you approach the Open season, keep this concept in mind.  I think we do this very well a vast majority of the time here at CFD.  Many times, especially with newer athletes, the workouts written ‘as Rx’ are NOT what’s in your best interest.  Rather than be discouraged about it, embrace the opportunity to grow OVER TIME, respecting and enjoying the process along the way.  It’s ok to make something a goal in the future that you can’t do today—it’s what drives us and is how we progress!  After all, if it were such an easy sport that it could be mastered quickly, would it be as fun?

 

Onward!

 

RLTW <1>

 

Coach Phil

The 2016 CrossFit Open Season is almost here!

 

With 16.1 right around the corner, now is as good a time as any to make some announcements on how I intend to run things for the 5 weeks of competition that are almost upon us.

 

Having gone through a few seasons of competitions and learned some valuable lessons, here’s what I intend to offer you all as the season approaches:

 

For those of you who aren’t interested in competing in the Open this year, don’t worry—you’re not going to have to sacrifice 5 whole weeks of valuable training!  Rather than have to endure a ‘forced’ off-day from your training on Thursday (the day before the workout would be announced), you’ll still get a quality workout programmed for the day.  For the sake of the Opens, the ‘Fitness’ program will go on without much of a hitch; the Performance group will have Thursdays during the Opens committed to either taking it completely off or doing some aerobic row intervals and mobility work to prepare for the following test day.  We will have something for all of you!

 

The Friday workout will be the Open tester announced the evening before and will be scaled accordingly based on movements and ability.  All classes will be run as normal, with the exception of the 5:30pm class.  During that time, we will be hosting a Friday Night Lights event at 5:30pm until completion during the 5 weeks of the Open.  For FNL, rather than it being a 100% guided class time, it is instead designed to be a more spectator-oriented event where we simply run heats with judges until all athletes have tested.  Following completion of all heats, we will welcome any and all to hang out and socialize in a fun BYOBeverage/snacks environment.  All are welcome, even to simply spectate and cheer on our athletes!

 

The Saturday class will go on as scheduled at 9am, and 10am will be THE ONLY OTHER opportunity to test the workout due for that week.  However, we strongly encourage everyone to test on Friday rather than Saturday if at all possible.  This will go on for the entire duration of the Open (5 weeks, starting Feb 22nd).

 

I truly think this is the best of both worlds here and I’m excited to announce this to you all.  We coaches at CFD are confident that no matter where you lie on the diverse spectrum of athlete, you’re being offered what is truly best for YOU.  Let’s have fun with the Open workouts this year!  Give it you all, leave everything on the table, and then walk away knowing that you did your best.  If you have any further questions or concerns about the plans moving forward, please let me know if you’d like to talk to me about this (or any other matters at CFD)!

 

Let’s make the 2016 Open season both our best performance as well as the most enjoyable to date!

 

RLTW <1>

 

—Coach Phil

Hello CFD!  I have a few exciting announcements to make…

 

1.  This Saturday (the 20th) at 10am, we will be proudly hosting Sean Casey from Dietetic Advantage as he offers a Sports Nutrition Presentation for you all, as well as a chance to promote a few of DA’s great products.  The link to the event page can be found here, and RSVP info is on WODhopper.  The session is open to the public, costs only $5 (please bring cash the day of), and EASILY pays for itself with free samples as well as a heavily discounted one-time-only offer on DA’s newest product, REC-4.  I hope to see you all there!

 

2.  The 2016 CrossFit Open is right around the corner!  I’m sure you’ve been noticing some intensification happening in the program design.  I will have more details as far as how that will run, and I am confident that regardless of where you fall on the spectrum you’ll be happy with the services offered at CFD during the 5 weeks of competition.  Stay tuned for an upcoming blog with more information!

 

3.  After the Open season is over, The Classic will be right around the corner, as well as a new strength cycle that I just wrote.  The new strength cycle will last 10 weeks and will be a completely separate, independent program design from the normal group classes.  It is intended to be very scalable and those of you who are looking for some off-season strength gains what you’re looking for:  more muscle!

 

I’m looking forward to the coming months as we continue to grow as a community.  As always, let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.  Thank you all for continuing to give me purpose and allowing me to enjoy my livelihood each and every day with you all!

 

RLTW <1>

–Coach Phil

 

January Athlete Spotlight

 

Mary Buchheit

 

Coach’s note:  Mary is a great example of an athlete who shows perseverance and consistency–she is a regular at the 5:15 am class and always gives 100%.  I always enjoy having her in class, and she really represents.  Mary won’t cherry-pick, she trusts the program, she works hard, and you really can’t ask for anything more from an athlete!  Thanks for being a part of the CFD family!

 

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

I started in July 2013 so approximately 2 ½ years. I was looking for some strength  training to improve my running.

 

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

More confident. Crossfit was completely intimidating when I first started. I would see workouts and think ”There is no way I can do that”. Now it is more “How am I going to break that down to get it down.”

 

Stronger. My stats from when I started to now have increased. It shocks me to see what I have accomplished. I like how it translates into my everyday life. Ordinary stuff like carry groceries, shoveling, yard work all seem easier.

 

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

Running and sporadic light lifting.  I like the variety in the workouts. I’ve never done the same workout twice. It never gets boring. I like the atmosphere. The coaches are super friendly & super helpful. They constantly are giving me tips & pointers to improve my lifts. And not afraid to call me out on maybe adding a little weight or trying RX. Also, the athletes at CFD are awesome, friendly, motivating, encouraging. It is great working out with people who are like minded and test me to push outside my comfort zone.

 

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

I like them all really. There are some days that are more suited to my strengths. But I figure that you have to work on the bad stuff too to get better at it.

 

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

Wall ball – I always seems to catch one or two with my face.

Rope climb- It isn’t the up so much as the down.

 

What are you goals going forward?

Improving my technique & keep getting stronger. String together some double unders.  A pullup.  In general, keep healthy for years to come.

 

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

Stick with it. It’s never easy. But I wouldn’t want it to be. But if you keep at it, you’ll be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Happy Monday everyone! Back to the grind–2016 is upon us!

2 quick announcements:

1. The price of SFH Pure Whey has increased from $45 to $50.
2. The 4-year anniversary party is this Friday beginning at 6pm! I’m looking forward to having a great night with all 90 or so of you who plan on being there! There will be no 5:30pm class that day so that we can all be there

 

Kathy Hoerner

 
Kathy, I hope you’re ok with me saying a bit on your behalf in your athlete spotlight!  I really can’t help myself–she is a perfect example of someone who comes in, gives it her all, and reaps the benefits of that effort.  She is a bit too modest about how much progress she’s made over these last 5 months, so I took it upon myself to brag her up a bit!

Kathy’s drive to work hard is a shining example for every athlete in and out of the gym.  Her progress has never ceased to impress me–from her improvements on strength work (she PR’d her power clean by 25 pounds the other day!), her attention to detail with bodyweight gymnastics movements, as well as putting in the time on skill-based movements like double-unders (you’re becoming a ninja with that rope!!!).  As she mentions later, she doesn’t have a freakish genetic predisposition to be super strong, yet she continues to make strength gains.  She isn’t the youngest female athlete, yet she continues to improve her athletic profile.  Kathy simply doesn’t allow these excuses to be a valid reason to throw in the towel or try less.  I have served with some pretty damn mentally tough people in different capacities, and Kathy has some serious mental toughness and intestinal fortitude, and all that drive and hard work is showing itself as incredible progress over the last 5 months.

Kathy, from the bottom of my heart, thanks for being a part of the CFD community, leading by example, and always being a pleasure to be around!  I know I’m not alone in saying that you are an inspiration to us all.

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

I started in the July foundations class so I have been a member for about 5 months. I was looking for a new challenge , I wanted to get stronger and thought I would checkout what crossfit was all about. I can’t deny I was pretty intimidated the first day when  I walked in and saw all these people moving weights during the work out . All the other people in my foundations class were younger than my children. I was thinking, hell no, I don’t think I will be able to do this but I was surprised to find out I could.

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

I am a happier person. I am much more accepting of failure, funny as that might sound. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist and am really hard on myself when I don’t meet my own expectations, but I now meet failure on a daily basis in the gym. Now instead of beating myself up I move on and hope to succeed another day. This also transfers over into my life outside the gym. I’m stronger both mentally and physically from my experiences with crossfit .

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

I was doing high intensity interval training three times a week, and then a couple days of cardio if I could motivate myself to do it. I love how crossfit combines strength training, gymnastic movements and cardio. I don’t get bored. I am challenged just as much as the top athletes in the gym because of the scaling. The atmosphere lets you know it is ok to scale and that it is ok that you are not the strongest, fastest athlete in the gym. This allows you to focus on becoming the best you can be. The people are so welcoming and I enjoy meeting people from all stages of life. The community is great. I tend to be more of an introvert but the environment is one that allows me to open up .

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

I like ones that are more cyclical, those that contain one movement after another.  I think  learning the gymnastic moves is really fun.

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

Anything with wall balls — I am wall ball challenged.  Overhead stuff is tough as well, I suck at it!

6.  What are you goals going forward?

Of course I want to continue to get stronger and master more skills like pull-ups, hand walks, chest to bars and so on. I really want to continue to find out what this old body is capable of and continue to enjoy every minute! I want to stay healthy and see changes in my body. And maybe get that lifting booty too, ha ha!

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

I am not as young as most athletes in the gym and am often the oldest female in the WOD, but that has taught me to focus on myself. I think it’s important to not compare yourself to others and to celebrate their achievements along with your own — it makes the workouts so much more enjoyable. When I finished my first three months I talked with Phil about being the slowest, weakest athlete in the gym. He pointed out that we all come with our own abilities and genetics, and those words really did help me accept who I am as an athlete. I will never be the fastest strongest or anything-“est,” and that is ok. Don’t limit yourself because going outside your comfort zone can be life changing, and most of all have fun. Life is to short to not enjoy your you time. When I first started coming I had so much anxiety about each workout, but over time that did get better as most things do. Don’t worry that you can’t remember the movements, the coaches are there to help you out, and ask questions. I still call lifts and movements the wrong names, it is not the end of the world. CFD rocks!