CrossFit by the Numbers – Part 1

I’m going to tell you something that you won’t like.  CrossFit requires a lot of running.  While it is the most “functional” movement that a person can do, it seems like nearly every Crossfitter hates running – to the point that most are willing to substitute it with nearly any alternative.  Just read the comments whenever HQ posts as the WOD “Run 5k” or “Run 10k”.

If you want to get good at CrossFit, however, you need to embrace running.  During the first six months of 2013, running was programmed in 22 different WODs.  That was 16% of the workouts,  The close second-place movement was Pull-ups, everybody’s favorite, which occurred over 14% of the time.  Sometimes, we get distracted with the complex moves and high-skill activities of CrossFit, that we neglect to get better at the most basic ones which will actually improve our WOD times the most.

As part of the upcoming programming on Wilderness Athletics, I will be making specific notations for those who are interested in getting better at competitive CrossFit.  This will be referred to as “The Fastest Way to Rx”, because the intention is to get novice Crossfitters to stop scaling, and to finally face any WOD they encounter with the knowledge that they can complete it.  And once you know that you can complete a WOD as Rx’d, the next time one similar appears, you will have no problem hitting it with the utmost intensity.

The Unknown and the Unknowable

There is an interesting paradox with competitive CrossFit.  While the combination of activities, the timeframe, and the volume might be unknown and unknowable, there are specific things in the CrossFit world of which we can be certain.  For example; There will be Muscle-ups during the Open, ditto for Snatches and Box jumps.  Kettlebell swings appear frequently at the mainsite level (7.3% of WODs), but are seldom at the Regional level, which will instead feature a ton of Handstand push-ups or Chest-to-bar pull-ups.  The quantity of Wall balls is almost always 150, Box jumps are 24 or 20″, and Rowing is a multiple of 250m.  Therefore, you need to get good at what you know you will face.

Another interesting thing about CrossFit – you don’t need to be as strong as you think!  For years, the need for strength has been written about, but it’s absolute value may be over-emphasized, or at least misunderstood.  For example, at least up to (and including) the Open-level, you can complete every WOD with the following strength numbers:

For men:
115# Shoulder press
180# Snatch
275# Front squat
255# Clean
300# Back squat
400# Deadlift

These are not extreme numbers, and should be within reach of any recreational lifter.  In fact, the slow lifts (Press, Squat, and Deadlift) are not very high at all.  So once you get them in place, you really need to work on technique to nail the Olympic lifts.  They are usually much harder to develop, so I would recommend using your time polishing your form, but again, only after you have a strong foundation.  There are several beginner’s routines out there, but Starting Strength, Grey Skulls LP, and Madcow are probably the most popular.

Note:  These are the minimums required to complete mainsite WODs as Rx’d.  They are not ideal, nor are they balanced numbers.  More strength will most likely translate into better times, but the point is – don’t get caught up in the hamster-wheel of strength development for CrossFit.  Once you can lift these numbers, start hammering the WODs without scaling.  From then on, your conditioning will be the biggest limiting factor.  Remember, get good, then get fast, then get fancy.

Fitness for the Mountains and the Wilderness

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing, and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games.
― Ernest Hemingway

Hemingway has long been one of my favorite writers.  He was a soldier, a big-game hunter, a mercenary, a whiskey drinker, and in general one of the most manly men that has ever lived.  If Hemingway was interested in it, then it was probably an amazing adventure (except for suicide – which is a sad, sad ending).
I have always enjoyed the above quote by Hemingway, but despite my greatest attempts I just cannot get into motor sports (neither can I tolerate bullfighting – no effort required – but I cannot argue with the classical manliness thereof).  Whether NASCAR, F1, dirt bikes or drag racing, I just do not see such activities as being sports.  Competitions perhaps.  But I would probably classify them with darts and billiards (and in so doing, tick off several thousand more potential readers).  Sports have to be far more carnal to me.  Blood, bone, and sweat.  Physical discipline is a must, and should have some carryover to other sports.  I will probably dedicate an entire post to this very idea in the future, but for now, let me get to my thesis.

What the Wilderness Means
Mountaineering is far more up my alley.  You against the wild, with nothing more than you can carry on your back.  Summer or winter; on foot or skis or mountain bike; army rucking with more than a hundred pounds, or running with little more than a water purifier.  When you are done, you have won.  You are a better human.  Hopefully, you come back for more, because there is a lot more wilderness out there.
Being more physically capable will make your experience better.  There will be fewer challenges, fewer distractions.  Your enjoyment will increase, as will your confidence.  This is the objective of Wilderness Athletics – to make you stronger and fitter for your adventures.  It is fitness programming with the uncertainty of the outdoors in mind.
Every outdoors man or woman will tackle the wilderness in their own way, so there are plenty of opportunities to customize Wilderness Athletics.  During the two weekly outdoors sessions, you will have an invitation to practice a specific movement related to your sport.  For example:  tomorrow will feature a skill movement, “Overhead Work”.  This is your chance to apply it directly to your circumstances.  Therefore, a mountain biker might practice riding or running with his bike, then picking it up to clear a obstacle with it.  Sometimes on one shoulder, sometimes with both arms locked out overhead.  Repeat 5-10 times during your warm-up.  If you have an upcoming portage trip (hopefully I do at the end of August in Algonquin), practice that awkward movement with your canoe or kayak.  Even rescue workers or hikers can do something with their pack or a bundle of rope; picture yourself fording a river and keeping your pack dry by holding it over your head.  Trust me, these uncomfortable movements occasionally come up when you venture out of doors.
On the weekend, there is an endurance session.  Again, that concept is relative to your sport.  A rock climber will probably want to get out onto a mountain or boulder, so this is the occasion to put in a lot of time.  It probably won’t be anything fancy, but the hours will increase your endurance.  A search and rescue worker (SAR) might go for a long ruck, or perhaps a jog to build to a certain distance.  This will build operational capacity, and will help in emergency situations.  Make it fit your needs, and be a Wilderness Athlete with your specialization.

Hatch Squat Cycle

Squatting is the most fundamental movement you can do to improve in every area of athletics and sport.

That is a very bold statement, but it is the principle upon which every worthwhile strength coach will base his training.  There is a lot to be said about squatting as an exercise, but at this time I will only write about one specific approach to squatting – the Hatch Squat Cycle.  It was developed specifically for Olympic lifters, and features 2 days each week for 12 weeks, of 4-6 sets of High-bar back squats, followed by 4 or 5 sets of Front squats.  It progresses from high volume to high intensity, with a progressive drop in total tonnage each week.  This will help most athletes set new records on the Back and Front squats, which should be tested before and after the cycle is run.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that most recreational athletes should base their starting numbers on 90-95% of their best ever lifts (do not use “theoretical maxes” for this, only weights you have actually lifted).  Well-seasoned lifters, people being paid to train, and residents of the Olympic training center may be able to violate this rule.  However, such should be done only with extreme caution.  Perhaps wait for the first couple of weeks to pass to decide if you should add an extra 5 or 10 pounds to your working numbers.

I have prepared an Excel spreadsheet that will keep track of all of your sessions.  Once you plug in your max lifts and “working maxes”, it will display all of the workouts for the whole 12 week cycle.

Hatch Squat Template 2

There are a number of different ways you can utilize this squat program.  It takes a measure of skill to balance the volume of work with other training, however.  And being able to move you towards a specific goal – that is more of a work of art.  Coach Rudy Nielsen of The Outlaw Way is currently using this cycle in his programming for Elite Crossfitters.  He has helped a number to qualify for the CrossFit Games, and even more for Regionals.  This highlights the value placed upon squatting by well-qualified and accomplished strength coaches.  You don’t have to be interested in competing in the CrossFit Games to benefit from better and more frequent squatting, however.  An increase in this fundamental strength exercise will carry over into nearly all other aspects of fitness.  Just get under that bar and squat!