Winter Training 2016–2017
Hey all! If you haven’t noticed already, winter is officially here! That means a new wave of strength work along with some new workouts to test out! Fall training showed some incredible progress from everyone. Now that it is over, our winter training is going to bring out some new fun challenges and workouts to keep you all focused and warm throughout the holiday season.
Be prepared…back squats are returning with a vengeance. This is the time of year where we focus a little more on volume in the back squat (with that vicious 5x5 routine) and slightly increase percentages each week. I know us coaches say it over and over again, but please remember that proper squat positioning is everything to us. Some days you may not be feeling it and that is okay. On days like that, back off of the percentage and work on speed! Speed and posture are just as essential as power. Along with back squats, deadlifts have also returned but more so as strength accessory work. It is very important to listen to your body when performing the deadlifts, especially when the body has already put in significant work throughout the training session.
On the Olympic lifting side, complexes have been the name of the game. I understand it requires a ton of brain work to perform these complexes; however, neurological work is just as crucial when learning to cycle a barbell. “Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.” Sometimes slowing things down to feel everything click naturally allows the brain and body to speed up and develop muscle memory, even when you are cycling a heavier barbell. Have fun with the complexes, play around with them, and remember to keep proper technique your top priority.
Whether you are planning to participate in the CrossFit Open at the end of February, or you just want to stay in the training rhythm throughout the holiday season, we will be asking for all of you to embrace certain challenges during met-con and interval work. Different workouts will call for different goals. Some days we will ask you to establish a consistent pace, other days we will ask you to throw in all of your chips and go for broke. Now is the time to experiment with how far you can truly go! Most will find this to be a mental game changer. Challenge yourself to go unbroken on that barbell, push that last row, grind through that chipper, and squeeze in that last rep. At the end of the day I want all of you to be successful in the gym. Don’t be afraid to go all in, test it out, and learn from it. After all, it is just a workout.
Taking into account how much the temperature has dropped over the past few weeks, please remember to dress warm for the gym and stay healthy! We understand that the holiday season is the time of year to spend time with family and friends and have some fun! As always, we encourage finding a healthy balance with life and the gym. Trust us, we like to celebrate too and we hope to see you all at the Christmas party on December 16th!
Cheers!
