At the beginning of 2020 I had the feeling it was time for me to get back to the basics. In that spirit I started rereading CrossFit journal articles (as of today I finished rereading the level two trainers’ guide). Getting back to the roots of CrossFit, virtuosity, and what drew me towards my passion of coaching was the goal of this reset. In January who would have expected just how basic and grassroots things could get?
As many of you know we are dealing with a pandemic right now, and because of that the daily experience of a CrossFit coach has shifted a little bit. Before I go deeper into that we need to say a huge thank you to all of our doctors and other health care professionals for helping us make the best choices at hand. Thank you all for your support and your continued work to keep all safe and healthy! As I was saying, the experience has changed from being in our awesome gym on Alma street to outdoor WODs (surprisingly fun we should keep these!) to our current Zoom WODs. It is kind of funny how when you think you have a handle on something life can throw a curve ball that encourages you to adapt and overcome. Hopefully we will even come out the other side a little better. The last outdoor WOD I coached, before moving to Zoom, I remember Sandman talking about how he does not think he has ever seen Corey happier than he was coaching outdoor workouts. The reason why Corey was so happy, (this is 100 percent from my perspective Corey may not approve of this message), it takes him back to his garage gym back in 2005. Trying to make CrossFit WODs work with sandbags and wheelbarrows, whatever he could find. Later, as Corey, Sunghee and Kaelin traveled through Europe they would make playgrounds, cruise ships and anywhere else they could their fitness playground. It was not about having the best equipment and shiniest toys. It was about getting incredibly fit. The fun part about those outside WODs was being able to share that little piece of history with you. I am not saying we should get rid of the shiny toys but we should not rely on them as our only tools to get fit.
Back in the day CrossFit used to have instructions on how to make plyoboxes, mount a pull up bar that would not fall down, and how to make parelettes. It is really cool to see them re-releasing some of those articles on social media right now. Because our lending library has been such a hit, and I am the only one still using the gym, it is an interesting challenge for me to try and piece equipment together for my workouts. Yesterday the one thing I did not want to see was programmed. I was not convinced deadlifting would work but I managed with the Open bar and all the plates left in the gym. So Brick if anyone asks, yes, I can lift all the weight in the gym.
Athletically I am getting back to basics and putting things together but the most important adaptation is as a coach. It has been really fun to put out videos explaining the workout of the day with possible variations for at-home options. My favourite part is watch Venom at 5 pm adding milk jugs and dumbbells to his hockey stick, or DK and Sprite putting on heavy back packs for squatting (side note: Sprite’s back pack was as big as her). It is awesome to see how many of you are getting your families involved. It’s really fun to see three or four family members training with each other in one little Zoom window. At its core CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program. And it is fun for us, knowing that this is a short term thing, to be able to get back to some of the basics of CrossFit and coaching.
Virtuosity is doing the common uncommonly well. This is very hard to explain but it is easy to see in how you have brought this training to yourselves and to your families during this crazy time. This thing is not about two workouts a day or the CrossFit Games. It is about all of us steering our ship towards fitness and health, that my friend is the basics.
DB Row & HSW
Please review the linked instructional videos (see highlighted text) before start of class.
Equipment Required:
Band or PVC pipe or broomstick or belt
Band or light pair dumbbells or DB substitute
1 heavy dumbbell (35/50#) or DB substitute
Warm Up
2 Rounds:
1 min Shoulder Pass throughs
1 min Banded Rows
1 min OS Push Up
1 min Banded Row
1 min Plank K2E
1 min Banded Row
1 min Handstand Hold
1 min Banded Row
1 min Bear Crawl in place
1 min Banded Row
Tech
DB Row
HSW or HSW alternatives: H2H, Bear Crawl
WOD
15 min AMRAP
15 DB Rows R. @35/50#
15 DB Rows L. @35/50#
50ft Handstand Walk
Cool Down
Lat Stretch R/L
thumb down shoulder raises
Roll Shoulders forward/backward
Raise shoulders at sides
Shoulder piston