Ultimately, your coaching and community won’t be enough to make your gym members stick around if they’re not achieving results. That’s where programming comes in.
The Art of Coaching
Ten different coaches can have the same programming and get ten different outcomes with the same individual, class or gym. Sets, reps, movements, time domains and weights provide the information a coach needs, but how they are implemented and communicated makes all the difference. Here are 5 things I have learned over the years to take the science of training and combine it with the art of coaching.
Confidence is everything
Read the room
Speak their motivation language
Light bulbs and walls
See people
“The best programming in the world will not work if it is not executed well.”
CONFIDENCE IS EVERYTHING
My father has been a Track & Field and Cross Country coach for over 40 years. The amount of things I learned from him could and should fill a book. One of the many I will never forget was during a track meet many years ago. One of his high jumpers that had routinely cleared 6 feet 8 inches missed his first two attempts at 6 feet 4 inches early in the competition. The kid was distraught and came over in a panic. My dad listened and then very calmly said, “Take your starting tape line and move it back two inches, easy fix.” Back out he went, moved the tape back, and cleared the bar easily. I asked him what moving the line back did to help him clear the height. He said, “Nothing, but he thought it did”
His athlete needed an answer, a confident one. There was nothing wrong with his technique, he just tightened up under pressure and needed a solution…even if it was just something to make him believe that it would “fix” whatever it is he thought was happening. Know when to give technical advice, but also know when you just need to look them in the eye and very confidently give them something that lets them know…“You got this.”
READ THE ROOM
I briefly helped my dad coach Track for a few seasons. With my strength and conditioning background I was put in charge of the throwers. One of the athletes in the group was 6’4”, 275. Strong kid, but didn’t have a mean bone in his body. He was stuck at 49 feet in the shot put…just couldn’t break that 50-foot mark. He struggled with the same thing in football, not being able to flip the switch. We were in practice doing some “range throwing”, meaning controlled distances, not max distance. He sets up for a throw doing his normal routine. Arm extended up, shot put above his head, spinning it in his hand. Before he brings it down, the shot slips out of his hand and hits the back of his head. After checking to make sure he was okay I asked, “Did that hurt?” He said, “What do you think?!” I laughed and asked, “Are you pissed off?” to which he replied, “Hell yes!” I told him to get in the ring and throw it as far as he could…it landed a little over 51 feet.
I don’t recommend blunt forced trauma to the head, but this is what allowed him to flip that switch. We took advantage of the situation and he never threw under 50 feet the rest of that season. Sensing the opportunities that present themselves to get the best out of your athletes is a skill built over time and another reason to always be present with every individual you have the privilege to work with.
SPEAK THEIR MOTIVATION LANGUAGE
On the track you typically get two types of motivations with athletes. One is very focused on their splits, their finishing time, their distance or height. Regardless of where they finish, they are truly looking to beat their best. The other is only concerned with their competition. They could get a PR or not, it’s just about beating who they need to. If you talk about the other competitors to the time based athlete it can shift their focus and be detrimental to their performance. Bringing up times to the competition based athlete won't even be heard. They are just looking around at who they are running against.
There is not an exact transfer with this example to the gym, but the concept holds true. We tend to motivate how we want to me motivated, but that will only work if that is the same for the person you are talking to. Find out what motivation language each of your athletes speak for better, more consistent outcomes.
LIGHT BULBS AND WALLS
Just as people are motivated differently, the way in which coaching feedback is communicated to them will be received differently as well. Some want direct factual information, good or bad. No fluff, just straight to the point. Others need reassurance on both ends of the constructive criticism…a positive, negative, positive sandwich. Then there will be athletes that fall somewhere in between and that could be based on the day or situation. Once again, the tendency is to give feedback how you best receive feedback. Knowing how each of your athletes receives your coaching is the difference between a light bulb going off or a wall being put up.
SEE PEOPLE
Sounds obvious, right? You can’t coach someone if you don’t see what they are doing. I’m not talking about what they are doing, I’m talking about the person doing it. Are they a husband, wife, parent, student, younger, older, high stress job, struggling to find their consistency or motivation…the list goes on. Do you see gym members or people? People with good days, bad days, highs, lows, victories and defeats…just like you. Seeing people leads to being truly engrained in their process and wanting to get the best out of them every day so they can achieve things they never thought they could. It allows you to jump and shout when they hit a PR or sit on a bench with them and let them know there will be better days. Look around in your next class, what do you see?
Coaching is not just a job, a side hustle or a way to be at the gym more. It is a passion for helping people. A passion for leading them to achievements they thought were impossible. Don’t be a class manager. Don’t be a fitness observer. Be a coach.
Programming for Longevity
Any football fans, especially Iowa or Colts faithful, remember the name Bob Sanders. Unbelievable, game changing talent…when he was not injured. If you don’t know who he is, just imagine having all the strength and skill you wanted but you aren’t allowed to put it to use. Frustrating right?
All the speed, power, strength and endurance in the world doesn’t matter if you are not consistently healthy enough to use it. Similarly, programming training correctly should progress athletes to consistently breaking personal records without breaking their bodies.
Here are 10 things to consider when programming:
Push to Pull Ratio
Overhead Volume
Day to Day Volume on parts of the body
Accumulative affect of previous days
Planes of movement
Rep volume control
Time domains
Movement library
Effort levels
Can people show up every day
Push to Pull Ratio
The overwhelming majority of movements in a typical MetCon or WOD are very push dominant. A lot of times the only true pull done in this section is a pull-up, but when the kipping or butterfly technique is used this also changes that to a certain extent. In other sections of class how often are pulling movements programmed? The first section of class is a great time to add DB and KB Rows, DB reverse flys, Inverted Rows, Ring Rows, Barbell Rows, etc. In the WOD, pay attention to how many push movements you are using and balance them out with rowing, rope climbs, pull-ups (strict sometimes), Ring Rows, Cleans, Barbell or KB Sumo Deadlift High Pull, etc. Finding better balance will not only help keep your shoulders healthy, but also improve your pulling strength as well.
Overhead Volume
Are you taking into consideration the total volume overhead each week? Remember, this doesn’t just include typical pressing movements, it also includes overhead squats, snatch, handstand walks, DB Snatch, wall balls, thrusters and others. Make sure to also balance this out with the movements mentioned above in push to pull ratio. This once again will help keep your shoulders healthy as you train.
Day to Day Volume
When you look at your training week as a whole, what does the accumulated stress look like for the upper body, lower body, grip, squatting movements, hip hinge movements and core? If you want athletes to be able to come to class five days each week you can’t overload one area too much in a short window. There should be a healthy balance between all of these as well as time in between stress on them. Of course there will be soreness from training, but this will spread the stress over the week to allow the prescribed stimulus to be reached without destroying their bodies.
Accumulation from Previous Days
Paying attention to where people will be sore or beat up from the day or days before can help prevent a lot of nagging injuries. Programming heavy deadlifts after a day with a lot of core and hip hinge movements can set them up to tweak their back. Pull-ups the day after high volume toes to bar can tear hands up quickly. Box jumps the day after heavy or high volume squats can eat up a lot of shins on boxes. You should be doing your own programming, but at the very least you need to picture yourself doing the workouts and how your body would feel day to day. if you would struggle because of the accumulated affect, then don’t program it for others.
Planes of Movement
Training the body as a whole with good balance requires movements on all planes. How often are rotational or lateral movements programmed? Things like Russian twists, KB windmills, T-spine rotations, lateral lunges, lateral step-ups, lateral jumps and others. Single arm or single leg movements are also a great way to work other planes. Single arm DB bench press, single arm single leg RDLs, Plank rows, etc. can challenge your body to stabilize differently. The first section of class is a good time to add these, but they can also be done in the WOD. More on that later.
Rep Volume Control
A lot of times people only think about this in the sense of controlling how many high rep, chipper style workouts you program. Low rep movements can be a trap.
Let’s look at an example for an advanced athlete: Cindy compared to Angie
Cindy: AMRAP 20
5 x Pull-ups
10 x Push-ups
15 x Air Squat
Angie: For Time
100 x Pull-ups
100 x Push-ups
100 x Sit-ups
100 x Air Squats
Advanced athletes are typically getting 20+ rounds on Cindy. That is at least 100 pull-ups, 200 x push-ups and 300 x Air Squats. While the pull-up number is similar to Angie, the push-up number is doubled and the squat number is tripled. Make sure you always walk through the programmed workout in your mind to see what kind of volume you would reach.
Time Domains
The longer the time frame, the higher the volume can go…thank you captain obvious. But seriously, a lot of programming has entirely too many 15+ minute workouts. If you have this time to fill in your class, interval based WODs are a great way to use more time but control the amount of work. Instead of a 15-minute AMRAP, program three, 4-minute AMRAPs with one minute rest in between. This not only controls volume, but challenges athletes to increase their effort level within the shorter time frame.
Movement Library
Although CrossFit is said to be constantly varied, if you look at some programming you will see the same 20ish movements over and over again. As previously mentioned when we discussed planes of movement, there are different variations and unique exercises that can be implemented in the WOD as well as the first section of class. There is nothing wrong with programming sprawls instead of burpees, lateral hops over the barbell instead of double unders or single arm KB suitcase deadlift in place of barbell deadlift. The stimulus is similar, but challenges the body differently. How many movements do you have in your library?
Effort Levels
I worked with a group of runners years back. They usually ran 10k (6.2 miles) races with a race pace of around 9:40/mile. After a few weeks of training I noticed that their effort level seemed the same no matter how long or short the workout was. I had them run a mile time trial and told them to empty it out. Their time…9:25. You will see this pretty frequently at the majority of CrossFit gyms, athletes moving at the same pace no matter what the duration of work time is. Programming shorter or interval based WODs can not only help athletes understand what different effort levels should look like, but can also cut down on the total volume.
Keep Showing Up
As mentioned when we discussed day to day volume, are the majority of your athletes able to physically come to class four to five days each week or are their bodies too beat up? The mental side also needs to be taken into consideration. If every day is programmed to be as brutal as possible this wears your mind down and can eventually lead to loss of motivation. Consistency is the key to continued progress. Is your programming set up to allow this?
Go Beyond
I have always said, “Programming CrossFit is easy…if you don’t give a $h!t.” Some people use the “unknown and unknowable” as an excuse to be lazy. Drawing random workouts out of thin air is not programming. Programming is an art and a science. It takes a lot of time and effort to dial it in.
Anyone can make someone sweat, but not everyone can consistently make someone better…and keep them healthy.
Program smarter harder.
Strength Capability vs. Endurance Capacity
Knowing the difference and how to improve each of these will allow you to train harder, smarter.
Your capability involves the weights you can lift, your technique on your lifts, the skills you can do and the times of your short duration conditioning.
Your capacity looks at percentage based repetition ranges of weighted movements, technical efficiency under fatigue, repetition ranges of skills and pace based longer duration conditioning.
“A lot of people want to be a part of the outcome, but not a part of the process.”
Examining the correlation between these two categories can provide great insight into your strengths and weaknesses at a much deeper level than just the surface level numbers. The goal is to have good balance between your strength and strength endurance. If there isn’t, then it usually means one or possibly more of these three things:
Your strength needs to increase relatively
Your endurance needs to increase relatively
Your mindset needs to shift
Let’s take a look at an example from each of the following training modalities:
Traditional Barbell Strength: Back Squat one rep max compared to a Back Squat 10-rep max
Olympic Lifting: Power clean one rep max compared to Max weight for 10 unbroken Power Clean reps
Gymnastics Skills: Max weight on a Weighted Strict Pull-up compared to max unbroken Kipping or Butterfly Pull-ups
Conditioning: 500m Row compared to a 2,000m Row
Traditional Barbell Strength
If your strength and strength endurance are balanced then your one rep max will correlate very closely with the reps that should be completed according to percentage of your one rep max. Think of your heaviest back squat…now take 75% of that. Could you do 10 reps?
If the answer is no and by quit a bit then you may need to work on your strength endurance. Focus on sets of 8-12 at 70+%.
If the answer is yes and pretty easily then you may need to work on your strength. Focus on sets of 1-3 at 85+%.
Another question to consider is about your mindset when doing high rep sets as compared to heavy, single rep sets. Which do you prefer? Some can push through the grind of reps much better than getting amped for one rep and vice versa. Both of these take time to learn how to reach a true maximum.
Check this chart for more rep/percentage comparisons.
Olympic Lifting
In these lifts we not only have to consider strength vs. strength endurance, but also your technical abilities fresh vs. your technical efficiency under fatigue. Using a similar example from above, think of your heaviest clean…now take 75% of that. Could you do 10 reps?
If yes and easily then you may need to focus on your overall strength for the lift and/or your technical limitations of the lift. If you are hitting solid positions within the lift, but the weight just limits you then increase your pulling and squatting strength. If the weight does not feel that heavy, but you are just technically out of position then strip the weight down and work empty barbell complexes.
If the answer is no and not close then you may need to work on your strength endurance either as a whole or particularly in your grip and/or your technical efficiency under fatigue. If you stay fairly efficient, but you just gas then work on your endurance as a whole or specifically in your grip. If the muscles feel good, but your technique falls apart then work on moderate to heavy doubles and triples with short rest.
Once again, your mentality can be examined to see how you approach heavy weights and high rep sets.
Gymnastic Skills
Just like the Olympic lifts we not only have to consider strength vs. strength endurance, but also your technical abilities fresh vs. your technical efficiency under fatigue. As your strength increases on a one rep weighted strict pull-up, your number of unbroken reps on kipping/butterfly pull-ups should increase as well. If not, you may need to work on your muscular endurance, grip endurance and/or your technique in the movement. Remember, with skills we must first gain the strength required for the movement, then use drills to get your first rep and lastly build bigger sets.
This build happens in three phases:
Under no fatigue: 10-minute EMOMs work very well for this. Starting at 2-3 reps depending on the skill, this allows you to work stringing reps together under little to no fatigue and accumulating a good amount of volume over the 10 minutes. Slowly increase to 6-8 reps over time, then move to the next phase.
Under general fatigue: Use an EMOM or every 2 minutes format to increase your heart rate through rowing, running or burpees before doing the repetition sets. Slowly increase to 10 sets of 6-8 reps with this format, then move to the next phase.
Under specific fatigue. Once again using an EMOM or every 2-3 minutes format you want to specifically fatigue something that is involved in the skill. Grip before rope climbs, shoulders before HSPU or handstand walks or row before pull-ups. Slowly increase to 10 sets of 6-8 reps with this format.
Conditioning
As stated in Paul’s Law of rowing: An athlete with balanced speed and endurance capabilities, for every doubling of distance the 500m split should increase by five seconds. This means if your best 500m is 1:45 then your 1,000m should be at 1:50 pace (3:40) and your 2,000m should be at 1:55 pace (7:40).
If those paces for your 1k and 2k are much slower then you may need to focus on your endurance. Use easy to moderate pace longer distance intervals to improve this area.
If those paces are very easy to maintain then you may need to focus on your strength and power for the shorter durations. Utilize short, high intensity intervals of 1-2 minutes with around 1:2 rest (rest twice as long as the interval).
As with the other training modalities previously mentioned, technical ability, technical efficiency and mindset can also be a factor in these time disparities.
“If there is no inventory taken and no specialized plan based off what that inventory is, then you are just training to train, not training to reach your full potential. ”
In order for you to progressively improve over time you need to take ownership of every aspect of your training, your client’s training and/or your gym’s training. Stop doing the same $h!t other’s are doing just because others are doing it, find what you specifically need to work on. A lot of the time, your biggest areas of opportunity can move the needle the most.
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The CrossFit Open: Five Tips to Prevent "There's always next year"
The Open has arrived! Did it sneak up on you or have you been counting down the days? Either way, it is time to put all of your hard work to the test, FAFO and see what happens. After 17 years of CrossFit experience, this will be my 11th Open. And I wanted to share five things that will help you perform at your best.
Goal Debrief
Know Thyself
Stay Calm and WOD On
Logistics
To Repeat or Not Repeat…that is the question.
GOAL DEBRIEF
This might be an odd one to start with, considering the fact that we’re talking about how to make this year your best one yet. Therein lies the key word: YET. The CrossFit Open isn’t the end of your journey, it’s simply a pit stop along the road trip of your fitness travels. Come into each workout this year with a mindset of not only finding out where you are currently, but also knowing that it will give you information about how to get better in the future.
After each workout, sit down with your teammates, a coach or the gym owner. Walk through the things that went well and the areas that held you back the most. This can help you to avoid dwelling on your score if it wasn’t what you hoped for, and make an action plan for your goals and training moving forward.
“You won’t rise to the occasion...you will fall to the level of your training.”
KNOW THYSELF
In all my years of coaching and competing, I have tried to help people understand that this phrase can save so much frustration and disappointment. You simply need to “know thyself” and take an honest assessment of where you are at. Countless times, I see athletes come into competition and believe miracles are going to happen. I’m not talking about team sports here where crazy things have happened like the legendary story from the movie “Hoosiers.” This is all about you and your current capabilities and capacities.
I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but expecting to make it past the 250# and 275# clean when your current max is 225# just because it’s The Open is setting yourself up for failure. Of course PRs happen. There is a “magic” to The Open. But let’s bring it back to reality. The tough thing that happens when people expect some unrealistic number is they actually get upset… EVEN WHEN THEY PR.
This also happens with skill movements. Someone can string eight pull-ups together but somehow believe that by the grace of God they are going to do three rounds of 20 pull-ups unbroken. It’s just not realistic.
Of course we want to push ourselves to new levels. After all, that’s why we compete. However, you need to be honest with where your current strength and fitness levels are. This is truly not meant to be a negative thing. It is allowing you to make the best game plan for you, and be able to celebrate the smallest of things without feeling the weight of mismanaged expectations.
Amazing things can happen, but let them happen. Don’t expect them.
“Never in the history of calming down has anyone calmed down from being told to calm down. ”
STAY CALM AND WOD ON
Relaaaaaaax, breathe and move.
Early in my coaching career, I worked with UFC fighters. “Adrenaline dump” was an issue we worked on constantly. Let’s be honest, they are going into a cage to fight another human while thousands of people watch. That’s gonna come with some amped-up emotions. The guys that didn’t manage this well would be gassed two minutes into the fight. Not good.
I have seen this many times in The Open. One minute after 3,2,1…go, someone’s heart rate spikes and they don’t recover. If you are walking through the workout in your mind and you start to feel your heart rate increase, the workout might not go well for you. Mental visualization can be a great tool, but not if it is causing anxiety and high blood pressure before any physical activity begins.
A few things to help you not cause yourself to hit a wall:
Warm-up more. The longer you take to stretch, mobilize, practice the movements or do light cardio, the more it can allow you to breathe and calm down.
Close your eyes and focus on your breathing.
Embrace the mindset that you have what you have right now, and that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Have some fun, give it hell and see what happens.
LOGISTICS
This one tends to get overlooked. Once the workout is released and you know the space, equipment and movements, think through how you can lay out everything. What transitions are there? How can you have a clear area and pathway for you to move? Is there space for your judge to safely operate? Think about the in-person competitions you have done or seen. Unique ways of how things are set-up can significantly elevate performance.
It might not seem like a lot of the time, but even a few seconds of unnecessary transition time that happens many times throughout the workout can make a big impact on your score.
TO REPEAT OR NOT REPEAT…THAT IS THE QUESTION
This is always an interesting topic for me. On one hand, the true essence of almost all other competitions doesn’t allow for any repeats. Good, bad or indifferent, you get one shot. That’s it. Part of me wants to coach everyone towards embracing this. There have been a number of years I adhered to this for myself in The Open.
On the other hand, I get it. Seconds or reps left out there can eat away at you. It is allowed, so why not give it another go, eh? Some plan to do this with every workout. Some only the ones they feel went poorly. And others are one-and-done.
Whatever you choose, ask yourself this question if you are going to repeat:
“Who am I repeating this for?”
If the answer is anyone but you, then maybe just move on to the next week.
YOU GOT THIS.
I know from experience that these things can be challenging to truly embrace. If you take it one step at a time and put things like this in play, the outcome will be well worth the effort.
Good luck to everyone and I’ll see you in the trenches!
—Coach Holman
Looking for daily training and accessory work?
Looking for daily training and accessory work?
GYM OWNERS: Five Tips for a Kick-A$$ Open
3,2,1…Go! The 2024 CrossFit Open is upon us. For some gym owners, these three weeks bring excitement. For others, the task of creating an awesome experience for members can feel overwhelming.
As a former affiliate owner, and after 17 years of doing CrossFit, I’ve discovered a few things that I want to share with you to help you kick things up a notch for a kick-a$$ member experience.
Logistics
Use the Clock
Positive Vibes Only
Goal Debrief
Points System
LOGISTICS
This is one I’ve noticed a lot of gym owners overlook. Equipment organization and layout can make a huge difference in the atmosphere and experience. Once the workout is released, it’s important to adequately think through the organization of your event. How many athletes will be going at one time? Are there clear pathways in your layout for transitions between movements? Will judges be safe and out of the way?
Think about the in-person competitions you have watched or participated in. Finding unique ways to set up your layout can significantly elevate performance.
One other idea: Are you able to provide a warm-up area? Especially if you are doing a “Friday Night Lights” event, having a separate area for people to get loose can improve the experience. You’ll heighten the atmosphere on the “competition floor,” allowing things to move smoothly and in a timely manner. Weather-permitting, this could even be set up outside.
The more you specify exactly where things will go and how it will flow, the better the experience.
USE THE CLOCK
Well no $h!t, right!? But seriously, can you use the clock better? In the midst of the madness, use the clock to your advantage to keep things chugging along.
How often do you use the interval timer? I don’t think enough coaches utilize this feature. The “count up” or “count down” buttons are usually the popular choice. But I would recommend using the interval option in your daily classes, and especially in The Open.
For instance, if the workout is an AMRAP 12, let’s say you have three heats. Set the interval timer to countdown for three cycles: 12 minutes of work and 8 minutes of transition. This allows athletes and judges to understand how much time they have in between heats. They can then stay within the time constraints to reset any equipment, peel people off the floor and keep everything on schedule.
“Music is energy. A mood, atmosphere. Feeling. ”
POSITIVE VIBES ONLY
Want to get the energy going? The music you play is a huge part of the vibe. As an owner or coach, you are not a DJ. But you can definitely kill the mood with bad beats or seconds of silence in between songs.
Speaking of DJs, do you know any good ones? I have a good friend, DJ Godzillest, that turns tables for our gym during The Open and all other competitive events. The amount of energy that comes from hiring a professional like this can’t be understated. Plus, it’s always good to support local and small businesses.
If it’s too late for you to hire a DJ this year, here are a few other options…
Make a playlist (with no silence between songs)
FitRadio (sets from DJs of all genres)
Ask each intramural team make a playlist for when their team goes
GOAL DEBRIEF
The Open can bring mixed emotions for athletes. From the nerves ahead of time to the middle of the WOD and even after it’s all done, emotions run high.
As owners, we always try to find more ways to connect with our members. And The Open is the perfect opportunity. After the three weeks are over, offer to meet with each member for a goal debrief. Talk about what went well and where the biggest areas of opportunity exist. These sessions can create a lasting connection and a clear direction of focus moving forward.
Pro Tip: Use this as a way to upsell members into accessory training plans or personal training!
If you have a large number of members, split up the goal debrief sessions between you and your coaches. The effort will be worth the time spent to take your community to a whole new level.
POINTS SYSTEM
If you are running an intramural competition, create various ways for people to earn points, instead of just basing points on their workout score. For newer athletes, the mood of an intramural Open can downshift quickly if they don’t feel “good enough” to compete. So, by offering other ways to earn points, you can help to elevate the friendly competitiveness, and make sure everyone is included.
Think of other unique ways to allow everyone to contribute effectively. Costumes, spirit points, outstanding effort points, friends invited, first reps, PRs, etc. You are only limited by your creativity. Sometimes the smallest things can have the biggest impact.
“Attitude reflects leadership, captain.”
YOU GOT THIS
I know from experience that these things can be challenging. But if you take it one step at a time and put ideas like this in play, the outcome will be well worth the sacrifice.
Good luck to everyone and I’ll see you in the trenches!
—Coach Holman
Looking for Affiliate Programming specific to your gym?
Looking for Affiliate Programming specific to your gym?
Last-minute Training Hacks for The Open
It’s that time of the year again! Are you excited, nervous or an excited-nervous mix? No matter what you’re feeling, there is still time for some last-minute GAINZ. For the most part “the hay is in the barn”. Not much from a strength and fitness standpoint you can do this late in the game, but there are some tricks of the trade I’ve learned since I began CrossFit in 2007 and my first Open in 2011.
Here are five training hacks that can help you with your game plan each week:
Got Skillz?
Terrible Tens
Your Pace Face
Lift Heavy $h!t
Buck Furpees
GOT SKILLZ?
Do you know your baselines? When it comes to skills in The Open, it is nearly impossible to make a plan for the workout if you don’t know what your capacity is for each bodyweight movement. As a coach, I have come across this a lot. I will be talking to an athlete about strategy for a workout and when I ask how many fill-in-the-blank reps they can do they don’t have an answer. This makes it difficult to plan for unbroken sets or planned breaks in the workout.
Take some time after class or during open gym to do a max unbroken set of pull-ups, handstand push-ups, toes to bar, pistols, handstand walks or double unders. Less than 1-minute of your time can pay huge dividends on your score.
“It’s only pain, it will not hurt you.”
TERRIBLE TENS
Ten reps is a solid marker going into The Open. It is a middle ground between high rep and low rep schemes. See what weight you can do for ten touch n’ go reps on cleans (all variations), snatch (all variations), thrusters or deadlift. There is a time and place in an Open workout to go to quick singles, but I think too many go to this when they should first string some reps together. The more comfortable you get with touch n’ go reps under fatigue the better you will do when the workout calls for it.
YOUR PACE FACE
Rowing comes up quite often in The Open. Do you know your paces and effort levels? 500m, 1k and 2k are good distances to not only know your time, but what Avg. 500m pace you held to hit those times. Knowing these numbers can give you a good idea of what pace to strategize in short, medium and long workouts.
If you don’t know your times for these distances, you can test your 500m time and calculate what the other paces should be. Advanced rowers would add 5 seconds on their 500m pace to calculate their 1k pace and 10 seconds to calculate their 2k pace. Intermediate add 10 and 20 seconds, beginner add 15 and 30 seconds. This data can go a long way in preventing you from either coming out too hot or leaving too much in the tank both of which can have a huge affect on your score.
“You will never lift a heavier weight in a workout if you don’t use a heavier weight in a workout.”
LIFT HEAVY $H!T
Do you want the 50# or 35# dumbbell to feel lighter in The Open? Use a heavier dumbbell leading up to it. This could be in class for part or all of the workout or extra work on your own. That ten-rep mark we discussed with the barbell also applies here. Clean and Jerks or Snatches from the ground or from the hang. Single Dumbbell Overhead Lunges or Double Dumbbell Front Rack Lunges are also good movements to try. Get used to getting really good leg drive, hip pop and drop under a heavy weight. Feeling the heavier weight in these reps and getting used to stabilizing it overhead provide a lot of confidence when you use a lighter dumbbell.
BUCK FURPEES
You know they are going to be in a workout…you know this. Might as well embrace the suck early and hit the deck now. Timed max rep tests, 50-100 rep tests and death by formats are great finishers after a class workout. Mentally accept the discomfort and keep forcing yourself to drop, you will get back up.
Good luck to everyone this year and I’ll see you in the trenches!
—Coach Kiel
P.S.
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Jokes aside, resolutions can actually work.
It’s that time of year again folks. New year, new you…again, right? Resolutions have kind of become a running joke these days. So many people literally laugh when they say them out loud, but this doesn’t mean they can’t work.
We typically try to set way too many goals for ourselves which leads to being overwhelmed and unable to stick with it. So instead of ten tips or five or even three, how about just one tip? One thing that can help you make it happen in 2024.
Tip: Use a Stair-step Timeline to create an Action Plan.
For all of you that want your goals to happen in 2024 by January 31st I’m going to need you to stop, hop back on board the reality train and change your mind set for the long haul to success town. Delayed gratification…yes, it is a thing. Anything worth achieving is going to take consistent effort over time.
Go to the bottom of your stairs at your house or visualize standing in front of a staircase. Whatever your big goal is for 2024 go ahead and put that right at the very top of the stairs, which is one year from today. Looks far away doesn’t it? Does it seem like a million miles between where you are and where you want to be?
I have been there and I know it can seem impossible, but take a look right under the top of the stairs. You will notice there is another stair, below that another one, below that another one. Follow each stair all the way down to your feet. Here is your starting point. It sounds very obvious, but in order to lose 50 you must first lose one. In order to do 10 pull-ups you must first do one. In order to squat 250 pounds you must first squat 225.
STAIR-STEP TIMELINE
I’m going to use losing 50 pounds as an example, but think about what goal you just set for yourself. Just as we visualized earlier, take your goal and put it at the top so you can work backwards to your starting point.
Stair 12: 50 pounds total (December 31st)
Stair 11: 45 pounds total (November 30th)
Stair 10: 40 pounds total (October 31st)
Stair 9: 35 pounds total (September 30th)
Stair 8: 30 pounds total (August 31st)
Stair 7: 25 pounds total (July 31st)
Stair 6: 20 pounds total (June 30th)
Stair 5: 15 pounds total (May 31st)
Stair 4: 10 pounds total (April 30th)
Stair 3: 5 pounds total (March 31st)
Stair 2: 3 pounds total (February 28th)
Stair 1: 1 pound total (January 31st)
Now you have a big goal with a whole bunch of little goals along the way and they all have deadlines. Month one lose one pound, month two lose two pounds, month three lose three pounds, months 4-12 lose five pounds. When a big task is broken up it now seems achievable.
ACTION PLAN
Steps to a successful plan:
Just. Get. Started.
Change one thing at a time
Stay the course
Believe
MOVE
It’s called an Action Plan for a reason. It is a plan to actually move and accomplish things, not just think about them. You know what your stairs are, what are you going to do to take that first step? Yes, you need to think about the things that are going to help you start, but above all else you have to in fact, start.
PATIENCE
Making a plan to change everything you have been doing for the past year all at once is not a good plan…it is a plan to fail. What are the biggest things that will help you achieve this goal? Prioritize them. Start at the top with one thing at a time and chip away.
“Delayed gratification…yes, it is a thing.”
PERSEVERANCE
Setbacks will come. Obstacles will pop up. Life will happen. No matter what, you have to stick with it. Keep moving. Keep showing up. Keep putting in work. All promises are very important to keep, but none more important than the promises we make to ourselves. Don’t let you let you down. You are so much more capable than you think.
YES. YOU. CAN.
Every mile in life starts with a single step. Deep breath and start climbing those stairs. I’ll see you at the top next year.
—Coach Kiel
Take Ownership of Your Training
The number one thing that determines your success is…YOU. Even if the workouts are written specifically for you and a coach is there to guide you through it, you are the one who will ultimately accelerate or diminish your results.
Own your training checklist:
Be present
Strong as you want to be
The “in between”
User error
Step back to jump forward
Shiny Objects
Junk Reps
Breathe and move
The other 23
Mental Toughness
BE PRESENT
In a world where we have so many things in front of our face constantly begging for our attention it can make it hard to focus on a single task. Many things have become mindless and just going through the motions. When you are at the gym, be at the gym. When you are lifting, focus on your reps and your technique. A great question my father told me to ask athletes when coaching is, “What did you think?” Such a simple question, but a lot of times I would get blank stares or a shrug of their shoulders. As an athlete, think about what you just did. How did the lift feel to you? Of course the coach is there to help you, but you have to begin to feel when things are off so you understand what it should and should not feel like. This is how you learn and can significantly speed up your progress. Take ownership of your focus.
STRONG AS YOU WANT TO BE
Strength is earned. You can’t fake it. There is no shortcut. You have either put in enough work or you haven’t. The approach to that work is where the separation occurs. Sets and reps can be programmed but you are the one putting the weight on the bar. There is a lot said about going too heavy and how it sacrifices your range of motion and technique…what about not going heavy enough? Without question, you should always select a weight that allows you to safely and efficiently move through a full range of motion, but it also needs to be at the appropriate intensity. No matter what the rep range, at some point it should feel heavy. That might be the last few reps of a set of ten or every rep in a set of three. Sooner or later you have to FAFO…F$@K around and find out. Did you complete a set of three with 225 on back squat and not sure if you can get 230? Put it on the bar and find out.
Some error on going too heavy and some error on going too light…both are detrimental to your progress. It is a constant search for balance. You have to push your limits to find your limits. When you find your limits you have to know when to stay within them and when it is time to try to push beyond them. Consistent training for months and years is how you learn this. Take ownership of your strength.
“Consistency is staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.”
THE “IN BETWEEN”
Guess what? There are weights in between what is listed for Rx and scaled and a ton of weights available when scaling. There are also weights between Rx and Rx+. What you choose should be appropriate for each movement. Just because you are scaling one movement doesn’t mean you have to scale the whole workout. If you are waiting for the day when you can magically begin using the 50# dumbbell or go from five pull-ups in a workout to 20…it’s gonna be awhile. You can accelerate this process exponentially by looking at what lies “in between.”
Have you been using the 35# dumbbell, but aren’t close to ready for the 50#? How about the 40# or 45#? In a five round workout you could use a heavier weight for 2 rounds then go to the lighter one. Go heavy for four minutes of the ten-minute AMRAP then drop to a lighter weight. If you can do five unbroken pull-ups are you constantly using the scaled option in a workout when there is 6 or more? Even in a set of 20, you can do 5 then finish the reps with the scaling option. How about double unders? Do any double unders you can then go to singles. Toes to bar…do any number you can then go to the scaled option. The concept behind scaling and Rx is finding what allows each person to get the stimulus of the workout. Work outside of the WOD can help progress your weights and skills, but you also have to slowly progress those within the WOD too. Take ownership of your workout.
USER ERROR
How often do you video yourself training? Not for social media, but to watch your technique. In class, coaches should get to you a few times for feedback. Online, a lot of times you don’t have a coach watching any lifts at all or very few through video analysis. What about all of those other reps you did? Take some video in your next training session. Go frame by frame or in slow motion when you watch it. What do you see? Even if you look at it and have no idea what is wrong or how to fix it, this still gives you a starting point to ask your coach or others or research on your own to find the answer. What you allow is what will continue. If you don’t know what you're supposed to be doing or what you’re doing wrong and you're not asking, researching or looking at your own video then you are allowing your lack of improvement. Take ownership of your progress.
STEP BACK TO JUMP FORWARD
I like to lift heavy $h!t. As a result, my endurance a lot of times is what limits me in the WOD. Even though I can lift the heavier weights, many times I have to remind myself that it would be better to choose the lighter weight so I can do more reps unbroken and therefore improve my endurance. A tough transition is when we have leveled up or started doing more workouts at at higher difficulty. The tendency is to always choose that level no matter what. Be proud of your improvement, but remember you got there by consistently choosing what was needed for you to hit the stimulus. If you try to jump forward it can cause you to have to take steps back. Step back and gather momentum for that big jump. Take ownership of your rate of improvement.
SHINY OBJECTS
Distraction leads to a longer path. Driving across the country is a long journey. What would make that even longer would be getting off course by stopping to see all the flashing lights and attractions along the way. There are a lot of things to work on in CrossFit. If we try to do all the things all the time there just aren’t enough training hours in the day, especially with a job or family. Evaluate what level you are at within each training modality. Make a plan to improve your areas of opportunity. This requires training cycles of focus, without getting distracted. If you want to work on your endurance but constantly skip that work to go lift this takes you off course. As the quote says, “Stay the course”. Avoid the shiny objects taking you away from the work you need to do. Take ownership of your path to success.
JUNK REPS
Junk food, junk miles, junk reps…same thing. It is not about the time spent training, it’s what you do within that time that matters. Your daily training plan and accessory work should all be based off of your strengths, weaknesses, job, family, age , nutrition, sleep and goals. For some that is three days each week, for others that is six days. Adding more sets and reps or another WOD to fill time more often than not will work against you. The substance, the stimulus, the intensity. This is what dictates your time and volume. Take ownership of the quality of your training.
BREATHE AND MOVE
Some days you just don’t have the high gear. It can be frustrating, but remember, consistency is the key. Trying to destroy yourself every day will eventually lead to destroying yourself. There are times when you just need to breathe and move. That might mean you have to lower the weight or cut back the intensity, but you are still there. Training is just as much for your mental well-being as your physical. In over 25 years of consistent training one of the biggest things I have learned is when to push the pace and when to just relax, sweat and enjoy having the physical capability to do what you do. Take ownership of your intensity.
THE OTHER 23
Many of you have probably heard this one, but it’s worth repeating. No matter how hard you work in the gym, what you do outside of your training can either accelerate or stagnate your gains. If you binge watch Netflix instead of getting good sleep or consistently eat like an A$$hole, you can be working really hard just to maintain where you are. There is always a balance, a give and take between what you want to achieve and what you are willing to sacrifice to get there. The higher the goals and bigger the challenge the more sacrifices that will have to be made. Either way, what you do outside of training plays a big factor. Take ownership of your life choices.
MENTAL TOUGHNESS
Courage is often described not as the absence of fear but the willingness to move forward in the presence of it. Toughness is similar. It is not the absence of emotions or feelings, but having control when in the midst of them. Negative self-talk is a thing. A very big one for some, but is there in some capacity for all of us who choose to push to our mental and physical limits. It is not about trying to push those thoughts away or trying to pretend they aren’t there. It’s about digging deeper into them. Find the fire that is causing the smoke of the way you talk to yourself. Finding the fire is the only way you can eventually extinguish it. This requires sitting in some feelings and thoughts that are not very fun, but just like our physical training you have to be consistent and push through discomfort. We talk to ourselves exponentially more than anyone else in our lives. Take ownership of your mindset.
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How to make every workout work for you.
Scaling and modifying what is programmed to meet your specific needs is often presented as a simple equation. Like a formula you enter in Excel: if this, then that. If you can’t do pull-ups, do ring rows or jumping pull-ups no matter what the intended stimulus, time domain or format. It does provide something for you to do, but it’s not the most effective.
Similarly when it comes to strength and olympic lifting, things seemed to programmed “in the middle”. Meaning not for beginners, but also not for advanced. I understand the concept of trying to reach what you feel is the majority, but that often times leads the others to miss the desired outcome of training.
“There is a way, even in a group or gym setting, to address the individual needs of each athlete. ”
Let’s look at three examples:
Skill Work: Pull-ups and Handstand Push-ups in a skill building format
Strength: Work to rest ratios
Olympic Lifting: Different protocols
SKILL WORK
PROGRAMMING:
Skill Build: Strength Endurnace
Alternating Every Minute on the Minute for 12 minutes (6 sets each):
Pull-ups x 5
Handstand Push-ups x 5
*complete the pull-ups then rest for the remainder of the minute, complete the handstand push-ups then rest for the remainder of the minute, continue this pattern for all sets
Question #1: Only 5 reps…how do I make this more challenging for me?
Answer: Utilize various versions of the movement. Progress to the most difficult just like progressing in weight for a prescribed rep scheme.
Pull-ups: (hardest to easiest)
Weighted Strict Pull-ups @AHAP (As Heavy As Possible with full range of motion)
Strict Pull-ups
Butterfly or Kipping Chest to Bar Pull-ups
Butterfly or Kipping Chin over Bar Pull-ups
Pull-up negatives (VIDEO)
Handstand Push-ups: (hardest to easiest)
Weighted Vest Strict Deficit Handstand Push-ups @4/2"
Strict Deficit Handstand Push-ups @4/2"
Strict Handstand Push-ups
Kipping Deficit Handstand Push-ups @4/2"
Kipping Handstand Push-ups
Handstand Push-up negatives (VIDEO)
Question #2: I can’t do pull-ups and/or handstand push-ups, what should I do?
Answer: Utilize strength markers to see where you are in relation to having the strength to do the skill.
Scaling for Pull-ups: Snatch Grip Bent Over Rows x 5 @AHAP (As Heavy As Possible with good technique)
*Snatch Grip Bent Over Rows are the strength marker for Pull-ups, when you can do approx. 75% of your body weight for one rep you should have the strength for pull-ups (use the formula in the picture below to estimate your max, once you get this number divide it by your body weight to see how close you are to 75%)
Scaling Handstand Push-ups: Barbell Push Press x 5 @AHAP (As Heavy As Possible with good technique)
*Barbell Push Press is the strength marker for kipping Handstand Push-ups, when you can do approx. 75% of your body weight for one rep you should have the strength for kipping Handstand push-ups (use the formula in the picture below to estimate your max, once you get this number divide it by your body weight to see how close you are to 75%)
SKILL SUMMARY:
Skills are one of the most difficult things to progressively program in a class or group setting because of the varying levels of ability. Not only do you have to consider those who can or cannot do the movement, but also how many unbroken reps they have the ability to do. When looking at what is programmed, make sure you understand what the stimulus is intended to be (strength, building reps, etc.) and utilize the methods above to make it fit your skill set or…let us do that for you.
STRENGTH
PROGRAMMING:
Front Squat
"Sin City": 6 sets of 6
Sets 1-2: 70+%
Sets 3-4: 75+%
Sets 5-6: 80+%
Question #1: How much rest should I take in between sets?
Answer: Use your strength to body weight ratio to determine what rest would be best.
Rest:
If your max is below your body weight, 90 seconds between sets
If your max is above your body weight, 2 minutes between sets
If your max is above 1.5 x your body weight, 3 minutes between sets
Question #2: What if I don’t know my max for this lift?
Answer: Build to the heaviest weight you can with full range of motion and solid technique, then estimate your max.
How to properly build:
Option #1: It is worth noting that if your mobility does not allow for full range of motion and/or will cause dangerous form to occur then you should modify to a version of this lift that allows you to complete the movement safely. For this example of a front squat, modifying to a DB or KB Goblet squat would be best. This allows the weight to still be front loaded and to build strength.
Option #2: Start with a weight that you are 100% confident that you can complete all reps safely and efficiently then slowly add weight over the 6 sets. Use the estimated max formula in the picture above.
STRENGTH SUMMARY:
When you first begin consistent strength training you can’t yet lift heavy enough to necessitate the appropriate amount of rest between sets. As you gain more strength relative to your body weight, specific amounts of rest are needed in order to perform the prescribed intensity. Similarly, until you have a true 1-rep max the prescribed percentages do not get you to the intended intensity of the lift.
Use these suggested methods to help you dial in the stimulus to your strength levels or…let us do that for you.
Olympic Lifting
PROGRAMMING:
15 minute time block:
Work to heavy 2-rep Power Clean
Question: How many sets within the 15 minutes?
Answer: Utilize your strength to body weight ratio to determine the sets, rest and format.
Find the option for you:
Option #1: If your max on this lift is below 75% of your body weight, your mobility limits you and/or your technique is very limiting. Perform this as an EMOM (Every Minute on the Minute…15 sets) and the 2 reps are single reps, NOT touch n’ go. This allows you to start very light, have time to get feedback with each set and have more total reps to help learn the movement. Early on you need more repetitions to start to understand how it should feel, the bar path, getting your elbows through, dropping under the weight, etc. You also can’t yet lift heavy enough to necessitate more rest.
Option #2: If your max is at or slightly above your body weight and/or you struggle staying technically sound when stringing reps together. Perform an EMOM for 6 minutes of Power Clean + Hang Pause TNG Power Clean (VIDEO). Start around 50% of your max and slowly build to a moderate weight. This allows you to practice control when performing touch n’ go reps. Then go every 90 seconds for 9 minutes (6 sets) of two power cleans that are touch n’ go.
Option #3: If your max is above 1.25 x your body weight. Every 3 minutes for 15 minutes (5 sets). Solid warm-up to around 75% before the time frame begins, then build to a 2-rep max with touch n’ go reps.
OLYMPIC LIFTING SUMMARY:
Until you can effectively and efficiently do single reps on these lifts, trying to do heavy or high rep touch n’ go reps can be very detrimental to your overall progress. Even in the MetCon or WOD, you can keep a good pace with steady, consistent singles that will also keep your technique in a much better position while under fatigue. Train harder smarter.
Use these suggested methods to help you dial in the stimulus to your technical levels or…let us do that for you.
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Coaching Full Speed
As a coach, seeing technical flaws in real time and having the ability to give quick and effective feedback for your athletes is a challenging skill to master. Just like training, there is a progressive process you can take yourself through to steadily improve. In my 18+ year career, this is the process that worked best for me.
Slow down to go fast
Find the fire
Create light bulbs
SLOW DOWN TO GO FAST
I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of playing college baseball. The biggest adjustment as I progressed in the sport from middle school to high school to college was the speed of the game. At each level everything seemed like a blur at the beginning, but as I got more experience it all started to slow down. Coaching is very similar. Not only when you first start, but as you encounter each new movement that needs to be coached. Early on I would watch an athlete complete a snatch and in my head I was thinking, ‘Uh, looks good to me.’ while outwardly I would say something like, “It’s getting better, keep working hard and you’ll get there.” Get where? Initially, I didn’t know the answer to that so I put some things in place for myself to fix that.
Education: One at a time, I began to educate myself through videos, articles, conferences and discussion with other coaches about the key points of each movement to find the correct, most efficient technique. This allowed me to know what I was looking for in the first place.
Video: I started to video the live lifts and movements of my athletes and after class I would look through them in slow motion and frame by frame. This allowed me see what errors were occurring. As I began to pick things out more quickly, I was able to look at the video after their lift and give them feedback within the training session.
Slow, pause and segmented: With a lot of the barbell lifts I began to program tempo, pause and segmented portions of the full movement so I could focus on one specific thing at a time.
Pop quiz: While the lift was being videoed, I would watch the live lift and think about what I saw. I would then look at the video to confirm or correct my thoughts.
This became a looped cycle. Educate, video, break it down, pop quiz, repeat. Over and over again.
FIND THE FIRE
As I begin to improve my ability to identify flaws and give corrections live it was now time to start finding the reason(s) why the flaws were occurring. The same common error in a lift can be caused by multiple different things. Here is an example using the common error of the barbell swinging out in a snatch
Possible causes: how they set up to the barbell before beginning the lift, hips rising early, weight shifting into the toes, early pull, early launch or lack of pull.
I realized simply trying to coach to the error itself is coaching the smoke. Finding and coaching to the cause of the error is coaching the fire. This not only allowed me to more effectively give cues, but also provide drills and auxiliary movements to improve the lift. I used the same things mentioned earlier to consistently get better at this. Educate, video, break it down, pop quiz, repeat.
“As a coach, if your athlete is doing a movement inefficiently or incorrectly it’s your fault. ”
CREATE LIGHT BULBS
I found myself using the same cues over and over again and when it didn’t work I would get frustrated. I started to understand that athletes react differently to what is said and how it is said. The same cue can create a light bulb for one person and have another just smiling and nodding in the dark. I thought about how many different ways I could say the same thing. Finish your pull, keep your elbows above the bar, elbow someone behind you…these are all trying to accomplish the same correction but paint a different mental picture.
Here are the best ways I have found to increase your inventory:
Take class at your gym: listen to how the other coaches explain movements and give corrections
Talk shop: talk training with coaches and athletes to learn different ways people like to be communicated with
Watch videos and tutorials: listen to how they describe the movements and drills
Learn new movements: find a coach to teach you something new and listen to how they communicate and think about what resonated with you and what didn’t and why
Just keep showing up. I have said this to a lot of athletes. If you consistently show up, you will get better. This is true, but you can also accelerate your progress by having a plan that you mentally and physically execute at a high level.
Coaching is no different. Keep coaching classes and you will get better, but having a specific plan will exponentially increase your ability to help each and every athlete you have the privilege to work with.
Coach harder smarter.
The Two Biggest Failures in the Gym
In almost 30 years of consistent training and 20 years of coaching, two of the toughest things to see are people putting in so much work for all the wrong reasons and giving up not knowing how close they were to reaching their goals. Very different things, but equally as difficult to watch. In both instances, there is so much wasted effort and sacrifice. On one hand, it brought nothing but emptiness at the end. On the other, it brought nothing at all…because you quit. Anything worth achieving in life requires hard work and perseverance, but anything you are going to work hard and persevere through should be worth achieving.
““It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.””
Two questions to answer:
Who is the goal for…really?
Have you set yourself up to succeed mentally?
Who are you working so hard for?
There has been quite a bit of discussion about extrinsic vs. intrinsic goals. It has become a common conclusion that external goals won’t do anything for you and that you will only succeed when you find a deep-rooted meaning to what you are working towards. Not entirely true…not entirely false.
Searching for an internal meaning or purpose to every goal we have as a prerequisite to getting started can often lead to quite the opposite…not starting. Many times when we think of goals the only thing we can see initially are external motivations. Losing weight because you want to look good on the beach is more often than not because you are thinking about other people thinking you look good on the beach. Getting a promotion a lot of times is about earning more money or status, which once again, is mostly about you envisioning what other people will think once you acquire these things. At first glance this can all seem bad, but guess what? If these things get you started eating better, consistently working hard in the gym or learning more about how to be successful in your industry then that’s a good thing.
The key is, if you are going to make these changes permanent and/or know it is truly something worth the sacrifice, you will have to transition to something internal that is driving you sooner or later.
Lack of internal motivations can lead to many weeks, hours and months of hard work for all the wrong reasons. This can cause you to feel like the ESPN story of the man that found himself at the top of Mt. Everest with nothing but regret.
When things get tough, when bumps in the road happen, what other people think will quickly fade away. What YOU think and why YOU want to achieve this goal will allow you to keep showing up and keep putting in the work even in the face of adversity.
What are your checkpoints?
I was watching a documentary on National Geographic about Navy Seal Training. At some point they began discussing at what point the most people quit. To my surprise, it was not during what they call “Hell Week”. The week where the physical and mental demands are kicked up to a level that most could not last a single hour enduring. No. Without hesitation, they all mentioned a particular training exercise where the distance of the mission was not disclosed. This exercise is what mentally broke the most candidates.
Think about it…
Even if you were tasked with a crazy activity of walking from New York to Los Angeles, there is a known beginning and end. Roughly 2,446 miles is a long way, but you can still count it down. You can estimate the time frame and begin making progress. 2,445…2,444…1,000…250…done. When your body starts breaking down and your brain is begging you to stop…you can break it up in your mind, have an idea of the time left, chip away and know that each step is getting you closer.
What if they just told you to start walking? No destination, no time frame…just walk. What happens when your body starts to ache and all those negative thoughts begin to speak loudly? What can you rationalize or calculate to get you through it? Nothing, you have nothing but your will to keep going. That will can easily break without a very specific definition of success.
“It is a slow process, but quitting won’t speed it up. ”
Too often, I see this with personal goals. Working for the wrong reasons, no clear beginning and no defined end. Even if there are specific numbers we are shooting for and have found an internal motivator, we always think it will happen much quicker than it will. We underestimate the work required and overestimate the speed in which we will get there.
The picture above is such a good illustration of what often happens. On the top, I see the expression of a man that is blinded by empty goals…hammering away towards empty rewards. Exhaustion…for things that don’t matter.
On the bottom, I see someone who has lost hope because they didn’t know how so very close they were to achieving their dreams. One more swing and they would have found what they were looking for. Just one more. It doesn’t always exactly get us to our final destination, but it was the breakthrough we didn’t wait for. The moment it would have all started to come together to get us to that final destination.
I think a lot of people are willing to give the effort if they knew it would be worth it.
Here is the thing you need to understand…you decide what that effort will be by what you decide is worth it. Read that again.
How hard can you work?
A Dark Place, The Pain Cave, The Hurt Locker or as I like to call it…The Spirit World. It is a state that is often talked about, but never discussed in depth. As the Tango Charlie shirt says, “Darkness is a hell of a coach.” It most definitely can be…if you understand it.
Here are three things to ask yourself:
Do you truly know what it is?
Can you actually get to this state?
If you can, how often should you go there?
The Spirit World explained
Emptying it out. Extreme discomfort. Pushing beyond your limits. These things are a part of this mental and physical state, but only at the surface level. In every tough workout it’s not a matter of IF, but merely WHEN we reach the point where a decision must be made. The point where your body and your mind are screaming at you to slow down or back off. The decision…to push through and attack the pain or simply endure and survive it until the end. This is where the difference is distinguished. Enduring and surviving are still very uncomfortable, but we have made the choice to let the pain win and just ride it out. The reason “The Spirit World” has always resonated with me is because that’s what it truly feels like. It’s the state of silencing the voices in your head and choosing to shut out the pain and reaching an almost euphoric state of existence that allows you to keep breathing and keep moving no matter what the cost. Everything around you fades out, time is irrelevant. It’s just you and the workout. It is only when the work or time end that it all comes rushing back. The pounding of your heart, the burning in your muscles and lungs. It is a very unique place that some never truly experience.
Do you have what it takes?
Depending on the workout, it takes a certain amount of strength, endurance and ability to have the capability of reaching this state. Meaning, it’s earned. You have to earn the capability to have the opportunity to push to this level of discomfort. If you can only do five pull-ups at a time in a workout with 50 pull-ups, you do not have the capability of getting to The Spirit World. If your technical deficiencies or strength limit your ability to efficiently do touch n’ go reps on a workout like “DT” then you do not have the capability to reach The Spirit World. Some think, ‘The stronger and more fit I become, the easier these workouts will be’. I hate to break it to you, but that is not how it works. The higher your maxes go and the more your endurance improves, it gets harder. Why? Because there becomes less reasons to put the bar down, to break up the reps. It becomes more and more about the mental battle rather than your physical limitations. Many think they are reaching this level, but they aren’t. It requires a solid balance of mental fortitude and physical ability. You can’t have one without the other to reach this state. If you do not yet have the capability to push to this level does that mean you are not working hard? Absolutely not, you are working as hard as you can with what you have. But this place, this state, this suffering should be recognized for what it is. A level of respect, that only those that have truly earned the experience can speak to.
How often should you go there?
We all have different effort levels whether you recognize it or not. A top level, a high level, a moderate level and an easy level. No matter if you currently have the ability in certain workouts to push to The Spirit World or not, you need to understand how far you should go mentally and when. Your top level is something you will truly reach a small percentage of time throughout your training year. It takes that much of a toll. Specifically, around 5% of your total workouts can and should reach this level. High level effort should be roughly 70% of your workouts. If you don’t feel up to the task seven out of ten times then you should look at your nutrition, sleep, stress, recovery methods, etc. Moderate levels are reserved for those times where you are feeling beat up mentally and or physically and just don’t have that high gear. This should be around 15% of the time. Low level is what could be considered active recovery sessions. Just breathing and moving without much regard for the pace or weight moved. This could be the end of a tough training cycle or a day where life kicked your a$$ and you need a mindless sweat. Should be around 10% of the time. As you get into the Masters categories the top level percentage remains at 5%, the high level drops to around 50-60%, moderate up to 25-35% and low stays at 10%. Reminder, these percentages only hold true if your top level is really your top level and your high level is really your high level.
“A better way of life, something to keep us on the straight and narrow, to look forward to week to week, and a revival of all those who have been involved only a few times a year. ”
Understand this
Effort level isn’t just about how deep you can go mentally, it is also about what you have physically available. This is not about backing off when you feel good. It is about understanding that there will be days where you just have what you have. Your score for the WOD or weight lifted might not be what you want, but it’s another day of training. Another day deposited in your mental and physical bank account. Every day you put in work is beneficial. Every. Single. One. Bad Days happen. Good days happen, Extraordinary days happen. It’s all a part of your lifelong journey. I need you to understand this. Embrace it. Stay the course. Keep showing up. Consistent hard work ALWAYS pays off…you just have to be willing to stick with it long enough.
Are your coaches allowed to coach?
The best programming in the world will not work if it is not executed well. Sets, reps, movements, percentages, workout formats and time domains are only as good as they are implemented and coached. On the other hand, the way things are programmed should not only have proven methods for continued improvement, but also provide a format that creates opportunities for your coaches to coach.
Here are five things to consider:
Number of new movements programmed
Open time blocks vs. controlled work to rest ratios
Total work time programmed within the hour
Specificity to individual strength and skill levels
The why behind the what
Number of New Movements
If you are spending all of your time teaching new movements that does not leave time to actually coach them. Back in the day during my high school sports years we followed a plan called: Bigger, Faster, Stronger. The program involved three main lifts (squat, bench, clean) along with standard auxiliary strength movements. This plan got criticism from some about all the movements or lifts that were being left out. In response, the strength coach who created the plan said, “Instead of spending time on a ton of different movements only to end up mediocre at best on all of them…why not spend time fine tuning these three movements and become great at them.” Think about that.
“Doing a movement consistently will make that movement better. But, seriously....read that again.”
The constantly varied portion in the description of CrossFit can lead a lot of programmers to continuously introduce new movements from day to day and week to week. This requires the coach to spend all of their time in class teaching something new instead of helping each member consistently get better at movements that were previously implemented. Remember, variation can still occur over the entire training year while following 4-8 week training cycles within the annual plan.
Open Time vs. Controlled Time
During your strength, olympic lifting or skill sections is there an allotted amount of total time or specific work and rest times planned for each set? In my early days as a strength coach I worked with several teams of various sports with 20-40 kids at a time. I learned very quickly if I didn’t plan exact times for everything it always turned into a $h!t show. Some groups would be done with their prescribed sets in five minutes while others only had a couple sets done when it was time to move on to the next section. Instead of giving them 20 minutes to get the 10 sets done, I programmed one set every two minutes for 20 minutes.
This allows several important things to occur:
Everyone stays on task
Everyone completes their sets at the same time
Athletes could partner or get into groups to share a rack and all have time to complete their sets
Allows the coach to have a controlled setting to specifically coach each athlete over the allotted time
Controls the work to rest ratio which allows for appropriate percentages to be programmed according to that ratio
Total Work Time
Within a typical one-hour class there should be no more than 30 minutes of actual work time programmed on the high end, but most frequently in the 24-27 minute range. (This excludes when special occasion workouts are programmed like the 12 Days of Christmas WODs and others.) There has to be time given for warm-up and transition in between sections of class along with the time to actually coach athletes on the movements. Simply demonstrating a movement is not coaching…you might as well just have videos up on a screen if this is all you are doing or allowing time for. Yes, you have to show what the movement is but most importantly coach people through how to improve their technique and efficiency on that movement.
Individual Specific Class Programming
What is provided for your coaches besides a scaling option? Having someone work on drills for a Ring Muscle-up when they do not even have the strength to do a single pull-up is a complete waste of their time and yours. On the other end of the spectrum, teaching the basic mechanics of a toe to bar to someone who can already efficiently string together 20+ unbroken is not the best use of their time or yours. Of course anyone can benefit from going back to the basics, but in this situation there are much more productive things that can be done. Having specific things programmed for these different levels allows the coach to more effectively help each athlete. For more on specificity programming, check out this article.
The Why Behind the What
Are your coaches learning or just implementing? Understanding why certain movements are programmed, specific formats are used and how it all goes together allows the coach to more effectively communicate this to the athletes. Even something simple like learning and explaining that programmed work on the technique of a squat clean is to eventually allow you to lift more weight, not to just make the clean more difficult can really improve the buy-in from everyone. If someone is struggling with a drill or exercise, helping them understand why they are doing it can help shift their mindset from frustration to focus. Training and coaching should never be mindless. You need to be present and take ownership of what you are doing to reach your maximum potential.
Go Beyond
Coaches are not lifeguards there to only make sure everyone stays safe. Coaches are not cheerleaders there to only shout motivational sayings at everyone. Coaches are coaches. Does your programming allow them to be that?
Program, coach and train harder…smarter.
POWERful Beyond Measure
Power is an important part in almost every sporting activity, including CrossFit. The ability to move quicker, jump higher, be more explosive and run faster will also improve your strength and endurance.
Let’s look at 5 ways to develop power in the gym.
#1 - Train at higher speeds
Strength gains are specific to the speed at which you lift; plain and simple. It is very common in gyms around the country to progressively add more weight on the bar without any consideration of how fast the bar is moving. This is great for strength, but not for power.
If we look at what power is, we need to keep in mind that there is one very important part that most people forget about, VELOCITY. This is defined as distance / time – or how fast you can move something. The most important element to focus on in this formula is the time component. If you always lift heavy and slow you will be strong…but slow. To truly develop power and be a better, well-rounded athlete you must train the entire spectrum, from heavy and slow to light and fast.
#2 - Lower the Percentages
In order for your training to be more specific towards training power and specific strengths such as Strength – Speed and Speed – Strength you can’t train heavy all the time. The weight needs to be lowered to ensure that the VELOCITY of the lift is done fast enough to get the response from training you are looking for.
There are multiple different methods that can be used to utilize this in training, we will focus a percentage based approach. If you have an accurate estimate of your one rep maximum on a certain lift, you can use power focused percentages. Before you use percentages you must first have an accurate estimate of your max. You may either perform a 1-Rep Max Test or use a Rep Test. If using a Rep Test, plug your numbers into this formula (pictured):
When you are looking to develop Strength – Speed, Power, and Speed – Strength in the traditional lifts (Bench, Squat, Deadlift, Clean) we should be in the range of 40 to 60% of 1RM. There should be no sticking or failure on these reps! The weight should move smooth and fast throughout the entire range of motion. Sets range from 3 to 10 and reps range from 1 to 3. A general recommendation is to use sets of 2 on lower body lifts and sets of 3 on upper body lifts.
#3- Develop Raw Power and Starting Strength
An important factor when developing power is generating explosive movement from a static (still) position. Here are two great methods for this:
Concentric only lifts
Pause or dead stop exercises
A great example of a concentric only lift for the lower body is Front Squat from the rack. To perform this lift you need to set the catches, or safety bars at the bottom depth of your squat. Place the bar on the catches and load the bar from there. You will now position yourself under the bar, tighten up, take a big deep breath, and explosively drive the bar up. Drop bar back to the catches and repeat for the prescribed amount of reps
For the upper body use Bench Press from the rack. This lift has the same set up as above. Set the catches at the bottom of the movement. Take a position on the bench underneath the bar, tighten up, take a big deep breath, and press the bar up as fast as possible. Drop the bar back to the catches and repeat for the prescribed amount of reps.
A general recommendation is sets of 2 reps for the lower body and sets of 3 reps for the upper body. Use 40 – 60% for raw power development and >80% for starting strength. This method is very challenging even for the strongest athletes. Keep in mind you might struggle with the exercise to start with, so use light weight, until you get comfortable with the lift.
The pause or dead stop method involves taking traditional weight room or plyometric exercises and implementing a dead stop or pause. Whether it is the Bench Press, Squat, Split Jump, or Squat Jump the philosophy is the same. Lower the weight or your body in a controlled manner, pause at the bottom of the movement for at least 2 to 5 seconds to ensure that all momentum is lost, then explosively complete the movement. This method requires extreme discipline and concentration in order to pause, stay tight, and explode.
“Strength gains are specific to the speed at which you lift.”
#4 - Stretch Shortening Cycle – Plyometric Training
Most jumping and power activities involve a counter movement during which the muscles involved are first stretched rapidly and then shortened to accelerate the body or limb. An example of this is bending down before a squat jump when testing for a vertical, often called the “load phase”. With plyometric training and many other training modalities you want to follow the progression of simple to complex.
Single Effort – perform one rep of the exercise, “Stick” the landing with good mechanics. Reset yourself and repeat
Double Effort – perform two reps of the exercise, stick the landing with good mechanics. Reset yourself and repeat
Continuous Effort – perform all reps of the exercise in a continuous manner, stick the landing on the last rep with good mechanics
Example: Broad Jumps 3 sets of 6
Perform the first set as 6 sets of 1, sticking the landing after each rep
Perform the second set as 3 sets of 2, sticking the landing on every second rep
Perform the final set as 1 set of 6, sticking the landing on the last rep
Note: Constantly stressing the importance of sticking the landing will teach you to remain under control and be able to better absorb force. This is very important when it comes to change of direction and agility.
#5 - Ballistic Training
Ballistic exercises are acclerative, high velocity movements that involve an actual projection into space. This minimizes deceleration which is another important factor to consider in power development. In a 1RM lift as much as 24% of the lift is spent decelerating, or slowing the movement down. This is increased to as much as 52% when the lift was done with 80% of 1RM on a lift. Ballistic training all but eliminates any deceleration. In a research study it was found that 30% of 1RM resistance produced the greatest increase in force and power over the entire concentric velocity range of motion. As low as 15% resistance can be used in the form of Med Balls and other light implements. Here are some good upper and lower body ballistic exercises:
Bench Med. Ball Throws
Jump Squats
Overhead Med Ball Throw
Med Ball Chest Pass
Bench Med. Ball Throws
This exercise requires some equipment. The easiest and safest way to perform this lift is on a utility bench without arm supports from a bench press. Place yourself on the bench with a partner or coach on another bench or box behind the head position. Take a medicine ball from the chest and in an explosive manner, push the ball up in a chest press motion as fast and forceful as possible. Release the ball into the air at which point your partner will grab the ball, control it to slow it down and drop it back toward your out-stretched arms. Lower the Med. Ball to your chest and repeat for the desired number of reps. USE CAUTION with this exercise the first time it is done to make sure that you and your partner are working together. Start off with a lighter ball and slow the movement pattern down until both you and your partner are comfortable with tossing the Med. Ball and catching it back and forth.
Jump Squats
This exercise can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, or a weighted vest. You can squat to full depth or quarter depth depending on what your goal of the exercise is. The biggest thing to be aware of is your landing upon jumping with the weight. Make sure that you land simultaneously on your whole foot under control with your hips back and your chest and head up. This is a great exercise weighted or unweighted, but make sure that there is not too much weight and that you can land properly on each rep.
Overhead Med Ball Throw
Use this exercise for its ability to promote hip extension. Start with standing tall with the Med Ball overhead. Squat down, touch the ball to the ground with straight arms, and explode up and back to propel the ball backwards overhead as far as possible. Make sure you have enough ceiling height to allow for maximal throws if indoors and a partner allows the ball to bounce rather than catching it in the air.
Med Ball Chest Pass
This is a great upper body explosive exercise. Start standing tall with the ball overhead. Squat down, touch the ball to the ground with straight arms, and explode up and out to propel the ball forward as far as possible using a chest pass motion.
Start with the Med Ball and the lower % loads when introducing Ballistic Movements to your athletes. Then progress towards 30% loads with the more advanced lifts such as Jump Squats and Bench Throws. Ballistic movements are a great tool in developing power as long as common sense is used to ensure the safety of you and/or your athletes.
Questions or for list of sources: contact kielholman@gmail.com
Article written by Kiel Holman in 2012 and edited in 2022.
Are you a coach or not?
As a coach, if your athlete is doing a movement inefficiently or incorrectly it’s your fault. Yikes! Hit a nerve for some with this statement...but it's still true.
A lot of you probably thought of one or several people as an example of why you disagree with this statement. Hate to break it to you, but the more people you thought of...the more you need to improve as a coach. Shots fired again! Calm down, let's discuss it.
First of all, I am not saying coaches should be able to fix everything instantly with one simple cue. We are coaches, not miracle workers. However, you have to remind yourself of the basic definition and relationship of a coach to the athlete. They are the student, we are the teacher. They come to us to learn and improve. If you walked into any classroom and the teacher didn’t teach anything or simply told you to figure it out for yourself, would you think that is your fault or theirs? When you get answers wrong would you expect that teacher to explain and help you correct it? Of course this takes effort on your part, but they are providing their knowledge and expertise to guide you to the solution.
Here a few things to consider when evaluating your coaching:
Are you getting to each athlete in every session or class you coach?
Did the light bulb go off with them or are they still in the dark?
Do they understand the why behind the issue that needs corrected?
“Think of coaching each movement in a one-on-one setting. Do you feel confident? If not, then this is an area of opportunity for you. Learn more about the key points, corrections and cues.”
Coaching Every Athlete
You should be able to get around to specifically coach each athlete at least two times in a class 90-100% full, at least three times in a class 50-89% full and at least four times in a class 49% or less full. How you are specifically coaching them varies depending on the section of class. During strength, olympic lifting, skills and conditioning, this is the time for a deeper dive into their technique, efficiency and pace. We have time in between sets and reps to break things down more. During the MetCon or WOD, the feedback should be more general and simple…but still specific to each athlete. They are breathing and moving so we need to coach without hindering that, unless there is a safety concern. The only things that should be communicated to the entire class are motivation and time updates. Simply shouting out things like, “Push your knees out!”, to anyone who might be listening is not coaching. *Insert the scene from Anchor Man…LOUD NOISES!
Light or Darkness
How many different cues do you have your tool belt? The same cue word can resonate with one athlete and cause a blank stare from another one. How many different ways can you say the same thing? Finish your pull, keep your elbows above the bar, elbow someone behind you…these are all trying to accomplish the same correction. Think about each athlete in every session or class. Did you see the light go on and feel they understood what you were trying to correct or are they just smiling and nodding at you with no idea what went wrong or how to fix it? If it was the latter, did you run out of cue words or ways to fix their issue? It happens. The important thing is, finding ways to improve to prevent that next time.
The Why
Are you coaching the smoke or the fire? Once you spot the flaw in a lift or movement, are you coaching the flaw or why the flaw occurred? Seeing the bar swing out in a snatch or clean and coaching to keep the bar close is a solid cue. In order to take this to the next level you must be able to see and correct what caused the bar to swing out. This could be for many different reasons. Lack of pull, early launch, weight forward in the toes, early hip rise or how they set-up to the bar to begin with. Coaching only the flaw is coaching the smoke. Finding the fire causing the smoke is how you progress your skills to better help each athlete you have the privilege to work with.
The “uncoachable”
We all know the difficult athletes. The ones who seem to refute or ignore any coaching directed their way. Even in these situations, patience and persistence will eventually get through. Although it may not seem like it, no matter what they say or how they act, they want to get better. People respond to personalities, tone and interaction very differently socially and as an athlete receiving coaching. You just have to find the right combination to develop trust and buy-in. Stay the course.
The Game Plan
What do you need to do to improve as a coach the most? Is it increasing your knowledge and experience or the consistent application of that knowledge and experience? I have been blessed to be a coach for over 17 years and I still learn things every single day. If coaching is truly your passion there should be a relentless pursuit to get better for the sake of your athletes.
You’re not a lifeguard there to only make sure everyone is safe. You’re not a cheerleader there to shout motivational sayings. You are a coach.
6 lessons learned from over 25 years of Strength Training
Death, taxes…strength training basics.
There are certain exercises and training methods that have been around for decades and centuries for a reason…they work. Stop adding every new Internet -fad exercise by these self-dubbed “experts” to your training plan. Single Arm, single leg, barbell press while standing on a kettlebell is not a strength training exercise…it’s an exercise in stupidity. The multi-joint movements done consistently over time utilizing progressive overload are proven to give you results.
Instant gratification is for the weak.
Strength is earned. You can’t fake it. There is no shortcut. In our society, on average, if the video or website we click hasn’t loaded in less than 10 seconds we get frustrated and move on. This mentality spills over into so many other areas of our lives, but no greater than in the gym. People literally look in the mirror after one set and expect to see a difference. My dad used to tell me growing up in sports, “Every day you work hard at practice or in the weight room you deposit money in your bank. On game day you get to make a withdrawal.” Put in the work, have some patience and build your physical and mental bank account.
No matter what just keep showing up.
If we only worked hard on the days we felt good or were highly motivated we wouldn’t be very consistent. This is one of the biggest, if not the biggest factor in achieving your goals or constantly starting over. Some days you might have to back off the weight a little, change the exercise or just merely force yourself to suffer through. But if you can make it through these days, the other days are easy. If you truly want to get where you want to be then stop having “Day Ones”.
“Consistency is staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you. ”
Know thyself.
What works for someone else may or may not work for you. Your path to the best version of yourself is a process and very specific to your body, your mind, your environment, your family and your schedule. Find the situation that allows you to consistently get the work done.
Enjoy the process.
Training should not be a chore. It is an opportunity every time you walk in the gym to get better, to gain strength physically and mentally. As far as I know, I have never heard anyone say that the feeling of achievement after putting in all the hard work was not worth it. You also need to avoid the comparison game. There is always someone stronger and/or more fit…always. Comparison only brings frustration and negative self-talk. Look in the mirror, that is your competition.
There is a “magic pill”.
Everyone searches for this, but is looking in all the wrong places. It’s not a secret trick or philosophy…it’s YOU. Success comes down to executing very basic principles at an extremely high level. You are exactly where you are today because of your choices and actions…nothing more, nothing less. The only place you need to look is in the mirror. Take all of that other time you spent searching and use it to get to work in the trenches.
Individual Specific Class Programming
When it comes time to do the WOD or MetCon, scaling and modifying up or down to find the appropriate level for each person is discussed and implemented. This is how each person finds what is best for them to get the intended stimulus of the workout and progress at their pace. This protocol can be carried over to the other sections of class.
You might think your programming already does this to a certain extent, but let’s take a closer look at some specific things within each of these training modalities:
Strength: work to rest ratios according to strength levels
Olympic Lifting: technical ability in multiple rep sets
Gymnastic Skills: work according to phase of skill development
Conditioning: technical efficiency in max effort intervals
Strength
All things being equal with a general level of muscular endurance, the more you lift relative to your body weight the more rest you need in between sets. When people first begin consistent strength training they can not yet lift heavy enough to necessitate the prescribed amount of rest. After the completion of a set these individuals likely feel ready for another set in as little as 30 seconds usually because of the technical limitations of learning a new movement and/or simply not being accustomed to lifting things that feel heavy.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, for those that can lift over two times their body weight in something like a back squat will need the prescribed 2-5 minutes rest between sets depending on the percentage and rep range. So how do you program for both of these extremes as well as the areas in between within a class? It can be challenging, but definitely doable.
Example of single rep Back Squats in an 18-minute time frame:
Scaled: Individuals that do not know their max or it is below their body weight. Every Minute on the Minute for 18 minutes complete 1 x Back Squat. This gives them 18 repetitions to work on their technique and begin to understand the weight they can lift.
Rx: Individuals that have a max over their body weight and up to 1.5 x their body weight. Every 90 seconds for 18 minutes (12 sets) complete 1 x Back Squat beginning at 75% and building every 3-4 sets.
Rx+: Individuals that have a max of 1.6 x their body weight and above. Every 2 minutes for 18 minutes (9 sets) complete 1 x Back Squat beginning at 80% and building every 2-3 sets.
Everyone is working together, for the same amount of time and in accordance with their strength level.
As a coach, this might seem overwhelming but remember that it is not guaranteed you would have all three of these levels in every class. Here are the keys to managing this successfully.
Clearly define what the levels are so there is no grey area
Write down the times at which each group would do another set. For this example, everyone would begin at 0:00, Scaled would then go every minute, Rx would be at 1:30/3:00/4:30/6:00/7:30/9:00/10:30/12:00/13:30/15:00/16:30, Rx+ would be at 2:00/4:00/6:00/8:00/10:00/12:00/14:00/16:00
Utilize a coaching EMOM. 18 minutes gives you 18 opportunities to individually coach the members. If there are 18 people that is at least once with each person, 9 people is at least twice. As you get more comfortable managing this 18 minutes this could give you 36 opportunities especially with single reps.
Just like anything new, it can take a few weeks for members to get used to this format but they will pick it up. How you present it to them and effectively manage it can speed up this process.
“There is a way, even in a group setting, to address the individual needs of the members. ”
Olympic Lifting
Programming touch n’ go high reps and/or high rep complexes for beginners can be very detrimental to their progression. On the other hand, if our goal is heavy barbell cycling, having short rest periods for those that have a max over 1.25 x their body weight in a clean does not allow them to appropriately recover in between sets. Let’s take a closer look of how to implement these different levels within a class setting.
Example of barbell cycling with a clean in a 15-minute time frame:
Scaled: Individuals who do not know their max or it is below their body weight. Every Minute on the Minute for 15 minutes complete 2 x Hang Power Cleans. This allows them to still work on stringing reps together, but in a very small dose and with the same movement. This gives them 15 sets (30 reps) to work on their technique and understand what weights they can do.
Rx: Individuals that have a max over their body weight and up to 1.25 x their body weight. Every 90 seconds for 15 minutes (10 sets) complete the complex of 3 x Deadlift + 2 x Hang Power Cleans + 1 x Hang Squat Clean. Begin at 65% and build every 2-3 sets.
Rx+ Individuals that have a max over 1.25 x their body weight. 15 minute time block to reach the heaviest weight on the complex of 3 x Deadlift + 2 x Hang Power Clean + 1 x Hang Squat Clean. They can rest as they need to in between sets. The recommendation would be 6-8 attempts within the time frame.
Utilize the same keys to success as mentioned in the strength section. Clearly define the levels, write down the times when the different groups do another set and implement the coaching EMOM.
Gymnastic Skills
Skill progression has five main phases:
Strength needed
Acquiring the skill
Build under no fatigue
Build under general fatigue
Build under specific fatigue
Within the skills section of class it is possible to program for each of these phases.
Example with pull-ups in a 12-minute time frame:
Scaled: Individuals who do not yet have the strength to do a pull-up or can only do 1-4. Every Minute on the Minute for 12 minutes complete 3 x Snatch Grip Bent Over Rows. This barbell movement is the strength marker for pull-up strength. If you can do 1 rep of this movement with 75-80% of your body weight then you should have the strength to do a pull-up. You can use a formula to estimate your max based off of these 3-rep sets to see how close they are. For those that can do some pull-ups, this focus on increasing strength will help them build more reps.
Rx: Individuals who can do 5-9 unbroken kipping/butterfly pull-ups. Every Minute on the Minute for 12 minutes complete 3-6 x kipping/butterfly pull-ups depending on what your best max set is…should be around 60-65% of your max set (if your max set is 8 then do 5 each minute)
Rx+: Individuals that can do 10+ unbroken kipping/butterfly pull-ups. Every 2 minutes for 12 minutes (6 sets) complete 300m/240m Row then max pull-ups until the 90 second mark, this leaves 30 seconds rest between sets.
Utilize the same keys to success as mentioned in the strength and olympic lifting section. Clearly define the levels, write down the times when the different groups do another set and implement the coaching EMOM.
“You are capable of so much more than you think. ”
Conditioning
There is an ideal technique to rowing, running, skiing and biking just like any other movement. The more efficient you are the better you can get a true test of your long, middle and short duration fitness levels. Particularly when looking at max effort intervals, these sets will affect the beginner and seasoned member much differently. Similar to strength training, beginners do not yet have the mechanics to reach the intensity level needed to necessitate the prescribed rest. You can program for both of these extremes within the conditioning section of class.
Example with rowing in a 15-minute time frame:
Scaled: Individuals that do not at least know their 500m and 2k row times and/or have a 500m time of over 2 minutes or 2k time of over 8 minutes. Every 3 minutes for 15 minutes (5 sets) complete a 1:45 easy pace row focusing on technique and finding out what consistent pace they can row, this leaves 1:15 rest. Also a great opportunity to coach them on understanding paces, stroke rate, etc.
Rx/Rx+: Individuals that are sub 2 minutes for a 500m row and/or a sub 8 minute 2k row. Every 3 minutes for 15 minutes (5 sets) complete a 45 second max effort pace row, this leaves 2:15 rest.
This format with these groups also allows people to double up on rowers if needed because of number of rowers and your class size.
Utilize the same keys to success as mentioned in all other sections. Clearly define the levels, write down the times when the different groups do another set and implement the coaching EMOM.
Mindset Shift
A huge takeaway from this philosophy is breaking free of the tunnel vision view that limits how you can logistically organize sections of class. It might take more preparation, more coaching, more of the why to members, but it can ultimately help take your community to a higher collective level and create an amazing atmosphere of success.
GO BEYOND.
Strength Secrets: 14 methods to boost your GAINZ
1.STRIKE A POSE: utilize various different holds. Front Planks (elbows or hands), side planks, glute bridge double leg and single leg, lunge, wall sits double leg and single leg, squat, hollow rock, L-sit, side lunge. Hold, keep all working muscles tight. Intervals of 10 sec to 60 sec of work with 10 sec to 60 sec of rest. 4 to 10 sets.
2.STAY SINGLE: You can take a lot of exercises that are double leg or double arm and make them single leg or single arm. Squats can become front, back or side lunges, pistols, step-ups, etc. Overhead barbell press can become single arm DB or KB presses. Pull-ups or barbell rows can become single arm DB or KB rows or reverse flys. Deadlift can become single KB or DB suitcase deadlifts or single arm/single leg RDL’s. 4 to 10 sets of 6 to 12 reps each side.
3.PRESS PAUSE: adding a 3-5 second pause to various exercises. Try adding a 5 second pause at the bottom of your back, front or overhead barbell, KB or DB squats and lunges. Stay tight during the pause, use a clock or slow count, press or push back up. On any vertical or horizontal pressing movements you can pause at the bottom or the top. Pausing during different positions in the clean or snatch are a great way to focus on body position and strength in each position.
4.TAKE YOUR TIME: Tempo of each lift is a simple way to change the stimulus. I typically use 3 numbers, some use 4, either way it will take the challenge of each exercise to another level. In a back squat if the tempo is 3-3-3, that would be 3 seconds to get to the bottom, 3 sec pause at the bottom, 3 seconds to get to the top. These can be the same or mixed depending on the weight, reps and desired stimulus. In a shoulder press the same tempo of 3-3-3 would be 3 seconds to press to the top, 3 sec pause at the top, 3 seconds to lower back to your shoulder. Pull-ups with the same tempo of 3-3-3 would be 3 seconds to get your chin over the bar, 3 second hold, 3 seconds to lower. Have fun mixing up the numbers each set or each session.
5.GO BIG OR GO HOME: Giant sets of 50-100 reps. This can work with any exercise. Basically complete a max rep set, rest as little as you can, then another max set, continue until you complete all the reps of that movement. Try 100 x Devil’s Press…its “fun”.
6.DROP IT LIKE IT’S HOT: Drop sets of 50 to 100 reps. Start with a moderate/heavy weight and complete as man reps as you can (choose a weight you can at least get 10 reps), lower the weight and immediately do another max rep set, continue this pattern until you complete all reps.
7.IT’S COMPLICATED: Complexes, reps on reps of different variations of a muscle group. Examples: 5 x Strict Press + 10 x Push Press + 15 x Push Jerk (DB, KB or Barbell), 5 x Overhead Squat + 10 x Front Squat + 15 x Back Squat, 10 x T2B + 15 x Hollow Rocks + 20 x Sit-ups. The possibilities are endless. Use your imagination, but be smart.
8.BODY ARMOR: Abs, Abs and more Abs. Core work is a great way to finish a workout or to add in throughout the day. Make sure you work all variations; static (holds), rotational, linear, lateral. Also, be sure to include exercises for your back and posterior chain.
“The action itself is usually easy, it’s the consistent implementation that makes it difficult. Consistency. Routine. Attention to detail. Relentless pursuit. Perseverance. The small stuff. The mundane. Repeated action. Small steps that climb mountains.”
9.JUST HOLD ON: Grip strength carries over to so many exercises and lifts. Do timed holds of 20 to 60 sec with plates, DBs, KBs, sandbags, milk jugs or hanging from a bar or other sturdy apparatus.
10.MONKEY ON YOUR BACK: Eccentric only loading exercises. These can be a little challenging to do, especially on your own. Pull-ups: jump to get chin over the bar, then go as slowly as possible on the way down, jump back up and repeat. Squat: loaded while in controlled tempo on the way down, lose the weight and come back up, load at the top and repeat. Push-ups: add a weight on your back, controlled lowering, lose the weight come back to the top, load at the top and repeat. Core: sit-up, add weight, controlled lowering, lose the weight and sit-up, load at the top and repeat. 5 to 10 sets of 5 to 10 reps.
11.GET WEIRD: Use odd objects…within reason. Sandbags, logs, backpacks with weights in them, stones, etc. Utilizing any of these for various carries or exercises will provide a different stimulus that will increase “real world” strength.
12.GET STABLE: Challenging your balance and stability with various exercises. Keep it within reason…don’t end up on a YouTube FAIL video. Standing on a slightly unstable surface while squatting (pillows, half bosu ball, etc) or doing a bottoms up KB press are some examples.
13.POWERFUL BEYOND MEASURE: Utilizing various explosive movements. Tuck Jumps double or single leg, DB Squat Jumps, Broad Jumps double or single leg, clap push-ups or plyo push-ups, split jumps, sprint jumps, MB throws or wall tosses. These are all body weight or light implement EXPLOSIVE, max effort movements. Increasing your muscle’s ability to contract at a high rate of speed will increase your strength. Be very conscious of how you are landing with each rep, keep good mechanics always.
14.BE AN ATHLETE: Agility. Put some cones out in your driveway to work your quickness, footwork and ability to change direction. If you have not done this in a hot minute, start slow and be conscious of the surface you are on. 5-10-5’s are an easy set up that allows a lot of variations. Set 3 cones in a line 5 yards apart. Start at the middle cone. shuffle right (5 yds) and touch the cone, shuffle all the way left (10yds) and touch that cone, shuffle back to the middle (5 yds). Start the opposite direction on the next set. You can also sprint/back pedal. The variations are limitless. Move fast to be fast.
Transfer of Training Part 2: It's not a question of IF, but WHEN
This ten-part series is discussing the transfer of training to the toughest sport there is: LIFE.
Part one was about how life can get HEAVY and how we can train to better handle these moments. In case you missed it, click here. In part two we move to the inevitable times when “life happens.”
No matter what training style we choose consistently, we are purposely putting ourselves in situations to push ourselves mentally and physically. In tough workouts, it’s not a matter of IF we will get uncomfortable but WHEN it will happen. It could be one minute or forty-five minutes into the workout, but the key factor is that, at some point, we expect it to get uncomfortable. That’s the whole point, right? We know this is what we need to do to push ourselves to new levels of fitness, strength and health.
Life is the toughest form of a daily workout. However, the amount of times we say something like, “I was really on a good fill-in-the-blank routine, then life happened.” Why do we not expect this? We might not know exactly what will pop up, but something always will. New job, lost job, injury, sickness, increased cost, flat tire… you name it. Life will always “happen.”
Does that mean we should walk around with constant stress and anxiety waiting for the next thing to happen? Of course not. What we should do is transfer our training mindset over to life. Sounds simple, but truly executing this is much more difficult.
We know the workout is going to get uncomfortable at some point. Our lungs or muscles will burn or our mind will tell us to quit. Because we expected this, we were also prepared for what we are going to do or say to ourselves to overcome it. The more we do this, the easier it becomes to break down those mental or physical barriers. In life, that “first minute” could be day one or that “forty-fifth” minute could be day forty-five. Regardless, we know obstacles are going to come up. What are we going to do or tell ourselves to overcome it?
It comes down to a personal commitment to ourselves. Change your thinking from IF life will happen to WHEN it does, how will you handle it? How will you keep going to the gym? How will you keep planning your meals? How will you continue to be present and available for your family? How will you continue to be productive in your career?
When it comes to your goals, strength doesn’t care if you had a bad day or don’t want to get up early. Neither does fitness and neither does life. You either do the work required to achieve your goals or you don’t. Period. Setbacks, obstacles and barriers happen to everyone. The ones who consistently handle them and continue to move forward can accomplish amazing things.
Keep breathing, keep moving, expect that things are going to pop up and make a plan to break through those barriers and hurdle the obstacles. You are capable of so much more than you think.
Stay strong. Be good humans. Take care of each other.