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Constantly Varied
We embrace CrossFit's 'Constantly Varied' approach to training
What is CrossFit? Its definition remains unmistakably clear and remarkably simple, and there lies its beauty.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.
But let's not stress about the latter two components. Instead, we will begin at the start.
After all, it's the former that desperately needs our attention.
Constantly: adverb
- Without pausing.
- Regularly or frequently.
Varied: adjective
- Characterised by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.
- Changed; altered.
Therefore, CrossFit, in its most authentic nature, should be regularly changed or altered. This is where the genius behind the sport of fitness is found. Well into its third decade of existence, the brand continues to flourish, and for good reason.
Using a constantly varied approach, CrossFit allows us to develop in many areas, from reliving our high school sports days with handstands to picking up odd objects such as sandbags and, casually peppered within, a slightly bastardised version of Olympic weightlifting. There is always a goal in mind, whether it be a different body part to train or a further stimulus to achieve.
However, the fact that you can deliver a CrossFit program, or open an affiliate, after completing a mere two-day course will continue to draw scrutiny. And rightly so. There are many who have dedicated their lives to the science of fitness, spending years at university and beyond preparing for their vocation.
For added perspective, ask yourself this: Would you hire a lawyer on a Monday who was a plumber last Friday? With absolutely no disrespect to either profession, the answer is a resounding no.
This "ease of access" has led to both opportunities and challenges within the business of CrossFit. One major opportunity, which has evolved into a challenge, is found within the mass production of workout programs. These programs are often utilised by inexperienced gym owners looking to leverage a reputable external source.
On paper, it sounds like a smart move, but has said programmer been to your gym? Do they know your members? Their injuries, regressions or progressions? Where is the feedback loop? Is any of this even a problem? It isn't until it is, and then it can become borderline catastrophic.
Let's see how this plays out in a scenario I've unfortunately encountered far too many times.
Home - Friday Morning
It’s Friday morning, and you haven't been to the gym all week. Life has taken over, but you're ready to start fresh. Of course, you have a holiday deadline for added motivation.
Plus, tomorrow is Saturday!
You feel a rush of excitement because that means a partner workout, indicating the pain is shared, and the energy is high.
Gym - Saturday Morning
You show up to the whiteboard and discover that there are just three movements in the workout, all of which you love.
X 400m synchro run: Low skill and short. Perfect.
X 8 deadlifts (143kg/103kg): Grip it and rip it. Everyone's favourite.
X 8 wall walks: Cue those high school feels.
The class ends with 100-watt smiles, fist pumps and bum taps. You feel more than ready for a solid block of training, still oblivious to the fact that this story doesn’t end happily.
Gym - Sunday Afternoon
Sunday is usually your rest day, but to hell with that! You plan to keep Saturday's momentum going strong. While your awesome CrossFit gym has no formal classes today, you've got no excuse, because they offer open gym. Plus, you have a fancy app that allows you to unlock the gym from your phone. Since no coaching takes place during open gym hours, you hop onto another app and get the daily workout: 96 power snatches for time. Casual.
Shall we remind ourselves of the RX weight from Saturday's deadlifts? 143kg for men and 103kg for ladies. Luckily, the prescribed weight for today's snatches is only 31kg for men and 24kg for ladies. You notice that the workout also involves a cool 48 burpees which, unbeknownst to you, will cause an added dose of back compression.
You dismiss the slight twinge that starts to creep through your lower back, while your internal monologue convinces you to push forward: There's nothing to worry about. Plus, it's in a program! Written by one of the best in the world and supplied by the best gym in town with the snazzy app-operated door lock. Best plus best equals absolute bestest. After checking the prescribed warm-up, you realise you’re not entirely sure how to do three of the five movements. I can skip those. Half a warm-up is better than none, thinks the 6 month CrossFit rookie to himself.
End scene
Home - Monday Morning
New week, new start and new you. Despite feeling less than refreshed after a "solid weekend of training," you absentmindedly throw on your gym kit. Today sets the tone for the week, and if you don't get it right this morning, you'll feel as though you've failed before the day has even begun.
Gym - Monday Morning
You approach the whiteboard and read through the strength piece.
5 x 3 position snatch building to a modest 65% of your 1RM.
Unsure of your percentages, you follow along with the class and continue loading the bar across all 5 rounds. With each lift, you notice a pulling sensation through your back. Flashbacks to yesterday's snatches and Saturday's deadlifts run through your mind. As the class prepares for the front squats in the conditioning piece, you notice a few regulars ask the coach for substitutions. At least I'm not the only one.
The mind is willing and the body is present, but it sure as hell is starting to revolt. One hour later the workout is done, but those slight twinges in your back now feel like sharp pangs of pain with each willful step. Your mind races, how on earth am I going to get to Wednesday? I've already committed to training with my new gym buddy on Tuesday. I simply can't bail.
End scene
Gym (again) - Tuesday Morning
Fast forward 24 hours and the joy and eagerness you felt on Saturday is now all but gone. What's more, your gym buddy bailed on account of how sore she felt this morning. Maybe I should have done the same. You walk to the whiteboard and notice squat cleans in the strength piece and 40 power cleans within the metcon. Yay.
"Everyone loves power cleans!" yells the coach as he presents the workout of the day. He clearly hasn't checked the last four days of programming and remains oblivious to how you're feeling.
The coach begins a ridiculously long-winded spiel about a workout he has not written, based on an objective he is unaware of, taken verbatim from the programming app. Your sole takeaway from his intro is what you already read on the board, that there are a hell of a lot of squat cleans and power cleans today.
Malcolm Gladwell talked about 10,000 as the sweet spot to master anything. Is this what he had in mind? If the definition of CrossFit involves the phrase “constantly varied,” then perhaps not. The thuds in your lower back are certainly beating to a different drum.
Yet again, you show your commitment, resilience and partial insanity as you make it through. Luckily, the class ends with a few lower back and hamstring stretches; almost as helpful as half-time oranges during a soccer game and about as effective as what 30 seconds of stretching can provide.
You have a flashback to your CrossFit fundamentals classes when your coach informed you of the usual 3:1 or 2:1 training and rest day splits. But your love of CrossFit runs deeper than rest days, and your constant appraisal of CrossFit influencers has caused you to believe that more is more. Surely, you can only improve by training hard and surely, your expensive gym program knows best?
You check your training app and nervously look over Wednesday's program. Relief floods your brain. The only visible "back hazard" is found in some moderately heavy sandbag carries. Phew. By tomorrow, you may be able to remove your chiropractor's number off-speed dial.
Or perhaps not, because the strength piece is casually requesting a 3 rep max deadlift. Obviously, it's another workout with time spent between lifts making an appointment with your chiropractor.
Fast forward to Thursday evening and you're on your way home from the chiro. You begin to piece together the last five days and see a pattern emerge. While you technically altered the movement each day and changed from a barbell to a sandbag, they still followed the same patterns of pulling from the floor and, in doing so, took a hammer to your posterior chain.
But Friday is always a good vibe, and I don't want to miss it. You're also on a streak, as confirmed by the emotionless activity tracker that increasingly rules your life. Show up for Friday, and you are winning, rings in your mind.
You are tasked to take on 30 rounds of 5 wall balls, 3 handstand push-ups and 1 power clean. Only 30 pulls from the floor today… at 102kg for men and 70kg for ladies. You immediately opt for a damage control approach and message your chiro before the warm-up. There doesn’t seem to be a rush anyways as the coach is in a heated debate with a few members about the program's lack of variation. Your own confidence in the program also begins to waver. An eerie feeling takes over.
End Scene
Gym - Friday Morning
Oh, you're feeling drained? Of course you do! Your central nervous system has been taxed like never before. Car crash, train smash, your lower back would fit into either right now.
By 11 a.m., you can hardly keep your eyes open, and you've found the courage to tell your boss that you'll be “working from home” for the remainder of the day. Once you arrive, you lurch for the foam roller, desperately seeking reprieve.
By now, you’re so mentally and physically out of sorts that your Friday night plans are now a no-go. As you scroll through your phone, your "Gym Friends" WhatsApp group prompts you to consider signing into Saturday's class. Since Sunday is a rest day, tomorrow is a no-brainer. You hit "confirm booking" and remain horizontal for the rest of the evening.
Gym - 8 days later…
Eight days later, and it's another Saturday partner workout.
You notice that the room's energy has taken a 180-degree turn from last week. You look around. There are fewer smiles, eyes appear sunken, and everyone is on the floor "stretching" their lower backs.
Do they know why they feel so drained? Do you? There is no time to answer as the coach rallies everyone to the front of the class. The workout of the day? Running, pull-ups and 90 more snatches. Ahhhh, but wait! The snatches are from the hang, not all the way from the floor! You have all been to war. You are all due an explanation or maybe even a refund, but here you all are. The trust is wild, and it's mind-blowing that within less than two weeks, members have been asked to pull a barbell from the floor or the hang position close to 350 times. What's worse? Some of these members are still within their first month of CrossFit.
And we wonder why CrossFit gets a bad rap for injuring people. It is not CrossFit per se, but rather the fault of the programming. It is neither regulated by CrossFit nor has anything to do with the brand itself. It is often delivered by external third parties whose primary goal is, "how many gyms can we sell this to?' Not once have the members of each gym been truly taken into account, either by those creating the programming or by the gym owner purchasing it.
This total disregard for the first two words in CrossFit's definition, "constantly varied," injures members and causes them to lose interest in a fitness solution that, when mixed with the correct science, creates incredible change.
That's why we do what we do at InnerFight. We create our own programming for our own members so they can get better at life. It's fun, honest, simple, tested and proven.
We would never copy, paste and sell our programs to the masses. Moreover, our coaches are the best in the business, with each of them participating in weekly programming meetings and continuing professional development to ensure we're getting it right and showing up for each member. This is just one of the ways we continue to make fitter, stronger and healthier human beings.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
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ENGINE
Running into your Mikkos Cals from last week for Erg intervals into Running.
GYMNASTICS
This week we continue to focus on Toes to Bar utilising other skill work/progressions for the movement before we shift our focus to Handstand hold/walk work!
HYROX
Hyrox Specific Strength work into running into a sled and farmers carry workout.
MOBILITY
There is no mobility this week. It will resume on Saturday, 25th of January.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we are hitting some banded bench presses and progressing the loading on this and the banded row. Wednesday, we have banded back squats followed by some heavy hip thrusts.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting, we are focused on the Hang Snatch, which has some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex, and some Pulls.
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Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
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Monday
Time: 5:59am and 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
We will start the session with a 20 mins recovery run, then head into out mobility.
We will be doing this session outside, so please dress in warm clothing. We will provide yoga mats, but feel free to bring your own.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 6 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x4. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 2km at 10km pace into 400m repeats at 3km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 1km repeats, each with a 2 mins rest. Keep the effort about 8/10 on the km runs.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10) for 5 mins, each with a 1 min rest. Repeat the sequce 7x before coffees at 7am as a community.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dirtopia
Location: The Sevens, check WA for exact Location:
From 6am - midday clients and coaches will be running Dirtopia. Come along and support if you are not running.
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We start the week with hinge endurance and a spicy partner, AMRAP, with Deadlift ski and wall walks. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics and interval work. Wednesday, we are working on our overhead strength with the push press and push jerk, followed by a fast workout and the second week of our assault bike work progression. Thursday, we are snatching in the strength piece and then a For Time workout to get after. We finish the week with a double workout for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Barbell Good Mornings into Banded Good Mornings
Conditioning:
AMRAP 20 Partner Workout
15/12 cal Ski
8 DL (120/80)
3 wall walks
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Kipping Pull Ups + Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
In a 3 Minute window
30/24 Cal Row
10 burpee over the rower
AMRAP in the remaining time Box Jump steps down
rest 2 mins
x 4
Wednesday:
Strength:
Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
30-20-10
Alt Db Reverse lunge (2 x 50/35)
DB STOH
AB Mat sit-ups
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Snatch Complex Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch + OHS
Conditioning:
5 rounds for time
12 Power Snatch (40/30)
12 Push-ups
30 Air squats
Friday:
Some 5-minute intervals to finish off the week. Will you be able to hold the pace? Have your running shoes, your lung,s and your gymnastic game ready!
What is CrossFit? Its definition remains unmistakably clear and remarkably simple, and there lies its beauty.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.
But let's not stress about the latter two components. Instead, we will begin at the start.
After all, it's the former that desperately needs our attention.
Constantly: adverb
- Without pausing.
- Regularly or frequently.
Varied: adjective
- Characterised by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.
- Changed; altered.
Therefore, CrossFit, in its most authentic nature, should be regularly changed or altered. This is where the genius behind the sport of fitness is found. Well into its third decade of existence, the brand continues to flourish, and for good reason.
Using a constantly varied approach, CrossFit allows us to develop in many areas, from reliving our high school sports days with handstands to picking up odd objects such as sandbags and, casually peppered within, a slightly bastardised version of Olympic weightlifting. There is always a goal in mind, whether it be a different body part to train or a further stimulus to achieve.
However, the fact that you can deliver a CrossFit program, or open an affiliate, after completing a mere two-day course will continue to draw scrutiny. And rightly so. There are many who have dedicated their lives to the science of fitness, spending years at university and beyond preparing for their vocation.
For added perspective, ask yourself this: Would you hire a lawyer on a Monday who was a plumber last Friday? With absolutely no disrespect to either profession, the answer is a resounding no.
This "ease of access" has led to both opportunities and challenges within the business of CrossFit. One major opportunity, which has evolved into a challenge, is found within the mass production of workout programs. These programs are often utilised by inexperienced gym owners looking to leverage a reputable external source.
On paper, it sounds like a smart move, but has said programmer been to your gym? Do they know your members? Their injuries, regressions or progressions? Where is the feedback loop? Is any of this even a problem? It isn't until it is, and then it can become borderline catastrophic.
Let's see how this plays out in a scenario I've unfortunately encountered far too many times.
Home - Friday Morning
It’s Friday morning, and you haven't been to the gym all week. Life has taken over, but you're ready to start fresh. Of course, you have a holiday deadline for added motivation.
Plus, tomorrow is Saturday!
You feel a rush of excitement because that means a partner workout, indicating the pain is shared, and the energy is high.
Gym - Saturday Morning
You show up to the whiteboard and discover that there are just three movements in the workout, all of which you love.
X 400m synchro run: Low skill and short. Perfect.
X 8 deadlifts (143kg/103kg): Grip it and rip it. Everyone's favourite.
X 8 wall walks: Cue those high school feels.
The class ends with 100-watt smiles, fist pumps and bum taps. You feel more than ready for a solid block of training, still oblivious to the fact that this story doesn’t end happily.
Gym - Sunday Afternoon
Sunday is usually your rest day, but to hell with that! You plan to keep Saturday's momentum going strong. While your awesome CrossFit gym has no formal classes today, you've got no excuse, because they offer open gym. Plus, you have a fancy app that allows you to unlock the gym from your phone. Since no coaching takes place during open gym hours, you hop onto another app and get the daily workout: 96 power snatches for time. Casual.
Shall we remind ourselves of the RX weight from Saturday's deadlifts? 143kg for men and 103kg for ladies. Luckily, the prescribed weight for today's snatches is only 31kg for men and 24kg for ladies. You notice that the workout also involves a cool 48 burpees which, unbeknownst to you, will cause an added dose of back compression.
You dismiss the slight twinge that starts to creep through your lower back, while your internal monologue convinces you to push forward: There's nothing to worry about. Plus, it's in a program! Written by one of the best in the world and supplied by the best gym in town with the snazzy app-operated door lock. Best plus best equals absolute bestest. After checking the prescribed warm-up, you realise you’re not entirely sure how to do three of the five movements. I can skip those. Half a warm-up is better than none, thinks the 6 month CrossFit rookie to himself.
End scene
Home - Monday Morning
New week, new start and new you. Despite feeling less than refreshed after a "solid weekend of training," you absentmindedly throw on your gym kit. Today sets the tone for the week, and if you don't get it right this morning, you'll feel as though you've failed before the day has even begun.
Gym - Monday Morning
You approach the whiteboard and read through the strength piece.
5 x 3 position snatch building to a modest 65% of your 1RM.
Unsure of your percentages, you follow along with the class and continue loading the bar across all 5 rounds. With each lift, you notice a pulling sensation through your back. Flashbacks to yesterday's snatches and Saturday's deadlifts run through your mind. As the class prepares for the front squats in the conditioning piece, you notice a few regulars ask the coach for substitutions. At least I'm not the only one.
The mind is willing and the body is present, but it sure as hell is starting to revolt. One hour later the workout is done, but those slight twinges in your back now feel like sharp pangs of pain with each willful step. Your mind races, how on earth am I going to get to Wednesday? I've already committed to training with my new gym buddy on Tuesday. I simply can't bail.
End scene
Gym (again) - Tuesday Morning
Fast forward 24 hours and the joy and eagerness you felt on Saturday is now all but gone. What's more, your gym buddy bailed on account of how sore she felt this morning. Maybe I should have done the same. You walk to the whiteboard and notice squat cleans in the strength piece and 40 power cleans within the metcon. Yay.
"Everyone loves power cleans!" yells the coach as he presents the workout of the day. He clearly hasn't checked the last four days of programming and remains oblivious to how you're feeling.
The coach begins a ridiculously long-winded spiel about a workout he has not written, based on an objective he is unaware of, taken verbatim from the programming app. Your sole takeaway from his intro is what you already read on the board, that there are a hell of a lot of squat cleans and power cleans today.
Malcolm Gladwell talked about 10,000 as the sweet spot to master anything. Is this what he had in mind? If the definition of CrossFit involves the phrase “constantly varied,” then perhaps not. The thuds in your lower back are certainly beating to a different drum.
Yet again, you show your commitment, resilience and partial insanity as you make it through. Luckily, the class ends with a few lower back and hamstring stretches; almost as helpful as half-time oranges during a soccer game and about as effective as what 30 seconds of stretching can provide.
You have a flashback to your CrossFit fundamentals classes when your coach informed you of the usual 3:1 or 2:1 training and rest day splits. But your love of CrossFit runs deeper than rest days, and your constant appraisal of CrossFit influencers has caused you to believe that more is more. Surely, you can only improve by training hard and surely, your expensive gym program knows best?
You check your training app and nervously look over Wednesday's program. Relief floods your brain. The only visible "back hazard" is found in some moderately heavy sandbag carries. Phew. By tomorrow, you may be able to remove your chiropractor's number off-speed dial.
Or perhaps not, because the strength piece is casually requesting a 3 rep max deadlift. Obviously, it's another workout with time spent between lifts making an appointment with your chiropractor.
Fast forward to Thursday evening and you're on your way home from the chiro. You begin to piece together the last five days and see a pattern emerge. While you technically altered the movement each day and changed from a barbell to a sandbag, they still followed the same patterns of pulling from the floor and, in doing so, took a hammer to your posterior chain.
But Friday is always a good vibe, and I don't want to miss it. You're also on a streak, as confirmed by the emotionless activity tracker that increasingly rules your life. Show up for Friday, and you are winning, rings in your mind.
You are tasked to take on 30 rounds of 5 wall balls, 3 handstand push-ups and 1 power clean. Only 30 pulls from the floor today… at 102kg for men and 70kg for ladies. You immediately opt for a damage control approach and message your chiro before the warm-up. There doesn’t seem to be a rush anyways as the coach is in a heated debate with a few members about the program's lack of variation. Your own confidence in the program also begins to waver. An eerie feeling takes over.
End Scene
Gym - Friday Morning
Oh, you're feeling drained? Of course you do! Your central nervous system has been taxed like never before. Car crash, train smash, your lower back would fit into either right now.
By 11 a.m., you can hardly keep your eyes open, and you've found the courage to tell your boss that you'll be “working from home” for the remainder of the day. Once you arrive, you lurch for the foam roller, desperately seeking reprieve.
By now, you’re so mentally and physically out of sorts that your Friday night plans are now a no-go. As you scroll through your phone, your "Gym Friends" WhatsApp group prompts you to consider signing into Saturday's class. Since Sunday is a rest day, tomorrow is a no-brainer. You hit "confirm booking" and remain horizontal for the rest of the evening.
Gym - 8 days later…
Eight days later, and it's another Saturday partner workout.
You notice that the room's energy has taken a 180-degree turn from last week. You look around. There are fewer smiles, eyes appear sunken, and everyone is on the floor "stretching" their lower backs.
Do they know why they feel so drained? Do you? There is no time to answer as the coach rallies everyone to the front of the class. The workout of the day? Running, pull-ups and 90 more snatches. Ahhhh, but wait! The snatches are from the hang, not all the way from the floor! You have all been to war. You are all due an explanation or maybe even a refund, but here you all are. The trust is wild, and it's mind-blowing that within less than two weeks, members have been asked to pull a barbell from the floor or the hang position close to 350 times. What's worse? Some of these members are still within their first month of CrossFit.
And we wonder why CrossFit gets a bad rap for injuring people. It is not CrossFit per se, but rather the fault of the programming. It is neither regulated by CrossFit nor has anything to do with the brand itself. It is often delivered by external third parties whose primary goal is, "how many gyms can we sell this to?' Not once have the members of each gym been truly taken into account, either by those creating the programming or by the gym owner purchasing it.
This total disregard for the first two words in CrossFit's definition, "constantly varied," injures members and causes them to lose interest in a fitness solution that, when mixed with the correct science, creates incredible change.
That's why we do what we do at InnerFight. We create our own programming for our own members so they can get better at life. It's fun, honest, simple, tested and proven.
We would never copy, paste and sell our programs to the masses. Moreover, our coaches are the best in the business, with each of them participating in weekly programming meetings and continuing professional development to ensure we're getting it right and showing up for each member. This is just one of the ways we continue to make fitter, stronger and healthier human beings.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Monday
Time: 5:59am and 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
We will start the session with a 20 mins recovery run, then head into out mobility.
We will be doing this session outside, so please dress in warm clothing. We will provide yoga mats, but feel free to bring your own.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 6 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x4. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 2km at 10km pace into 400m repeats at 3km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 1km repeats, each with a 2 mins rest. Keep the effort about 8/10 on the km runs.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10) for 5 mins, each with a 1 min rest. Repeat the sequce 7x before coffees at 7am as a community.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dirtopia
Location: The Sevens, check WA for exact Location:
From 6am - midday clients and coaches will be running Dirtopia. Come along and support if you are not running.
We start the week with hinge endurance and a spicy partner, AMRAP, with Deadlift ski and wall walks. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics and interval work. Wednesday, we are working on our overhead strength with the push press and push jerk, followed by a fast workout and the second week of our assault bike work progression. Thursday, we are snatching in the strength piece and then a For Time workout to get after. We finish the week with a double workout for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Barbell Good Mornings into Banded Good Mornings
Conditioning:
AMRAP 20 Partner Workout
15/12 cal Ski
8 DL (120/80)
3 wall walks
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Kipping Pull Ups + Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
In a 3 Minute window
30/24 Cal Row
10 burpee over the rower
AMRAP in the remaining time Box Jump steps down
rest 2 mins
x 4
Wednesday:
Strength:
Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
30-20-10
Alt Db Reverse lunge (2 x 50/35)
DB STOH
AB Mat sit-ups
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Snatch Complex Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch + OHS
Conditioning:
5 rounds for time
12 Power Snatch (40/30)
12 Push-ups
30 Air squats
Friday:
Some 5-minute intervals to finish off the week. Will you be able to hold the pace? Have your running shoes, your lung,s and your gymnastic game ready!
ENGINE
Running into your Mikkos Cals from last week for Erg intervals into Running.
GYMNASTICS
This week we continue to focus on Toes to Bar utilising other skill work/progressions for the movement before we shift our focus to Handstand hold/walk work!
HYROX
Hyrox Specific Strength work into running into a sled and farmers carry workout.
MOBILITY
There is no mobility this week. It will resume on Saturday, 25th of January.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we are hitting some banded bench presses and progressing the loading on this and the banded row. Wednesday, we have banded back squats followed by some heavy hip thrusts.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting, we are focused on the Hang Snatch, which has some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex, and some Pulls.
What is CrossFit? Its definition remains unmistakably clear and remarkably simple, and there lies its beauty.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.
But let's not stress about the latter two components. Instead, we will begin at the start.
After all, it's the former that desperately needs our attention.
Constantly: adverb
- Without pausing.
- Regularly or frequently.
Varied: adjective
- Characterised by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.
- Changed; altered.
Therefore, CrossFit, in its most authentic nature, should be regularly changed or altered. This is where the genius behind the sport of fitness is found. Well into its third decade of existence, the brand continues to flourish, and for good reason.
Using a constantly varied approach, CrossFit allows us to develop in many areas, from reliving our high school sports days with handstands to picking up odd objects such as sandbags and, casually peppered within, a slightly bastardised version of Olympic weightlifting. There is always a goal in mind, whether it be a different body part to train or a further stimulus to achieve.
However, the fact that you can deliver a CrossFit program, or open an affiliate, after completing a mere two-day course will continue to draw scrutiny. And rightly so. There are many who have dedicated their lives to the science of fitness, spending years at university and beyond preparing for their vocation.
For added perspective, ask yourself this: Would you hire a lawyer on a Monday who was a plumber last Friday? With absolutely no disrespect to either profession, the answer is a resounding no.
This "ease of access" has led to both opportunities and challenges within the business of CrossFit. One major opportunity, which has evolved into a challenge, is found within the mass production of workout programs. These programs are often utilised by inexperienced gym owners looking to leverage a reputable external source.
On paper, it sounds like a smart move, but has said programmer been to your gym? Do they know your members? Their injuries, regressions or progressions? Where is the feedback loop? Is any of this even a problem? It isn't until it is, and then it can become borderline catastrophic.
Let's see how this plays out in a scenario I've unfortunately encountered far too many times.
Home - Friday Morning
It’s Friday morning, and you haven't been to the gym all week. Life has taken over, but you're ready to start fresh. Of course, you have a holiday deadline for added motivation.
Plus, tomorrow is Saturday!
You feel a rush of excitement because that means a partner workout, indicating the pain is shared, and the energy is high.
Gym - Saturday Morning
You show up to the whiteboard and discover that there are just three movements in the workout, all of which you love.
X 400m synchro run: Low skill and short. Perfect.
X 8 deadlifts (143kg/103kg): Grip it and rip it. Everyone's favourite.
X 8 wall walks: Cue those high school feels.
The class ends with 100-watt smiles, fist pumps and bum taps. You feel more than ready for a solid block of training, still oblivious to the fact that this story doesn’t end happily.
Gym - Sunday Afternoon
Sunday is usually your rest day, but to hell with that! You plan to keep Saturday's momentum going strong. While your awesome CrossFit gym has no formal classes today, you've got no excuse, because they offer open gym. Plus, you have a fancy app that allows you to unlock the gym from your phone. Since no coaching takes place during open gym hours, you hop onto another app and get the daily workout: 96 power snatches for time. Casual.
Shall we remind ourselves of the RX weight from Saturday's deadlifts? 143kg for men and 103kg for ladies. Luckily, the prescribed weight for today's snatches is only 31kg for men and 24kg for ladies. You notice that the workout also involves a cool 48 burpees which, unbeknownst to you, will cause an added dose of back compression.
You dismiss the slight twinge that starts to creep through your lower back, while your internal monologue convinces you to push forward: There's nothing to worry about. Plus, it's in a program! Written by one of the best in the world and supplied by the best gym in town with the snazzy app-operated door lock. Best plus best equals absolute bestest. After checking the prescribed warm-up, you realise you’re not entirely sure how to do three of the five movements. I can skip those. Half a warm-up is better than none, thinks the 6 month CrossFit rookie to himself.
End scene
Home - Monday Morning
New week, new start and new you. Despite feeling less than refreshed after a "solid weekend of training," you absentmindedly throw on your gym kit. Today sets the tone for the week, and if you don't get it right this morning, you'll feel as though you've failed before the day has even begun.
Gym - Monday Morning
You approach the whiteboard and read through the strength piece.
5 x 3 position snatch building to a modest 65% of your 1RM.
Unsure of your percentages, you follow along with the class and continue loading the bar across all 5 rounds. With each lift, you notice a pulling sensation through your back. Flashbacks to yesterday's snatches and Saturday's deadlifts run through your mind. As the class prepares for the front squats in the conditioning piece, you notice a few regulars ask the coach for substitutions. At least I'm not the only one.
The mind is willing and the body is present, but it sure as hell is starting to revolt. One hour later the workout is done, but those slight twinges in your back now feel like sharp pangs of pain with each willful step. Your mind races, how on earth am I going to get to Wednesday? I've already committed to training with my new gym buddy on Tuesday. I simply can't bail.
End scene
Gym (again) - Tuesday Morning
Fast forward 24 hours and the joy and eagerness you felt on Saturday is now all but gone. What's more, your gym buddy bailed on account of how sore she felt this morning. Maybe I should have done the same. You walk to the whiteboard and notice squat cleans in the strength piece and 40 power cleans within the metcon. Yay.
"Everyone loves power cleans!" yells the coach as he presents the workout of the day. He clearly hasn't checked the last four days of programming and remains oblivious to how you're feeling.
The coach begins a ridiculously long-winded spiel about a workout he has not written, based on an objective he is unaware of, taken verbatim from the programming app. Your sole takeaway from his intro is what you already read on the board, that there are a hell of a lot of squat cleans and power cleans today.
Malcolm Gladwell talked about 10,000 as the sweet spot to master anything. Is this what he had in mind? If the definition of CrossFit involves the phrase “constantly varied,” then perhaps not. The thuds in your lower back are certainly beating to a different drum.
Yet again, you show your commitment, resilience and partial insanity as you make it through. Luckily, the class ends with a few lower back and hamstring stretches; almost as helpful as half-time oranges during a soccer game and about as effective as what 30 seconds of stretching can provide.
You have a flashback to your CrossFit fundamentals classes when your coach informed you of the usual 3:1 or 2:1 training and rest day splits. But your love of CrossFit runs deeper than rest days, and your constant appraisal of CrossFit influencers has caused you to believe that more is more. Surely, you can only improve by training hard and surely, your expensive gym program knows best?
You check your training app and nervously look over Wednesday's program. Relief floods your brain. The only visible "back hazard" is found in some moderately heavy sandbag carries. Phew. By tomorrow, you may be able to remove your chiropractor's number off-speed dial.
Or perhaps not, because the strength piece is casually requesting a 3 rep max deadlift. Obviously, it's another workout with time spent between lifts making an appointment with your chiropractor.
Fast forward to Thursday evening and you're on your way home from the chiro. You begin to piece together the last five days and see a pattern emerge. While you technically altered the movement each day and changed from a barbell to a sandbag, they still followed the same patterns of pulling from the floor and, in doing so, took a hammer to your posterior chain.
But Friday is always a good vibe, and I don't want to miss it. You're also on a streak, as confirmed by the emotionless activity tracker that increasingly rules your life. Show up for Friday, and you are winning, rings in your mind.
You are tasked to take on 30 rounds of 5 wall balls, 3 handstand push-ups and 1 power clean. Only 30 pulls from the floor today… at 102kg for men and 70kg for ladies. You immediately opt for a damage control approach and message your chiro before the warm-up. There doesn’t seem to be a rush anyways as the coach is in a heated debate with a few members about the program's lack of variation. Your own confidence in the program also begins to waver. An eerie feeling takes over.
End Scene
Gym - Friday Morning
Oh, you're feeling drained? Of course you do! Your central nervous system has been taxed like never before. Car crash, train smash, your lower back would fit into either right now.
By 11 a.m., you can hardly keep your eyes open, and you've found the courage to tell your boss that you'll be “working from home” for the remainder of the day. Once you arrive, you lurch for the foam roller, desperately seeking reprieve.
By now, you’re so mentally and physically out of sorts that your Friday night plans are now a no-go. As you scroll through your phone, your "Gym Friends" WhatsApp group prompts you to consider signing into Saturday's class. Since Sunday is a rest day, tomorrow is a no-brainer. You hit "confirm booking" and remain horizontal for the rest of the evening.
Gym - 8 days later…
Eight days later, and it's another Saturday partner workout.
You notice that the room's energy has taken a 180-degree turn from last week. You look around. There are fewer smiles, eyes appear sunken, and everyone is on the floor "stretching" their lower backs.
Do they know why they feel so drained? Do you? There is no time to answer as the coach rallies everyone to the front of the class. The workout of the day? Running, pull-ups and 90 more snatches. Ahhhh, but wait! The snatches are from the hang, not all the way from the floor! You have all been to war. You are all due an explanation or maybe even a refund, but here you all are. The trust is wild, and it's mind-blowing that within less than two weeks, members have been asked to pull a barbell from the floor or the hang position close to 350 times. What's worse? Some of these members are still within their first month of CrossFit.
And we wonder why CrossFit gets a bad rap for injuring people. It is not CrossFit per se, but rather the fault of the programming. It is neither regulated by CrossFit nor has anything to do with the brand itself. It is often delivered by external third parties whose primary goal is, "how many gyms can we sell this to?' Not once have the members of each gym been truly taken into account, either by those creating the programming or by the gym owner purchasing it.
This total disregard for the first two words in CrossFit's definition, "constantly varied," injures members and causes them to lose interest in a fitness solution that, when mixed with the correct science, creates incredible change.
That's why we do what we do at InnerFight. We create our own programming for our own members so they can get better at life. It's fun, honest, simple, tested and proven.
We would never copy, paste and sell our programs to the masses. Moreover, our coaches are the best in the business, with each of them participating in weekly programming meetings and continuing professional development to ensure we're getting it right and showing up for each member. This is just one of the ways we continue to make fitter, stronger and healthier human beings.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
Monday
Time: 5:59am and 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Mobility and Tempo
AM Session:
We will start the session with a 20 mins recovery run, then head into out mobility.
We will be doing this session outside, so please dress in warm clothing. We will provide yoga mats, but feel free to bring your own.
PM Session: This evening we will have our Tempo Run, which will be 6 mins at 7/10 and 3 mins recovery.
x4. Aim to keep a 7/10 effort on each block of work.
Tuesday
Time: 5:59am
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Session: Track Tuesday
This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. The session today will be 2km at 10km pace into 400m repeats at 3km pace.
Wednesday
Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm
Location: InnerFight
Session: LRC Intervals
If you didn't run track, today we have some speed work for you. The session is 1km repeats, each with a 2 mins rest. Keep the effort about 8/10 on the km runs.
Friday
Brief time: 5:54am
Start Time: 5:59am
Location: Common Grounds
Session: The Coffee Run
This week we will be holding the tempo pace (7/10) for 5 mins, each with a 1 min rest. Repeat the sequce 7x before coffees at 7am as a community.
Sunday
Time: 06:00
Session: Dirtopia
Location: The Sevens, check WA for exact Location:
From 6am - midday clients and coaches will be running Dirtopia. Come along and support if you are not running.
We start the week with hinge endurance and a spicy partner, AMRAP, with Deadlift ski and wall walks. On Tuesday, we have some gymnastics and interval work. Wednesday, we are working on our overhead strength with the push press and push jerk, followed by a fast workout and the second week of our assault bike work progression. Thursday, we are snatching in the strength piece and then a For Time workout to get after. We finish the week with a double workout for Friday therapy.
Monday:
Strength:
Barbell Good Mornings into Banded Good Mornings
Conditioning:
AMRAP 20 Partner Workout
15/12 cal Ski
8 DL (120/80)
3 wall walks
Tuesday:
Strength:
A) Kipping Pull Ups + Ring Rows
B) Wall Balls + Goblet Wall Sit
Conditioning:
In a 3 Minute window
30/24 Cal Row
10 burpee over the rower
AMRAP in the remaining time Box Jump steps down
rest 2 mins
x 4
Wednesday:
Strength:
Push Press + Push Jerk
Conditioning:
30-20-10
Alt Db Reverse lunge (2 x 50/35)
DB STOH
AB Mat sit-ups
Thursday:
Strength:
A) Snatch Complex Power Snatch + Hang Power Snatch + OHS
Conditioning:
5 rounds for time
12 Power Snatch (40/30)
12 Push-ups
30 Air squats
Friday:
Some 5-minute intervals to finish off the week. Will you be able to hold the pace? Have your running shoes, your lung,s and your gymnastic game ready!
ENGINE
Running into your Mikkos Cals from last week for Erg intervals into Running.
GYMNASTICS
This week we continue to focus on Toes to Bar utilising other skill work/progressions for the movement before we shift our focus to Handstand hold/walk work!
HYROX
Hyrox Specific Strength work into running into a sled and farmers carry workout.
MOBILITY
There is no mobility this week. It will resume on Saturday, 25th of January.
PURE STRENGTH
On Monday in Pure Strength, we are hitting some banded bench presses and progressing the loading on this and the banded row. Wednesday, we have banded back squats followed by some heavy hip thrusts.
WEIGHTLIFTING
This week in Weightlifting, we are focused on the Hang Snatch, which has some snatch balance, a Heavy Snatch complex, and some Pulls.
Track Tuesday
Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.
Start time: 05:59 am
Session Length: 1.5 hour
Entrance fee: https://isddubai.com/athletics-venuehire/
Location: https://goo.gl/maps/oomJAa31vKy3hQNG6
What is CrossFit? Its definition remains unmistakably clear and remarkably simple, and there lies its beauty.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.
But let's not stress about the latter two components. Instead, we will begin at the start.
After all, it's the former that desperately needs our attention.
Constantly: adverb
- Without pausing.
- Regularly or frequently.
Varied: adjective
- Characterised by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.
- Changed; altered.
Therefore, CrossFit, in its most authentic nature, should be regularly changed or altered. This is where the genius behind the sport of fitness is found. Well into its third decade of existence, the brand continues to flourish, and for good reason.
Using a constantly varied approach, CrossFit allows us to develop in many areas, from reliving our high school sports days with handstands to picking up odd objects such as sandbags and, casually peppered within, a slightly bastardised version of Olympic weightlifting. There is always a goal in mind, whether it be a different body part to train or a further stimulus to achieve.
However, the fact that you can deliver a CrossFit program, or open an affiliate, after completing a mere two-day course will continue to draw scrutiny. And rightly so. There are many who have dedicated their lives to the science of fitness, spending years at university and beyond preparing for their vocation.
For added perspective, ask yourself this: Would you hire a lawyer on a Monday who was a plumber last Friday? With absolutely no disrespect to either profession, the answer is a resounding no.
This "ease of access" has led to both opportunities and challenges within the business of CrossFit. One major opportunity, which has evolved into a challenge, is found within the mass production of workout programs. These programs are often utilised by inexperienced gym owners looking to leverage a reputable external source.
On paper, it sounds like a smart move, but has said programmer been to your gym? Do they know your members? Their injuries, regressions or progressions? Where is the feedback loop? Is any of this even a problem? It isn't until it is, and then it can become borderline catastrophic.
Let's see how this plays out in a scenario I've unfortunately encountered far too many times.
Home - Friday Morning
It’s Friday morning, and you haven't been to the gym all week. Life has taken over, but you're ready to start fresh. Of course, you have a holiday deadline for added motivation.
Plus, tomorrow is Saturday!
You feel a rush of excitement because that means a partner workout, indicating the pain is shared, and the energy is high.
Gym - Saturday Morning
You show up to the whiteboard and discover that there are just three movements in the workout, all of which you love.
X 400m synchro run: Low skill and short. Perfect.
X 8 deadlifts (143kg/103kg): Grip it and rip it. Everyone's favourite.
X 8 wall walks: Cue those high school feels.
The class ends with 100-watt smiles, fist pumps and bum taps. You feel more than ready for a solid block of training, still oblivious to the fact that this story doesn’t end happily.
Gym - Sunday Afternoon
Sunday is usually your rest day, but to hell with that! You plan to keep Saturday's momentum going strong. While your awesome CrossFit gym has no formal classes today, you've got no excuse, because they offer open gym. Plus, you have a fancy app that allows you to unlock the gym from your phone. Since no coaching takes place during open gym hours, you hop onto another app and get the daily workout: 96 power snatches for time. Casual.
Shall we remind ourselves of the RX weight from Saturday's deadlifts? 143kg for men and 103kg for ladies. Luckily, the prescribed weight for today's snatches is only 31kg for men and 24kg for ladies. You notice that the workout also involves a cool 48 burpees which, unbeknownst to you, will cause an added dose of back compression.
You dismiss the slight twinge that starts to creep through your lower back, while your internal monologue convinces you to push forward: There's nothing to worry about. Plus, it's in a program! Written by one of the best in the world and supplied by the best gym in town with the snazzy app-operated door lock. Best plus best equals absolute bestest. After checking the prescribed warm-up, you realise you’re not entirely sure how to do three of the five movements. I can skip those. Half a warm-up is better than none, thinks the 6 month CrossFit rookie to himself.
End scene
Home - Monday Morning
New week, new start and new you. Despite feeling less than refreshed after a "solid weekend of training," you absentmindedly throw on your gym kit. Today sets the tone for the week, and if you don't get it right this morning, you'll feel as though you've failed before the day has even begun.
Gym - Monday Morning
You approach the whiteboard and read through the strength piece.
5 x 3 position snatch building to a modest 65% of your 1RM.
Unsure of your percentages, you follow along with the class and continue loading the bar across all 5 rounds. With each lift, you notice a pulling sensation through your back. Flashbacks to yesterday's snatches and Saturday's deadlifts run through your mind. As the class prepares for the front squats in the conditioning piece, you notice a few regulars ask the coach for substitutions. At least I'm not the only one.
The mind is willing and the body is present, but it sure as hell is starting to revolt. One hour later the workout is done, but those slight twinges in your back now feel like sharp pangs of pain with each willful step. Your mind races, how on earth am I going to get to Wednesday? I've already committed to training with my new gym buddy on Tuesday. I simply can't bail.
End scene
Gym (again) - Tuesday Morning
Fast forward 24 hours and the joy and eagerness you felt on Saturday is now all but gone. What's more, your gym buddy bailed on account of how sore she felt this morning. Maybe I should have done the same. You walk to the whiteboard and notice squat cleans in the strength piece and 40 power cleans within the metcon. Yay.
"Everyone loves power cleans!" yells the coach as he presents the workout of the day. He clearly hasn't checked the last four days of programming and remains oblivious to how you're feeling.
The coach begins a ridiculously long-winded spiel about a workout he has not written, based on an objective he is unaware of, taken verbatim from the programming app. Your sole takeaway from his intro is what you already read on the board, that there are a hell of a lot of squat cleans and power cleans today.
Malcolm Gladwell talked about 10,000 as the sweet spot to master anything. Is this what he had in mind? If the definition of CrossFit involves the phrase “constantly varied,” then perhaps not. The thuds in your lower back are certainly beating to a different drum.
Yet again, you show your commitment, resilience and partial insanity as you make it through. Luckily, the class ends with a few lower back and hamstring stretches; almost as helpful as half-time oranges during a soccer game and about as effective as what 30 seconds of stretching can provide.
You have a flashback to your CrossFit fundamentals classes when your coach informed you of the usual 3:1 or 2:1 training and rest day splits. But your love of CrossFit runs deeper than rest days, and your constant appraisal of CrossFit influencers has caused you to believe that more is more. Surely, you can only improve by training hard and surely, your expensive gym program knows best?
You check your training app and nervously look over Wednesday's program. Relief floods your brain. The only visible "back hazard" is found in some moderately heavy sandbag carries. Phew. By tomorrow, you may be able to remove your chiropractor's number off-speed dial.
Or perhaps not, because the strength piece is casually requesting a 3 rep max deadlift. Obviously, it's another workout with time spent between lifts making an appointment with your chiropractor.
Fast forward to Thursday evening and you're on your way home from the chiro. You begin to piece together the last five days and see a pattern emerge. While you technically altered the movement each day and changed from a barbell to a sandbag, they still followed the same patterns of pulling from the floor and, in doing so, took a hammer to your posterior chain.
But Friday is always a good vibe, and I don't want to miss it. You're also on a streak, as confirmed by the emotionless activity tracker that increasingly rules your life. Show up for Friday, and you are winning, rings in your mind.
You are tasked to take on 30 rounds of 5 wall balls, 3 handstand push-ups and 1 power clean. Only 30 pulls from the floor today… at 102kg for men and 70kg for ladies. You immediately opt for a damage control approach and message your chiro before the warm-up. There doesn’t seem to be a rush anyways as the coach is in a heated debate with a few members about the program's lack of variation. Your own confidence in the program also begins to waver. An eerie feeling takes over.
End Scene
Gym - Friday Morning
Oh, you're feeling drained? Of course you do! Your central nervous system has been taxed like never before. Car crash, train smash, your lower back would fit into either right now.
By 11 a.m., you can hardly keep your eyes open, and you've found the courage to tell your boss that you'll be “working from home” for the remainder of the day. Once you arrive, you lurch for the foam roller, desperately seeking reprieve.
By now, you’re so mentally and physically out of sorts that your Friday night plans are now a no-go. As you scroll through your phone, your "Gym Friends" WhatsApp group prompts you to consider signing into Saturday's class. Since Sunday is a rest day, tomorrow is a no-brainer. You hit "confirm booking" and remain horizontal for the rest of the evening.
Gym - 8 days later…
Eight days later, and it's another Saturday partner workout.
You notice that the room's energy has taken a 180-degree turn from last week. You look around. There are fewer smiles, eyes appear sunken, and everyone is on the floor "stretching" their lower backs.
Do they know why they feel so drained? Do you? There is no time to answer as the coach rallies everyone to the front of the class. The workout of the day? Running, pull-ups and 90 more snatches. Ahhhh, but wait! The snatches are from the hang, not all the way from the floor! You have all been to war. You are all due an explanation or maybe even a refund, but here you all are. The trust is wild, and it's mind-blowing that within less than two weeks, members have been asked to pull a barbell from the floor or the hang position close to 350 times. What's worse? Some of these members are still within their first month of CrossFit.
And we wonder why CrossFit gets a bad rap for injuring people. It is not CrossFit per se, but rather the fault of the programming. It is neither regulated by CrossFit nor has anything to do with the brand itself. It is often delivered by external third parties whose primary goal is, "how many gyms can we sell this to?' Not once have the members of each gym been truly taken into account, either by those creating the programming or by the gym owner purchasing it.
This total disregard for the first two words in CrossFit's definition, "constantly varied," injures members and causes them to lose interest in a fitness solution that, when mixed with the correct science, creates incredible change.
That's why we do what we do at InnerFight. We create our own programming for our own members so they can get better at life. It's fun, honest, simple, tested and proven.
We would never copy, paste and sell our programs to the masses. Moreover, our coaches are the best in the business, with each of them participating in weekly programming meetings and continuing professional development to ensure we're getting it right and showing up for each member. This is just one of the ways we continue to make fitter, stronger and healthier human beings.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
What is CrossFit? Its definition remains unmistakably clear and remarkably simple, and there lies its beauty.
CrossFit is constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement.
But let's not stress about the latter two components. Instead, we will begin at the start.
After all, it's the former that desperately needs our attention.
Constantly: adverb
- Without pausing.
- Regularly or frequently.
Varied: adjective
- Characterised by or exhibiting variety; various; diverse; diversified.
- Changed; altered.
Therefore, CrossFit, in its most authentic nature, should be regularly changed or altered. This is where the genius behind the sport of fitness is found. Well into its third decade of existence, the brand continues to flourish, and for good reason.
Using a constantly varied approach, CrossFit allows us to develop in many areas, from reliving our high school sports days with handstands to picking up odd objects such as sandbags and, casually peppered within, a slightly bastardised version of Olympic weightlifting. There is always a goal in mind, whether it be a different body part to train or a further stimulus to achieve.
However, the fact that you can deliver a CrossFit program, or open an affiliate, after completing a mere two-day course will continue to draw scrutiny. And rightly so. There are many who have dedicated their lives to the science of fitness, spending years at university and beyond preparing for their vocation.
For added perspective, ask yourself this: Would you hire a lawyer on a Monday who was a plumber last Friday? With absolutely no disrespect to either profession, the answer is a resounding no.
This "ease of access" has led to both opportunities and challenges within the business of CrossFit. One major opportunity, which has evolved into a challenge, is found within the mass production of workout programs. These programs are often utilised by inexperienced gym owners looking to leverage a reputable external source.
On paper, it sounds like a smart move, but has said programmer been to your gym? Do they know your members? Their injuries, regressions or progressions? Where is the feedback loop? Is any of this even a problem? It isn't until it is, and then it can become borderline catastrophic.
Let's see how this plays out in a scenario I've unfortunately encountered far too many times.
Home - Friday Morning
It’s Friday morning, and you haven't been to the gym all week. Life has taken over, but you're ready to start fresh. Of course, you have a holiday deadline for added motivation.
Plus, tomorrow is Saturday!
You feel a rush of excitement because that means a partner workout, indicating the pain is shared, and the energy is high.
Gym - Saturday Morning
You show up to the whiteboard and discover that there are just three movements in the workout, all of which you love.
X 400m synchro run: Low skill and short. Perfect.
X 8 deadlifts (143kg/103kg): Grip it and rip it. Everyone's favourite.
X 8 wall walks: Cue those high school feels.
The class ends with 100-watt smiles, fist pumps and bum taps. You feel more than ready for a solid block of training, still oblivious to the fact that this story doesn’t end happily.
Gym - Sunday Afternoon
Sunday is usually your rest day, but to hell with that! You plan to keep Saturday's momentum going strong. While your awesome CrossFit gym has no formal classes today, you've got no excuse, because they offer open gym. Plus, you have a fancy app that allows you to unlock the gym from your phone. Since no coaching takes place during open gym hours, you hop onto another app and get the daily workout: 96 power snatches for time. Casual.
Shall we remind ourselves of the RX weight from Saturday's deadlifts? 143kg for men and 103kg for ladies. Luckily, the prescribed weight for today's snatches is only 31kg for men and 24kg for ladies. You notice that the workout also involves a cool 48 burpees which, unbeknownst to you, will cause an added dose of back compression.
You dismiss the slight twinge that starts to creep through your lower back, while your internal monologue convinces you to push forward: There's nothing to worry about. Plus, it's in a program! Written by one of the best in the world and supplied by the best gym in town with the snazzy app-operated door lock. Best plus best equals absolute bestest. After checking the prescribed warm-up, you realise you’re not entirely sure how to do three of the five movements. I can skip those. Half a warm-up is better than none, thinks the 6 month CrossFit rookie to himself.
End scene
Home - Monday Morning
New week, new start and new you. Despite feeling less than refreshed after a "solid weekend of training," you absentmindedly throw on your gym kit. Today sets the tone for the week, and if you don't get it right this morning, you'll feel as though you've failed before the day has even begun.
Gym - Monday Morning
You approach the whiteboard and read through the strength piece.
5 x 3 position snatch building to a modest 65% of your 1RM.
Unsure of your percentages, you follow along with the class and continue loading the bar across all 5 rounds. With each lift, you notice a pulling sensation through your back. Flashbacks to yesterday's snatches and Saturday's deadlifts run through your mind. As the class prepares for the front squats in the conditioning piece, you notice a few regulars ask the coach for substitutions. At least I'm not the only one.
The mind is willing and the body is present, but it sure as hell is starting to revolt. One hour later the workout is done, but those slight twinges in your back now feel like sharp pangs of pain with each willful step. Your mind races, how on earth am I going to get to Wednesday? I've already committed to training with my new gym buddy on Tuesday. I simply can't bail.
End scene
Gym (again) - Tuesday Morning
Fast forward 24 hours and the joy and eagerness you felt on Saturday is now all but gone. What's more, your gym buddy bailed on account of how sore she felt this morning. Maybe I should have done the same. You walk to the whiteboard and notice squat cleans in the strength piece and 40 power cleans within the metcon. Yay.
"Everyone loves power cleans!" yells the coach as he presents the workout of the day. He clearly hasn't checked the last four days of programming and remains oblivious to how you're feeling.
The coach begins a ridiculously long-winded spiel about a workout he has not written, based on an objective he is unaware of, taken verbatim from the programming app. Your sole takeaway from his intro is what you already read on the board, that there are a hell of a lot of squat cleans and power cleans today.
Malcolm Gladwell talked about 10,000 as the sweet spot to master anything. Is this what he had in mind? If the definition of CrossFit involves the phrase “constantly varied,” then perhaps not. The thuds in your lower back are certainly beating to a different drum.
Yet again, you show your commitment, resilience and partial insanity as you make it through. Luckily, the class ends with a few lower back and hamstring stretches; almost as helpful as half-time oranges during a soccer game and about as effective as what 30 seconds of stretching can provide.
You have a flashback to your CrossFit fundamentals classes when your coach informed you of the usual 3:1 or 2:1 training and rest day splits. But your love of CrossFit runs deeper than rest days, and your constant appraisal of CrossFit influencers has caused you to believe that more is more. Surely, you can only improve by training hard and surely, your expensive gym program knows best?
You check your training app and nervously look over Wednesday's program. Relief floods your brain. The only visible "back hazard" is found in some moderately heavy sandbag carries. Phew. By tomorrow, you may be able to remove your chiropractor's number off-speed dial.
Or perhaps not, because the strength piece is casually requesting a 3 rep max deadlift. Obviously, it's another workout with time spent between lifts making an appointment with your chiropractor.
Fast forward to Thursday evening and you're on your way home from the chiro. You begin to piece together the last five days and see a pattern emerge. While you technically altered the movement each day and changed from a barbell to a sandbag, they still followed the same patterns of pulling from the floor and, in doing so, took a hammer to your posterior chain.
But Friday is always a good vibe, and I don't want to miss it. You're also on a streak, as confirmed by the emotionless activity tracker that increasingly rules your life. Show up for Friday, and you are winning, rings in your mind.
You are tasked to take on 30 rounds of 5 wall balls, 3 handstand push-ups and 1 power clean. Only 30 pulls from the floor today… at 102kg for men and 70kg for ladies. You immediately opt for a damage control approach and message your chiro before the warm-up. There doesn’t seem to be a rush anyways as the coach is in a heated debate with a few members about the program's lack of variation. Your own confidence in the program also begins to waver. An eerie feeling takes over.
End Scene
Gym - Friday Morning
Oh, you're feeling drained? Of course you do! Your central nervous system has been taxed like never before. Car crash, train smash, your lower back would fit into either right now.
By 11 a.m., you can hardly keep your eyes open, and you've found the courage to tell your boss that you'll be “working from home” for the remainder of the day. Once you arrive, you lurch for the foam roller, desperately seeking reprieve.
By now, you’re so mentally and physically out of sorts that your Friday night plans are now a no-go. As you scroll through your phone, your "Gym Friends" WhatsApp group prompts you to consider signing into Saturday's class. Since Sunday is a rest day, tomorrow is a no-brainer. You hit "confirm booking" and remain horizontal for the rest of the evening.
Gym - 8 days later…
Eight days later, and it's another Saturday partner workout.
You notice that the room's energy has taken a 180-degree turn from last week. You look around. There are fewer smiles, eyes appear sunken, and everyone is on the floor "stretching" their lower backs.
Do they know why they feel so drained? Do you? There is no time to answer as the coach rallies everyone to the front of the class. The workout of the day? Running, pull-ups and 90 more snatches. Ahhhh, but wait! The snatches are from the hang, not all the way from the floor! You have all been to war. You are all due an explanation or maybe even a refund, but here you all are. The trust is wild, and it's mind-blowing that within less than two weeks, members have been asked to pull a barbell from the floor or the hang position close to 350 times. What's worse? Some of these members are still within their first month of CrossFit.
And we wonder why CrossFit gets a bad rap for injuring people. It is not CrossFit per se, but rather the fault of the programming. It is neither regulated by CrossFit nor has anything to do with the brand itself. It is often delivered by external third parties whose primary goal is, "how many gyms can we sell this to?' Not once have the members of each gym been truly taken into account, either by those creating the programming or by the gym owner purchasing it.
This total disregard for the first two words in CrossFit's definition, "constantly varied," injures members and causes them to lose interest in a fitness solution that, when mixed with the correct science, creates incredible change.
That's why we do what we do at InnerFight. We create our own programming for our own members so they can get better at life. It's fun, honest, simple, tested and proven.
We would never copy, paste and sell our programs to the masses. Moreover, our coaches are the best in the business, with each of them participating in weekly programming meetings and continuing professional development to ensure we're getting it right and showing up for each member. This is just one of the ways we continue to make fitter, stronger and healthier human beings.
Fun - Honesty - Simplicity - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work
One-Hour Workout: Revving Your Swim Engine
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