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9 Unwritten Rules of CrossFit

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It almost goes unsaid, that there are some rules which are a given when you walk in the doors of your CrossFit Affiliate. Keep these 9 Unwritten Rules of CrossFit in mind and enjoy the journey!

1. Check your ego at the door. 

No one likes a douche bag. Make sure when you walk in that door, you are willing to work hard, be apart of the community, motivate, support and have a good time.

This also involves scaling and modifying the workout when necessary. It’s important to work together with the coaches to remain safe and achieve the focus and purpose of each WOD. Although it would be awesome to RX every workout, be smart. Don’t try and go RX when those 10 rep overhead squats are your 1RM.

2. Avoid cherry picking your workouts!

Are you someone who stays up late the night before, waiting for the WOD to be published? Then, you see that it’s a WOD of Burpees and Thrusters. Instead of jumping out of bed for the 6am class, you keep the covers on as your alarm sounds.

Do the right thing, hit that damn WOD with intensity and show it who’s boss!

3. Don’t cheat your reps.

Didn’t quite get your chin over the bar for that pull up? Don’t count it! Those squats didn’t pass parallel did they? Don’t count it!

At the end of the day, it’s YOU against YOU! The only person you are cheating with your reps is yourself. Remember, that whiteboard is going to be a clean slate tomorrow so those extra few reps you added on to beat your nemesis don’t matter!

4. Put in the work.

Hard work pays off! Yes, it would be awesome but you can’t PR everyday. Instead, set some goals and work towards them.

Be patient as progress takes time. You will benefit in the long run and when you look back on how far you have come, you will be proud.

5. Eat well, sleep right.

You train hard, so do the right thing and fuel your body with good foods. You wouldn’t put cheap gas in your Ferrari now would you?

Fuel your body with high quality foods and get the right amount of sleep each night. Remember, gains are made while you are sleeping!

6. Work your weakness

We all have our weakness. Whether it’s gymnastics, heavy weights or running it’s important we strive to be a well rounded athlete. The nature of CrossFit workouts punish the specialist and rewards the well rounded athlete.

Make sure you take the time to work program in skill sessions and work those weaknesses so they become your strengths.

7. Celebrate a PR

Ring that bell, throw a high 5 and give a fist bump. Whether it’s you or your mate hitting a new PR get excited. Celebrate success, it makes the journey that much more enjoyable!

8. Put your equipment away

Are you one of those guys who finishes their workout and leaves your kettlebell out? Do the right thing and pick up the equipment, put it back in it’s rightful place. This makes it easier for your coaches and your friends in the box.

The other motivation for putting your gear away is so that you don’t have to suffer the punishment of burpees!

9. Have fun!

At the end of the day, we all enjoy hitting a workout and the benefits to our health, wellbeing and social lives. We will leave you on these wise words from CrossFit HQ’s Pat Sherwood:

“The goal is just to get fit, make it the best hour of your day, stay safe, turn up the music, high five some people, and blow off some steam. So remember that. Relax. Have fun. Work out.”

Check out The WOD Life for all your gear for your next WOD!

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Project Mayhem Workout – Snatch EMOM

Project Mayhem Workout - Snatch EMOM

Want to hit a workout with “The Champ” Rich Froning?

We all love to throw the barbell around, so get involved with this Snatch EMOM thanks to Project Mayhem.

WORKOUT

EMOM

6 reps on min for 5min at 135lb/ 62kg rest 2 min

4 reps at 185lb / 84kg rest 2 min

3 reps 205lb / 93kg rest 2 min

2 reps 225 / 103kg rest

Rich then throws up a few singles:

255 / 116kg

265F / 120kg

270  / 123kg

Watch Now Project Mayhem Workout – Snatch EMOM

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Thruster Marathon vs Pat Barber and Wes Piatt

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Thruster Marathon vs Pat Barber and Wes Piatt

With a continuously running clock complete 5 thrusters every minute.

From 0:00 to 5:00 – use 75lb / 35kg

From 0:00 to 5:00 – use 95lb / 43kg

From 0:00 to 5:00 – use 115lb / 53kg

Then Continue adding 20lbs every 5 minutes for as long as you are able.

How far could you get?

Watch Now Thruster Marathon vs Pat Barber and Wes Piatt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5REJtIO2F9E

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Camille LeBlanc Bazinet’s 3 Tips to Mental Success

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“Convince the mind and the body will follow” – Unknown
The biggest challenge of successful WOD times and optimising your performance is often mental. Picking up the barbell when your mind is telling you otherwise, walking instead of running when your mind is telling you that your legs need a rest.

2014 CrossFit Games Champion Camille Le-Blanc Bazinet talked closely about her tips to success on CrossFit Radio Episode 163.

Camille LeBlanc Bazinet’s 3 Tips to Mental Success

1.  As you transition from one exercise to another force yourself to start the first rep immediately.

For example, if you are performing Cindy, once you complete the last pullup, immediately perform the first pushup.  This avoids the tendency to take relatively long breaks between movements and prevents you from succumbing to mental traps (if you already did one rep then the old “I’m not ready to start the next exercise” excuse doesn’t really cut it. Wuss.)

2. Run, do not walk, as you transition from exercise to exercise.

This will help you stay focused on the task at hand.  Do not take a detour to check if anyone texted you, I already checked for you, all your friends are too busy watching Friends reruns, eating cheetos, and wiping that nasty orange stuff on the bottom of their couch cushions. Run! Once you arrive at the next exercise see step one above.

3. Stay positive.

Alright. I know what you’re thinking.  This is one piece of advice I didn’t really need Mr. Sunshine. Maybe, but Camille’s take on this was very specific to moving heavy weights.  Since, she weighs about the same as the average kindergartner, I’d guess this is a mental challenge she faces on a regular basis.  So when prepping to attack a weight which is going to test you, remain positive, don’t rush into it, and get yourself positioned and set up perfectly before starting the lift.

Implement these tips on how to keep intensity high and your mental game sharp and start dominating your WODs!

Credit:CrossFit Games Radio – Episode 163

Photo Credit: FitMark Bags / OC Throwdown 2013

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The Iron Triathlon with Jason Khalipa and Dan Bailey

The Iron Triathlon - Jason Khalipa & Dan Bailey

Jason Khalipa recently met up with Dan Bailey at CrossFit HQ in Santa Cruz, California.

Together they hit one of the nastiest and grueling CrossFit Workouts.

Grab some pop corn, a comfortable seat and check out this gnarly workout!

The Iron Triathalon:

1-20 Linda

1.5x Bodyweight Deadlift

Bodyweight Bench Press

0.75x Bodyweight Clean

Watch Now – The Iron Triathlon with Jason Khalipa and Dan Bailey 

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Schwartz’s Challenge 2014

Countdown is on to one of the biggest Event’s outside the CrossFit Regionals!

Schwartz’s Challenge 2014 takes place at the Westgate Indoor Sports Centre in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on the 18th and 19th of October.

With some big names competing for solid prize money it is not one to miss!

If you needed any more reason to come along, The WOD Life are pleased to announce they will be hosting a Pop Up Shop!

Schwartz

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Project Mayhem Workout

Rich Froning hits another workout in his famous Project Mayhem!

As many muscle ups as possible in 12 min but you must complete the following BEFORE you can do any muscle ups:

6 Rounds
12 Shoulder to Overhead (155#)
50 Double Unders

How many muscle ups did Froning get through?

Watch Now >>> Project Mayhem Workout:

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CrossFit Team Series – Event 2

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The second CrossFit Team Series event has been released!

For time:

Male/Female pair 1 completes:
30 thrusters (M) 30 pull-ups (F)
30 thrusters (F) 30 pull-ups (M)
20 thrusters (M) 20 pull-ups (F)
20 thrusters (F) 20 pull-ups (M)
10 thrusters (M) 10 pull-ups (F)
10 thrusters (F) 10 pull-ups (M)

Then,

Male/Female pair 2 completes:
30 thrusters (F) 30 pull-ups (M)
30 thrusters (M) 30 pull-ups (F)
20 thrusters (F) 20 pull-ups (M)
20 thrusters (M) 20 pull-ups (F)
10 thrusters (F) 10 pull-ups (M)
10 thrusters (M) 10 pull-ups (F)

Mens Weight – 95lb / 42.5kg

Womens Weight – 65lb / 30kg

Check out the article for full details: http://games.crossfit.com/article/second-team-series-event-announced

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10 Tips for New CrossFitters

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1. Find the Right Box

Take the time to find the right box for YOU!

It is worth investing in this early, as it will shape your first experience with CrossFit. Hit up your friends, give the local box a call, email the coaches and go in for an introductory session.

It’s important to feel comfortable and welcomed in a new environment which can easily become your second home!

2. Scale

For the majority of people walking through the doors of a CrossFit affiliate, their ultimate goal is general physical preparedness. Although i’m sure we would all love to be competing in the next CrossFit Games, it’s important to remember our main goal of getting “Fit”.

Know your limits and work together with your coaches to scale accordingly. Be sure to scale the workout to a level where your movement is proficient and you are moving at a high intensity. As your movement and strength improves, you will also finds the weights going up and your times getting faster! Aim for those long term wins and you will thank yourself later!

3. Recover

As you hit a workout with intensity, it is important to ensure you spend just as much time on recovery. It doesn’t quite mean sitting on the couch post-WOD eating bacon (as awesome as that is), but putting extra work into your mobility, rest and sleep.

Foam rolling, trigger point with lacrosse balls, flossing with mobility bands are all great ways to keep your body in tip top shape.

Schedule in a rest day. Although as your addiction grows, this will be hard it will allow your body to recover and ensure that the next time you step in the box you can perform at your best!

A quality sleep is also one of the most overlooked elements of recovery. After a solid workout, you will no doubt hit the pillow exhausted. So be smart, sleep well!

4. Eat Right

You are training hard, make sure you fuel your body with the right types of foods to assist your recovery and maintain  your ability to train at a high intensity. You can’t go wrong with the CrossFit nutritional ethos of eating meats and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little start and no sugar. At the end of the day, it’s important to eat for your body and what feels right but this is a great way to get you started!

5. Listen to your coach

Your coaches are there to help, to guide and to keep you safe. If you have any questions about the workout of specific movements, just ask!

6. Technique, Technique, Technique!

Focus on nailing the technique early on, it will set you up for a successful future. As hard as it is, avoid trying “go heavy” until you are comfortable and proficient with the movement. Develop quality movement patterns and avoid developing bad habits.

7. Keep a Training Log

Pick up a training log and start tracking your training. Measure, assess your progress and set some goals. As you are consistent and progress, you will see the improvement in your times and your weights. This is a great motivational tool and pushes you forward with real purpose!

8. Embrace the suck

It’s going to suck! You will feel sore and you will feel tired. Although this means that you are pushing through your barriers and becoming a better athlete.

Positive change cannot occur with out struggles, so just take the time to embrace the suck. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Ultimately, you will not only be a better athlete but a better person.

9. Celebrate the success

You can’t come into the gym and hit a PR everyday. So those days you do, enjoy it! Do a PR dance, throw a high 5 to a friend and ring that PR bell – get excited! These are the days that make all the hard work, effort and tough sessions worth it. So celebrate the success, you have earn it!

10. Have Fun

Often we get caught up in chasing that next PR, improving your times, lifts and remember the essence in why we train in the first place. Get around your mates and enjoy the banter. Your WOD should be the best freaking hour of your day, so bring the positive mindset, throw out more than a few high 5’s, sweat it up and go home with a feeling of accomplishment and a smile on your face!

Photo Credit: CrossFit New Albany

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CrossFit Team Series: Event 1

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The first workout of the CrossFit Team Series will be double-unders and power snatches.

Team Series Event 1
For max reps:
Male athletes complete as many reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
30 double-unders
15 power snatches
Then,
Female athletes complete as many reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
30 double-unders
15 power snatches
Rx’d Division
75 / 55 lb. snatch  (35kg/25kg)
Masters Division
65 / 45 lb. snatch  (30kg/20kg)
Scaled Division
60 single-unders (in place of double-unders)
65 / 45 lb. snatch (30kg/20kg)

CrossFit Team Series: Event 1 : Watch Now >>>

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Review – HumanX Weight Vest

HUMANX WEIGHT VEST REVIEW THANKS TO JOELXFIT AMRAP

20lb Weight Vest

The best weight vest that I’ve used. Why?  Because it FITS.

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All the other weight vests that I’ve used prior to this were always too clunky and cumbersome to wear for me to even want to bother with them.  The HumanX weight vest just never feels like it’s in the way while its on.  Adjustable in 1lb increments up to 20lbs using sand cartridges fitted into pockets in the inner lining of the vest.  Weighted muscle-ups (see my IG for video) and pull-ups are as easy as weighted muscle-ups and pull-ups could be, with 20 extra pounds on. The HumanX vest contours to your body and fits snugly without being uncomfortable to wear.  Honestly, I could walk around with this thing on all day, if I wanted to walk around with 20 extra pounds on me, that is (I really should).  I really dig the look of the vest too.  Take notes manufacturers, a little style to go with that utility never hurt anyone.

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While the weight is somewhat limited, I haven’t found any workout needing anything heavier than 20lbs.  The HumanX vest should be your number 1 choice when it comes to weight vests for crossfit or whatever activities you do that require you to be somewhat agile.  A weight vest is a pretty simple thing, right?  They should just FIT, like the HumanX one does.

These are available at The WOD Life for $119.95 >>> HERE