Summer's New Faces
You may notice a handful of new faces in the gym, as we have several new members who were CrossFitters from other areas/gyms, and a few new folks who on-boarded during our Summer 2017 intake of athletes. Since we only take on a handful of new members every several months as spaces become available, these will likely be the last new folks you'll meet before the Fall season. So, say hello and get to know them a bit when you're in class together - just please also make sure to pay attention and listen to your coaches while doing so, haha. Be your awesome selves and make our new athletes feel welcome as they join the Arena Ready family!
Tempo lifting may be a new concept to some, and since we'll be using tempo back squats in Tuesday's class here's some basic info on the practice courtesy of a blog post excerpt from the good folks at Invictus:
Tempo prescriptions come in a series of four numbers representing the times in which it should take to complete four stages of the lift. In a workout, the tempo prescription will follow the assigned number of reps, such as:
Front Squat x 2-3 reps @ 30X0
The First Number – The first number refers to the lowering (eccentric) phase of the lift. Using our front squat example, the 3 will represent the amount of time (in seconds) that it should take you to descend to the bottom of the squat. (The first number always refers to the lowering/eccentric phase, even if the movement begins with the ascending/concentric phase, such as in a pull-up.)
The Second Number – The second number refers to the amount of time spent in the bottom position of the lift – the point in which the lift transitions from lowering to ascending. In our front squat example, the prescribed 0 means that the athlete should reach the bottom position and immediately begin their ascent. If, however, the prescription was 32X0, the athlete would be expected to pause for 2 seconds at the bottom position.
The Third Number – The third number refers to ascending (concentric) phase of the lift – the amount of time it takes you to get to the top of the lift. Yes, I am aware that X is not a number. The X signifies that the athlete should EXPLODE the weight up as quickly as possible. In many cases, this will not be very fast, but it is the intent that counts – try to accelerate the weight as fast as you can. If the third number is a 2, it should take the athlete 2 seconds to get the lift to the top regardless of whether they are capable of moving it faster.
The Fourth Number – The fourth number refers to how long you should pause at the top of the lift. Take, for example, a weighted pull-up prescription of 20X2, the athlete would be expected to hold his or her chin over the bar for two seconds before beginning to come down.
Counting – It seems silly to even mention how to count seconds, but I have heard many clients audibly count to 4 in less than one second while under a heavy load. So, to ensure that your 4 second count and mine are the same, use “one thousands,” as in: 1-one thousand, 2-one thousand, 3-one thousand, 4-one thousand.
To read the entire post on tempo training from Invictus click here - it's a good one and talks about the benefits of the practice, so give it a quick read if you have a few minutes.
WOD for 06-20-17:
Tempo Back Squat:
10-10-10-10 @ 30X3
Climbing
-then-
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
60 Double Unders
20 Toes-to-Bar
20 Calorie Row
20 Kettlebell Swings @ 53/35 lbs