Travis Holley and Ingrid Kantola

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 7/22/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

This past weekend, Team CrossFit Central competed in the 2012 CrossFit Games. Our only goal going in was simple: win. While we did not win, we did have the experience of a lifetime. We learned a lot of tough but invaluable lessons that we will carry with us into our training for the 2013 Games, and we met a lot of outstanding athletes, people, and teams who enriched our experience. Guess what else: We had FUN!

We finished our season and the Games in a respectable thirteenth place. To us, this was not where we wanted to finish. We are a group of high expectations: in the sport of fitness, in our business, and in our lives. Second place is not an option. On the one side, we were severely disappointed to have underperformed on several workouts that would have given us a top six spot and a place in the finals on Sunday. With that being said, WE FINISHED THIRTEENTH IN THE WORLD!

So many times, we emphasize the negative – our failures, without ever really stopping to acknowledge our accomplishments – our greatness. To be among the top twenty teams in the world is no small achievement, and one we are truly grateful for.

I cannot speak highly enough of how the whole event ran! I have been behind the scenes of both small and large CrossFit events – organizing, directing, programming, and executing. I can honestly say this was without a doubt one of the most well-run, organized, and exciting events I have ever been a apart of. From the first moment we sat foot in the Marriott Hotel for check-in and registration, we were treated like professional athletes. The Reebok gear, the hotel workout area, the food and drink provided, the personnel on hand: all top-notch and world-class.

This year we were provided with an athlete village on the soccer field at the Home Depot Center. This small (but not “small”) detail took the athlete experience to a level eleven out of ten. We were able to retreat away from the sun, into an air conditioned base where we could rest, recover, and roll out without having to deal with the elements or spectators. Next door we had physical therapists on hand to aid us in mobilization, aching muscles, or acute range of motion issues. There was a warm-up area outside which once again provided the finishing touch for an athlete. We could warm up at our leisure and not have to worry about scarcity of equipment or space. Well-played HQ!

As far as the events themselves…they were hard. I will admit they were not as hard as the 3-4 hour training sessions programmed for us by Rudy Nielsen, but they were hard in another way. Rule one when competing in the CrossFit Games is: never assume anything. We showed up to the HDC expecting things to be a certain way. We had planned and even practiced our workouts in a certain way, with certain rep schemes and with particular equipment.

Little did we know that only an hour before several of our workouts, the equipment and/or rules would be “updated” to include fat bars (instead of barbells), a new and before unseen/unused version of a yoke, courtesy of Rogue, and a different assortment of plates to be used on the floor than what we had anticipated.

This threw a bit of a wrench into our plans, but we LOVED IT! This is CrossFit – the unknown and unknowable, and it only made the events more exciting (if not more difficult) for us. Improvisation became a key tool for teams, and communication and execution were now even more important.

I thought that by reaching the Games and achieving a four-year-old goal year that it would satisfy or quench my competitive desire in the sport. I love CrossFit the sport and the training program, and I now realize that reaching the Games and standing on the floor of the HDC has only lit a fire under me more intense than ever! Like with some drug, I am addicted – I need for our team to get back to that stage and now I know what it takes not only to get there, but to succeed at the highest level of our sport.

Team Central made several costly mistakes at the Games this year – assumptions about workouts, miscommunication during workouts, and not executing to the best of our abilities, but for a team with so much potential, not only will we be back next year, but we will be standing on the podium. I say this with confidence because I know we have such a deep and talented pool of athletes at Central, all of us hungry and ready to show the world what we can do!

A special thanks to Breaking Muscle for sponsoring Team Central and helping us get to the Games! Our dream could not have come true without you!

Until next year, train hard.

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 19 – 7/22/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Travis Holley and Ingrid Kantola

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 7/1/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

This week we have finally started deloading. The three-hour sweat-fest sessions are starting to wind down, and we are all starting to get our legs back underneath us. The deload process last week was gradual. So gradual we could not really tell that it was the beginning phase of the deload. A few less reps here or there – a little less percentage on the back or front squat wave, etc.

This week we really got to hit a couple of WODs hard and intense, as we had less volume, and it felt great!

This is our final week of preparations before we head off to the 2012 CrossFit Games. We will be flying out Tuesday and when we arrive we will be heading straight to check in at the Marriott and find out whatever information they have available for us. We’ll pick up our uniforms and then head back to the house to eat, rest, and get mentally prepared for the weekend!

Monday

BARBELL / STRENGTH

1) 7×2 Vertical Snatch

2a) 4×3 Snatch Pull

2b) 4×3 Drop Snatch

3a) 4×20 Glute Ham Raise

3b) 4x Max Effort Toes 2 Bar

CONDITIONING

5 rounds for working time:

5 Muscle Ups

20 Burpees

7 Deadlift @ 315/225

Rest = ½:1

Tuesday

1) 40 minutes of practice on Rope Climbs, Cargo Net Climbs, Handstand Walking and Monkey Bars.

2) 30 Minutes of practice on an obstacle course: over and under short and big walls, traversing telephone poles, traversing even and uneven bars.

Wednesday

4^th of July! Rest Day!

Thursday

BARBELL

1) 10×2 3-position Snatch + 1 Hi Hang Snatch

CONDITIONING

2) Partner WOD For Time:

100 Kettlebell Swing @ 24/16

50 Burpees

15 Muscle Ups

10 Snatch @ 185/120

15 Muscle Ups

50 Burpees

100 Alternating Partner Wall-Balls

Friday

BARBELL / STRENGTH

1) 5×3 Split Jerk

2a) 10×2 Deadlift @ 50% + 25% Band Tension

2b) 5×5 Seated Barbell Press

CONDITIONING

1) 3 rounds for time:

12 Handle Handstand Push Ups

12 Glute-Ham Developer Situps

12 Hang Squat Cleans @ 155/105#

2) 12 Minutes: Row for Meters

30 seconds all out, 30 seconds active recovery

Saturday

1 hour: Swim and Run @ conversation pace.

Sunday

Rest Day.

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 18 – 7/8/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 7/1/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

MONDAY

Barbell

1) 7X2 Vertical Snatch off High Boxes (at Hip)– heavy but fast, rest 60 sec.

2a) 4X3 Halting Snatch Deadlift – heavy, rest 60 sec.?

2b) 4X3 Drop Snatch – medium/heavy and fast, rest 60 sec.

Strength

1a) 4X8 Weighted “Strict” GH Raise – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.

1b) 4X3 BB TGU – heaviest possible, 3 each arm, rest 60 sec.

Conditioning

5 rounds for total working time (not including C2B) and total reps of C2B:

• 75 Double-Unders?
• 10 Push Jerks @ 135/95#?
• *Rest 15 seconds
• Max Effort Unbroken Chest to Bar Pullups?
• *Rest 1 minute before starting next round

TUESDAY

Barbell

1) 7X2 Vertical Clean off High Boxes (at Hip) + 1 Push Jerk – heavy but fast, rest 60 sec.

Notes: Complete both Cleans, then one Push Jerk after the second Clean.

Strength

1) Back Squat: 3X5 @ 75%, 2X5 @ 80% – rest 2:00-3:00 between sets.

2a) 5X3 Push Press – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec.

2b) 5X3 Pause Front Squats – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec.

Notes: Hold absolute bottom of each FS for 3 seconds, then bounce off the calves and stand.

Conditioning

1) 3 rounds for time of:

• 50′ Yoke Carry @ 350/225#
• 25 Burpees

*Rest as needed between WODs.

2) 12 minute AMRAP of:

• 10 Dumbbell Hang Squat Cleans @ 70/50#
• 100′ Dumbbell Farmers Carry @ 70/50#
• 10 Dumbbell Handstand Push Up @ 70/50#

WEDNESDAY

Barbell

1a) 10X2 High-Hang Snatch (w/ hips) – heavy but perfect, rest 45 sec.

1b) 10X2 3-Stop Snatch Pull – heavy but perfect, rest 45 sec.

Conditioning

1) 4X5/4 Unbroken Muscle-Ups + Max Effort Ring Dips – rest 75, 90, 120 seconds

2) 12 minutes Row for distance:

• 30 seconds ALL OUT
• 30 seconds Active Recovery

Skill

30 minutes practice of:

1) Overhead Pistols

2) Handstand Walks

3) Ring Handstand Push Ups

Notes: Spend 3-4 minutes on each movement alternating through for the entire allotted time. Obviously if you are proficient at one of these movements, spend less time on it. Do not, however, just forget about it. All 3 elements should be practiced in the allotted time.

THURSDAY

Active Recovery: 30 minute swim + Bikram Yoga

FRIDAY

Barbell

5X3 Split Jerk off Blocks – heaviest possible, rest 90 sec.

Strength

1a) 10X2 Banded Deadlifts @ 55% Bar Weight + 25% Band Tension – rest 60 sec.

1b) 5X5 Bench Press – heaviest possible all sets, rest 2+ minutes

Notes: These should be performed between every other set of deadlifts.

Conditioning

1) In teams of 2: one male, one female – perform 8 total rounds of the following for time:

• 5 Hurdle Jumps 30/26″
• Sprint 50m
• 5 Hurdle Jumps 30/26″
• 10 Front Squats 200/135#
• 15 Unbroken Pullups

Notes: Teammate 1 must perform a full round, then the teammates switch. They will alternate rounds until the team has completed 8 rounds. After the 5th jump, Sprint 25m out, 25m back, then perform 5 more Hurdle Jumps.

*Rest as needed.

2) In teams of 4: two men, two women – complete 3 rounds of:

• 45 sec. Burpees
• 15 sec. Rest
• 45 sec. T2B
• 15 sec. Rest
• 45 sec. Wall Ball 20/14#
• 15 sec. Rest
• 45 sec. KBS 32/24kg
• 15 sec. Rest

For total reps.

Notes: This should be performed Fight Gone Bad style, with teammates starting at different stations and alternating after each 45 sec. effort.

SATURDAY

For Time: Sprint Triathlon: Swim 500m, Bike 10K, Run 5K.

SUNDAY

Rest Day

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 17 – 7/1/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 6/17/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

Four weeks left! Just four weeks until Team CrossFit Central will be competing at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA!

Coach Rudy is still bringing the pain with our workouts, but we know it is only making us better. Spirits are high in the gym and people are still setting PRs weekly in various lifts and movements.

Recovery on the whole is good – sleep and nutrition have become the priority. In bed at 9:00PM, up to coach at 5:00AM. Eight SOLID hours! Hydration and the maintaining proper nutrition and supplementation are so very critical to being able to take on and recover from the grueling WODs that Rudy has given to us.

Four weeks!

MONDAY

1) 10 minutes to establish a 1RM Weighted C2B Pullup (any style).

*Rest 10 minutes

2) For time:

60 KB Swings 24/16kg
50 Burpees
40 Pullups
30 One-Legged OH Squat 65/45#
20 DB Push Jerks 70/50#
10 Muscle-Ups
100′ One-Arm BB OH Walking Lunges 65/45# (50′ each arm)

TUESDAY

Barbell

1) 7X 2 Clean off High Blocks + 2 Split Jerks – heavy but fast, rest 60 sec.

Notes: Complete both Cleans, then both Split Jerks back to back after the second Clean.

Strength

1) Back Squat: 1X8 @ 75%, 1X5 @ 85%, 1X3 @ 90%, 1X3 @ 95%, 1X3 @ 95%

*Rest 2:00-3:00 between sets.

2a) 5X3 Push Press – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.
2b) 5X3 Pause Front Squats – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.

Notes: Hold absolute bottom of each FS for 3 seconds, then bounce off the calves and stand.

Skill/Conditioning

1) 5X Max Effort Parallette HSPU – rest long enough to get a decent set

Notes: These should be done to a deficit of 3″. Kipping is allowed, and practicing it is suggested.

2) 4 rounds for total working time of:

• 10 Over the Box Jumps 24/20″
• 15 UB C2B Pullups
• 50 Double-Unders
• 15 HR Pushups

*Rest 2 minutes.

Notes: For the Over the Box Jumps, set up 5 24/20″ Boxes in a line with enough distance in between to be able to land and jump over the next box. Do 5 jumps down, turn, and 5 jumps back.

3) 4X200m Sprints – rest 2:1

WEDNESDAY

Barbell

1) 7X2 Snatch off High Blocks – heavy but fast, rest 60 sec. (see demo video)

Notes: Blocks should raise the bar to somewhere between the knees and the pockets.

2a) 4X3 Snatch High-Pulls – heavy, rest 60 sec.
2b) 4X3 Drop Snatch – medium/heavy and fast, rest 60 sec.

Conditioning

1) For time:

5 Muscle-Ups
Row 100m
4 Muscle-Ups
Row 200m
3 Muscle-Ups
Row 300m
2 Muscle-Ups
Row 400m
1 Muscle-Up
Row 500m

*Rest 10 minutes.

2) EMOM for 5 minutes 20 Burpees AFAP.

Notes: Take note of exactly how much time is left in each minute and try to maintain that same number every round. 

Strength

1a) 4X8 Weighted “Strict” GH Raise – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec. (no swing, start from a position parallel to the floor – see demo video.)
1b) 4X3 BB TGU – heaviest possible

THURSDAY

Active Recovery: 30 min jog and 30 min swim

FRIDAY

Barbell

Every Minute on the Minute for 10 minutes: 2 Split Jerks @ 80%

Notes: Jerk boxes are recommended.

Strength

1) 10X2 Banded Deadlifts @ 50% Bar Weight + 20% Band Tension – rest 45 sec.

Notes: The bar should be loaded with 50% of the 1RM Deadlift. Band tension should equal 20% of 1RM at the top of the lift. Judging band weight is explained in the demo video.

Conditioning

Session A (preferably AM)

1) 3 rounds for time of:

• 50′ Yoke Carry 300/200#
• 10 Hang Squat Snatch 135/95#
• 30 T2B

*Rest at least 10 minutes.

2) For total working time:

Run 1 mile

10 Muscle-Ups

*Rest 4 minutes

Run 1 mile

10 Muscle-Ups

*Rest 3 minutes

Run 1 mile

10 Muscle-Ups

*Rest 2 minutes

Session B (preferably PM)

3) 12 minute AMRAP of:

• 15 KBS 32/24kg
• 75′ High Prowler Push 215/165# (weight including Prowler)
• 15 Wall Balls 20/14#
• 75′ Low Prowler Push 215/165# (weight including Prowler)

*Rest as needed.

4) For time:

60 Pullups

15 Thrusters 155/105#

30 Row for Calories

60 GHD Situps

15 OHS 185/120#

30 Row for Calories

60 HR Pushups

15 Power Cleans 225/155#

30 Row for Calories

SATURDAY

Rest

SUNDAY

Rest

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 16 – 6/17/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 6/10/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

The punishment continues…

Coach Rudy is pushing us to and past our physical and mental barriers, one day at a time. Like I said last week, we are adapting slowly, but surely, and our recovery is becoming more and more rapid. The weights continue to go up, and almost all of our training sessions are lasting between 2 – 3.5 hours.

Normally I would not recommend that length of training session for anyone, but I believe it is necessary to adapt to the extremely high level of volume that will be required come the Games.

Look over the workouts below (this week’s training) and let us know what you think!

6.4.12

Barbell/Strength

1) 5×3 Tall Snatch

2a) 4×3 Snatch Grip Push Press + Overhead Squat

2b) 4×3 Snatch Pull ???

Conditioning

1) 10 rounds for distance:

• 20 seconds Max Effort Row
• 40 seconds Active Row Recovery

??2) 20 min Constant Movement:

• 75’ yoke carry
• 50 second Parallette L-Sit Hold
• 20 Hand-release Pushups

3) 3 rounds for time of:

• 20 Perfectly Vertical Kettlebell Swings 32/24kg
• 20 GHD Situps
• 20 Lateral Box Jumps 24″

4) Every Minute on the Minute for 5 Minutes:

• 5 Unbroken Muscle Ups

6.5.12

Barbell/Strength

1) 7X1 Clean off blocks (just below knees) @ 80-90%

2a) 4X3 Jerk Dip Squats @ 110% of Jerk – rest 60 sec.

2b) 4X3 Jerk Balance – heaviest possible, rest 60 sec.

3) Back Squat: 1X8 @ 75%, 1X5 @ 80%, 1X5 @ 85%, 1X3 @ 90%, 1X3 @ 95%

Rest 1:00-2:00 between sets.

Conditioning

1) Every Minute on the Minute for 7 minutes 3 Deadlifts @ 70%

2) 5 rounds for total working time of:

• Run 100m
• 15 UB C2B Pullups
• 10 Thrusters 24/16kg DBell (one each hand)
• Run 200m

Rest 1:1

Strength

1a) 3X20 Reverse Hypers – medium weight, rest 45 sec.

1b) 3X10 GH Raise – rest 45 sec.

6.6.12

Barbell/Strength

1) 7X1 Snatch off blocks – heavy, rest 60-90 sec.

2a) 5X5 Close Grip (12-14″) Bench Press – heavy but not maximal, rest 60 sec.

2b) 5X5 Supinated Barbell Bent Over Rows – heavy but not maximal, rest 60 sec.

Conditioning

3 rounds for time of:

• 75 Double-Unders
• 15 Handstand Push Ups (regionals standard)
• 10 Hang Squat Snatches 135/95#

6.7.12

Rest Day

6.8.12

Barbell/Strength

1) 30 min to find your 1RM Snatch

2) 30 min to find your 1RM Clean and Jerk

Conditioning

1) For time:

• 7 Bear Complex @ 185/120
• 50’ Handstand Walk
• 5 Bear Complex @ 205/135
• 50’ Handstand Walk
• 3 Bear Complex @ 225/150
• 50’ Handstand Walk

6.9.12

Rest Day

6.10.12

Rest Day

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 15 – 6/10/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 6/3/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

This is by far the most volume I have ever done in any week of training in my life. Ever.

My body is adapting slowly, but surely, and I am confidently lifting more and heavier weight than ever. For the first three weeks following Regionals, my body was hurting badly. While my knees are still swollen, they do not hurt, and I am hitting PRs and recovering faster than ever.

I can’t wait to see where our team sits after the next four weeks. The only thing I can say for sure is this: it will be awesome.

05.28.12

1) 15 min Jerk technique practice.

Nothing heavy: drill footwork and make sure every lift is fast and clean.

2) 5x200m sprints.

Rest 3:1. All out efforts.

3) 5 rounds of:

• 12 Thrusters @ 115/75#
• 12 UB C2B Pullups
• 50 Double-Unders

Rest 1:1

05.29.12

1) 7X1 Clean & Jerk @ 90% – rest 60-80 sec.

2) Back Squat: 1X8 @ 70%, 1X8 @ 75%, 1X5 @ 85%, 1X5 @ 90%

Rest 1:00-2:00 between sets.

3) 5 rounds for reps of:

• 30 sec ME Power Clean @ 205/135#
• 30 sec rest/hold

Notes: 30 sec “rest” should be spent with the BB in the front rack position. There is a 20 Burpee penalty every time the BB is dropped. There is no requirement for UB reps or holding the BB on the Power Cleans.

4) 20 minutes of moderately paced, moderately heavy:

• 100′ Prowler Pushes
• 20 Burpees
• 50′ HS Walk

The preference for section 5 and 6 would be to rest for 2-4 hours before they are performed.

5) 3 rounds for time:

• Run 400m
• 3 Rope Climbs 15′
• 12 OHS 135/95#

6) 10 minutes Airdyne/Row for distance:

• 20 sec ME
• 40 sec active recovery

05.30.12

1) 7X1: 3 position Snatch: low to high.

2a) 4X2 Strict MU + ME Kipping MU – rest 75 sec.

2b) 4X5 DB Strict Press – heavy but no misses, rest 75 sec.

3) 10 minutes ME UB Double-Unders.

Notes: The goal is to get as many large UB sets as possible. Keep track of any sets over 30 reps.

4) 12 minute AMRAP:

• 5 Tire Flips (see notes)
• 20 HR Pushups
• 20 KB Snatch 24/16kg (10l/10r)

Notes: Tire weight should be heavy, but it shouldn’t make you stall. You should be able to keep moving even when fatigued. After flipping the tire, jump through, then flip it back where it came from.

5.31.12

Rest Day

06.01.12

1) 10 minutes to work up to a heavy but not maximal Power Clean & Push Jerk.

2) EMOM for 10 minutes perform 2 Power Clean & Power (Push) Jerks @ 90% of the above.

3a) 4 X 2 1&¼ Front Squats – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec.?

3b) 4 X ME Strict HSPU + ME Kipping HSPU – regionals standard, rest 60 sec.

Early Session

1) 21-15-9 of:

• Front Squats @ 95/65#
• Burpees
• Pullups

2) 15 minutes of:

• 5 Stones to Shoulder – Heavy
• 10 OH BB Walking Lunges @ 135/95#
• 40′ Monkey Bar Run

This should be about a 75% effort. Use a stone that is heavy enough to be challenging after the first few rounds. Pullup bars may be used for Monkey Bar Runs. Measure off 40′ and try to do each round UB.

Late Session

1) 5 rounds for total working time of:

• Sprint 200m
• 3 Rope Climbs 15′
• 15 UB Push Jerks @ 135/95#

Rest 1:1

2) Row 3 X 500m – ALL OUT, rest 3 minutes between each round

06.02.12

1) 20 minutes to establish a 1RM Snatch.

2) 12 min AMRAP of:

• 15 UB T2B
• 50 UB Double-Unders

Rest 15 minutes.

3) 4 rounds for time of:

• 10 Deadlifts 315/225#
• 15 Wall Balls 20/14#
• 20 HR Pushups

4a) 3X10 Reverse Hypers – heavy, rest 45 sec.

4b) 3X3 TGU – heavy, 3 reps each arm, rest 45 sec.

06.03.12

Rest Day.

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 14 – 6/3/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 5/27/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

As we prepared for the South Central Regionals, Team CrossFit Central realized that if we wanted a shot at Games Glory, we would need to take our training to the next level. In doing so, we decided to hire a brilliant and well-respected member of our community, Rudy Nielsen of Outlaw CrossFit, to fill the shoes of programmer and coach.

In the entire history of CrossFit Central, we have never had an outside coach or programmer – we have always relied on the genius within our own box. But the time has come in our sport where that simply will not suffice. To be elite – as an individual or a team – you need someone with an unbiased view and a full time commitment to your training. A coach has to be MORE preoccupied with your workouts, times, and weights than you are.

And Rudy does just that. Our volume has increased, and barbell work has moved to the forefront of our training. Strength is a focus, but the conditioning is just as brutal. See for yourself:

5/14:

1) 5×2 Snatch @80%

2a) 3×3 Snatch Pulls

2b) 3×3 Heaving Snatch Balance

3) 4 rounds, each for time:

• 200m Sprint
• 20 Unbroken Pullups
• Rest 2 minutes

4) 1 Mile Run??

5) 50 Burpees

5/15:

1) 5×2 C&J @ 80%

2) 12 minutes to work up to a 3RM Low Bar Back Squat

3) 10 Minute, as many rounds as possible:

• 5 Rope Climbs
• 20 Burpees

5/16:

1) 5×1: 3-Position Snatch Practice (Ground, Knee, Mid-Thigh)

2a) ?3×3 Bench Press @ 85%

2b) 3×3 Good Mornings (Heavy)

3) 4 rounds for time:

• 30 Front Squat @ 115#
• 15 Toes to Bar
• 15 Lateral Box Jumps

5/17:

Rest Day

5/18:

1) For time:

• 500m Row: All Out

*Rest 2 minutes

• 20 Unbroken Chest to Bar Pullups
• 20 Ring Dips
• 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

• 20 Unbroken Pullups
• 20 Ring Dips
• 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

• 500m Row: All Out

*Rest 2 minutes

• 20 Unbroken Chest to Bar Pullups
• 20 Ring Dips
• 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

• 20 Unbroken Pullups
• 20 Ring Dips
• 20 Kettlebell Swings @ 32kg

*Rest 90 seconds

• 500m Row: All Out

2) 5 minutes to practice Ring HSPU

5/19:

1) 15 minutes to work up to a 1RM Snatch

2) Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes: 4 Muscle-Ups

??

3) 10 minutes, alternating each minute between:

• Max-effort High Bar Back Squat @ 250#
• Max-effort Double Unders

5/20:

Rest Day

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 13 – 5/27/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 5/20/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

The Top 10 Ways to be Successful in Your Training

1) Know What You Want

What are you training for? Why are you training? You need to be able to answer these questions with precision and accuracy. If you don’t know what you want out of your training, how will you know how much and what type of training to do?

2) Set Specific Goals

Now that you know what you want to train for, set goals for yourself. Your goals should be three things: specific, realistic, and they should have a deadline. You should set both long-term goals (5 year) and short-term (3-month or 6-month) goals. Always formulate your goals in the present tense, as if they are a fact. Ex: “ I squat 425 lbs. by December 1 of 2012.”

3) Get a Coach (A Good One)

When you get sick, do you treat yourself? When your TV breaks, do you fix it yourself? When you go out to a restaurant, do you cook your own food? So why would you try to coach yourself? Leave it to the EXPERTS!

Now that you know what you want and have set goals as road-markers to help you get there, you will need a coach (and a good one). Good coaches are not always cheap, but the results and knowledge they can bring to your training are priceless. If you are serious about your health and /or fitness, you will not mind investing in it.

4) Train Your A$$ Off

Show up. Train hard. No excuses.

5) Be Coachable

Now that you have a coach, let him/her coach. The best athletes in the world also tend to be the most coachable. They absorb information like a sponge and do what their coaches ask of them. If they win – it is their glory. If they lose – it’s coach’s fault. That’s the beauty in having a coach!

6) Be A Student

It is not enough to simply go through the motions. Do you know the history of your sport? Do you keep up with the latest innovations/techniques/theories/methodologies in the field? Spend some time on the computer researching, watching videos – IMMERSING yourself in the culture of what it is you are doing.

7) Optimize Your Fuel

Eat this, don’t eat that… It’s really not that hard: fresh fruits and vegetables. Lean meats. Healthy fats and oils. As Jack Lalanne said, “If man made it, don’t eat it.”

8) Sleep

You will be astounded how much sleeping will help you lose weight, increase performance and feel better. 8 hours no less.

9) Take the Brakes Off

How mobile are you? If you have to think about it, chances are you could use a visit to mobilitywod – take the advice from the mobility expert: Kelly Starrett. Optimal body position allows for greater expression of your speed, power, strength, and athletic ability (plus it sucks to be impinged). 10 minutes a day no less!

10) Stick With the Program

.Com – OPT – Outlaw – Wendler – Westside… The list goes on. Choose a program you will follow and STICK WITH IT. I can’t tell you how many people I know who change programs or programming before they give it a chance to do its work. You will generally not see results inside of four months (sometimes it takes much longer than that), so give it at least that long to see how your body and mind react. Remember that it’s all a process, and if ever you feel lost: refer back to Step 1!

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 12 – 5/20/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 5/13/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

An Overnight Success! (A Lifetime in the Making)

I like to write about the things I see and the themes or trends that I hear on a daily or weekly basis. This entry is the result of the comments and questions I have received over the course of the last month or so.

As in our society at large, there are many within the CrossFit community who seem to think success is something that can be achieved overnight. I am sure that if you ask anyone if this is possible, his or her first response would be “No! Of course not! Success is something that takes time, patience, and mastery of your trade.”

But when it comes time to put that sentiment into practice, that very person will be the first to ask why they are not progressing as fast as the person next to them – or why they are not “elite” yet – “But I work so hard!”

10,000 Hours

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell details the success of individuals and companies who have achieved world renown for their exploits. His theory is that for someone to attain mastery in anything – from playing the violin to programming computers to reaching elite levels of sport – the common thread is that the person or organization must put in 10,000 hours.

This has come up recently in my CrossFit classes as my clients and athletes took on the Open and then witnessed Regionals. Many were awestruck by what they saw (“normal” people doing extraordinary things) and some were left wondering why they too could not perform at this level.

What they fail to understand is that the men and women who crushed the Open and performed so well at Regionals were not “overnight” successes. They seem this way because they had not been seen or heard of before. Many of the spectators had not had the opportunity to see so many individuals performing at such a high level.

Bill Gates started programming on computers at the age of thirteen. THIRTEEN. His success and subsequent fortune in founding Microsoft was no stroke of luck – and he was certainly not an overnight success. His was a fortune hard earned through hours and hours of practice.

10,000 Hours and CrossFit

Ours is a sport unlike any other. What makes CrossFit so alluring is also what makes it so hard. We want to be good at everything, and we want it now. But there are so many aspects of what we do (gymnastics, barbell movements, strength, metabolic conditioning, kettlebells, bodyweight control – to name a few) that it makes it very hard to become truly proficient at any.

This is where the 10,000 hours really comes into play, and it is imperative that anyone with dreams of being great at CrossFit takes note:

How may hours have you accumulated…

• Practicing your squat, pushup and pullup (the foundational movements)?
• Perfecting your snatch and clean and jerk (things it could take a lifetime to master)?
• Dialing in body awareness and mobility?
• Eating, sleeping and hydrating appropriately?
• Fine-tuning your strength and work capacity game?

If the answer to any of these is “not 10,000” – you have work to do. Following this prescription, it could take you up to 50,000 hours to get close to mastering all of the varying aspects of CrossFit.

Sound like a lot? It is. So…

What do I do now?

What can you do now? “Do what you can, where you are, with what you have.” I have five simple (but not necessarily easy) guidelines you should follow:

1. Find the best coach you can. If you want to do something, learn from the best.
2. Practice everyday. There are no “off” days. Even on your off days, there is something you can do to improve. Foam roller anyone?
3. Set goals. Without goals, you are driving a car without a steering wheel.
4. Be diligent and consistent. These two attributes will take you as far as you want to go.
5. Master your craft. If you choose to make CrossFit your craft, you must master it. 10,000 hours. No less.

The Bottom Line

No one told you it would be easy (and if they did, they lied). There is no such thing as a free meal! Everyone who has ever had success (with very few exceptions) has had to work long and hard to earn it. Stop making excuses for why you are not where you want to be – in CrossFit and in life. Step up to the plate and earn your hours!

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 11 – 5/13/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 5/6/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

Games-Bound

If you have been following the 2012 CrossFit Games Regionals, you have probably heard that Team CrossFit Central has made it to the Games! While we did not come in first as was our goal, by the end of the weekend we felt our third place finish was hard earned and well deserved.

One thing must be said about the team competition: it is tight! By tight I mean there are a lot of very good teams with very good athletes looking to get to the Games. In years past the case was that there were really only four or five good teams that had any chance of making it to Carson. What I saw this past weekend was a plethora of teams with as much desire and heart as skill and strength.

We knew going in that we were a favorite to win. Sometimes this can be a good thing, but personally, I love being an underdog. I got my wish by day three.

Friday, April 27: Day 1

We stepped into the Freeman Coliseum to find swarms of CrossFitters EVERYWHERE. The athletes had signed in the day before at packet pick up and picked up shirts and swag, and scoped out the game floor and competition. The atmosphere was light, but there was definitely the undertone that game time was here. Friends off the field; competitors on the field.

WOD 1

When it was time for WOD 1, we knew we had to set the tone early. We did just that. We had only practiced the WOD one time in its entirety, but had practiced the start and transitions several times. We knew it would be important to remain calm and stay in rhythm and unison as a team.

Travis and I did our part and set up our women to take the lead. We moved fast and smooth through our set of partner deadlifts and handstand pushups, and when we got under the wall, the ladies took over. Carey and Jess E. crushed the first round of deads and HSPU, leaving all but a few teams behind. We were in third place when Travis and I finished our second leg, and the women once again scorched the competition on their second leg. We missed out on first place by four seconds to a very strong Bayou City CrossFit (who would go on to place second overall.)

WOD 2

WOD 2 was definitely in our wheelhouse. Everyone on our team can row, pistol, and handle the 225/135 pound hang cleans. We knew this would be a good WOD for us and set us apart from the rest of the field. It was and it did.

Jeremy set the tone early, destroying the row, knocking out pistols, and handling the cleans with ease. In this workout, it was all about the first and last person through. Travis and Jess S. made it through the same way, but by this point a very strong CF Dallas Central Team had made ground on us and it was Carey versus their big man, Toge. Carey did what she had to do, but CFDC was just too fast on the last row for us to catch them. We once again took second. This finish put us in first overall with a total of four points.

Saturday, April 28: Day 2

WOD 3

This WOD was a bit more uncertain for us. The woman we had set for the WOD, Jessica Stephen, had injured her back the week prior and was still not a hundred percent going into the WOD. Not being a hundred percent is one thing (she has crushed many WODs at less than a hundred percent), but the fact she was hurt also kept her from practicing the dumbbell snatch at the prescribed weight of 70lbs. The first time she even touched the 70lb dumbbell was in the warm-up area, several minutes before the WOD. That being said, Jeremy and she went out and finished the workout in a good enough time to claim thirteenth. Not ideal, but enough to keep us in the top three. We were extremely proud of the fact she could even do the WOD, considering she had also done fifteen cleans at 135# just the night before.

WOD 4

We knew when this workout came out that it would be another top finish for us. With the combination of Carey and Jess E. both knocking out butterfly pull-ups, there aren’t many women duos that can keep up. They gave Travis and me an early lead, and when they passed off to us, we were at least 30 reps ahead of the next closest team. But fatigue set in and Travis and I were caught at the last second (literally) by the CF Dallas Central team. They squeaked out two reps at the buzzer and once again, we claimed a second place finish.

At the end of day two, we were in a comfortable spot, but we knew we had our work cut out for us on the third and final day.

Sunday, January 29: Day 3

WOD 5

Snatch: the most technical movement in CrossFit. In this workout, all of our six athletes would have to step up to the plate and perform. As a team, and as a gym, the snatch is not our strength. We are proficient, but not great. We can move heavy loads over long times and distances, but the snatch does not fall into our list of fortes. To make a long story short, we did not lift as much as nine other teams and as a result dropped from third overall to a tie for fourth. This is not where you want to be with one workout left.

WOD 6

Do or die. This has become the mantra for Team CrossFit Central this year, and it was certainly our mantra as we headed out onto the floor for the last WOD and our last shot at the 2012 Games. We knew if we came in first place, we would be going to the Games. End of story. First place = Games. Anything else and our fate would be left in the hands of others.

It has been said before, and it was proven this weekend: “Your team is only as good as your women.”

When the ladies took over, it was well…over. They dominated the muscle-up portion of the WOD and it was then that all the fears, doubts, and anxiety left my system. As Carey and Jess E. made their way back towards the finish line, I knew we had it. We were going to the Games. They finished their last muscle-up and our athletes, families, spectators, and supporters erupted! I would be lying if I said I did not have to fight back tears as we celebrated.

A Dream Four Years in the Making

I started CrossFit in October of 2008. Ever since my first WOD, I have wanted to compete at the Games. I have watched many individuals and two teams go to the Games from Central, but I have always been in Carson as a spectator, never an athlete.

With last year’s crushing defeat and fourth place finish at Regionals, we have had almost one full year of training, blood, sweat, tears, and sacrifice to make it to where we are today. I will never forget the feeling as we finished our last workout in 2011 and knew we would not be going to the big show. That memory and feeling has sat in my belly for a year. It is by far one of the low points in my CrossFit career.

Fast forward to this past weekend: Elation. Emotion. Gratitude. Relief. Satisfaction. These are the feelings I had as we stepped onto the podium and received our third place medals, knowing we had punched our ticket to California and stepped into the ranks of the top fifty teams in the world. Our finish of WOD 6 in first place was the single most joyous moment I have had as an athlete, ever. This is one of my greatest athletic accomplishments, and I am truly grateful for everyone who has helped make it possible. Thank you.

PS: I wanted to send a special shout-out to my one and only Ingrid Kantola who finished fifth overall at the South Central Regional. She is the most badass athlete and woman I know, and I could not be more proud of her hard work and dedication over the past year. 2013 is her year. I love you!

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 10 – 5/6/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 4/29/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

The 2012 Regionals is upon us.

As you read this, we are wrapping up the first weekend of the 2012 Regionals. If all goes according to plan, Team CrossFit Central will be heading back to the Games after missing out last year by one spot.

The workouts this year are three things: hard – heavy – technical. The individual WODs will test each athlete’s ability to push past physical and mental barriers, and perform across every metabolic pathway and modal domain. The team WODs will require each team to not only have outstanding athletes, but to be truly unified in vision and purpose if they plan on finishing top three by the end of the weekend.

As far as I am concerned: the harder and heavier, the better. As CrossFit HQ has already pointed out, the Open was designed with 95% of the CrossFitting population in mind. Now it is a different game. Regionals is for the top 5% in our field to show of what they are made.

Facta non verba.

“Deeds not words” – this has become my mantra for the year. 2011 was a year filled with a lot of talk and big dreams. But at the end of the day, that’s all we were left with. This year by contrast has not involved a lot of fanfare around the gym when it comes to Regionals and the Games. We are wiser and more experienced this year. We realize simply making it to Regionals is not our goal. We do not and have never trained to make it to Regionals. We train to make it to the CrossFit Games and prove ourselves as one of the best boxes in the world.

We are the best in the world when it comes to training people and helping them achieve greatness in their lives. We also lay claim to some of the best CrossFitters in the game today. But it is not enough to be good at CrossFit. You have to prove it when it’s all on the line. And this weekend it will all be on the line.

Sacrifice.

It’s hard to believe that one year has passed since last year’s Regionals. One year of work, planning, preparation, training, and sacrifice. If one is serious in any endeavor or sport, sacrifice is a necessary component to achieve results. The results you achieve will be commensurate with your level of sacrifice towards your goal.

The outcome.

Check back with me next week as I will be updating you with our results and my thoughts on Regionals. You can follow our progress on twitter: @redblackgym, @crossfitcentral, @md_winchester, @myignition, @callmegretchen or on the CrossFit Games site!

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 9 – 4/29/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Michael Winchester – Athlete Journal 4/15/12

(Read Michael’s Bio here)

A Potent Training Tool

As CrossFitters, we are always looking for ways to train that will increase our physical and mental work capacity. We need strength, we need endurance, and we need the mental fortitude to grind through brutal WODs.

In our search for new and different training tools, we often come across things we incorporate into our daily, weekly, or monthly regimen. At CrossFit Central and the RedBlack Gym we have found a tool that works all of our physical and mental faculties and pushes us to do things we would not imagine we could.

1×20 Back Squat

If you are looking to increase your strength, there is one workout you need to implement starting THIS WEEK! It’s called “Super Squats,” “Heavy Breathing Squats,” or simply “1×20 Back Squats.” It is quite possibly one of the most challenging things I have done in strength and conditioning to date.

It’s quite simple – BUT NOT EASY: Take your 10-rep max back squat (approximately 70-75% of your 1RM) and squat it twenty times. Easy right? Not so fast. In between each squat, you must take three deep breaths. This is not a negotiable. This is mandatory.

The point of this training is not only to induce a physical and mental adaptation, but a hormonal one as well. By loading the bar with such a weight, squatting to full depth twenty times, and breathing deep between each squat, you are teaching yourself to:

1. Handle heavy load over time (if you do it right, you will be under load for between 2:30 and 3:00 minutes)
2. Take in oxygen under load.
3. Quiet the demons in your head!

Your body will also undergo a huge hormonal response, which will lead to increased muscle and strength over time.

Trust me, this is as much mental as it is physical. Reps 1-10 should be fairly easy. When you hit rep 13, you will question your ability to finish. By rep 15, you will be sweating profusely, and the last 5 reps will all feel like 1-rep maxes. Perfect.

What Next?

Each week, you are to increase the weight. It can be by five pounds or by ten, but my recommendation is to move in small increments of five. If you are strictly in the strength game, you could perform the 1×20 two or three times in a week. Make sure you are not supplementing any other squats in your weekly workouts, as you are getting plenty in your 1×20 sessions.

For CrossFitters, I strongly urge you to use this only one time per week. We do so many things that tax the central nervous system (CNS) and metabolic engine that this could potentially push you over the edge. Only take this on if you know you can handle the stress and your recovery is on-point. Hit a six-week cycle and then take one week off. Start again at the same weight you left at the end of the sixth week, and go through another six-week cycle.

After the two six-week cycles, you will find yourself feeling stronger in workouts with weights that once felt heavy. Your mental game should be on-point and 21-15-9 with 95lbs. will feel like a joke.

Personal Testimony

My friend and training partner Travis Holley and myself went through one seven-week cycle, and the results were undeniable.

I started week one at 265lbs, then moved through 275, 280, 285, 290, 295 and ended our cycle at 300lbs. Each Friday was a “game day.” The night before, I would visualize myself moving through each of the twenty squats. Sometimes doubt would creep in (would I be able to finish?) but each time, and quickly, I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the goal – twenty reps at “x” weight.

Our sessions consisted of a light bodyweight dynamic warm up, sled pushes and pulls to start preparing our muscles and CNS for the work ahead, and then some lighter sets of squats to grease the groove. It is imperative you warm yourself up properly – if you do not, you might as well go home.

By the time we stepped up to the bar, the deed was already done – in our heads – and so we made those thoughts our reality. Breathing in between each of the squats, you find yourself in a different place.

Use It – Don’t Abuse It!

If you are looking for something new to add to your weekly training sessions – something you have not tried before and something that will deliver HUGE RESULTS – this is it.

But use only as prescribed!

If you do not execute the 1×20 as outlined above, you risk failing to reap all of the benefits that this training tool has to offer. Squat, breathe, squat, breathe.

Breathing between each of the squats, you find yourself in a different place. Don’t avoid it – go there. There is a deep, dark pain cave yet to be explored.

The post Athlete Journal: Michael Winchester, Entry 8 – 4/15/12 appeared first on Breaking Muscle.