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Strength & Conditioning: James FitzGerald – Week 1, Day 3

These workouts are designed by OPT director James FitzGerald. The four weeks of programming were designed to prepare a CrossFit athlete for Regional competition.

Written by James FitzGerald Last updated on July 12, 2013

EDITOR’S NOTE: These workouts are designed by athlete and coach James FitzGerald. A long-time athlete and coach, James is the director of training at Optimum Performance Training, a multi-national educational and coaching program. The four weeks of programming were designed to prepare a CrossFit athlete for the CrossFit Regionals. Click here to read more about James and his work with athletes.

This is an exact training split in a specific preparation phase for a male CrossFit athlete. This athlete has been close to qualifying two other times and began training with us in the summer of 2011.

He is what we call a true “grinder” – mentally tough, physically resilient, stronger than he is fast, and mobile. His long-term plan has been to get to a point where the volume was high enough to allow him multiple intense pieces over a few days to be controlled and methodical. This year, this athlete qualified for the CrossFit Games and will compete in Carson, CA in July. The end of this program brought us to ten days out from the Regional qualifiers, the most important date in the two-year plan.

This was the prescription for him and some of the reasoning for the programming:

  • A 2 on, 1 off, 3 on, 1 off split was used to prepare for the 3 day piece to come in May for competition.
  • In season, this athlete works well on a M/W/F only training days, where there are 3 pieces in each day for 9 total workouts in the week.
  • 12 workouts per week for this athlete is very doable when the balance is there in the aerobic work and intense CNS work.
  • The athlete knows his own engine and knows when to call an audible or go hard when needed. In this phase it’s important to learn where the competition format scenarios are in the mixed modal setting.

Week 1, Day 3

AM Workout
A. Build to a 1RM snatch in 6 min (squat)
B. Build to a 1RM back squat in 6 min
C. 5 attempts to find a max distance Broad Jump
D. 1 set of Handstand Pushups – as many reps as possible
E. 1 attempt to find max height Box Jump
D. 3 min max reps Double Unders

(NOTE: Competition style workout format)

PM Workout
12-9-6 of:
Muscle-Ups
Front Squats @ 250#
(Must be taken from floor)

(NOTE: Heavy CP/ATP competition style workout)

About James FitzGerald

James Fitzgerald is the owner and director of training at OPEX Fitness (formerly OPT), which recently relocated to Scottsdale, Arizona from Calgary, Alberta. The new research and design facility is used to support and upgrade his existing businesses and aid in the development of his clients. OPT has evolved through the years from a personal training and sports performance facility to a multi-national educational and coaching program.

James first was drawn to strength and conditioning as a young competitive athlete. His athletic pursuits in national level soccer in high school and collegiate basketball and junior hockey led him to a career in strength and conditioning. He graduated with honors from The University of Newfoundland with a Bachelors degree in Physical Education and a minor in Biology. He has published research in Physiology Canada, The Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology, and The Journal for Strength and Conditioning Research on muscle fatigue. He began his career as a lab instructor in the university, and then made the switch into practical application.

Over the past eighteen years, James has worked in everything from coaching for private institutions, to corporate wellness in the public sector, to working with Olympic level athletes. He also has entrepreneurial ventures with private and group classes, and works continuously on his education.Over theyears he has designed programs for people at various levels of fitness, and has performed in excess of 15,000 assessments and nutritional prescriptions. He is devoted to continuing his education, and approaches all new scientific research with an open mind. Additionally, he has worked hand in hand with a variety of doctors, researching the measurable impact that training protocols have had on adrenal stress index tests, exercise stress tolerance tests, and hematology. His success has not deterred his continual dedication to learning, coaching, educating, and practical implementation.His experience in the field has led him to the questioning of traditional strength and conditioning methodologies.

In 2005 James was introduced to CrossFit. He used his training methodologies to help him win the 2007 CrossFit Games with an individualized training program.At the new facility in Arizona, in addition to the previously mentioned tests, they are now coordinating with leaders in medicine to perform heart rate variability tests, altitude contrast training, and implementing advanced recovery protocols, including a state of the art Cryo sauna. He has also been performing lactate balance point tests, neuromuscular efficiency tests, VO2 max testing, and a variety of other tests to help top “fitness athletes” succeed at their sport and get insight into what will improve their performance. As a coach for many top level CrossFit athletes, he is looking to upgrade the current industry knowledge about strength and conditioning for both coaches and his athletes.

James has developed a coaching certificate program at OPEX, which offers both online and in-person courses. OPEX also features an onsite testing facility and a remote coaching program that enables people to receive nutritional prescriptions and program designs via the Internet.James’ vision for the future of OPEX is as one of the leading educational and research facilities in the world of strength and conditioning.His onsite testing is being used to both upgrade the current prescription for his athletes and develop a framework for his coaching certificate program.

James’ belief as a strength coach is against conventional strength and conditioning wisdom. He believes that improvements in strength, speed, short term anaerobic power, and long term aerobic power can all be achieved concurrently if coaches have an understanding of how to blend energy system and proper strength protocols.

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