CF OPEN

Hi all you eager beavers, ready to train hard for the Open.  FYI, our training for it started last week. Notice all the STRICT HSPU we did last week as well as the high volume squatting we have been doing?  We are building a BASE of strength in preparation for all the aerobic challenges that will certainly be coming our way at the end of February. Enjoy the next 8 weeks of strength and skill bias - double unders, toes to bar, muscle ups, hspu, and of course olympic lifting. Put the time in now and I guarantee that when you go to do Fran again you won't be doing 5 or 7 reps of kipping pull ups and coming off the bar. Likewise, the 65/95 lbs will feel easy breezy. Strength is the FOUNDATION for the aerobic and anaerobic work but I have never seen a single study providing evidence that the inverse is true.  And for all you aerobic junkies out there, do not fret, you will still get your sweat on. 

I will give you two perfect examples of strength-aerobic-anaerobic continuum.  Luke recently took 8 months off to get stronger and to improve his snatch and clean and jerk numbers.  Our goal was to qualify for Nationals. Bravo to Luke, he accomplished those goals. He also came in second on the first event of the BCBD, the snatch ladder. Our next goal was to improve his upper body push and pull (bodyweight) in preparation for the BCBD. And again, he soared on his handstand push ups and kipping pull ups at the competition.  He had exactly 6 weeks to prepare for the BCBD and in that short period we hammered the anaerobic and aerobic energy systems.  His engine wasn't perfect, but he came in 17 out of 55 men in the Beast Division. Keep in mind that prior to those 6 weeks of training, Luke had done zero aerobic work.  He was a lazy weightlifter. He would do a couple seconds of work and sit down for two minutes!   Now, however, all he really needs to do is maintain his strength and focus on his skills and fine tune the engine. 

Sandi, another weightlifter, graciously filled in for Jessica at the BCBD. A national medalist in weightlifting and ranked 17th in the Commonwealth, Sandi had done even less aerobic work than Luke. For those who witnessed Sandi's performance at the BCBD, it was a pure testament to how much easier it is to increase your work load when you have a strong foundation. She picked up the weights like they were little toothpicks.  Everyone noticed.

Get strong, work on those gymnastics skills and reap the benefits. 

Darci