SPQR latest news

Apologies for the lack of updates - get set on doing a workout of the day for friends of the site and it all goes out the window..... What? You aren't following the daily workout over at http://www.funckey.co.uk? Head on over there right away and get cracking.

Things are going from strength to strength in the garage. Thanks to Tim we now have power in there so it won't be quite so dark as the mornings and evenings draw in. Never fear though, I won't be getting a heater in there - what? You want me to make it easy for you? Heck, if it's creature comforts you want, there's a Globo right down the block. Pretty sure they could get you warm and toasty in no time. Of course you won't get in the kind of shape you will working out in the garage and with the amount of work you will be putting in with us, you'll be warm enough in no time!

The whiteboards are also up so your times will be up there for all to see. What better incentive could you need to push that little bit harder?

New toys in the garage include a couple of beer kegs kindly supplied by the local university bar. Typically, those darned students had drunk them dry before we got our mitts on them, but that means I can fill them with sand and water to make it a challenge lifting and moving them around. We also have a rowing machine which was kindly donated by a friend of the site. No, it's not a Concept2 but it does give us some more options for our workouts and will do just fine until we can afford a C2.

In other news, SPQRFitness has been named the official speed and agility source for the University of Surrey American Football team (it was an "unofficial" thing before, now we actually get recognition on their website and that of the University Student's Union). We are also in negotiation to perform the same task for the rugby teams so watch this space for news.

Anyway, keep on training and keep watching the site for news on developments as and when they happen.

Essentials

Chris and Tim have just started to work out with us at SPQR and are currently undergoing the "essential movements" classes to get them up to speed on the wide variety of functional movements they will have to perform in the gym and to introduce them to the intensity of effort required in the workouts.

Today we looked at the power clean, the kettle-bell swing and the pull-up, concentrating on dead hang, band assisted and the jumping variety. We don't worry about teaching the kip until the athlete can do at least five consecutive dead hang pull-ups so as not to impair the motor learning.

After looking at the form and working on technique, the workout was;
As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of;
3 Jumping Pull-up
5 Power Clean (Chris @ 20Kg, Tim @ 15 Kg)
7 "American" swing (Chris with the 16 Kg KB, Tim with the 12)

Tim managed an excellent 10 full rounds. Chris managed 8 rounds (although I was his form judge and was VERY strict so he probably did an extra round in reps I didn't count!). Both really stepped up the intensity and are showing real progress with every session.

Way to go guys!

Vires et Honestas!

State of the Union.. well, the garage at least!

The garage is really coming along now. The flooring is down and the walls have been painted.
The pictures below show what we look like now.



Left wall with the small (!) tyre.



And the right wall with the larger of the two tyres.

Remaining tasks are to rip out the shelving and cupboards on the back wall (below) to make room for the pull-up bars and to see about getting some power in there for the lights and most importantly the sounds system!

The BWLA drop progressions

Some of our workouts call for the Burgener warm up, coupled with the BWLA drop progressions. The Burgener warm-up is easily found through a search on any of the popular search engines or by going directly to the CrossFit site, however the BWLA progressions aren't so easy to find.

The progression basically takes the form of a drop into the clean catch position from a standing start with the bar at different heights.

Step 1:

Hold the bar in an overhand grip and pull the bar up to just below the chin. From a standing start position, drop down into the catch position and bring the elbows through. You should now be in the bottom of the front squat. Stand and repeat for a total of three times

Step 2:

Lower the bar to the lower chest (just below the nipple line) and repeat the process.

Step 3:

Lower the bar to just above the navel. Everything else is the same, although you may want to start on your tip-toes.

Step 4:

Lower the bar again, this time to mid-thigh. You will have to bend at the hips and the knee to do this, so you should find yourself in the start position of the hang power clean. This time, bring the hips through and shrug the shoulders (both explosively) before dropping and receiving the bar.

The above progressions can be carried out with PVC bar or an empty Olympic bar depending on the athlete; some athletes prefer to start with the PVC then move to the empty bar as the progressions get lower, some stay with the same bar throughout. As the goal is a dynamic warm-up, all options are acceptable.

I will be posting pictures as a visual representation of the process once they have been taken ;)

At least it's a Bank Holiday month... (Saturday August 1st 2009)

Finally, the last day of L-sit progressions has arrived. Hopefully you now have, or are a good way to achieving, a stable L-sit. We will revisit these in the future, maybe building up to a stable L-sit on rings!

Buy in

L-Sit Progression

Strength

Weighted Pull-Ups 5x5

Conditioning

AMRAP 15 minutes

10 Push-press @ 50% max press

10 GHD sit-ups

If you don't have a GHD available, substitute regular sit-ups.

Cash Out

Skipping - 200 singles or 50 doubles

Post weights/times to comments or the Daily Workout forum on FuncKey.

Vires et Honestas

To swim or not to swim... (Friday 31 July 2009)

Another choice day today: swimming, running or cycling. Try to choose something different to the last time just to keep it interesting.

Swimming can be in any stroke.

Buy In

BWLA/Burgener progression

Strength

Overhead Squat 5x3

Conditioning

Swim 1k or

Run 5k or

Cycle 10K

Cash out

L-Sit Progression

Post weights/choice and distance to comment or FK.UK

Vires et Honestas

Pressing things... (Thursday 30th July 2009)

Lots of pressing movements today; the strength workout is the strict press and the conditioning has a couple (!) of press-ups.

As with everything we do, there is a strict form for press-ups: Hands shoulder width apart under the shoulders, back and legs in one straight line and the down position is all the way to the floor. A full rep is the chest to the floor then the arms coming back to lock out at the top in the "lean and rest" position. Anything other than that should not be counted.

Remember, the only person you cheat by doing things by halves is yourself. Give 100% effort and maintain good for throughout and the results will be self-evident.

Buy in

L-Sit progression

Strength

Press 5x3

Conditioning

10 rounds for time of;

Run 100m

10 push-ups

10 sit-ups

Cash Out

Dot Drills

As always, post weights and times to comments or join the fun on the FK.UK forums.

Vires et Honestas