You Should Be Sprinting & Jumping More
Written by Blaine McConnell

Functional training has become more and more popular over the years, and if you are in the CrossFit/functional fitness world, you may think it is the most popular way to train. With its popularity comes some downfalls as more people are trying to become fancy with their functional training to the point where it becomes a gimmick for Instagram. But you don’t need to be standing on a BOSU ball doing single-arm kettlebell presses to get in better shape. In fact, you don’t even need any equipment to get in better shape. Two of the most functional movements for the human body are neglected far too often in most programs – sprinting and jumping.

You should be sprinting and jumping more. These two activities added in to your program can help train strength, power, body awareness and can also be a lot of fun.

Why Sprint?

Sprinting and using sprinting drills are a great way to improve form and build stability and strength in certain areas most people have issues with: like hip extension, hip flexion and lower abdominal control and strength. Sprinting is also a great way to get in some fun conditioning as well. Want to feel a burn in your butt and hamstrings? (Who doesn’t?) Try this:

Eight Sets of:
20 meter Sled Sprint
Rest as Needed Between Sets

Followed by…

Four Sets of:
20 meter Sprint (no sled this time)
Rest as Needed Between Sets

You will definitely feel your backside after that workout, and well as start to notice some nice changes if you continue to train like that. Throwing is some sprint drills before you lift can also prepare you for a great lifting session as well. Getting the hips, quads, hamstrings and midline fired up and ready are a great prep for grabbing the barbell and getting ready for some front squats.

Why Jump?

Jumping can increase power, strength and overall coordination. Single-leg jumps, split squat jumps and single-leg bounds are all great ways to do that. Nothing made me feel more unathletic than the first time I did this:

Three Sets of:
Single-Leg Tuck Jumps x 5 reps
Rest as Needed Between Sets

Followed by…

Three Sets of:
Single-Leg Bounds x 8 reps
Rest as Needed Between Sets

Training like this will not only help build power and strength, but also a lot of coordination and body awareness. I like to throw in some jumping on days that I am doing my Olympic lifts because I feel the transfer from a full hip extension on the jumping carries over well to the snatch or the clean.

Functional doesn’t mean fancy. Functional should be learning to move and control your own body. That is why when I write out each cycle of the Athlete X program I always program sprinting and jumping into the program. It is as functional as it gets and it is also a ton of fun. If you are ready for a program that will help you continuously improve your strength and get you back to looking and feeling like an athlete – this program was made for you. Registration for Athlete X is now open!

The post You Should Be Sprinting & Jumping More appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Aim Low
Written by Blaine McConnell

I was listening to a podcast the other day and the guest on the show was Jordan Peterson, and he was talking about how people don’t aim low enough. At first I was a bit taken aback because it seemed like he was saying that people need to lower the bar they had set for themselves, but when he started to elaborate on it a bit more, this statement of “aim low” really started to resonate with me. Jordan went on explaining what he meant and it applies to basically everyone everywhere, myself included.

As a coach, too often do I get an athlete that has their sights set on making it to the CrossFit Games and they haven’t even made it to Regionals yet. Or a new client comes in wanting to clean and jerk 315 pounds, yet they haven’t cleaned 135 pounds. Or even the person who wants to lose 50 pounds but they haven’t lost five yet. All of these goals are achievable, yet people always seem to not reach them, and in most cases it is because they give up too soon because they had their sights set too high. Here is where “aim low” comes into play.

If you have the goal of making it to the CrossFit Games; that is great, and that can be achieved through enough hard work and discipline. But if you haven’t made even made it to Regionals then you need to aim lower than the Games and focus on the first step. For you, it may mean to place top 100 in your Region for the Open and then improve on that to qualify for Regionals. Aim low, find success in the little things and the big things become achievable.

If you are the type of person who wants to improve a certain lift by 50 pounds the same goes for you. Don’t focus on the end number, and instead aim low and focus on the next 5 pounds. Focus on the technique of that lift, and the little things you can do to get that first 5 pounds, then the next 10 pounds and before you know it, 50 pounds is not too far away.

If you are a person who has a goal of losing 20, 50 or even 100 pounds your aim needs to be low as well. The journey can seem so far away when looking at where you want to be rather than aiming low and focusing on what you can do to lose that first stubborn 5-10 pounds. What little things can you change right now that will help you lose 5 pounds? Then what can you add to that to lose another 5 pounds? Sometimes it’s as easy as adding a walk each day to your routine, or cutting out a sugary drink you don’t need. Little victories add to big success.

What I got out of listening to Jordan Peterson was that his statement “Aim Low” was not telling people to not have lofty goals or high expectations of themselves. Rather that they should have those goals, but that shouldn’t be where their current aim is. Aim low still means you are aiming up which is so important I feel like I need to write that again. Aiming Low still means AIMING UP. What Jordan was saying is something we have all heard many times before. Success in your short-term goals will lead to success in your long-term goals.

For me personally, I have recently been training to make the Team USA Bobsled roster and possibly the Olympics for that in 2022. For me, aiming low meant just focusing on being the best I could be for the tryout, and not thinking about being the best for 2022. Leading up to the tryout many people would make comments about how cool it would be to be an Olympian and my response was “I need to make the team first”. It wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence in myself because I definitely do. It was that I knew that end goal couldn’t be achieved without keeping my aim low and focusing on crushing the first step of crushing the tryouts. Remember, aiming low still means you are aiming up.

Also Check Out…

Are One of These 5 Things Keeping You From Reaching Your Goals?

4 Symptoms of Low Self-Confidence You Need to Avoid

How To Build A Long-Lasting Habit Without Falling Off The Boat

The post Aim Low appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Aim Low
Written by Blaine McConnell

I was listening to a podcast the other day and the guest on the show was Jordan Peterson, and he was talking about how people don’t aim low enough. At first I was a bit taken aback because it seemed like he was saying that people need to lower the bar they had set for themselves, but when he started to elaborate on it a bit more, this statement of “aim low” really started to resonate with me. Jordan went on explaining what he meant and it applies to basically everyone everywhere, myself included.

As a coach, too often do I get an athlete that has their sights set on making it to the CrossFit Games and they haven’t even made it to Regionals yet. Or a new client comes in wanting to clean and jerk 315 pounds, yet they haven’t cleaned 135 pounds. Or even the person who wants to lose 50 pounds but they haven’t lost five yet. All of these goals are achievable, yet people always seem to not reach them, and in most cases it is because they give up too soon because they had their sights set too high. Here is where “aim low” comes into play.

If you have the goal of making it to the CrossFit Games; that is great, and that can be achieved through enough hard work and discipline. But if you haven’t made even made it to Regionals then you need to aim lower than the Games and focus on the first step. For you, it may mean to place top 100 in your Region for the Open and then improve on that to qualify for Regionals. Aim low, find success in the little things and the big things become achievable.

If you are the type of person who wants to improve a certain lift by 50 pounds the same goes for you. Don’t focus on the end number, and instead aim low and focus on the next 5 pounds. Focus on the technique of that lift, and the little things you can do to get that first 5 pounds, then the next 10 pounds and before you know it, 50 pounds is not too far away.

If you are a person who has a goal of losing 20, 50 or even 100 pounds your aim needs to be low as well. The journey can seem so far away when looking at where you want to be rather than aiming low and focusing on what you can do to lose that first stubborn 5-10 pounds. What little things can you change right now that will help you lose 5 pounds? Then what can you add to that to lose another 5 pounds? Sometimes it’s as easy as adding a walk each day to your routine, or cutting out a sugary drink you don’t need. Little victories add to big success.

What I got out of listening to Jordan Peterson was that his statement “Aim Low” was not telling people to not have lofty goals or high expectations of themselves. Rather that they should have those goals, but that shouldn’t be where their current aim is. Aim low still means you are aiming up which is so important I feel like I need to write that again. Aiming Low still means AIMING UP. What Jordan was saying is something we have all heard many times before. Success in your short-term goals will lead to success in your long-term goals.

For me personally, I have recently been training to make the Team USA Bobsled roster and possibly the Olympics for that in 2022. For me, aiming low meant just focusing on being the best I could be for the tryout, and not thinking about being the best for 2022. Leading up to the tryout many people would make comments about how cool it would be to be an Olympian and my response was “I need to make the team first”. It wasn’t that I didn’t have confidence in myself because I definitely do. It was that I knew that end goal couldn’t be achieved without keeping my aim low and focusing on crushing the first step of crushing the tryouts. Remember, aiming low still means you are aiming up.

Also Check Out…

Are One of These 5 Things Keeping You From Reaching Your Goals?

4 Symptoms of Low Self-Confidence You Need to Avoid

How To Build A Long-Lasting Habit Without Falling Off The Boat

The post Aim Low appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

More isn’t Always Better – Smarter is Better
Written by Blaine McConnell

I have had a number of members who have spoken to me over the past couple of weeks about feeling more sore than usual or feeling burnt out. I am sure other coaches have received these same statements from some of their clients at times. There are a few ways to address this issue so let’s be smart about it.

I know in the middle of a workout, it is easy to just scale a movement for the day or lower some reps, but let’s make sure we look a little further into what’s going on to help you out in the long run.

After many conversations with gym members, it seems that there are a number of you who are just doing too much volume. Some are doubling up on classes and doing multiple training sessions in one day. Although it is great that you want to always be in the gym and train, that may mean you are doubling up on movements and can increase the risk of injury or burn-out.

Have a quick conversation with your coach (or yourself) about what your training goals are and what your schedule looks like so they can recommend some classes that work well together to help you achieve your goals.

Downtown, we have a number of members who do the 5 p.m. Strength Development class and then join the 5:30 p.m. class for their conditioning part which usually works well together. We also have some members who do a full group class in the morning and then come back to do a full Strength class in the evening, which in my opinion, is a lot for the general population to be doing in one day.

I have had a few conversations suggesting to these people that a schedule like that is not the most beneficial and they should think about skipping the AM strength portion if they plan on coming back in the PM for Strength, or stay after Strength to the the conditioning after.

Now, in the end, it is your choice to do what you want, but I’m making the suggestion to you so that you can be smart about your training which goes a long way. More isn’t always better. Smarter is better.

Also Check Out…

Volume or Intensity

The Math Equation that Can Help Us Prevent Injuries

AMPK: The Master Metabolic Regulator Thats Activated With Exercise

The post More isn’t Always Better – Smarter is Better appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

More isn’t Always Better – Smarter is Better
Written by Blaine McConnell

I have had a number of members who have spoken to me over the past couple of weeks about feeling more sore than usual or feeling burnt out. I am sure other coaches have received these same statements from some of their clients at times. There are a few ways to address this issue so let’s be smart about it.

I know in the middle of a workout, it is easy to just scale a movement for the day or lower some reps, but let’s make sure we look a little further into what’s going on to help you out in the long run.

After many conversations with gym members, it seems that there are a number of you who are just doing too much volume. Some are doubling up on classes and doing multiple training sessions in one day. Although it is great that you want to always be in the gym and train, that may mean you are doubling up on movements and can increase the risk of injury or burn-out.

Have a quick conversation with your coach (or yourself) about what your training goals are and what your schedule looks like so they can recommend some classes that work well together to help you achieve your goals.

Downtown, we have a number of members who do the 5 p.m. Strength Development class and then join the 5:30 p.m. class for their conditioning part which usually works well together. We also have some members who do a full group class in the morning and then come back to do a full Strength class in the evening, which in my opinion, is a lot for the general population to be doing in one day.

I have had a few conversations suggesting to these people that a schedule like that is not the most beneficial and they should think about skipping the AM strength portion if they plan on coming back in the PM for Strength, or stay after Strength to the the conditioning after.

Now, in the end, it is your choice to do what you want, but I’m making the suggestion to you so that you can be smart about your training which goes a long way. More isn’t always better. Smarter is better.

Also Check Out…

Volume or Intensity

The Math Equation that Can Help Us Prevent Injuries

AMPK: The Master Metabolic Regulator Thats Activated With Exercise

The post More isn’t Always Better – Smarter is Better appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Don’t Overlook an Important Component of Athleticism – Train Explosive Rotation!
Video by Blaine McConnell

Building explosive rotational power is an often overlooked yet highly important component of athleticism and is used in many sports as well as creates a balanced and injury-reduced athlete. In this video, Invictus Athlete Coach, Blaine McConnell demonstrates these rotational tosses, common mistakes when performing the movement and three different positions you can use to focus on rotation of the hips, torso or both.

The post Don’t Overlook an Important Component of Athleticism – Train Explosive Rotation! appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Don’t Overlook an Important Component of Athleticism – Train Explosive Rotation!
Video by Blaine McConnell

Building explosive rotational power is an often overlooked yet highly important component of athleticism and is used in many sports as well as creates a balanced and injury-reduced athlete. In this video, Invictus Athlete Coach, Blaine McConnell demonstrates these rotational tosses, common mistakes when performing the movement and three different positions you can use to focus on rotation of the hips, torso or both.

The post Don’t Overlook an Important Component of Athleticism – Train Explosive Rotation! appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Got Glutes? Safety Bar Reverse Lunges will fire your a** up!
Video by Blaine McConnell

Safety Bar Reverse Lunges offer many more benefits than other forms of lunges. Check out this video to find out why this is, the purpose of this version of the lunge and how to properly perform this movement.

The post Got Glutes? Safety Bar Reverse Lunges will fire your a** up! appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Got Glutes? Safety Bar Reverse Lunges will fire your a** up!
Video by Blaine McConnell

Safety Bar Reverse Lunges offer many more benefits than other forms of lunges. Check out this video to find out why this is, the purpose of this version of the lunge and how to properly perform this movement.

If you’re an athlete looking for a competitive CrossFit program, you should check out Invictus Athlete. This comprehensive training program is designed for athletes looking to improve in the sport of fitness. We incorporate all facets of strength, skill and energy system development needed to compete at any level. We provide options for athletes to customize the program to specifically address any weaknesses that could prevent them from reaching their full potential. Learn more about Invictus Athlete.

The post Got Glutes? Safety Bar Reverse Lunges will fire your a** up! appeared first on Invictus Fitness.

Blaine recently joined the Invictus Coaching staff, bringing experience and knowledge in Olympic Weightlifting, training for sports and competition as well as CrossFit.

Blaine will be working with our in-house Invictus Athletes, as well as our remote Invictus Athletes.

LEARN MORE

The post Invictus’ Newest Coach: Blaine McConnell appeared first on Invictus Fitness.