Thursday, December 24, 2009

Workout of the Day:
Weighted Hip Bridge
8-8-8
and then,
Five rounds for time of:
20 Push-Ups
20-Yard Bear Crawl with Dumbbells (25/15 lbs.)
40 Anchored Sit-Ups
(Carry your dumbbells in your hands while you crawl, then place them on your feet to perform your anchored sit-ups.)
W-Shoulder Stabilization CrossFit Invictus San Diego

Prehab: Stabilizing The Shoulder – “W”
Written by Calvin Sun

If you haven’t had a chance to read my previous posts yet, take a moment to review parts one and two of this series on shoulder prehab. These exercises are designed to strengthen the supporting musculature of the upper back that isn’t sufficiently developed by conventional exercises like pull-ups and overhead movements. You’ll soon notice better posture as your shoulder blades will be pulled back and down to counteract the endless hours of desk jockeying you do everyday. This improved posture will allow for efficient and improved function of the shoulder which will not only allow you to perform better in the gym but also keep you injury free. Today, we will go over the third and final movement of our Y/T/W shoulder prehab circuit.

“W”
– To perform W’s, start by lying face down in a prone position.
– Keep your elbows bent at a 90 degree angle and bring your elbows in towards your torso, forming a “W” shape.
– With your palms facing downward, lift your arms off the ground by initiating the movement from your scapulae.
– Focus on sliding the shoulder blades back and down towards your spine.
– Turn palms out away from your body as you complete the movement.
W-Shoulder Stabilization 2 CrossFit Invictus San Diego

(*Note – This movement might be even more effective with palms turned out away from the body as the scapulae is depressed and retracted.)

Common faults:
– Lifting the chest off the ground
– Initiating movement from the elbows
Incorrect Shoulder Stabilization CrossFit Invictus San Diego

Now that we know how to perform each of these exercises correctly, we need to put these together in order to effectively and efficiently utilize them as part of a fitness program. Depending on how much time you have, perform 10 to 15 repetitions each of the Y, T, and W. Don’t rest between exercises as this should be a continuous circuit. You should perform this circuit 1 to 3 times depending on your ability level.

Still confused on how to perform these exercises or how to incorporate them into a personalized program? Set up an appointment with an Invictus coach today by emailing [email protected].

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Alfred

I used my 1RM for my deadlift (345#) on the 8 reps of the hip bridge. Is that common or is my deadlift just really poor?

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Brent

Isabel: 4:56 Pr by 50sec
Def need a rest day tomorrow

FAQ - Workout of the Day (WOD)

What does WOD mean in CrossFit?

WOD stands for Workout of the Day. Most CrossFit gyms post one workout each day for their members and online followers to complete. Invictus currently offers THREE free programmed WODs each day (shown above)... and even more personalized and online supplemental programs through Invictus Athlete.

Which program is right for me? Can I move between them?

One thing that sets Invictus apart from other CrossFit gyms and online training programs is that we recognize everyone has different fitness goals, abilities and needs. Be sure to pick which programming is right for you so you can get a great workout that meets your needs.

What does 30X0 mean? (How to read the WOD)

Another thing you might notice that’s different about our programming is that we use ‘tempo training’ - almost always in the Fitness programming and in various cycles for the Performance and Competition programs. Those extra numbers (ex: @30X0) might seem confusing at first glance but you’ll totally get how it works and why we like to use it after reading this. Trust us, you’ll soon witness the many benefits firsthand. Learn more about tempo training.

I need help with some standard movements and warm-up ideas!

Whether you’re new to CrossFit or have lots of experience with the WOD, our coaches will help you get the most out of every workout. It doesn’t matter if you struggle with a particular movement or if your goals are pushing you toward the higher skilled and more elusive movements, our professional coaches support everyone with advice and feedback.

They have worked with all athlete levels and know what it takes to get people moving to the best of their abilities. Whether it’s burpees, double-unders, muscle-ups, or tips for the Assault Bike - we’ve got a coach who can help you.

Don’t worry, we’ve got your warm-ups covered, too. Our coaches are constantly learning from other modalities and love to use what they learn in innovative warm-ups focused on both preparing for the workout at hand and maintaining the body for a pain free life. Check out this full body routine to keep your joints functioning and free of inflammation. We also post warm-up suggestions in the Workout of the Day for each of the programs that are tailored to that day’s movements.

Workout on your own and don’t have much time for your warm-up? Here’s a couple of quick and simple ones for your shoulders, squat day, deadlifts, and everyone’s problem area, the thoracic spine.

What if I can’t lift the weight or do the movement as prescribed?

Scaling is part of the beauty of CrossFit because it enables workouts and programming to be tailored to anyone’s ability. When it comes to weight, you can and should ALWAYS scale the weight down if it is unsafe for you to lift it, or if it changes the intended stimulus of the workout.

Here are some rules of thumb for scaling weight in metcons (lifting for time). For gymnastics movements, there are some simple scaling solutions as well. If you are unsure, reach out to your Invictus coach! We are here to make sure you get the safest and best workout possible - proper scaling allows for that.

How many days per week should I train? / How many rest days should I take?

At Invictus, we offer programming 6 days a week, Monday-Saturday and we realize not everyone’s schedule - or training needs - are the same and therefore, you must use your best judgement and listen to your body when it comes to deciding how often to take a rest day.

If you have been doing CrossFit for a while now, you recognize that our program excels due to the high intensity component. With that being said, one thing you have to keep in mind is that you can’t sustain that high intensity every single day; otherwise your body ends up breaking down.

You can learn more about how often someone should take a rest day in this article.

What does EMOM stand for?

EMOM stands for Every Minute on the Minute. When you see that come up in a workout, you have up to one minute to complete the exercise required. Normally what’s prescribed won’t take the entire minute so you also have whatever is left of the time to rest until the next minute starts and you do the next set of prescribed work. And so on.

What does AMRAP mean?

AMRAP means “As Many Rounds (and Reps) as Possible” in a certain time period. For example, the workout might say...

AMRAP in 10 minutes of:

30 Double-Unders
20 Pull-Ups
10 Thrusters

So you would keep going through the cycle of those three exercises until the 10 minutes is up. Your score is the number of complete rounds plus any extra reps you did. So if you did four complete rounds plus 15 Double-Unders in the fifth round, your score would be 4+15.

What does OTM mean?

OTM stands for “On the Minute” and is the same thing as an EMOM. When you see that come up in a workout, you have up to one minute to complete the exercise required. Normally what’s prescribed won’t take the entire minute so you also have whatever is left of the time to rest until the next minute starts and you do the next set of prescribed work. And so on.

What does NFT mean?

NFT stands for “Not for Time” and means that you shouldn’t rush or try to go fast, but instead, focus on technique, skill, form or whatever you are working on for that movement.

How heavy should my first set be?

You might also be wondering where to start your first set if, for example, the workout of the day calls for 5 sets of Deadlift x 5 reps. Is the first set a warm-up or is that the first working set? Here’s our recommendation for how to properly build to your starting weight and what we consider warm-up sets and working sets.

How can I figure out my 1RM?

We frequently use percentage references in prescribing the number of reps to perform, so it’s essential that you have a good idea on most of your maxes.

Let’s say it’s been awhile since you have attempted a 1RM; maybe you had an injury a few months ago, or maybe you just somehow keep missing the 1-RM test days, or maybe you just forgot to write it down in your log book. If you have a multiple-rep max, you’re in luck. There’s actually a simple equation you can use to calculate an estimated 1RM based on the max number of reps you can do at a given weight.

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