From the newsletter earlier this week…

You were looking for something different right. You know, you’ve done Zumba – you’ve done a marathon?! and you thought why not try CrossFit? I mean it’s going mainstream at the moment. There’s no denying it. CrossFit IS the next big thing – well according to Reebok, ESPN and the papers it is…

The hardest thing about starting CrossFit is just that – Starting it. Of course we can scale the movements and weights based on your individual level of fitness, skill and strength but the biggest thing is mental. You’ve heard this before but the hardest part of going for a run is lacing up your shoes… CrossFit’s the same – you’ve just gotta walk through the door…

On the Adapt website, we try and make that initial step easier: eg. 1. Give us a buzz; 2. Book in for a free ‘try out’ session; and 3. Sign up for our fortnightly newsletter… You know: dip you feet in the water…

So perhaps you built up the courage and made it to your first session. You got a sweat on and you thought to yourself “Yeah, this really is a pretty cool place to come and train… a couple of times a week should do the trick…” Gimme a Zombie tshirt and now I’ll be able to tell all my mates I’m a ‘CrossFitter’ – right?!

Well not quite yet…

The reason Becca, Sean and myself run Adapt is to ‘make people awesome’. OK, so that’s a super simplified mission statement but in all seriousness; our goal as coaches is to make all our guys and girls better. Better than they were yesterday and we feel (pretty strongly) that if you’re not working towards being better than you were yesterday well, you’re just wasting our time. I mean, you’re not wasting our time are you?

You can’t just rock up once a fortnight (or a month for that matter) and tell your mates you’re a ‘CrossFitter’… You can’t continue to eat the same shit you used to (before you came to our nutrition chat) and then continue to think it’s all just a matter of burning it off – you should know better than that. If you don’t – gimme a buzz and I’ll give you the low down over an espresso [again]…

You say that life’s so busy that your training just had to take a back seat. Perhaps your favourite TV show should take a back seat or perhaps you should just suck it up an set an alarm in the morning?! We’ve certainly got the spaces available – it just might be that you have to rearrange your schedule. “But I’m not a morning person…” you say. No body’s a morning person! It’s just a decision you make that ensures you’re better tomorrow than you are today… TRAIN. ADAPT. GROW.

The world is full of people taking the easy option. Just look around next time you go shopping. Sad, sick and overweight people aimlessly wondering from isle to isle, filling up their trolleys with products that will ultimately kill them or at the very least ensure a continued downward spiral into an even shittier existence.. You know the people, just going through the motions. Keeping on, keeping on – rolling from one day to the next with no real purpose. Just existing. Damn I hope that’s not you, because that’d just suck.

Save that shit – I’m going for the next level!

When I say I’m gonna train – I’m gonna train. I’m getting stronger. I’m getting fitter and I’m growing my circle every single day. With an ever expanding physical capacity I know stuff like Tough Mudder’s in the bag. I’m also developing my mental toughness – the ability to push on through when the going gets tough. You know – getting back on the bar when all you want to do is leave or heave… I mean if I just put it all on the line at a 5.30am session what on earth could my boss possibly throw at me that I couldn’t handle?! No, really?!

Perhaps you didn’t read it in the fine print but when you decided to train at Adapt you already made the choice to be better than you were yesterday. Don’t talk about it. Don’t say you want it. Walk the talk. Do it already! Start living up to your potential instead of wasting it (and our time) with lame excuses. What’s it gonna take to wake up? Insert Rage Against The Machine’s “Wake Up” here…

I know I’ve really put a big emphasis on results and I’m not going to take that back (I do really think you might want to reconsider your current training regime if you’re not getting results) but half the fun’s in the process. I love rocking up to train with the crew. I love the small tweaks that put KGs on my snatch, etc. I love making coffee for my guys and just hanging out too.

I’m definitely down with the mindset of “we do this until we die – or at least until something better comes along…” and for the next while though I’m happy to pursue a steady progression towards the next level – accepting anything else is well, boring and I think life’s way to short to settle for the boring…

If you feel like I’ve called you out (eg. it ruffled your feathers or made you fee a little uneasy), it’s a good thing – A great thing even. If that’s the case well I guess you have a couple of choices:

1. QUIT.
If life really is too tough and you’re the kind of person who’ll continue to make excuses -> give us a call, give us your latest excuse and we’ll put your membership ‘on hold’ (so you can come back in the future right…) No actually we’ll cancel it straight up because we don’t really expect you to come back. Who knows? with the money you save you might be able to purchase a shiny new elliptical trainer which you’ll use 3 times and then sell on allclassifieds because it’s taking up too much space in your dining room…

2. STEP UP.
Take this as a call to action. Suck it up. Start showing up to training on a regular basis. Start eating right (more than 80% of the time) Start working towards results and becoming a better person than you were yesterday. Nuff said. Better is better.

So what are you going to do? I know I tend to simplify things and make it all black and white when life can be ‘shades of grey’ but it’s been my experience (through both observation and personal experience) that people really can achieve way more than they ever thought possible only after they stop bullshitting themselves…

- Ben

Friday 18.5.12

A: Front squat: 3RM

B: Conditioning circuit: multiple stations @ 45:15 sec (R1) and 30:10sec (R2)

Post loads and training notes to comments

Thursday 17.5.12

Hutcho: hitting some presses back in Rae St.

A: strict-press 3-3-3

B: push-press 2-2-2

C: push-jerk 1-1-1

Post loads and training notes to comments.

Wrapping up this cycle ready to test it on the 26th…

Because we’ve got the CF Total coming up (not this weakend) but next (26.5.12), Over the last 8 weeks I’ve more or less been working backwards from there and programming sessions and movements that work towards you hitting a greater total. Yes, it’s all about strength.

I’ve been programming in a lot more circuits (eg. not for time and not for reps) and based on the people I’ve spoken with, the response has been pretty good. eg. you guys are enjoying it and haven’t been stressing out about them.

You also would have noticed that we’ve been hitting some CF benchmarks just about every weekend and yes, while you’ll get the occasional beat down – you certainly haven’t been shying away from any of our Saturday sessions at all. We’re seeing PB after PB in strength and benchmarks so I guess we must be doing something right?!

I’ve also been trying to fire everyone up to start going RX’d  (eg. Toes 2 bar over knee raises, etc.) and I think it’s working too – More and more guys and girls are starting to step up and back themselves with prescribed weights and movements, instead of taking the easier option. This makes me happy – very happy. Thank you.

In short: Keep up the great work as we’ll be having another crack at the CF Total on Saturday 26.5.12. Continue to come to training with your head in the game, ready to go heavy – Boom!

-
Ben

So No sessions on Saturday.

If you noticed that we cancelled Saturday’s session that’s because we’re heading down to Wollongong on the weekend to check out the 2012 CrossFit Games Aus/NZ Regionals!

If you haven’t already head over to the games site to check out the action:  and if you’re really keen head over to the ticketek website to buy yourself a ticket $32 for a 3 day pass (fri, sat, sun)

Actually, we’ve been lucky enough to have been able to provide one of the games athletes: Cecilia Robinson of CrossFit Perth with a place to train on her way to the Regionals in Wollongong. Cecilia finished 34th in this year’s CF Games Open (Australia/New Zealand) and is looking to improve on her top 10 place finish from last year. If you’re training on Wednesday morning there’s a good chance you’ll get to meet her and yes, she can kick all our arses – She’s a beast!

Sean’s been busy organising some car loads of peeps to travel down for a day or two over the weekend so if you’re keen to see how the strongest and fastest athletes in Australia throw down please give Sean a buzz on 0431323960.

Wednesday 16.5.12

A: 12 mins to find snatch 1RM

B: OH squat 5RM

C: 3 rounds for time (8 min cap)

• 10x deadlift (125/90kg)
• 50 double under

Post loads and times and also the metcon ‘limiter’ eg. what was the thing that slowed you down in the DL/DU workout? to comments. Heading down on the weekend and got a spare seat? Post that too

-
Ben

Tuesday 15.5.12

Coach Sean: He knows a lot for a whippa-schnappa…

A: Hang squat clean: work up to a heavy triple

B1: 3x ME HSPU // rest 60-90sec
B2: 3x ME pull-ups // rest 60-90sec

C: For time (15 min cap):

• 30 burpee óver-the-box box’ jumps
• 30 Toes to bar
• 30 push-jerk @ 60/40kg
• 800m run

Post loads and times (if you finish) to comments.

Monday 14.5.12

A: 12 mins to find 1RM Snatch

B: 3 x 5 Back Squat

C: 8 min AMRAP

3 Snatches (60kg/40kg) any snatch

20 Double Unders

Post loads and rounds to comments

Saturday 12.5.12

A: snatch balance: work up to a heavy triple

B1: 3x ME HSPU // rest 90 sec
B2: 3x ME pull-ups // rest 90 sec

C: Randy (8min cap)
75 power snatches for time (35/25kg)

Post loads and times to comments.

Friday 11.5.12

A: max power clean – only progress load if form is perfect.

B: 3×5 front squat

C: Basic conditioning: 2 rnds @ 30:10 sec (hustle people)

• Toes to bar
• Prowler: push/pull
• weighted step-ups
• Russian swings
• Burpees
• BB push-press (20/15kg)
• L-sit

Post loads and training notes to comments.

Beginner (Fundamentals) class tomorrow @ 10:15am

Nutrition chat w/ Ben

Thursday 10.5.12

A: 10 mins Handstand Practise

B: Clean and Jerk 1 Rep EMOTM @ 80%

C: 3×5 Weighted Chinups

C: Amrap 8 mins

• 5 Pullups
• 10 Pushups
• 15 Squats

Post loads, rounds and training notes to comments.

Wednesday 9.5.12

A: 10 mins to find Heavy Double Hang Clean

B1: 3x ME Strict HSPU // Rest 90sec

B2: 3x ME Strict Pullups // Rest 90 sec

C: For time

• 100 Double Unders
• 50 KB Swings 24/16
• 25 OH walking Lunges 20/10
• Burpee Box Jumps
• 25 OH walking lunges
• 50 KB Swings
• 100 Double unders

Post loads, reps, time and training notes to comments.

• Next Weightlifting ACT comp this Saturday 12 of May @ ACTAS, National Hockey Centre, Lyneham. 1st lifts @ 1pm

Tuesday 8.5.12

A: 12 mins to find 1RM snatch

B: Back squat: 3×5 – add 2.5-5kg to last week’s numbers.

C: Conditioning (2 rounds 45/15 sec work/rest)

• lunges
• wall ball
• sit-ups
• push-ups
• renegade rows

Post loads and training notes to comments.