The CrossFit Endurance Program was developed to allow CrossFit athletes to still CrossFit and compete in Endurance sports, and bring a standard to running. It brings to light the reality of LSD/Oxidative training and why it is ineffective and extremely unhealthy. It gives you the ability to understand endurance training and how to make strength and conditioning a major part of the program and not a supplement. Through this program, you will learn “how” to run – focusing on form and technique, and then you will be put through a series of quality training runs that focus on intervals, tempo runs and time trials. The Endurance sessions, like CrossFit WODs, are high quality training sessions focusing on aspects of running that will help you reach your racing goals stronger, faster, and injury free.

“Recovery is why you get better, not more training!”

How to get started: Attend a POSE/Endurance Introduction class. Even if you are NOT going to participate in the full CrossFit Endurance Program, this class is a MUST for everyone who wants to be a better athlete. In this class, you will learn POSE Technique, POSE skill drills, and more. We will also video tape you running before and after, and will review both videos to show you where you can improve. Everything that you learn in this class will help you to improve your running skills, efficiency, and form – making you faster, and lessening the pain and injuries often associated with running.

After the POSE/Endurance Class: If you are still undecided about joining the Program – come to a Wednesday session (6:00 am or 6:30 pm) to see what the training is like*. Wednesday sessions will be open (free) for newcomers to come try it out! Once you’ve done that and are ready, then commit to 2 days a week of CrossFit Endurance sessions (Wednesdays and Sundays) and continue with your 4-6 days a week of CrossFit.

For more detailed information on our CrossFit Endurance program
go to our website: www.noexcusesendurance.com
or find us on Facebook:

from John “Mac” McGriff

My Peeps,

If you have seen the different lengths of PVC & foam around the gym & you thought we were building some bizarre church organ you were…wrong.

Pre & Post WOD we will become more strict with our “myofascial release” & Post WOD stretching.
This will help with most surface aches & pains, improve recovery, & improve performance. These two areas are generally neglected the most & both have huge impacts on our goals.

If you haven’t “MYO’d rolled” before now is the time to start. The blue foam is great for beginners & most folks can try the PVC on the LOWER BODY fairly quickly as well. Be careful with the PVC as you advance to back & upper body therapy…it’s intense!!!
http://www.owresource.com/recovery/smr.php

As for stretching, we need to focus on this primarly POST WOD. I know we do the “samson” PRE-WOD & it plays an important role there as well. The Samson stretch when done correctly is a quick, deep, dynamic lunge “stretch” combined with a good upper back and shoulder “stretch”. Make sure your front foot is far enough forward that it isn’t riding out over your foot. Your front knee should be at a 90 degree angle. Sink down onto your back knee and place that leg as far back as you can comfortably get it. Sink down at the hips and feel a great stretch in the front hamstrings and glutes and the back quadriceps. Interlace your fingers and push your palms to the sky. Really work the stretch in the upper back and shoulders.

The Samson serves mainly to prepare our posterior chain for the WOD by “firing” all the muscles, tendons, ligaments, arteries, nerves, veins that are utilized on our “back side”

POST WOD (even at home) PNF stretching has made a huge difference for me in several areas. As a firefighter we wear 60lbs of gear, a 30lb air pack, & a helmet sometimes for hours. Over the years this has caused “wear & tear” on my lower back & neck. I found PNF a couple years ago & am now a huge believer. Here are a few links you you to review:
http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/pnf-stretching.php
http://www.sport-fitness-advisor.com/pnfstretching.html

Your homework will be to do your own research & we will do a “I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” session (no Sanjeeda it’s not what you think). Come tell or show me what MYO and/or PNF movement you have found & I’ll “trade” one of mine with you as well.

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GYM RULES
(excerpted from CrossFit Los Angeles)

1. Arrive early and stay late. Cheer, clap, and encourage others. Anything less is to cheat yourself of the experience, and to rob others of the gift of your presence and support as part of the community. Besides, if you’re late, it’s 10 burpees per minute.

2. If you forget to sign in, it’s 50 burpees. And regarding any burpee incentives… you may cry and whine all you want, as long as we can hear you counting.

3. Accidents and injuries happen and usually come as a result of impatience. Don’t be greedy. Slow down. Ask questions. Ask for help. Check your ego at the door.

4. EMPTY barbells were not designed to be dropped (neither were dumbbells or kettlebells). We don’t want our toys, our rubber flooring, you, or someone else broken unnecessarily.

5. Chalk is useful, even necessary. It is also messy. Use as much as you need, but keep the excess inside the chalk bucket because all the extra dust keeps breaking our vacuum cleaner and it is difficult to clean up!

6. Clean up and put away all equipment after each workout. Clean up sweat, spit, blood, chalk, dirt, vomit, handprints, and whatever else you’ve left behind.

7. Grunting, screaming, cussing and otherwise making noise are all welcome and encouraged during a workout. There is such a thing as gentle, quiet strength, although most of us haven’t mastered that yet. Also remember that there can be such a thing as too loud, crass, gross, or rude – please be respectful.

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CrossFit is designed to have you improve in all aspects of fitness. They are:

cardiovascular and respiratory endurance
stamina
strength
flexibility
power
speed
coordination
agility
balance
accuracy

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There are several things that you can do when you go out of town. Body weight exercises are perfect for a hotel room. A jump rope is easy to pack and is great for cardio, especially if you can learn to do double unders.

Tabata workouts are a great travel workout. You can put a Tabata workout together in many different ways, and can even do one using a treadmill, rowing machine or pool (often found in your hotel gym). Tabata workouts are done doing each exercise for a total of 4 minutes, with a pattern of 20 seconds work and 10 seconds rest. For example, here is a 12 minute hotel workout:

Do pull ups for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds, pull ups for 20 seconds, rest 10 seconds…and so on for the full 4 minutes before going on to Squats during the final 10 seconds of rest; continue this pattern for the squats for 4 minutes, then go on to sit ups.

Push ups
Squats
Sit ups

A treadmill Tabata workout would be done similarly, while having the incline as high as it will go and running close to your 5K race pace (within 5-30 seconds).

Some other great Tabata exercises are:

jump rope
pull ups
hand stand push ups off the edge of the bed
dips using a chair or coffee table
burpees
supermans
lunges
planks
plank twists
dead bugs
hollow rocks

and more….

Click HERE for a list of Travel WODs.

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It depends. There is a difference between a sore muscle and an injured muscle. Sore muscles will often feel better once you start to warm up and begin exercising. An injured muscle will continue to hurt and will cause actual pain, rather than just discomfort. If you are in pain, it is probably best to skip a workout and give your body a day of rest to see if the pain will go away quickly. If it doesn’t, consider seeing a doctor.

Keep in mind, that when you workout very hard, especially in the beginning, you will likely have very sore muscles. You will often be more sore the 2nd day after a workout than you were on the day of or the day immediately after your workout. This is normal. Consider doing some active recovery consisting of exercises done at a lower intensity. This can sometimes speed the recovery process.

Always incorporate rest days into your workout program. Your body needs rest days to heal. Recovery is why you get better!

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No! You do not need to get in “better shape” before beginning CrossFit. Because we scale the workouts to each person’s level there is no need to try to achieve a specific level of fitness before you start doing CrossFit. Chances are you will improve very quickly regardless of what level you begin at. Your progress is dependent on your dedication and effort.

What you put in is what you get out.

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It is possible that in a particular class everyone else might be (or seem) stronger and faster than you. But, every class is different every day because attendance varies from day to day. Regardless, everyone is very encouraging of each other. No one judges you for what you can’t do – everyone just encourages you to do more of what you can and wants to see you improve. We are not a judgmental group – we are like a very supportive family. We cheer each other’s successes, regardless of strength, speed, and times.