A bit of a weird week. Not bad weird, or good weird, just weird weird. It’s probably fair to say the weird theme applied to just about everything this week. Training sometimes felt good (in terms of repeat 400s getting better, conditioning, and gymnastics work), but sometimes felt terrible (in terms of strength, fatigue and motivation). Equally, I found myself getting worried and stressed over things that quite frankly don’t matter that much in terms of ‘big picture’. In terms of nutrition, some days saw me eating and hydrating really well, while others saw me eating far too many biscuits, not to mention dipping pretzels in Nutella (if you haven’t tried it, you are missing out – which may, or may not be a good thing).

Despite my all too natural inclination to analyse the past week to try figure out what it all ‘means’, I have opted not to. Instead of engaging in an exercise that typically ends in little more than frustration at not being able to make sense of everything, I decided to think/say ‘whatever’. At the end of the day, all the different aspects could be rationalised to mean pretty much absolutely anything. Instead of worrying about what the past week means, or doesn’t mean, I’m just letting it be, it simply was a week full of different things. If I start to see recurring themes or patterns in the coming weeks, THEN I’ll think about and work on figuring out what it all means. For now, it’s a week that was and is, full of pretty much absolutely anything.

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KWOW

“Triple 5 AMRAP”

1st AMRAP 5minute couplet (2mins rest after this and before 2nd AMRAP)

10x Kettlebell swings (“KBS”)

5x KB Clean & Press (each arm)

2nd AMRAP 5minute couplet (2mins rest after this and before 3rd AMRAP)

10x KBS

5x KB Goblet Squats

3rd AMRAP 5minute couplet:

10x KBS

        5x Burpees

1. Use a KB which will be challenging, but will allow you to complete all 10 KBS (Russian style) unbroken.

2. Alternate between the two exercises in each AMRAP for the full 5 minutes. Your score is the number of rounds (and reps) completed in each 5 minute AMRAP. Aim to find a pace that will enable you to continue moving throughout the 5 mins – ie a sustainable paced effort.

3. Although we are looking to maximise reps, in the usual way, reps must be technically sound. Good reps yield good results, poor reps yield poor results (and/or injury).

4. Scaling – all sorts of ideas and options – (a) increase the number of reps; (b) use a heavier weight; (c) increase the time of AMRAP; (d) decrease rest periods between AMRAPs; (e) combine AMRAPS – 10x KBS, 5x C&P (ea), 10x KB Goblet Squats, etc.

5. Train hard, train smart, train safe and enjoy!

The past week or so I’ve been trying to move fast (ie greater focus on conditioning) while managing just how furious I get (at what I’ve seen going on in the non-CF gym (just so nobody thinks I’m bitching about my home box, CrossFit Central London)).

In terms of conditioning work, I’ve been rowing, running, some skipping as well as high volume KB swings. Although I’ve definitely found this focus very different to my usual training, and there have been a few ‘maybe I should just give it a miss’ type thoughts/sessions, I have been enjoying the change in focus. Working to beat a previous best time feels SO different to beating a previous lifting PB. A heavy barbell isn’t going anywhere, but time waits for no one!

In terms of things I’ve been seeing in the gym that make me furious (to put it politely):

1) People sweating all over equipment and not bothering to wipe it off. Gross, just gross. Great that you’re working hard and sweating, but rest assured, nobody else wants your ‘hard work’ on them. I’m a big believer in the gym being ‘judgement free’ but if you’re going to leave your sweat all over everything, I’m judging – you’re a dirty, nasty, inconsiderate, self-absorbed loser. Simples.

2) People who can’t put equipment back. You found the bar and rack nice and empty, so leave it that way when you’re done. The dumbells you found in the rack? Just put them back where you found them. At the muscle head gym I trained at years ago, if you left anything out, they’d find the biggest member of staff on duty (and trust me, there were lots of options!) who would tap the offender on the shoulder saying ‘do I look like your mother’? The offender would look puzzled, whereupon the member of staff would say ”cause I’m not and I’m sure as shit not here to clean up after you. If YOU can’t be bothered to put the equipment back, don’t bother coming back’. Fair to say most people got the message quickly. Bottom line, if you can pick it up, you can put it back.

3) Trainers acting unprofessionally. Unfortunately it is not just gym users that haven’t been wiping or replacing equipment. Try setting an example for your clients, showing them not only how to train, but how to respect the facility and other users. Slagging off one client to another client. Absolutely blew my mind. If you don’t think the client your talking to will wonder/think you also talk about them, you’re pretty dim. If a client asks you a question about some of their training, it’s your job to answer it. I fully appreciate you may not immediately know the answer (ie you’ll have to go do some reading, pretty positive nobody knows everything), but telling them to ‘just do the work I tell you to do’ isn’t an acceptable answer. Not being able to discuss the clients past training/weights used because you have no records. All of the above are, in my opinion, qualities of a trainer who ‘doesn’t give a shit’ about his client, the facility, their professional reputation or the industry. Unfortunately I’ve seen a few too many of these ‘DGAS Trainers’ lately. If you want to be treated like a professional, act like one.

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KWOW 3

3-5 Rounds for time of:

10/15/20/25/30 KBS

1/2/3/4/5 KB C&P (each arm (“ea”))

1. Start with 10 (Russian) kettlebell swings (KBS) followed by 1 Kettlebell clean and press (KB C&P (“ea”)).

2. Next, 15 KBS and 2 KB C&P(ea) 20 KBS and 3 KB C&P(ea); 25 KBS and 4 KB C&P (ea); 30 KBS and 5 KB C&P(ea). 10 to 30KBS and 1-5 KB C&P is 1 round.

3. Use one KB. Yes, this may mean you’re swinging a much lighter bell than you would ordinarily. Equally, the KBS’ are high volume, you’ll probably find a lighter than usual KB more manageable (at least initially). In terms of KB weight, use something challenging, but not so heavy that it’s impossible to do the KBS reps unbroken (not all swings, but the sets of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30). If there’s a big discrepancy between your upper and lower body strength, go ahead and use 2 KBS if you have the option AND (most importantly!) work on improving upper body strength!

4. Scaling – (a) decide on the number of rounds (within this you can decide if it’s going to be ‘short and sharp’ (fewer rounds) or endurance based work capacity (more rounds); (b) reps – feel free to scale down from as written (ie 100 KBS per round) to 5/10/15/20 (50 reps).

5. Rest – when and where needed. I’ve been taking a timed (long 1-2 minute) rest after each round (after the set of 30 and 5s).

6. Credit where credit is due – this WOD is based on the 10,000 swing protocol devised by Dan John.