With yesterday being the official start of summer we are officially into vacation season. Whether you have a trip planned to the mountains, the beach, or just out of the city limits to spend a few days in a cabin, you’re going to disrupt your gym schedule in some way. After recently getting back from a week long honeymoon myself, I thought it important to talk about what you can do to not sabotage those gains that you have worked so hard for!

First off let me say that if you have been consistently working hard in the gym, a down week or “deload week” might be just what you need. A planned rest week can have several benefits. For one, testosterone will peak as it will lower during times of intense training. Your central nervous system will also have a chance to recover. A break can actually let your system get back to 100% and have you feeling better than before.

So what can you be doing on vacation to help keep your body in check? Well I’ve got a few tips:

1. Stay hydrated. Try to stay on the whole 6 glasses of water a day rule. If you are out in the sun or consuming more than your regular share of alcohol, increase your water intake and have some way of replenishing electrolytes such as coconut water or pedialyte. Also, if you are on a longer flight, make sure to try and consume water the whole time. It will lessen the degree of jet lag you might normally experience.
2. Sleep. Even if you’re staying out later than normal, take advantage of not having to go into work the next day and sleep in. You should try and get between 8-10 hours a night. Naps are perfect for vacations, too!
3. Stay active. If you venture to a place like Colorado, it’s not too hard to find a great hiking trail but that might not be so easy on the beaches of Mexico. Take advantage of your hotel gym or go for a short jog and explore the town. Try to at least sweat a little everyday. Some resorts have classes you can join into like yoga, pilates, or spin. It only takes about 30 minutes in the morning. Need a hotel gym workout? Just ask one of the coaches for assistance.
4. Stay limber. Many vacations involve a long flight and/or drive to get to your destination. Sitting for prolonged periods of time can tighten up those hips and shoulders. Make sure you do your best to reverse any damage by mobilizing or going through the warm-up routines and complexes that we normally do in class. If you can’t make it to the gym one day try and at least stretch and move around.
5. Check out the local box. There are CrossFit gyms everywhere now. Google the one closest to where you’re staying and shoot them an email stating the day and class that you would like to attend. Just make sure to let them know before you come! Some might charge a small drop-in fee or make you buy a shirt. It is always fun to see how other gyms operate. It’s helpful to keep in mind that you are off your regular diet and sleep schedule though and going 100% might not be the best idea.

Now I’m not saying you should be a saint on your vacation. By all means, have fun and don’t worry about your missed gym time. Eat good food and drink good drank. Enjoy yourself.

 

Ryan Savard – MS, CF-L1

 

Monday 6/15

A) Every 90 seconds, for 9 minutes (6 sets):

Back Squat x 3 reps @ 75-85% of 1-RM

B) EMOM x 10 min

E: 5 heavy thrusters (135/95, 115/75, 95/55)

O: 4-8 CTB pull-ups

+

6 min AMRAP:

– 5 burpees

– 30 DUs (60 singles)

 

Tuesday 6/16

A) Power clean 1.1.1.1 x4; R15S/3m

(compare to 6/10 – go heavier)

+

500m row @ goal 2K pace (or 90%)

– R3M x 4 sets

+

Extra Credit

Three sets of:

– BB good mornings x 6-8 reps @ 2011

– Rest 30 seconds

– Seated Leg Curls with Band x 12-15 reps @ 2011

Rest as needed

 

Wednesday 6/17

A) Every 90 seconds, for 15 minutes (10 sets):

– 2 x split jerk

(Pause for 2 full seconds in the receiving position before recovering)

Loads per set (by %): 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 85, 85

+

Every 5 minutes, for 20 minutes (4 sets) of:

– Run 400 Meters

– 10 Alternating DB snatch (50-70/25-45)

– 10 Ring dips

– 10 Box jump – SD 24/20”

 

*If you can’t keep up with the time limit perform as AMRAP.

 

Thursday 6/18

A) 6 sets:

1 front squat @ 24X1 + 2 front squats; R2M

*Try and keep the same weight or go heavier than last week.

B) EMOM x 6 min

– 5 TnG power snatches (moderately heavy)

+

8 min AMRAP @ 80-90%:

– 12 Russian Kettlebell Swings 70/53

– 12 Alternating Reverse Lunges with Kettlebell Goblet Hold 70/53

 

Friday 6/19

A1) Bench press 5@ 65%, 5 @ 75%, 3 @ 85%, 1+ @ 95%; R20S

A2) Weighted/negative pull-up x 2-3 reps; R2M x 4 sets total

B) EMOM x 10 min

E: 4-8 T2B

O: Row 12/9 cal

C) 3 rounds not for time:

– 16 alternating BB front rack reverse lunges (heavy – build per set if able)

– 1 lap waiter walk; R60-90S

 

Extra Credit

Strength

A) Overhead Squat

– 5 sets of 3 reps @ 20X1; R2-3M – build as heavy as possible

B) Every two minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets):

– High Hang Snatch + Snatch with No Foot Movement @ 65-75% of 1-RM Snatch

*For the Snatch with No Foot Movement, set your feet in your receiving position, and try not to let the ball of your foot leave the ground throughout the snatch. You will need to be aggressive in your turnover and quick in your descent.

 

Conditioning

Four sets of:

– run 800 Meters @ 90% effort

– walk/rest 3 min (same pace each set)

 

Skill

– Work on double unders. If you have them, spend 5 minutes trying to get to your next milestone (ex 50 UB or 100 UB).

Mark your calendars! We have a lot of stuff coming your way.

Saturday 6/13 – Rowing Seminar w/ Daniel Tesfay from 10-11am
– Daniel was a collegiate rower at the University of Texas – Austin.

Saturday 6/27 – Gymnastics Seminar w/ Chris Lofland
– Chris is a CrossFit Gymnastics certification staff member.

• Beginner 9-10am
• Advanced 10-11am

Saturday 7/11 – Mobility Seminar w/ Airrosti from 10-11am
– Airrosti is the official rehab center of The CrossFit Games.

Thursday 7/23 – No Shower Happy Hour @ On Rotation

Saturday 7/25 – Olympic Weightlifting w/ Jason Riggins from 9-11am
– Jason has qualified for the American Open as an 85kg lifter.

Saturday 8/8 – No Ordinary Race II: A CrossFit Infused Fun-Run

Saturday 8/29 – 300 Challenge/EDCF 4th Anniversary Party

(click the links to register in Front Desk)

 

 

This month’s athlete was a unanimous decision by our coaching staff. Reed came in day 1 with a smile on his face and a willingness to learn and face adversity. He is consistent, coachable, and never complains… Everything a coach can ask for. Keep up the great work Reed! We appreciate you, man.

1. When did you join EDCF?  How did you find the gym?  What was your first impression or how did that first workout go?

My fiancé Caitlin and I joined in early February. We had never tried or even thought about doing crossfit, but because the gym is so close to where we live we decided to drink the crossfit kool aide and give it a shot. We landed at EDCF because of the reviews online and all the positive things people had to say. The awesome website was an added bonus.

2. What class time do you attend the most, are there any regular members you work out with at that time?

Well, it depends if the fiancé is in town. She likes to go a 5:30 AM so I usually get up and go with her, but sometimes if she is out of town I go to the 6:30 PM class. As of late she has been out of town but I have still found myself attending the 5:30 AM class. I will chalk my internal alarm problems up to her. I usually work out with Jim, Jordan and Ben.

3. Tell us a little about yourself, What is your life like outside the gym? Where do you work, do you have kids/pets/husband/bf/partner? What is your favorite hobby outside the gym?

I am from Abilene, a small west Texas town. If you have ever worked out with me you probably know Caitlin and I both attended Texas Tech and are big Red Raider fans. We are both from small towns, so Dallas life has been an adjustment for us; but a good one nonetheless. I work at K.E. Andrews & Co. where I do tax consulting and preparation for several large oil and gas companies across the U.S, Our busiest area is Texas, obviously. Caitlin and I are getting married October 24th so we (Caitlin) is planning most of that. My opinions are included as well, but only the good ones, which are few and far between. Caitlin and I really enjoy hanging out with our friends and just exploring Dallas together.

4. What do you like about CrossFit or EDCF that keeps you coming back?

What keeps me coming back to EDCF is the people. Ryan, Ben, Drew, Trevor and Jon are so  inviting and helpful as coaches. They and the gym members are all so encouraging and have even waited on me to complete my workout just to tell me good job when I finished. I really do feel like everyone leaves their ego elsewhere when they show up at EDCF, and that’s awesome; there aren’t many places like that anymore. I’m a outgoing guy, and when I was new to the gym and people came up and introduced themselves to me after a long workout I was really impressed. So to put it simple, the people, coaches and community keep me coming back. I love it.

5. What is your favorite lift or exercise or type of workout? What is one of your short term and long term goals?

Ryan, you should know that my favorite type of workout is one with running involved – not. I would say that squats and deadlifts are my favorite workout. I think that’s because I’m pretty good at and don’t mind doing them. My short and long term goal is the same: to get back in shape after taking a hiatus during college. I would like to be healthy and physically fit for my age. If that includes weight loss that’s great, but just generally being healthy for the present and the future is my priority.

——————–

Monday 6/8

A) Back squat

Set 1 – 4 reps @ 65%

Set 2 – 3 reps @ 75%

Set 3 – 3 reps @ 80%

Set 4 – 3 reps @ 85%

Set 5 – 2 reps @ 90%

Set 6 – 1 rep @ 95%

Set 7 if possible  – 1 rep @ 100+%

R2M between sets

+

12 min AMRAP @ 80-90%:

– 8 T2B

– 10 wallballs

– 12 Russian KB swings 70/53

– 200 m run

 

Tuesday 6/9

4 rounds at 85%:

– Row 500/400m

– 10 shoulder to overhead (115/75, 95/55, 75/35)

– 10 box jump – SD

– 10 DB snatch alternating (50-75/20-45)

– 40 DUs

R4-6M; keep all same pace

 

Wednesday 6/10

A) Power clean TnG 2.2.2 x4; R15S/3m

(compare to 5/26 – go heavier)

+

EMOM x 15-18 minutes:

Minute 1 – 12/9 cal row

Minute 2 – 4-6 L-pull-ups/strict pull-ups/banded pull-ups

Minute 3 – 2-3 wall walks

 

Thursday 6/11

A) 6 sets:

1 front squat @ 24X1 + 1 front squat; R2M

+

21-15-9 reps for time:

– thruster 95/65

– row for cal

+

20 tough TGUPs, solid pace, switch hands each rep

 

Friday 6/12

A1) Bench press 3 @ 70%, 3 @ 80%, 3+ @ 90%; R20S

A2) Pendlay row 8-10 reps (moderate) @ 2111; R2M

B) EMOM x 14 min

E: Romanian Deadlifts @30X1 x 5 reps (tough – heavier than last week)

O: Weighted pull-up 2-3 reps

C) 3 rounds:

– 6-8 BB hip thrusts @20X1; R30S

– 1 lap waiter walk; R60-90S

 

Extra Credit

Strength (should be completed before class):

1. A) Snatch 1st pull to knee with 2 sec hold

5 sets of 3 reps at 110%; R2M

1. B) Every 90 seconds, for 12 minutes (8 sets):

High Hang Snatch x 2 reps @ 65-75% or your 1-RM Snatch

1. C) 4 sets:

– 45 sec max double KB front rack reverse lunges (53/35)

– 45 sec rest

– 45 sec max supinated strict pull-up (can use small band if necessary)

– 45 sec rest

 

Conditioning (to be completed after class or 3-4 hours before class):

Three sets of:

– Row 1500 Meters @ 80% of your 500m pace (something sustainable)

Rest 4-6 minutes

 

*Should be completed on 2 separate days

Four Seminars Designed To Help You Up Your Game

Starting this Saturday, June 13th, and continuing every other Saturday through June and July, we are hosting a variety of seminars that are free to all members! We are bringing in experts from the disciplines of rowing, gymnastics, mobility, and Olympic weightlifting to help you up your game in each.

Make sure to mark your calendars and reserve your spot via Front Desk for those of you who are interested in attending. We are capping each (except mobility) at 20 people.

Here is what we’ve got planned for you:

Saturday 6/13 – Rowing Seminar w/ Daniel Tesfay from 10-11am
– Daniel was a collegiate rower at the University of Texas – Austin.

Saturday 6/27 – Gymnastics Seminar w/ Chris Lofland
– Chris is a CrossFit Gymnastics certification staff member.

• Beginner 9-10am
• Advanced 10-11am

Saturday 7/11 – Mobility Seminar w/ Airrosti from 10-11am
– Airrosti is the official rehab center of The CrossFit Games.

Saturday 7/25 *9/12 – Olympic Weightlifting w/ Jason Riggins from 9-11am
– Jason has qualified for the American Open as an 85kg lifter.

*The Olympic Weightlifting has been rescheduled!

(click the links to register in Front Desk)

Starting this Saturday (6/6) at 10am.

So what exactly does “Level 2” mean? Simply put, the all new EDCF Level 2 class is designed for our athletes who have already developed a basic level of fitness and are seeking more. Whether you are interested in competing in local competitions or just pushing your body to new performance milestones, this class is for you. The main focuses of this class is to instill more practice and instruction around the Olympic lifts and higher level gymnastic movements while also putting athletes through workouts which are heavier, more technical, and more intense than those in our regular class.

The Level 2 class will begin meeting this Saturday at 10am. We will be holding a short meeting at the beginning of class and detailing what we expect out of you as an athlete and what you can expect from the new class. Every Saturday, the Level 2 class will begin promptly at 10am. It is up to the athlete to get to the gym early (9:45am at the latest) to warm-up as there will not be a coach led warm-up. If you can’t warm yourself up properly then you are most likely not ready for Level 2).

Am I ready for Level 2? This is what you might be asking yourself. We are looking for veteran athletes that have been doing CrossFit for more than 6 months. Athletes that can do most of the basic movements without scaling. That can perform kipping pull-ups without a band, strict pull-ups, squat their own body weight for multiple reps, and generally do at or near RX’d weights in our normal class. We want athletes that are looking to learn new gymnastic movements, focus more on the Olympic lifts, and wanting to feel what a competition environment is like.

Not sure if you are ready yet or on the fence? Have any questions about the program? Please email Coach Ryan HERE.

 

 

——————–

Monday 6/1

Tester warm-up in 15 min:

A1) Back squat – build to 90%+

A2) Rowing – 2-3 build-ups over 30 sec (increasing pace every 10 sec)

A3) Work through kipping motion and front rack mobility

+

Tester:

“Jackie”

– 1,000 m row

– 50 thrusters (45/35)

– 30 pull-ups

 

Tuesday 6/2

A) EMOM x 10

– Split Jerk x 1 rep

Build from 70-90% based on feel and mechanics.

+

4 sets:

4 min to…

– Run 400m

– 20 heavy Russian KB swings

– AMRAP HR push-ups

R2M

+

3 rounds not for time:

– 8-10 seated concentration curls/ side

– 15-20 band pull-aparts (engage scapulas before each rep)

 

Wednesday 6/3

A) Every 90 sec x 15 minutes (10 reps):

– 1 squat clean 80-95%

+

5 rounds for time:

– 5 power cleans (135/95, 95/65, 65/35)

– 7 front squats

– 30 DUs

 

Thursday 6/4

A1) Bench press 5 @ 65%, 5 @ 75%, 5+ @ 85%; R20S

A2) Weighted pull-ups cluster 2.2.2; R15S/2M

B) EMOM x 12 min

E: Romanian Deadlifts @30X1 (moderate – tough)

O: DB bent over row 8-10 (1 side only)

C) 3 rounds:

– 10 BB hip thrusts tough; R30S

– 1 min plank; R90S

 

Friday 6/5

A) Every 3 min for 15 min:

– 6-8 seated strict BB press @ 2111

(stretch hip flexors/calves in between)

+

For time:

Run 800m

then…

4 rounds:

– 4 man-makers (35/20ish)

– 8 T2B

– 12 box jump overs (24/20”)

then…

Run 800m