Active Recovery Row

Today's Reading: Bodybuilding Movements: Useful or Not?

Active Recovery Rowing Workout (Taking place of the Track, since weather hasn't currently permitted our track workouts. Hoping to get back to them next week)

Thank you goes out to the NC Lab for this one:

1000m mod
200m easy
300m sprint
100m easy

90 sec rest

800m mod
200m easy
300m sprint
100m easy

90 sec rest

600m mod
200m easy
300m sprint
100m easy

90 sec rest

400m mod
200m easy
300m sprint
100m easy

90 sec rest

200m mod
200m easy
300m sprint
100m easy

Total: 6000m

Easy pace: 2000m PR pace + 15-30sec
Mod pace: 2000m PR pace + 5-15sec
Sprint pace: 2000m PR pace or better

Spend some quality time on mobility exercises afterwards. Your body will be plenty warm after this one.

See You in The Fast Lane

Workout credit from the NC Lab. Click Here.

CrossFit athletes typically have solid run performances up to 2 minutes. However, inefficiencies within their aerobic energy system begin restricting their performance as they extend their endurance curve.

Their primary limiting factor is the ability to move and utilize oxygen. Although speed is still critical to success, nothing is more important than the ability to absorb oxygen. Our goal is to maximize your oxygen absorption by creating a more robust and efficient aerobic system.

The Formula: CrossFit athletes must create physiological balance in their programming in order to maximize overall athletic performance.

· CrossFit remains the source for high intensity.
· Aerobic capacity training provides the balance.

The success of aerobic capacity training is dependent on your workout intensity. All endurance workouts have prescribed pace ranges for every interval. These personalized pace ranges are based on the workout distance, the interval distance and your individual PR times. This is how intensity is controlled, internal pace setting learned, and performance gains are measured.

Workout:

(This workout will test your aerobic capacity.)

5 x 1000m 

-Rest between efforts 1:1 (work:rest) with max rest of 5 min.

-Perform these intervals at a fast, but repeatable anaerobic threshold pace. 

Examples:

6:00 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:21 (52/200m)

6:30 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:40 (56/200m)

7:00 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:55 (59/200m)

-Rest 5 min-

3 x 400m 

-Rest 1:3 (work:rest)

(The fast finish becomes the focus of this workout. The pace for the 400s is intended to be fast. We will treat these 400s like a fast race finish. As example, a 60 second 400m runner would target 74-76 per 400m. Our goal is to prepare for CrossFit events with a sprint to the finish.)

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

Another great track workout from NC Lab (Click Link)

Follow all of the NC Lab Crew on Instagram and Twitter!

Jason: @jasonkhalipa
Pat: @patbarbercf
Garret: @garret0329
Molly: @cfmollyv
Coach Chris: @hinshaw363 (Track Coach)
Alex: @arollcf
Miranda: @crossfitmiranda
NorCal CrossFit: @norcalcrossfit

We are privileged that they put these out weekly and have seen great improvement in all aspects of our training by being consistent each week. You don't always need to go into the gym to get a great workout.

Enjoy..

Track Workout

1 x 1000m warm-up

Chad: (6:00 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:21 (52/200m)

Mike: (7:00 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:55 (59/200m)

3 min rest

8 x 500m (200m/300m) w/ 100m walking rest between rounds

3 min rest

1 x 1000m warm down

Chad: (6:00 mile PR = 1000mpace target of 4:21 (52/200m)

Mike: (7:00 mile PR = 1000mpace target of 4:55 (59/200m)

Workout Pacing

(The 1000s should be paced ~60 seconds slower than your mile PR time.)

Examples:

5:00 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 3:44 (45/200m)
5:30 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:02 (49/200m)
6:00 mile PR = 1000mpace target of 4:21 (52/200m)
6:30 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 4:40 (56/200m
7:00 mile PR = 1000mpace target of 4:55 (59/200m)
7:30 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 5:17 (63/200m)
8:00 mile PR = 1000mpace target of 5:36 (67/200m)
8:30 mile PR = 1000m pace target of 5:54 (71/200m)

The core of this workout is the 8 x 500 meter repeats. The 500s will be broken up into a 200 at a moderate pace and then straight into a hard 300. The opening 200m pace will be the same as your 1000m pace. As example, a 6min mile PR would have a pace target of 52 sec for the 200 meters. Your 300m pace target equals your 400m PR time. As example, a 60sec 400m PR would have a pace target of 60sec for each 300 meter interval.

Workout Priority

The 100m of walking rests in the 500s are very short. Don’t waste your rest during those early rounds. Recovery is going to become critical. Your top priority is getting your heart rate down as soon as you finish each interval. Next focus on getting your body recovered. Finally, with 10 meters remaining, get your mind ready for that next 500. It is very important to develop routines when performing intervals. Perform your routines often enough – they became reactionary.

Stay on TRACK.

Another Track workout taken from the NC Lab team. Check them out HERE.

"Here’s what Coach Chris wants you to do today…

Two weeks prior to the 2013 CrossFit, Jason, Garret, and Miranda ran 10 x 800 meters with a work to rest ratio of 1:1. They had been developing their endurance for 6 months and needed a solid performance test. This workout was created by Runners World and is know in the marathon running community as Yasso 800s.
See Runners World article:

http://www.runnersworld.com/race-training/yasso-800s

This is a commonly used workout performed by marathoners in order to predict their finishing time. The theory behind Yasso 800s is that your average time in minutes and seconds for a workout of 10 x 800m with equal recovery time is the same as the hours and minutes of your marathon time. For example, if you can run 10 x 800m averaging 3 minutes and 40 seconds with the same 3 minutes and 40 seconds recovery duration, then this predicts that you can run 3 hours and 40 minutes for your marathon. Average 3:05 for the 800s and you could run 3:05 for the marathon.

Workout: 10 x 800m with a 1:1 work:rest ratio.

Jason Khalipa averaged 2:57.9
Garret Fisher averaged 2:54.5
Miranda Oldroyd averaged 3:32.9
Chad Doncsecz averaged 3:05.5
Michael Kasprenski averaged 3:31.6

"Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn-out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself." - John Bingham

Time to run ladies and gentlemen...

This workout was taken directly from the fine folks from the NC Lab:

Time to run ladies and gentlemen…
Here are the words from Coach Chris:

Performance = Interval Duration + Recovery Duration

Elite runners typically target intervals for one specific race distance.  In contrast, CrossFit athletes must be proficient in a multitude of distances.  This is why the interval distances, intensity levels, and recovery durations in our workouts must be constantly varied.

Controlled interval pacing will remain at the core of our training.   Pace setting is our top priority.   Although I am intentionally targeting a specific metabolic pathway in all of our workouts, I am also equally focused on developing your exertion intelligence.

What about exertion intelligence during recovery?

Elite runners place little value on recovery during competitions.  CrossFit athletes don’t have this luxury.  We must consider recovery as a key measure of performance.  How many Games athletes dropped places due to mismanaged recovery?  Recovery intelligence must be included in your training program.  CrossFit athletes must learn to maximize their recovery.

I programmed a variation of the below workout during a recent conversation with Josh Bridges.   We mutually recognize the importance of pace selection based on the recovery expectation.  Pacing balance and knowledge will come from experience.

NC Lab. Week 6.

600m w/ 300m jog recovery 
400m w/ 200m jog recovery
800m w/ 400m jog recovery
200m w/ 100m jog recovery

1 min additional rest

600m w/ 150m walking recovery
400m w/ 100m walking recovery
800m w/ 200m walking recovery
200m w/ 50m walking recovery

1 min additional rest

600m w/ 1:1 (work to rest) passive rest 
400m w/ 1:1 (work to rest) passive rest
800m w/ 1:1 (work to rest) passive rest
200m w/ 1:1 (work to rest) passive rest

Workout Description:  This workout is programmed to address 3 different types of recovery.  The key to a successful workout is the selection of a proper interval pace for the opening round.  The interval pacing and recovery durations should be consistent from round to round. The ratio of work to rest will be 1:1 for the jog recovery, walk recovery, and passive rest.

Workout Example:  I would recommend a 5:30 miler to target a 1:28-1:30/400m pace for this 7500m workout.  The rest would equal the same 600m @2:15, 400m @1:30, 800m @3:00, 200m @0:45 duration.  That said, your 1st round 600m interval would be completed in 2:15 and the jog recovery would be completed in 2:15.  Your 2^nd round 600m interval would be completed in 2:15 and your walk recovery would be completed in 2:15.  And yes…. your 3rd round would follow the same pattern.

Off to the Lehigh University Track we go..

Lately we have been following the track workouts put out by the great coaches of NorCal Crossfit from the NC Lab.

This excerpt was taken directly from their website. For more information please visit them at www.nccflab.com

The primary focus of our track workouts is the development of an efficient aerobic energy system.  Endurance training involves manipulation of intensity, duration, and recovery.  The majority of our intervals are at sub-threshold intensities.   These controlled intensities create programming balance while targeting improved performances at longer durations.   As a byproduct, we are producing smaller volumes of lactate at higher intensities and, more importantly, we are removing higher volumes of accumulated lactate and other metabolites from the bloodstream.  This ultimately translates into our CrossFit performances.

PB Gastin. Energy system interaction and relative contribution during maximal exercise.

Sports Medicine. 2001.

  

Track Workout: (6000 meters total)

3 rounds of: 1000m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m

1000m (sub-threshold) *comfortable pace you can stay at the entire 1000m*

15 seconds rest

400m easy jog 

300m Sprint  (80-85%)

Rest 60 Seconds

200m Sprint  (85-90%)

Rest 60 Seconds

100m (90-95%)

Rest 60 Seconds