You might have read that often distance runners will run their fastest 400m at the end of a max effort 5k, or their fastest mile at the end of a marathon. Some of this comes down to your pacing strategy. However this can also be achieved by training your different metabolic path ways during your sessions at ChalkBox. Read up here what we have been focusing on start of this year

You got this!

We have been focusing on unlocking the True Power of Our Aerobic System. Recall those long WODs, those high intensity rounds with IWT, AMRAPs, 5 sets of 10 lifting a heavy load? We have been working all the different metabolic pathways with a focus to clear every time the by products and restock your anaerobic system.

Specificity of Stressors

AEROBIC CAPACITY:

It seems intuitive to assume that being pre-fatigued from a workout like 18.2 would preclude any possibility of a max lift or near max lift..or not?

18.2 is a two part workout with 12 min cap. For most of us the DB Squats and Burpees will take the best part of 12minutes. It is a lot of reps particularly fatiguing to the legs, shoulders and midline. The primary energy sources for the workout are likely to be local glycogen stores, particularly in the abdominals, hip flexors, shoulders, hamstrings, quads and lats.

Obviously, these muscle groups are active and important in a maximal clean and reduction in local glycogen stores does have the potential to impact a 1RM effort. However, it is important to consider not only the musculature in use, but the energy source: A 1RM clean is powered primarily by ATP, not glycogen. While ATP stores will have been impacted early in workout with good aerobic development you will have had sufficient time during the workout, and in the 30-60seconds of relaxed movement during the shift from DB Squats and burpees to your first attempt of a clean to recover ATP stores to a level where high force and power production are possible.

CrossFitters are primarily aerobic athletes, yes are an athlete, so it isn’t unreasonable to assume that the difference in a CrossFit athlete’s ability to pull this off comes down to aerobic capacity and not to absolute strength only.

ABSOLUTE STRENGTH:

‘Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat’ - Greg Glassman (Founder of CrossFit)

This well known quote is drilled through out the sport of CrossFit and there's an underlying assumption that bodyweight determines your level of fitness. Have you noticed that in sport of CrossFit there are no weight categories but only age categories?

Let's have closer look at the relationship between your body weight and absolute strength output:

In the sport of Olympic weightlifting, strength is king, this equates to muscle mass. Everyone knows the saying ‘mass moves mass’, generally bigger people can lift more weight. The only two constants in weightlifting are the weight on the bar and gravity itself. Everything else is a variable. This is where the Sinclair total is used to qualify your absolute strength. The formula is based upon the question ‘how much more weight could an athlete lift if he/she weighed more?’

Sinclair Total = Actual Total x Sinclair Coefficient

This just proves that body weight has an affect on the weight lifted. Two lifters both with a 60kg clean, which is impressive, but if one athlete’s body weight is 60kg and the other is 100kg, then obviously the lighter athlete is stronger.

This link is a good guide to track your own progress and have a look at the table below.....don't get freaked out we will get you there!

As has been highlighted on numerous occasions from the coaches, you are only comparing against yourself so keep in mind the above.....