☰

Earn Your Cape – Just Keep Going

JT Scott | 02/20/2012 | 15

Lilly gets full extension on the rower at CF Fenway.

Tuesday’s WOD is all about sprinting: rowing and shuttle sprints are fast, high energy movements that will get your heart rate skyrocketing quickly and will pin it there for the duration. Pay attention to your plant foot on the turn and launch yourself right into the next leg of that sprint! The legs need to turn over very fast to get the most of your sprint – by contrast, when rowing for calories your biggest bang is going to come by launching yourself powerfully on each stroke, trying to jump off the back of the rower by driving through your heels. You can get to 10 calories in 10 strong pulls, so you won’t be spending much time on the rower. Your stroke rate may be lower than usual here, but you’ll need all your speed when it comes to the shuttle sprints.

In any AMRAP like this, particularly one using the rower – your speed in the transitions is going to make a big difference in how much you get out of it. Practice jumping in and out of the rower! Get used to “tabbing down” your straps, slamming the feet up and then out to jump off for your sprints… then hop right back on, slide the feet up and in, then down as you pull the straps tight once again. If it takes you more than 3 seconds to make that transition between exercises, you’re losing valuable time and metabolic conditioning effect.

And effects – results – are what we’re after here, right? Look, this is the only hour you are making today to get you closer to your goals of being faster, stronger, fitter, skinnier, whatever. DO IT HARD. Focus and give it your all. Each tortuous step in the sprint is taking you closer to the goal you’ve already envisioned – and honestly closer to possibilities you haven’t even imagined yet. The last 3 reps in your back squat may be the most painful, gawdawful time you’ll endure; they’re also the most effective for stimulating neuroendocrine responses in your body that will turn you into a superhero, so don’t bail out and drop the bar. Push through it.

Earn your cape. Dig a deep hole by working hard and fast, and then smile in the last 2 minutes of this AMRAP as you suffer horribly. When it sucks the worst, don’t despair – smile with satisfaction. The fact that you got there, in that hole, is due to your choice to face something hard today. The fact that you kept pushing while you were in there means that you’ll climb out of it as a stronger person.

I saw this video earlier today and damn near jumped up out of my seat with a “FUCK YES!” Give it a watch.

Tuesday, February 21

Strength: High Bar Back Squat 5-5-5

WOD: AMRAP 15
10 calorie row
100′ shuttle sprint

15 comments for “Earn Your Cape – Just Keep Going”

  1. JT says:
    February 20, 2012 at 7:20 pm

    Also, I want to thank Lynn for some kind words recently. I noticed that we started getting some website traffic from Yelp. Apparently, we have a Yelp page and it’s got a review from Lynn!

    We love you too, Lynn, and we’re so glad that this is making you stronger in all sorts of ways. The community and the results are both important, and you’re an awesome example and inspiration for others.

    If you’re curious to see Lynn’s creative writing – and offer your own thoughts about CFSV – here’s the link: http://www.yelp.com/biz/crossfit-somerville-somerville

    (BTW, 6:30am class- I see 10 of you signed up right now at 7:30pm. If I don’t see 10 of you in the morning, the 6:30 class will have to do 10 burpees for each person that cancels out after 9pm, and 20 burpees for each person who doesn’t cancel at all and just turns up a no-show. Please be kind and compassionate to your classmates and to all your fellow CFSVers.)

  2. Ben S says:
    February 21, 2012 at 9:16 am

    hbbs: 200#
    wod: 17+4 calories…pretty invigorating way to start the day/week!

  3. Cal says:
    February 21, 2012 at 11:26 am

    hbbs: 125#

    wod: 12+1.

    have a bit of an achy knee today, not sure why, but the quick turns on the sprints and stopping short at the end of the sprint really did not feel so great.

  4. amos says:
    February 21, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    HBBS: 185# It was hard to know what to do with the high reps/low sets thing. Much improved form though.

    WOD: 17+2 cal. Started to lose it at the end.

    Overall, first morning class went pretty well. You might see me there again some time.

  5. lynn says:
    February 21, 2012 at 2:28 pm

    125# HBBS. Maybe that last set wasn’t my most amazing form, but I put up a good fight and didn’t lose. First time squatting barefoot, and it was a game-changer. I didn’t realize I was pliéing so much with each squat — but the sockprints on the floor don’t lie! New things to work on… 🙂

    8 rounds even for the wod. Was feeling super embarrassed until I learned that the am classes did 15 min amwrap and we only did 10. Whew!

  6. damien says:
    February 21, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    HBBS: 235# PR

    WOD: 14+2 in 15 mins

    The 40 burpees to start the 6:30 class definitely helped wake me up.

  7. Kate says:
    February 21, 2012 at 8:30 pm

    HBBS – 135#, have not done x 5 in forever
    WOD: 8 + 9cals

    Nice job 7pm!

Comments are closed.