** New ROD cycle starts next Monday 6th October **

  Hello! Get ready for a LONG POST! LOL!! (Read through ALL of it if you're interested). Throughout most, if not all of September we have only been posting ROD programming on the smaller whiteboard at the Box. After a long build up to the All-Stars comp we just wanted to post things that were only needed to maintain function and strength, and also was taking into account how you all were faring through the weekly WoDs too. Well now it is time to set ourselves new targets, new goals, and new dreams!! (CrossFit Open 2015 anyone?!?!). Starting next MONDAY 6th OCTOBER, we will begin a new cycle of the ROD to help you along your journey. The new 'cycle' will as always follow a sustained plan of strength development. This time though the strength portion will go in 4-week waves (some details below & more details on that to be released later this week. Knowing your 1RM's is a must!). Along with the strength moves there will be Gymnastic elements, Midline orientated tasks, Mobility tasks and the odd short Sprint/Interval effort thrown in the mix. Some days may have two parts to it, other days just the one. Our primary focus here with the ROD is to provide a platform for you to get 'extra credit' in. It will enable you to get stronger in a safe, progressive and sensible fashion. Also a new addition will be a ROD post  for Saturdays which will essentially be a "Catch Up" day to get up to speed with anything missed Barbell wise from the week). Remember though that this is an additional program that is only to be treated as a supplementary piece to compliment our regular main programming. IT IS NOT TO BE DONE IN PLACE OF OUR MAIN PROGRAMMING. Henceforth, if you are struggling to cope with this extra work then cut it back to only 1-3 ROD sessions per week and/or only do 'part A' rather than trying to fit it all in. The CBD main programming is our number one priority! The strength moves we will work mostly will be on the major lifts that accent ALL other moves. They are The Back Squat; The Strict Press; & The Dead Lift. It will be incorporated into rolling 4-week mini cycles that include an mandatory Deload week on the 4th week before resetting the numbers again. This will help build strength with a more long term vision of getting stronger every month. It is NOT just a quick fix fast track squat program that would more likely make you start to break down and have you overtrained and losing fitness and performance. There'll be more details on the strength side of things later this week or at the weekend. The Gymnastics stuff will be programmed with virtuosity in mind. Whatever we put up will be designed to help you build strength in that movement. There will be options for ALL levels of ability and always in the back of our minds will be about where the progressions are taking us. Don't assume that because you have 'RX' pull ups that you are too good for an 'EMOM' of strict pull ups. Show us virtuous movement in ALL required reps & sets and we will adjust accordingly to challenge your model. The midline comes with a warning. It can be quite potent to work on improving this area, and as such please stick to the reps that have been prescribed. Don't do more reps because you can't 'feel' it working or burning right there & then. Trust in the reps and it WILL get stronger. The sprint/interval work will mostly be short based stuff, BUT every now & then a longer, more aerobic based task may pop up. This will be there to act as either a Time Trial, or a recovery piece, or maybe just a longer type task to help build an engine!! This can be a very useful trick in your toolbox so don't always overlook these. (With that being said, please still listen to your body. If it needs rest then maybe only do one pieces, or even no pieces. Rest instead!).   Anyhow thats enough babbling! This current week we will program tasks with the next phase in mind. The "10 mins to find" portions can be used to help determine numbers to move forward with if you don't have any recent 1RM's to use. Lets see what we have written down for Monday & Tuesday this week!  K.    

Friday 3rd October

A): Barbell. Barbell Bent Over Row, 5x5 across.   Notes: 'Across' mesons that the weight is to be the same through all 5 sets. This does NOT mean you add kgs to every set. Warm up, pick your load and stick on it. Make it a challenge from the get go and see how you feel at the end. Keep the back tight & straight. Retract hard elbows close and get the bar to make contact with the upper ab/lower chest area. Not the belly button and don't jerk the head to meet the bar. This is a sign its too heavy. Scaling options: Bring the load down to a manageable one. If unable to use a bar do single arm rows on Dumbbells instead. 5 reps each arm to complete a set. Get a box/bench out and lean on that with your free hand. Legs slightly unlocked, back still as tight & straight as can be.     B): Mobility. 20 - 30 Minutes spent looking after yourself. Pick two upper body & two lower body pieces to focus on. Notes: Often overlooked as faffy. Mobility is KEY to you getting better as a CrossFit athlete, hell scrap that! It is KEY to you as a HUMAN BEING!!!!! Don't treat your body this way. You come here and put it through the ringer in order to try and get fitter, then sit down at work / home for hours on end. What do you expect to happen when you're struggling to PR a movement that you "should" be able to get?!?! Pick TWO lower body mob's. Spend good quality minutes on them (This means at least 2 mins per area, per side until you see change in your movement). Once you've done the lower, then pick TWO upper body pieces and do the same as before. Treat your body with respect, otherwise don't expect to get anything out of it in return.