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

  Hello! Well it's been a little while since our last ROD post so get ready for a LONG POST! LOL!! (seriously though, 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.    

Wednesday 1st October

A): Gymnastics. 7 Min ‘EMOM’ of Strict HSPU. Aim for 3 reps each minute.   Notes: Where possible always work to your fullest potential. We are talking scaling options here. If you are on the wall bur have two abmats or one abmat with a plate under, now is a good time to try something new. Work to achieve more range of motion. If you have not tried the harness out yet why not see if that works with you? Come grab a coach and they will help show you how to use it properly and that way you can work full range of motion in your shoulders. Aim for 3 reps but if you’re unable then come down to 2’s or 1’s. Its still strength building! Form wise, point your toes to the sky, squeeze everything! butt, quads, belly, toes even! Push hard into the ground with active shoulders and keep a hollow body. Scaling options: if not able to do any of the above is a handstand hold ‘EMOM’, going for a 15-20 second active hold on the minute with the rest of the minute as rest. If unable to kick up then scale is practice the art of kicking up, go for 4-5 attempts on the minute.     B): Midline. The GHD Sit Up & The GHD Hip Extension, 40 reps of each. Any combo/rep sequence suits you best. Notes: The GHD is a potent weapon in building strong midlines, and strong midlines is a primary reason why strong folk are so at ease lifting heavy weights around (aside from their actual strength too). The GHD though can also be a dangerous weapon if not used correctly! If you have never used it before then you are required to have a coach teach you and watch over your sets/reps to ensure you are safe and also if you require a scale option whilst you build strength/volume on it. We’ve prescribed 40 reps of each, these can be done anyhow you want. Do all the sit ups then all the Hip Ext’s, mix & match, superset, etc. Just be sure to have it evened out by the end. Also 40 reps is the limit! No more!! In fact below will be listed the scaling options which will have lower reps as well as alternatives. Scaling options: Lower the reps to 30 of each or 20 of each. OR… get a wall ball, place it on the floor behind the machine and use touch that with your hands when you extend out. OR… only come out to parallel, don’t go too far beyond your ROM. OR…. Static holds on the machine - aim for 3 sets of 20-30 second holds, that 3 sets facing BOTH ways!. OR… if not ready for GHD then do 50 overhead sit ups and 50 empty barbell good mornings. Last Note: If you are wondering on how to use the GHD & don’t know (we are deliberately not writing up instructions here) then you HAVE to ask a coach beforehand and get taught.