Another Great Weekend

On Saturday, this several CFO athletes (and 1 CrossFit FTF’er) attended a weightlifting seminar put on by Charles Shipman of Be Strong Athletics.  It was a great day full of a ton of information, there new ideas and theories, patient heavy lifting and most of all, fun.  Charles, Danny Lehr and Casey Hutnick put on a great seminar and we’ll look into bring them back in 6 months or so.
Charles was highly impressed with the lifts and the caliber of athlete at CFO.  Louis snatched a new CFO record of 245 (!!!), Chance hit 230 and Nick hit 225.  These are bigs lifts folks.  We saw PR’s all over the place – check out the board in the photo.
This was the fourth weightlifting seminar (at least) I’ve attended in recent years.  Every time I do one, I come away with at least 1 major learning point that I try to apply to my training and coaching.  Normally, these points are something that I have to practice and practice to master (if that’s even possible).  After the Outlaw Camp, it was the leverage position.  At Charles seminar, it was Position 1.  Position 1 is basically a high hang position in which the hamstrings are loaded, the knees are bent and the shoulders are back.  This is the final position we hit before exploding through the clean/snatch.  I have not been getting into this position.  Charles put it together for me – the leverage positions into Position 1.
This is complex stuff, at least for me.  In my opinion, to truly understand the lifts, you need to break down the minuscule nuances of your body.  Develop an understanding of how things “feel” and make and work to make neurological changes.  This takes time and practice.  You have to practice light, then practice heavy.  We started applying the leverage position over the past 6 months, and we will begin to drill Position 1 (as well a position 2 and 3) over the coming weeks and months.
Years ago, I attended a defensive driving school.  We got to drive fast, crash cars, hydroplane, drift and do more fun stuff.  But it all came down to 1 basic thing – learn how to use the brake.  Mastery of the brake – how it feels in every situation, how each and every toe effects the vehicle to shave speed without locking up your steering wheel was something that was drilled constantly.  The instructors emphasized that we were learning, but if we would continue to apply our braking knowledge, we would become great drivers.  That’s how I see mastering the positions. You learn, but you have to constantly drill the positions in nearly ever setting.  Practice the positions with a broom stick, an empty bar, light weight, heavy weight and more.  Practice with no weight.  Just practice.

 Hard Workin’ Animals – Thanks to Charles, Danny, Casey & Be Strong Athletics!

Workout of the Day
Strength/Skill
10 minutes to work the Clean and Jerk.  Build to 75% of 1RM.
5 minutes, 2 Clean and Jerks OTM
AMRAP 2 C&J
OTM work and AMRAP at 75% of 1RM
Metcon
For time
30 Cleans 135/95
Run TL Davis Loop