Solcana blog

Since getting certified as a Level 1 Trainer in July, I’ve been telling you all about the co-coaching experience and what that’s been like. I’ve also been working one on one with a very cool client – my pal, Art. We’ve been meeting Wednesday mornings at 5:30 am  – he’s got a little one and this was the only time we could find that worked for both of us. I’m not sure how he feels, but I’ve come to look forward to our hour together each week.

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Sound familiar? Functional Fitness!

The purpose of our time together is helpful to us both – Art is introduced to the world of CrossFit in a comfortable 1:1 setting and I get to hone my skills and get more comfortable teaching new concepts and identifying proper form. It’s a win-win, really. I bring this all up because as I work with Art, I’ve been using ‘functional fitness’ to help him understand how everything is related. For example, squats are the same movement you use to get yourself out of a chair. And deadlifts? Your bending down and picking something up. As I was  moving last week, I also kept thinking about how CrossFit really IS functional movement. I mean, it’s great to be gym fit, to be able to perform pull-ups, infinite sit-ups, and deadlift 320 pounds. But what can you do with this strength and fitness? Are you able to pick up a couch? Most everything we do at the gym is at certain angles and in the most ideal situation and it can be easy to become comfortable where it is predictable and safe.

I’m here to tell you that you can certainly pick up a couch.

You can also throw a chair over your shoulder.

And those awkward boxes? Funtional fitness gives you the skill to clean them off the ground, and get them into the moving truck. I’ve never lifted so many heavy things and felt so confident in my ability to do so! Don’t get me wrong, I basically had about 8 hours of workout last week Thursday while I was doing the move, which is why I went a little light at the gym last week. I needed to give my body time to rest afterwards because IT WAS SORE. I’ll tell you something though, I’ve really come to love that soreness because it means I’m pushing myself and making progress in my fitness.

This week marks the start of a new training cycle at the gym, focused on the CrossFit Total The CrossFit Total (CFT) – a combination of your best back squat, shoulder press and deadlift. This week, we will test this, follwed by 8 weeksof training, and then an opportunity to test it again. During the CFT, you have 3 attempts at each to lift the maximum weight possible, and your heaviest successful lift from each of the 3 will be added together for your total. You can warm up however you like, but once you declare your first back squat attempt you are committed to progressing through all 3 lifts; you don’t get anymore warm up lifts. You will make your 3 back squat attempts then move straight into the press, then the deadlift. It’s a beast. SInce I’m on a flight to Miami as we speak, I’ll be doing this Saturday at 11am while all of my gym homies are completing it today. I’ve seen the numbers so far: my homies are STRONG.

I can’t wait to see what we’ll do after 8 weeks of training.

 

 

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