10/30/2008

Words from Crossfit's founding father:

"We've taken high intensity, constantly varied, functional workouts and distilled load, range of motion, exercise, power, work, line of action, flexibility, speed, and all pertinent metabolics to a single value - usually time. This is the sport of fitness. We're best at it."

- Coach Greg Glassman, CrossFit

The glamour shot my logbook sent me


I've spent so long collecting data to train you I feel like me head is ready to explode. I am looking forward to getting a group up and running more than I can express in words.
I may or may not be downloading lectures on anatomy, bio, exercise physiology, and current research and study from various institutes and listening to them in the car, while showering, and even when playing Halo 3 (now I can't play without a lesson on damnit).

Saturday Training

Website and Training News:
Bought the domain name thesavagesociety.com but so far I have had a lot of trouble moving this from the public name it resides on now to the Custom Domain. I have google apps now, it came with the domain name but I am totally unfamiliar with it and the tutorials all suck ass. If anyone knows anything about this system I could definitely use some help.

Costs of training are still under debate but things are kind of taking shape. I think the breakdown might be more online based from which the schedule for training groups or 1-1 sessions will form. Once we have something regular going I will move into how nutrition education and coaching will go but for now just ask if you have questions.
I would like to have two separate groups running with a membership fee based on a full rotation of training (little bit more than a month). What I will do is put an access link to get into a password protected forum where daily training will be prescribed and posted. People that are in the group submit times and scores and they will be ranked against the rest of the group (and once you reach the necessary level of competition perhaps the world). I hate the fact that I have to charge people money to tell them stuff they could easily read and learn on their own, but I guess if they wanted to do that they wouldn't want to pay me in the first place. Even so it's hard for me to charge the amount of money that the affiliates of Crossfit average, it seems like a lot.

Just an online programming outline and coaching isn't what membership will be, I will run a training schedule based on the groups needs during the week (price will reflect 3-5 sessions a week of roughly 1 hour, see end notes below for more on content). The first group will most likely a broader specrum of training modalities to bring everyone an ideal and full foundation of fitness. Yes, it will be hard and intense but it will not be something anyone will feel exluded by if they look at a list of the exercises and movements it will contain.

Running for example is something most people either don't like or feel they need some serious work on but aren't looking forward to it. We will use benchmark distances as our measure scoring. Throughout the program various distances of time trials will pop up (ex: Run max distance possible in 20:00 or 3 sets of 1000m with 2:00 rest between sets) The general group won't be going out and ripping up 15k's but a follow on group might once the base of fitness is there.

The developmental stage of training will be covered in class on Sat. and will be supported by a Powerpoint slideshow of the class for you to dl if you missed it. That will be the format for most of what you will be learning. I am not going to stuff you full of information you don't care about beyond the "why am I doing this?" and "what is my objective?" topics.

Already there are over 250 hits on the site which is pretty badass. Make sure to set up some kind of email notification (at the submit part of the commenting process). There are already a few conversations going which is great. Obviously for no charge the main posting and news section here will remain open to the public and contain all sorts of material from journal article links of interest to teaser workouts to get people curiosity up about the rest of the programming.

I am available whenever people want the class and training Saturday, the earlier the better. I really hope there is a good turn out, as soon as there is enough interest group 1 will be out the gate.

Post in the comments here or email me about Saturday if you are interested. Oh, and it doesn't cost anything to come to this.

End note:

I finished putting together all the methods of developing the different movements that people have found most challenging. There are short workouts that focus on skill development in every area and starting at any level. What I did was take the movements and blend them up in a way that they will be used as the warm-up for the training session. Basically everyone would meet and we would jump in with say: 1 legged squat and power clean development (don't throw any movement out until you try it, I am kicking myself for not having an open mind for my first six years of conditioning).

The basic movements that comprise each are broken down following the same methods that you will see in the program and should remain challenging enough that you will sweat but not feel like throwing in the towel at summation. In addition there are other things involved in the warm-up available to cover our needs if there is a gap created by the exercise or ability we are working on. (Overhead pressing or developing the Iron Cross on the rings might not be a total warm-up, so we will flesh it out with some other modalities.) I am very satisfied and confident that as a group we can develop any of these challenging abilities.

10/26/2008

Knocking at the door?

If you have read through the information posted and really desire to train with me then this is the first step. Below is a very simple workout that covers six different types of exercise, none of which will last more than about 3 minutes in duration. If you do not have access to a rowing machine then for that part of your fitness test your should go and TRY TO FIND ONE as it will become an invaluable tool in the programming here.
By no means is this a list of the only things you will be tested on. Over the course of 1 Block of training you will encounter easily 100+ standards of fitness collected over the workouts and benchmark test-outs, but we really need to start somewhere, right?

The Initial Fitness Test:
-Warm up (at least 10:00 of light activity at the end of which you should be sweating lightly)
-Run 400 meters for time
-Rest 1:00
-Max # of Pull-ups in 1:00
-Rest :30
-Max # of Squats in 1:00
-Rest :30
-Max # of Push-ups in 1:00
-Rest :30
-Max # of sit-ups in 1:00
-Rest :30
-Row 500 meters for time
-Cool down and take an easy effort stretch out
Email me your scores and I will get right back to you with some info to help you in starting out. The first step is always the hardest and I admire the courage involved in any undertaking like this.

Soon we will have a rankings and score section for members to post results and compete no matter their location. This will only foster and motivate, it is not meant to demean anyone and such will not be tolerated in this society. Don't be an asshole here or I will find you.

Starting level of fitness is inconsequential to me, this data is only to give you somewhere to start. If you can only do 1 pull-up then drop down off the bar after that repetition and use as much of your 1:00 to attempt another. If you can't do pull-ups yet then email me and I will give you alternatives for your initial fitness test. This goes for any and every exercise included here or in any of the workouts you see.

10/25/2008

New URL!

I just registered the domain name TheSavageSociety.com with Google for 10 dollars, it is going to take a little bit for the transition but things will be much cleaner and easier for everyone to use. As things change I will post notices.

10/24/2008

Simple Methods

  1. This program will use many types of metabolism in exercise (ways for the body to fuel its level of exertion).

  2. Over time you will recognize certain ratios of work to rest in training sessions and patterns to their frequency, this is how you will manipulate metabolism in a more efficient way. You will recover faster and make progress at an accelerated rate.

  3. The above will be exponentially affected by sound nutrition.

  4. The movements and exercises listed are all trying to work as much of the body as possible at a time, the way you would in any fight for your life.

  5. Training has been broken down into categories that I find the easiest to use in order to allow a specificity of training for those that also endeavor for success in a particular sport. Olympic lifting, Kettlebells, Dumbbells, Weighted Vests, Bear Crawls, Heavy Bags, Sandbags, Rocks... It is all here and you will learn how to use it.

  6. The program will run a gambit of variations, and this is in the design. Everything is for score against both yourself and the rest of the warriors here, it will be tons more fun and encouraging than you think right now.

  7. Initial fitness testing results will give you a very good grasp of where you are compared to these challenging workouts just by looking at both side by side. I will scale them for you as needed to still elicit the response desired while safely building your body and mind to a level where any of the training here is possible for you.

  8. Everyone has to start somewhere and a month from now I guarantee you will love the journey not just the summation of a training session. The same applies for abilities you might not have yet. I learned from scratch on a lot of this stuff as well.

The next post will contain a list of exercises for everyone to familiarize themselves with as well as a few workout samples and the initial fitness test.


Disclaimer


It is not my intent to infringe in any way on any of the sources from which I have borrowed and interpreted information. I have used myself as a filter for this wealth of knowledge and only tried to simplify and combine it in a way that we can use it to its fullest.If any of the sources that I drew information or programs from have issue with our use of the material then they may contact me and I will remove or adjust it accordingly. I would not use or interpret anything that was not made available free to the public.

Upcoming Post Topics

-Training Safety Issues
Why safety is important both in the mechanics of the exercise and the training intensity. Also under this category will be our methods of actively training for flexibility using some methods from Pavel and the U.S. Gymnastics team. Joint mobility exercises and regiments will also be laid out for everyone with a way to test yourself initially and then measure progress.
-The Initial Fitness Test
A basic test of your ability to perform a given exercise type and overall fitness level. Don't worry if things are too difficult right now, and do not perform any exercise you have not been instructed in for safety. I will provide links and instruction where necessary. No one gets left behind here, no matter the time it takes to develop skills.
-List of exercise movements and skills involved in the training
These first two topics will be heavily dependent on our views of what fitness is and how to measure it
-Benchmark Workouts
Some of these you will recognize aspects of Crossfit named wod's as well as a mix of other obvious fitness concepts. Each will come up overtime for you to measure and compare your scores with, and some have been kept intact so worldwide leader boards can be used as a reference also (thank you logsitall.com and Crossfit.com). The connection between these benchmark workouts and above topics will be as plain stated and obvious as possible.
-Overall Program Outline
The big picture and how to schedule it based on my training experience, or use the two tools below to mix it all up your own way
-Training Matrix
A spreadsheet with different pages and lists of workouts categorized by the primary modes and methods involved
-Random Workout Generator
Flip a coin a bunch of times and create a random workout that covers the basics you need
-Nutrition Tool that logs all data for you
Nutrition is a whole separate game and I will use protocols from the Zone(simplicity), Paleolithic (common sense), and Intermittent Fasting (for those that think of nutrition as "a fucking miserable diet"). I found a tool that uses excel and math so you can click on the food and the portion size and have it automatically load a daily log for you. This is the same way I have set up a training log to map progress. Both these tools are instrumental in how accurate I can create and alter programs for those that are seeking more depth in training and wish me to personally train them.
-The one last thing in the works is "Myself"
Currently I am trying to get both certified and affiliated through Crossfit, eventually I will chase down every specialty they list and attend the seminars. My search has already lead me to other organizations such as Gym Jones and they are become more exclusive by the second. Right now I just need to pay the bills and I want do my part to bring this community of survivalists together. Much more to come on this topic...

Getting Started:

Now that technical information for site navigation has been posted I can start to ruminate training concepts into everyone. Everyone should get familiar with one another because you are going to be going through some heavy shit together. Make sure to wave and introduce yourselves, we have quite the medley of people here, the list of which covers but isn't exclusive to:

-Marine Corps Scout/Snipers
-Moms
-Professional MMA fight team members
-Air Traffic Controllers
-and one of those weird hermits known as "Mechanical Engineers"

Since I started working out and keeping records of what I have done my training has come almost full circle and once again uses many of the same lifts that we used in high school football. I wonder at how this happened sometimes and wish it were more complicated than it is. John, Ben, and Ditolla amongst others that will join us here, can attest to the skills that Coach Knight taught us all in the Olympic and Power lifting sports and their overall effectiveness when applied to the game of football. The foundations of athletic performance that I learned in high school would propel me far down a path of concepts driving my interest and and study to where I now find myself reading medical journals and scraping for any new evidence of the lactate shuttle and what this means for metabolic pathways in exercise. Fitness evolved for me as I played rugby and then again as I spent time in the military, and once again as I came home in my discovery of a community called Crossfit.

Crossfit is not the be all, end all; but they also do not pretend to be. Crossfit to me was the best overall definition I could put to fitness at this time in my life. When I reflect on my aspirations with training I see a desire to fascination with the ability to survive, adapt, and thrive in a myriad of "all or nothing" situations. Dire situations that caused me to overcome my previous shortcomings and change my way of thinking became a training philosophy that was all inclusive for me. Crossfit turns something as serious and broad as this into a game based on competitive scoring and give me access to a community where the results are what matters, not just exploiting the general misunderstanding the public has in regards to training and nutrition. I am honored to think that in even the smallest way I am helping bring the best possible Marines, Snipers, Fighters and Survivalists to the table. Crossfit is only one resource that we will borrow heavily from, and I encourage everyone to chase down the links which further explain the topics I bring up. Safety and training intensity is just one of a bunch of free Journal articles they have for people so get over there, download and print the two pages and read something that might save your life.

Moving on...

Nothing that comes to you for training hasn't first been applied to myself. I have kept meticulous logs on both training and nutrition and am in the process of putting it all together for you in the simplest way possible. If a topic jumps out at you and you would like some real scientific method style data on the "why" of it then just ask and I will break out my notes for you to read.

I am very passionate about biology, adaptation, evolution and the human organism in its infinite levels of detail. I know sometimes I may intimidate a bit by throwing all kinds of information at people but that is never my intent, please forgive me for the fact that I get so excited and worked up, but my intent is truly to only impart an understanding and grasp of concepts on a level where everyone is capable of really training and programming for themselves.

As far as the science I will include more and more from my notes as we go along, education will be continuous here but for now things should be pretty simple. We all just want to get this stuff rolling. Remember that everyone following this blog has huge input on what is coming down the chute, just let me know what you want and if I don't already have it I will hunt it down and bring the stuff right to you.

Now for a bit of mind work on your part:

  1. Ask yourself why you are training and write it down
  2. Look at what exercises you are performing and try and draw a connection for applicability in relation to answer #1.
  3. If it doesn't seem to make sense then you need to throw it out and start over, make yourself uncomfortable and try new things.

10/23/2008

Contact Information, Location & Training Schedule


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We prefer those that have questions please E-mail us, thanks!
Samy Daghir:
SDaghir@CrossFitNewHampshire.com

Training Schedule
Monday-Friday
5:o0am WOD
6:00am WOD
7:00am WOD
8:00am WOD
9:00am WOD

-
4:00pm WOD
5:00pm WOD
6:00pm WOD

Saturday8-10 Open Gym/Skill Development

*It is the athlete's responsibility to allow themselves enough time for their prescribed pre-WOD training.
*We request that those wishing to join a training group let us know at least 24 hours in advance.
*If you are new to CrossFit and interested in training with us please call or email us with any questions or concerns.


Understanding the Daily Posts:
The daily posts contain the training for the day in their pure prescribed form as well as any news/educational content we would like to pass on to our athletes.

A great place to begin learning about what we do here would be our Archives, where all the old WODs, training results, and piles of information await.
Our WODs (workouts of the day) contain programming from CrossFit Inc., CrossFit Endurance, Mike Burgener's Olympic Lifting training, Catalyst Athletics Olympic Lifting training, and several other excellent sources of world class strength and conditioning programming/information.
The first WOD listed will always be a CrossFit Mainsite WOD or a CrossFit NH WOD followed by another type of training for you to supplement your daily regimen with.

If you are unfamiliar or new to CrossFit and the methods we use then please request assistance on proper technique and execution of training evolutions before attempting to undertake the WODs we post.
If you are not a NH CrossFitter and would like additional contact resources please ask and we will refer you to a CrossFit Affiliate near so that you have a home in which to receive professional coaching.
Athlete safety is paramount and we take the welfare of those we coach seriously, often scaling to the individual so they can take the most out of their training.
If there is any way in which the staff at CrossFit NH can assist you in your aspirations for elite fitness please let us know. It matters not whether you are near us or on the other side of the globe, this community has been amazing to us and we look forward to helping CrossFitters in any way we can.

Feel free to contact us anytime.