CrossFit Journal - Issue 52

8/13/2019 CrossFit Journal - Issue 52

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ISSUE FIFTY-TWO

December 2006

Learning the OlympicLifts- The GripMike Burgener withTony Budding

What Is Your Power IQ?Angela Hart

The CrossFit TotalMark Rippetoe

Fight CampBecca Borawski

Bike Control BasicsDropping Off ObstaclesScott Hagnas

The Front HandspringRoger Harrell

The Paradox of theAerobic FitnessPrescriptionLon Kilgore

VO2maxNot the gold standard?Tony Leyland

Kettlebell Basics

Improving Your Swing, Part 2Jeff Martone

The Yin and Yang of theBackMichael Rutherford

The GrinderCrossFit FRAGO #5,PATRICIA

Last month, we took a detailed look at the jumping and landing stances for theOlympic lifts. This month, well discuss proper hand placement on the bar for the

snatch and the clean. First off, it must be understood that grip in both the snatchand clean is personal and based on several factors, including flexibility, strength,

body size and shape, and what is generally comfortable to the athlete. While theremay be a period of experimentation when an athlete tries out various grip widths

for each lift, the athlete should settle on one consistent grip width for each liftand approach the bar in an identical manner every single time.

Grip widthThere are three main methods for determining the proper grip width for thesnatch. All three usually end up giving the same result, and since the visual

approach is the quickest and easiest, it is the one I most use.

continued page ... 2

Mike Burgener with Tony Budding

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The GripLearning the Olympic Lifts

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...continued

Learning the Olympic Lifts: The Grip

Too WideToo Narrow

The coach instructs the athlete to grip the bar with handspacing that puts the bar approximately 8 to 12 inches from

the top of the head when held directly overhead, in thefrontal plane. I have found that this method is easier, quicker,and just as accurate as the following two methods, although

it requires a bit more experience on the coachs part andsensitivity to individual variation. And if youre working with

multiple athletes at a time, the visual method allows for muchmore effective group management.

The athlete stands with her back toward the coach withher upper arms parallel to the ground and forearms

perpendicular to the ground, with the hand pointing down(like a scarecrow). The coach stands behind the athlete witha length of PVC pipe (or wooden dowel) in his hands. The

coach places his hands on the dowel just behind the athletes,thus creating a measure of the width of the athletes grip

with his hands. The athlete then turns to face the coach andplaces her hands on the dowel just outside his. The width of

this grip is normally satisfactory for performing the snatch.

The visual method The PVC/scarecrow method - snatch grip

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...continued


These methods are designed to give starting points fordetermining the proper grip width for the snatch. Some athletes

(particularly males) want to grab the bar wider because oflimited shoulder flexibility. The advantages of going wider are a

shorter receiving height and an easier time keeping the bar inor behind the frontal plane. The primary disadvantageand itsa significant oneis the increased strain on the wrist, especially

with maximal loads. Many accomplished lifters have sufferedwrist injuries by working too wide too heavy. Therefore, it is

strongly recommended that one of these three methods befollowed for determining the grip width.

Determining the grip width for the clean is simpler. Of primaryimportance is that the hands fall outside the shoulders when the

bar is received. The speed, force, and weight of the bar beingreceived could crush a finger caught between the bar and the

shoulder. At the same time, the hands shouldnt be too wide

because it strains the elbows and weakens the shoulder drivefor the jerk.

There are two main methods for determining the grip width for

the clean:

The string method - snatch grip

The athlete stands with her back toward the coach with her

right arm extended out to the side, parallel to the ground,with the hand in a fist. The coach uses a string or tape tomeasure from the edge of the left shoulder to the knuckle

of the right fist. The coach then holds the string centeredon the bar, and the athlete places her hands on the bar

just outside the edges of the string. The width determinedby the string is usually identical to that of the scarecrow

method.

The athlete stands, holding the bar with arms hangingstraight. She grips the bar a thumbs length outside her

hips. This width is generally acceptable for performing

the clean and jerk.

The hip method - clean grip

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The athlete racks the bar on her shoulders, and placesher hands on the bar just outside the shoulders. Typically,

this produces a grip width very similar to that produced

by the hip method.

The shoulder method - clean grip

...continued


Hook gripThe hook grip is performed by wrapping the thumb around the

bar, then wrapping the fingers around the thumb. This is a verystrong grip that prevents the bar from slipping out of the liftershands during the snatch and clean. The hook grip is used when

pulling the barbell from the ground to the receiving position inthe clean and the snatch. Most lifters, however, unhook their

thumbs when securing the bar in the receiving position, to allowfor a quicker turnover of the barbell. In the receiving position o

the clean, the grip is often loosened completely, with the weight

of the barbell supported completely by the shoulders and thefingertips used just to keep the bar in place. In that case, the

athlete will regrip the bar before beginning the jerk.

Everyone should use the hook grip, even though most new liftersexperience some discomfort with it (it usually goes away within

two weeks). The grip gives the feel of strength, power, and securityIn fact, I have found athletes driving down the highway practicingthe hook grip on the steering wheel.

In the next journal we will discuss the Burgener warm-up, what it

entails, and why we use the lifts we do during the warm-up.

Tony Budding is a trainer at CrossFit Santa

Cruz . Somehow, his broadly varied backgroundfrom financial analyst in mergers and acquisitions

to gym owner to manager of a small non-profitfoundation to high school English and PE teacher

brought him to CrossFit, and he now runs the ever-expanding affiliate programfor CrossFit HQ.

Mike Burgener, owner of Mikes Gym (a CrossFit

affiliate and USAW Regional Training Center), is a USAWSenior International Coach, former junior World team

(1996-2004) and senior World team coach (2005), andstrength and conditioning coach at Rancho Buena Vista

High School in Vista, Calif.

December 2006

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Rowing, obviously, is a speed sport. The rowers who complete2000 meters in the fastest time take home gold medals. When youtrain on an indoor rowing machine, speed is critical, but power

output is equally important. Assessing speed and power combinedgives a more complete picture of the athlete than measuring speed

alone.

In CrossFit workouts, we often have participants of varying sizescompeting against each other for space on the white board.Obviously, having a larger mass is beneficial and enables the athlete

to pull faster times, cover more meters, and burn a greater numberof calories. (This is one of the reasons that on-the-water rowing

competitions divide athletes into lightweight and heavyweightcategories.) To make results as comparable as possibleand as

meaningful as possible in terms of power output and intensitywe can calculate each participants power ratio, which is the totalwattage he or she generates divided by body weight (in pounds):

Athlete A Athlete B

male; 63

body weight = 209 lbs.total watts for 500m = 546

time for 500m = 1:26.2power ratio = 2.61

female; 56

body weight = 128 lbs.total watts for 500m = 546

time for 500m = 1:26.2power ratio = 2.66

Based on these results, both participants performed well and were

able to pull all of their own body mass (which would yield a powerratio of 1.0) plus at least another 160% of their weight. Lookingat the power ratios more closely reveals that, although athlete

B had a slower time, she was actually 5% more powerful thanathlete A. This example compares participants of different genders

and dramatically different sizes. What if you were comparingparticipants that were more physically similar?

Athlete C Athlete D

female; 56

body weight = 129 lbs.total watts for 500m = 303time for 500m = 1:44.8

power ratio = 2.35

female; 58

body weight = 141 lbs.total watts for 500m = 303time for 500m = 1:42.1

power ratio = 2.33

Athlete D rowed 500 meters in a faster time and would have rackedup a few more calories, but athlete C was 2% more powerful. Ithis were purely a speed competition, the athlete with the fastest

time would win, but the one with the higher power ratio is actuallystronger and more powerfulthe kind of performance CrossFit

is most concerned with developing.In addition to measuring speed, knowing who is stronger pound

for pound is an important determining factor for performancesuccess. In all my years as a coach for national championshipcrews, I observed that gold medals were won by crews in which

every athlete was able to pull a power ratio of 1.75 or higher fo2000 meters. Nothing could prove this fact more dramatically than

watching a lightweight team (with slower 2k times) substantiallyoutperform a heavyweight team (with much faster 2k times).

What does this mean? For CrossFit workouts that involve rowing

I argue that we should use power ratio as a point value insteadof, or in addition to, caloriesin workouts such as Fight GoneBad, for example. This would measure the parameter that were

most interested in, and it holds all the athletes accountable toan equivalent standard. Likewise, in addition to scoring the time

for 1000 meters for Jackie, it would be beneficial to determineeach participants power ratio for the 1000 meter distance as anadditional performance marker. (It is important to note that the

total wattage will decrease as the distance or time increases.)

As trainers, it is critical that we train our athletes to pull theirown body mass (1.0 power ratio). For the fit and lean, this wil

not be difficult and will be possible even for rows of thirty

Angela Hart

What Is Your Power IQ?December 2006

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minutes or more at aerobic-range heart rates. (It is important

to note that the total wattage will decrease as the distance ortime increases.) For many of our participants, especially the unfit

or elderly, being able to pull ones own weight even over thirtyseconds will prove to be challenging. A great workout would be

to row Tabata intervals (20 seconds on / 10 seconds rest) foreight intervals, with the first 20 seconds of output at bodyweightwattage. Depending on the abilities of your participants, each 20

seconds would add 10%, 20%, or whatever percentage will create

the best training response for each participant. For example, aparticipant weighing 150 pounds could complete one of theworkouts shown in Table 1 (or add an even higher percentage of

body weight at each interval).

When rowing, even for the fastest time or maximum wattage,

always strive for proper technique to maximize performance.Use your body mass to your advantage by learning to suspend

or hang your mass between feet and handle during the drive,or work, phase of each stroke. This is achieved with a powerful,

explosive, and well-connected leg drive at the start of eachstroke that blends seamlessly into a powerful opening of the hip

that engages the muscles of the trunk and ends with an equally

powerful arm pull toward the torso. The handle and seat mustmove together during the drive.

Determine your power ratio over a variety of distances and times

while making it a priority to improve your power ratio alongwith increasing your endurance and muscular strength, honingrowing efficiency, maintaining proper technique, and improving

body composition or percentage of lean (muscular) tissue to fat

Know your power ratios over various distance and time domainsand continually work to increase them.

Angela Hart is the director of the Indoor Rowing Training and Certification Institute and a Master Rowing Trainer forConcept2 Rowing. A competitive rower since 1982, she has coached at the scholastic, collegiate, and master levels. In 1999,

she coached a junior national womens team, and she was a rowing sports specialist during the 1996 Olympic Games. Sheconducts training and certification workshops on the rowing machine and teaches group rowing classes in the Washington DC

area. In addition to having completed the basic CrossFit instructor training, she is an ACE-certified personal trainer and rowingeducator, an AFAA-certified group fitness instructor, a US Rowing level-3 coach, and a 200-hour registered yoga teacher withthe Yoga Alliance. She can be contacted [email protected].

Assessing speed and power combined gives a more

complete picture of the athlete than measuring

speed alone.

Table 1 Tabata interval rowing workouts with increasing wattage based on body

...continued

What Is Your Power IQ?

Add 10% of body weight each interval Add 20% of body weight each interval

20 seconds at 150 watts

10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 165 watts

10 seconds rowing lightly for rest

20 seconds at 180 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 195 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest

20 seconds at 210 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest


20 seconds at 240 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 255 watts


20 seconds at 150 watts

10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 180 watts


20 seconds at 210 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 240 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest



20 seconds at 330 watts10 seconds rowing lightly for rest20 seconds at 360 watts


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Mark Rippetoe

There is room on this planet for another approach to testingabsolute strength. And it apparently falls on my broad, hairy

shoulders to announce the development of a different way to doit.

Coach Glassman discussed this with me recently, in a conversationabout increasing CrossFits strength base. We have talked many

times about the fact that people who come to CrossFit froma strength-training background tend to perform better in the

key aspects of the program. When youre stronger, metabolicconditioning is easier and endurance stuff (i.e., 5k or 10k runs)

is about the sameand workouts like Diane (three rounds, at21-15-9 reps, of 225-pound deadlifts and handstand push-ups) are

just not possible without a considerable amount of strength. In

essence, it is easier for a lifter to improve his or her time onDiane than it is for a runner to develop the ability even to finish

the workout without scaling it back to a very light weight. So theconversation focused on a way to work more strength into the

program while maintaining the CrossFit approach to it.

Powerlifting has been very successful in its approach to strength

testing and training, but it is plagued with what some considerto be significant problems. I have great respect for powerlifting,

having competed, coached, and announced in power meets for 20years. Without belaboring the issue or attempting any judgment

beyond these comments, I see two main problems with it. First,the use of equipment that enables otherwise impossible weightsto be lifted inflates the total. Raw meets, where the only

equipment allowed is a belt, address this issue. But the secondproblem remains: the bench press. It requires special equipment,

it cannot be done with limit weights safely without spotters, and

it is not a very functional exercise since it is performed whilelying on a bench that supports the weight during the movement.

The way to bring more strength to the CrossFit approach is

with the CrossFit Total. The CrossFit Total is the sum of the bestof three attempts at the squat, the press, and the deadlift, thethree most effective lifts in existence for developing and testing

functional strength.

All three lifts are done while standing on the floor. They requireminimal and inexpensive equipment. They are not technique

dependent to the extent of the Olympic lifts, yet they requiretechnical proficiency beyond mere passing familiarity. They aresafe when performed correctly, since they can all be performed

without spottersalone in a garage if necessary. In a meetsituation, the lack of spotters for two of the lifts speeds the

progress of the meet and reduces personnel requirements. Thelack of expensive personal equipment reduces the investment

necessary for participation. But most importantly, the CrossFit

Total more accurately reflects the level of functional strengthavailable to an athlete than any other test available.

This article will focus on the correct performance of the lifts and

how to produce a reliable maximum single effort if you have hadno experience with this. Next time, we will explore the contest

potential of the CrossFit Total.

The lifts

The squat and the deadlift are very good ways to assess twodifferent aspects of whole-body strength. The squat tests leg and

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...continued

The CrossFit Total

hip strength through a good range of motion using a stretch-reflex rebound out of the bottom and requires significant back

and torso strength to support the weight. The deadlift may bethe most functional exercise in existence, since there is not

much more fundamental a movement than lifting an object off

the ground. It starts from a dead stop and tests the ability to getthe load moving without the help of a rebound. To these two lifts

we need to add a similar quality test for upper body pressingstrength.

That test is the press. Called the shoulder press, the standing

barbell press, or the overhead press, this exercise may be theoldest upper body movement using a barbell. The military pressrefers correctly to the super-strict version of the exercise that

allows no torso movement at all, and while it may be a goodpreparatory exercise for the lift, it is not a practical test since it

is very hard to judge. The press allows the use of some techniquewith hip drive, but it should not involve the knees; the push press

is a dynamic movement and this should be a test of strength, notpower.

The press tests both pressing strength and core strength at thesame time: the shoulders and arms cannot press what the core

cannot support. It is done with the feet on the floor, and thewhole body is within the kinetic chain of the movement. A missed

rep does not involve being pinned between the bar and a bench.And it is brutal at heavy weights because much more muscle mass

is actively involved in the movement.

Judging the press has been a problem before. The clean and press

was the first of the three lifts in weightlifting until it was eliminatedfrom competition in 1972. It became a problem because the

lifters figured out a way to incorporate a multiple torso whipalong with a radical layback into the movement, making it into a

type of dynamic bench press from a standing position. Apparentlythis posed an insurmountable problem to the federation, whothought the meet was too long with three lifts anyway. The

CrossFit Totals press rules will not permit excessive layback, aswell see later. And since we are not doing a clean and press, we

are not redoing an older lift with previously set records and analready established strategy. We will have to develop our own.

The press can be done out of the same racks that were used

in the squat, thus eliminating the need for a separate apparatusfor the lift. It also needs no spotters, since a miss is just walkedback into the rack, or in an emergency dropped on the platform

without anyone getting killed. So the whole three-lift test can bedone with a bar and plates, one set of stands or a power rack, and

a platform. In fact, the test can be done alone if necessary, sincepeople who are used to squatting alone have already developed away to handle a miss, either in the power rack or by dumping the

bumper-plate-loaded bar off the back safely. This greatly simplifiesindividual testing as well as organized competition.

The rules for the lifts will need to be simple and well

understood by everybody, both the lifters and people inthe position of judging them, so were all on the same page.

The idea is that when you post a CrossFit Total, yours willbe done to the same standards as everyone elses. The liftsmust be easy to judge, easy to understand, and as difficult to

corrupt as possible. By starting out with a clear picture ofwhat we want and dont want from a CrossFit Total, many

millions of hours of bitching, hard feelings, and confusion canbe averted. It must be understood that good form in the lifts

is inherent in the rules for testing them.

The order for performing the three lifts will be squat,

press, and then deadlift. The best single attempt for eachof the three lifts are added together for the CrossFit Total.

There is no time limit for each lift or for the length of thesession in which they are all performed, but they must all

be performed during one sessioni.e., you cannot leavethe area to rest or perform other activities between thethree lifts. Multiple progressions to the best attempt are not

allowed; do not work up to your best squat, then change anitem of equipment or clothing and work up to it again to try

to better your first effort.

The Rules

The squat must be done from the squat stands or power

rack. The bar must be placed on the back and walked outto clear the rack completely. No contact with the rack ispermitted until the bar is replaced in the rack. Once the

bar is lowered, the stance cannot change until the bar isto be racked. The starting position must be completely

upright, with the knees and the hips fully extended andwith the chest up. The hips are lowered until the top

surfaces of both of the legs at the hip joint are lower thanthe knees, and then the bar islifted back up. The bottom

position is identified by A)the apex of the crease in the

shorts formed as the hips arelowered, B) the surface of

the top of the patella, C) theplane formed by a straight linebetween the two, and D) the

dipping of the hip end of thatplane below horizontal. The

finish position is the same asthe starting position, and the

athlete must return to it beforethe bar is racked. When the

Squat Rules

...continues next page

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...continued

The CrossFit Total

The deadlift is performed with the bar on the platform

or floor. The lifter assumes a position facing the bar, withthe bar parallel to the lifters frontal plane. The bar is

gripped with both hands, and pulled with one continuousuninterrupted movement until the lifter is standing erect

with knees and hips fully extended, the chest up andshoulders back. Once this position is attained and the baris motionless, the bar is lowered under control with both

hands back to the ground. The bar may not be dropped.

Any halt in the upward motion of the bar constitutesa missed attempt, as does failure to assume a fully erect

position with both knees and hips extended. Any attemptto raise the bar counts as an attempt.

The equipment that can be used isminimal. A belt of any type can be

worn but is not required. Knee wrapsor sleeves are permitted, but if they are

used they must be left on for the entireduration of the session in which the liftis performede.g., they must be put on

before the squat is warmed up and left

in place until the last squat attempt iscompleted. Wrist wraps are permitted;lifting straps are not.

Any type of footwear may be worn,although a formal contest would require

an actual shoe of some type. The shirtshould be a close-fitting stretch material,

like a t-shirt or a golf shirt, tight enoughthat the back position can be clearly

observed during the press. Close-fittingshorts will allow the bottom position in

Deadlift Rules

The press is also done from the racks. The bar is

held in both hands in front of the neck, taken out ofthe rack and walked back away from the rack. No

contact with the rack is permitted until the bar isreplaced in the racks. Once the stance is assumed it

cannot change until the lift is completed. The startingposition must be upright, with the knees and hips fullyextended and the chest up. The bar must be in contact

with the top of the shoulders or the chest, whicheverindividual flexibility permits. After the starting position

is correctly assumed, the bar is pressed overhead untilthe elbows are completely extended, with the bar in

a position directly above the ears. Once this positionhas been attained, the bar is lowered back to the frontof the shoulders and walked back into the rack and

replaced.

Any halt in the upwardmotion of the bar,

identified as the partof the bar between the

hands, constitutes a missedattempt, as does anychange in the position of

the feet against the floorduring the attempt, any

bending of the knees, orexcessive backward lean

of the torso as identifiedby A) the position of themost anterior aspect of

the armpit, B) the mostposterior aspect of the

buttocks, C) the planeformed by a straight line

between these two points,and D) the movement ofthat plane to a position

behind the vertical. Anydeliberate attempt to

raise the bar counts as an

attempt. Spotters are notpermitted for this lift.

PressRules

finish position is secure, the bar must be walked back into

the rack and successfully replaced.

Any halt in the upward motion of the whole bar, identified atits position on the back rather than at its ends, constitutes

a missed attempt, as does any change in position of the feetagainst the floor during the squat. Any deliberate attemptto lower the bar counts as an attempt. No more than two

spotters are permitted, and they are not allowed to touchthe bar during the attempt, which is finished only after the

bar is successfully replaced in the racks. The spotters arepermitted to steady the racks, and to take the bar if the

lifter loses control of it. Any touching of either the bar orthe lifter by any spotter invalidates the attempt.

Squat Rules ... continued

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Mark Rippetoe is the owner of Wichita FallsAthletic Club/CrossFit Wichita Falls. He has 28

years experience in the fitness industry and 10years as a competitive powerlifter. He has been

certified as an NSCA Certified Strength andConditioning Specialist since 1985 and is a USAWeightlifting Level III Coach and Senior Coach,

as well as a USA Track and Field Level I Coach.He has published articles in the Strength and

Conditioning Journal, is a regular contributor tothe CrossFit Journal, and is the author of the bookStarting Strength: A Simple and Practical Guide for

Coaching Beginnersand the forthcoming PracticalProgramming for Strength Training.

...continued

The CrossFit Total

Here are some basic precautions that need to be followedfor safety:

1) Dont be stupid.

Dont total if youre injured to the extent that

a total will aggravate the problem. This willcost you in at least training time, and possiblytime off of work if youre ultra-stupid.

2) Dont be greedy.

Learn to recognize the difference between

greed and ambition, and be merely ambitious.

3) Dont be pig-headed.

If your first attempt tells you that you need tolower your second, do so, without a misplacedsense of diminished self-worth. Its a test,

and its designed to measure whats there,not create something thats not. Thats whattraining is for.

The CrossFit Total more accurately reflects

the level of functional strength available to anathlete than any other test available.

The process

Now that we know exactly what were doing, we need to figure

out the best way to do it. For people not used to doing singlemaximum attempts, some tips on how best to safely do them

are in order. After a warm-up, the squat will be performed first.Some squatting with the empty bar should have been included inthe general warm-up so that the knees, hips, back, and shoulders

are not too terribly surprised. Anyone in a position to attempta legitimate CrossFit Total should be familiar enough with their

capabilities on the lifts to have a fairly good idea of just whatmight be possible for a one-rep max (1RM). This number is whatyou warm up intending to do. A meet situation will involve three

attempts, and this is a good way to determine a true 1RM.The first attempt would be a weight you know you can do for a

heavy set of three. The second attempt would be a weight youknow without any doubt that you could do for a single, having

just done the first attempt. And the third attempt is the weight

you want to do, based on your performance on the previous twoattempts. If you have made a mistake setting your first attempt,

the next two will need to be adjusted, but you should know whatyou can triple, and this will always be a safe first attempt. And

since you know this weight, you know what weights to use towarm up for it: youll use the lightest weight that you normally

start with for your first warm-up when you train, and 90% ofthe first attempt for the last warm-up, with either three or fourrelatively even increments in between these two. For instance,

warm-ups for a 405-pound first attempt on the squat would be:

135 x 5185 x 3

225 x 2275 x 1325 x 1

365 x 1

If you dont have a damn good idea of what you can do for aheavy triple, you dont need to be doing a CrossFit Total yet.

After the squat, rest a while (long enough to rest, not long enough

to get cold) and follow the same procedure with the press.Since press numbers will be much lighter, the warm-ups will becloser together, and you might choose to use fewer intermediate

warm-ups. This is fine, since the squat has provided quite a bitof systemic warmup, if not actual fatigue. After a rest and a drink

following the press, the deadlift warm-up might be abbreviatedeven further, with a heavier first warmup and only two or three

intermediate sets before the first attempt.

Done correctly, the CrossFit Total is perhaps our best tool for

telling us the things we need to know about a very importantaspect of our training. It is my sincerest hope that it also makes

a contribution to the training of athletes currently outside ourcommunity and functions as a way to introduce them to our

methods, and to the good people of CrossFit.

December 2006

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Becca Borawski

Fight CampWith Ryan Parsons and Dan Henderson

Ideally, when preparing for a mixed martial arts (MMA) fight, an

individual would like to have eight to ten weeks of preparation, aperiod known as a fight camp. Frequently, however, for youngercompetitors fighting in smaller organizations, or even a fighter the

level of current Pride Welterweight champion Dan Henderson,fights can come up with as little as three to six weeks notice.

A fight camp, regardless of length, consists of three elements of

training: skill, strength, and conditioning. How often do you seeskilled fighters gassed halfway through a fight and left unable to

execute their well-honed techniques? Or see fighters with greatmuscular and cardiovascular endurance but only rudimentaryskills to pair with it? All three elements must be trained, but this

must be done in such a way that the athlete is not overtrained bythe time of the fight.

CrossFit is particularly suited to athletes training for mixed

martial arts, kickboxing, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and other combatsports. CrossFit combines strength and conditioning in full-bodyfunctional movements, can be scaled to varying intensities, and is

efficient in nature. For a martial artist trying to incorporate skil

training and sparring into his schedule, in addition to strength andconditioning, this efficiency is essential.

The changes in intensity within a workout, the constantly shiftingnature of the demands placed on the body, and the emphasis on

power and functional movement patterns in CrossFit also parallethe types of demands made on an athlete during an MMA fight.

There is no sense spending hours a week running long distancesin attempt to build endurance when the intensity levels and

requirements on the body have no relation to the sport.

At Dan Hendersons Team Quest gym in Temecula, California

fighters train with CrossFit-style workouts and have successfullyincorporated them into their MMA fight camps. Ryan Parsons

a chiropractor and peak performance coach who heads upHendersons fight camps, states, When were in the middle of a

training camp, I like to combine strength and conditioning trainingand cardio into one workout. It saves time and gives the athlete amore realistic feel for what they will be doing in the ring.

Becca Borawski talks with a trainer whos been working with MMA fighters and world class wrestlers for decadesabout how he incorporates strength and conditioning work with skills training and how he peaks and tapers training

leading up to a fight.

Trainer Ryan Parsons looks on while Dan Henderson and Chael Sonnen spar. Photo cour tesy of Team Quest.

December 2006

11


12/36

...continued

Fight Camp

At the beginning of a fight camp, workouts are longer in duration

and lower in intensity. As the event approaches, the workoutsget shorter while intensity continues to rise. The actual number

of workouts per day and per week will vary with each athlete.

Older athletes or those working around injuries may have fewerworkouts scheduled to allow for more recovery time.

When scheduling workouts, take into account the time of day of

the actual fight. As the fight camp progresses and the fight getscloser, the athlete should be accustomed to peaking physically

and mentally at the appropriate time of day.

In general, Parsonss fight camps often include two workouts a

day, three to five days of the week. Two of those days will includehard sparring workouts with 16-ounce gloves. Other days might

include lighter sparring, using the smaller MMA style gloves. Threedays a week is the typical allotment for strength and conditioning

workouts.

The focus of the workouts during fight camp varies. Someone

with a high level of conditioning may spend more time on skillwork, or vice versa. Beginner athletes will require more time

on skill training than a more experienced fighter. Skill trainingis important because it is the repetition of movements that

increases the likelihood of successful execution when under thestress of the actual fight. More experienced fighters will have theluxury of spending time on strategy.

The only major difference between a fight camp for MMA, versus

BJJ or any other combat sport, is the skill training element. BJJ

competitors would need wrestling and jiu-jitsu skill training,whereas MMA athletes would require work on additional skills,such as using striking to set up takedowns, ground and poundtechniques, and boxing and kickboxing skills in general. And,

whenever fight moves are inserted into strength and conditioningworkouts, they will be sport-specific skills. For example, a jiu-jitsu

practitioner would not bother with kicking during conditioningdrills but instead might incorporate sprawls.

The time format of the classic CrossFit workout Fight Gone

Bad (designed originally for MMA fighter B.J. Penn) is onethat many MMA athletes incorporate into their strength andconditioning training. At Team Quest, Parsons likes to tailor

the workouts to mimic the round times of the scheduled fight.If someone is competing in Pride where the first round is ten

minutes, the first round of the circuit is ten minutes. If a fighter istraining for a fight that has five minutes rounds, all of the rounds

will be five minutes.

In the Team Quest workouts, Parsons sometimes incorporates

randomness and listening skills. During the course of a round,he will call out the names of specific exercises for the fighter

to perform, drawing from a repertoire of exercises and toolsincluding plyometrics, kettlebells, clubbells, sledgehammers,

calisthenics, striking, grappling, and rope climbs.

The goal is to increase the stress level and help the athlete learn

to cope with that and with pain while pushing through to the endof the round. Having to listen for Parsons to call out the specific

exercises and when to switch, trains the athlete to focus and

listen while under stress. Says Parsons, I use every opportunityto help athletes develop their mental skills during training so

when it comes to fight time, they are used to controlling anddirecting their mind and body together. Interacting with Parsons

during the workout also helps him build rapport and trust withthe fighters. It is essential that they are comfortable with his voice

and his commands come fight day.

Keeping the context of the fight in mind while training is what

should tie all the elements of the fight camp together. Even intheir GPP and strength and conditioning training, can be usefu

for athletes to visualize the functionality of the movements theyare executing. Knowing how it is applicable to their fight will help

them to focus when training and better apply themselves duringthe fight. For example, a burpee might be not just a burpee, buta sprawl and recovery to a standing position. A kettlebell swing

might be thought of as the powerful thrust and hip drive neededto execute a takedown.

Parsons cautions not to neglect any aspect of your body during

the fight camp, including recovery mechanisms. Be sure to getenough rest. If schedule allows, try to get a forty-five minute napbetween workouts, and attempt to keep workouts four to six

hours apart. Do not fail to keep up with regular chiropractic andmassage therapy, as well. Small injuries can be prevented or kept in

check by regular maintenance of the body. When Dan Henderson

is training for a fight, he might have chiropractic adjustments andsoft-tissue work several times a week.

Ceasing strength and conditioning workouts five to ten days

before the fight will allow sufficient time for recovery. Theoverall training, including skill work, will begin to taper anywhere

from three to ten days before the scheduled fight. The age andcondition of each athlete determines how long the taper should

be and how much recovery time is required. Failing to taper isa common mistake of novice fighters and results in their being

overtrained come fight day. The final workouts leading up the fightwill be very short, mimicking the length of the fight. The intensityhowever, will be high.

Effective programming for a fight camp will incorporate varied

functional, efficient strength and conditioning, skill trainingand sparringall in contexts relating them to the fightplus

sufficient recovery time. This kind of training both preparesa fighter technically and puts him in peak physical and mentacondition for fight day.

December 2006

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13/36

Dan Henderson has been in the MMA spotlight sincehis UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) debut

in 1997. An accomplished wrestler and Olympicwrestling team member, Henderson went on to win

MMA tournaments on multiple continents and most

recently became the Pride Welterweight Champion.Henderson, with fellow Olympian Heath Sims, runsan MMA fitness center in Temecula, California, called

Team Quest MMA.

Dr. Ryan Parsons is a chiropractor and peak

performance coach who has helped some of theworlds most recognized athletes and celebrities

achieve professional and personal success throughphysical and mental preparation. Parsons has worked

with Dan Henderson since the beginning of his MMAcareer. They met as teammates and became closefriends while wrestling at Arizona State University.

Becca Borawski teaches and trains at Petranek Fitness/CrossFitLos Angelesin Santa Monica. She has a masters degree in filmfrom the University of Southern California and a background inmartial arts training. She has blended these skills together to

produce DVDs and build websites for professional fighters. Hermain job is as the music editor on the TV show Scrubs and she

currently trains jiu-jitsu under Eddie Bravo at 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsuin Hollywood.

...continued

Fight Camp

Try a workout using Ryans style of randomness and verbalcommunication.

Pride style:3 rounds:The first round is 10 minutes;

the second two are 5 minutes.

Possible exercises:Box jumps, kettlebell swings, sprawls, wall ball, burpees, ropeclimbs, ball slams, heavy bag work, etc. Use whatever equipment

you have that provides inherent variances in intensity levels andphysical demands.

Athletes should have all their equipment laid out and ready.

The coach lets the athletes know when to commence andconclude each round. The coach will also call out the exerciseto be performed and when to switch to another exercise.

The order of exercises will be random and unknown to the

athletes. Intensity can be varied by the coach through exerciseselection, since some exercises are inherently more intense.Use this intensity variance to mimic the rise and fall of intensity

during a fight.

December 2006

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14/36

This is the simplest way down from small drops or larger

rounded obstacles. Check your chainring clearancebeforehand, as catching your sprocket on the object once

your front wheel drops will either damage your bike or sendyou over the barsor both at the same time. Approachslowly, feathering the front brake as your front wheel rolls

off. Extend your arms, keeping your weight way back overthe rear wheel. Use the front brake to control the drop of

the back wheel, extend your legs to land the back wheelsmoothly.

This is a very useful technique for off road riding. Be carefulnot to get your front wheel off line or in a rut.

Rolldowns

This one is a bike trialstype move, but it is useful on ledges

and uneven natural terrain. Prior mastery of the hoppingtrackstand from part 1 of this series is a must (see issue 49).

Ride up close to the edge of the drop, and then apply bothbrakes to come to a stop. Hop the bike evenly on both wheels

to the edge. When you are ready to make the drop, compressboth arms and legs, and shift your weight off of the obstacle.

Explode up and off, pulling the bike with you. You will want toshift your weight to the rear as you do so that you can make

a good back-wheel-first landing. Align yourself in the air, andstay relaxed. Stay centered over the bike, or youll eject right

after landing.

As you gain proficiency, you can play with turning yourself in

the air or with making precision landings. Concentrate onwhere you want to land.

Side drops

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/Crash.wmv

Online VideoCrash

Lets check out a few ways to drop off of low things.

Last month, we looked at ways to get up onto some objects thatyou might find in your path. Now, its time to come back down. We

will be using some of the same techniques that we used to ascendthe obstacles, and some more of the static skills from part 1 willcome in to play as well.

Just as with getting onto objects, be sure to master these techniques

from very low obstacles to start. A curb works well. You want tomake sure that you have the skills down pat before attempting

higher drops. Also, keep in mind that landing on hard surfaces isless forgiving than landing on softer ones. As you take these skillsto higher or more unpredictable objects, you will crash now and

then. Prepare yourself accordingly. Learn to bail when things goawry. Dont go down with a sinking ship! Youll usually know that

you are in trouble the moment you drop.

Try not to ride over your head. If you are not feeling comfortablewith a line or drop, it is best to wait until later when you have

the skill or confidence. Freezing or panicking in the middle of aline is a sure recipe for disaster

(see video). Stay as relaxed aspossible.

With all the drops, the landing mechanics are very similar. You wantto land back wheel first to progressively absorb the shock of the

landing. This is very important. Your wrists will take a beating if youland flat, even from very low drops. Keep the front wheel up andextend your legs while you are in the air. Lock your back brake

as you drop. As you land on the back wheel, absorb the impact byshifting your weight back and controlling the landing of your front

wheel. Absorb the impact with both arms and legs, exhaling as youdo. With practice, you will see how body and bike combine as one

structure to dampen the landing forces. In fact, you can drop froma higher object on a bike than you can on foot because the largerstructure of combined bike and rider can absorb more force. This

is why bailing and landing safely on foot from a big drop still hurtsworse than if you had landed the drop properly.

This is assuming, of course, that nothing on the bike breaks on

landing, however. Always be absolutely sure that your bike is ingreat condition. Make sure that your brakes, cranks, and pedals aresafe. Inspect your frame and forks periodically, and finally, look at

your chain. If it breaks while you are setting up for a drop, youll begoing over the bars shortly thereafter! Be sure that your tires are

inflated enough to avoid bottoming out the rimswhich will giveyou either a pinch flat or a flat spot in your rim.

Scott Hagnas

Bike Control BasicsPart 3: Dropping Off Obstacles

...continued

December 2006

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/Drops.wm

Online VideoDrops

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Scott Hagnas is owner of CrossFit Portland. He iscertified as a CrossFit trainer and Circular StrengthTraining (clubbell training) instructor. He has been riding

BMX flatland for 26 years and counting and has filmed/produced/edited several series of BMX videos. He formerly

competed in bicycle trials, placing second in amateur inthe World Championships in 1990. When not training or

riding, Scott can usually be found in the kitchen cooking upPaleo-style meals. He writes a monthly recipe column forThe Performance Menumagazine.

Check your ground before takeoff. Catching a wheel as you

start your drop is big trouble. Another pitfall is loose groundthat gives out as you try to jump off. A memorable crash

that I experienced while competing happened as I was sidehopping off of an old log. It was rotten and gave out as I tried

the hop, sending me flailing sideways and impaling myself on anearby stick. Watch out.

Side drops ...continued

The endo drop is similar to the side drop, and it also employselements of the hopping trackstand. Approach the droppoint and apply the brakes. Hop to the edge as in the side

drop. Shift your weight forward and push on the bars, and asyou do, kick the back wheel out over the drop. Lean out over

the drop as you do this, then pull your front wheel off of theobstacle. Stay loose, extend your legs in the air, and land back

wheel first. Again, stay centered, or youll eject.

Once you get the hang of this, skip the hopping setup part.

Roll slowly into the endo drop, applying your front brakeand shifting your weight off of the obstacle in one fluid

movement.

Endo drops

This is the standard, straight-forward ride-off. You will do thisone when you dont have much speed to work with, or whenyou need to stop right after landing. It is easiest done with a

low gear ratio.

Roll up slowly, with pedals level and your power pedal forward.One full crank length before the edge, begin to pedal forward,

leaning back and pulling up on your front wheel. By the timeyour back wheel reaches the edge, your pedals should belevel again, with your power pedal forward. With a larger gear

ratio, a half crank may suffice. Extend your legs as you drop,apply the back brake, and land back wheel first. Keeping the

back brake on as you land will keep you from looping outwhen you contact the ground (flipping straight onto your

back or butt).

As you master drops, you can begin to do brakeless landingscautiously. The landing mechanics are the same, but nailingthem is even more important. If you dont keep your weight

back enough as you set up for the drop, your front wheel willdive off of the obstacle and youll head for the ground like a

lawn dart. You will quickly learn to avoid this.

With practice, you can learn to handle some pretty largedrops with this technique.

Wheelie drops

The speed drop is very similar to the wheelie drop, but you

coast into this one. This can be done at any speed, and youcan clear objects or gaps while in the air. There is little roomfor error on this one, and bigger drops and gaps require full

commitment.

Approach the drop with your pedals level, power pedal

forward. Judging the speed that you need will come withpractice. Shift your weight back, and pull up on the bars to

lift the front wheel into a coasting wheelie. Keep your centerof mass low. As you drop off of the ledge, extend your legs.

Keep your front wheel up, back brakes on, and land backwheel first.

Landing into a slope will allow you to do bigger or fasterdrops. Flat or uphill landings will be harsher. Strive to stay

smooth and relaxed!

An advanced technique to absorb drops is to compressbefore you drop, so that your center of mass is lower. Yousimply then extend your legs as you drop. This is just like

squatting down before jumping off of a ledge on foot; theimpact is much less than if you had jumped off from a full

stand. Wait until you have the standard drop versions downbefore trying this.

Speed drops

Photo:CarenHauser

...continued

Dropping Off Obstacles

December 2006

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16/36

A front handspring is a common gymnastics skill that is oftendemonstrated outside competitive gymnastics as well. There is an

appeal to being able to run forward, kick through a handstandand spring back to your feet. It has also found application in the

upper levels of other sports such as a handspring throw-in onthe soccer field. While less intimidating and safer to learn than a

back handspring, a front handspring is far more difficult to performcorrectly.

Performing a correct front handspring requires you to overrideseveral natural reactions during the course of the skill. It also

requires a strong kick accompanied by a strong push with theopposite leg. Good shoulder flexibility is necessary to optimize

push off the floor and allow for efficient positioning.

There are two prerequisites to a front handspring. You must be

able to do both a decent hurdle and a solid kick to handstand. Thekick to handstand should go straight to the handstand with proper

shoulder extension.

Preliminary drills

The first stage in learning a front handspring is to learn how tooverride your natural inclination to tuck forward when rotating

forward. Since a handspring is led by the heels, virtually everyonewho tries a front handspring will want to tuck forward.

This drill for this stage requiressubstantial matting. A minimum

of a good 8-inch training mat isneeded. Start by kicking to handstand on one side of the mat.

From the handstand, fall flat onto your back on the mat. Ensureproper body alignment during this drill: your shoulders shouldbe completely pressed open and you will be in a slight arch.

Squeeze your heels together and keep your butt tight. Watch yourhands the whole time. Your entire body should contact the mat

simultaneously. Allowing your heels to contact the mat slightlyahead of the rest of your body is acceptable. If any other part

of your body contacts the mat first it is an indication that you

rounded your back, piked, or broke your shoulder angle, all ofwhich are severely detrimental to a good handspring. Finish the

drill lying on the mat with your arms still by your ears and yourhead tilted slightly back looking at your hands.

Concurrent with the handstand fall drills, you should practice

blocking drills. The propulsion off the floor in a handspring comesfrom an aggressive block through your shoulders, not a push withyour arms. Start in a lunge and kick to handstand, reaching forward

as you kick up. Your shoulder angle must remain open throughout;do not reach down to the floor with your hands. Bring your hands

to the floor by kicking your rear leg up. The line from your wriststo your rear leg should remain straight. Just after your second

foot leaves the ground block through your shoulders and bounceinto a handstand. Snap your feet together aggressively as quickly

as possible after the kick and try to push your shoulders openfor the block. As your block becomes more dynamic, increase the

difficulty by setting up a single panel of a 1-inch mat to block uponto. Continue to increase the height as you are capable.

Bridgesare another key factor in a good front handspring, andyoull need to practice them regularly. In a supine position, raiseyour elbows toward the ceiling, place your hands on the floor

by your ears, bend your legs, and then push your hips towardthe ceiling and arch back. Ideally a bridge should have straight

legs and shoulders pushed out over the hands. When you dobridges, push out over your hands so the stretch occurs in your

shoulders. An increase in shoulder flexibility will make significant

differences in your handsprings.

A front handspring is a relatively easy skill to spot. The gymnastshould begin about three large steps away from the spotter, to

the spotters left. The spotter kneels on the floor. The gymnasttakes one step and hurdles into a front handspring. The gymnast

should place his hands on the floor about one foot before thespotters position. As the gymnast kicks into the handspring thespotter places his right hand on the gymnasts mid-back while

simultaneously grasping the gymnasts right wrist with his lefthand. The wrist grab must be done with the left hand supinated.

Roger Harrell

The Front HandspringDecember 2006

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/blockdrill.mpg

Online VideoBlock Drill

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/treefall.mpg

Online VideoTreefall

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...continued

The Front Handspring

Step-by-step mechanics

Be sure to work through the progressions. You will progress much

further by insuring proper technique and practicing the drills thanjust trying to throw the skil l. Keep in mind that a handspring is alead-in skill, so it not only needs to complete, but should actually

build momentum for subsequent skills.

Approach

The approach to a handspring is a good hurdle. (The hurdle is

covered in detail in issue 51of the CrossFit Journal.) You need to doa low, long, stretched hurdle and focus on reaching forward into

the handspring, taking care not to dive into it. Your shoulder angleshould not break, but your hands must touch the ground beforeyour second foot leaves the ground. Stretch into an aggressive kick

toward the ceiling, as if into a tall extended handstand.

Block

As you practice handsprings, focus on pushing your arms up and

back as you block off the floor. This is another counterintuitive

aspect of the handspring and requires conscious effort toaccomplish. Block off the floor aggressively and rapidly. Pushcompletely through your fingertips as you leave the floor. Do notlift your hands off the floor, push the floor away from your hands.

From the kick and through the block, drive your heels aggressivelythrough the handstand.

Landing

After the block, continue to drive your heels to pull them backunderneath you. Your handspring should land on the balls of your

feet with your feet behind you, and your body in a slight arch. If

you get enough block and maintain proper positions you will feel a

spring forward as you land, almost forcing you to run, jump or falforward. This forward momentum will later be used for anotherhandspring, front tuck or other front tumbling skill. Your head wil

be neutral, but your shoulders will remain completely open. Youshould be as stretched as possible through your upper back and

shoulders. Remember that your head and hands will be the lastthings to reach vertical.

Common mistakes and corrections

1) Sitting up is by far the most common mistake in a front

handspring. Virtually everyone will have this problem atfirst. Even when proper progressions are followed, stayingopen must be emphasized constantly, and in some cases

additional drills are required. To help develop a feel for theproper position coming out of a front handspring, stand

about 2 to 3 feet from a wall with your back toward thewall. Reach straight up and look up at your hands, then arch

back and place both hands on the wall. Now push back on

the wall while squeezing your butt and pushing your hipsforward. Make sure you press your shoulders open and

let your hips pull you forward. Under no circumstance areyou to pike, or sit forward to pull away from the wall.

Doing this drill properly this will help reinforce the properposition of the handspring. This same drill can be done with

a coach standing in and substituting for the wall. The coachjust stands behind the gymnast and catches his hands as he

reaches back.

Hand spotting the skill can also help to reinforce proper

positioning. A spotter can place pressure on the upper

The spotter should take care to keep close to the gymnast so that he can use his body to assistin the spot. The spotters right arm should remain fully bent with his hand very close to his right

shoulder and elbow down. The spotter should ensure that the gymnast remain arched throughouthe handspring, with shoulders completely open. For now, the gymnast should land looking at the

ceiling.

December 2006

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/fhsspot.mpg

Online VideoFront handspring spot

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18/36

back and anchor one hand back so that the gymnast cannot

sit up immediately out of the handspring. The earlier thishabit is broken the better. If allowed for too long this can

have a negative impact on front tumbling for a very long

time.

2) Another very common mistake is to reach down to theground when kicking into the handspring. By reaching for

the ground the shoulder angle is broken. This causes theshoulders to proceed in front of the hands and severely

compromises the block. Stretch forward in the lunge toprevent this from occurring. Your hands are brought to thefloor by your rear leg kick, not by reaching down to the

floor. Really focus on a completely open, stretched body,kicking to a tall handstand for the handspring.

3) The converse of reaching to the floor is diving into the

handspring, which you need to avoid. This occurs whenyour second leg leaves the floor before your hands contactthe floor. A significant loss of power will be experienced

as a result of diving into the handspring. Ensure that yourhands contact the floor just before your second foot

leaves the ground.

4) Many gymnasts will bend their legs as they kick into thehandspring. This is the result of an effort to get through theskill quickly. While the kick needs to be fast and aggressive,

the kick also needs to be extended. Thinking about kickingthrough the tallest handstand you can manage will help to

ensure a straight leg kick.

Connecting handsprings

Once you are consistently making handsprings with proper

positioning, you can start working on connecting two handspringstogether. This can be done two ways: a handspring step-out toanother handspring or a handspring-flyspring. A flyspring, or

bounder, is a handspring that takes off from two feet.

Start working on handspringstep-outhandspring. Be sure notto rush into the second handspring. Instead, focus on performing

your first handspring well. If the first handspring is strong, addinga second handspring is not difficult. For a handspring step- out

just keep driving your kicking leg through the handspring and do

not bring your legs together. You will land on one leg with yourother leg extended in front of you. Ideally you should land with

your rear leg well behind you so that the landing drives right intothe lunge for the second handspring. Initially you will find that you

land leaning a bit back and youll have to push hard into the second

handspring. This is due to insufficient block and turnover. As yourhandsprings get stronger, this transition will become effortless.

Good block and turnover are essential for a strong handspringflyspring. If the first handspring does not turn over sufficiently

the punch will go up instead of forward. You must land your firsthandspring with your feet well behind you in order to perform a

powerful handspring flyspring. A very common mistake is to letthe first handspring degrade by reaching forward and piking to try

and initiate the second handspring. This is counterproductive. Besure to focus on performing the first handspring well. If the firsthandspring is solid, it will be much easier to make the flyspring. It

is recommended to develop a strong handspring flyspring beforeworking handspring-front tucks, as working the handspring-front

tuck will encourage too much flight after the first handspringand it is difficult to turn over sufficiently once this habit has been

developed.

Keep a focus on technique and proper body positions and your

handsprings can progress rapidly. Resist the temptation to shortcut the drills and rush the front handspring . Proper mechanics

will make a handspring effortless, while improper mechanics wilresult in a squatted dead-end handspring regardless of the power

put into it.

...continued

The Front Handspring

Roger Harrell is a former competitive

gymnast with twenty years of experience.

He has continued to train in the sport well

beyond his competitive years. He has run

several competitive gymnastics training

programs and currently focuses on coachingadults and bringing the benefits of gymnastics

to those outside the usual community. He is

the developer, designer, and webmaster of

DrillsAndSkills.com.

December 2006

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19/36

Have you ever thought about what it is exactly that drives

improvement in aerobic work capacity? If you are like most people

you probably havent really felt compelled to ponder this. Eventhough I am trained pretty extensively in cardiovascular physiology

and training theory, I am an anaerobe and a musclehead. What

makes muscle work, become stronger, bigger, or more powerful

is my interest. That means that I hadnt, until recently, considered

the question either. In fact, if I had been asked that question two

years ago, I probably would have pulled an answer out of some

old aerobic dogma buried in my brain somewhere, obtained from

reading texts and research journals or from sitting in a lecture hall

somewhere. I accepted fairly unquestioningly (albeit with a few

exceptions in programming issues) the conventional wisdom of

aerobic training physiology. I was a happy camper. I didnt know I

actually cared about a higher level of understanding pertaining toaerobic fitness.

When Mark Rippetoe and I decided to develop and publish a

rational approach to strength training, it was in response to the

vast amount of ill-conceived and poorly designed training models

presented as authoritative. We both knew that many people were

lifting and programming incorrectly. We really didnt understand

why what was obvious to a couple decent ex-competitors and

reasonably successful practitioners was not obvious to the rest

of the weight-training world. When we starting researching our

books and digging into theory and authoritative documents, we

were both surprised to discover a tremendous lack of real and

meaningful experimental data. It was virtually impossible to find

well-designed and well-controlled experiments actually asking

even simple research questions that are relevant to the practicing

fitness professional or to any trainee. It was also eye-opening

to find so many people of all ilks defending the poorly founded

conventional wisdom of resistance training. Of course they didnt

know that it is not a well-founded doctrine.

Recently through Marks professional practice, I have been fascinated

by the CrossFit model of training. Seeing the improvements in

endurance in the local CrossFitters has posed a new puzzle. Why

do they get aerobically fit when they do not train in a manner that

would be considered aerobic? Their amazing success doesnt fit

into the convenient box of aerobic training dogma (rhythmic and

continuous exercise done for long durations at low to moderate

intensity). I asked other exercise physiology faculty with aerobic

interests about what could be driving this fitness improvement

but gained very little satisfaction. And as a professor who feels

compelled to explain things to people, not being able to explain

this phenomenon really bugged me. This kind of stuff can wake

a person up at 3:00 a.m. and compel him to search the National

Library of Medicine online until dawn to find an answer to a piece

of the puzzle that subconsciously emerged in sleep. So began a

broader search for explanation, a search that demonstrated that

the state of endurance training theory has uncanny parallels tothe state of understanding in the strength arena. The answers to

simple questions were hard to find and most of the literature

didnt seem to stand up to scrutiny with respect to utility. Instead

of asking what drives adaptation in VO2max, most researchers in

exercise academic circles seem to have been interested in what

limits VO2max. Understanding human limitations is a noble effort

but fairly futile if you do not understand the process of inducing

the physiological adaptations that move the body toward those

limitations.

In 1936, Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye proposed the

General Adaptation Syndrome theory, an explanation of howthe body responds to injurious and non-injurious stress. Selye

proposed that the organism goes through a programmed series

of physiologic responses and adaptations to ensure survival when

the organism is exposed to the same or similar stress later in

the life cycle. In the exercise and fitness sciences, this theory is

well accepted but frequently misunderstood and misapplied. The

crux of correctly applying Selyes theory is understanding that a

disruption of homeostasis must occur in a physiological system

in order for adaptation and fitness improvement to occur in that

same system.

One of the most apparent examples of the misuseor, more

precisely, ignorance of the appropriate useof Selyes theory

can be found on the holy ground of aerobic fitness. The fitness

boon was born in the late 60s under the guidance of Jim Fixx

and Kenneth Cooper. The idea was, and still is, simple: run a lo

and you will be fit and healthy. Over the decades, the mythology

of running has firmly entrenched into conventional wisdom the

idea that developing aerobic fitness (endurance) requires you

to runrun long and run slow. The American College of Sports

Medicine (ACSM) recommends 20 to 60 minutes of continuous

low-to-moderate intensity aerobic activity in order to develop

aerobic fitness. A problem immediately presents itself with thi

training concept. With low- to moderate-intensity running, the

ultimate marker of aerobic fitness, VO2maxthe maximum

amount of oxygen the body can consume at maximal effortis not

challenged. In the conventional 20- to 60-minute prescription for

improving aerobic fitness, the demand for oxygen at the working

muscle is met by supply. The name itself says it all: aerobic means

in the presence of oxygen. This means that, by definition, this

type of training does notand cannotprovide a disruption of

oxygen homeostasis. With no homeostatic disruption, there can be no

adaptation, and no fitness gain.

Lon Kilgore

The Paradox of the Aerobic Fitness PrescriptionA Facultative Anaerobe Sucks the Air Out of VO2max

December 2006

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The Paradox of the Aerobic Fitness Prescription

But tell any fitness trainer, exercise scientist, allied health professional,

or physician that they are approaching the development of VO2max

incorrectly and they will claim heresy on your part and question

your sanity, your IQ, and your familial heritage. Just by writing

these words for publication, I am painting a target on my academicstanding. It is an invitation to open season on the aerobic heretic.

But I will stick to my guns and heres why. Open discussion and

objective examination of fact form the cornerstone of science and

academia. It is my profession to pontificate. Even if I am wrongly

assessing how the body responds to exercise (though I dont think

I am), every exercise professional, clinician, and scientist is welcome

to dissect and examine my thoughts and supporting data in an

open forum. Thats what science is: exploration and explanation

of the world around and within usthe search for truth. If we do

not freely think and pose radically different ideas from convention

when convention may be in error, then we are merely lemmings.

So I posit here that everyone including the ACSM is approaching

training for improving VO2max in a theoretically incorrect manner.

If I know that it is being done wrong, then, I must know how to do

it right. Right? Of course I door at the least I have a very good

explanation of what is actually being trained with conventional

training methods.

The discussion above considers the standard exercise prescription

for the untrained and non-competitive subject. Lets turn our

attention from the laboratory and clinic to the competitive field.

Coaches do not use ACSM recommendations to improve VO2max

and performance in their athletes. They do not and would not

have a trainee run at 70% of VO2max for an hour in every training

session. They know that performance is unaffected by this and

what does not work in the field is abandoned in the field. Practical

experience from more than a century past has demonstrated that

this is an ineffective means of increasing VO2max and performance.

The only time 70% runs are prescribed is on a training day

designated for recovery. A 70% workload cannot disrupt oxygen

homeostasis. It is used for recovery training as it is easy enough

on the body to allow for physiologic recovery from more rigorous

training methods without losing neuromuscular condition.

To more fully examine the methods used in the field, lets divide

training for aerobic fitness into two basic types: long-slow-distance

and interval training. There are many variations of both of these

types, but in large part the variants are fairly similar (see table 1 for a

more extended comparison). Long-slow-distance work is intended

by convention to improve cardiovascular efficiency andVO2max, and

interval training is intended to improve lactate tolerance/clearance

and VO2max. Both have been demonstrated to improve endurance

performance and to improveVO2max, and this is where it gets tricky.

Two different training methods, two different sets of metabolic

demands, and they both yield the same result. How can this be?

Part of the answer can be found by considering the population on

which the majority of research has been done, usually individuals

of low to average fitness just starting a training program. In other

words, beginners. Beginners are far from their genetic potentiafor performance and therefore a very low-level and non-specific

stress can induce positive adaptations. We can have beginners walk

jog, sprint, jump, twist, flex, wiggle, dance, swing, hang, roll, bounce

or do virtually any activity, and their endurance will improve. This

is so because any advancement of metabolic and oxygen demand

beyond their sedentary lifestyle is a novel and disruptive stress

and will induce an improvement in endurance and VO2max. This

concept of beginners responding to a non-specific stress is not

unique to aerobic exercise. In the realm of strength development

you can have beginners ride bikes and their squats will improve

(but not so for intermediate, advanced, or elite trainees, who

require specificity to make further improvements). Consideringdata from beginner populations to be relevant to trainees at every

level of training advancement is a gross and progress-retarding

mistake.

If much of the data we have is flawed or uninformative, how are

we supposed to know how to train people? Well, lets consider

what specifically each of these two methods of traininglong

slow distance and intervalsdo to the body. Weve already

established that long-slow-distance training cannot, by definition

stress oxygen delivery and utilization systems to the point o

homeostatic disruption. But we also know that endurance can be

enhanced by this type of training. Why the incongruity? Its not

really incongruent; its just confusing because of lax and complex

terminology academics and clinicians have devised over the years

Endurance isnt just VO2max; there are more facets to it than that

But lets keep it simple here and examine the two major facets o

endurance: energy and oxygen.

Long-slow-distance training is energy substrate depleting in

nature. It has been shown many times over that glycogen stores

can be totally depleted with this type of training, and depletion

of an energy substrate should be considered a fairly significant

disruption of metabolic homeostasis. It would not be prudent to

consider only complete depletion as a disruptive stress; partia

depletions should be considered disruptive as well, but if and only

if the depletion is greater than that previously experienced by the

trainee. Long-slow-distance training can also exceed the bodys

ability to metabolize fat for energy. Driving a metabolic system

beyond its normal range of operation or to failure is definitely

a disruption of homeostasis. Combined, the stress of depleting

glycogen stores and simultaneously exceeding fat metabolic

capacity drives an improvement in storing and utilizing these

two energetic substrates and results in improved endurance. So

endurance has improved, but VO2max has not. This is a specific

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The Paradox of the Aerobic Fitness Prescription

adaptation to a specific stress in a previously trained subject.

This seems obvious, but most people fail to see this connection

between aerobic exercise, metabolism, and performance and

instead automatically, and incorrectly, attribute the improvement

in endurance to an improvement in VO2

max.

The second common type of training done for aerobic fitness is

interval training, shorter and more intense segments of effort with

short rest periods between repeats. It has been observed that

lactic acid accumulates during this type of training and thus it is

commonly posited that intervals push the body to adapt to the

presence of lactate by enabling it to tolerate higher concentrations.

Alternatively, it is suggested that interval training may enable a

quicker removal of lactate from the tissues and blood. This seems

nice and logical, but it is off base. Although we are inundated with

the (mis)information that lactic acid is bad, actually it is an essential

hydrogen ion acceptor in glycolytic metabolism. Sure the exerciseconditions that are associated with its accumulation are a bit

uncomfortable, but correlation is not causation. So do we really

care that lactate has accumulated? We really shouldnt, since lactate

isnt even part of aerobic metabolism and VO2max but is simply an

inevitable consequence of the really important things happening

here. With interval training, producing lactate is not the important

effect; exceeding oxygen consumption capacity is. Intervals are

done in the realm of glycolytic metabolism, whereas long-slow-

distance is primarily oxidative. Running fast enough to require

the body to use primarily glycogen to fuel the activity (specifically

anaerobic glycolysis) means that the working muscle cannot take

up and use oxygen fast enough to meet exercise-driven demand.If anything, significant lactic acid accumulation occurs coincident

with disruption of oxygen homeostasis. The level of exertion that

produces lots of lactate is the level of exertion needed to drive

improvements in VO2max. Its the level of exertion where the

athlete exceeds oxygen consumption capacity. The body adapts to

this stress by augmenting its ability to take up oxygen and to use

it in the muscle. At least, it does if this type of training is repeated

chronically and progressively.

It has been traditionally suggested that interval training should

account for about 5% of a runners total mileage; this is a gross

underuse of this training method. Lots of aerobic athletes useintervals. Many use them for the wrong reason and/or at the

wrong intensities. Regardless of their reasons for including interval

training, most athletes should likely do more, lots more. Most

runners who do them use interval intensities of between 85%

and 105% of VO2max (usually calculated as a speed just slightly

faster than race pace). Intervals need to be short and intense.

Trained runners can run many miles at 85% of VO2max, so the

low end of the common interval prescription is not useful. At

the upper end, 105% is just barely enough intensity to drive any

type of positive oxygen-handling adaptation. Productive interval

will have intensities in the range of 150% to 250% of VO2max. To

maximize gains, trainees should run faster, a lot faster.

Ive stated that it is the uptake and utilization of oxygen at the

muscle that is the driving force of VO2max gain. And guess what

It really doesnt involve a great deal of cardiovascular adaptation

Rather, the adaptation must, by physiological necessity, be at and

in the muscle. Changes in metabolic enzyme concentrations

membrane glucose transporters, myoglobin concentrations, and

other phenomena localized to the working muscle enable more

efficient extraction of oxygen from the blood and utilization in

the cell. All these enable the muscle to consume more oxygen

Remember that VO2max, the absolute marker of aerobic fitness

has as the centerpiece of its definition ability to consumeoxygen.

It is not defined by the ability of the heart, lungs, and vasculature

to deliveroxygen.

Here lies my heresy. Consumption does not relate strongly to

delivery. To state that to develop VO2max one does not need to

significantly develop the heart and lungs through traditional aerobic

training is not intuitive. So lets clarify with one important piece

of data to make sure this is correctly understood. When the body

is at rest, only a small amount of available oxygen in the blood is

extracted for use at the cell. The remainder of hemoglobin-bound

oxygen stays associated with the red blood cells even after it has been

exposed to the muscle at the capillary. Blood oxygen saturation is

routinely 98% or better at rest. With long-slow-distance exercise

blood oxygen saturations are not significantly different from thoseat rest. It is rare to have a significant reduction in saturation with

this type of training. Further, it has been proposed that the only

way to induce a significant desaturation with long-slow-distance

training is to do it at altitude (where theres less oxygen present

to start with).

Heres the rub though. In a previously untrained individual, long-

slow-distance training induces enough of an oxygen homeostatic

disruption to drive improvement in VO2max for a short time

Statistically insignificant drops in blood oxygen saturation are

an adequate adaptive stimulus in the beginner. But once the

trainee has been training consistently for 3 to 9 months, longslow-distance is no longer sufficiently specific

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CrossFit Journal - Issue 52