Seven Sisters Series - #2 Claudia

One of the challenges with weight training and cardio vascular fitness is linking them together in a workout. When doing the "Claudia" workout is couldn't be more straight forward. With this second installment of the Sever Sister Series we introduce a couplet of running and Kettlebell Swings. Do not be fooled as this girl is anything but a "Plain Jane." Claudia is one of the most effective and efficient workouts in the series. Whether you are at home using a treadmill or at the park with a single piece of equipment. This five round event with put you in your place with a total body butt kicker.

"Claudia"

5 Rounds for Time

400 m Run

20 Kettlebell Swings

Women 35 lb

Men 53 lb.

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T.G.I.F

We are all happy that it is Friday so here is a end of the week lift to bring in the weekend or at least earn your Happy Hour tonight!

Our weekly prescription of the "Alphabet Assault"

"T.G.I.F."

Do as a circuit

21-15-9

T - DB Thrusters

G - 1 /2 Pirate Get Up

I - Kettlebell Swing

F - Goblet Squat

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10 x 10 x 10

Are you ready for a full body workout where the grand total equals 1000 reps? Yes you are! Here is the lay out.

A Tribute work out to the late great Jack LaLanne. He did in his 90's what most can't do in their prime. A testament to health and wellness.

10 Exercise, 10 Reps each, 10 Rounds for Time

1. Jumping Jacks
2. Air Squats
3. Push Ups
4. Sit Ups
5. Alternating Lunges
6. Bench Dips
7. Squat Jumps
8. 1/2 Pirate Get Ups
9. Giant Backward Arm Circles
10. Burpee Jacks

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OC Throwdown 2011 video

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Run, Bike, Swim, or Row

Simple Things Done Savagely Well is our motto here at Pirate Fit. Todays WOD is a mono structural pursuit for you to buckle down and go the distance. To balance out the lifting and short interval work lets air it out and hit the Long Slow Distance (LSD).

Let us know what exercise you choose, distance, and time.

My choice today is the 5k Row. Check later for my time.

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CrossFit Fun with the Seven Sisters

This past weekend myself and Taylor Yaffee attended and became certified as CrossFit Level 1 coaches courtesy of Coach Greg Glassman founder of CrossFit. He is a big believer in the development of todays youth and improving their health. He felt that the work that we are doing here at Pirate Fit was important and offered both Taylor and I this certification and the CrossFit Kids certification on his dime. The Charter of CrossFit is to "Increase Work Capacity Across Broad Time and Modal Domains". The prescription is "constantly varied, high intensity, functional movement." We are excited to add this methodology into a blended program to help our athletes to get best results.

My background and degree is in Exercise Science with certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), USA Weightlifting (Level 1 Club Coach), Function Movement Screen as a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES), and a certified massage therapist. The combination of these educational programs and 15 years of coaching experience has helped to shape Pirate Fit.

Over the next 7 weeks we will be introducing the "Seven Sister Series." We have selected from the popular list of "Girl" workouts that are so popular with CrossFit. The are named after tropical storms (or so the legend goes) and they are to be taken seriously. Here they are

1. Angie
2. Cindy
3. Claudia
4. Fran
5. Grace
6. Helen
7. Linda

Each one has its unique characteristics and a combination of task and time priorities. They can all be scaled to accommodate everyone from Olympian to Centenarian. There is a need to have access to a pull up bar but we can offer some suggestions if this is not possible. kettlebells are nice but not mandatory.

"ANGIE" - For Time

100 Pull Ups

100 Push Ups

100 Sit Ups

100 Air Squats

Simply Scaled Levels

1. 25 reps
2. 50 reps
3. 75 reps
4. 100 reps - Prescribed or Rx

You must finish one exercise before you move on. You may also decide to do different levels for different exercises

i.e

• Pull Ups Level 1
• Push ups Level 2
• Sit Ups Level 3
• Air squats Level 4

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Please post your time and comments. We love to hearing from you.

The Pull Up Part III

In this third installment for pull up success we will go over the guidelines to getting up to the bar. In our previous two posts we covered

1. Hand size
2. Grip strength
3. Pain
4. Systemic strength
5. Body weight
6. Equipment

Now we will delve deeper into what to do day in and day out.

7. Technique - When it comes to the traditional Dead Hang Pull Up there is no technique. Simply pull until you get your chin over the bar. Of course then this post wouldn't relate to you anyway. But we advocate the use of the kipping pull ups. This will do a few things to help you along on your journey.

• Develop hand strength
• Tolerate pain and and toughness i.e. callouses - Yes you will need them
• And help to develop the proper body mechanics to develop the swing + pull to achieve your goal

The swing - This is simple. Use the shoulder as a pivot point and move through the core while swinging to and fro. When the legs go forward the upper body moves back when the legs travel behind the torso moves to the front. Mastery of this is essential. You should try variations with short and tight swings as well as long and loose.

The Swing + Pull - Once you have some appreciation for the swing you will want to add short pulls (mini pull ups with elbow bend) when the legs come forward. You can create a weightless moment if your swing + pull are timed correctly. Don't expect to go flying up just yet. There is a distinct technique that allows for this to become automatic. It takes time and reps. That leads us to point # 8.

8. Density is defined as the number of training days, combined with amount of work performed over a given time. You need to put in the time, energy and intensity to make a impact and create change. An old surfer named Roy Crump sold me a surf board while I was new to Huntington Beach and the surf scene. He asked how often I planned on surfing. I confidently said 3 x's per week. He looked at me as though he should take the board back and sell it to a more worthy adversary. His response was simple. "Joshua if you really want to surf you need to get in the water everyday twice a day." Truer words have never been spoken. Commit yourself to the task as often as is possible to remain physically healthy. Your mental health...well that is already shot so lets move on. Your body will adapt and the closely packed sessions will build on both success and motivation. As my friend and coach Victor Hall reminds me "Intensity is KING but CONSISTENCY rules."

Band Assisted Kipping Pull Up

9. Program Design - The final piece of this series is what to do. We will lay out a model for you to go by. You may pick and choose as needed because people progress at different rates. This is our method and it has yielded consistent results with our athletes.

• Kipping Swing - 3 x 10 If you can't Kip you can't play. This is the jumping off point that we have been referring to. Hand and tissue tolerance are the limiting factors up front. So be smart and mind your blisters. Increase reps and sets as you build comfort and strength.
• Band Assisted Kipping Pull Ups 3 x 5. This will teach you how to time the swing + pull and also develop the know how to link reps together.
• Jumping Pull Ups - 3 x 10 To develop the strength and work capacity needed you must add this in to your training. It won't help with technique but it will develop strength levels than can be further challenged by using a lower box or even jumping from only one foot. Remember to drop your hips at the bottom and fully extend your arms.

With a one month program we like to use a simple Pirate Progression

1. Week 1 - 2 x's week
2. Week 2 - 3 x's week
3. Week 3 & 4 - 4 x's week

All told that equals out to be a one month total of

• Kipping Swings = 390
• Band Assisted Kipping Pull Ups = 195
• Jumping Pull Ups = 390

Of course through out this program you should try to do a full pull up and see where you are at. The hardest part is going from Zero to One pull up. The next is getting two in a row. After that it is all the same. Let us know your progress.

Train Fun!