Great work on finishing up this strength cycle, CFD! We ended our cycle with two 3RM tests this past week โ it was great to see so many people push themselves on those third reps! Now that the strength cycle is done, we will go back to general conditioning lifting, which will consist of barbell complexes and strength days, but there will not be a linear progression behind them. We will continue to get stronger by varying our strength movements!
Throughout this month, we will see the gymnastics focus shift from Strict HSPU to building confidence/ capacity in toes to bar. This will take the form of skill sessions and higher volume TTB workouts, so prep those lats and midlines! I’m sure you all noticed this during this past Thursday’s workout … 80 TTB total, that was fun lol.
Family and friends are welcome to join us for our official Murph workout on May 27! Please share this link to get them registered.
We talked a bit this week on our social media about recovery. I wanted to share this info on our blog too, in case some of you are not on social media …
What does it actually mean to properly recover?
The CFD coaches talked a bit about recovery habits at our last coaches meeting, and we wanted to share a few tips with you! You all work so hard in the gym for an hour a day โ donโt let the remaining 23 hours prevent progress.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฉ. Many of us are busy, working adults and/or parents โ sleep isnโt always easy, we understand! A solid goal is 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Some may get by on less, others may need more. When you get the proper amount of sleep, youโll become sick less, your mood will improve, youโll think more clearly, youโll perform better in the gym, and your muscles will repair themselves while your body rests. Too much exercise and too little sleep could result in overtraining, which may stall progress and lead to injuries. Many of our morning coaches are in bed by 8 or 8:30 p.m. โ a bedtime is important, even as adults! Maybe on the weekends, you make it a point to get one or two extra hours of sleep per night. Focus on how you feel, your body may be craving more sleep!
๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค. Stretching is one of the most important actions we can take to avoid injuries. Work it into your routine โ stretch during chalk talk and again after the workout when youโre chatting with friends. Get down on the floor and stretch when youโre talking with your kids in the evening. Stretch for 5 minutes before you get into bed. People who donโt stretch or work on mobility are more injury prone because a lack of flexibility in the muscles will increase the load on their joints. It also helps reduce the buildup of lactic acid, which will help with overall soreness!
๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง. What we eat and how we fuel our bodies is at the core of how we feel each and every day. If youโre taking a day off from the gym, maybe use that extra hour to meal prep for the week. Focus on getting your water in. Prioritize protein at every meal and snack. If youโre feeling sore from a workout and you canโt perform your normal day-to-day activities, this is a sign youโve either done too much, or youโre not properly recovering. Donโt forget about carbs, too! Carbohydrates fuel your body and muscles for optimal performance.
๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ. Finally, a day of active recovery. This means a moderately paced walk or hike, or maybe a short, slow run. Stretching and mobility work at home is a great way to recover. You could also walk around the block with your kids, significant other or friend. Get your steps in, enjoy a little sunshine and make time for your family.
Always remember โฆ Pick your rest day before your rest day picks you.
Have a great week, CFD!
Here are the lifts of the week:
Monday โ Deadlifts, dips and METCON
Tuesday โ Back squat and METCON
Wednesday โ 24-min AMRAP
Thursday โ Pull-up work and then more pull-ups ๐
Friday โ Cleans and “The Chief”
Saturday โ Jerks and TTB/Push press
Sunday – Open Gym
