Crossfit Fairfield County

Objective Goals

Rest Day

There should always be objective goals when it comes to training.  Having goals in your training is important, and gives you something to aim for.   Because our fitness is performance based, we find tracking our athletes performance also helps us measure their fitness.  In order to perform better, even better than your last.  It takes developing technique through practice, and conforming to a diet (or way of eating), that supports those goals.  

Prior to finding CrossFit in 2006, I was working as a personal trainer at Freestyle Fitness in Westport, CT.  And I had pretty much gone through a number of training programs, and was practicing a great deal of functional training at the time.  I was using a lot of material from Juan Carlos Santana, Mark Vestergen, Gray Cook, Gary Gray, Mike Boyle, and a number of other fitness experts, and coaches in the field.  

Now I had gotten in pretty good shape appearance wise, and somewhat performance wise as well, using a lot of their material.  However, I wanted more, more performance gains, bring my bodyfat down more, develop better technique!  That's what led me to searching, and evolving my training, which in turn, led me to CrossFit!  

I was intrigued by CrossFit from the very beginning, so simple but yet complex, I guess you can say it's simplex.  But everything just made perfect sense, that I immediately started doing the workouts!  And when I delved in, and started training for the performance gains, everything else came along with it!  My bodyfat dropped to under 10%, around 6 or 7, all the way from 15%!  I went from deadlifting 445, and being stagnated there, to deadlifting 525!  And everything else just pretty much went through the roof!  CrossFit truely is the best fitness program on the planet, the proof is in the put in!

Marc and Sharon, training for the objective goal of a two to three minute plank!

Below, Kris and Gloria, training backsquats, and aiming for the goal of bodyweight!  

Great job to all my athletes, and a big congrats to Marc and Gloria, for both reaching a bodyweight backsquat!!  

Kris and Gloria, backsquat wod: working up to bodyweight from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Squat depth...

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
65 pound Power snatch, 12 reps
10 Push-ups

Post rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 070109.

The depth in the squat is important for a number of reasons.  Going deep, allows you to load the hips properly, develop the form and technique to handle more load.  Sufficiently, develop strength, speed, power, flexibility, coordination, and a number of other physical components. 

Speaking of flexibility, restoring the flexibility in the lower lumbar, It band (band of muscle outside the quad), adductors, can happen faster the more the trainee practices the movements.  As well as other flexibility training methods.  Below, before Marc got into a backsquat wod, I had him practice some self-myofascial release.  What rolling on these foam rollers do, is release the tension that is built up in the service of your muscles.  Everyone should be practicing self-myofascial release, for the simple fact, that you build up tension in your muscles every time you train.  By not releasing that tension, you develop stiffness, and soreness, and you don't recover from workouts as fast!  

Just a few minutes practicing some self-myo, goes a long way in restoring flexibility!

Kris and Gloria, showing another movement we practice before getting into some backsquats.  This technique, came from Coach Rippetoe, and is a great for preparing your body for load in the backsquat!

Another point that this technique allows us to see.  Is that, if your sitting forward in this squat position without load, the chances are you are going to sit forward with load.  

Below, Marc practicng some heavy backsquats, and working up to a 1-rep max.

Marc, backsquat wod: working up to a 1-rep max from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Air squats

With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.

Use as many sets each minute as needed.

Post number of minutes completed to comments.

Compare to 090813.

The Air squat is the next level we progress our athletes to, after they've learned proper depth, and keeping the load on the heels, in the squat movement.  Through the repetitive practice, athletes should look to correct any flaws in their form and technique.  Some common errors are, heels lifting up, knees buckling in, losing the curve in the lower lumbar, shoulders rounding.  Here in this video from CrossFit.com, some of the CrossFit superstars, and those who I aspire to be like someday:-)  Show the proper, and improper form and technique of the air squat.  Enjoy!!

Here is another throw back video, and in this video Dee Dee is showing how we practice Air squats, Tabata style!  And she is  doing bottom to bottom tabata squats at that!

Joe, Dave, Tatiana (Tabata squats), Dee Dee BTB Tabata squats from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Fixing the flaws

"CrossFit Total"

Back squat, 1 rep
Shoulder Press, 1 rep
Deadlift, 1 rep

Post total to comments.

Compare to 091013.

Fixing the flaws in technique with the movements, is essential to continue to progress in load, as well as other advanced movements.  One of the common flaws we see in squats, is the the knees drifting forward, or the torso folding forward.

Here in the warm-up, Sharon was facing some of those technique flaws.  This is where using a wall or a pole or something, to force the trainee to keep the upper body in an upright position, as they squat down, is extremely handy!

 

Marc and Sharon, learning the difference between overhead squats for CrossFit, and overhead squats for Olympic lifting.  Overhead squats for oly-lifting require you to sit deeper in the pocket.  Bringing the fold of the hips as close as you can to the ankles.

After some practice with the pvc pipes, Marc and Sharon were ready to handle some load in the wod!  Check out the video below:

Marc and Sharon, CF.com wod (modified) 3 rds of: 3 hang snatches/7 OVHS 200m run from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

The portable pull-up bar...

Rest Day

I have had the luxury, to have in my possession, since the beginning of my CrossFit experience.  An Again Faster, portable pull-up bar!  This bar is a tremendous asset to our various different CrossFit toys!  The Again Faster bar you can pretty much take anywhere, and strap it to just about anything.  I take this bar out when training at the park, in-home, beach, etc...  And you can strap the bar to a tree, basketball post, or pretty much anything that is suspended high enough, and sturdy enough!

Here Jane is working on developing her pull-up strength with the Again Faster bar.  It is a great tool for in-home training, to help clients get the most out of the pull-up  movement.  Even from the comfort of their home!!

Jane training with, The Again Faster, portable pull-up bar from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Here is a wod Jane did, mixing it up with some kettlebell swings!

wod: 10-9-8-7-....-1 reps of kettlebell swings and pull-ups for time: from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

The Good witch...

This Halloween, Bubblegum got to experience the holiday in it's entirety, by enjoying the best part of it all.  Trick or treating!!  Bubblegum got to be a witch, a good witch of course.  Even though we are not big on Halloween, we do realize that it is a time for the kids to enjoy!  So it's fun to see them dressed up, and happy collecting lots of sweets!  And no, I didn't fill the bags up with apples and oranges, as most would think.  Or did I fill up the bags with paleo candy, because I couldn't find any, just kidding!

Bubblegum, in her Halloween outfit, ready for some fun!  Of course I passed on my favorite line from trick or treating days.  "Trick or treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!  Please?"

And even though it's Halloween, the learning does not stop, so neither does school!!

Kip swings and things...

Five rounds for time of:
95 pound Snatch, 3 reps
95 pound Overhead squat, 15 reps
Run 400 meters

Compare to 060720.

Marc, showing one of the ways we fine tune our squats.  Simply by using a wall, or a pole to force the trainee to keep the load on the hips.  A lot of times with squats, and deadlifts, trainees will allow the knees to drift forward, thus shifting the load forward.  With squats and deadlifts, and movements that involve them, you want minimize forward knee travel as best as you can.  

During the warm-up, Marc here, using the pole to fine tune his overhead squat, and no he's not kissing the pole!!

In the video below, Marc is practicing the kip swing.  The kip swing is the predecessor movement to the kipping pull-up.  Learning the kip swing is essential to the kip pull-up, primarily because it establishes developing the momentum needed to skill transfer to the kipping pull-up. 

Marc, kip swing practice from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Holds, hangs, and swings

I'm sure a lot of you have heard the expression, if you can not hold it, it's hard to pull it, push it, swing from it, snatch it, clean it, etc...  The kipping pull-up is a tremendous movement, that we look to teach each everyone of our CrossFitters.  However, to learn the kipping pull-up, an athlete wants to first develop the ability to pull their own body weight.  One of the methods that we use for this, in developing the pulling strength to do that, is the dead-hang.  

The dead-hang, is just grabbing on to the pull-up bar, and allowing your body to hang down.  This is not only a great exercise for building pulling strength for pull-ups.  It is also a tremendous stretch, that pretty much stretches everything out, in this static hold position.  We train to hold hangs, parallette holds, and hand stands, etc.. for up to 2 or 3 minutes.  This will provide the stabilization to do other exercises, such as hanging knee, and leg raises.

Below, Marc practicing the dead-hang before some pull-ups.  Marc, who has been training with me for a few months.  Has not only managed to shed about 20 lbs, but has also built exceptional strength in a number of areas!  The dead-hang being one of them!

Marc, deadhang: 1 minute and 20 seconds from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Let's Do it again....

Four rounds, each for time of:
800 meter run

Rest as needed between efforts.

Post times for each round to comments.

Compare to 090810.

My mom might as well had named me, keep trying instead of Keetron.  Because I will keep going, going, and going.... you get my drift.  I never give up, on anything in life, no matter how hard things may seem.  Why?  I guess because I was always raised in a spiritual house hold, and I am a firm believer that God will never put more on us than we are capable of handling.  

I like to look at the bigger picture in life.  Putting the gym in Bridgeport was an experience for me.  I met some awesome people, made some great relationships, and learned a lot training the folks that I train here!  Experience to me, has always been the best teacher.  I have learned to appreciate the finer things that life has to offer!

So what's the next move?  We are going to do it again!  This week we will be outfitting the box in Stamford!  Survival goes not to the fittest, the fastest, or the strongest, but the one most capable to adapt.  In my life, I have had to adapt to a number of situations, circumstances, and environments.  And the same holds true in the business world, unfortunately things didn't work out as planned with the box on John st., so when opportunity presented itself I seized it.  

Does that mean that I am no longer training in Bridgeport?  No it doesn't, it just means the bulk of my time training will be spent in Stamford.  Which will be the new home for CrossFit Fairfield County LLC.  I'll still be holding classes in downtown Bridgeport, mostly evenings.  And morning and afternoon classes in Stamford.  Also, we will be introducing other programs, and things of that nature in Stamford at the main box.  I will keep everyone posted on what's to come, and the moves that we are making with CrossFit Fairfield County!  

Boxing 101

Every now and then, I get to work with some of my athletes one on one.  And I use that opportunity to work on form and technique with some of the movements.  Or help them develop skill in any particular area of their training.  Earlier I had the opportunity to work with my buddy Marc, on some boxing skills. 

Having been a former kickboxing instructor at NYSC (New York Sports Club), I look to still use elements of that skill in my training.  Boxing is a tremendous sport, that really you can get great conditioning from.  My dad and I both, have always been avid fans of boxing.  My dad boxed in the police academy, before becoming a Stamford police officer.  In which, he served 23 years on the police force, and retired in 1988!  Having that background, he exposed me to boxing, and the skills thereof, at a very early age.  

Even though we both have our different favorites.  He was a fan of Joe Lewis and Joe Frazier, also Mike Tyson, and I was a fan of Muhammad Ali, and Evander Holyfield.  We always would watch the fights together, and still do majority of the time. 

 Anyhow, you develop a number of physical skills with boxing.  Cardiovascular endurance, agility, accuracy, speed, coordination, balance, power, flexibility, stamina.  And all that while learning to defend yourself!

Marc, learning the boxing stance and the jab from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

As rx'd...

For time:
25 Squats 
25 Push-ups
25 Pull-ups
25 Sit-ups
50 Squats
50 Push-ups
50 Pull-ups
50 Sit-ups
75 Squats
75 Push-ups
75 Pull-ups
75 Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

As rx'd (required) is a level of performing the wods, that every CrossFit athlete, client, or trainee should aspire for.  Intensity is where the productivity is,  and I often express this factor of our training to everyone.  Now of course, not everyone is going to be on the level of performing the CF wods as required, which is why every movement, load, and intensity is scalable.  Another reason why our program can be fitted to meet the needs of anyone, from a young age to the elderly.  When I first started teaching CrossFit in Westport at Freestyle Fitness, back in 2007.  I worked with clients and athletes, ranging from age 11 to 67.  And I didn't change up the program one bit, because I didn't have to.  I changed the loads and intensity of the wods that I prescribed, however overall the program stayed the same.  That's the beautiful thing about CrossFit, is it's adaptability to a broad population.  

Anyhow, one of the main things that athletes want to really get accustomed to, is getting out of their comfort zone.  Working out is not supposed to be comfortable!  So a lot of the time, our workouts are designed for you to focus on an element of your training that you might not be that good at, weak points.  As well as capitalize upon areas that you do fare well at.  As far as goals, every athlete should set the goal of performing the workouts as rx'd, if they are not there yet.  Primarily because, this is where you are going to find the most productivity in the least amount of time!  And it doesn't matter whether your looking to go to the CrossFit Games, or just want to perform chores around the house better.  Everyone is looking to get in the best shape of their life, and that is the road to take you there!

In the videos below, we do the same wod. Here, I prescribed a modified version of Annie to Marc and Sharon.  I kept the reps the same, 50-40-30-20-10, subbed with wall-ball and ab-mat sit-ups.  The ironic thing about this, is that we all got the wod done in relatively the same time, 20 minutes!  

Sharon and Marc, Annie wod: (mod) w/wall-ball from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.

Annie wod: 50-40-30-20-10 reps of DU's & Sit-ups for time from Keetron Breece on Vimeo.