Group Training Baby!

Nothing to do with the post, I just love this picture!

Monday morning Derrick got a great workout in with waited Andrew Whitener:

3, 3, 3+ at 70%, 80%, 90% of:
Deadlifts
Strict Press

For active rest we threw in controlled ab wheel roll outs between deadlift sets, and under/overs (3 x each direction) between strict press sets.  Felt pretty good while focusing on keeping my body fluid on the deadlifts and was able to pull 390# 6 times.  I know I could have struggled with 2-3 more reps, but I really want to get these with perfect form.  Presses were, well, about the same as always.  I got 145# for 5 reps and continue to just feel like I am not improving with shoulder work.  But my programming has been changing, so, we'll see.  Our metcon:

3 rounds of:
6 each arm DB snatch 65#
15 box jumps 24"
20 half moons 32" SB

I did this before (6/14) and got 8:06.  This time I got 6:36.  Sweetness!

In the evening, Dan and JP came out to The Garage to join Derrick and myself, my clients Teddy and Brian showed up early and were able to cheer us on through this insanity:

For time:
2 rounds w/ 20# vest of :
10 squat clean thrusters 115#
10 pull ups
10 lateral jump overs (over a 12" plyo box)
2 rounds w/ no vest of:
12 reps of the same exercises.

(Video up on YouTube.  It's a bit rusty as it's my first video taken, edited, and uploaded all from the new iPhone)

Holy spent.  Dan and I went first and it knocked us both clear out.  Flew right through the first round, then just hit a wall on the barbell work.  The pull ups and jump overs never really got me all that much, but the higher reps with that barbell got me banging out combos of singles and triples from round 2 on.  I finished in 9:36 with Dan right behind in the low 11's.  JP and Derrick tore through the WOD with lighter weights and the effort there was absolutely awesome!

Today was at the track with Brian, George, Fred, JP and Derrick.  We busted through Brian fitness test for Princeton Football:

16 x width of the football field and back in under 18 seconds with 45 seconds rest in between.  I hung with Brian to assure the time stayed sub-18, which it did for all but 2.  That meant 20 burpees at the end of the session.  Next we did this:

4 laps of:
sprint straight away
jog curve
double step up stadium steps
bear crawl down stadium steps (do this three times as you move down stadium)
jug curve

I got this in 16:18 with George coming in around 18 and everyone else coming through in a mixture of the mid-20's.  This was SO much fun.  The inverted bear crawls lead to a complete lack of recovery time leaving everyone so gassed.  Then, 20 quick burpees and done!

So, I love training with groups of people.  The energy just fires through everyone and it ultimately becomes practically impossible for someone to dog it.  There is always someone either just behind you or just ahead of you, always pushing you that much harder.  Then, you always have someone there to give you a little push, a little motivation.  My guys are great at this, and everyone is so good at picking each other up it makes me so damn proud to be able to get workouts with them here and there.  As i write this, I realize this topic calls for a much more in-depth post, and it deserves a strong point especially with the growth of CrossFit and the absolute positive effects pf group dynamics.  I promote the hell out of getting a slew of people together and getting after it.  I can not think of anything better to do with a group of friends.

Never Stop, GET FIT.

Josh Courage