May Newsletter

What's in the Newsletter? ~Murph Wrap Up ~Caffeine - more harm than good? ~Community Cup ~Consistency Crew ~Zone Training ~Programming Update

July 7th to August 17th, 2025 Goal: Focus on Pulling Strength using a V-S-I Training system (Volume, Speed/Unilateral & Intensity) In this 6 week cycle, we’re going to focus on increasing the Deadlift and Pulling strength. Test: 1 Rep Max Deadlift The V-S-I system essentially splits up the strength sessions into 3 categories: Volume The volume sessions are lower intensity higher volume sessions that are designed to increase our endurance on the hinging movement pattern and help us gain capacity in the range of motion. This is the base of the pyramid and the wider it is, the more stable the top will be. Gaining endurance and practice in this movement pattern will help us have more consistent and higher quality intensity sessions. Loads between 45-60%, Depending on the level of athlete These sessions will be mainly using a traditional deadlift style and on occasion be combined with another hip extension exercise. The maximum volume we will be performing is 45 reps. You will see some sessions using a tempo to increase time under tension. Speed / Power The Speed sessions are going to be a mix of speed sessions, in which our goal is to perform hard and fast extensions and power sessions in which we will use olympic weightlifting to work on athletes ability to produce force. The difference is that the speed sessions are generally very light and are more focused on athletes having the intention to move really fast whereas the power sessions will have a heavier stimulus but athletes need to be able to apply good speed to that moderate to slightly heavy load. Speed: - Low intensities (20-40%) - Will have some banded sessions - Fast execution - Moderate Volume (20-30 total reps) Power: - Power Cleans, Hang Power Cleans & Hang Power Snatches @ 60-75% best lifts OR RPE 7/10 - Jumping & Band resisted jumping - Moderate Volume (20-30 total reps) Intensity The intensity sessions are the very heavy sessions. These will be combined with light and shorter metcons. Workouts before these sessions will be lower impact and upper body dominant. Loads above 70% We will be doing all of the intensity sessions as Dead Stop Volume goes from 20 to 8 repetitions Linear throughout the phase (loads progressively increase over the course of the 6 weeks) Context: This cycle is a last of 3 cycles that focus on the slow lift strength: Squat, Press & Pull. Between these cycles we will have some transition weeks. Within each cycle we will also include other strengths and/or skills throughout the week. M etcons: In this strength phase, we will be extra careful with our movement choices given that we’re working on strengthening the back and with 2-3 hinging sessions per week, we don’t want to over do anything. Expect to continue to see some strict gymnastics and to see more machines. Accessories: Accessory sessions will be focused on core & complementing the deadlift sessions. Coaching: For the best possible results from this cycle member s should aim to hit 2 pulling sessions / week and try to have the intensity session every week. If members cannot make the intensity sessions for scheduling reasons, They can do it as an accessory or extra work when they can. This training phase is higher risk than others since many members have experienced some level of back pain, injury or have poor flexibility. It is CRUCIAL to assess our members' risk and make the appropriate adjustments if sessions are too heavy or if the movement pattern is too risky. Sunday Workouts: For the duration of the pull strength cycle our Sunday workouts will be dubbed “Successory Sundays”. We will be using our ACCESSORY program + adding in some aerobic training to expose members to our accessory program. The goal here is to make sure there is no conflict with the workouts for the following week. Intensity will be low and can be used as active recovery. Metcons: Overall, the stress on the central nervous system for the shoulder press isn’t as intense as the squats therefore we will see a bit more variety in the metcons. You should see less restraint on heavy metcons when we have our heavy days. Upper Body Consideration Since we’ll be working hard to avoid excessive upper body impact, there will be less kipping gymnastics such as pull ups, ring muscle ups & bar muscle ups. Given that we are in a strength focused cycle you will continue to see strict gymnastics such as strict pull ups & ring dips. In an effort to maintain the focus on the pressing using external loads, we will avoid handstand push ups for the next 5 weeks. Accessories: We will include upper body posterior chain accessories and shoulder health accessories. In addition, some speed and unilateral sessions will be providing some of the pressing section as accessories since the cycle is short and we want to maximize members' exposure to these pressing sessions. Coaching: For the best possible results from this cycle members should aim to hit 2 pressing sessions / week and try to have the intensity session every week. If members cannot make the intensity sessions for scheduling reasons, They can do it as an accessory or extra work when they can. Beginner members in this cycle need to focus on movement quality and should increase in load gradually.

May 19th to June 22nd, 2025 Goal: Focus on Press Strength using a V-S-I Training system (Volume, Speed/Unilateral & Intensity) In this 5 week cycle, we’re going to focus on increasing the Shoulder Press Strength. The V-S-I system essentially splits up the strength sessions into 3 categories: Volume The volume sessions are lower intensity higher volume sessions that are designed to increase our endurance on the pressing movement pattern and helps us gain capacity in the range of motion. In the Volume sessions we will be performing supersets combining shoulder presses with other pressing / tricep dominant movements. Example: 5 Sets of: 5 Shoulder Press 10 Overhead Band Tricep Extensions The goal with this is to increase our muscular endurance in the pressing mechanics and also offer some variety. Speed / Unilateral These sessions will be a mix of vertical and horizontal pressing and will also come in the form of supersets (not always). The movements will be more dynamic and higher velocity. Example: Bench Press 10 sets of: 2 Bench Press @ 40% 6 Ball Slams The goal of these sessions is to increase member’s rate of force development (Their ability to produce force QUICKLY) but also make pressing more fun, varied and dynamic. Intensity The intensity sessions are the heavy sessions. Since our cycle is so short, we're going to dabble in a conjugate style max effort day. Here is what our Intensity sessions will look like over the course of the 5 weeks: Session 1: Find a 1 Rep Max (Baseline Test) Session 2: Find a 5 Rep Max Session 3: Find a 3 Rep Max Session 4: Find a 2 Rep Max Session 5: Work up to a 1 Rep Max Tests: 1 Rep Max Shoulder Press Context: This cycle is a 2nd of 3 cycles that focus on the slow lift strength: Squat, Press & Pull. Between these cycles we will have some transition weeks. Within each cycle we will also include other strengths and/or skills throughout the week. Metcons: Overall, the stress on the central nervous system for the shoulder press isn’t as intense as the squats therefore we will see a bit more variety in the metcons. You should see less restraint on heavy metcons when we have our heavy days. Upper Body Consideration Since we’ll be working hard to avoid excessive upper body impact, there will be less kipping gymnastics such as pull ups, ring muscle ups & bar muscle ups. Given that we are in a strength focused cycle you will continue to see strict gymnastics such as strict pull ups & ring dips. In an effort to maintain the focus on the pressing using external loads, we will avoid handstand push ups for the next 5 weeks. Accessories: We will include upper body posterior chain accessories and shoulder health accessories. In addition, some speed and unilateral sessions will be providing some of the pressing section as accessories since the cycle is short and we want to maximize members' exposure to these pressing sessions. Coaching: For the best possible results from this cycle members should aim to hit 2 pressing sessions / week and try to have the intensity session every week. If members cannot make the intensity sessions for scheduling reasons, They can do it as an accessory or extra work when they can. Beginner members in this cycle need to focus on movement quality and should increase in load gradually.

Memorial Day 2025 Monday, May 26 8:00 AM, 9:30 AM The WHY BEHIND MURPH AND OTHER HERO's If you've been around CrossFit for a year or so then you've heard the infamous name - Murph - thrown around. You get done with a long grind of a Saturday workout and someone might say, "That was Murph-esque". Or sure enough the week after Memorial day you'll hear some of the stories of what went on by the groans of someone holding their biceps with sad eyes exclaiming, "Murph got me." Let's not forget... Murph's got us! There are thousands of "Murph's"! These are people who have stepped forward voluntarily to fight for our freedom. However, these individuals have died doing their job and truly became a living sacrifice for our privilege's. This life you have, the comfort of our lives and abilities we have are not free. It takes many large organizations to protect us and these rights we have. It's called freedom - but it's not free - and it's not cheap. Murph is a workout. But Murph is a symbol and tribute before it is a workout. CrossFit has done an incredible job bringing to light the combination of movements and defining fitness as a measurable and repeatable process. By formatting workouts and then saying, "now do it as fast as you're able" brings out an entirely different intensity and quickly becomes a test of the body and mind. When we do a "Murph", a "Manion", or a "Jack" or a "Bert", this is not just a workout but a expression of gratitude towards the men and women just like them fighting every single day. Risking their lives. When you participate and wear your Murph Shirt... it's you saying, "Thank you. I see you. I support you." Their sacrifice is our privilege. So when we mention Murph and invite you to do this "workout"... understand that we are inviting you to pay your respects and suffer a small fraction of what suffering has been done for us. The fact that we can go to sleep and wake up in peace, have the option to go to the gym and spend time with our families is such a beautiful thing. I don't know about you, but one day per year to bow our heads and willingly go through a "tough experience" for an hour while enjoying the rest of the day off to remember and acknowledge our past and present military and armed forces... especially those who died serving, or spent their entire lives doing so... is a low price and an ABSOLUTE PRIVILEGE!