Dutch Lowy

Sometimes, in my travels, i run across people that do it right. Today i want to point out two guys that i have been truly impressed with. They are in two completely different situations but have embraced CF methodology and have successfully evolved it for their needs and their subjects needs.
I will split this into two posts so each one gets plenty of exposure as i feel they deserve it.

First is Lt Cl Scott Gerber of the 3ACR Thunder Squadron at Fort Hood. I met Scott in late 2009 when i went to FT Hood to give a seminar to him and his troops. I was referred to him through LtCl Pete Andrysiak of the 20th engineering battalion (the Lumberjacks, yes he is the one responsible for all your pain of the Lumberjack 20) also at Fort Hood.
Scott recently put together their first CF competition which i will get into later.

What has impressed me so much about the 3ACR is their desire to do it right. In my first meeting with Scott he told me he was not a PT guy, nor did he care to ever be. I totally respect that and let it slide. I have a creeping suspicion that this is changing since CF has infiltrated his life. Despite his disdain for PT he was committed to “doing it right.” On my recommendation they set up a system form PT that anyone would be envious of. After a good warm up, work on basic skills and a quick review of the upcoming workout. The Troops partner up and decide who is going first. Each soldier has a coach for every workout they do. Why is this so cool??

1. They are kept accountable. They have someone to watch their movement, critique it, and help them count reps. They are also encouraged to push themselves.

2. they have someone to directly compete against. We all know fitness is about beating anyone else, but really…. It is.

3. They know they have one workout to hit that day. So they can come at it with the intensity that is needed for the results that CF can produce.

4. They have programming freedom in their platoons. A platoon is a group of 8-12 soldiers that do PT together which makes group management much easier.

5. Finally, this puts 1000+ soldiers doing CF everyday for PT. SImply Amazing!

How are they kept motivated on a long term basis? Scott has decided to do quarterly competitions. I was invited to the first one earlier this month and wanted to share my experience.

Teams of 10 were put through one of three workouts.
half Murph
800 m run
50 pullups
100 push ups
150 squats
800m run
I ran this event. It was slightly modified as the day went on but all in all the event ran wonderfully. We had some volunteers from other squadrons help judge which was a huge help. The event itself was cool to watch because we set it up for 2 people of the team of 10 to go at a time. This leaves 8 people per team to cheer and encourage their fellow soldiers. It was truly inspirational to watch this happen. It gave me chill bumps to see these soldiers puch through the pain and perform for their team. It gives me a good feeling about our military when these kinds of people are involved.
Event 2 was karen
150 wall balls for time.
I was unable to witness this one but i hear the 3ACR has some work to do on wallballs… haha!

Event 3 was:
3 rounds of Kelly
400m run
30 wall balls
30 box jumps.
Again wall balls… Overall i think this event went well. I got to see the tail end of it.

Unfortunately i was unable to stay for the award presentations. Let me say that i think everyone deserved a prize. It was really a cool site to see whole teams run with their competitor for the runs and huddle around with encouragement while the competitor battled through these brutal workouts.

Thank you Scott. You have done an amazing job down there and i look forward to future visits.

Hey everyone! It has been a busy week/weekend for me and i wanted to update everyone on whats going on.

First of all i just got back from Mobile, AL and the American Open. It was a great experience and really interesting to see how weightlifting works. The need for a coach is so huge that i don’t even think i could have made it through my warmups without one. SO i want to thank Rob for all his help.
Here is a video of my lifts. I have tons of random lifts from the weekend that i will try to get posted sometime soon. Also, props to anyone that can comment on why my third snatch was not successful. I am not talking about the pressout at the bottom. By the way you can watch it in slow motion if you pause it and use your arrow keys to advance the video.

I am also working on the future of the Black Box Summit. The new website should be out soon so keep your ear to the ground.

Lastly, i want to apologize in advance for the lack of posts through the christmas season. I will be on top of a mountain with little or no technology.

Part 2 Connective Tissue

Prior to writing this, my thoughts were that the connective tissue is an area where we proceed with caution. CrossFit methodology teaches us that we consider exercise intervention scaling or modification, “in degree not kind.” I agree with this approach as long as the movement and excursion patterns support these tissues.

What is connective tissue? Connective tissue can be considered any human tissue that, “holds together or attaches,” bones, muscle to bone, muscle compartments, and joints. There are three tissues that concern us, ligaments-attaching bone to bone, tendons-attaching muscle to bone and fascia holding muscle compartments and tissues together. We will also discuss joint load bearing tissues such as articular and hyaline cartilage in the next writing.

Let’s review structures and components first. Within these tissues, cells consist of fibroblast and the fibers are elastin and collagen. The ground substance is comprised primarily of glycosaminoglycans, GAG’s(linked to proteins=proteoglycans) and associated proteins fibronectin and laminin.

Age changes within connective tissue cells have proven to be few. On the contrary, the aging changes within fibers are many. With collagen fibers there is decreased solubility, reducible cross linkages stabilize, and increased rigidity. With elastin fibers there is decreased production, increased fragmentation, rupture and loss of rebound. These morphological changes in fiber produce less tissue flexibility, contracture and a loss in elastic capacity. So, for the older athlete this may contribute to the loss in tissue excursion and functional range of motion. In other words, they get tight!

This simply means that the older athlete, if they have not been actively involved in a flexibility and mobility program, will naturally have less joint, tendon and ligament movement capacity. These tissues are also at greater risk due to lack of elasticity when performing jerking or more ballistic movements as associated with many CrossFit type exercises. The common complaint of older athletes after a CrossFit WOD might be muscle soreness but also pain that originates from the connective tissue attachments and joints. If this pain does not resolve within 48-72 hours attention should be given to the athlete, and the exercise intervention and intensity may need to altered. These athletes are at a much higher risk for tissue tearing or ruptures than the younger athlete.

When starting CrossFit with older athletes, there should be greater attention given to transitioning and scaling the movements and limiting ballistic, high force repetitive movements at the ends of their available ranges. Exercises such as kipping pull ups need to be gradually transitioned into training. Many older athletes have limited shoulder mobility, and the nature of kipping pull-ups places a high stress, end range force that many times exceeds the muscular capacity and stresses the static supporting elements of the joints. Controlling quick, ballistic and bouncing movements will help to protect these tissues early on in CrossFit training. Making sure that movement in all exercises can be performed through the full range under lower loads and controlled ranges is important prior to progressing to more intense exercise. This supports the principle taught in CrossFit training of, “mechanics, consistency and intensity.”

In conclusion, when starting an older athlete in CrossFit training, remember the following principles; assess and then focus on mobility and flexibility, keep ballistic/repetitive movements to a minimum, control end range stresses and loads that might overstress static tissue elements, and keep in close contact with the athlete until they develop a regular routine and assimilate into the training environment. Scaling and modification of movements is crucial until tissue mobility achieves a level that supports the quality of movement.

“The Paradox of the Aging Athlete”

In the world of CrossFit and other athletic circles, there is a wide range of age in the athletes. As an affiliate owner, coach, physical therapist and “slightly” older athlete, I have been contemplating on how I can better serve the needs of all athletic ages.

So, might we approach our athletic population with one simple question: Is there a “need” for training models, methods or techniques that better suit the young, middle aged and older athlete? I think we can all agree that there are certain methods that are more appropriate and safer for the younger population, thus CrossFit Kids. The certain types of exercises, loads and intensities that are just not appropriate for the growing non-matured skeletal frame.

Through general observation, visiting other affiliate’s boxes, watching videos and the CrossFit Games, I estimate that the average age of a CrossFit athlete appears to be 30 yoa. But what about the other end of the spectrum? And at what age would we consider an athlete, “older,” and modify their training? To better develop a construct by which to work upon, I decided to do some basic research on the physiological differences of human tissues based on the aging cycle. This is not a recipe for training, but a starting point to discuss if there is a need to modify CrossFit training to populations based on the aging process.

Training variables such as type of exercise, intensity, frequency, loads, repetition count, rest and recovery cycles, should be areas of investigation for all coaches. To propose or develop a program with too rigid of a structure does not allow for the flexibility to modify training variables. A good example would be rest and recovery. The rest and recovery time of a 20 year old athlete is significantly different than that of a 45 year old athlete. All variables in training should be modified to best meet the needs of the individual athlete and promote maximum efficacy in results. My initial hypothesis is that CrossFit training should be modified or scaled to better serve the needs of the aging athlete.

Facts to Consider – Physiology of aging muscle and Connective Tissues

Muscle Physiology

Muscle protein loss in aging has been associated largely with skeletal muscle protein loss (Cohn et al,1980)

Evidence suggests that decrease in muscle mass with aging accounts for; decrease in BMR, decrease in V02 max (BLSA, Tzankoff and Norris, 1978)

Decreased muscle force production begins about 45 yoa, more rapid loss > 70 years old, 25-30% decrease more in the lower than upper extremities

Decreased muscle force production maybe due to a decrease in muscle cross sectional area (CSA)

Cadaver Studies: cross sections of entire vastus lateralis decrease of 10% in CSA between 30-50 yoa, decrease in 25-30% CSA between 50-80 years (Lexall, et al, 1988)

Resistance training-related changes in muscle strength, muscle size, fiber type, and myosin heavy chain isoform composition in 11 elderly subjects (age range, 85–97 years) after 12 weeks of heavy resistance training (80% of 1 RM) were examined. Twelve subjects constituted a control group. Resistance training increased isometric knee extensor strength 37% (P<0.05) and isokinetic knee strength 41–47% (P<0.05). Lean-quadriceps cross-sectional area increased 9.8% (P<0.05). Muscle fiber hypertrophy occurred only in the type 2 fibers (22% (P<0.05)). Type 1 fiber-type area percentage decreased [4.0 % (P<0.05)] whereas fiber-type area percentage of type 2a fibers increased [5.9% (P<0.05)] (A. I. Kryger, J. L. Andersen, 2006)

Endurance capacity of muscle function appears preserved, recovery of contractile properties after fatiguing work slower (Davies et al, 1983, 1984; Larsson, 1979)

Overall, these studies suggest that the maximal force/unit area can remain relatively constant, or improve with training to late ages in life. Muscle function with age also suggests that the intrinsic quality of the muscle can produce force in old as in young. It appears that the loss of force production is more due to muscle atrophy, disuse, loss of CSA due to in part a decrease in fast muscle fiber size. I think many of us have made the assumption that we can train older clients and achieve strength improvements, and we have observed this through experiential data. But these studies help support our assumptions and experiences.

Older athletes can create muscle hypertrophy and development through resistance training at varying levels. The ability to develop muscle does not appear to be the weakest link. But, on the other hand, lack of activity, disuse or lack of disruption of homeostasis, can create a decrease in muscle fiber size, function and the physical capacity of an older person. It is imperative that we gradually introduce training to the older population, but that we also educate them to the fact that homeostasis or equilibrium of the target tissue must be disrupted.

As a general population, we have been sold by the commercial exercise industry that normal human capacities are exercise! For example, in the world of physical therapy and the fitness community, walking is considered exercise. This may be true if the athlete has a lack of conditioning to walking as a daily task or athletic endeavor, and it elicits a significant disruption to their body systems. But, this is definitely not true if walking does not disrupt homeostasis.

CrossFit style training can have the potential to disrupt homeostasis. But we must be assured that during training we are not potentially damaging important soft tissues due to the aging process. Having injured athlete does not promote our primary goal of developing elite fitness. So where do we go from here? In the next article we will review the effects of aging on connective tissue such as tendon and ligaments.

Darin Deaton PT, MSPT, OCS, CAE

Physical Therapist

Level 1 CrossFit Coach

Olympic Lifting Certification

CrossFit Endurance

CrossFit Exercise Science

CrossFit Football

For those interested in following the American Open this weekend in Mobile. Check out this webcast. Don’t forget, It starts on Friday. I lift around 5 on friday in case anyone cares…

USA Weightlifting Members and Supporters

The 2009 American Open will be webcast LIVE starting on December 11 and running through December 13. Please visit the following link for more information:
http://weightlifting.teamusa.org/news/2009/12/08/watch-keepourtanker-com-american-open-live-on-usaweightlifting-org-this-weekend/29640?ngb_id=34

Good luck to everyone at the American Open!

Juliet Moore
USA Weightlifting

As people are getting ready for competitions around the country for Crossfit specifically i want to talk a little about strategy.
Let me take a step back and discuss this in terms of weightlifting since i have a meet coming up. I think i can relate it back to CF so bare with me. In weightlifting an athlete gets 3 attempts at the snatch then, provided they were successful in at least one snatch attempt, they get 3 attempts at the clean and jerk. Here is where the strategy comes in. If i only have 3 attempts, does it make sense to start at a weight that the athlete is unsure of completing successfully? No. Ideally one would want to get one for sure lift, one heavy (close to 100%) and one max attempt. Obviously if something goes wrong you would want to adjust those numbers but you get the point. You don’t want to start at 100+% intensity. Make sense?

Now back to CF and competition. Since workouts are kept secret for most competitions, maybe even up till the 3-2-1 GO, we will take a look at a local competition that gave at least a broad outline for the workout. CF Dallas Central is hosting the All Cities Open this weekend in Dallas. They will have 3 workouts, first is an olympic lifting movement (snatch or Clean and Jerk, if you don’t know these are the olympic movements…), Second is a timed metabolic workout around 10 minutes, and last is a 30 minute or under AMRAP scored on number of total reps.

Ok, just like the first example with the weightlifting scenario one would want to make sure they are successful in at least one attempt. In something like this, it is my opinion that you need to shut your self off from other competitors results and work at your personal capacity. It is easy to bite off more than you can chew if you try to keep up with someone that is stronger than you.

Workout number two is scored on time to completion so it would be wise to do whatever you can to speed up movements and be efficient in your transitions. For example butterfly pullups vs regular kipping will cut considerable time off your workout. There is a caveat here so beware. If you work past your capacity here and go to either muscle failure or metabolic failure you are doing yourself a disservice. Standing and looking a the the pullup bar or the barbell is not going to get you finished with the workout any quicker. This should be obvious. The athlete HAS to know their capacity and not push past their limit unless you are very close to being finished. My advice is to stay relaxed, don’t fall too far behind and set a steady pace and keep it up or possibly increase it as the workout progresses.

Workout three is an AMRAP scored on number of reps so the above example would apply to this as well. If you end up working to failure, you will set yourself back. If at 10 minutes you are failing reps and wasting energy, you will severely blunt your possible score vs keeping a manageable pace and possibly increasing as time gets closer.

Lastly i want to add that this is how i feel you should compete, not train! You train to get better not get good scores. If your scores suck in training, that is ok. So long as you know how to compete you will work to your capacity and be proud of your performance.

Ya’ll asked for it so here it is.
Like i said in the comments yesterday this is mostly lifts that i missed or wanted to see my technique. Unfortunately i don’t have the same setup as they do in Colorado Springs with the delayed playback so i have to pick and choose what i get on tape. Sorry if some of the lifts are pretty ugly but that’s how things go sometimes.