Did you notice anything? Anything specific about the programming from last Saturday’s BIG WOD and yesterday (Monday)? Like, we repeated a version of CrossFit Total on Monday that we had just done on Saturday. Doesn’t seem CONSTANTLY VARIED to me… So what’s with that!?
Big picture background for you: Monday through Friday workouts are put together taking into account about a 4-6 week time period. Sometimes there are mini-cycles imbedded- like a lead-up to a Fran test, some focused skill work on all things rings, or a strength bias on a squat, press, or Turkish Get Up. There’s some rationale as to how and why that happens- but that’s for another time.
Saturday programming is typically dropped into the schedule as the weekend approaches, taking into consideration how WODs have gone from early in the week and where they are going next week. These Saturday WODs are usually somewhat experimental in design- with a concept I’ve been brainstorming, something I’ve seen at another gym or heard about from another coach. Oftentimes the spark of an idea comes from within our M-F training; someone makes a comment in class or asks a question about a previous training session. Many of these ideas lie dormant for a LONG time before the “right time” comes to implement it. As you know, they are also usually partner or team workouts- so they require some special circumstances to pull them off well.
Late last week I knew I wanted to do a Strength WOD for the Saturday BIG WOD. It had been a long time since doing so… and that’s ALWAYS a good reason to program something! But with a CrossFit Total training session coming up on Monday what would work well? After playing around with MANY IDEASs the answer turned out to be right there all the time… how about a different version of the same thing? I mean, sometimes (though rarely) variety means DO X, take a day off, then DO X AGAIN. At least it did this time around! The hope was that many people who trained on Saturday would also come in on a Monday as well… and would therefore benefit from a double dose of strength somewhat back to back. And if not… at least most people would be able to hit these three lifts at least one time over the course of that 3 day period. And with 53 athletes attending across the Sat/Mon stretch… that was the case (a handful of you made both days, double happiness).
And finally, Saturday shall remain unknown and unknowable until the WOD begins- rather than announcing in advance. That is because it keeps things exciting. It forces- at least one day each week- everyone to make the commitment to just show up and train without know what is going to happen. It’s something that takes a big of bravery on your part. It also takes some trust in me- knowing that I have a bigger picture in mind and that I’m not simply throwing something up on the board and seeing what happens. Thanks for the leap of faith every Saturday morning. And for getting back in here yesterday and hitting a CFT version once again!
Daughter and Mom lat stretches, double happiness
Tuesday’s WOD at 6, 7, 9am and again at 4 and 6pm
As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:
20 wall ball shots (20/14#)
10 strict pull ups
Post time and scaling
Tuesday’s 5pm Open Training Hour
