201.4

Warm Up
     I think it is always good to have a routine. I also think it is good to break that routine occasionally. Kinda contradictory...like arching your back while keeping it flat.
     That being said, I am a big fan of regulating volume of movement. When I program complete days...like during the "Crossfit Season", my goal is to balance exposure to movements with volume of essential movements and with capacity and engine building...During this portion of the off-season (the next 12 weeks), my focus will be on absolute strength and technique with the Power and Olympic Lifts....Your focus should be on this, but it should primarily be on ENJOYING Crossfit and cleaning up your game.
     You should focus on finding the holes in your repertoire of skills (I have said previously that competition is a great way to do that)...and, I will touch more on this tomorrow...I am getting ahead of myself....sorry, this is about the warm up.
Ok...Story...The gym where GK and I started is a gym that  has produced multiple competitors over the years, most of you know them or know of them. Breck Berry (5 time Games Competitor) had what he called "The Official Warm Up" or just "The Official"...I am not sure if it was HIS official warm up or if the main site or HQ had posted it somewhere, but it was and is his "Official" since at least 2008. It was very effective and very simple:
        PVC OHS, done slow...with pass throughs and Sots presses in the bottom of the first squat
        Push Ups
        Sit Ups
        Dips
        Pull Ups
        GHD/Back Extensions
     Everyday before instruction or a WOD specific warm up, we would do 1-3 rounds (usually 3) of "The Official"...doing 15 reps of each movement per round...then we would walk through the Bergener...then we would work on WOD specific movements. If one of the above mentioned movements was in the WOD, we would cut the reps but still use the movement in our warm up. I said all that to give you one conclusion and this suggestion:
     Conclusion: 45 reps of each of these daily is probably too much...but it does get you used to unbroken sets...and it does get you used to handling these movements without batting an eye...it also gets you "back to basics" and it allows you to focus on virtuosity with the fundamentals of functional movement.
     Suggestion: Don't do 3 rounds of this everyday...but...maybe do 1 or 2 rounds of this a few days a week...being able to use your warm up as a way to build up your tolerance to these movements while also focusing on virtuosity within those movements is priceless. So find a warm up that focuses on fundamental movements but also works for you. Mobilizing with bands and boxes and rolling out with balls and PVC is great for working on your soft tissue. Being able to "practice" movements that you are already proficient in is also important.
     I will talk about skill work tomorrow...For now I will leave you with this picture...It is an absolutely epic photo, and it comes with a challenge...Be the first to respond with correct answers to the following and I will buy you dinner...GK, you don't get to answer
:
1. Where were these photos taken? City, State, Gym
2. What competition is this?
3. What year were these photos taken?
4. What are the names and finishing orders of each of these athletes?
     Hint: GK and I think girl #3 looks like Ke$ha...not in this picture though
5. Were you present when the photos were taken?
6. What did GK place that year?
7. What happenned to the 5th place male on Event 3 that year?

Strength
1. Back Squat
     3 @ 80%, 2 @ 85%, 4 x 3 @ 80%
2A. Straight Leg Deadlift
     5 x 3@ 80%
2B. Weighted Dips
     5 x 5 @ HAP
2C. Glute Ham Raise
     5 x 8 (with GOOD form)
3. Overhead Squat
     EMOM for 5 minutes:
          4 OHS at almost HAP