Current Programming Block Explanation (Summer 2018)

Starting Monday, June 11th we will begin a new block of programming at BCF and CF Route 7. This programming block will be three months long, lasting through the beginning of September.
The goal for this block of programming will be to increase our strength endurance and develop a higher quality of overall movement while maintaining the aerobic capacity and skills that we have developed through prepping for the Open and Murph.
One definition for strength endurance is “the specific form of strength displayed in activities which require a relatively long duration of muscle tension with minimal decrease in efficiency” . In more simple terms, we will be helping to develop your ability to move a moderate to heavy weight for high repetitions.
There are a few reasons why we have decided to use this as our focus for the next three months. Strength endurance training will help all of you build muscle and increase your strength work capacity, allowing you to lift more weight with less fatigue. These factors will contribute to much larger strength gains later in the year. Additionally, this type of training calls for submaximal weights and higher repetitions. This will give all of you an opportunity to refine your movements and make adjustments to your technique that will help you more efficiently and safely move heavy weights. This will not only contribute to increases in your maximal lifting capabilities but also your ability to maintain form and efficiency during metcons that involve strength movements.
Some overall themes that you will be seeing in regard to the strength endurance training will be:

• More days per week with strength work
• More “Strength only” WODs
• More classic barbell strength (squats/deadlifts/pressing)
• Higher repetitions (mostly 5-10 rep range)
• Fewer long metcons

In addition to our strength endurance focus we will be introducing some more accessory work to help build stability and movement quality. This component of our training will be focused on quality over volume or intensity. We want you to learn to move as well as possible so that when you apply speed and weight to your movement patterns your body will move more safely and efficiently. Ultimately, this means that you will be faster, stronger, and more injury resistant.
To help contribute to the goal of developing higher quality of overall movement you can expect to see:

• More accessory movements built in to warm-ups, strength work, and post-WOD
• More unilateral movements (single arm/single leg)
• More rotational movements
• Focus on strict gymnastics and gymnastics progressions
• Olympic lifts broken down by positions

With these specific goals in mind, you will notice some changes in the programming but, DON’T WORRY, the painful metcons you all love will still be there. Most of our metcons will be in the 7-15 minute time domain but, there will still be grueling 30 minute chippers, long AMRAPs, and plenty of running, rowing, and burpees. We will also still be testing benchmark and Hero WODs regularly.
As we look to the rest of 2018 and into 2019 you can expect to see us continue building on the strength work that will happen in the next three months. The hard conditioning work and CrossFit-specific skills will make a strong comeback in the months leading up to the 2019 CrossFit Open.
We are very excited to roll out this new programming and see all of the improvements that our members will make!!!
If you have questions or comments, please let us know.