Heavy

What's the point of picking up heavy shit? Why do we do it, and why is it so important?

When we think of "normal" CF workouts, the thoughts that immediately jump into our minds are workouts like Fran, Cindy, Murph, and Annie; exercises like double-unders, pull-ups, kettlebell swings, deadlifts, and handstands; and traditional couplets, triplets, and the always dreaded yet usually fun chippers. These types of workouts usually involve lighter weights and lots of intensity. If this is what CF is known for, and a huge part of why CF gets people to levels of fitness they never knew they had, then why is lifting heavy equally, if not more, important?

Lifting heavy allows us to tap into a completely different energy pathway than we would normally hit doing those couplets and triplets. If you check out the diagram in the link I just provided, picking up heavy weights hits that blue phosphagen pathway.

If you look closely, you'll notice Rob Orlando locking out his third of three 300# clean and jerks. Lifting heavy = getting strong = being one of the world's top CrossFitters...

But why is that blue line important? In CF, our goal is to "increase work capacity across broad time and modal domains", and, as it has been proven through countless examples, a deficiency in any one of those pathways could very easily lead to the loss of a game, match, or life. That blue line is just as important to your overall fitness than anything else we do, so be sure to embrace the heavy squats and deadlifts. They'll make you a better person if you'll let them...

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WOD 101108 Monday

Location: The Shell, 9pm

Warm-up

S/S: Back Squat, 5-5-5-5-5 @ 75-90% 1RM

WOD: "Angie". For time:

-100 Pull-ups

-100 Push-ups (hand release at bottom)

-100 Sit-ups

-100 Squats

Finish: MobilityWod of your choice.

Results

S/S:

Donny- 135-185-185-185-185

Matt- 135-185-225-225-225

Matthias- 135-185-185-185-185

WOD

Donny- 22:59 (as rx'd)

Matt- 40:53 (70# assist)

Matthias- 58:24 (100# assist)