Here is are a few changes that have taken place over the past year at level 10 crossfit:

1. Step off that box! Stepping off the top of the box during box jumps has been kept our orthopedic problems down to nile.  However, this rule has left my vocal cords stressed on more than one occasion.  It seems when time is a consideration people what to pop up and down like a flash. The problem seems to be when you add fatigue to the mix…Think a spastic kid on a pogo stick and you get the picture of what our box jumps looked like before we switched gears.

2.  DROM (dynamic range of movement) warm-up-Typically we perform 15 minutes of the “crossfit warm-ups” before our work-outs.  But taking into consideration that, “our warm-ups is other peoples workout” we now perform front kicks, side kicks, high hurdle hip abductions, as well as shoulder rolls/windmills as part of our pre-warm-up warm up.  

3.  Swings and Deadlifts don”t mix-With nearly three years of experience training people in the crossfit methodology, I have only had two people terminate a workout due to muscle cramping (both were Crossfit monsters).  Both workouts occurred during kettlebell swings and both instances directly preceded deadlift days. To be sure there were additional factors that helped exacerbate the problem, but regardless swings and deads are now reserved solely for muscle-bound egomaniacs who “know all about this Crossfit stuff!”. 

4.  Diet can not be overlooked.  Repeat: Diet can not be overlooked.  Early on my belief on weight loss was directly tied to activity… Not drop”n weight, pick up an additional workout day! Easy.  To be sure this was a much better approach than that of my training colleagues who simple provided weight loss hope in the form of a mass marketed pill.  Today the only “pills” I push are fish oil.  That along with lean meats, mucho vegies, and healthy fat seems to get the trick done.