Hello again,
I guess if you are reading this
then my first attempt at a blog was not too bad after all so let me fill you in
on the last few weeks.
I finished my last blog post with
an amazing PB (Personal Best) and having smashed ‘heavy week’ which always
leaves people with huge smiles on their faces.
After ‘heavy week’ comes … ‘light
week’. This format of programming at Connect by the excellent coaches is done
so it allows your body to recover and train in sensible cycles. Now light week
may sound like a nice easy week, gentle workouts with no weight on the bar etc
but how wrong you are!
Light weeks involve new skill challenges
and a massive emphasis on technique during the focus sessions where we don’t often
lift over 50% of our 1 rep maxes. This allows us to really dial in the movement
without worrying about the weights. The WODs (workout of the day) during light
week are just as demanding with new skills thrown in but maybe a little more
cardio focussed (which we all love, obviously!). These light weeks are superb
for trying out new skills or “training your weakness”.
Unfortunately Sarah missed out on
light week as she was unable to train. I can hear you all crying out
...WHY?
Well, she had just made it through
heavy week with a massive haul of 5 PB's but on the Sunday she managed to put
her back out due to a rather strong … sneeze!
It took a visit to Connects resident sports therapist, Paul Keenan, to put it
right and get her back training and I can tell you first hand she is a nightmare
when she doesn't train! After the light week came ‘medium week’ and Sarah got
back on it. Phew!
I mentioned in the previous post
that the coaches always give three different levels of scaling, allowing
everyone to participate at their own level and I have to admit that I am guilty
of playing it safe on a number of occasions and scaling it where I probably
didn't need to. I decided that that needed to change. I needed to push myself.
So during these last few weeks I have been trying to do as many RX'd WODs as I
possibly could. Although these were tough, the feeling after was amazing
knowing the hard work is paying off. RX by the way means performing the workout
as the coach designed and not having to scale weight or movement at all.
As it was the Easter holidays my
daughter Madi was able to train more than she would normally and the progress
she is making is amazing. She is no longer using a training bar (lighter than a
normal bar) for some lifts and as always shows me up in the WOD's. She even has
her own nickname now Mad Dog! Thanks
Barney!
On Easter Sunday there was a
special class. It was open to everyone with no class size limits and really
made use of Connects 5500sq ft facility. It was 2 x WODs: the 1st
was a partner WOD and the 2nd was a team one. I won't go into
details about them but if anyone knows what a burpee is I will say there were
200 of them in the 2nd WOD. All those who don't know go and Google
it!
Over 30 people turned up and it
was fantastic. I may not have said that straight afterwards as I was feeling a
little unwell! It was just another example of the variety of classes you get at
Connect.
Another aspect of Connect is the
personal training they offer and I was lucky enough to win a session with Connect
owner David Draper. PT sessions can be tailored to individual needs and I
wanted to work on technique in the Olympic lifts. It was great. There is so
much to learn with each lift it was like being back at school, but I would
highly recommend it.
I shall leave you this time with a
quote from one of the members who is unable to train at Connect at the moment due
to working in Ecuador. I think this sums up what Connect is all about:
“Connect is a special place … I
thought I loved CrossFit but CrossFit only works when you feel happy, confident
and strong in the place you train. I miss Connect a lot. Do you lot have any idea how lucky you are?!"
Connect - THE place to train.
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