Variance

Variance

Variety is the spice of life. But is it the key to fitness?

CrossFit defines fitness as increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains. And what does all that mean? It refers to the ability to do varied physical work at varied lengths of time. And the way to achieve fitness has been a trial-and-error, test and retest journey through the centuries.  Heavy lifting, bodyweight gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning through running, rowing, jumping... these aren't new concepts. More recent scientific involvement, however, has put mathematics and exercise physiology into the fitness equation. This strengthens the claims of what works and what doesn't.

If you're involved with CrossFit, then, much of what you are using is constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity. It's a generalized physical preparedness program for the public. One size fits all? Well, yes and no.

It's like the nearly defunct pop radio, playing a variety of songs and artists to appease the masses.

You can hear it in your head now, right? In your best radio voice: "CrossFit.  Tune in for the hits of today, with all the classics from yesterday."

Finished with whatever slogan or tagline fits for the now. The cutting edge of fitness. More movement variety. All the lifts, all the time.

Sound effects engaged. *Ka-Boom* Here on Amp-101.

Radio Radio Radio!

With the advent of internet music, having to listen to a radio station and wait for your favorite songs to come on is no longer an experience today's youth has to endure. The luck-and-chance of hitting the radio music lottery no longer exists. You can simply skip to your favorite songs on Spotify, YouTube, Pandora, or whatever online platform you choose.

But back in the day, you had to wait it out. Fingers crossed for your favorite teen anthem. For the older readers in the crowd, perhaps you even sat nearby, ready to record onto cassette for your newest mix tape. For those even older, you really paid your dues, didn't you? Maybe you did household chores or saved up your weekly allowance to buy the single on a 45. It was the only way.

On the radio, the music being played was varied but it definitely wasn't random. Stations played, and still play, certain artists, record labels, and song singles. Mostly according to what will sell, or more accurately, what has been sold to them. Frustrating, maybe, as we all realize it's yet another industry of money and marketing. Sometimes talent doesn't even win out. A century of progress, but only to the highest bidder.

Old School

But let's digress.

Just as in radio, in CrossFit the workouts aren't randomized. There is a difference between varied and random. In order to make gains in a meaningful, measurable way, increasing work capacity requires variance. Yet it also requires structure and consistency.

Consistent... variance?

Variety is a necessary perk in life. When used correctly it can keep us entertained, even in our weekly flow of monotony. But without some semblance of consistency, humans actually get uncomfortable. We lose our sense of direction, get confused and even unhappy without purpose in daily life. It's the same in the gym.  With physical fitness we need structure and direction along with the variance to achieve results.

So, consistent and varied, yes. Both have a place on the fitness radio dial.

CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program which attempts to optimize fitness through strategic variety. Not just throwing exercise movements together at random, like a sales bin in the music store. (All the crap no one wanted in the first place, at a discount price!)

It's a common misconception of the variance in CrossFit-- we don't actually piece together workouts out of thin air, like a mix tape of movements to give to our latest crush. A true CrossFit program sees the big picture; has set goals in macro and micro cycles of strength and conditioning, like any developed fitness program. There is structure. There is routine. Just not the type of routine that leaves us stagnant on a perpetual fitness plateau.

Generalize in 10 physical skills but capitalize on consistently revisiting lifts, gymnastics movements, and many other exercise modalities.

10 General Physical Skills of CrossFit

In the pursuit of physical fitness, achieving central nervous system responses, muscle overload, and skill progression will not occur through randomization. In addition, goal setting and weakness training would never pan out if that were the case.

We see it in the now-gigantic health and fitness industry, where people get antsy and impatient with following a set workout regimen. Many bounce from program to program, always searching for that new thing, that new breakthrough. Like a music scout and a record label, squelching all they can from an artist, chewing them up and spitting them out in hit singles until the public overdoses and wants the new what next.

There's never any chance for growth. There's no room for improvement.

Fad fitness programs capitalize on this human characteristic (oftentimes called "boredom"), and sell get fit quick equipment and schematics as fast as record, cassette, and CD sales in the previous decades of music. And just as fast as they sold, they flicker out with all other obsolete technology.

CrossFit is sometimes viewed as that fad, that here-and-now type of fitness program. And we do in fact see people come through the gym and leave after just a short period of time... never giving it a chance to manifest, to work for them, to grow into more than a 3 minute pop song. They didn't get the results they were looking for in a few weeks so they abandoned ship. They jumped on the bandwagon but stepped off before the headlining act.

For those individuals, CrossFit is a one hit wonder.

For anyone willing to dedicate themselves, however, it looks to have promise for lifelong involvement in fitness. CrossFit groupies? Perhaps, yes.  Since the concept is to be good at anything and everything, a results-based general physical fitness program has an allure for many.

Which is where variance comes back into airplay. Especially because that variety keeps things fresh; enjoyment is high even though workouts with borderline masochistic physical suffering are still present.

So what movements do we benefit from being consistent in, and what should we vary?

Let's start with all the major lifts, both Power Lifting and Olympic Weightlifting.

• Squat - in some form or fashion 3-4 times a week. Include Back, Front, Overhead, and bodyweight air squats as well.
• Deadlift - pick something up and put it down at least 3 times a week. This may not always be a traditional deadlift, which is just fine.
• Clean - are you an Olympic Weightlifter?  Almost every time in the gym.  General public?  1-2 times a week, from different start and finish positions.
• Jerk - same as the Clean.
• Snatch - same as the Clean and Jerk.
• Other Presses - without a specificity, go overhead at least 2 times a week in some form or fashion. Bench/Floor Press as time and function allows.

Also, gymnastics elements like Pull-ups and Handstands need consistent attention as well. If you have a weakness in a bodyweight movement, then that exercise can be incorporated nearly every day in the gym, probably pre- or post-workout so as not to overtrain. Need to get better at running? Rowing? Swimming, biking, etc? Spend some time with it the same way as gymnastics.  Read more here.

Not very random at all, right? Extremely consistent, actually. So what does change, what does vary, is the set and rep scheme for progressive overload. Remember, this variety is the good variety. And the variance in all movements mentioned above fits the CrossFit athlete, where the specialty is not specializing.

The time frame for conditioning should also be varied, if you are looking to be generally physically fit. Everything from short bursts of anaerobic work (think sprints), to mid-level time domains (30 - 120 seconds), to longer, aerobic work (120 seconds+). These are our energy pathways, expressed in a synopsis in the CrossFit Journal here and with other references throughout the internet fitness database. [1] [2] [3]

It's this variance in metabolic conditioning that is particularly beneficial, but can also pose issues as people get comfortable working within their specific strengths... comfort can lead to a lack of variance, in some cases.

CrossFit's official definition is constantly varied, functional movement, performed at high intensity.

What we find in fitness and in life is that consistency can get us results, while variance can make those results optimal. There amidst the static of physical work you can find your favorite song, your personal anthem, loud and clear. Just make sure you're listening for the gains.

Meet you in the fitness airwaves.

-Scott, 8.12.2014

The Deadlift

Danse Macabre by Michael Wolgemut, 1493

The Deadlift

The lift of the dead.

An orchestrated revival of dead weight. Just sitting there, laying on the ground like a corpse. Begging in absolutely no words to be picked up and resuscitated.

But with all its allure and seduction, it can bury you too.  Like a Danse Macabre.

According to myth, the Deadlift got its name somewhere in ancient Rome, after military battles when young Roman soldiers would go out into the field to lift their fallen comrades onto wagons to later be buried. Literally, “lifting the dead.”  This was used not only to help young soldiers get familiar with battle and death, but to also increase overall strength. [1] [2]

A horrible notion, but again, just a myth. Perhaps.

Picture courtesy of Upstream Fitness

A more likely scenario is that strength training developed for various reasons of survival and/or sport, and the movement was similar enough to casualty care during combat to name it the Deadlift.  Plus, the weight on the ground is at a dead stop and is performed with “dead arms,” or no motion in the elbow.

Curiously, it has a history of also being known as the "Healthlift," and there are even professionals attempting to rename it the "Lifelift" in recent years because of its use in maintaining health and well-being. Quite the opposite of death.

Name origin aside, it's such a brute power movement, the Deadlift.  How much can you pick up off the ground? There's a sexy something there, in lifting terms. All that chalk and iron and sweat and grit.

Instead of “How much can you bench?” maybe the bro question at the gym should be “How big is your deadlift?”

Franco Columbo

It’s as much form as will power, which is perhaps a bit unfortunate because it can get a little ugly at times. Rounded, like a scared cat on Halloween. Drooping, like a wilting daisy without water.  Shaking, like a dog shitting razor blades.  Sorry to be crude, but at least you get the picture.

Sometimes ego gets in the way of technique, and people pull a barbell off the ground with little or no regard for their spinal future.

Picture courtesy of Star Factory Fitness

Yet besides just feeling cool, besides just the sheer power output, the Deadlift has outstanding transfer of technique to other lifts and other facets of fitness. It’s like having sprint speed or a strong Back Squat in this regard.

It's never a bad thing to be fast and strong.

As an example, completing a safe and efficient Clean or Snatch uses a stable back position, and thus the Deadlift transfers to the Clean, and both conventional as well as wide grip deadlifts aid in the Snatch pull. The hip position of the Deadlift is not exactly the same as in Olympic Weightlifting, but the strength transfer is present even though body positioning is not a direct correlate.

Much of what is taught with midline stabilization from the Deadlift is transferable when discussing and working on a set and stable midsection for other movements as well. It’s not just for safety while lifting weights, good posture and an emphasis on being strong and athletic is just as beneficial. For instance, performing good pull-ups utilizes similar body positioning as the Deadlift, as does running, jumping, rowing, and moving weight overhead. Spinal safety tapped and fully realized.

Crank it up!

There are quite a few starting positions possible in the Deadlift, as well as foot and hand placement. We can work from a deficit or from blocks to change the set-up.  A stiff-legged deadlift allows very little movement of the legs, as the name denotes. A sumo deadlift involves very wide feet, all the way out close to the weight plates during a barbell deadlift, with hands inside the legs during the pull. World record deadlifts are now pulled in this style, which allows for less hip movement necessary to perform the lift, and has a ton of merit for moving the most weight off the ground as possible.

Deadlift Grip Pics

In 1990, Olympic and world champion and world record holder Nicu Vlad, of Romania, along with his coach Dragomir Cioroslan, combined a stiff-leg deadlift and traditional deadlift, explaining they felt it would make Vlad’s back strong for the Clean in competition. Since they didn’t give it a name, U.S. Olympic Weightlifting team coach Jim Schmitz witnessed the lift and decided to call it the Romanian Deadlift, or RDL for short. The name stuck. [1]

But it’s the traditional deadlift that will get our focus here for transferrable technique.

A conventional Deadlift becomes less lower back and more legs and posterior chain from where the lifter can garnish power-- hamstrings, gluteus muscles, up into the spinae erectors of the back. The quadriceps and other supporting leg muscles get involved, and even the lats and the biceps are recruited to a certain degree. A nice combination for many overall benefits.

posterior chain

CrossFit.com published a short narrative on the lift, found here.  Other valuable sources can be viewed here, here, and here.

There are also scores of video demos you can find online from the above sources. Pick a starting point and see what you can learn.

Feet shoulder width apart, hands and arms just outside the legs, back set, chest up, hamstrings and glutes loaded. Knees pull back slightly to keep the shins virtually vertical as the bar moves up the leg, then hips press forward into the bar once past the knees.

It's better with visuals.  Here’s a pictorial breakdown of a few key points:

Set-up

Courtesy of David Skelly

Pull

Picture courtesy of A Gym Life

Return

Deadlift hips back return

And Repeat

Courtesy of CrossFit One World

Of course this is all well and good if the implement is a loaded barbell, placed at the same height at your shins each rep, 8.5 inches from the ground, with no other variables to factor. Picking up a random heavy object from the floor while working around the house or within your profession will not look like a barbell deadlift. The mid back, or the thoracic spine, will curve quite a bit if the object being lifted needs to be gripped or "hugged" to the body.

In fact, while on topic, the thoracic spine will actually go through curvature during a max effort barbell deadlift anyway.  It's the lower back, or the lumbar spine, that is set.  The mid back will almost always see some form malady occur in super heavy repetitions.  Not entirely unsafe, but that choice always needs to come from the athlete him/herself-- "Can I safely pick this up?  Is it worth a potential injury if I keep pushing this rep?"

Finally, our variance in body types will require slightly different starting points, specifically in regards to hip height.  Limb length plays a small factor, which is where a coach can help to best set up an athlete for success.

Differing Body Dynamics in the Deadlift

Considering all variables, it's relatively easy to benefit from the Deadlift-- find something heavy, pick it up, repeat.  The skeletal muscles, the central nervous system, and the endocrine system will combine to elicit growth in fitness.  Don't get too buried in the details, but do find eternal comfort knowing the ins and outs as it applies to your goals.  Stay safe, stay strong.

Away you go, into the dead zone.  Let us know what it's like in the beyond.

- Scott, 8.4.2014

Deadlift End

Words of the Week

Body Types

We come in all shapes and sizes, us humans. Do a little people watching and that's pretty obvious. And life is a bit like a poker game in that you can't control your starting hand. Like it or not, you have to play the cards you're dealt.

Could you toss your cards to the side? Sure. Lots do, don't they? They throw them right into the muck. It's only one game though, this life. No re-upping. And if you're reading along right now chances are good that you've decided folding your hand isn't an option. You refuse to be the first one to bust.

Yet the issue is still the same as the start-- even a peek at someone else's cards isn't going to change your own.

Basic human science explains we are all born with genetics which includes a predetermined body type set by our DNA. To a large extent, your make and mold is the result of centuries of ancestry. But your potential, your future within yourself, that, fellow card sharks, is up to you.

Let's ante up and look deeper into this notion.

The stress of physical work, particularly the central nervous system response to heavy lifting or quick, explosive movements, creates a positive surge in human growth hormones.  Namely androgen. Others as well, but it's androgen that gets the focus when looking directly at muscle growth. Two of those androgen amino acids specifically responsible for the anabolic effect of muscle protein synthesis are the well-known testosterone and estrogen.  [1] [2] [3]

We all have these hormones running through our bodies. Both men and women. Women release testosterone just like men do; men release estrogen like women do. It's just in different amounts. That's what separates the genders.  [1] [2]

Thanks to the pituitary gland during puberty and the endocrine system throughout life our gender-specific responses to age and daily living cause the excretion and regulation of our body hormones.

In layman's terms? Your brain and your body combine to make you you.

It's this percentage of varying hormone chemicals that creates your starting hand. That and your ancestral DNA.  From there the game is on-- it is our job to make the most of ourselves. The goal is to hit a lucky streak in life, isn't it?  But if you know poker, then you know it's not just a game of luck. Depending on the style of game you can change your strategy, play off of percentages, turn over new cards, or even read opponents and embedded risk. But in the end it's the strength of your final hand that's the real measure.  In other words, overall health and well-being, if you're following along here.

To continue the analogy, some people realize they scrapped their hand way too soon when they could've simply pursued a different angle. Like, say, being active and monitoring nutrition.

In the game of life, our fitness is what we make of it.  But there are rules. There are limits.

Our body types run the gamut of different styles, but the three main somatotypes have historically been referred to as ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph.

• An ectomorph is typically skinny and lean, usually taller with long limbs and thin muscles. Ectomorphs find it hard to gain weight with their generally fast metabolism burning up calories. [1]

• A mesomorph is naturally athletic in build with larger muscles. Mesomorphs find it relatively easy to gain and lose weight. Although they gain body fat more easily than ectomorphs, they are genetically strong and inherently build muscle quicker than any other body type. [1]

• An endomorph is usually solid and generally bigger but is sometimes labeled "soft." Endomorphs gain fat very easily but do carry some inherent strength. Endomorphs are often shorter in stature but can have strong and muscular limbs, legs in particular. [1]

Within these very generalized physical categories can exist other partial somatotypes combining the larger headings. For instance, an ecto/meso or a meso/endo body type.

While this terminology isn't super important, it does help set up the understanding of one's body.  And it exposes the asinine statement of, "I want to look like him/her!"

Sorry, folks. In examining physical fitness, you will always remain you. Just a new and improved version of you.  With nourishment, work, and recovery people will look like the fittest rendition of themselves.

For both men and women, if the real goal in your fitness journey is to look like a completely different person then that isn't actually possible. Yes, of course, we can build muscle fibers, both fast and slow twitch, which also means we develop both the number of muscle cells as well as the size of pre-existing muscle cells. We can gain speed as well as endurance.  Conversely, we are able to drop excess body fat and change body composition into a healthier us, if needed and desired. But we will only do all of this according to the potential and limitations we were born with.

This is known as a person's genetic predisposition.

Similar to the above, other unhealthy statements we sometimes hear in the gym are "I don't want to do too much cardio and become a stick," or "I don't want to lift heavy because I don't want to get bulky."  Or worse, from some young ladies out there, "I don't want to look like a man."  Nails on the chalkboard.

Great news, if that's your worry: you won't. You can't.

It doesn't mean a person can't get stronger, faster, and in some ways, larger in size... even more "toned" or "cut" as body fat falls. What it does mean is that we can only do all of this according to 1) our gender, and 2) what our genes will allow.

Again, it's simple, in a way: you can't turn into a different person. No one will change their body type without artificial means.

If you truly want to look like someone else, get plastic surgery. Plenty in the world do this; no judgement passed. Hormone therapy is part of gender modification.  All well and good if that's a person's goals. But again, it's artificial. Just like it would be to look for complete body modifying fitness gains.  This includes illegal growth hormones, anabolic steroid use, and to an extent, blood doping. [1]

The only way to do something to your body beyond what is genetically possible is artificially.

What we really need to be examining, then, is eustress and the endocrine response. The real statement should be, "I want to be the fittest, fastest, strongest ME."

This, this, is a quality statement. This is a healthy path to fitness. This, my friends of all shapes and sizes, is absolutely possible.

Instead of comparing your physique to others, the healthier mental exercise is to compare your body to your previous self. And frankly, many people out there put a lot of worry into aesthetics anyway, versus result-driven data like work completion (rounds, reps, weight, etc.) or overall positive feelings and self-affirming emotions.

So as you examine your true goals in and outside of the gym, take this to heart.  It isn't a deterrent from seeking what it is you want from your body.  Hell no. No, this is the opposite. What you want, athletically, can actually be obtained as you realize what genetics you've been given from your ancestors.  What hand you've been dealt in this life. If you are gunning for strength, that's doable. Definitely. If your weakness is conditioning, then cardiorespiratory endurance can improve. Unquestionably. If your coordination, your agility, your overall athleticism is lacking, it can all come to fruition as you develop within your life journey.

So go out and get it. Go "all in" if you must. Don't let anyone tell you you can't.  But remember you are your own person and will remain just that. Be smart enough that if anyone tries to sell you otherwise, you can see through their bluff. Don't put effort into trying to be a different person, in a different body. Work to be the best in your own skin, and love the life you have.

Good luck, all. The cards are on the table, the stakes have been raised; it's your move. Don't fold now.

- Scott, 7.14.2014

Warm-ups

Warm-ups

Come with me, if you will, to a land of make believe.

A place of fairy tale wonder, full of people who never have the need to warm-up their bodies before physical exercise. Playfully leaping around in lush valleys of barbells and chalk... giggling through treelimb pull-ups and snatching gigantic flower stems... climbing vines and swinging kettleberries. In this pleasantville of sparkle-eyed, chiseled bodies, not a soul lacks range of motion. Not a soul has tight muscles. And not one fitness nymph gets a "no rep." Ever.

Sound ridiculous? That's because this place doesn't exist. Remember? It's make believe.

For the world of reality that lays before us muscle mortals, warm-ups are useful and necessary-- even for those seemingly perfect professional exercisers. But maybe not in the way you think. So what is truly necessary for workout preparation?

Physical Warm-up
Common sense tells more and more people to give their bodies 1) a generalized warm-up before physical activity, and 2) an exercise specific lead up to any workout or sport.

Just stretching a bit beforehand doesn't do the trick. In fact, stretching in general has received critique in recent years anyway. See a few viewpoints here: NBC via the CDC, HuffPost, Mobility WOD, Mark Sisson, T-Nation.

A muscular and connective tissue warm-up is often best when suited towards the individual. At the gym, we use a group warm-up as a one-size-fits-all preparation. It works, but is mostly beneficial to give members an idea of what movements to use if ever prompted to take time on their own for warm-ups. The more knowledge you gain about yourself, the better you can prep for a workout or competition.

General theory is the shorter the workout, the longer the warm-up. Meaning, higher intensity work requires a longer warm-up, whereas a shorter prep might be just fine for longer exertion. Also, extra mobility work should take place outside of the warm-up and is potentially best post-workout or at least when blood flow has increased. Past that, get to know your body so you can gear preparation correctly. And be adamant and committed to doing things right so a good warm-up ensures you are set up for success in the gym. Does a varied warm-up work? Or do you like the same, scripted preparation to feel ready to go each day?

But what's often missing is something else entirely. Sit back and listen close...

CNS Warm-up
Once upon a time there was a misunderstood body system called the central nervous system. The CNS, for short. Around before you were born, the CNS is as complex as all the solar systems in all the galaxies in the universe. If we could go back in time, we'd see this system actually start to develop before your first heartbeat.

Potentially overlooked in the gym, the CNS controls a person's motor functions and all voluntary muscle action. Nothing "goes" unless the nerves send a signal. So we could think of a CNS warm-up as a start up to the body's computer-- the brain to muscle group connection needs booting up to be online.

Would you jump in a car that sat in the garage all day and pop it in drive, immediately slamming the gas pedal to the floor? No way. Well, at least not if it's your car and you want it to last. So why would you get under the barbell without preparation and expect maximum performance out of your body? It's a more complex machine than a car's engine. And you definitely want yourself to last.

In basic terms for physical movement, you can't expect to perform at your best when the nerve pathways that fire to make you move aren't greased.

Approaching Warm-ups
If the workout facing you has heavy lifting, in the vein of a 1repmax, then you'll need to put some intensity ahead of the stress that will follow. A person can go in "cold" and still have success in a lift or a workout, but think of when you've had your PR lifts-- it's after a few quality ramp up sets, guaranteed. Otherwise you haven't maximized your potential. This is why we often use plyometrics or other explosive movements to ignite your CNS. Speed and power are critical-- more muscle fibers need to be recruited for the more weight you lift.

Once you have performed a general dynamic warm-up, a number of exercises can be used to light up your CNS before your heavy training. These exercises are not performed in a manner to fatigue the muscles, remember. They are meant to prime the pump... which is an amazingly accurate pun if I do say so myself. Before squatting, go through a few box jumps, split jumps, or kettlebell swings-- all excellent options. Prior to deadlifting or Oly lifting, clean or snatch from various positions at the hang to initiate lat/trap/shoulder involvement and improve hip mobility. (Reference from Chad Smith.)

A warm-up for a higher rep workout, something with gymnastic elements for instance, would still include dynamic activities that require quick and strong muscular contraction. Once the body's core temperature has been elevated, these movements would serve to fire up the CNS and prepare it for the upcoming volume. Particularly if fast movements will be required in a WOD. Think kipping pull-ups, air squats, push-ups, etc.

We'll often do running drills pre-workout, even if there isn't any running in the WOD. Calling on the CNS to rev up by messing with coordination a little creates those routes necessary from synapses in the brain and all along the spinal cord. Other simple items to include could be contract/relax exercises for mobility prep and core awakening exercises such as toes to bar, hollow rocks, and isometric squat holds. (Reference from Allen Besselink.)

For more details, check this excellent post by Darrell Morgan.

So there's the quick run-down to the warm-up. Think about what you are working towards, and what would be beneficial to include in your preparation to maximize your power output. Then see if the warm-up helped, and live happily ever after.

Better than a fairy tale ending, this is a smart and realistic approach to warming up for success in the gym.

- Scott, 8.25.2013