Archive for the ‘Training’ Category

Smashby’s CF Games Open Strategy – WOD 16.3

Posted: March 11, 2016 in CrossFit, Training
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It’s the third week of the 2016 CrossFit Games Open, and Workout 16.3 includes Power Snatches and Bar Muscle-Ups! The weight for the Snatches is meant to be fairly light, but that’s the thing that will throw many athletes off going in to the workout. A lot of times when the weight is light, people will throw form out the window and simply muscle the bar up and over their head. In a 7-minute workout like this, very few people will be able to maintain that speed for the entire workout. My suggestion for 16.3 is to find that technique where ideally the bar is being held for all 10 reps in a row, and quick power snatches are used vs maxing out muscle snatches. Hip drive and a quick pull under the bar will be more sustainable than simply pulling the bar overhead using pure muscle.

For the Bar Muscle-Up, if it’s a known skill for an athlete, find the least exhausting way to move through them quickly. Hitting three in a row, but taking 100% effort to do so, will lead to a more elevated heart rate and quicker exhaustion. Instead, stay as slow and steady as possible, which may mean very quick singles out of the gate if linking isn’t a mastered skill. Goal here, try not to miss bar muscle-ups today. For the scaled division, get through those Jumping Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups fast an unbroken every round.

My suggestion for speed on this one is a perceived 85% effort the entire time. When the workout reaches the halfway, still know that there is something in the tank. Many of us know that the workouts that LOOK “not too bad” are typically some of the most challenging ones! Please don’t be fooled and underestimate this one.

Quick and efficient sets of both Snatches and Muscle-Ups from the start v/s red-lining. A maintainable pace will be more important to keep heart rate and focus under control. Crush it this week, everyone! After 16.3 we only have two weeks left!

Smashby’s CF Games Open Strategy – WOD 16.2

Posted: March 4, 2016 in CrossFit, Training
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Week 2 of the 2016 CrossFit Games Open is here! After watching the video for the 16.2 Workout Reveal, I was pretty floored by watching those guys get after it. Obviously most of us know how much of a beast Dan Bailey is after watching him at the Games for the last few years, but even then I never would have expected him to get through the entire thing in 20 minutes! (I know there was the “missed rep” debacle after the live show, but I’m just saying I didn’t think that 275 and 315 pounds would look that light to those guys!)

Strategy on this one, for me, is going to boil down to knowing your own ability level on Toes to Bar and Double-Unders. In my mind, those are two movements where being proficient can be an absolute game changer. Just because an athlete CAN do 25 reps of TTB in row, does NOT mean that they SHOULD do 25 reps in a row. Once your TTB fatigue your grip and/or your core, sets of 10-15+ will very quickly become sets of 2-3 reps. It is not worth crashing and burning that hard for that movement.

For athletes who have controlled kips, and can get through reps smoothly, I think sets of 5-10 will be best to try and maintain throughout the entire workout. Remember, hopping down off of the bar, turning around, chalking up, hopping back up, can all take a MINIMUM of 5-10 seconds every time. The smoother those transitions can be, the easier it will be to make it through to the next round.

I feel the same way about DUs. Just because an athlete CAN do 50 in a row, if it’s going to take so much out of them that on the next round, they mess up every 5-6 jumps because they’re so tired, 50 in a row wasn’t worth it. While in my video I emphasize the importance of getting to that tie-breaker as quickly as possible, unless time in the round is about to expire, I don’t think it should be at the expense of absolutely crushing your pace.

Remember, after all of that jumping rope, you need to pick up a heavy bar, quite a few times. So, if fatigue starts to set in by the 20th or 30th rep of DU, take a short rest, regroup, then finish the set. That will minimize the time needed to feel prepared to attack that next set of cleans.

In my opinion, the longest rest of the round should be taken after completing the final clean, and before the first TTB. If an athlete rushes back to the TTB too soon, they’ll likely get far fewer reps before needing to jump down. Remember, every time you hop off of the bar, it’s probably going to take 5 seconds to get back on. So, sets of 5-7 reps will be far more efficient than having to hop down every 2-3. Take your time, and make sure you’re getting slightly larger sets before having to hop down as long as your kip is solid.

Truthfully, unlike 15.1 last year, I don’t really see this as being a workout where TOO many people will PR and hit a weight for the first time and keep repeating. However, given how the tiebreaker is set up, I do think that the folks who move through the other movements (TTB and DU) as smoothly as possible, will have a big advantage over their counterparts who come out swinging and just can’t hold on.

I feel the breaking point for “regular” people 🙂 on this one will be the round of 225lb squat cleans for men and 145lb for ladies. The athletes who can cycle through consistent singles and keep their breathing under control will pass the folks who get too excited and try to hit 3-5 reps of touch-and-go through the first few sets. Athletes who make it through the round of 225 will have a HUGE advantage. If time is getting close to capping during that 4th round, athletes will be able to go harder with their final sets. Remember, if toes to bar get completed, the reps added to the score due to double-unders at the end are significant! Get to that final tie-break as quickly as possible on the last round!

Have fun, and as always, please let me know if you guys found this helpful!

Smashby’s CF Games Open Strategy – WOD 16.1

Posted: February 26, 2016 in CrossFit, Training
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It’s finally here! They announced the first workout of the 2016 CrossFit Games Open, and it’s a long, slow, grinder.

The 20-minute adventure includes Overhead Walking Lunges, Bar-Facing Burpees over the Bar, and Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups for the Rx’d Division. Scaled athletes will complete the Lunges in the “Front Rack” position, and Jumping Pull-Ups as their two modifications.

Please CLICK HERE to go to the official workout page to read up on all of the details.

In my first video of the 2016 Open Season, for those of you who actually use my videos for strategy and advice on how to attack this thing, please let me know what you think of it! As of the time I’m writing this, I haven’t done it yet, and didn’t get a chance to watch the ladies do it tonight… so I may be way off.

The word for 16.1 in my opinion, however: PACE!

Let this workout be one where when the halfway point hits, athletes still feel pretty good. Very few people will be able to go at a blazing pace for the full 20 minutes, so slow and steady throughout will be the way to go for most of us.

Let me know what you think, and let me know how you do. Good luck, friends!

-Tom

Smashby Speaks: The CrossFit Games Open 2016

Posted: February 25, 2016 in CrossFit, Training
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As some of you know, I started this blog a years ago, and have given my thoughts on a lot of topics in that time. When the video below from four years ago popped up in my feed today, I took a few minutes to watch it.

First of all, yes, I’ve always been a huge nerd and watching this video made me laugh. Second, aside from the gym where I work, not much has changed in regards to my feelings on the integrity of athletes who compete in this event. So, instead of writing a huge post on it, I’ll be brief, and then just share my thoughts from 2012 with you guys once again.

My friends and I always joke with each other about how one’s ranking or placement in “The Open” really has no impact on any aspect of practically anyone’s lives (unless you make it to the next level.. then, you’re a better exercise racer than other people… congrats). So, to be 682nd in the Region, and to do so by cheating even though your squats weren’t low enough, or you didn’t lock out your arms, is honestly just kind of sad.

Most people, nearly all in fact, who compete in The Open do so honestly and fairly. Most of us simply enjoy the spirit of competition and the excitement of being pushed out of your comfort zone for a few weeks. Most of us think it’s fun. However, as the next five weeks come and go, and you start seeing names you’ve never heard of before, and scores from people you DO know that jusssst don’t seem right…. my advice is simple:

Don’t worry about it. Smile. Have fun. And enjoy the competition and sense of community that this event brings to the CrossFit world.

Good luck. Have fun. I believe in you guys!

Beastmode of the Day: 2/12/16

Posted: February 12, 2016 in CrossFit, Training
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I love inspiring stories. I’m talking about situations where people are given a slightly different hand to play with, yet turn around and completely re-write their own destiny.

Zack Ruhl has been a double-amputee since he was 2 years old (due to a rare bone condition). His options going forwards were pretty simple… he could phone it in and lead a life feeling sorry for himself, or he could have followed his dreams and made them come true anyways.

Well, Zack owns his own gym, trains adaptive athletes for free, and has let his love for fitness and helping others be his guiding force.

Oh, he benches 445lbs and does rope climbs while tied into his chair… like a boss. Check out this video from the folks at “Great Big Story“, and check out Zack’s gym if you’re in the Houston area!

Another awesome piece on Zack comes from WODTalk.com. So cool!

Moment of Awesomeness: 2/8/16

Posted: February 8, 2016 in CrossFit, Training, Uncategorized
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Traditionally on this blog, the Moment of Awesomeness posts include some sort of Extreme Sports video. Today’s post does not.

Even though this post won’t focus on those who voluntarily jump off of a perfectly good mountain, or people who just hate being safe with two feet on the ground, it will still focus on people who I think are brave and worthy of recognition!

This past Saturday I had a pretty busy day:
– Alarm goes off at 7:30am

– Make and eat breakfast, clean my place a little bit, head out the door

– 8:40am- Arrive to gym #1 where some friends were throwing down at a local Indoor Rowing competition

– 10:00am-Leave competition, head to gym #2 for CPR and First Aid Recertification

– 11:00am-1:00pm – Play with a really creepy mask, and feel more confident helping people if the situations ever arise where they need it!

– 1:30pm- Drive to gym #3 to cheer on friends competing in a CrossFit Competition

-3:30pm- Grab lunch w competing friends and celebrate their huge accomplishment

Row, Row, Row Your Boat:

Peter and Scott were good at rowing. Peter and Scott wanted to get even better at rowing. Peter and Scott did just that. After committing to sign up for an Indoor Rowing competition, my friends approached me about getting in better shape for their respective races.

I bet Peter could pull a 1:25 for a 500m row in his sleep. The dude has rowed a 1:21.8 for crying out loud! In my head,that is insanely fast. He didn’t want to race that distance, however. He wanted to step outside of his comfort zone and race the 2,000m distance, a pretty significant jump in distance for a sprinter like myself. Scott comes from a history of cycling. So, while he’s no stranger to racing or “endurance” events, rowing for sport, however, was a new concept for him. When these two approached me about getting them on a 12-week program in preparation for race day, I was stoked! Few things make me happier than watching athletes push themselves just for the sake of pushing themselves!

After nearly 3 months of row-dedicated workouts and time on the erg, we were so happy to see that BOTH of them PR’d in their respective distances! Peter (aka Birddog) rowed a 6:43 for his 2k, and Scott rowed a 1:28.3 in his 500m. Stoked for you guys!

The Rowers together!

Rowers and their cheering section!

Safety First:

I first became a lifeguard at the age of 13. That means my first CPR and First Aid Certification happened OVER 18 YEARS AGO! (Wow, that makes me feel old!) The point is that in my industry (as Head Coach at a CrossFit Gym), safety should always come first. 

While to some people, putting your face on a creepy mask and breathing into a “dummy” may not be the best way to spend an afternoon, I kept reminding myself that if something happened where an athlete collapsed or got hurt… I have been tasked with being able to do my best to help save the athletes in the gym. I remember always thinking as a teenager, “I hope I never have to use this information, but I’m glad I know it!” It’s a big responsibility, so I’m glad to have had that refresher yet again.

Creepy mask, important function

Veteran and the Rookie:

Oh, Danny and Sarah! By far, one of the most fun couples I know. Danny and I met years back competing in CrossFit competitions, and I met his wife Sarah when they came over to train at the gym where I worked. Sarah has always been Danny’s number 1 fan, showing up to events to cheer him on, these last few with their amazing baby boy in tow. When I heard that she had finally agreed to COMPETE in an event, and do it as part of a TEAM with Danny… I was beyond happy!

Not only did they compete together, work together, suffer together, and SURVIVE together… but out of FIFTY SIX (yep, 56) teams in their division, they placed THIRD on one of the events. Now THAT is awesome. Congrats to both of you, it was so fun watching you two throw down together!

 

After the final workout of the Competition!

 
 

The point of this post is to acknowledge and congratulate EVERYONE who has the courage and/or confidence to put themselves out there and compete on a public stage! In my opinion, it’s never about whether or not you win. It’s about did you put in the work to do well, and did you give it your all on Game Day! 

If you have any questions on whether or not you’re ready for a race or competition of your own, or which one you should do, please don’t hesitate to ask me. I’d be happy to talk it over together! 🙂

Smashby Training Presents: Swim Better Now Sign-Ups

Posted: August 10, 2015 in Training
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SwimBetterNowTeaser

Each week of the “Smashby Training’s: Swim Better Now” Clinic will include practice sessions of three varying ability levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. A more detailed description of these three courses can be found below. The criteria for the Intermediate Course is as follows:

  • Swimmer should be able to complete 100 yards (or 4 lengths) comfortably without stopping
  • A basic understanding of proper breathing technique (either to one side or both) should be established
  • Athlete can efficiently tread water or float safely in the deep end of the pool when tired without touching the wall or lane ropes

For athletes who do not yet meet these criteria listed, the Beginner Course option should be selected. Athletes who easily meet or exceed the requirements for the Intermediate Course should register for the Advanced Course option.

Course objectives include:

Beginner Course (1:00-2:00pm each week)

  • Basic Water Safety (how to keep oneself afloat safely in deep water)
  • Introduction of proper stroke timing of arms, legs, and breathing (for freestyle stroke)
  • Proper functional use of swimming equipment such as Kick Board and Pull Buoy

Intermediate Course (2:00-3:00pm each week)

  • Increased efficiency of stroke technique and timing of breathing for freestyle stroke
  • Skills and drills using swimming equipment (Kick Board and Pull Buoy)
  • As requested, introduction to flip turn technique and additional strokes (backstroke, breast stroke, butterfly)

Advanced Course (3:00-4:00pm each week)

  • Fine-tuning of freestyle stroke mechanics
  • Advanced speed, flip turn and technique drills
  • Technique work on additional strokes (backstroke, breast stroke, butterfly)
    • Athletes in this group may also be looking to compete in an aquatic event (triathlon, swim meet, etc.)

Required Equipment:

  • Appropriate Swimming Attire
  • Goggles
  • Towel
  • Water Bottle

Sign Up is First-Come-First-Served

A wait-list will be created. Additional session times may be added based on demand.

To Sign Up: 

Email “tomashbytraining@gmail.com” with the following information:

  • Your name
  • Which Course you are registering for (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced)
  • Date or Dates you would like to attend (9/13, 9/20, 9/27)

To Pay:

  • Cash or Check Only
  • Payment due before or at the swim clinic.
  • Checks should be made out to “Smashby Training”
  • Entry into Golden Community Center IS included.

Cancellation Policy: Out of consideration for individuals on the wait list, in the event of a cancellation, please notify me via e-mail no less than 5 days prior to your session date(s).

Smashby Training Presents: Swim Better Now

Posted: August 7, 2015 in Training
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SwimBetterNowTeaser   Friends!

I’m back on the blog today to share some exciting news! Next month, I am going to host 3 weeks worth of Swim Lessons. They will aim from teaching someone HOW to swim, all the way through trying to make someone faster and more efficient for any aquatic competition, be it a swim meet or a triathlon.

In my own experience in the water, I have taught swim lessons at all levels for the past 17+ years, was a 6-time NCAA National Champion swimmer in college, have competed in several traithlons, and as recently as this summer raced in Denver’s local “Aquaman” duathlon series (swim and run).

The goals of these small group training sessions will be to provide a one-hour “practice” with appropriate “skills and drills” to make anyone feel more comfortable moving themselves through the water. These will include activities as simple as learning how to breathe, timing of breath, and how to safely tread water, to movements as advanced as flip turns in the pool or learning how to “spot sight” for Open Water swimming. Based on the interest of the group, attention can also be paid to improving efficiency in strokes other than freestyle.

I’m excited to work with you all, and help the water become a more fun place for you to play and race! In order to express interest in attending one or more of the sessions, please comment on this post and let me know!

-Smashby

Smashby’s CF Games Open Strategy – 14.1

Posted: February 28, 2014 in CrossFit, Training
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THE OPEN IS HERE!!

Here are my initial thoughts on workout 14.1, which is a repeat of the first ever Open workout, 11.1.

14.1

What do you think of my advice? Let’s talk.

Thought of the Day: 1.23.14

Posted: January 23, 2014 in CrossFit, Training
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One of my friends owns the CrossFit gym, Glenwood Springs CrossFit. This post he made yesterday really rang true to me as an athlete, and a coach, and I wanted to share it with you guys.

The post is called “The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy“, and discusses a concept that I LOVE to preach often. Frequently, as a coach, we’ll hear athletes say negative things. Believing in yourself and being positive is so important, and we should all practice more of it!

I have a few “canned responses” that a lot of people know I say… and I’m sure they love hearing it every time. Here’s two examples:

1:

Athlete- “I can’t do that!”

Me- “Not with that attitude, you can’t!”

2:

Athlete- “I HATE burpees!”
Me- “What was that?”
Athlete- (usually after an eye roll and sigh of frustration) “I mean, I’m excited to have the opportunity to improve my burpees.”

EyeRoll

(image courtesy of crushable.com)

The point of the post is this, as humans, we have the ability to CHOOSE how we approach, and react to, what life gives us. If you remember this little guy in the video below, he probably has the greatest attitude of any person ever. Imagine if we ALL approached every situation with this attitude. We’d be unstoppable!

So, read the article, figure out if you’re one of those people who walks into the gym (or any other place in life, for that matter) with a negative attitude like Debbie Downer…

DebbieDowner

and if you are…… STOP BEING THAT PERSON.

My challenge to you is to take ONE DAY next week, and approach absolutely everything that life gives you with a positive attitude. One day.

Try it, and let me know how it goes. My prediction, you, and everyone around you will be happier. And who doesn’t want that!?

(Author’s note: In the interest of full discolure, as an athlete, I’m working on this very concept, myself. But I’m getting better!)

Happy Thursday!

The post again: The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

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