Spring is officially here which means we are due for another Programming Update!
CrossFit Track
We began 2022 with a little Barbell Cycling work, a short 5X5 Back Squat Cycle, and plenty of conditioning work leading up to The Open. Throughout the 4 weeks of The Open we maintained our strength, kept our skills sharp, and tested ourselves on Fridays with whatever was thrown our way. Since then, we’ve taken a little break with just some classic CrossFit and GPP, but we are ready to zone back in on a few specifics as we move into April, May, and June.
First, and hopefully exciting news for many, you will begin to see the Power Clean + Jerk, and Snatch, once a week for the next 5 weeks. The focus here will be on breaking things down and improving technique and form. That means our lifting will often come in the form of complexes, specific portions of a lift, or EMOM work. We will also Squat once a week as well, but be on the lookout for it occasionally being an Extra Work piece out of class time.
Secondly, we are also going to be purposeful with some unilateral work showing up in workouts or strength pieces at least once a week. Unilateral work has a ton of benefits, the major ones being correcting muscular and movement imbalances, core stability, and decreased injury risk. Treat these movements with as much focus and purpose as your barbell lifts or fun skill-work days, as they can be so beneficial to your performance in the gym today, as well as your longevity in the gym down the road.
For those of you already wondering, fear not, our next big Strength cycle is coming a little later in the summer. Before then, we still have Murph to get ready for, with a fun little monthly challenge in May! To round out the next few months, you will continue to see the addition of For Quality Workouts, BodyBuilding, and Partner Days in the mix depending on where they fit best within our week.
Port Complete
Each Monday on the small whiteboard up next to the back door, you will see the return of Port Complete! Each week we will provide a Conditioning, Gymnastics, and an Accessory piece for those of you looking for a extra work outside of class. These aren’t extra work pieces for the sake of doing more, but for those who are feeling like there is something missing from their skill set or an area they’d really like to improve. These are to be done on your own before/after class, at Open Gym, or even At Home, but please ask a coach if you have any questions on what is up there.
Specialty Programs
PortBurn: Port Burn continues to be an offering in our day-to-day Group Class programming when it is applicable. Our Burn Track is still focused on functional movements but often in the form of unilateral work utilizing dumbbells, kettlebells, and bands over the barbell and often replaces the higher skill gymnastics movements you might see in the CrossFit Track. Our focus here is on stabilization, core, and balance between left and right and top and bottom. On some days, Port Burn is all about aesthetics and bodybuilding!
PortLift
On Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m., our Port Lift Specialty Class has worked through a few phases; waves, blockwork, etc. Currently, the main focus is on building a better first pull in the Clean and the Snatch by using pauses at the knee and pulls off the floor. For those that come both Thursday and Sunday, the second day of additional work is currently focused on improving the dip in the Split Jerk, and additional Back Squat strength. With ski season coming to an end, this might be a great addition to your week if you’d like to get some extra time with the barbell and more individual coaching by the one and only, Coach Jamie!
PortSweat
Tuesday and Thursday at 8 a.m. and Thursday evenings at 5:15 p.m. continue to be a popular time of day around here for our Port Sweat Specialty Class! Coach Kristi’s monthly plan for the Port Sweat track will have 2 of the following styles of workout each month, each within a 30-40 minute time domain:
2x a Month: Odd object work with sleds, sandbags, slam balls, carries, etc.
2x a Month: Long Zone 2 training using 1-3 machines and/or running.
2x a Month: Interval-based with dumbbells, wall-balls, box step-ups, etc.
2x a Month: EMOM conditioning using machines and functional movement patterns.
If your cardiovascular or muscular endurance is something you’re looking to improve or you’re looking for long functional workouts without the use of a barbell or gymnastics, Port Sweat might be just what you are looking for!
Let me or any of the coaches know if you have any questions. Let’s have a great few months moving into summer!
– Coach Ashley
