If CrossFit training seems daunting to you at first glance, you are not the only one who has that impression. The first important thing to understand is that anything that is worthwhile does not come easily. We will not tell you that CrossFit is a breeze; we will tell you that it works and that it has benefited many, many people worldwide.

The next important thing to remember about CrossFit is that we scale our workouts as required. We are here to push you but we are not here to break you. There is an important distinction there.

So, how do we scale our workouts?

Let's refer to our most recent Sunday in the Park. The workout is listed in the previous post (link). For this workout we had in attendance two regulars - Mat & Spiros - and our newest athlete, Jo. To ensure Jo's safety whilst providing a solid wokout we scaled Jo's work as follows:

• overhead lunges were replaced with weighted lunges
• burpies were performed from the knees
• a few sets of knees to elbows were reduced to 5 reps in place of 10 reps

This also ensured that all participants finished the workout in a similar time. That's greeat for everyone's confidence and workout timing to boot.

So, if you're wondering if CrossFit is too hard for you, the only way to know for sure is to try it for yourself.

We hope to see you soon.

It was a little cooler in the park this Sunday and with a few regulars having other important engagements numbers were a little low. Alas, a tough workout was had by all.

After a solid warm-up, we progressed into technique training, covering the lunge, one-arm overhead kettlebell lunge, knees to elbows and burpies (all part of the workout). Then things got serious!



Five rounds:

• Kettlebell one-arm overhead lunges, 20
• Knees to elbows, 10
• Burpies, 10
• Shuttle sprint, 50m

Results:

Mat - 17:29
Spiros - 17:31
Jo - 18:08

Fiona Muxlow of CrossFit North Queensland has won her way into the final of the ADCC grappling championship to be held in the USA in May.

It justs goes to show what a lot of heart, hard work and CrossFit training can do for you.

Well done Fi, from all at CrossFit Victoria!

...For we are young and FAT!

That's right, we're fat. The Herald-Sun reports today that we are among the top 20 fattest nations in the world. Estimates state that 70-80% of Australian adults are overweight or obese. We're talking over 5 million people. It just shows that we'd rather sit in front of the TV watching sport with a beer and a pizza than actually do something activity ourselves.

Are you among the 70-80% range? If so, what are you doing about it? What is your health and fitness worth to you?

Here are a few things to think about:

• Obesity-related illness kills approximately 5,600 people across Australia every year (source)
• Obesity increases the risk of developing Type II diabetes
• Diabetes can shorten life expectancy by up to 15 years (source)
• Its annual cost to the nation exceeds $1.2 billion (ibid)
• Obesity increases the risk of heart disease (source)
• Cardio-vascular disesase is "the leading underlying cause of death in Australia, accounting for 48,835 deaths, or 36.9% of all deaths, in 2003" (source)

If that doesn't get you to stand up - pun intended - and take notice, then nothing will. Fitness trainers, sports coaches, doctors and the like can harp on all day about the need for an active lifestyle but in the end it is up to those who are overweight to do something for themselves.

If you are overweight, we strongly encourage you to do what it takes to get yourself back into shape. It's not too late. Your health should be one of your highest priorities.

spec.i.fic.i.ty -noun
the condition or state of being specific (source)

spec.i.fic -noun
something particularly fitted to a use or purpose. (source)

gen.er.al.i.ty -noun
the quality of being general or widespread or having general applicability (source)



CrossFit is a non-specific fitness model and proudly so. It does not promote development of capabilities specific to one pursuit but rather aims to develop participants in a general way. This generality enables the CrossFit athlete to become adept in many and varied physical challenges, something that other specific models do not manage very well.

Is this lack of specificity a good thing or a bad thing?

First, let's take a look at it from the perspective of a non-sporting participant. Your everyday mum, dad, friend or sibling is not going to greatly benefit from hours upon hours of training designed to develop sports-specific attributes such as sprinting technique. On the other hand, learning how to lift, throw, run, push, pull and carry will be of benefit to the day to day life of the vast majority of trainees.

Now, how about those athletes? It is definitely true to say that specificity in training develops athletes that perform well in their specific sport. Learning - for example - how best to throw a ball or jump to maximum height is advantageous in many sports. So, specificity definitely has a place. In fact, in some cases non-specific training can be detrimental to an athlete. Therefore, any non-specific training must be considered based on its merits. That said, is there a single athlete out there who would't benefit from training that develops general strength and metabolic conditioning? These forms of general training are also very, very important to success in athletic endeavours.

In summary, both specificity and generality have a place in the fitness world. It is important to understand however that for the vast majority of trainees a general program that develops strength, speed, endurance, co-ordination, power, agility and so forth is the most appropriate choice.

All places in the six week fitness intensive are almost allocated.
If you want in, call us now on 1300 13 41 10.

Your local gym can be either the greatest source of fitness results or a place where your dreams fade. If you have a great program, a coach and super internal motivation then you're probably going to succeed. If you find a gym with a bunch of strange machines and no-one to help you, then you could be pushing the proverbial up hill.

There's almost nothing more infuriating than going to the gym and training to the best of your knowledge and ability and getting nowhere fast.

Want to know a secret? You don't need a gym membership to improve your fitness.

If you want to try something new. Then contact us about our upcoming six week fitness intensive. It's outdoors, it's challenging, it's structured to develop your physical capabilities no matter what they are now.

Places are strictly limited and are filling fast. If you want to be part of this opportunity call us now on 1300 13 41 10.

One thing is often immediately apparent when people begin fitness training; their base level of strength is not very high. Now, there is nothing at all wrong with this fact because fitness training - by definition - is going to develop strength. If you choose to train with a trainer then you should be noticing significant developments fairly quickly (often the initial stages of a program show the most changes), however if you are training at home you might not see any changes at all.

One of the keys to developing strength and developing your general fitness is progressive overload. Now, we aren't going to delve too deeply into exercise science so don't tune out. Progressive overload simply states that in order to cause the body to continue to adapt to a particular load that load must increase over the training program. If you fail to increase the load you are lifting or the volume of repetitions then you will stagnate.


Here's an example: let's say you can bench press 40kg and each workout you perform 3 sets of 10 reps at that weight, to adopt progressive overload you could perform 3 x 10 at 42.5kg in the following workout and then lift 45kg thereafter. Get it? You are progressively lifting more weight. Another method is to increase the volume, so initially you might lift 3 x 10, next time 3 x 12 and after that 3 x 14. These are just examples; but it is important to note that each provides a reason for the body to continue to adapt.

Makes sense so far, right?

So, what about this home program?

Okay, overload has been mentioned because when people exercise at home they generally do something like 3 x 20 pushups, 3 x 20 squats, 3 x 20 situps and call it a day. And then they repeat this next time. See the problem? No progressive overlaod.

Here's a simple two day home/office/hotel workout for you to try:

Day 1

*warm up*
pushups, 5 x 15
squats, 5 x 25
dips, 5 x 20 (use a chair)
lunges, 5 x 20 (each side)
*stretch*

[next time increase number of reps by 2]

Day 2

*warm up*
sumo squats, 5 x 20 (feet wide apart)
pullups, 3 x 10 (find a tree or some monkey bars)
step ups, 5 x 20 (each side - find a high step, 30cm or more)
burpies, 5 x 10
*stretch*

[next time increase number of reps by 2]

In this intance we are assuming that access to weights is limited. You could use something like this for about 4 weeks and then it would require some alteration to ensure that adaptation is not slowed. This workout would be supplemented by walking/running/cycling etc.

Remember to allow your body to recover. Don't overtrain and don't exercise the same muscle groups on consecuive days.

So, do you get the idea?

If you have any questions, please contact us.

The temperature was pushing up into the high 20s early on Sunday morning. The sun was fierce and the shade offered only minor respite. Yet there were seven who braved the conditions and completed the following workout.

Group one

Three rounds of:
10 kettlebell rope pulls, 12kg
20 squats
30 pushups

Group two

Three rounds of:
10 supine pullups (aka inverted rows)
15 kettlebell deadlifts, 16-24kg
400m run

The group was split to make things just a little easier with the ultimate goal being that each groups would swap and complete the second circuit also. Alas, we decided as a group that the heat was a bit much and left it as one circuit for each group followed by a long stretching session.



Thanks to our regulars: Mat, Aaron, Alex, Phil & Sol. And welcome to Jo & Michael.

Running out of ways to improve your lifestyle?
Maybe you've forgotten a few of the more 'minor' aspects of lasting health & fitness.

Here are 11 tips:

1. sleep 8 hours each night
2. meditate
3. stand up straight
4. eat more protein
5. read about health & fitness
6. don't drink soft drink
7. visit a chiropractor or osteopath to ensure your spine is correctly aligned
8. take a multi-vitamin supplement everyday
9. consider complimentary therapies before antibiotics
10. snack on nuts and seeds in place of sugary snack foods
11. take an anti-oxidant supplement everyday

Read the whole 101 tips in our articles section.

Yes! A better question is: are you prepared to do what it takes to improve your fitness in six weeks? If you answered "YES!" then we're got the training event for you...

The CrossFit Victoria six week fitness intensive.

What is it?

• 18 sessions (3 per week)
• 12 participants
• 2 dedicated coaches
• A structured, varied and scalable program
• Unique, challenging exercises
• The best workout you've ever had

Want in? Register now. Hurry places are filling fast!

Let's think about the health & fitness of the planet for the moment. Do you think it's in good shape? Is it getting hotter where you live? Are the water levels rising? Are you suffering water shortages?

I don't think anyone - without an ulterior motive - can suggest that the planet is in good shape.

It's time for us to focus on the health & fitness of the planet as well as that of ourselves. We recommend An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore's masterful presentation of the state of the home to us all (now out on DVD). Take a look at climatecrisis.org for more information.

Recently, the airwaves here in Melbourne have been saturated with advertisements by a fitness training organisation selling personal training certification courses of only 8 weeks duration. This has been playing on my mind for a while.

Late last week, a colleague of mine - Don Stevenson (Octogen Fitness/CrossFit Sydney) - dedicated his newsletter to this same topic. So, the whole issue is now right at the front of my mind. And I'm not all that happy about it.

I hold grave concerns for the fitness industry if it is about to be inundated with trainers who have only 8 weeks of training. I hold greater concerns for the unsuspecting public who are to be trained by this new wave of trainers. Now, as Don also noted, I hold no animosity toward those who want to be trainers, but it must be said that 8 weeks of training is simply not enough.

As it becomes more and more likely that this style of conveyor belt teaching will be the new standard, I feel obligated to suggest that clients or prospective clients of the fitness industry ask for full qualification details.

Why would you trust someone who has such a small amount of training with primary control of your health & fitness?

Would you trust a nutritionist who had only 8 weeks of learning, or a nurse or a doctor?

Ask questions, demand the best of your trainers.

Yours in health & fitness, Adam Stanecki

The Bridal Expo raffle has just been drawn.

The prize list is as follows:

1. Six week group intensive package
2. Two personal training sessions
3. Two nutritional coaching sessions
4. Five CrossFit group sessions
5. One CrossFit Victoria sweat towel

The winners are:

1. Jacqui Denham, Anakie
2. Cherie Cawdell, Carrum Downs
3. Brian Cook, Somerville
4. Cassandra Atherton, Moonee Ponds
5. Belinda Martinae, Avondale Heights

Winners will be contacted by phone or email this week.
All prizes must be collected from CrossFit Victoria training venues.

Unfortunately, due to bad weather training has been cancelled today.

The Bridal Expo draw will now be performed at our office on Toorak Road, Camberwell.

If you're thinking to yourself "why would I want to do a handstand?", I'll give you three reasons: 1) strength, 2) balance, 3) fun!

What's this all got to do with CrossFit? Well, everything really! The CrossFit training model borrows many techniques and theories from the world of gymnastics. And if you really think about it, there aren't many sports that can claim that their athletes are as completely and functionally fit as gymnasts.

If you are interested in getting involved in gymnastics, then get yourself along to some training. Here is a trainer that we recommend:

Chamfords Gymastics Academy
34/993 North Road, Murrumbeena
Ph: (03) 9563 8881

Cost: $15 a class (less for regular attendees)

Try it. You may find it's what's been missing from your training program.

We will be drawing the winners of the Bridal Expo raffle this Sunday at 10am at HA Smith Reserve, Hawthorn. We invite all expo attendees to join us for a free training session, followed by the draw.

For more session info, view our classes.
To attend please register.

Not achieving goals that you have set for yourself can be a deflating experience. When those goals are related to your health & fitness, feelings of failure and frustration can be magnified. Whilst this is often seen as a negative experience, there is a lot to be learned from failure. It is important to review your goals, your method and your results to understand how you can reach those goals next time.

One of the first things to do is ensure that you have set realistic, achievable and measurable goals. You are setting yourself up for failure if your goals are neither realistic or achievable and if they are not measurable how will you ever know if you've reached them?

Next, you have to determine the best way to achieve your goals. In relation to your health & fitness, here are a few tips: always eat fresh, healthy foods, get active, educate yourself and consider employing a health & fitness professional.

An important aspect of achieving your goals that is often overlooked is accountability. Who is going to make sure you are staying on track? Who is going to help you through the tough times? Who is going to give you a kick when you don't do the right thing? It's imperative that you have a support structure in place to help you achieve your goals. This can be your partner, a family member, a friend or perhaps a personal trainer.

Being accountable for your actions will help you reach your goals.

We can help. Contact us now to find out how.

The latest series of The Biggest Loser has just begun screening in Australia. This is both a good and bad thing for those aiming to improve their fitness or lose weight.

On one hand, this TV show has proven to be very motivating to those considering - or currently - improving their health & fitness. On the other, it gives a false sense of what one can achieve through sensible training methods. Let's delve into it a little deeper...

The first thing to consider is that this concept is not just about weight loss, it's about winning a competition and therefore a big bag of money. This is a massive motivator that the average guy or girl does not have. Also, the contestants are removed completely from their normal lives, are rigorously trained 3-4 a day and have free access to healthy food. It's a recipe for success. Unfortunately, it is very hard to replicate this environment in real life.

There is also a concern about the ongoing health of the contestants. These people are often morbidly obese, untrained and very unhealthy. The immediate stresses - physical, mental and emotional - are huge. It would be intersting to know how often contestants are hospitalised, require saline drips, faint, throw up, suffer intense DOMS and so on. These issues are not addressed and thus an uneven picture of their training is presented to the public.

We at CFV wish every contestant the best of luck in achieving their goals. We also hope that the rest of the community understands that this is a game show.

This morning we held our monthly Charity Day in the park. After this event we donate $5 from each paying participant to the Cancer Council of Victoria.

Thanks to our seven keen attendees - Kirtsy, Sol, Mat, Rebecca, Spiros, Mathew & Andrew!



The workout was borken into two sections - one team section and one individual section. The team workout required one team member to sprint and retrieve a kettlebell while the other team members performed push-ups, lunges and burpies. As we rotated through the team everyone got a chance to run, lift, push, jump, groan and laugh. This was followed by a quick burst of knees-to-elbows and squat-to-tuck jumps.



It was another solid workout that raised $35 for charity.

We will be running a 6 week fitness intensive commencing on March 5 - not February 19 as previously stated - at George Nott Athletics Field in Clifton Hill. It's 18 sessions (that's three times a week over six weeks) of CrossFit group training. You will know the difference between normal fitness training and CrossFit training at the end of this course. The results will speak for themselves.

For more infomation, please register your interest.

We are looking to begin a Saturday morning group class in the parkland surrounding Albert Park Lake. This will run similarly to the session held each Sunday in HA Smith Reserve, Hawthorn. We are interested to know who would attend training in this possible location, so please contact us if you are interested.

In the coming months we hope to offer sessions on weekday mornings and nights in Hawthorn, Richmond, South Yarra and Albert Park.

Blitz Martial Arts Magazine will be publishing another article from CrossFit Victoria in the upcoming March issue. The article details how CrossFit training concepts can benefit martial artists. The May issue will contain an article that explains CrossFit's infamous "Fight Gone Bad" workout.