Here we go! The new strength cycle starts this week; we will perform a version of the Russian Squat Cycle with four lifts performed 2-4 times per week. This means that we will have one strength piece with a longer Metcon on some day’s, and on others, we will have two strength pieces with a shorter Metcon.
With the new cycle, the plan will be to perform strength sessions before or after the metcon to hit different stimulus (lifting when fresh and under fatigue). This cycle will last 8 weeks, with week one being a “Prep Week” and week eight a “Max Week.” Olympic lifting will be thrown in the mix but mainly performed in the metcon or separate sessions.
Remember, these cycles allow for slow and steady progress. It is not flashy or quick. If you add 10 pounds on your squat after a 8 week cycle, and then aim to repeat that progress 4 times per year, that is 40 pounds in one year. That is is the significant progress we are looking for in these cycles.
We hope everyone enjoys it; now let’s get STRONG!
Remember, for newer athletes that don’t have a max to go off of, stay light and work on form, and as you develop through the cycle, we can add additional weight, if mechanics and consistency look good.
Hope the last two weeks went well with the start of Skills and Drills. This week we will continue with the strict pull progression (Friday) and no kipping since we start the new strength cycle. We will cut this down to 1x per week moving forward and will progress into muscle ups next.
Fern Creek CrossFit (FCCF) is constantly looking for ways to add additional opportunities for our athletes. Over the least several months, many athletes have expressed a desire for additional instruction on various aspects of CrossFit. We love this enthusiasm and want to support learning and growth any way possible.
The team at FCCF has constructed a plan to begin a series of Learn and Grow sessions focusing in on various aspects and movements of CrossFit, and some topics not directly related to CrossFit, but a benefit to the athlete nonetheless.
Beginning in August, we will be hosting these seminars, free of charge to our members, primarily on Sunday afternoons after Open Gym time. There may be some Saturday morning events based on the instructor schedule. Each session will last 1-2 hours.
Data is a wonderful thing. Data helps us plan, create goals, and look back at progress. At Fern Creek CrossFit (FCCF) we use (2) pieces of technology to help us and you collect data. Zen Planner and SugarWOD are important apps provided to you as athletes at FCCF. Both apps serve unique and specific purposes.
Zen Planner (ZP) is the back-end system of our operations. It is used to add/delete memberships, perform billing functions, RSVP for classes, and track attendance. The information gathered in ZP is what helps us recognize consistency in attendance and notifies us when you are away so we can follow up with you. We encourage all athletes to use ZP daily by RSVP’ing for a class and checking-in on your arrival. You can also use ZP to see who is coaching and if your friends RSVP’d for class!
SugarWOD is your logbook! In SugarWOD is were we publish our daily programming and notes, make any daily announcements, and is a home for you to record your ongoing performance. You can track your daily WOD, Benchmark WOD’s, PR lifts, or add in a custom workout that you created and want to track. It is helpful to have this information, specifically when goal setting, working off percentages, or tracking your performance progress .Both applications are emailed to members upon signing-up. If you need to download the apps you can find them at the links below.
To get it installed on your mobile device, use these links:
Fern Creek CrossFit (FCCF) sets itself apart from other CrossFit programs, through the results of our athletes. Those results come from athlete effort, and behind that effort is our inspiring and well educated professional CrossFit coaching staff.
We believe that all programs administer at FCCF should be of the highest quality and consistency. Every athlete should leave each class feeling as though they made progress in their performance, learned something of value, and were inspired to reach the goals they set out in our Goal Setting Program.
As our athlete community grows, our staff must grow as well. To ensure quality is not lost, and that we best utilize the resources within our own community, FCCF has created the Fern Creek CrossFit Coaching Development Program. We are excited to announce our Coaching Development Program will be lead by Coach Robbie Brown. Robbie has been a dedicated athlete and coach for many years at FCCF. His valuable experience and expertise will help nurture a strong professional coaching staff for many years to come.
Program Goals
The Coaching Development Program will educate incoming coaches about our specific program, standards, and community. Additionally, the program aims to enhance individual coaching differences and contributions, while maintaining a high level of cohesion.
Adding new people and new points of view is exciting and valuable. At the same time, we value maintaining specific standards and codes of conduct.
Training Program Details
Coaches in Training will learn coaching skills through a shadowing process, reading and research assignments, and competency assessments. The FCCF Coaching Development Program is extensive and challenging. Coaches in Training will participate in over 60 hours of shadowing and mentoring during the program with countless other hours of studying.
As athletes, you’ll notice that the floor Coach may have Coaches in Training shadowing during class. They are there to observe both the coach, and the class as a whole. Initially, they are not expected to interact in any way while shadowing.
Eventually Coaches in Training will move from shadowing, to coaching part of your class, and then to coaching the entire thing. During this time, the normal floor Coach will be present, but will not be the Coach on the floor (in charge).
Coaches in Training will gain knowledge through outside resources. These resources include an extensive reading list, website research, and event attendance requirements. We want them to be integral members of our FCCF community, but also a part of the larger CrossFit community.
Any feedback you have on our coaches in training is welcome. Please keep in mind that those in the program have shown a dedication to CrossFit and learning, a passion for teaching others, and a love for FCCF specifically!
Our community is our main priority, and in order to continue investing in our athletes, we must continually invest in our equipment and facilities. Our current home has served us well, but through the gracious support of our community we are now able to move into a new space, more suited for our activities.
Our new home at 4756 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40218 is located just 1.5 miles north of our current facility on the corner of Bardstown Rd. and Watterson Trail. The new facility will host a grand opening on Saturday October 31, 2020.
The new facility will boast many new improvements including,
Multiple restrooms with shower facilities
Larger parking areas
Easier access in and out of the facility with dedicated traffic lights
Improved running areas
Air conditioning!
We will be relocating equipment October 23-25, 2020. Class times will be reduced and communicated to all members.
We’ve been in the fitness industry for many, many years and one of the most popular questions we get is this:
How do I lose weight and keep it off for good?
Let’s start by saying there’s no secret diet or magic pill that will get you real results. Our goal at Fern Creek CrossFit is to teach you healthy, sustainable habits that will move you towards your goals each and every day.
Here are 3 of the most common reasons why you may not be shedding those unwanted pounds:
1. You’re over-estimating the amount of calories you’re burning
Virtually every cardio machine in the gym gives an estimate of the number of calories you are burning while working out. If you wear an Apple Watch or a Fitbit (or another similar device) the amount of calories you burn during an activity are being tracked. Unfortunately, studies show that these devices may be inaccurate in these calculations… by quite a bit. For instance, a 2010 study from the UC San Francisco’s Human Performance Center found that the elliptical trainer (who hasn’t been on one of those for 45 minutes of your life that you won’t get back), over estimates the number of calories burned by an average of 19%! Here’s the breakdown:
Treadmill: overestimates by 13%
Stair climber: overestimates by 12%
Elliptical: overestimates by a huge 42% ?
The number on the screen does not give you permission to grab an extra donut.
When you start a new workout program where you’re up and active at least 3-4 days a week, you will be hungrier throughout the day. This is not a bad thing! If you already have unhealthy eating habits, you’re now just eating more food with refined carbohydrates which may stall results or even cause weight gain.
Track what you eat using a tool like MyFitnessPal or MacroStax. The simple task of writing down what you eat will help you eat better foods and get your daily intake to a level supported by your activity. We can help you figure out those numbers. Just let us know.
2. You spend the weekend “un-doing” all of your hard work.
After pushing yourself in the gym all week, it’s easy to give yourself a pass on the weekend to order dessert, eat your favorite snacks, or ask for another bowl of chips to go with that queso. You earned it, right? There’s certainly nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while to some of your favorite foods. But people oftentimes underestimate how easy it is to “out-eat” the workouts they did. Breaking this habit requires a mindset shift from the idea that you “earn unhealthy food choices” to pursuing a lifestyle of health and nutrition. We want you to properly fuel your body, enjoy a few intentional treats here and there, and rewrite your story to the weight/size/dress/pair of jeans/etc. you’ve been dreaming about for so long. That feeling is the best dessert!
Proper nutritional habits partnered with all the hard work you’re putting in at the gym and proper amounts of rest will do wonders for your body!
3. You’re looking at the wrong number.
The number on the scale doesn’t tell the whole story. Your weight is one single point of data. That’s it. Don’t get so hung up on it in the first place. We don’t worry so much about how many inches tall we are, right? The scale doesn’t define what you’re capable of. It’s an indicator. I can give you a long list of indicators that are just as important:
Skeletal muscle mass in pounds
Body fat percentage
Total daily energy expenditure in calories
Triglycerides and Cholesterol
1 rep max front squat in pounds
Mile run time in minutes and seconds
Max pull-ups in 60 seconds
Max push-ups in 60 seconds
Max plank hold in seconds
3 rep max deadlift in pounds
Time to complete Fran
Time to complete Grace
Time to complete Isabelle
Time to complete Jackie
Time to complete Diane
All of these are indicators that help define who you are an a continuum of wellness and fitness (and happiness). We believe if you can deadlift twice your bodyweight, run a 9-minute mile, and finish Grace is under 5 minutes, your health metrics are good and headed in the right direction.
We’ve seen members gain a few pounds on the scale after 6 months in the gym only to find out that they lost 3% body fat and gained lean muscle mass. The best part was, they lost inches around their waist and fit into clothes they hadn’t worn in years. We have an InBody body composition scanning machine in the gym just for this reason. We can give you a better understanding of what’s going on with your body that the number on the scale cannot.
Bottom Line
Realize where you are now is simply a starting point. The only way to make real progress is to put in the effort each day on a consistent basis. The destination is the journey.
We want to hear about your fitness journey.
Tell us more about you and your fitness journey. Maybe we can help.