Strength workouts - week 2 of Cycle 1

This week, the focus goes back to strength and conditioning -

Warm up should include

5 min of monostructural movement
5 min of dynamic stretching for muscle that are going to be worked
1-2 in in bent arm plank hold with controlled breathing

1. Main set -

With a running clock -

A 1. 6 x 3 Deadlifts at 80% of 1 rep max
A 2. 6 x 8 reverse lunges with barbell on back - weight is athlete dependent - think a weight that is challenging but done with perfect form

The goal is to do this as an EMOM, so minute 1 would be the deadlifts, minute 2 would be the lunges

Rest 3 min then

B 1. 4 x 3 clean high pulls - 80% of clean 1 rep

B 2. 4 x 4-6 strict pull ups

Aux work -
3 rds not for time
15-20 banded good mornings
5 heavy hip thrusts
15-20 GHD sit ups or weighted sit ups

Met-con
10-1
Power cleans at 115/75
bar over burpees


2. After warm up

Main set -

A1. 6 x 5 behind the neck strict press  - 60% of 1 rep strict press
A2. 6 x 8 pendlay row - weight is designed for speed, so great form, but fast

Preform as an EMOM

Rest 3 min then

B1. 4 x 8 DB rows per side - moderate weight
B2. 4 x 8 strict ring dips or dip variation

Aux work -
2-3 min in HS hold

Met-con

15 min AMRAP

10 Thrusters - 115/75
12 Hand release push ups
14 cal bike - if no bike, then row


Don't forget to ask questions on FB or post results there as well.

Stay strong,

Guy

Free workouts - week 1 Endurance, Shift

This week, we shift focus to endurance and work on changing gears in the efforts. Before we can properly assess what the efforts should be, there needs to be some baseline testing. You pick the modality, but the protocol is below.

Test -

Run -
Warm up 10 minutes of light jogging. Stop. Dynamic stretching. Include high knees, butt kicks, toy soldiers and inch worms.

Then on a relatively quiet road, or track, with little to no traffic, or stops, preform a 3 mile run. The effort is decided by the individual but the objective is to start slow and finish with nothing left.


Row -

Warm up - YouTube - Erin Cafaro, the 7's warm up
Include an additional 500 meters of rowing
Stop, include dynamic stretching listed above.

Preform a 3k Row test. Same protocol as the run

Bike

Slightly different here. If on a regular bike - road bike, mtn bike, TT, warm up with 10 min easy spin, then 10 x 30 sec high cadence - 100 rpm, 30 sec easy.

Stop. Get water, etc.

Preform a 15k bike test either outside or on a low traffic, few stops route.

If on an assault bike - preform an 8k bike.

Same protocol as above.

With any of these, record your effort. Then you want to extrapolate the following -

For run - your ave mile pace. If you ran a 24 minute 3 mile test, your ave mile pace is 8 min.

For row - your ave 500 meter pace. If you rowed a 12 min 3k, your ave 500 pace is 2 minutes

For bike - your ave mile pace (although I do use power, for the purposes of this, lets start easier), so if you biked the 15k in 27 minutes, your average mile pace is close to 3 min per mile.

These are important numbers to know as you move forward in your training.

Workout 2 -

Using whatever modality you choose, here is how to move forward on the 2nd workout -

Warm up 10-15 minutes of choice.

Run - Main set - 4 x 800 meter repeats switching gears every 200 -so 70%, 80%, 90%, 80%. These are percentages of your ave  mile pace. Using our 8 min mile example, every 200 meters shift would be - 8:25, 8:15, 8:07, 8:15. Note, your last 200 is not all out, rather you drop it down. Why? Because you only get 90 sec rest between efforts. If you preform the workout correctly, 90 sec should be enough rest between 800's/

Cool down 5-10 min jog

Row - same warm up

Main set -

4 x 1k row - switching gears every 250 meters, -70-80-90-80. Use your ave 500 meter pace to determine the percentages required for the workout. Rest is 90 sec between each 1k.

Cool down 5 min row, 5 min walk

Bike-

Include at least 20 min of riding, light!, with some drills, like high cadence, single leg, out of the saddle efforts.

Main set -

5-6 x 2 mile repeats, shifting effort every half mile - 70-80-90-80. Again, use your ave mile pace to determine percentages. Instead of coming to a full stop between efforts, spin 4 min easy between each

Cool down 10 min spin

For questions or comments, please hit me up on Instagram or Facebook. Enjoy your training.

Stay strong,

Guy

Free Workout Wednesday - a new weekly addition

At the core of coaching, at least to me, is the desire to help others. Coaching isn't a self-serving pursuit; in order to be successful it cannot be. Rather, a coach is one who develops methods that allow their students to be successful, by using experience learned from personal success and failure, education, and an understanding of each student's needs, and a deep desire to help others see the greatness in them that you, as a coach, already see.

I say student, because athlete is too specific, and person is too vague. Coaches are teachers if not in the most traditional sense of the word, but teachers nonetheless. We are teaching people tools to be successful, in whatever they endeavor.

To that end, I am providing 2 free workouts a week, via this blog, in order for people to not only have other workout options, but to also provide some insight as to the different types of training that I program. Although my personal background is endurance sports, I have spent a significant amount of time coaching strength and conditioning as well. The following workouts are for anyone, and any skill level .Modifications are available as well, and if you have any questions, please hit me up via Instagram - @guypetruzzelli and I'll be happy to answer.

1. Warm up - 5 min of monostructural movement - light running, rowing, cycling, even brisk walking.

5 min of dynamic stretching - 10 toy soldiers, 10 knee hugs - per leg, 10 hip hugs, per leg. If access to a wall or flat standing surface - 20 wall facing squats - hands on the wall, squat down while maintaining contact with the wall.

Warm up deadlift - 2-3 sets of 5 building in weight to the suggested weight for the workouts

Main set -

4 rds for time

15 Deadlifts at 155/105 or 115/75
20 wall ball - 20/14 or 14/10
25 weighted sit ups - 20/14 or 14/10
400 meter run

90 sec rest between rds - this is calculated in total time

Goal is consistent time for each rd.

If you don't have access to a barbell use a KB for deadlifts. If you don't have a wall or can't do wall ball, use a DB and do goblet squats or air squats. If you can't run you can substitute a 400 meter row, or if you don't know a 400 meter route, run 2:30 each rd. You can also walk the 400 or walk 4 min for each rd

2. Warm up - 5 min of monostructural - row, run, bike, ski erg, brisk walk

3 x 20 sec jump rope- if you have double unders do them. 40 sec rest

Dynamic shoulder warm up -

3 rds - 10 PVC pass throughs - can use a broom or swiffer or any long rod that is stable.
10 scap push ups - make sure you can feel your scaps engaging
10 shoulder circles in each direction - small and large

Main set -

3 rds

5 pull ups
5 Dumbbell hang clean and jerk per arm - 50/35 or 35/20
20 Double Unders, or 60 single jumps
25 push ups

Rest 2 min then complete -

5 min AMRAP - as many rounds and reps as possible
40 walking lunges
10 burpees

If you don't have access to a pull up bar - you can do upright Dumbbell or barbell rows. If no access to a jump rope - preform 40 mountain climbers per rd.

Again don't hesitate to ask questions and share your results. Enjoy the training.

Stay strong,

Guy

15 Deadlifts at

From Quincy to CrossFit; how one woman overcame the inequalities in the world of business to owning one of the most successful gym owners in the Chicagoland area

Hey all -

This latest post is the shift I was promising; removing the discussion from myself to those who are out in
the world, making a difference. I had the honor of sitting down with one such person, one of the owners
of CrossFit Iron Flag, Kelly McGriff-Culver. In the article below, she explained how she has overcome,
and continues to overcome female stereotypes in the world of business and has been extremely
successful in changing people's lives for the better. Enjoy.

Walk in to CrossFit Iron Flag around 11:30 am on any weekday, and you will see her. Regardless of the
crowd of athletes that surround the whiteboard, a wall of humanity that would make it impossible to see
through, you know she's there. In an instant, her voice, equal parts enthusiastic, inviting, but
unquestionably authoritative, rises above the cacophony of all the other voices. And just like that,
she is as clear to see as if the bodies in front of her were windows. Her name is Kelly McGriff-Culver,
and she is an owner of Crossfit Iron Flag, and the reluctant face of the gym and coaching staff. I say
reluctant because she doesn't enjoy the spotlight or the attention. She would prefer to spend her time
providing the best experience possible to everyone who walks through the door, creating new programs
for members, giving words of encouragement to all on the floor, and being a beacon of hope for all females
in that space. She is more than coach, owner, mother, wife, athlete. She is a trailblazer, providing those
who follow a roadmap for success in a world that is still male dominated.

Kelly grew up in Quincy, IL a small town in the southern part of the state. An impressive athlete in her
own right, she was a varsity Volleyball and Basketball player for 2 years of high school. She was
fascinated with fitness, and more specifically, exercise science and kinesiology, which she studied while
at Marquette. She transferred to ISU to be closer to home when her oldest son was born. Now a single
mother, wanting to finish college while still pursuing her dream of working with professional sports teams
as an athletic trainer, she made the necessary sacrifices to do both - study and raise her son. This was
not an easy task, especially when she was fulfilling an internship requirement in college that had her
shadowing the Chicago Bulls strength and conditioning coach.

Kelly recalls, "The male athletes, they didn't respond well to a female being in that setting. Obviously,
the locker room was off limits to me, and I could tell there was a lack of respect by the players and other
staff members." She continued, "It was a male dominated world, and everyone made it pretty clear that
women, regardless of how far people thought we had come, were not welcome in that setting."
Undeterred, she knew staying in the Chicagoland area would provide her the best opportunity to hone
her craft. It was at this time that she shifted her focus from rehabilitation to a proactive style of training.
She recognized that making athletes globally strong would help their sport-specific fitness and increase
their shelf life in the pros.

At this time, she took a position at a sport performance facility in the western suburbs of Chicago called
Get Fast. Again, she was the only female trainer, working with high level high school and college athletes
. She found herself working at least 10 times harder to gain the respect of the athletes before they would
take her seriously. "When I was assigned an athlete, the look I got was, 'Great, I got the female trainer.
She's not going to work me very hard.'" That was a mistake on their part, as it became clear that Kelly
not only knew how to work them, hard and smart, but she knew her stuff. Better than the others. She
quickly got a reputation for being the toughest coach in the program. Still, with all her success, she was
repeatedly overlooked for promotions, regardless of her seniority. She was putting in more time, and
more effort, than her male counterparts, yet the work she did went unnoticed. "There were no females
in a supervisory role. No matter what I did, I wasn't getting close to the respect of the guys I worked with."

Things would take another turn for her when her second child was born, now finding herself a single
mom of 2, and in need of a job with more stable hours. Although she enjoyed working with athletes, the
hours at Get Fast were chaotic and didn't provide her the kind of stability that a 9 to 5 gig would. So she
took her talents to corporate wellness, where she once again realized the disparity in pay between
herself and her male peers. She was the manager of the corporate wellness center at LifeStart, yet she
was not making the same as others with the same experience and seniority. However, while at this
position, she met her former partner, Joe, with whom she shared similar passions. Both saw more
opportunity in the world of health and fitness. Both were looking for an opportunity to do more to help
people regain health they had lost. At this time, Kelly was coaching a Saturday speed class at CrossFit
Rise in Schaumburg. She was fascinated by what she saw - people of all shapes and sizes, coming
together to do a workout, cheering one another on, supportive and happy. A stark contrast to corporate
wellness, where people went to walk on a treadmill for 30 minutes to kill time.

So in 2013, Kelly and Joe bet on themselves and opened CrossFit Iron Flag in Westmont, IL. Initially,
the athlete in Kelly was looking to capture more of the athletic types from the area, either former or
current athletes; the kind of individuals she was used to seeing while at Get Fast. But she quickly
realized that CrossFit had a much broader scope, brought in people of all backgrounds and fitness levels
, and she possessed the tools to help them. Her mindset and her heart went from "let’s get a cool, high
end athlete vibe" to "let's help this community be the best it can be." And at that moment, her talents and
passion became clear and on display for all who came to the gym.

Realizing that the gym was an opportunity to do more than just provide a place for people to work out,
she split with Joe, and forged ahead. Her goal became to be the "neighborhood gym, where all are
welcome, where all are equal." She was working towards this, even if she was not receiving the same in
turn. "Being a mom, and a business owner, the societal expectations are pretty rough." She explained,
"Society expects women to be able to do it all, be a mom, be a wife, and then be a professional. Men
can put their career first, and no one blinks an eye. But a female does the same, and she's made to
feel like she's a bad mom."

Overcoming those obstacles wasn’t and isn't easy. She still struggles with a balance between owner,
mom, wife, athlete. But she hasn't backed down from her dreams. Rather, she sees herself as a
trailblazer, someone who can show women they don't have to put a limit on their dreams. "Women have
this constant feeling of, 'am I good enough.' Am I a good enough Mom? Wife? The pull of those things
can make women feel guilty for wanting more in life. But that's an outdated mindset. We can have more
, we can follow dreams and passions. We should never be limited by what society thinks, what our neighbors
think. At the end of the day I know I'm a good mom, a good wife and a good boss."
Those who know her would agree; she is not only loved and respected by the members, she has
become a role model for women in the gym and the community as a whole.

"I want women to realize that being strong is beautiful, on every level. That there is not a
perfect 'shape,' that muscles and are feminine, that lifting heavy weight is feminine, that women
sacrifice none of their femininity by doing what the guys are doing. I want to help women gain
confidence by taking the focus away from looks, to what they can do in the gym. The weights they can
lift, the gymnastics movements, the long metcons. That takes grit. That builds confidence."

As CrossFit has gained more popularity, the acceptance of females with muscles has grown, but there
are still several hurdles. Regardless, she knows that every day she is reaching a wide and constantly
growing membership that is seeing the change in themselves, and how the internal changes are
making positive effects on how they view life outside the gym. "I want our members to leave the daily
grind in the parking lot. I want them to feel welcomed, appreciated, understood, important. Because
I take their health and fitness very seriously. I don't ever want them to doubt that."

So where does she go from here? Well, when I asked her, she stated, "In 5 years, my husband and I
would like to have two more locations, one with athletic performance as the focus. I also want to grow
our masters program, reaching the 50 plus crowd, who need exercise to improve their quality of life."
Clearly, she is not allowing the social pressures to rein in her dreams. And that's a good thing. What
she is doing daily is helping people fight diabetes, autoimmune diseases, combat arthritis, decrease
heart disease, and give people back the things they have given away with age and responsibilities.
More importantly though, she's breaking the stereotypes of what professional women can and can't
have, all with a smile on her face.

The old man and the sea of social media

"And thou wilt give thyself relief, if thou doest every act of thy life as if it were the last."

Marcus Aurelius

Its been quite some time since I have written and in the lengthy post that follows, hopefully it will be clear as to why. Since a fairly awful 2018, 2019 didn't start out great at all. Actually it was much of the same. But, with all things, the ebb and flow of life provides opportunities to learn. And so, the learning continues. So as I sit here, and tap this out, fighting yet another sinus infection, staring at a lengthy and difficult race schedule, I found myself struggling to see how I am going to reach the goals I set. So I searched for inspiration. Tom Brady provided it. There is nothing that can't be done. Let me be honest - I don't care if you like him or not. I do. I always have. I like watching him win. I like how meticulous he is. How hard he works. How he defies time. Old man. Still on top. Its pretty damn great. Because I'm an old man. At least when I walk into the gym, or to a race, that's what hits me. But this is not someone who plans to go quietly in that good night, not with a new endurance coach and strength coach. Not with seeing weekly improvement. Not with the fire that still burns inside me. Not with all the feelings or raw emotion that come with the joys of training and racing. I still get excited to train, even when I feel like shit. Yet, on a daily basis, I, like everyone else, get bombarded with the absolute non sense that is, Social-fucking-media. And the desire to create "authentic posts".


Here's the conclusion I've come to - Social media's biggest failing is that it has taken the daily mundane, and made it something to over celebrate. This most recent cold streak we had in the Midwest - I'm not referring to it as a vortex, it was a total of 3 fucking days, elicited posts that made me physically ill. Instagram and FB were replete with Posts like "crushing my errands today, even in the bitter cold! #polarvortex" or "the #polarvortex wasn't going to stop me from slaying my goals - made it to the gym! #gainz". Here's the deal - unless your goals or errands included any of the following -

1. Curing cancer

2. Ending sexual harrassment

3. Solving school shootings

4. Ensure racial and gender equality for all

5. Bringing peace to the Middle East

Then all you did was self serving stuff that benefited you and you only and you. Which is fine. But to see comments like "how brave of you" when the errand was to go from warm house, to warm car to Whole Foods to buy grass fed beef, locally grown vegetables and hand soap made from the indigenous people of Southern California, that didn't require bravery. You weren't looking to help mankind. I didn't see anyone take a selfie of themselves wearing bear skin or pelts out in sub zero temps to hunt and forage for food, because it was the only way they were going to eat for the next few days. Or weeks. Its Twenty nine fucking nineteen. Not 1819. How is getting your dry cleaning on par with someone who used their body as a shield to protect strangers in a senseless school shooting or mass shooting like Vegas? Your 800 likes for going outside in your down coat and wool hat to get coffee for everyone in your house, who had the day off from work, diminishes real bravery. Real toughness. Its the watering down of real accomplishments. Its mind numbing.  

Which brings me to sunny point number 2 (bonus points for those who can name the movie reference) - how is it possible to  create an authentic posts when taking selfies. Its an oxymoron, like honest politician.I think authentic is supposed to be natural, unplanned, spontaneous. Isn't the whole idea of a selfie to have some plan as to camera angle, a whole why behind the picture? The ability to edit out what you don't like, then use a filter o clean up the rest? Where's the authenticity there? I have to do these things, as I have promised my sponsors that I would. And this is not a knock against them, nor is it me bemoaning my fortune to have people who support me in my sport. In my journey. I am beyond grateful and very aware I would not be able to do 1/100th of what I do without them. I love them and appreciate them, except 1, the one that keeps me in the dark while social media allows me to see what other teammates are getting, while I'm left with the feeling that the contract I signed was meaningless. But I digress.

And I know what some of you are thinking - yeah, but you have a ton of half naked pics of yourself on the internet, all over social media. Yes, I do. I have done, and will do photo shoots for sponsors. Its also part of the job. Again, I am beyond grateful to be able to work with an amazing photographer and manager. So before I continue - Mel, thank you, and I'm sorry for this post. I know you're thinking that I'm crazy for putting all this out there. But if I am to be authentic, this is it. This is me. Its not for everyone. I know. And I am sorry.

What's important to understand about the pics I took - it wasn't just for sponsors, it was also a program to showcase where athletes from Chicago got their start. Mine was in my old neighborhood on Chicago's Southside. We shot in front of my old house. In the alley behind my uncle who lived 4 blocks away. In my late teens and early 20's I ran those streets. All hours of the day and night. I swam off the rocks at 57th street beach. At 12th street beach. And yes, some shots were shirtless or had tight clothes. But why were so many, if not all, in black and white? Because I have difficulty seeing myself in photos. Its actually a painful process for me to see myself in pictures. Except ones with my son where my focus is solely on him. The black and white allowed me the most amount of comfort without causing the highest level of anxiety. People who know me best, like Mel, and Manny the photographer will tell you this. What the photos don't show were the mental machinations I went through just to get in front of the camera. The cold sweat before each shoot. The self doubt. The self loathing. The angst. Fear of being considered a wannabe, or simply seeking attention. The purpose of the photos lost in just the aesthetic. No recognition of substance. A neighborhood in need. The draw to those streets 20 plus years later, those streets that provided as much pain as they did joy. Why I can't let go. And the spot is always tied to those streets, those spots, knowing the time it took to cross from Narraganset to Harlem on my bike, or on my feet. How to beat a freight train. How to survive rides that started at 9 pm on a weeknight and ended at 11. Ask my parents. They remember all too well. 

There's a very real reason why when people visit my parents' home, they struggle to find a photo of me on the wall. There are a few - wedding photos where no one smiled, and if not for tuxes and bridal gowns, you wouldn't know if we were at a wake or a wedding. And the one with my brother and sister from Christmas 2014. There aren't more because I am not a fan of staged photos. So its a long winded explanation why this old man struggles with the notion of his mug showing up in someone's feed every day, #livingmybestlife. - (Side note - can we agree its time to retire that phrase?) So does this relegate me to less attention from potential sponsors and getting more from current ones? Maybe. Probably. Its not for lack of love of what they do or how they help. And if any of the good people who are helping me on this journey are reading this, please know this is not a you thing, its definitely a me thing. My hangups. You are in business to make money and social media drives dollars. I understand completely, and don't blame you for what you require or need. So I will continue to do my very best to live up to my end. I am just so used to that being race results related, not the impression that I'm just crushing every training session, smashing PB's every day, and in general just killing it. That's a lie. But we never show our worst selves on social media. We don't show bad days or weeks. We don't talk about illness, or setbacks, or when you just can't seem to get out of quicksand, where no matter how hard you try, you only sink deeper. We don't show it, yet those moments are so real, so true, so authentic, that I wish we did. Myself included. I posted about getting rhabdo. I'm not ashamed of it, so why hide it? I fucked up. I was fortunate to not do permanent or lasting damage. But it was real. It was scary. And it could happen again. No matter how far down I push those thoughts, they linger in the recesses of my psyche, like someone's cologne or perfume, long after they've left the area. Even days can go by, but the smell is there, reminding you that they too,were in the room.

I always want to be the same person no matter where I go - that includes the internet. And that makes me repeat this phrase - I am not for everyone. Writing, not pictures, have always been my preferred medium of communication. Long Form as the millenials call it. Something that requires more than 30 seconds. So annoying, I know. But it allows me to sleep a little better knowing that if nothing else, writing allows me to be authentic.This is my authentic self. It can be brazen, and at times unsympathetic. I am unrelenting at times, I am unsure at times, I struggle with anxiety and depression. I work on those daily. I can admit to failure, I can learn from it. But hide the not so cool sides of me isn't fair to me, or to people who give a shit about me and take the time to read what I write, or listen to what I say.  

 I see so many people who show one side on social media, yet claim to be a different person in "real life". Then they are shocked when I call them out on it. Genuine isn't always having your hair and make up done, your swim gear all neatly lined up, your latest Zwift ride for all to see how much of a bad ass you are, indoors. Or that you choose a treadmill over outside. There's nothing wrong with any of those things. not one bit. But remember the face you show is all 99% of people get to see. If you want to be thought of differently then act on it. Be the person on Instagram that you are with your family. Your close friends. Maybe you lose a few follows. Maybe you don't get as many likes. Life won't end. I promise. 

Maybe who you really are behind the camera on your Iphone  is much more interesting and beautiful and exciting than any glammed up pic you've posted. Maybe the world would be better if you showed them that person.Maybe you might inspire someone else to do the same. 

Food for thought. Thank you for reading. 

Stay strong,

Guy