A. Snatch
Three cycles:
1 @ 80%, 1 @ 85%, 1 @ 90%
*Max three attempts at a missed lift.
B. Clean & Jerk
5-7 singles at 85%.
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World Class Fitness in 100 words- In October 2002, Greg Glassman famously defined fitness in exactly 100 words—a definition that laid the cornerstone of CrossFit as we know it today. “World-Class Fitness in 100 Words.” laid out a clear, holistic blueprint embracing what to eat, how to train, and how to live actively and creatively. This foundational message, first published in The CrossFit Journal: simple, eloquent, and all-encompassing, it’s a prescription suited to both novices and advanced athletes alike. What It Teaches Us: This approach isn’t about perfection—it’s about embracing balance, mastering movement, maintaining intensity, and relentlessly cultivating adaptability. Final Words: A Call to Action Let this concise prescription serve as more than guidance—it’s your call to action. Whether you’re just starting your journey or already pushing your limits, remember: Every great journey begins with one thoughtful decision: to show up!!!Follow this prescription, apply it consistently, and watch your fitness—and life—flourish!
Virtuosity in CrossFit
Virtuosity in CrossFit: Mastering the Basics for Lifelong Fitness The term “virtuosity” refers to “performing the common uncommonly well” Greg Glassman. In CrossFit this principle emphasizes the importance of mastering fundamental movements with precision and consistency before advancing to more complex exercises. The ideal squat, push-up, and pull-up are benchmarks we should all strive for. Virtuous movement is unmistakable—it commands attention. The Essence of VirtuosityAt its core, virtuosity in CrossFit is about executing basic movements—such as squats, push-ups, and deadlifts—with impeccable form and control. It’s not about performing flashy or advanced techniques; it’s about doing the everyday movements exceptionally well. This approach leads to greater efficiency, reduced risk of injury, and a solid foundation for tackling more challenging workouts. The Interconnectedness of Movements“Everything is everything” – At first glance, it might seem that perfecting a push-up has little to do with executing a snatch. However, CrossFit teaches that all movements are interconnected. Mastering the push-up, with its emphasis on core stability, shoulder alignment, and body control, lays the groundwork for more complex movements like the snatch. The discipline and attention to detail required in a push-up translate to improved technique and efficiency in advanced lifts. A common pitfall for many athletes is the “novice’s curse”—the tendency to rush past foundational skills in favour of more advanced, impressive movements (e.g. kipping pull-ups before strict pull-ups). While complex exercises like muscle-ups or handstand walks can be exciting, neglecting the basics can lead to poor mechanics and increased injury risk. By focusing on virtuosity, athletes ensure that their foundational movements are robust, making advanced techniques more accessible and sustainable. The Path to MasteryAchieving virtuosity involves a progression and discipline: This progression ensures that athletes build strength and skill safely, leading to long-term success in CrossFit. (Check out article 2 Mechanics – Consistency – Intensity) Virtuosity Beyond the GymThe principles of virtuosity extend beyond CrossFit. Whether it’s playing a musical instrument, cooking, or any other skill, performing common tasks with exceptional skill leads to mastery and satisfaction. Constantly seek virtuosity in the fundamental movements, knowing that excellence in the basics leads to success in all aspects of fitness. So here’s your call to action:Fall in love with the fundamentals. Let mastery begin where most people don’t pay attention—sink into your squats, drive your push-ups, and pull with control. When you commit to this, every action becomes an opportunity for excellence.
Mechanics → Consistency → Intensity
Article 2:Your Choices Make the Athlete: Mechanics → Consistency → Intensity In CrossFit, athletes are shaped not by shortcuts, but by deliberate progression—beginning with mechanics, advancing through consistency, and culminating in intensity. This sequence establishes a foundation for safe, sustainable, and high-performing fitness. Mechanics — Build the Foundation Why it matters:Mechanics refers to movement efficiency and safety—moving correctly, not just moving. Proper technique makes movements easier, safer, and more sustainable. It sets the stage for long-term progress and protects against injury. How to train mechanics effectively: Consistency — Repeat with Discipline What consistency means:Consistency is the ability to perform movements correctly, repeatedly—both within a workout and across sessions. It’s about ingraining muscle memory and ensuring reliable form under varying conditions. Why it matters:Regular repetition of sound mechanics builds resilience and adaptability. It prepares the body to maintain form under stress or fatigue—making progression possible. Intensity — Apply Power Wisely What intensity is:Intensity elevates training through increased speed, load, or complexity—doing more work in less time. It’s the spark that drives adaptation and fitness gains. Why timing matters:Applying intensity too soon leads to breakdowns in form and raises injury risk. Instead, patience ensures gains are built on mastery and consistency. The Real-World Test: Fran Fran—21-15-9 thrusters and pull-ups for time—is a benchmark CrossFit workout that epitomizes this progression. The other athlete, whose knees cave or form collapses under fatigue, struggles and suffers the consequences. Which athlete are you? If you find yourself in the latter category, now is the moment to reset your priorities—focus first on mechanics, then on consistency, and only then let intensity follow. What may feel like a step backward could actually be the springboard that propels you forward. Final Thought The progression—Mechanics → Consistency → Intensity—is more than a guideline; it’s the foundation of sustainable progress in CrossFit. By choosing discipline over shortcuts, you build not just a fitter body, but a better, longer-lasting athlete.Your daily choices define your journey. Happy training!!!
After over 16 years in the CrossFit community, we’ve found that returning to the fundamentals is often the most effective way to reignite inspiration and realign our focus. In this series, we’ll delve into the foundational principles that have sustained our journey and continue to drive our progress. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just beginning, revisiting these core concepts can provide clarity and motivation. Join us as we explore the essence of CrossFit and uncover how these timeless principles can enhance your fitness journey. Enjoy the journey ahead… Series 1: CrossFit’s Theoretical Hierarchy of Athletic Development When progress stalls in the gym the instinct is often to complicate the approach. However, CrossFit offers a straightforward blueprint that returns to the fundamentals. By focusing on the foundational elements, athletes can unlock new levels of performance. This hierarchy serves as a practical guide, emphasizing the importance of mastering each layer to build a robust and sustainable fitness journey. CrossFit Hierarchy of Development CrossFit’s model frames fitness development as a five-tiered pyramid, progressing from foundational essentials to athletic application. Recognizing the importance of what lies beneath and identifying your own weaknesses enables you to make meaningful improvements and advance in your athletic journey. Progress in one layer fuels improvement in the layers above it. Let’s explore the pyramid: 1. Nutrition – The Foundation The phrase “the foundation of all fitness” aligns with CrossFit’s emphasis that nutrition underpins every other component of athletic development.Nutrition underpins every other layer: it fuels your workouts, aids recovery, and supports muscle, bone, and nerve health.Think of nutrition as the soil in which a garden grows. If the soil (nutrition) is poor, no matter how well you water (train), your plants (performance) won’t flourish. 2. Metabolic Conditioning – The Engine Enhances cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency, forming the “engine” that powers sustained effort. Fatigue will limit strength and skill gains without this foundation Without cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, you’ll tire out before you can effectively build strength or skill. 3. Gymnastics – Body Control Gymnastics develops essential physical skills such as spatial awareness, coordination, flexibility, balance, and body control. Mastery of one’s own body is crucial before progressing to the control of external objects. This foundational level encompasses strict movements such as pull-ups, push-ups, L-sits, and muscle-ups, which establish a base of strength and control. As proficiency in these movements increases, athletes advance to dynamic movements, including kipping variations, which further enhance coordination and body control. 4. Weightlifting & Throwing – Object Mastery This level emphasizes the ability to move external loads—such as barbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls—through powerful, functional movements. Building upon the foundations of metabolic conditioning and gymnastics, it teaches athletes to transfer force efficiently from the core to the extremities, enhancing strength and motor control. Mastery of this stage enables individuals to handle external objects with precision and power, laying the groundwork for athletic performance in various sports. 5. Sport – Putting It All Together Engaging in sport allows us to apply the foundational elements of fitness—nutrition, conditioning, gymnastics, and weightlifting—to real-world scenarios. Whether trained specifically for the sport or not, it provides the opportunity to test our abilities, adapt, and grow. Mastery of these foundational components instills the confidence and capability to perform, demonstrating the effectiveness of our training and preparation. With a solid base, there are no limits to what can be achieved in sport. Final Takeaway: The CrossFit Hierarchy of Athletic Development serves as a structured blueprint for building fitness. By consistently strengthening each foundational layer—from nutrition to sport—you pave the way for continuous improvement. Embrace this approach, and you’ll uncover the full potential of your athletic journey. I recommend you assess where you sit for each of the layers. Working from the base up will provide greatest rewards. Identify your weaknesses and take sustainable steps in the right direction. Remember we are here to help on step at a time…
WINTER ATTENDANCE CHALLENGE Fight off the WINTER blues and stay on track through the colder months! Staying consistent now sets you up to feel strong, lean, and energised as we head into the warmer months. Training through winter builds not just physical fitness, but mental toughness – and your summer self will thank you for it! CHALLENGE DATES: 11 July – 31 August 3 sessions per week = You’re in the game! 5 sessions per week = 100% Attendance & bragging rights! We’ll be tracking weekly (be sure to book in via Mindbody), keeping it fun and motivating – and yes, there’ll be some awesome prizes up for grabs along the way Let’s lift the energy and keep the fire burning this winter. Who’s in?! Grab a motivation buddy and let’s keep each other moving forward — together we rise!
Athlete Spotlight: Chris Thomas
This time around for Athlete Spotlight we’re sure you’ll enjoy getting to know a bit more about our feature athlete – Chris Thomas. Chris joined the Coastal Crew in May 2014 and has become a positive inspiration within the gym. Chris’s positive attitude, dedication and willingness to give everything his best has resulted in rapid increase in abilities and confidence within the gym. Recently Chris established a 102.5kg personal best Back Squat which is a huge achievement considering Squats were his nemesis early on. Congratulations Chris- We look forward to seeing what else you will achieve in the coming months and years. 1. Tell us a bit about yourself – age, occupation, where did you grow up, interest, etc. My name is Chris Thomas, I’m 30 years old. I currently work in the actuarial department at Youi insurance and have been there for the past 3 years. I currently manage a team of 4 people and we are responsible for looking after the reporting and data used across the whole company. I’m eldest by nearly 7 years of three kids, with a younger brother and sister. I grew up living in the southern suburbs of Sydney, and moved up to the coast a few years after the rest of my family had once I had finished my university studies. I’ve spent a big chunk of my life on a golf course and look for any opportunity to get out for a hit. My whole family plays golf, so there is a bit of competition between us, especially between myself and my brother as we play off very similar handicaps. 2. How long have you been training at Coastal CrossFit? I’ve been training at Coastal CrossFit for just over a year. 3. What was your training back ground and what/who got you into CrossFit? Up until about 5 years ago, I hadn’t really ever done training. I was a bigger guy living in denial about how big I actually was. At my peak, I was at 112 kg’s, however didn’t really think I was that big. Now I look back at old photos and realise how wrong I was. The comparison between my old and new license is ridiculous, and looks like two different people. I started training at a local gym with some guys from work and also made some dietary changes. Over time, I dropped to just under 100 kg’s. However with time my motivation faded, especially when I wasn’t seeing any real results, I had plateaued in a big way. I was training with a PT, and doing my own work, but wasn’t seeing any improvements, it was time for something new. I had heard of CrossFit through the CrossFit Games and also from some guys at work. After a lot of convincing from Michael Carey and Sam Carlson, I finally decided to give it a go. Now a year later, I’m well and truly hooked and have seen some massive gains in all areas. I’m currently under 90 kgs, which is the first time since I was a teenager, it was a scary realisation to know I was lighter when I turned 30 then what I was when I turned 20! 4. Do you remember your initial perception and first impression of CrossFit? Has that changed? My initial perception of CrossFit was that you had to already have a strong fitness background to even bother thinking about doing. Looking back, I don’t think I could’ve been more wrong. All workouts can be scaled/modified to your own level of fitness. While at first this was a little intimidating as most of the girls at the box were doing heavier weights, lots more reps then me, I quickly realised I wasn’t competing against them. I was only competing against myself, and trying to improve my own fitness/strength. Having a small group with trainers who are always there to provide advice and guidance on technique has been a massive plus. I had heard about the amount of motivation that fellow athletes/members provide during workouts and it has been one of the main reasons that I’ve enjoyed my CrossFit journey so far. 5. You recently traveled and did a big trek. Can you tell us about your trip; what you did, how you went and what role your CrossFit training has played in the preparation for this? At the end of last year I did the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu which is a 4 day trek at altitudes ranging from 2500-4200 meters above sea level. Whilst it isn’t the longest trek around, the altitude difference has a massive effect on things you would normally be able to do without thinking. The fitness I had gained from CrossFit played a massive part in being able to tackle this challenge, especially given the effects of the altitude had on my ability to push on, despite my lungs screaming at me to stop. The thing that sticks with me the most was when we were approaching the highest altitude, and how hard it was to climb the last few hundred meters. The entire time I kept going back to some of the workouts which I thought were going to break me as motivation to prove to myself I could push through it. The fitness and ability to push myself I had gotten through CrossFit, meant that I was able to enjoy the entire experience a lot more. Rather than been in last group to arrive at camp each day, I was generally in the lead groups and was easily able to keep up with them, without any issue. There were some people in our group who didn’t enjoy the trek much, as they had very much underestimated the fitness required, and how much the lack of oxygen would impact them. 6. What goals do you have for your future training (short, medium and long term). Any more treks? The thing with CrossFit (or any fitness program really), is that once you realise…