Would you go to the grocery store to have your car fixed? No?

So why would you go sit on a machine in a crowded, stinky, germ infested building listening to crappy music if you want to improve your body or your health? Why go for a walk if you want to get faster? Why lift 5 lb dumbbells if you want to get stronger?

Learn to stand up, move your own body weight and lift heavy things! Learn to move faster! Learn to bike, row and run! Learn the most effective, efficient and safest way possible!

Now that you've learned the right way:

Push for one more repetition! Live through one more pull! Get to your feet one more time! Do it again! ...Better! ...Faster! You did it! You did what you thought was impossible! You did more than you ever have before! You didn't give up! Great Job!

That's why you need a trainer!

Why? Because I want you to be good at life! Every day life includes natural movements such as standing, squatting, throwing, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, running, and for some of us punching. These natural, primal, movements influence the exercises used in the WOD. If you want to get good at lifting heavy things or moving quickly then that is what you should do! If you want to be good at sitting and moving your arms while holding onto a machine then that is what you should do!

Why? Because routine is the enemy! Ever start a fitness "routine" with great results that come to a screeching halt a few weeks later? Your body got used to the "routine". Since life is full of variety, you need it to prepare you for whatever comes your way. Progressions allow exercises to get more difficult as your fitness increases. For example you start doing push-ups on your knees and as you get stronger you will progress to doing military push-ups (on your toes). Ask your trainer if you aren't familiar with the proper progressions for your fitness level.

Why? Because you can! The WOD is difficult and challenging, but scalable for individuals of all fitness levels. As your fitness increases you'll move up to the next level, always continuing to push yourself to get better at the sport of life! It will never get easier? but you WILL get better! No matter where you start, you will get fitter faster.

Why? Because it works! I have personally witnessed unparalleled results for my clients and myself as a result of these workouts. I've seen a 70-year-old woman go from being unable to get off the floor by herself to getting up and down more than 10 times a minute! I've seen a 12-year-old athlete go from mediocre to record setting in one season! I've seen a 65-year-old man unable stand up straight can suddenly walk upright carrying 50 lbs over his head! And personally I went from being in excruciating pain every day to being happy, healthy and strong.

Before doing the WOD you should warm your body up. This does NOT mean stretch! Holding static (non-moving) stretches prior to activity has proven to lower productivity and further stress your joints. Static stretching should be done after your workout. Your trainer may give you a specific warm-up based on your weaknesses or to help loosen tight areas. Example: Someone with tight hamstrings or ITB may need to do leg swings. Your choice of warm-up may also be based on your fitness level. For example, the CrossFit warm-up (http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/08_03_Better_warmup.pdf ) calls for 3 sets of 10-15 squats, pull-ups, and dips (among other exercises). That may be a bit much for some people but perfect for others. Different WODs require you to practice a skill (with no or very light weight). An example of this is doing the Burgener Warm-up (http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/53_06_Burgener_Warmup.pdf) used prior to an Olympic Weightlifting WOD. Strength WODs require warm-up sets (Except for deadlifts always start with an empty bar) and gradually work your way up to your work sets. Too light a warm-up will not prepare you for your heavy work and cause injury. Too heavy a warm-up will leave you too fatigued. A good rule of thumb is usually 2 light sets of 5 reps followed by a few heavier sets with less weight gradually working up to your target weight. Some examples of general warm-ups are:

• http://www.iwacourses.com/pdf/integrativehandout3.pdf
• http://www.bubearcats.com/strength/warmup.pdf
• http://www.cleanrun.com/images/features/DynamicWarm-up.pdf
• http://officials.ssc.gov.sg/publish/etc/medialib/officials0/resources.Par.0006.File.tmp/Dynamic%20Warm%20Up%20Exercises.pdf
• http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/11/the-russians-gymnastics-warm-up-1.tpl - (subscription required)

No. You should plan your workout session to take between 30 and 60 minutes depending on how much time you have available. Any more than 60 minutes is not too productive so use any additional time to stretch.

First, you need to warm-up (about 5-10 minutes). If you don't have time for a warm-up and the WOD then forget about it!

If the WOD is short and non-strength oriented then you may do one of the basic lifts (Back Squat, Press, Deadlift, Clean, Bench Press) first for sets of 3x3, 3x5 or 5x5 (maybe only one heavy set for Deadlifts). (About 8-12 minutes) Keep a log of the weight you use and try to increase by at least 2 lbs each time. You should be doing heavy Back Squats, Press and Deadlift at least once each week.

Before a skill oriented WOD you should work on the skill to make sure you know what to do and won't get hurt. Use this time to also help you decide what weight or assistance level to use. (Between 5-10 minutes depending on the skill level necessary and your familiarity with the movements)

After the WOD you should work on your suck list! These are all the things you suck at or your weak areas. If you don't know what your suck list is then ask your trainer and I'm sure they will let you know. (Between 5-10 minutes depending on the skill level necessary and your familiarity with the movements)

And, finally do some static or assisted stretching and/or foam rolling. Again, focus on your suck list! Your tight areas! Just because it feels good to bend over and touch your toes doesn't mean that is all you should do! (Between 5-15 minutes a day)

Yes! You should stretch between 10- 30 minutes a day on most days of the week. Stretch when your body is warm from a good workout or from taking a shower or mowing the grass. don't just jump off the couch or out of bed and start stretching cold muscles.

The harder you go at the WODs the more stretching you need to do! Focus on your tightest areas and ask your trainer if you aren"t sure. Periodically have those tight areas re-assessed to see if you are making progress and should change your focus.

Yoga is a great companion to the WODs to help with Flexibility, Stamina, Strength, Coordination, Balance, and Accuracy.

Once you"ve had proper professional training on the movements you should be gradually increasing your weights and decreasing your times. And you should be doing it as often as possible.

Working out 3 days a week is a path to mediocrity. If you start at zero days a week then, sure?you"ll see improvements at first, but they won't keep coming. At 3 days a week you may sustain your weight, muscle size and maybe your strength, but you won't enhance your recovery ability, metabolic capacity and power output.

Gradually increase from every other day to ?2 days on and 1 day rest? then ?3 days on and 1 day rest? or ?5 days on and 2 days rest?. You don't have to follow the WOD exactly. If you rest on a day the WOD is posted then make it up the next day. Just don't ?cherry pick? your WODs. Do them in the order they appear ? they are in that order for a reason you know!

The name of the game, whether you're a grand mother or an Olympic weightlifter, is to train as hard as possible as often as possible. This places ever-increasing stressors on the body and mind, forcing adaptation. Fear of injury and/or fatigue causes athletes to underestimate the limits of possibility. Forever training within the margins, they fail to make progress.

The word ?possible? is the key. Keep in mind that ?as hard as possible? may vary from day to day, but your intensity and drive must always be 100%. You simply need to give it your all every time! It may not result in world-record times every day, but it will result in progress.

?As often as possible? is easier. The effects of consistency are absolutely astounding. You"ll make progress, even if you neglect just about everything else. If you are sore, you"ll feel better. If you are tired, you"ll sleep better. I"ve seen this first-hand. You"ll have great days and bad days, but most importantly, you"ll have done something.

Next time you decide to skip your workout, don't! Go get your WOD done. You"ll make progress?guaranteed.

Since all of the WODs are repeatable and measurable it give you the ability to track your progress.

Before doing a WOD look at past successes and failures at the same or similar endeavors. Try to use better form, try a harder progression, decrease your time or lift more weight than last time. After the WOD, compare it to last time to see your improvements or recognize your flaws. If you're the competitive type use your log to compare to others doing the same workouts.

If you don't keep track you"ll never know how much you're progressing. And likewise it will be harder to keep track of what needs improving.

By Jon Gilson, CrossFit Again, Faster!

This means trying to do as much work as possible in as little time as possible. This pursuit has some quirks. It isn't simply a matter of flying out of the gate and keeping a breakneck pace. In some instances, this practice can be detrimental to overall power output, causing excessive metabolic waste buildup and slower overall times. In other instances, it can be the difference between a decent time and a truly great performance. The key to good WOD times is recognizing the fundamental attributes of a given workout and modulating pace accordingly.

Determining the proper pace for any given workout depends on the relationship between load, volume, and your maximum effort results for the movements involved, as well as your desired time.

Let's say that I'm trying to determine proper pacing for ?Angie?, a bodyweight suffer-fest requiring 100 pull-ups, 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 squats. First, I need to establish a target time, presumably a personal record. I did this yesterday, choosing twenty minutes as my goal.

On a per repetition basis, this means I would need to do 400 reps in 20 minutes, or one rep every three seconds. Unless I happened to possess the superhuman ability to perform 100 unbroken pull-ups, 100 unbroken pushups, 100 unbroken sit-ups, and 100 unbroken squats, this is out of the question, as I would have to be working constantly. Therefore, I'll need to examine the workout on more piecemeal basis.

I can break my twenty-minute goal into quarters, looking to complete each set of movements within five minutes. This works out nicely, dictating that I complete 20 repetitions each minute for each exercise. Suddenly, my goal looks much easier to achieve, and doesn't demand a non-stop effort.

I know that I can bang out sets of 10 pull-ups indefinitely, assuming I have adequate rest between sets. Further, I know that 10 pull-ups takes me about 15 seconds, and I need to complete two of these sets per minute to meet my prescribed pace of twenty reps per minute. This effectively leaves me with 15 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest, repeated for five minutes.

I'll repeat this process for each of the remaining movements. Simply, I'm looking to pick a set/rep/rest scheme that keeps me below my lactic acid threshold while simultaneously meeting my time goal. Should I exceed my lactic acid threshold, my sets of 10 will turn into singles in very short order, and my WOD time will grow exponentially. You may have to get a bit creative to shoehorn your reps into your time goal, but doing so will help you maintain a consistently high power output.

After I've determined my breakdown for each movement, I hit the START button on my Ironman and actually attempt to keep my defined paces. After each set, I keep to the prescribed rest period, forcing myself to resume exercise when the rest is over.

"Angie" was done in 19:06.

Some folks may scoff at my analytical approach to exercise, but it offers some gems, regardless of your ability to add, divide, and plan. First, keep a watch on your wrist, and prescribe your rest times. All of us have experienced the time-distorting effect of lactic acid buildup, taking prolonged rest breaks with the distinct impression that they lasted all of ten seconds. Avoid this time-robber by keeping your eyes on the watch.

Second, stay below your lactic acid threshold. If you have to strain for a rep and it wasn't the last one, it wasn't worth it. you're imposing neurological fatigue, ensuring that your next set will be shorter than the one before it. You may also fail to complete the rep despite all that effort, leaving you in the same position as an individual who never attempted the rep in the first place.

Obviously, the end goal of CrossFit is to do everything unbroken and at high speed. There are about four CrossFitters in the world who do this consistently, and I'm betting you're not one of them. These men and women push their limits, but they have an acute understanding of where those limits are, allowing themselves to work as hard as possible without hitting the wall.

Intelligent planning will allow you to set personal record after personal record. You may not feel like a hard-charger every time you hit the gym, but your fitness will skyrocket.

The Plan: 1.Pick a target time. 2.Divide your target time into smaller segments, determining the number of reps you must complete per segment to meet your target time. 3.Determine the number of reps you can complete while staying below your lactic acid threshold, and establish an approximate time for each of these sub-threshold sets. Multiply this time by the number of sets you must complete within each segment. This gives your working time per segment. 4.Subtract your working time per segment from the total time per segment to establish your available rest period. 5.Allocate this rest period as necessary. 6.Give it hell!

If you don't know how to do the exercises then read the scalings and look for substitutions below. There may be a reason why your trainer has not taught you a frequently used exercise (such as an injury) so ask them why.

If you know you have done an exercise before, but need a quick refresher then look for it on the CrossFit exercises and Demos page. (http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/excercise.html ) Just remember that not every single one of these demonstrations is perfect form! Look for the ones by a certified instructor.

GHD Sit-ups

DO NOT do Glute-ham sit-ups unless you can do 25 straight regular sit-ups.

DO NOT do full Glute-ham sit-ups until you can do 25 straight Glute-ham sit-ups to parallel.

If you haven't worked with a trainer on Glute-ham sit-ups and want to do this workout on your own today then just do twice as many regular sit-ups.

Cleans

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do a ?Squat Clean' then do a Power Clean.

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do a ?Power Clean' then do a Hang Power Clean.

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do a ?Hang Power Clean' then ask why and choose another WOD.

Back Extensions

Substitute 2x as many Good mornings (with or without weight) or supermans (http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/Superman.html). Of course there are lots of ways to creatively do back extensions - lying over swiss ball or BOSU with feet hooked under bench or bar (finally! a use for that Smith machine) is a common one.

Pull-ups

If you cannot do pull-ups do assisted pull-ups (with bands, feet on floor, etc?). Use the hardest level of assistance that you can do ½ the Rx'd pull-ups without struggling.

The only substitute for pull-ups is ring or bar ?body rows' (and this isn't a great sub). If you don't know how to do these then ask your trainer.

ONLY do kipping pull-ups if you can do 5 dead-hang pull-ups.

Push-ups

If you can do full military style push-ups on your knees then do them.

If you can do 10 or more Push-ups on your knees then start working on full push-ups. Do as many full push-ups in the first few rounds as possible do the rest of the rounds on your knees or on a bar.

If you can't do full military push-ups but can do knee push-ups then do them.

If you can't do knee push-ups then do push-ups on a counter or bar or stairs.

If you can't do push-ups on a counter or bar or stairs then do push-ups on the wall with your feet as far away as possible.

Box Jumps

If you haven't done box jumps before either use a 4-inch box or do step-ups.

Lunges

Have your trainer determine if you should do walking, alternating or stationary lunges.

Wall Ball

Do dumbbell Thrusters as a substitute. In addition, if you have a ball but nothing to throw it at, lie down on the ground and throw it up in the air directly over your chest. 1 Thruster + 1 ball throw = 1 wall ball.

Thrusters

If your fitness trainer has not instructed on how to do Thrusters (or you have an injury preventing you from deep squats) then do Push-Press.

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do Push-Press then do a Press.

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do a Press then go talk to your trainer and find out why and what you should do instead! Barring shoulder injury EVERYONE should Press!

Sumo Deadlift High Pull

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do a Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDLHP) then do deadlifts.

If your fitness trainer has not instructed you on how to do deadlifts then go talk to your trainer and find out why! Barring injury EVERYONE should deadlift!

Burpees

If your trainer hasn't made you do burpees yet then just do push-ups and stand up between each one putting your hands over your head.

Rowing

If you don't have a rowing machine available, do Sumo Deadlift High with 45 pounds for men and 30 pounds for women. Take the bar from mid shin to under your chin??shin to chin.? 2K row = 200 sdhp's, 1K row = 100 sdhp's, 500 meter row = 50 sdhp's

Double-unders

Do Tuck Jumps (jump up and try to tuck your knees into your chest or pull them as high as possible) or twice as many single jump-ropes or some combination of the two.