Recruit Phase
When a member decides to join, they become a full member at our facility, Mid-Ohio CrossFit. However, their journey towards elite fitness has only just begun. CrossFit is a performance-based training program; what we is build athletes. Each level of fitness (Recruit, Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Elite, Animal, and Mutant) has as a set of benchmarks to measure their personal advancement. The First Level – RECRUIT - is achieved when the athlete commits to membership.
The “Recruit Probation” period can be the most challenging on the new member. It's during this phase that the new member will begin to learn and apply the movements to complete the Work Out of the Day (WOD). The WOD's are typically performed at a much higher intensity (but scaled to the level of the individual athlete) than their previous training regimens. It is expected, during the recruit phase, the new member train at our facility on a regular basis in order to develop the skills to advance to the Basic Level of Fitness.
The Recruit phase will last at least one month, but no more than three months. It is required by all members to stay at the Recruit level for a minimum of 30 days. This gives them a chance to work into completing the WOD and get the feel for this type of training. Once a recruit has been with us for at least thirty days, we will encourage them to complete all their Basic Phase requirements. By working towards this Basic level of fitness the new member will see the clear set of performance goals set in front of them and allowing them to understand this is the first step in their journey towards elite athleticism.
Be Advised, the first 30 days for the new member, “Recruit”, will be the most difficult. As coaches we expect to see all of our members on a regular basis. We encourage regular visits to our facility – to do the WOD, work on skills, or even just to hang out. This is the time when we get to know the new recruit better. So, after you join don't be a stranger.
Understand although Mid Ohio CrossFit has no contracts, We Do Reserve The Right To Revoke Any Membership From Any Athlete At Any Level of Fitness. If an athlete becomes a member, we expect you to train with us. If a member goes on vacation, has a month of overtime at work, or some other normal reason to be out of town or too busy to train – we understand and eagerly await out teammates return. However, if any member never comes in to train although still has the opportunity to do so, we will revoke their membership. Simply put, if you're not using the membership then you don't need it or want it.
Basic Phase
Once the new member has completed all of the Basic Phase benchmarks they will advance from Recruit to Basic. As a Basic member, the athlete will now be out of their probationary period and can begin to work towards achieving their Intermediate Phase performance goals.
There is no set time that the athlete must remain at the Basic Phase but it is encouraged not to advance too quickly. After the Recruit Probation there is no requirement for advancement – many members will stay at the Basic Phase the entire length of their training. That is Fine. We do encourage the athletes to attempt to reach the next level of performance, but it is not required. If an athlete is coming in, training with us, enjoying fitness and the team, and having a fun time we don't force them to advance. For many people the Basic Phase alone will be enough to establish a sense of pride and accomplishment.
At the Basic Phase the WOD's will often be scaled to meet your fitness level. The more WOD's you do the easier it will be to advance to the next Phase. It often happens be default a Basic Phase athlete will move up to the Intermediate Phase, simply by being dedicated to training and maintaining a regular training regimen. These athletes often become stronger, faster, and more powerful, allowing the requirements for advancement to become easier.
As our Basics continue their training the natural progression is to Intermediate. However, the advancement from Basic to Intermediate will only occur with testing by a coach. A member who has the capabilities of being an Intermediate Phase Athlete will remain at the Basic Phase Until testing has occurred. No member will ever be made to test to the next level, testing is optional after reaching the Basic Phase.
When a Basic Level athlete is ready to take some benchmark tests all that is required is a coaches verification. Simply ask a coach to verify a particular event and they will check it off as either "passed" or "attempted but not passed". We want to record when an athlete has attempted an event so we can track strengths and weaknesses in the individual. For benchmark requirements to reach the Intermediate Phase see below.
A Basic level CrossFitter has learned consistent mechanics and form. To attain Basic status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.
WORK
Kettle bell swings: 10
Wall Ball: 25
800 meter run: 4:20 minutes
HIPS
Squats: 50 air squats
Deadlift: 3/4 BW
PUSH
Pushups: 10
Military Press: 1/4 BW
PULL
Static hang: 30 seconds
High pull: 1/2 BW
CORE
Sit ups: 30
Knees to chest: 10 sitting
L-sit: 10 seconds
SPEED
400 meter run: 2:04 minutes
Medicine ball cleans: 10
WORK CHALLENGE
For Time: 18 minutes
3 rounds for time-- 400m run, 12
deadlifts 1/3 BW, 21 box jumps
1 mile run: 10:00 minutes
Intermediate Phase
An Intermediate Phase CrossFitter has passed the recruit phase and reached Basic level. To attain Intermediate status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.
WORK
Kettlebell Clean & Jerk: 25 each arm, W- 25 lb, M- 35 lb
800 meter run: 3:50 minutes
Thrusters: 25 reps at 1/2 BW
HIPS
75 air squats
Squat: 3/4 x BW
Deadlift: 1 1/4 x BW
Vertical Jump: 15 inches
PUSH
Push ups: 20
Bench Press: 3/4 x BW
Push Press: 1/2 x BW
Handstand Hold: 45 seconds
Dip: 10
Dips: 3 on rings
PULL
Rope Climb: 10 ft. climb
Clean: 1/2 x BW
Static Hang: 1 minute
Pull ups: 5
CORE
Overhead Squat: 1/2 x BW
GHD sit ups: 20
L-sit: 20 seconds
SPEED
400 meter run: 1:45 minutes
Snatch: 1/4 x BW
WORK CHALLENGE
Karen: 9 minutes
150 Wall Balls
1 mile run: 8:00 minutes
Advanced Phase
Our Advanced Phase Athletes are strong, fast, and powerful. They have reached a level of athleticism that most people could only dream of, able to move their own bodyweight at great speeds, they also can move external objects of high load with great power. The Advanced Phase member can be considered one of the fittest people “YOU” know, if you find this claim to be exaggerated we invite you to come down and physically compete with any of our Advanced Members.
Requirements for the Advanced Phase can be achieved with consistently performing the WOD. Any Basic athlete who does the WOD at least four times a week will undoubtedly find that they will achieve the skills necessary to test into the Advance Phase. CrossFit training produces well-rounded athletes and the Advanced Phase of fitness requires a balance of speed, power, strength, endurance, and coordination. Any other fitness training program will not yield the same results needed to achieve Advanced status.
It is at the Advanced Phase that we see the theoretical hierarchy of development for athletes come into play. Some athletes will make it to the Advanced Level. Attempting to test into the Elite Level requires more than consistently doing the WOD. Now is the time when the athlete will have to choose whether they want to remain at the Advanced Level or go on to the Elite Level.
Advanced members need not but may scale the WOD. At this stage of development, the WOD's will be able to be completed without alterations. Some modifications may need to be made but most of the WOD's will remain as prescribed. The Advanced athlete will be able to perform all the movements needed for the majority of WOD's.
The Advanced Phase is the top of the Junior Phases. Recruit, Basic, Intermediate, and Advance are all Junior Phases. The Junior Phases are named this because the benchmark required for achieving them can be accomplished with regular training of the WOD and commitment to improvement. In order to break into the Senior Phases (Eite, Animal, and Mutant) the athlete may require added dedication in the form of proper nutrition ( Zone, Paleo), adequate recovery (sleep, hydration, rest, etc.), and more focused training (in contrast to simply doing the WOD)
To attain the Advanced status,each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.
WORK
Kettlebell snatch: 30 each arm, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg
Thrusters: 45 reps at 1/2 x bodyweight
800 meter run: 3:20 minutes
HIPS
Squats: 100 air squats
Squat: 1 x bodyweight
Deadlift: 1 1/2 x bodyweight
Vertical Jump: 18 inches
PUSH
Push ups: 30
Bench Press: 1x bodyweight
Military Press: 1/2x bodyweight
Handstand Hold: 1 minute
Dip: 1 with 1/3 x bodyweight
Dips: 20
PULL
Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb, 1 trip
Power Clean: 3/4 x bodyweight
Pull up: 1 with 1/3 x bodyweight
Pull ups: 20
Muscle Up: 1
CORE
V-ups: 30
Hanging knees to Elbows: 15
L-sit: 30 seconds
SPEED
400 meter run: 1:34 minutes
Power Snatch: 1/2 bodyweight
WORK CHALLENGE
Helen: 11:30 minutes
3 rounds for time-- 400m run,
21 kettlebell swings, 12 pull ups
1 mile run: 7:00 minutes
Elite Phase
The Elite Phase is the first stage of the Senior Phases. In order for an athlete to get this far, he or she will have put in some serious effort into reaching the benchmarks. These kind of numbers are not easy and it takes some added dedication to get your body to perform at this level. There may be a select few individuals in the world who could reach the level of Elite without proper feeding habit, adequate recovery, or intense training efforts, but it is unlikely. The human body requires maintenance in order to perform well and the quality and quantity by which the maintenance is performed has a direct and proportional effect on how well the body performs. In order to reach the Elite Phase, the maintenance for the body must also be at elite status.
Elite Phase athletes are easily the top 10% of the fittest people on earth. The benchmarks required to reach this phase suggest not only a well-rounded athlete, but also a high performance athlete. The Elite Phase athlete has developed the capacity of a intermediate 800m track athlete, gymnast, and weightlifter thus making him or her one the fittest individuals on earth.
Getting to the Elite Phase takes a lot of time. Even the Advanced Phase requires dedicated training and a commitment to elite athleticism. The Elite phase goes past that,dedication and commitment are not enough – time and patience is key. Serious training and focused goals are what key aspects to reaching the Elite Phase.
An Elite Phase athlete has passed the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Phases. To attain this phase, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.
WORK
Kettlebell snatch: 6 minute test, 100 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg
Fran: 7:00 -- 21-15-9 Thrusters/Pullups
800 meter run: 3:05 minutes
HIPS
Squat: 1 1/4 x BW
Tabata Squats: Score = 18
Deadlift: 1 3/4 x BW
Vertical Jump: 22 inches
PUSH
Pushups: 25 on rings
Bench Press: 5 reps with BW
Push Press: 1 x BW
Handstand Pushups: 5
Dip: 1 with 1/2 x BW
Dips: 20 on rings
PULL
Rope Climb: 10 ft. climb
High Pull: 1 x BW
Pullup: 1 with 1/2 x BW
Pullups: 30
Muscle Up: 5
CORE
Overhead Squat: 1 x 3/4 BW
Knee to Elbows: 25
L-sit: 45 seconds
SPEED
400 meter run: 1:28 minutes
Snatch: 3/4 x BW
WORK CHALLENGE
Cindy: 18 rounds
20 minutes --
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
1 mile run: 6:30 minutes
Animal Phase
To attain Animal status, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach.
WORK
Kettlebell snatch: 10 minute test,
200 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg
Sandbag Carry: 1 mile with 1/2 BW
800 meter run: 2:50 minutes
HIPS
Pistols: 10 each leg
Squat: 1 1/2 x BW
Deadlift: 2 x BW
Vertical Jump: 25 inches
PUSH
Pushups: 40 on rings
Bench Press: 1 1/4 x BW
Military Press: 3/4 x BW
Handstand Pushups: 10
Dip: 1 with 3/4 x BW
Dips: 30 on rings
PULL
Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb, no feet
Clean: 1 x BW
Pullup: 1 with 3/4 x BW
Pullups: 40
Muscle Up: 10
CORE
Overhead Squat: 1 x BW
Hanging straight leg raise: 20
L-sit: 1 minute
SPEED
400 meter run: 1:19 minutes
Snatch: 1 x BW
WORK CHALLENGE
Chelsea: 30 minutes
Every minute on the minute--
5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats
1 mile run: 6:00 minutes
Mutant Phase
The final stage of the elite fitness training is the Mutant Phase. At this point, the athlete is all but untouchable in his or her ability to create explosive hip power and work capacity. To an untrained athlete the benchmarks for this phase on paper may not look so difficult (“UNTOUCHABLE”). But a 90 second L-sit alone can take years to develop and master.
This stage of athletic development needs no description. The Mutant athlete has successfully proven to him or herself and those around them that the body is capable of much more than the mind believes is possible. For anyone to start as a member candidate (Boot Camp) and progress through each stage to reach the Mutant Phase of fitness is an incredible feat of mental fortitude and iron will. Of course the training put on the body has some to do with this achievement as well, but it is at this stage of elite athleticism that the mind learns exactly what the body can do - ANYTHING!
To become a Mutant athlete, each of the athletic standards below must be met and verified by a Coach. Good luck.
MUTANT
WORK
2 KB/DB clean/jerk: 10 minute test,
100 reps, W- 16 kg, M- 24 kg
Sandbag Carry: 1 mile with 3/4 BW
800 meter run: 2:20 minutes
HIPS
Pistols: 25 each leg
Squat: 2 x BW
Deadlift: 2 1/2 x BW
Vertical Jump: 30 inches
PUSH
Pushups: 60 on rings
Bench Press: 1 1/2 x BW
Military Press: 1 x BW
Handstand Pushups: 10 full range
Dip: 1 with 1 x BW
Dips: 50 on rings
PULL
Rope Climb: 20 ft. climb
2 trips touch and go, no feet
Clean: 1 1/2 x BW
Pullup: 1 with 1 x BW
Pullups: 40 dead hang
Muscle Up: 15
CORE
Overhead Squat: 15 reps with 1 x BW
Back lever: 15 seconds
L-sit: 1:30 min.
SPEED
400 meter run: 1:04 minutes
Snatch: 1 1/4 x BW
WORK CHALLENGE
Mary: 15 rounds in 20 minutes
5 handstand pushups, 10 pistols,
15 pullups
1 mile run: 5:00 minutes
***Adopted from Dave Werner at CrossFit Seattle, CrossFit Human Evolution Labs, and CrossFit Albany***
Comments