Wednesday June 25 2008 CrossFit The Woodlands WOD
CrossFit The Woodlands Oxygen Deprivation Training
I feel I needed to write about this type of training because I have been getting tons of questions “and crazy looks” as to why I am running with a shirt tied around my head covering my nose and mouth. Even though it looks like I just robbed a bank and eluding the police, I am just doing what we call Oxygen Deprivation Training. Let me start by explaining what this is and why we chose the type of method we do. First of all let’s talk about the method. Just like everything else we do here at CrossFit The Woodlands, it’s very simple. All you have to do is take a t-shirt, fold it from one tip to the opposite tip of the sleeve, and cover your nose and your mouth. You will finish off by tying the two ends around the back of your head. It should look like your have a mask around your face that covers your nose and mouth. I’m going to let the secret be known and you don’t even need a master’s degree to figure this one out. Are you ready? It’s going to be much harder to breathe, and there your go, oxygen deprivation 101. So why the hell would we do this. It’s actually very simple. If you go to a place where the altitude is the limiting factor, your performance will decrease dramatically. If you keep training at this high altitude, the body will adapt to its surroundings. There is something to be said for top athletes who travel to
I wanted to share with everyone what we did today in our Oxygen Deprivation workout so you can get a clearer picture of what it’s all about. Today’s workout was to do as many rounds in 20 min. of: Deadlift @ 225lbs x 5reps, muscle ups x 5reps, and run 200m. That would consist of one total round. So Daniel and I started this insane workout and it had to be about 100 degrees outside. This is where we take advantage of the oxygen deprivation and the wonderful humid weather we have here in
Scott Wells
CrossFit The Woodlands
Results are not Guaranteed, they are Earned
Kelly”
5 rounds for time of:
Run x 400m
Box jump x 30
Wall ball x 30
Comment by Daniel
Good workouts today - it was all I could to do keep up with Scott on his bank robbery workout, even though I had 40lbs less on the deadlift, did cheater muscle-ups and wasn’t wearing a weight vest (although to be fair, that at least got him within 10lbs of what I weigh).
Comment by Aaron
dude - my nose has been COMPLETELY stuffed for the past 6 months because of allergies….does that count?
Comment by Chris Holt
What’s up Scott!? Love the Oxygen Deprivation Training. Very awesome. I just did Fran a couple days ago. New PR. 4:07. Previous time was 5:06 which I did at the cert in May. Been on the zone for a month and a half now and it’s definitely showing. I’m gunning for your time brother. haha. 3:45? I’ll keep you updated.
Comment by Joe
For some reason I don’t think that suffocating yourself simulates altitude. If it did, people would spend the big bucks on altitude tents.
Comment by Scott Wells
Joe, Good point. Suffocating does not simulate altitude, obviously you would pass out before that. Anything that restricts oxygen intake can be considered and tool to train for oxygen deprivation. So if you could do “Cindy”=5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats for 20 rounds in 20 min. with the mask, then you would see that number of rounds drop with the mask “More than likely” When you can complete the same amount of rounds with the mask that you did without it, then we see an improvement in your fitness. You are more than welcome to come and try it out, Hell, I will even do it with you. Remember, you are guilty until proven innocent.