Where Science Meets Fitness

No matter what your current fitness level or former athletic experience, you can learn to train like an Olympic-caliber athlete. I am Erin Borchard, a former elite springboard/platform diver (NCAA Champion and multi-year All-American at Stanford University, former member of the US National Diving Team, and two-time competitor at the US Olympic Team Trials), specializing in personal and small group training sessions. I am also a Phi Beta Kappa student with a B.A. in Human Biology; my strong science background is an ever present influence shaping and changing my training philosophy.

I want to help you push yourself to YOUR maximum...you'll be shocked to find the true athlete living inside of you.

Saturday, August 31, 2013

"THE FOUR" for the Fourth Time


*I've taught this class 4 times now...to different groups of people in different parts of the country....and it KILLS me every time I do it.  I've finished this workout every time I've done it, but only just before time is called.  This version of "The Four" has been changed slightly; a few minor changes have made it even tougher. Expect a sprint to the finish; it's you vs. the clock!

Equip: Set of DBs (a: 25/20, i: 20/15, b: 15/10), KB (a: 70/53, i: 53/35, b: 35/18), Rower

WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
1x Thru:
*200m Row
*200m Run
*20 x Air Squat
*20 x Push-Up
*20 x Lunge

"THE FOUR"
4 Rounds for Time (50:00 time cap):
(2 Rounds must be all rowing; 2 Rounds must be all running)
(set cones 11m apart (44m = 4 lengths; 33m = 3 lengths; 22m = 2 lengths; 11m = 1 length)
*400m Row or Run
*44m x DB Bear Crawl (Rx+: Fwd. there/ Bkwd. back)
*300m Row or Run
*33m x Forward Traveling Star Jump
*200m Row or Run
*22m x 1-Arm OH Walking KB Lunge (R arm there/ L arm back)
*100m Row or Run
*11m x alt. Pistol Walk (Rx+: Weighted (1 DB held goblet style))

NOTE: I taught this workout as a Conditioning class twice this morning, and only one person completed "The Four" within the 50:00 time limit each of those class periods.  Do NOT feel bad if you can't finish this thing in time!...think of it more as a 50 Min. AMRAP.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Wall Ball Ball Slam Slammer

EQUIPMENT: Partner + shared equipment: Barbell (a: 115/85, i: 95/65, b: 65/35), Wall Ball (20/24, Slam Ball (30/20), Box (24/20)



WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
*400m Indian Run w/ your partner

SET #1:
P1: 30 x Box Jump
P2: Wall Ball until P1 done
P2: 30 x Box Jump
P1: Wall Ball until P2 done

P1: 20 x Box Jump
P2: Wall Ball until P1 done
P2: 20 x Box Jump
P1: Wall Ball until P2 done
P1: 10 x Box Jump
P2: Wall Ball until P1 done
P2: 10 x Box Jump
P1: Wall Ball until P2 done
SCORE = Total WALL BALL reps completed as a team

-2 minutes to finish once 1st team finishes full assignment
-1st place team earns 20 bonus reps

SET #2:
P1: 30 x Hang Power Clean (a: 115/85, i: 95/65, b: 65/35)
P2: Ball Slam until P1 done
P2: 30 x Hang Power Clean
P1: Ball Slam until P2 done
P1: 20 x Hang Power Clean
P2: Ball Slam until P1 done
P2: 20 x Hang Power Clean
P1: Ball Slam until P2 done
P1: 10 x Hang Power Clean
P2: Ball Slam until P1 done
P2: 10 x Hang Power Clean
P1: Ball Slam until P2 done
SCORE = Total BALL SLAM reps completed as a team

-2 minutes to finish once 1st team finishes full assignment
-1st place team earns 20 bonus reps

SET #3:
P1: 30 x Shoulder-to-Overhead (a: 115/85, i: 95/65, b: 65/35)
P2: Wall Ball until P1 done
P2: 30 x Shoulder-to-Overhead
P1: Wall Ball  until P2 done
P1: 20 x Shoulder-to-Overhead
P2: Wall Ball  until P1 done
P2: 20 x Shoulder-to-Overhead
P1: Wall Ball  until P2 done
P1: 10 x Shoulder-to-Overhead
P2: Wall Ball  until P1 done
P2: 10 x Shoulder-to-Overhead
P1: Wall Ball  until P2 done
SCORE = Total WALL BALL reps completed as a team

-2 minutes to finish once 1st team finishes full assignment
-1st place team earns 20 bonus reps

SET #4:
P1: 30 x Burpee
P2: Ball Slam until P1 done
P2: 30 x Burpee
P1: Ball Slam  until P2 done
P1: 20 x Burpee
P2: Ball Slam until P1 done
P2: 20 x Burpee
P1: Ball Slam  until P2 done
P1: 10 x Burpee
P2: Ball Slam  until P1 done
P2: 10 x Burpee
P1: Ball Slam  until P2 done
SCORE = Total BALL SLAM reps completed as a team

-2 minutes to finish once 1st team finishes full assignment
-1st place team earns 20 bonus reps

GRAND TOTAL SCORE = Total WALL BALL + Total BALL SLAM Reps over all 4 sets







Tuesday, August 27, 2013

"LOREDO, NO-NAME, & BALBOA: The 3 Amigos"




EQUIPMENT: Barbell (75/53), Wall Ball (20/14), Pull-Up Bar, Jump Rope

WARM-UP (5-7 min.):
*Active Stretches (w/ and w/o PVC)

*Burgener Warm-Up for Power Snatch
-------------------
Rules:
*Work through the below 3 WODs at your own pace. 
*You may complete the WODs in any order you choose.
*You must rest a minimum of 3 minutes/ maximum of 5 minutes between each of the 3 WODs (be strategic!).
*60:00 time limit.
*SCORE = Time to Complete all 3 WODs (including your rest) OR how much you got through before time was called.
*Purpose of this workout: to measure your speed and proficiency across a wide variety of functional movements, as well as your overall endurance capacity (your ability to maintain intensity over time).

FYI: Do not feel bad about yourself if you don't finish all three WODs!!!  This one took me 58:01 to complete!  Rough stuff.

SET #1: 
“Loredo” (CrossFit Hero WOD)-
6 Rounds -
*24 x Air Squat
*24 x Push-Up
*24 x Walking Lunge
*400m Run

SET #2 (posted to CrossFit.com 1/1/2013):
5 Rounds -
*10 x Toes to Bar
*10 x Power Snatch (75/55)(I used 65# due to equipment constraints)
*10 x Wall Ball (20/14)

SET #3:
“Balboa” (posted to crossfitgrit.com on 9/28/10):
4 Rounds -
*100 x Jump Rope Singles
*400m Run
*10 x “Bodyblaster” (= burpee-pull up + knees-2-elbows)

Monday, August 26, 2013

Sick Day WOD


*Today's WOD at CrossFit Camarillo (written by Casey Metoyer) was a nasty 7 minute sprint:
7 Min. AMRAP -
*3 x Deadlift (adv: 275/185, int: 135/95, beg: 95/65)
*4 x Box Over Jump (24/20)
*5 x Chin-Up

*I was sick with congestion, fever, sore throat yesterday afternoon and evening, so I just plain didn't have the "go all-out" mentality required for this WOD today.  Though my body wasn't capable of max effort, I wanted to get some quality work in...mainly because I need that for sanity.  I did the following workout below, instead:

10 Rounds -
*3 x Deadlift (185)
*4 x Box Over Jump (24)
*5 x Dead Hang Chin-Up

-I went for rounds instead of time today, so that I didn't feel the need to race.  I just went at a steady pace and finished in just over 11 minutes.  I also changed the Chin-Ups to dead hang, because I rely on my kip so heavily on a regular basis.  It is so important to constantly build strength in the lats, traps, pecs, rhomboids, biceps and triceps in order to maintain shoulder health and safety in kipping exercises.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

"The 50 Minute Tally Rally"



Equipment: Wall Ball, Slam Ball, KB

WARM-UP:
    *Active Stretch, then: 50 x Jumping Jack & 50 x Plank Jack

50 Minute “TALLY RALLY” -
THE RULES:
    *** Find a partner, and try to earn as many points as possible within the time limit.  
    *** Earn up to 100 points maximum from any one exercise.
    *** One partner works/earns point(s) while the other partner Runs 400m.  Switch and repeat throughout.
    *** Reward for variety: 100 bonus points for doing at least 1 rep of every single exercise listed.
    *** Simply mark the # reps you complete of each exercise on your log.  Total it all up at the end for your final score.
    ***Reward for the most 400m Runs completed: 100 bonus points to 1st place team, 75 points to 2nd place, 50 points to 3rd place.


EXERCISE VALUES:


1 Point (100 reps = 100 points) –

** Air Squat

** Push-Up

** Walking Lunge

** Ring Row



2 Points (50 reps = 100 points) -

** Squat Jump

** Lunge Jump

** Wall Ball (20/14)(1 point w/ lighter WB)

** Ball Slam (30/20)(1 point w/ lighter SB)

** Pull-Up

** Knees-to-Elbows



3 Points (33 reps = 99 points/ 34 reps = 100 points) -

** Toes-to-Bar

** Ring Dip

** Handstand Shoulder Tap (R and L = 1 rep)

** Burpee

** Pike Jump

** KB Swing (70/53) (2 points w/ lighter KB)

** KB SDHP (70/53) (2 points w/ lighter KB)



4 Points (25 reps = 100 points) -

** MB Squat Clean (20/14)

** KB Clean & Jerk (70/53)(3 points w/ lighter KB)

** Pistol

** Plyo Push-Up on/ off SB



5 Points (20 reps = 100 points) -

** Chest-to-Bar Pull-Up

** Handstand Push-Up 
** 1-Arm SB Overhead Squat (30/20)

** Slurpee (SB Burpee)(30/20)



7 Points (14 reps = 98 points/ 15 reps = 100 points)-

** Bar Muscle-Up

** Skin-the-Cat



10 Points (10 reps = 100 points) -

** Muscle-Up (rings)

** Pull-Over (@ pull-up bar)









Thursday, August 22, 2013

Seasick From the Row?...Or, Was the Workout Really THAT Hard?!!



WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
3 Rounds -
*30 x High Knee Run
*30 x Mountain Climb
*3 x Dive Bomber Fwd-Bk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SET #1: COMPLETE FOR TIME -
*Row 200m (Rx+ for men: 250m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x Hand-Release Push-Up (50 rep cap)
*Row 200m (Rx+ for men: 250m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x KB Goblet Squat (50 rep cap)
*Row 200m (Rx+ for men: 250m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x alt. 1-Arm KB Bent-Over Row (50 rep cap)

SET #2 : COMPLETE FOR TIME -
*Run 200m Sprint 
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x Hand-Release Push-Up (50 rep cap)
*Run 200m Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x KB Goblet Squat (50 rep cap)
*Run 200m Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x alt. 1-Arm KB Bent-Over Row (50 rep cap)

SET #3: COMPLETE FOR TIME -
*Row 125m (Rx+ for men: 150m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x Ring Push-Up (30 rep cap)(sub: DB Push-Up)
*Row 125m (Rx+ for men: 150m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x KB Goblet Lunge (30 rep cap)
*Row 125m (Rx+ for men: 150m) Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to row) x 1-Arm alt. KB Sumo Deadlift High Pull (30 rep cap)


SET #4: COMPLETE FOR TIME -
*Run 100m Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x Ring Push-Up (30 rep cap)(sub: DB Push-Up)
*Run 100m Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x KB Goblet Lunge (30 rep cap)
*Run 100m Sprint
*(Reps = # sec. it took to run) x 1-Arm alt. KB Sumo Deadlift High Pull (30 rep cap)

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Let's Just Start With "STRUNG-OUT, BACKWARDS, UPSIDE-DOWN FRAN"

NOT!


Equip: Bar (95/65), Pull-Up Stn., Box (24/20), Plate (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)


WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch
-then:
*2 Min. x  Waiter Walk - Right Hand (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)
*3 x Plate Burpee every time plate is lowered from overhead
*2 Min. x Waiter Walk - Left Hand (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)
*3 x Plate Burpee every time plate is lowered from overhead

(Waiter Walk = walking with bumper plate balanced atop one hand overhead; elbow is locked out straight)
------------------------------

PART A:
“STRUNG-OUT, BACKWARDS, UPDSIDE-DOWN FRAN” (25:00 Time Limit) -
*1200m Run
*9 x Pull-Up
*9 x Thruster (95/65)
*800m Run
*15 x Pull-Up
*15 x Thruster
*400m Run
*21 x Pull-Up
*21 x Thruster
------------------------------

PART B:
EMOM for 8 Minutes:
ODD MINUTES: AMRAP Squat Clean (135/95)
EVEN MINUTES: 10-15 x Box Jump (24/20)(you should have at least 10 sec. to rest)
------------------------------

PART C:
EMOM for 8 Minutes:
ODD MINUTES: AMRAP Power Snatch (135/95) 
EVEN MINUTES: 5 ea. leg x Bulgarian Split Squat (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)(plate held in front chest high)
------------------------------

FINISHER:
*1 Min. x  Walking Waiter Lunge - Right Hand (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)
*3 x Plate Burpee every time plate is lowered from overhead
*1 Min. x Walking Waiter Lunge - Left Hand (45/25)(Rx+: 55/35)
*3 x Plate Burpee every time plate is lowered from overhead


Monday, August 19, 2013

Worth Sharing WOD


*We did the following quick Tabata WOD at CrossFit Camarillo this morning (written by Coach Casey Metoyer).  It was A-W-F-U-L!!!!!...in a totally good way.  9 minutes and absolutely soaked in sweat.

Tabata: Deadlift (adv: 225/155, int: 155/115, beg: 135/95)

- 1 min. REST-

Tabata: Rotational Ball Slam (30/20)

-then:

$CASH OUT$:
*50 ea. x Slam Ball Russian Twist (30/20)
*50 x Supine Double-Leg Lift 

*I followed up the WOD with this simple nastiness:

10 Rounds -
EMOM: 150m Row Sprint 

(EMOM = Every Minute On The Minute)
(Tabata = 8 Rounds of 20 sec. ON/ 10 sec. REST)

Saturday, August 17, 2013

7th Heaven With the Heroes




Equip: DBs (25/20)(Rx+: 40/25), Box (24/20), Bar (225/155), KB (70/53), Pull-Up Bar, Rings


WARM-UP:
*Active Stretch 
then:
*400m Run
*5 x Inchworm to 3x Push-Up

------------------------------------”7th HEAVEN WITH THE HEROES”------------------------------------------

SPEED SET #1:
3 Rounds -
*200m *Row OR Run
*10 x Burpee
*1 min. x Elbow Plank Hold

7 MIN. AMRAP #1: (Erin adaptation)
*7 ea. leg x DB Split Squat Clean (25’s/20’s)(Rx+: 40/25 - actual Hero Rx)
*7 x Pull-Up

SPEED SET #2: 
3 Rounds -
*200m *Row OR Run
*8 x Burpee
*45 sec. x Elbow Plank Hold

7 MIN. AMRAP #2: (Wittman adaptation)
*7 x KB Swing (70/53)
*7 x Power Clean (135/95)
*7 x Box Jump (24/20)

SPEED SET #3:
3 Rounds -
*200m *Row OR Run
*6 x Burpee
*30 sec. x Elbow Plank Hold

7 MIN. AMRAP #3: (JT adaptation)
*7 x HSPU
*7 x Ring Dip
*7 x Push-Up

SPEED SET #4:
3 Rounds -
*200m *Row OR Run
*4 x Burpee
*15 sec. x Elbow Plank Hold