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[/caption] Functional Fitness 204 is changing up the schedule on Wednesday and Friday nights in July as part of a one-month trial period. Starting July 4, our 8 p.m. classes on Wednesdays and Fridays will be reduced to 6 slots, and we’ll open up the rest of the gym for skill work and extra practice time for unlimited members. If you’re coming once, twice or three times per week, we want you in our regular classes so you don’t use up your classes without the benefit of our coaching. These slots do not take the place of regular group classes and are not designed to accommodate special programming. Athletes are still expected to come to group classes, where they train with their peers and get the benefit of Functional Fitness 204 programming and coaching. In most cases, we expect you to do the 7 p.m. class and perhaps stay to do extra work at 8 p.m. We recognize that some people want to practice snatches, double-unders, muscle-ups, pull-ups, etc. Competitors also need some extra time to drill movements and work on skills. Some of you have had pre-hab excersises and mobility work assigned. Some people need to do a bit of active recovery. These slots are the perfect time to address your weaknesses. At the end of July, we’ll re-evaluate these slots to make sure they’re serving the right purpose. A few things to note:

• The official class will have priority on space, equipment, clocks and noise.
• A coach will be on hand but will attend to the main class.
• You will sign into the slots just as you would for a normal class.
• Athletes will be carefully monitored for overtraining. More is not better. More is usually worse.
• Bad form and stupid decisions are not allowed.
• The next day’s programming will always be released by 7:30 p.m. so you can avoid screwing up your training on the following day.
• Coaches can overrule any and all decisions by open-gym athletes.
• Training must be concluded by 8:50 p.m.
• Athletes who are not regularly attending group classes will get booted out of open sessions.
• Dale’s Garage on Sunday remains the time to make up workouts you missed during the week.

These open sessions ARE NOT:

• A chance to avoid workouts you hate and cherry-pick or create workouts you like.
• A chance to get personal attention from the coach running the group class.
• A period to attempt movements and loads you are not ready for.
• A time to create programming that will derail your progress in group classes.
• A chance to roll in late, do a half-assed warm-up and then rip into the workout of the day.

Here’s the exact right way to use these sessions: “I need to put in some work on double-unders, because they’re a weakness. I’m going to watch some Functional Fitness Journal videos on skipping and then practice a little bit on Wednesday night.” “I have a goal of getting muscle-ups, and my coach has assigned me some extra skill work. I checked the next day’s programming, and doing some extra skill work on the rings won’t affect tomorrow’s workout. I’m going to go and practice muscle-up transitions.” “If I want my deadlift to go up, I need to strengthen my core. I’m going to suck it up and work on totally boring stability exercises that will pay off 100 percent in the long run.” “I have a competition coming up, and I have to work on snatches. I asked the coaches for some drills to help me, so I’m going to go on Friday night and do them with another athlete who can give me some feedback.” “I have some nagging mobility issues that could really use some attention. I’m going to the Wednesday 8 p.m. session to spend an hour stretching, mobilizing, rolling out and repairing my body.” Here’s the exact wrong way to use these sessions: “I missed Helen on Wednesday, so I’m going to go in on Friday evening at 8 p.m. and do it even though I plan to do the workout on Saturday morning, which has pull-ups and kettlebell swings in it.” “I saw this really cool massive chipper somewhere, so I’m going to try it as my second workout of the day.” “I feel like I need to squat way more, so I’m going to squat every Wednesday and Friday and then ask for modifications when squatting workouts come up because I’m really sore. I will also wonder why my deadlift is getting worse.” “I’m not sure how to do a barbell Turkish get-up, but I’m going to try to do 135 lb. on Friday night.” “I just want to do more workouts because someone else on Facebook is doing more workouts. So I’m going to work out way too much without thinking at all about overtraining or recovery. When my performance suffers, I will wonder why.” “I’m obsessed with a PR goal, so I’m going to come in and pull 1RM deadlifts every Wednesday and Friday with no regard for the rest of my training or the overall plan of the group classes.” “Crystal won’t let me try to flip the big tire yet, so I’m going to do it when she isn’t around.” “I’m doing a workout Wednesday night so I can count chest-to-bar pull-ups when I don’t touch my chest to the bar.” “I’m going to train by myself and ingrain bad habits because I’m not getting feedback from a coach. These bad habits will affect my performance in group workouts and will slow my progress.”