Scott Takenaga

scott@crossfitseattle.com
206-550-5111

- CrossFit Trainer Certified: Level II
- Graduate - Ashmead College - Fitness Trainer Program Feb 2004
- National Strength and Conditioning Association - Certified Personal Trainer
  (NSCA-CPT)
- Teaching CrossFit since July 2004
Interests: snowboarding and mountain biking

Interview with Scott:

Q: Scott, what are some of the modifications you use most often to help people do the exercises?

A: Boxes to support squatting, or holding onto something for stability in the squat; really anything that keeps a movement within a safe range of motion for the individual. Modifications help people feel comfortable and capable of doing partials, such as a partial squat. With any kind of weighted exercise, a lighter load is a good modification. If it's a bodyweight drill, you can use any modification to support part of their weight—like doing push-ups with their hands on a bench or their knees on the floor. Or using the rubberbands for assisted pull-ups. Basically there are two kinds of modifications: ones that keep the range of motion within the person's safe range, and ones that lighten the load to allow a full range of motion.

Q: Do beginners get extremely sore? If so, how long before that goes away?

A: Soreness is not always an indication of how hard you worked out. Chances are, after your first workout, you'll be sore for a few days. For soreness we recommend stretches, contrast showers, more movement. We try to fit in some stretches at the end of the workouts and we suggest you stretch before you go to sleep. Over time, soreness can decrease, but at the same time your ability increases, so you can always get sore because you're working harder. On the other hand, you don't get sore from things that used to wear you out. For instance we've had people say, "I cleaned out my whole garage this weekend, and I wasn't sore at all," or "I worked all day in the garden, and my back doesn't hurt."

Q: What are some of your clients' specific goals?

A: I have clients who are working on losing fat; preparing for the ski season; heavier O-lifts; being able to walk normally after a hip resurfacing; lowering cholesterol and blood pressure; regaining lost movements and strength; and improving specific sports skills.

Q: What were the advantages you noticed in CrossFit-style workouts when you started doing them yourself? How long did it take you to get results?

A: First came a greater capacity for work, and cardiovascular gains. Then came strength—the ability to move more weight. A byproduct of those things was putting on more muscle, which by this time wasn't a goal, having spent plenty of time in the past trying to put on muscle that was never really useful. The first workout at CrossFit showed me that. It was between two weeks and a month that I noticed major changes. By a month I felt like a different person—this was eight or ten workouts. My ability to work was two or three times what it had been. That's pushing hard and starting out having been active already. Clients who aren't in good shape or active are starting slower, but they're seeing changes in their work capacity even from one workout to the next. I'm thinking of one person in particular who came in once a week, and I gave her homework for the off days. From workout to workout her capacity was noticeably improved. Everybody finds in their first workout that they have huge gains to make. Even people who are athletes—they push hard and are thrashed at the end. Maybe they expected to be because of hard work or training in their background. Still, they end up thrashed. And they say, "This is a good workout."

Q: I'm worried about overtraining injuries from the exercises you use, which are new to me. How do you prevent injury?

A: Over-use injuries are unlikely because we vary the exercises so much between workouts and even within a workout. We'll combine a push with a pull, an extension with a flexion. Proper range of motion reduces the chance of other injuries. For example, in weight-supporting exercises like the push-press, thrusters, and even push-ups, if you lock out the arms at full extension like you're supposed to, you are supporting the weight properly. The coaches are there to make sure you use good form. When you can do a full range of motion, then you need to be doing a full range of motion. When you can't, we use modifications to support the movement and slowly increase the range without putting strain on other joints. Joint mobility drills, done unweighted, can relieve tension on tight muscles and connective tissues.