July 31, 2009

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats
OR
"Mary"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 One legged squats, alternating
15 Pull-ups
Here's a hot topic on the main Crossfit blog... steroids. Seriously. As many of you know, every individual competitor at the 2009 Games was required to complete a steroids test. To date, I am not aware of anywhere that they have posted the results. What do you guys think? In a world where maximizing human potential is our goal- do steroids have a place? And, should Crossfit make the results of the steroids testing known? Do you feel steroids are anti-Crossfit...or do they add something? Should all substances be banned, or, if you know a lot about this (and we'll assume it's just because you're a chemist... ;) are there some substances that you think should be made permissible? People have cited caffeine as a performance-enhancing drug and argued that if caffeine is OK, and that's a drug, all drugs should be permitted. If you guys subscribe to the journal (and you totally should- it's $25/year and you get access to amazing information- and no, I don't get any proceeds;) check out the recent journal video on steroids and Crossfit- it was posted a few days ago.
I definitely have strong feelings about this- but I want this to be an open forum b/c I'm genuinely curious what everyone thinks- so I'm not going to tip my hand because I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable. I promise to talk about what I think in the comments... later ;)

July 30, 2009

"DT"
Five rounds for time of:
155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps
Modify weight as needed, kidlets ;)
Hey, don't forget that tonight's the first night that the 7 pm class is open to everyone again (yay!) so support it and love it and kiss it and cuddle it!
Here is Coach Glassman- the man himself- on the Deadlift. Check it out.

July 29, 2009

Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:
10 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball
10 GHD Sit-ups or abmat situps
10 Back extensions or supermans
Wow- lots to say tonight...
1- First, before I forget- the 7 pm class is no longer advanced- it is open to everyone. That's effective this week- so get to class!
2- I want to say congratulations to Lizen and Angie for their PR deadlifts yesterday (!) and to Scott whose 425# deadlift is going on the board!! Thanks, Scott, for necessitating me to buy a larger bar and and Olympic platform sooner than I thought... :P I also wanted to recognize Sharon- on Monday night, I watched her struggle to get a double under. I don't know if she did or not because I had to leave, but that's SO not the point. She just kept trying, no matter what, kept at it, and kept smiling!! Wound her way through that vicious workout, and worked so hard. Good job Sharon! You don't fool me- I can tell there's a firebreather in there!!!
3- So, this topic came up at the instructor class recently...why do you Crossfit? What is it that keeps you coming back week after week? What are you trying to accomplish? What do you love about it? We want to know. Because I'm guessing that while it might have been about the end game for you when you first started (looking hot in a bikini- or Speedo, if you're a guy, or losing some weight), I bet that you have found something else in it and in the gym (community, your inner athlete). I really want to know, so I'm taking the restrictions off the blog- you can even post anonymously.
I'll share that to be honest, I don't really know why I started Crossfit... Alan and I were living in Huntington Beach and Crossfit Marina was like 3 seconds from our house. I was training in Krav and I had been teaching Bodypump (don't ask), but I wanted to do something different. I could not believe my first workout- it was something similar to the baseline that we do- I was smoked! I went back because I said I would, and then I just kept going back. Then it became about how awesome I felt when I accomplished one of those crazy workouts, even if it was modified, and then it became about improvement. Then I wanted to get my first pullup. Before I knew it, Alan had brought Crossfit to the Willow location, and then we got Cherry. And whaddya know- I'm heading to my Level 1 Cert and managing a gym! All the while thinking- hey, don't these people know I'm a geek?? I met Jolie and Dave Castro at my cert and thought, yikes, I'll never measure up. LOL. Yes, I know you all know I am a geek. Then, Alan asked me to take over Cherry. It's been a busy year! What I realize as I write this is that what I love about Crossfit and why I do it for myself as an individual is because I love to succeed at things that are really, really hard. I've shared with the instructors and I'll share with you- yes, despite being 8 months pregnant and resembling a manatee, I'm setting a goal to go to the qualifiers next year. All I want to do is perform respectably. And I'd like a shot at the cup team next year- though we are having tryouts, and who knows if I'll make it? Why do I love owning the gym and teaching Crossfit-- because I LOVE helping people. I LOVE seeing the look on someone's face when they get their first anything or when they set a PR. I love it when someone comes in and is sure they'll never be able to do something...and then they do! Love that!
So- why do you Crossfit?

July 28, 2009

I'm thinking of entitling this WOD "Sarah" because she always asks me when we are doing deadlifts :)
Deadlift
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Here's a great blog post from Crossfit California City on what the Games meant to them. Read it- because I'm going to post something related tomorrow.
Words cannot describe the shared feelings and emotions that spectator and athlete share during the Games. But I’ll try.

What other sport marries competitor and spectator so? I can’t think of one, and I like a lot of sports. I imagine it’s like being the parent of an Olympic gymnast at the Olympics. But we’re not the parents of these athletes, and in many cases, we don’t even know them. We’ve “met” them on the internet, or maybe by email or at a certification course. We’ve followed them during their journey and our heart cries with them in their shortcomings and cheers with them in their victories. The CrossFit Games does this for one reason. That reason is because, as CrossFitters, we understand. No matter what your Fran time, or one rep deadlift, or whether or not you can do a muscle up, you understand. We are CrossFitters. We see the looks on the competitors faces as they push the boundary out, leaning on the limits of body and mind, and we know what they are feeling. We’ve been there. Most of us have been there recently. Most of us will be there again soon. This is what is different about the CrossFit Games. Everyone in attendance is on equal ground when it comes to heart and soul. Our physical capacities are different, but our mindset is the same. Burpees suck for everyone.

It was during this experience that I realized again why I CrossFit. Here we were, watching the fire-breathers, the champions, the fittest people on God’s beautiful green and blue earth; and for two days, I was one of them. I know the thrill of achievement, and the agony of failure. I know the feeling of one more rep when you’re already out of reps. I know the anguish when an old injury rears it’s ugly head again during a workout. I know how sweat burns when it seeps into my eyes, but it’s only 5 more burpees! Anyone can do 5 burpees right?

This is why I CrossFit.

Whether you know it or not, that is why you CrossFit. If you attended the Games, and found yourself mingling in the crowd elbow-to-elbow with Josh Everett, Chris Spealler, Mikko Salo, Libby DiBiase, Coach Burgener, Iceland Annie, or any of the other affiliate cup or individual competitors, and you felt the need to shake their hand and say “Great Job! You did wonderful!”….then you know why you CrossFit. There’s no other sport where the competitors walk freely among the crowd without fear of being mobbed or ridiculed for failing. You’ll never hear a Josh Everett fan yell “YOU SUCK MIKKO!” Never. If you do, punch that guy in the back of the face and escort him to the gates, because he’s no CrossFitter! He doesn’t belong with us, and we’re better without him. We may cheer for our favorite, but we cheer just as loud for the competitor we don’t recognize, simply because we see them gutting out one more rep. We celebrate with them in every movement. We know what they’re feeling, so we feel it too.

This is why I CrossFit.

In the end, we’re all in the same boat, trying to improve our bodies and our minds. Competitor and specator are all on a journey to a healthy and long life. To be an example to others, pass on our knowledge and experiences, and help them find the same path. Every true CrossFitter is the same. We are all trying to improve our physical self so our mental and spiritual self can thrive. Life is worth living fully and abundantly. We were put here to be beacons of life, not to waddle around the mall with two ice cream cones in our hands, sucking in air-conditioned air while the breeze blows wonderfully through the trees just beyond the walls. Get out. Get fit. Get to the Games. Smell the dust. Feel the pain. Live the victory.

July 27, 2009

"Angry Annie"
For time:
50-40-30-20-10
Air Squats
Pushups
Abmat Situps
Double Unders
So you'll do this Annie-style- do 50 of each, then 40 of each, and so on.
A few events coming up:
-Ever wondered what the heck it is they do over at Willow? I mean, what is this Krav Maga stuff, right? ;) If you're curious, a great way to check it out is to try the IKMF Summer Camp, August 8-9. For more information, visit kravmaga-usa.com
-Kim has been threatening to go to Europe for a year for some time now, and unfortunately, the date is nearly upon us. Don't miss her good-bye party/shredder (she will be programming it!) on August 29 at 10 am. You must sign up at Cherry or Tustin- do NOT email me. There will be a taco truck :P and cake :P, as well as possible some out of gym visitors, and we are asking that everyone who attends brings something. So we don't wind up with 450,000 napkins and no cups, I'm creating a list- should be ready by Tuesday.
-Want to do the Zone, but plagued by your own poor mathematical skills and lack of discipline? August 15 we kick off the 30 day Zone Challenge- details to follow. Plan on attending a meeting on August 8 at 230 at Cherry to get yourself motivated and amped up. Julie, Alec, and I will be coming straight from a Barry Sears seminar (he created the Zone)- so we'll be raring to go!
-Far out on the horizon, the annual Fight Gone Bad fundraiser will be September 26, so keep your ears open for that too :)

The Grace Challenge

Part II of the Grace Challenge took place today, with some AMAZING results.
Matt 135#; improved from 5:35 to 3:12 (*fastest rx'd time- won $96!)
Lori improved from 4:20 at 65# to 3:11 at 75# (most improved- won $144!)
Aaron 135#; improved from 4:45 to 3:45
Moose 135#; improved from 5:07 to 4:03
Kim 125#; improved from 5:40 to 5:38 (note that she is using 30# heavier than the girls rx'd weight of 95#!!)
Carmen improved from 4:17 at 45# to 3:35 at 55#
Luis improved from 5:23 at 95# to 4:16 at 105#
Jae went from 5:20 at 95# to 10:39 with 12 reps at 125# and 18 at 95# (hey, give him a break, he was out for like a month with a respiratory infection!)

While I'm at it, here are the times for the people who did Grace as their WOD today.
Scott 4:12 rx'd (look out guys! This is the first time he ever did Grace! Amazing!)
Gabriel 6:21 115#
Annemarie 2:36 55# (next time you're doing 65#, cheater!! ;)

Keep an eye out for the next Challenge- GREAT JOB you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!

July 24, 2009

Time to get our hands dirty... If you're doing the Grace Challenge tomorrow, I wouldn't recommend coming in today.
"Filthy Fifty"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders
See you Saturday for Grace!!!

July 23, 2009

Hmm. Let's mix it up a little today with a partner WOD.
Partner A goes out and runs an 800 while Partner B does Abmat situps (not GHD).
When Partner A returns from the run, s/he does the situps while B runs.
Both run a 200 together.
Partner A runs an 400 while Partner B does pushups.
When Partner A returns from the run, s/he does pushups while B runs.
Both run a 200 together.
Team time ends when you both return from the run.
Oh- and a catch- rest any longer than 5 seconds while doing your pushups and situps, and you'll have to do 5 burpees...
5050- 100-100-100!!!!
You made it!
If you actually completed the entire 5050 club (remember your integrity), post to the blog today to celebrate!
Don't forget Part II of the Grace Challenge this Saturday at 10 am, and the Kim Shredder August 29th!!!

July 22, 2009

30 Muscle-ups for time.
If you cannot do the muscle-ups, do 120 pull-ups and 120 dips.
5050- 99-99-99
Check it out- Alex travels to Crossfit NYC (= awesome) without a Crossfit360 shirt (= boo!!!!)
Don't forget Part II of the Grace Challenge this Saturday at 10 am. After the Challengers go, we'll have a regular Grace WOD for everyone- so no make-up WODs this week, sorry. That just means you've got to get to class this week!
And announcing... the Kim Shredder!!! August 29 at 10 am!!!!!!! Kim leaves for her year abroad on August 31, and we've got to send her off in style. But warning... she's making up the WOD :P !!! Seriously, we'll have food, friends, a great workout, and a great time- let's show her how much she means to us! Sign up at the front desk at Cherry or at Tustin.

July 21, 2009

Hang power clean
1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
5050- 98-98-98
Tricky, tricky move. Go from a high hang (shown in this video by Coach Burgener). This will presumably mean that you deadlift the weight, adjust as needed, then clean. Can't do power cleans yet? It's OK- do a squat clean; less intensity, but slightly more work. The idea behind working your power clean is to use your hip explosiveness- all that practicing the Burgener warmup finally pays off! Remember the concept of increasing in weight to a point, then the last couple of reps lightening up again to lock in form.
The Grace Challenge is this Saturday at 10 am!! We will have a regular WOD, too. Stop by and work out, or just watch to see who will win the $$ :)

July 20, 2009

"Nancy"
5 rounds for time of:
400 meter run
95 pound Overhead squat, 15 reps
5050- 97-97-97... so close, yet so far...
Beautiful, beautiful- what a great combination- OH squats and running. I'll be curious to hear which component of Nancy is the "easy" one- the running or the squats? ;)
So- been thinking about something that I heard Peter say at the KB seminar in Tustin (not sure if it was repeated in Long Beach). If someone has poor form on a movement, he will not give them any weight, because they have not "earned the right to move the weight." I'm paraphrasing here, but if someone can't go through a technique correctly with their own body weight, they certainly can't do it with additional weight, right? Right. So, here's the thing: why do so many Crossfitters want to get to the rx'd weight so doggone fast? I don't just mean at our place either, and, to tell the truth, I've been guilty of that in the past too. But why do we do that? Ego, I expect, in some cases... Poor kinesthetic awareness in others (ie, a person thinks they have really good form, but in actuality there is something that their trainer sees that is not being executing correctly)... A belief that one won't get into good shape (if looking better is one's goal) unless they move more weight... The lack of patience and persistence that is such a big part of the American psyche these days... Just wanting to hit it hard... Of course, there are those that hide behind form as a way to avoid lifting more because it's scary, intimidating, or they think they'll bulk up like Drago. I'm not sure. But here's something to keep in mind for today: listen to and trust your trainer. If s/he says you need less weight to perform the movement correctly, move less weight! You'll get there eventually, I promise; remember- mechanics, then consistency, then intensity. All things in time ;) Ask the team, or Kim- it's one step at a time, and then before you know it, you're at the Crossfit Games 2010!

July 18, 2009- KB Seminar!

Just a reminder that there is no WOD today as we are having the Kettlebell seminar. Sorry to all of you who missed out, but the response has been so positive that I think we'll have Peter back in September!
Here's the team, tearing it up at the Crossfit Games!

July 17, 2009

Shoulder Press
3-3-3-3-3
5050- 94-94-94
Well, the KB seminar was AWESOME. I am very excited to have my daughter, but I must say, I was extremely jealous of the people that attended tonight; however, I can barely get off the ground without assistance these days, let alone do a Turkish get up. The response was unilaterally positive, and everyone seemed really into it. I think those of you who are going to attend on Saturday will love it! Shameless plug = we have 2 spots left... ;)
Here's a pic of Tamara. I'm 99% certain she has visited us before. Anyhoo- I'm sorry that I missed her. I wonder what she thought of "Jesse?" We should have had her do Jesse-squared or Jesse-cubed! :)

July 16, 2009

"Jesse"
In honor of Jesse's birthday!!!
4 rounds for time:
15 lateral burpees
15 pullups
15 air squats
"What's a lateral burpee?" Stand beside a med ball. Go down, do a burpee- but- your jump at the end is lateral- over the med ball, not straight up and down. That's one. Immediately upon landing, go into another burpee, then jump back to the other side. You are never jumping up and down- always laterally. You're only making life worse for yourself if you double-jump...
5050- 93-93-93
Wish Jesse a happy birthday and bring him cake and hugs!!!
See you guys at the KB seminar in Tustin tomorrow!

July 15, 2009

Everybody's favorite = running. Please, don't even TRY to feel sorry for yourselves after what I witnessed at the Games- 7.1 km of hill run!
Run 800 m for time 4 times. Rest as long as you need to between sets.
5050- 92-92-92
So, here's a question: to twitter or not to twitter- for the gym, I mean. Here's my dilemma: as a person, I think twitter is ^&(*))! ridiculous. I think it's a temple to narcissism, and part of the downfall of western civilization. Sorry, btw, if any members are on twitter; I'm sure you are the exception to the rule and only "tweet" about important things like the Supreme Court confirmation hearings or follow the goings-on in Iran. On the other hand, it seems that many people follow other people's "tweets," and no, I'm not trying to be profane. In trying to figure out where Kim was in the standings on Saturday night, I broke down and registered for twitter- because it was the only way. This makes me think this would be a good vehicle to let people know about goings-on at the gym... I promise not to regale you with tales of what I've eaten for breakfast or what my plans are for a random Sunday; I'd stick to events, scheduling stuff, and cool things- like when someone gets a pullup, etc. What do you guys think? Would you follow it? To tweet? Or not to tweet? I seriously want to know. And don't try to tweet me the answer!

Don't forget that there is no 7 pm WOD in Tustin this Thursday, and no 10 am WOD at Cherry this Saturday. There are 5 slots left for the KB seminar in Long Beach, thanks to a last minute KB borrowing donation from Matt. If you put your name down on the list, but did not pay, you are not considered registered and your slot is up for grabs. Consider yourself warned... :P

July 14, 2009

Posting a little early today... sorry to spoil the surprise ;)
Give the plates a little love...
For time:
3 rounds
400 m run with plate
20 pushups with plate
15 lunges with plate (one step = one lunge)
10 plate cleans
5050- 91-91-91 (please note that pushups with plate will count as 2 pushups toward 5050)
Don't forget the... kettlebell seminar!! :) This Thursday at 6 pm in Tustin, or This Saturday at 10 am at Cherry. There will be no 7 pm class or Matrix in Tustin this week, and there will be no regular class on Saturday this week (because you'll all be at the KB seminar, right? :)
Here's a pic of the affiliate cup team, post workout #3!

July 13, 2009

Phew- back at home base, after an awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping weekend! Here are the Crossfit Games 2009 winners!
For time:
3 rounds
30 wall balls
30 squat snatches
Yes, to answer your question, we will be doing Games workouts several times over the next couple of weeks! And, if this is your first time doing a squat snatch, and it probably is- because I've actually never programmed it before- you WILL be doing it with a PVC pipe. I don't care how muscular you are, I don't care if you were on the team, I don't care if you're Storm. Kim...well, yes, I guess she can use some weight. Don't let me hear about you giving your trainers a hard time on this one. I want us to be a gym with AMAZING form, not so-so form. And recall what I told you about weightlifters in Russia who traditionally spend 2 years on a PVC before moving to weight. Check your ego, and deal with it. You'll still be doing 90 wall balls, if you're concerned about getting a workout in...
Crossfit Games 2009? What can I say? The Socal 7 represented hard- harder than any other region, I'd say. Kris came in 4th, Katie came in 18th, Becca was 20th, Kim was 21st, Michele was 23rd, Linda was 40th, and Val... Val might have been the most impressive. Struck down by heat exhaustion and dehydration during the grueling 7.1 km hill run, she collapsed 10 feet from the finish line. She crawled and somersaulted her way across with the true heart and focus of a champion, and was not permitted to continue. She made me want to be a better Crossfitter.
5050- 90-90-90

July 11, 2009- Update

After a day of grueling workouts, Kim was still smiling (if you can believe it!). She completed a total of five events, starting from a field of 75 women that will be winnowed down to the top 16, who will compete in 3 events tomorrow.
First was a grueling 7.1 kilometer hill run- complete with uneven, rough terrain, 3 successively longer, steeper ascents, and the equivalent of a black diamond downhill!
Next was deadlifts in rapid succession, beginning at 185. Each athlete did one rep, and then moved onto a bar that was 10 pounds heavier, until they could not advance any further. Kim reached 295!!
The third event was a 170 km sprint carrying a 35 lb sandbag. Oh- did I mention the elevation reached 100 feet?! It was a very steep, dirt uphill.
The fourth event was highly functional, and also highly challenging for many of the athletes- a 500 m row, followed by sledgehammering a metal stake into the dirt, followed by another 500 m row. This event completely shifted the rankings around- and there were a wide variety of techniques to use the sledgehammer!
Finally, 3 rounds of 30 wall balls (14#) and 30 hang squat snatches (45#). By this point, the athletes were exhausted, and 7 of the women did not finish this workout in the time required. Naturally, Kim did! And another member of the Socal 7, Becca Voight, finished in the top 3 in this wod.
Kim placed 21 overall- an amazing accomplishment- beginning from a field of 75. She was awe-inspiring, as were all of the athletes. Keep eyes out for videos and pics to come :) You won't believe your eyes. Her form was as perfect on the 90th snatch as it was on the first! She is truly an inspiration.
In this pic, Coach Greg Glassman addresses the crowd at the opening ceremonies of the 2009 Individual Competition.

July 11, 2009

RMS! Remember- the WOD is at 1030 am tomorrow! This is a pic of part of Kim's hill run tomorrow...
5050- 88-88-88
WOW! What a day! I was so proud I shed a tear, literally :)
First up were Aaron, Efren, Deeanna, and Sarah on the OH squat/pullup WOD. Sarah squatted WAY more weight than we thought she would with her shoulder limitations, while Deeanna and Aaron killed the pullups, and Efren squatted above his previous max!
Next, Deeanna, Storm, Sarah, and Aaron did the Stadium WOD- 30 wallballs each, followed by 300 m row, 30 KB swings, 30 dumbbell push presses, 30 box jumps, followed by 30 deadlifts each (135W, 225M). Sarah and Storm KILLED the deadlifts and wallballs, while Aaron made the 2 pood KB look like it was a child's toy. Deeanna sailed through the push presses and swings, despite her shoulder starting to feel like it was on fire :P We scaled this WOD (in as much as Deeanna didn't do the past the 10 ft mark as required), so we got majorly dinged in the scoring department, but: we finished with integrity by NOT scaling the remainder of the WOD, though we could have. Once a team "scaled" in theory they could do half of everything (or less) and still have the same score. Not us, no way!!!
Finally, a brutal relay run by Deeanna, Sarah, Efren, and Storm! Deeanna ran the first lap and (like a champ) iced her poor tired knees while Sarah, Efren, and Storm ran like bunny rabbits. You guys aren't going to believe how steep that hill was when you see the footage I took! They ran the last lap in together, pushing and encouraging each other.
We also have an incredible cheering crowd up here- Monica, Garth, Alec, Jay, Jeff, Kim, Mustafa, Matt, Mike, Alan, Stephanie, Adrianna, and Jesse all drove up to support (and in Kim's case, compete!).
We may not have done as well as some other boxes, but the fact that we are here as such a young gym is an amazing accomplishment. I had a very nice talk with Coach Greg Glassman (you know, the creator of Crossfit?- Oh yeah, I was rubbing elbows with the VIPs;) and he was definitely impressed. This year sets the bar for next year, and teaches us how hard we have to work together to accomplish the goals we set. We learned what we have to work on (overhead squats and wall balls!) and what our strengths are (community, push presses, and kettlebell swings), among other things. I know I'll be back at the gym on Monday inspired and invigorated to start working both as a trainer and a Crossfitter (though, admittedly, in my case, my ability to Crossfit is limited- at least for the next couple of months!). Who wants to compete next year???
Best Crossfit T-shirt slogan of the day: "If Crossfit was easy, it'd be your mom". LOL.

July 10, 2009

AMRAP in 20 minutes:
3-rep Overhead Squat
Max total pull-ups (in honor of the affiliate cup team wods)
So- you do your 3 OH squats, then you do as many pullups as possible. That's 1 round. Get it? :P Yes, the number of pullups you do will change from round to round, especially if you're really going for max!
The drive up here was l-o-n-g. We passed, among other things, random cows, "the artichoke center of the world," multiple cherry farms (yum), and many, many McDonalds. Haven't seen the site of the games yet, but looking forward to it bright and early tomorrow! Had dinner and strategy with Sarah, Deeanna, Kim, Jay, Jason, Jeff, Alan, and Stephanie, which was awesome. Everyone else is on their way up.
We'll definitely keep you guys posted...
5050- 87-87-87

July 9, 2009

Run 400 m for time 4 times. Rest exactly 2 minutes in between.
Not enough for you?- practice your GHD situps or handstand pushups...
5050- 86-86-86
Wow. On the eve of heading up to Aromas, I'm so excited! What an amazing ride this year has been. Sure, we still have a long way to go as a gym- we're still newborns, essentially- but we have some strengths that are really, really hard to find in other boxes (and definitely at globo gyms). I'm so excited to see everyone up there, and don't worry people that are staying behind-- I'll definitely post updates each night :) Here's a pic of the Ranch- site of the Crossfit Games 2009!
Let's go 377!- Sarah, Deeanna, Storm, Aaron, Efren, and Jim!
And, of course- let's go Kim "The Cheerleader" Ball!!!!!

July 8, 2009

Ah, good old Blackjack- the ringer WOD:
For time:
20 pushups
1 situp
19 pushups
2 situps
18 pushups
3 situps
until...
20 situps
1 pushup
5050- 85-85-85 (hey at least you're doing a chunk in the WOD today...)
Remember- you've just got today and tomorrow to register and pay for the KB seminar if you want the $30 price tag. It's still a steal at $45, but the $15 you save can get you... what, one ticket to the new Harry Potter movie, these days? Or a small popcorn? Wait a minute- that's not Zone-approved! ;)

Crossfit360 Affiliate Team Number = 377!!!!!!!!!

Get off the Scale People, Part II (if nothing else, read the last line)
Everyone has an ideal weight, but no one can tell us what that is by a chart of height, frame and size of your pinky toe. You have all heard of body mass index (aka BMI or BS). What a load of crap. The way you should find out if you are overweight or underweight is by looking at what you can do. Can you lift, throw, jump, run and do everyday activities? How well can you do them? Would losing a few pounds help or hinder your overall level of fitness? Once you decide if losing or gaining weight will increase the majority of your ten physical fitness attributes then you know what you should do. Why base everything off your level of fitness and performance instead of the number on the scale- because fitness directly effect your quality of life. The better your fitness, the more you enjoy playing with your kids and hiking through trails. The longer you live and are able to play with your grandchildren and show the young-ins that grandma and grandpa have mad skills. That is what life is all about.

Here is an example that drives me nuts- The person who smokes to lose weight or stay skinny so they feel good about themselves. They might lose weight, sure, they most likely will die younger and live a lower quality of life because they aren’t healthy and can’t walk up a flight of stairs without coughing up a lung.

As extreme as this is, it’s truly not much different when people eat very little or try to starve themselves to lose weight. They might do it and they might even feel good because a scale says they lost weight, but how good is that person feeling about themselves. They are fragile. Over time if they trip on a curb they may break like a glass vase. It might even look good but you have to be sooo careful not to break it.

To wrap this up- Get off the damn scale and feel good about yourself because of what you do or what you are working on doing, not because a stupid piece of plastic blinked 5 pounds more then you expected. Ask yourself how do you look, feel, perform and what’s your quality of life. If you need to be lighter or heavier to achieve the fore-mentioned, do it through healthy nutrition. Don’t cut corners.

Oh yeah, when you get to the point of feeling in tip top condition give the scale the finger for me

July 7, 2009

In the spirit of a Crossfit Journal video submission I watched today by Dave Castro on programming for the 2009 Crossfit Games:
150 Thrusters (45#W; 65#M) for time.
Dave pointed out that going long and light was missing from a lot of affiliates' programming, and while I do actually make an effort to program in endurance wods, I figured this was a great excuse to do one. Be ON TIME to class today as we're going to start right after you get yourselves warmed up (meaning at about 5 minutes past, ideally)- no med ball clean practice for today, 'cause this is gonna be a long one, potentially. Remember you can always lighten the rx. If you normally do Fran at 45# ladies, absolutely go lighter- try one of the 25# bars or use dumbbells. Same goes for you guys- this isn't intended to be your Fran weight.
Note that class this Saturday will be at 1030 (this isn't a permanent change- just for this week). Get ready for Julie's House of Pain :P
Have you signed up for the KB seminar yet? Time's-a-ticking to lock in the $30 price tag for 2.5 hours...
Last but not least- this great post was on the Crossfit Affiliate blog- I thought you guys might like it:
Get Off the Scale, People (Part I- Part II will follow tomorrow)
Get off that damn scale. Matter of fact, pick it up and put it away. Put it in the place next to the Christmas ornaments, or have some fun and throw it around the backyard like a frisbee into the concrete garage wall. That will at least make you feel good for a little bit. Don’t let it be in your sight. Out of sight- out of mind. The only time I would prefer anyone to go on a scale is when they feel awesome about themselves. Only when you feel you look good, feel good, have tons of energy and are performing workouts and “other activities” well. Then, when you look down at the little whitebox of evil, realize this is the weight you should like and is good for you, NO MATTER what the number is. Try it- only weigh yourself when you feel good.

The next part of this blog I will explain my idea of why the scale is junk. I hope no one gets too offended by the following remarks; if you, do i’m sorry that you don’t feel the same way and can’t see my perspective. First I will start my answer to why the scale is junk with another question- What does the scale do, really? Does it tell you how healthy you are? NO. Does it tell you how to change the number it gives? NO. Does it tell you that maybe you drank a lot of water today and that’s why it is heavier by 2 pounds? NO. Does it make you feel bad about yourself when it’s not what you were hoping for? YUP. Don’t get me wrong, it is a tool, but that is all it is - a tool. It doesn’t tell us how we look, feel or perform. Society has screwed people’s minds to base their enjoyment, quality of life and confidence by that stupid number that blinks when you step on it. It is a tool that, in my opinion, is the most overused and manipulated number in society today. It is a tool to tell us weight, not how we should feel about ourselves.

July 6, 2009

"Crossfit Total"
1 rep maxes:
Shoulder Press
Back Squat
Deadlift
This is an important day not to miss- benchmark day! See how much your CFT improved!
5050- 83-83-83
Hope everyone had a great 4th!

July 3, 2009

Two rounds of:
Right arm barbell push-press 12 reps
Left arm deadlift 12 reps
Run 800 meters
Left arm barbell push-press 12 reps
Right arm deadlift 12 reps
Run 800 meters
5050- 80-80-80
C'mon- get your workout in before the big 4th of July celebrations on Saturday :)
And, don't forget to sign up for the KB seminar! Time is running out to lock in the $30 price tag.
Thinking of you, Jimmy...

July 2, 2009

"JT"
21-15-9
Handstand pushups
Ring Dips
Pushups
5050- 79-79-79
Remember your mods for handstand pushups as well as ring dips, if needed.
Also- don't forget- no class on Saturday because you'll all be out barbequing :)
Last, guys, I fought it for a long time, but I've taken the anonymous option off the comments... I would really prefer not to have to go to making everyone a registered user because I think it will kill the blog community (because signing in is a pain), but I will if needs be. Let's try to keep this a very positive, supportive place- like the way we all support each other at the gym!