The 2nd Annual CrossFit Games are being held this weekend in Aromas, CA. We have a small crew headed up to compete including Jonesy, Vanessa, Chris Sherwin, John Burch, and Dave Leys (and I hope I didn't leave anyone out - let me know if I did!) If you haven't read about the games or the events, check it out here.


Valla & Leo on the rings

Today's Workout
400m Run
50 Squats
400m Run
25 Burpees
400m Run
50 Squats
400m Run
25 Burpees

So I had an interesting and rather cool experience yesterday morning. I visited CrossFit Extreme Fitness in Rockville, MD and hung out with Judd Borakove, it's owner. I arrived at 7am after getting up at 6:15 - and felt a bit out of sorts. Oh yeah, they're 3 hours ahead, so actually, I got up at 3:15am for a 4am workout! Now that is definitely not my normal routine! We began to discuss what we were going to do for our workout (rather than writing about the whole thing here - check my workout journal for Wednesday - 7/2/08. And I started to think about the last time I worked out in a gym other than my home gym, Petranek Fitness... it's been a LONG time! And that got me thinking - how good it is to test and experiment - to do things out of the ordinary in strange places, where you don't have the comforts of home and the habits that go along with them. Was I uncomfortable? You betcha! My whole "mojo" was thrown off being in a different space. But here's the thing, the true test of your skills is being able to perform them at a strange times, at a different location, when your mind and body may not be ready or willing... and yet you do it anyway.



Today's Workout
3 rounds for time of:
15 Burpees
10 Snatch - 75 lbs
Handstand Walk - 50’
10 Ring Dips

Congratulations to Aaron Crocker and James Bond of Birmingham, Alabama. They just completed our CrossFit Business Apprenticeship immersion week - a 5 day, in-depth program that teaches participants our system for running an exceptional CrossFit affiliate.


Andy, James, Becca, Aaron, John

Today's Workout
5 rounds for time of:
15 Push-jerks 95 pounds
15 Knees to Elbows

Even big guys can do gymnastics on rings, right Jonesy?! In this picture, Jonesy started in an "L" support, then rolled forward into a shoulder stand. Though an extremely basic gymnastic move, it is very challenging - especially when you get upside down and try to hold the shoulder stand without using the cables to guide your feet. If you have a set of rings at your disposal, give it a try, but make sure you're close enough to the ground with padding on the floor to protect your feet, heels and knees in case you fall out of it!



Today's Workout
Run 5k for time.

Many of our students found out yesterday that the idea of simply moving your own bodyweight on the floor, on parallel bars and on rings can be extremely challenging... and for some, more challenging movements, next to impossible. And this is for movements that gymnasts aren't even rated on in competition! How do you get better at doing these things? Practice, practice, practice and then practice some more.


Petranek Fitness Gymnastics Seminar with Roger Harrell of CrossFit Marin

Today's Workout
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
4 Muscle-ups
8 Handstand push-ups
12 Single leg Squats (pistols)

This is definitely the hardest post I’ve ever had to write. I’d much prefer to go somewhere, a long, long way away and crawl deep into a cave or under a huge rock, away from everyone and everything, rather than facing all of you on a day like today. But I know that running away from it, and from all of you, my friends, my community is the worst thing I could do… after all, you all loved her too.

And what in the world am I talking about? Lucy. My companion for the past 9 years, friend, first “kid”, the sweetest and most loving dog I’ve ever known. Who wouldn’t love her (other than the mailman, of course). You see, yesterday, Lucy passed away. I wish I could say it was just from old age, or some other natural cause, but no… the truth is she died in the back of my car. I brought her in to work yesterday, just like I have almost every day for the past 3 ½ years, but for some insane, unknown reason, I forgot her there. The day got hot, and away she went.

I can’t begin to explain the amount of pain that I’m in – sorrow, guilt, shame, bewilderment, fear, anger, pity, anguish. It feels like a huge hole has been ripped out of my gut, and nothing will ever, ever replace it. Yes, I know life goes on, and that I will get past this, but right now it hurts more than anything.

I’m writing all of this to all of you because you all knew and loved Lucy too, and I know you’ll miss her. I thought it fitting to write a workout for Lucy… she loved the gym and everyone in it… and I know how much she loved to run, skip, and jump around the gym… I’d like to honor her this way. Lets make tomorrow, Friday, June 27th, Lucy’s day.



“Lucy”
For time:
400m Run
40 Burpees
400m Skip
40 Squat Cleans – 95 lbs
400m Broad Jump
40 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls – 95 lbs
400m Run
40 Dips

Sometimes the difference between 1st and 2nd place is as little as 1 1/4 lbs. Jennifer recently tied Kathryn for the top spot on our leader board for 1RM deadlift. Then she decided go for sole possession - and she got it at 266 1/4 pounds... and we have the picture to prove it. Way to go Jennifer!



Today's Workout
Bench Press 3-2-2-1-1-1-1 reps
rest
Tabata Push-ups

When you finish your workout, interval, time trial, race, sprint, match, fight, whatever; are you done, spent, used up, kaput, finished, unable to get yourself up off the floor because you've literally used up every ounce of energy you had? If you have, you might have looked something like Becca does in this picture after a recent 500m sprint on the rowing erg.



Today's Workout
Use a medicine ball for ALL elements of this workout
21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:
Squat Cleans
Wall Ball
V-Twists (med ball)
400m run while holding med ball
- weights - men: 20 lbs, women: 12 lbs

Saturday was one of the hottest days of 2008... but that didn't stop about 60 of us - who showed up for our Grand Opening in Rancho Park. It's quite evident from the people in this park that CrossFit is something completely new... we really shook things up - and will continue to do so, Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 6am. Thanks to Becca, Michael, Jonesy, Burch, Traver, Val and Jennifer for being there from 6:30 - noon. The day couldn't have happened without them!



Today's Workout
400m Run
25 Burpees
400m Run
15 Burpee Pull-ups
400m Run
15 Burpees
400m Run
25 Burpee Pull Ups

Many of you who have joined us recently have heard of this thing we refer to as a "kip," but you may not know what it is or exactly how to do one. The following video gives great instruction - even for those of you who already have a good kip. As you watch, you'll see Adrian refer to the swinging of the lets... make sure you also notice Rob's shoulder swing happening simultaneously. The swing Adrian is teaching isn't possible without good, strong shoulder swing. Enjoy! Oh, and the link for the second part of the instruction is just below.



kipping pull-up pt. 2

Today's Workout
Snatch 5 x 5
Clean 5 x 5
- build OR maintain load through all 10 sets
- take as much rest between sets as you need

Thrusters are one of the most metabolically demanding movements we do as CrossFitters. While driving with power through the hips is important for efficiently getting the bar up overhead, overpowering the lift is common and should be avoided to maximize speed. When you overpower the bar, you've generated too much power - and the bar shoots up overhead with such speed that you the only thing keeping it from flying up into the air is your grip on the bar. Next time you do thrusters, try to generate just enough power so that the weight moves up with speed, but just enough to get it overhead with your arms straight.


Alex showing full extension in a thruster.

Today's Workout
7 rounds for time of :
7 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls - 95 lbs
7 Box Jumps

Most people don't come to us looking for a breakthrough in the way they think. However, one of the common side effects of CrossFit is a shift in your perception of what you thought was possible, and willingness to do things outside your comfort zone. Intensity doesn't just come from what you're able to do, but what you're willing to attempt and how hard you're willing to push. By practicing attempting things that are beyond what you think is possible, you get familiar with being unsure, uncomfortable, tentative, and even afraid, then doing it anyway. And don't think this doesn't translate to the rest of your life. As I saw written on the wall at CrossFit One World, "You are in CrossFit who you are in life."


Chris D. thrusters mid- "Fran"

Today's Workout
3 rounds for time of:
50 Sit-ups
35 Thrusters, men - 75 lbs; women - 45 lbs
20 Pull-ups

On a sunny day, most of us have looked off shore and seen the island of Catalina. Some have taken the day trip over on a motor boat to Avalon or Two Harbors, or maybe even sailed across the channel (it's a 22 mile crossing at the closest point.) However most of us have never even dreamed about paddling a paddle board (think surfboard but no riding breaking waves) the distance. Kathryn Tubbs has. In fact, she had set this as a goal for herself and had been training for months - and on Saturday, SHE DID IT! Congratulations, Kathryn! Thanks for sending the photo (yes, I know it looks like she's just been photoshopped in, but there are plenty of people that can vouch for her!) Here's a little clip of her adventure from her workout journal:

"I think it was a combination of nerves, seasickness, rough water, and shoving food, energy drink and Ecaps in as fast as I could in short spurts when I was prone (you can’t eat or drink on your knees). The water was ROUGH at the start...roughest I’ve ever been in. I was like, “Oh jeez, what have I gotten myself into?...there is NO way I can paddle thru 22 miles of this. I’m going to pull a muscle. I won’t be able to get up on my knees. I’ll be out here all f’ing day.” I was in shock at the reality of a channel crossing--I had NO idea the water would be this bad. I knew I wouldn’t quit, but..."

Click here to read the whole story (her post from Sunday, June 15th).



Today's Workout
7 rounds for time of:
10 One legged squats (pistols), alternating legs
12 Ring dips
15 Pull-ups

When you meet "pukie" during your lunch-hour CrossFit workout, right Chris?!

Even though pukie is an unwelcome visitor any day of the week, every CrossFitter knows that each time he begins a workout, the possibility exists of going just a little too far, pushing past the tipping point and ending up over the edge of the cliff, beyond what we call the "red zone." While it's never our actual goal, we embrace the risk, accepting the possibility with open arms, because to us, that possibility, risk, uncertainty represents the difference between just going through the motions and truly being alive!



Today's Workout
Deadlift 3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
- take as much time between sets as necessary
- goal is to lift your 1RM (1 rep max)

I stumbled across this video on CrossFit Central Scotland's website yesterday. It didn't appear to be much at first, but it is an obstacle course like none I've ever seen. From the video, it looks like it would pretty well challenge your stamina, speed, strength, endurance, power, balance, agility, coordination, accuracy, and flexibility. I'd love to give it a try sometime... now if I could only convince my wife to spend our next vacation in Riga, Latvia!



Today's Workout
"2 Bars of Death"
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 rep rounds for time of:
Deadlift - 1.5 x bodyweight
Squat Clean - .75 x bodyweight
Push ups - 3x the number of reps in the round
- example - round 1: 10 deadlifts, 10 squat cleans, 30 push ups

"Fran" is probably the most revered and notorious of the CrossFit girls. It is also one of the shortest (the best times are under 3 minutes). Once you can handle the weight on the thrusters and the pull ups, the secret to a fast "Fran" is learning how to both (a) get up to your max red-line, and (b) hold it at there for at least 3 minutes. I can think of two events that are biomechanically totally unrelated to "Fran's" movements, yet improve your physiologic capacity to red-line and maintain for 3(+) minutes - the 800m run, and 1,000m row - both, of course, for time. I'm sure there are plenty of other ways to create physiologically similar 3 minute red-line experiences - got any ideas?


Burch & Jen during "Fran" Challenge prelims

Today's Workout
Each interval for time:
800m run
4 minutes rest
1000m row
4 minutes rest
400m run
4 minutes rest
500m row

I've found in a few different online articles I've read recently that the comments about the article are both more entertaining AND more informative than the article. Take "Summer Flip-Flops May Lead to Foot Pain" from the NY Times. The title got my attention, because I wear flip-flops almost every day, the article was short and based on a silly study; but when I started reading the comments, I couldn't stop - opinions, informative links, discussions in over 110 comments! Has this ever happened to you?


Keron out on a morning run.

Today's Workout
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
shoulder press
push press
split/push jerk
400m run
- once you pick the bar up for shoulder press, it must stay at shoulder height until after you have finished all jerks
- max out on each movement, with the last rep being the one you can do still with decent form
- choose a weight that you can shoulder press no more than 15 times on the first round
- score is the total number of reps you completed in 20 minutes

Following up on yesterday's post (the article about dealing with obesity in the ER) I came across this interesting map of the "epidemic" of obesity in the United States. Even if you've seen it before, it's worth looking at again - the growth of American waistlines is both amazing and disturbing. Well, I can safely say that Mike's waistline won't be expanding anytime soon - he lost enough sweat during "Murph" last week to last him a good long time!



Today's Workout
Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of:
15 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
45 Squats

We had a great start to the "Fran" Challenge on Saturday. Over 50 people participated - and set some pretty impressive times in the process. We also has some beginners and first timers - who are all going to be in the hunt for "most improved" in the finals. in the photo below, Miguel demonstrates his newly found thruster form.

Tackling a Taboo in the ER



Today's Workout
Clean & Jerk
3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Mundi-WHAT? No, I didn't know what it was either... but now I do. Today, two of our students, Sean Robinson and Valerie Worthington, are competing in the Mundials, otherwise known as the World Jiu-Jitsu Championships. It is the most prestigious Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournaments in the world. Lets hope they REPRESENT as we know they both can!


Sean on the box jump and Valerie mid pull up.

Today's Workout
"Broomstick Mile"
holding a 5' pvc pipe or dowel
400m Run
25 Back squats
25 Front squats
25 Overhead squats
400m Run
25 Shoulder press
25 Push press
25 Push Jerk
400m run
50 Squat cleans
400m run
50 Squat snatches