February 2011 – Page 2 – SNORIDGE CROSSFIT

"The Slop is Stopped"! (Plus Jackie Pt. Deux)

“Jackie”:

For Time:

1000m Row
50 Thrusters (45#/33#)
30 Pull-ups

Results

Quote of the Day: “The successful person makes a habit of doing what the failing person doesn’t like to do.” ~ Thomas Edison

Today officially ended the 6 week “Stop the Slop” Nutrition and Performance Challenge. While there are still a couple of people who need to make up “Jackie” on Monday, the majority of you who saw it through finished it today with many PR’s achieved. Today Pat also competed in a local CF Throwdown and placed in the Top 10 of the Men’s “Elite” Division out of 44 athletes. (More on that tomorrow after official results are published). What a great day!

For those who didn’t weigh in today please remember to weigh-in on Monday or Tuesday at the latest so we can finalize the winners of the nutrition challenge. So far we have over 75 lbs. lost collectively (with several still to weigh-in)! We also have a few who have reported they no longer have high blood pressure or high cholesterol, or now have normal blood glucose levels. Chest bumps to all of you for putting in the effort to see it through. After the weigh-in’s and WOD make-ups are done we will crown the winners and get them their prizes.

Most importantly take some time to reflect on your performance over the past six weeks:

Did you improve in performance or achieve PR’s?
Did you realize you can go faster and harder in a WOD before hitting that “suck” point?
Did you lose weight OR change body composition (i.e. gain lean muscle mass and lose body-fat)?
Make lasting changes in your nutrition for you or your family that are truly healthy?
Learn more about what real food vs. crap food do to your health, body and skin?
Did you focus on using better movement and form in your WOD’s that could not be called “slop”?

It is your coaches hopes that you will all continue to make this a lifestyle and not a “diet”. While we all deserve a cheat meal or treat, don’t abandon everything and treat this as just another diet. Fad diets are honestly part of the problem (in my opinion). LIfestyle changes are habits that become lifelong and sustainable. Whether it’s Adkins, South Beach, or some sort of “points” and “playing cards” type of diet you cannot temporarily practice eating a certain way and hope to be successful if you only plan to end it as soon as possible. Adopting sound principles for what you put into your body that have a proven track record at making someone leaner, stronger, less sick, and healthier is hard to argue. That is what eating “Paleo” has proven to Michelle and I (and Moe, Mark and Jeremy) over and over again firsthand. The evidence is there to be seen and found if you look for it and give it a chance. No shortcuts, cheats or binges while your body adjusts. Make sound choices based on quality and be consistent. Once you do you will likely “get it”. Some of what you used to view as food will be exposed for the toxic, artificial, chemical stuff that is everywhere and killing us slowly. You will feel better, look better and all around perform better. Not just in a workout, but in life. Which is what it’s all about anyway, right?

Hang It Up

Strength WOD:

Hang Power Clean
3/3/3/3/3

Checkout WOD:

5 Rounds for Time:

10 Hang Power Clean (95#/65#)
15 Push Ups
100m Run

Results

View this photo

Lucy and Mollie high fiving it mid-WOD:

Speaking of high fives, it was that kind of a day. On top of great classes, PR’s on hang cleans, and 3 people finishing Elements (Welcome to Hailly, Charles and Darawan); tonight Sean and Jenna (and Audrey) welcomed a baby girl into the world! Congrats and welcome to Brinkley! We can’t wait to meet you.

Nan simply being awesome. Demo of the Hang Power Clean:

Notes:

“Jackie” tomorrow and Monday only for the “Stop the Slop” Performance challenge. Get in the box for your re-match.

Attention runners, tri freaks, and endurance nuts! You don’t have to run, swim, and ride from sun-up to sundown every week. There is an alternate approach out there with proven results.

Read two articles: CrossFit Endurance in Triathlete Magazine and CrossFit: A Shortcut to Your Next PR?

Mobility WOD to open up and get ready for some overhead movement:

View From Above

3 Rounds for Time:

1 Rope Climb (15′)
15 AbMat Sit-ups
15 Burpees
1 Rope Climb (15′)
15 AbMat Sit-ups
15 Burpees
* Rest 1 Minute between rounds, clock continues to run

Subs for Rope Climbs:

2 Supine Rope Pull-ups from Floor to Standing back to Floor = 1 Rope Climb
or 6 Dead Hang Pull-ups

Results

View this photo

Supine Supervision:

Who had fun learning to practice rope climbs today? We had fun teaching it to each class. There was some discussion with your trainers tonight on what heights to use for rope climb standards for men’s and women’s RX heights. For now we are going to use the following height scaling:

20′ for men /15′ for women
15′ for men / 12′ for women
10′ Climb for first timers or new climbers (must demo leg lock)

We will tinker with it and see if we change. Like scaling a wall ball height, we choose to use a slightly lower height for women over men.

Attention competitors! Two important items:

First: Below is the 2011 CF Games video update on the Sectionals Open. Not much info but enough to whet our appetites.

Second: This weekend at CF Bellevue there is a local throwdown competition for those interested. Event is hosted by CF Interbay and CF Bellevue on Saturday from 8am to 6pm. Details can be found here. If you are wanting to compete let us know. We won’t be attending as we are concluding our “Stop the Slop” Challenge on Saturday which means the return of “Jackie”…

“Get Ready for the Open!” – video [wmv] [mov]

We have a new view! Upstairs window is in. That means you can watch the action or your coaches can hurl cues at you from above. (No rotten fruit or booing allowed)

Notes:

Guys: If you like “fight shorts” and want a pair with our logo on them (shown below) I am going to order a pair (black color on blank MMA shorts) and have them sent to our screen printer. He will then take the shorts and print “SnoRidge CrossFit” up the side. If you want a pair then please let me know no later than Monday 2/21! Once I know how many people are interested I can coordinate logistics for how to order your pair and have them sent to our graphic/printer guy. Cost is $31 for shorts plus shipping and around $15 for printing and shipping back to us. Post to comments if you want to order.

Fight Shorts:

“Too Weak” ($20) and “250 WOD Club” ($15) T-shirts are in! If you want a “Too Weak” shirt then get one. If you ordered a 250 WOD shirt and earned it please get yours soon. They look sick!

Great Basin Qualifier

5 Rounds for Time:

7 Deadlift (275#/185#)
30 Squats
7 Handstand Push-ups

* From the 2009 Great Basin Regional Qualifiers

Results

View this photo
Compare to Previous Results

Heavy deads and handstand push-up fun! For those new to handstand push-ups (HSPU) see the previous post (link above) for a how-to demo of the pike HSPU off a box. The progression is typically moving from the floor pike to the box pike to the bands. From the bands the next move will be to perform HSPU against a wall with one AbMat under your head. Master the current technique you are on and you will be inverted soon enough.

Welcome to Janet and Luanne who finished Elements and hit their first class tonight! Also welcome to Charles, Hailly, Jason, Darawan, and David who all are currently in their Elements sessions. Be sure to introduce yourselves or pay the burpee penalty!

Notes:

Do you have dead hang and kipping pull-ups already? If so are you working on butterfly pull-ups? Here is an interesting way to practice the motion with band assistance.

Chris Spealler from CrossFit Park City on the Butterfly Pull-up Using a Band:

"Pick Your Poison"

3 Rounds for total reps:

You will choose one movement to do for 3:00, then another to do for 2:00, and the final for 1:00.

Like FGB, there is no rest between movements. As soon as the first 3 minutes are over, you move immediately into your next movement. Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

The movements:

Row for Calories
Overhead Squats (95#/65#)
Pull-ups

You will choose which movement you do for what amount of time. The order 3mins, 2mins, and 1min doesn’t change. Post total reps (put the row calories in the reps field) and reps for each of the movements per round.

Results

View this photo
View this photo

Yes Rob and I called and coordinated outfits today:

I really liked this WOD format. Similar to the workout we did recently from the Team Again Faster Challenge I programmed this one to choose three very different movements that each likely have a strength or weakness for everyone. These movements also meant you could get similar numbers across each during that same timeframe. A good example would be comparing three different people who each chose a different order and started with either rowing (Pat), OHS (me), or pull-ups (Rob). Each of us started differently but got similar rep totals per round. Allowing you to strategize which one to go 1st, 2nd, and 3rd makes you think and makes it fun.

Marc had a really good idea recently when asking some general questions around scaling and the desired effect in a given WOD. One of the key points of feedback was that sometimes it’s hard to guess what the desired effect of a given WOD is or what time range or rep range we as your coaches are looking for. This got us talking and we will do our best to start writing on the whiteboard (especially for benchmark’s or Hero WOD’s) what time range we should average for certain types of WOD’s. Not to say you can’t have outliers of very fast or slower times for whatever reason; but a general average may help each of you understand how to scale, what we sub and why, and what load to use.

An easy example is Fran. Slogging through a 15 minute Fran is not the same workout as lightening the load and going hard and fast to be sub 10 minutes. Sub 7 minutes is even better. The effect on your body is significantly different than toughing out 95# thrusters and pull-ups one rep at a time. It’s not wrong to do it that way, but it’s a different workout. If we write an average goal time though it can help with those of you deciding how to attack it and what to expect.

Watch: “Scaling at CrossFit Verve” with Cherie Chan – video [wmv] [mov]

Steph demos how to Overhead Squat

(Note the straight bar path, knees out, weight on heels and safe shoulder position):

Notes:

Stop the Slop Challenge:

It officially ends this Saturday (but we know everyone is going to keep cruising along with their nutrition lifestyle)! For those who cannot make it on Saturday for the WOD and weigh-in we will run Jackie on Friday during normal class and have weigh-in’s/pics.

Looking for cooking ideas? See Paleo Plan Recipes

Birthday WOD

Perform two consecutive AMRAP’s (As Many Rounds as Possible) for 11 Minutes of each couplet:

11 Wall Balls (20#/14#)
11 AbMat Sit-ups

*1 Minute rest between AMRAP’s

11 Double Unders
11 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pull (53#/35#)

Results

View this photo
View this photo

Happy Birthday Sangeeta! (And Happy Valentine’s Day everyone)!

Quote of the Day: “This is almost as bad as Michelle’s birthday WOD.” ~ Eric

Sorry for this delayed post. Long day and night finally finishing up the work needed to paint, clean, and close out the old box. Time!

These two AMRAP’s are spicy. Both are gassers with plenty of hip extension in the wall balls and sumo deadlift high pulls. Watching everyone chalk up round after round made me glad I was short on time and had to do a different WOD! Love those birthday’s…

YES. The WB lines are slightly higher than the old box. They start at 9′ (Green) and 10′ (Black) at the bottom. No more “middle of the line” counts crap. Hit them and you are good. Get over it.

Fast Sit-ups:

Post delayed

Due to the painting of the old box (the bane of my existence) going into the wee hours of the night, yesterday’s post will go up later today.

My Funny Valentine…

Jenna and her new valentine (she has gotten close with her rower during her third trimester):

Our Valentine’s gift to you is a pair of lovely AMRAP’s tomorrow!

Watch: Teri gets her first pull-up (at the age of 59) at CrossFit Kinnick (CA)

Don’t let us hear you say “never” in the box. If you work hard, believe, and go after it you can do whatever you set your mind to. Just see the video of Teri above.

"Isabel"

30 Reps For Time:

Snatch – Power or Squat (135#/95#)

* Partner up for counting reps

Results

View this photo

Lucy and Laura meet “Isabel”:

Snatch and go:

Isabel is a benchmark WOD that like Grace is heavy and fast; basically a barbell sprint. Choose power snatch or full snatch (Squat) as both are challenging in their own right. Today we focused on the power snatch after some instruction. Limiting the load to avoid “muscle snatching” or pressing out for 30 reps was the goal to ensure better technique on triple extension, jumping and landing, and turning over locked out. Great effort by all in focusing on form and swapping with one another to count and coach reps!

Videos of some CF athletes that are truly sicfit crushing Isabel:

Isabel, CF Trainers WOD [wmv][mov] » Jan 25 09

Isabel, Josh Everett [wmv][mov] » Apr 13 09

“Isabel Off” Footage of Everett vs. Lipson from the USAW/CF Open 2010 [wmv] [mov]

Pull. Then Pull.

21-15-9 Reps of each for time:

Deadlift (225#/155#)
Pull-ups

Results

View this photo

Quote of the day: ““There are 45 reps in ‘Fran.’ That’s 45 opportunities to reinvent yourself.” — Kelly Starrett

Matt coaches his Dirt Corps teammate Dan through some deadlifts:

Today’s theme? Grab a partner and have them “stop your slop”! Having someone both count, judge and push you is invaluable in a WOD. They can help you ignore your inner voice that is pleading to rest and push you to squeeze a little more out of yourself. They can also stop you and remind you to use proper form and avoid injury. By having you occasionally coach it allows you the athlete to directly look for good movement, recognize bad and imprint cues in your brain to use that get your fellow CrossFitter on track.

Read: “No Rep Yourself” from CrossFit Fenway (MA).

Inspectors Ready:

Notes:

Saturday Schedule:

9am Sectional Open Team Training
10am Normal Class Schedule

Come ready to tackle a Benchmark “Girl” WOD we haven’t done yet!