Squatch

"Dirty Thirty"

30 reps each for time of the following:

Box jumps (20″)

Jumping Pull-ups

KB Swings (44#/36#)

Lunges

Knees to Elbows

Push Press (45#)

GHD Back Extensions

Wallball (20#/14#)

Burpees

Double-Unders (or 90 Single-Unders)

This is the red-headed stepchild or second cousin to the Filthy Fifty (which we will do at some point). Great effort today from all and especially Curtis and Jim for going prescribed with good form. Stretch those hamstrings and anywhere else that is tight! This will leave you sore.

Also welcome to Bridget who started Elements with us today. If any of you feel like you missed out on the Dirty Thirty we will gladly make sure you get a shot at it soon.

One last note, the Snoqualmie Railroad Days Run is scheduled for Saturday, August 22nd and they will have a 10k, 5k and 1k kids race. I ran the 5k last year and it was fast and fun. If any of you would like to run it let us know and let’s get a SnoRidge CF Team out on the course. Kids too!

"The Chief"

Max Rounds in 3 Min. of:

3 Power Cleans (135# / 95#)

6 Push-ups

9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for 5 Cycles.

Complete as many rounds as possible in each cycle. Goal is to maintain that max number of rounds across the 5 cycles.

Read here for a description on why this is named “The Chief”.

Great job today by Adriana, Deb, and Travis. Each of you all commented on how deceptive this WOD is. Looking at it you think, “piece of cake”. Then you start doing the math and realize how many reps this adds up to. Usually when a WOD earns a name there is a reason.

Virtuosity: Defined as showing great technique or skill by someone who excels at something. Or doing the common uncommonly well.

One theme we heard today was how each of you were somewhat struggling in different areas of the Power Clean. All of you said that despite the clock running you were each focusing on remembering your cues and trying to get perfect form on each lift. When you didn’t, you felt frustrated. You felt like you needed to get each rep right, to get the integrity of the movement, or to not “cheat” it up. I would tell each of you that’s a good thing and to be patient. I also would say that Michelle and I take that as a compliment. We focus on form for a reason. To see each of you come in and care more about doing a rep or movement correctly and with proper technique or range of motion is paramount to being successful in CrossFit. This is also key in avoiding injury. Don’t be in a rush to learn it all and pile on the weight. We will help coach you, provide cues to what you are or are not doing right, and push you when you need it.

Whether or not you see your improvements we both have seen major strides in each of you. Master the basics, keep pushing hard in each WOD, don’t beat yourself up, and continue to strive for virtuosity. Practice makes perfect. Perfect practice makes for perfection.

New Faces

Welcome Sherry and Neil who joined us today and started Elements! They both learned three of the foundational movements quickly; the air squat, front squat, and overhead squat as well as abMat sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups. Then they pushed each other through their first workout at the end of the session.

They each did the standard first time WOD for SnoRidge CF:

2 rounds of Row or Run, then 40, 30, 20, 10 of Squats, Sit-ups, Push-ups and Pull-ups. Jim came in and did yesterday’s WOD and despite meeting for the first time today it was great to see them all cheer each other on. We look forward to seeing them learn the overhead press movements in their next session.

Back in the Swing of Things…

Today was our first day back from California and we borrowed this WOD from our visit to CrossFit Centurion.

After Warm-up:

Deadlift 3×3

3 Rounds for Time:

400m Run

12 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDHP) 95#/65#

12 Box Jumps

12 Pull-ups

Everyone’s pull-ups are moving along nicely. Jumping pull-ups are more powerful with full ROM (range of motion), some have “graduated” to less assistance on the bands, and Curtis got his first rx’d pull-ups today in one full-round of the WOD! We will focus more on these later in the week with pull-up ladders and kipping instruction.

Notes:

I also wanted to congratulate my brother Jim and six of his fellow soldiers from the Texas Army National Guard who all were Level 1 Certified this past weekend at Alamo CrossFit in San Antonio, Texas. This group will become the core cadre for leading CrossFit PT for their units at Camp Mabry in Austin to ensure that those who protect our freedoms are at their fittest.

Camp Mabry National Guard Level 1 Coaches and their CFHQ Cert staff:

Magic Pill?

Rest Day or if you are so inclined here’s a WOD:

4 Rounds for time:

400m Run

50 Squats

Read “Dangerous” by Patrick Cummings of Again Faster. This quote comes to mind: “There is no substitute for hard work and high intensity.”

Curtis recently shared with us this email:

“This afternoon I forgot to tell you that my general fitness was tested this weekend while I spent close to 14 hours doing heavy yard work – lifting, digging, pulling, punching, stabbing, cursing, etc. I noticed that my body awareness (form), strength and endurance were all at higher levels than I can remember. I am very excited about my early results with your leadership through CrossFit.”

There is no magic pill to losing weight or to becoming functionally fit. You cannot put half the work in and expect more than half the results. It takes discipline, consistency, and hard work.

For those of you who have started with us recently, what observations or results have you seen? Or have you seen none? Please post your thoughts to comments.

We are wrapping up our vacation and heading home. We look forward to seeing all of you back in the gym. Once again we were reminded of the incredible community of CrossFit. We were fortunate enough to visit Ian and Allison of CF Centurion twice this weekend in their very spacious, new box. They have a first class gym with first class people. Everyone went out of their way to welcome us and we made some new friends. Toby, who we had met before at CF Sacramento also dropped in for the WOD today. The community and brotherhood/sisterhood aspect of CrossFit is something you just don’t find too often. Once you do you’re hooked.

5k Run

For Time:

5k Run

Enjoy the sunshine and go for a run with a great view of Mt. Si and the Cascades! We’ll do the same in Granite Bay, CA. Post your time to comments.

Walking Lunges

400m walking lunges for time.

Keep the knee behind the toe box, let it gently kiss the ground. Hands off the knees while lunging and keep the chest up. This WOD is tougher than you think.

Jim practicing.

Yay for Burpees!

“Burpee Time”

3 Rounds for Time:

20 Burpees

30 Sit-Ups

40 Squats

While we are closed for vacation here is a WOD for today that won’t require anything except for you. Burpees must be chest to floor and terminate with jump and arms exended with a clap over head. Enjoy!

Here’s a video from the CrossFit main site of the Burpee: Burpee Demo

Video from the CF Games Northwest Regional Qualifiers

Here’s a video we put together from WOD#2 at the NW Regionals on May 16th.

"Helen"

3 Rounds for Time:

400m Run

21 Kettlebell Swings (54# M / 35# W)

12 Pull-ups

This benchmark WOD is tough. Travis summed it up with “that was deceiving”. Everyone improved today by either scaling up a kettlebell or band for pull-ups. Or both!

Helen is a WOD that always seems to start great and by the end you are telling yourself to not let go of the kettlebell or pull-up bar as the time just speeds up. This is one that the best of times simply are achieved by going fast and “unbroken” through all three rounds.

Here’s a “Helen” video from CrossFit.com of two incredible athletes showing a mind-numbing pace for Helen. This video shows a race between one man and one woman with different strengths at play. Dutch Lowy is a well known CrossFit athlete that placed 7th in last year’s CrossFit Games and Jessica Langford is an accomplished marathon runner. Watch how strength in kettlebell swings and pull-ups takes on a fast runner and see who wins.