CF Games – Page 171 – SNORIDGE CROSSFIT

Fight Gone Bad-ish

“A Taste of the Games” this week!

Compete 3 Rounds of 1 Minute of max reps of each of the following exercises:

Wall Ball (20#/14#)
Power Snatch (95#/65#)
Box Jumps (20″)
Row (For Calories)
* Rest 1 minute between rounds

Results

The 2010 CrossFit Games WA Sectionals SnoRidge Competitors:

(More pics to be posted soon)

This week some of the WOD’s will either be directly from the WA Sectionals that occurred this past weekend or will feature similar programming or movements. We wanted to give you all a “taste” of what some of these felt like while mixing it up a bit with a different movement here and there. Unknown and unknowable! Why not make it a little different? If you are so inclined to relive the Sectionals feel free to take a day off later this week, then come to each class time and knock one of these out all day long. To make it even more realistic, sit outside in the cold and we will tell you each WOD about an hour or two before you have to do them!

Sectionals Recap:

I consider this weekend one of the best in my life. It was an amazing experience that was a culmination of weeks and months of consistently hard training and strict nutrition. It was an experience not just for me but for 9 of us fellow SnoRidge CF’ers. Moe, Sherry, Lucy, Lorri, Travis, Pat, Curtis, Michelle and I all competed in the 2010 CrossFit Games WA Sectionals this past weekend at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, WA. There were a total of 162 male and female athletes who competed in five WOD’s over two days. Five tough WOD’s designed to repeatedly stress the body and test each competitors overall fitness level. For all who competed and completed these WOD’s each came out a victor. To do that much work under that high of pressure was no easy task. Everyone did their best, set new PR’s, and carried their chins high. We saw old friends and made new ones, and resolved to work on our weaknesses and improve upon our strengths.

Here are the five WOD’s:

Saturday:

WOD #1 – Every minute on the minute for 8 min. run 100m then complete max reps of shoulder to overhead (155#/105#)

WOD #2 – For Time (12 minute cap): 40 Handstand Push-ups in 5 minutes or less followed by 40 Front Squats (155#/105#)

WOD #3 – Fight Gone Bad-ish: Same as above only wall ball for women was a 10# ball to a 10ft. target

Sunday:

WOD #4 – 5RM Deadlift: 3 attempts in 20 sec. each for a 5 rep max of deadlift. (Loads were iron plates and load could not be adjusted down if you failed) Any attempt outside of 20 seconds was a DNF

WOD #5 – 5 Rounds for Time of: 100 ft. Sled Push (135#/95#), 18 Double-Unders, 4 Muscle Ups (2 MU for Women)

WA Sectionals 2010 Results

These workouts taught us about our limits, about our mental and physical capacity, and about the incredible support of the CrossFit community. I have played sports and competed and raced in my life and at no time have I ever been apart of a community where each competitor will finish and then cheer the person on next to them even if it means that by cheering them on that person may end up beating them. It happens without question. All weekend strangers and competitors tried like hell to beat one another while at the same time screaming their lungs out for each other, exhorting one another to pick up the bar, push the sled, row faster or pull more off the ground to get a faster time or one more rep. Think about that. Have you played a sport where while you were playing you would tell the other team or athlete to score a goal or basket, throw a deep pass, or sink a putt against you? Does that even make sense? One of the many things of CrossFit that I love is that even in the sport of CrossFit, while all of us want to beat the next person; the majority of us practice sportsmanship at its best. We pick each other up off the floor and encourage the next person to finish and finish faster, even when we know it means we may get beat.

The pride that both Michelle and I feel over having been able to bring a great group of us to represent our box can’t be described. That group not only included the 9 who competed; it included the group who volunteered, cheered and supported us. That is a testament to what we all have built. Not too many boxes brought such numbers and certainly not many who have been around for as short a period of time as we have. I already can’t wait until the 2011 Sectionals! In the meantime let’s keep training for Regionals.

Speaking of Regionals, the Affiliate Team will continue to train harder to determine who will be the final 3 men and 3 women who will represent us on May 15-16 as our SnoRidge Affiliate Team in the Affiliate Cup Regional Qualifiers. I also qualified this past weekend by making the Men’s top 20 so I am also eligible for the Individual Men’s Northwest Regionals Qualifiers of which over 70 Men and 70 Women from 6 states will compete for 3 spots each to go to the 2010 CF Games in Aromas, CA in July.

Notes:

Weekly Weigh-in for those who are in the Paleo/Zone Challenge! Make sure either Tuesday or Wednesday you weigh-in at the box and record it with us. Don lost 4 lbs. last week! Stay consistent, keep your nutrition log and stay strict. Don’t waver and give in to eating poorly.

The push-up challenge and the double under challenge are officially over. Many of you saw it through and the results are obvious with improvement across the board. Stick with it and keep that form and set a new PR after a WOD sometime.

In only two weeks we are running the St. Patty’s Day 5k here on the Ridge! Register on the right hand side of the page. Who’s in? (Kid’s too, don’t forget there is a 1k race for them)

Welcome to Rachel, Greg and Kim who all completed Elements last week, and congrats to Lorri who got her 1st pull-up today! I guess Sectionals already rubbed off, way to go Lorri!

Sectional Updates Soon!

We will post updates and pics soon! For those at home take a rest.

Leigh here feels like all of us who are competing…

Closed for the Sectionals!

We are closed today. Nine of us from SnoRidge are competing at the 2010 CF Games WA State Sectionals.

If you have any questions about SnoRidge CrossFit please contact our front office staff member Pat. He is the one pictured in the blue shirt who not only answers phones and cleans the equipment but will gladly spot you when needed.

Pat assisting another satisfied SnoRidge CrossFit customer:

"Harder Than It Looks"

5 Rounds for time:

20 Box Jump (24″/20″)
20 Kettlebell Swing (53#/35#)
20 Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift High Pull (53#/35#)

Results

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Rob rocking the KB Swing:

Short post tonight. If you are still in the push-up challenge its time to knock out 100 today! What what?!

Watch Gillian Mounsey (CF Games competitor and gymnast) tackle Fran back to back after putting on a muscle-up clinic for the Marines at Quantico, VA [wmv] [mov]

Off to Sectionals! Best of luck to all the competitors and congrats in advance on a great two days for the CF Community! (If you need info on the Sectionals see yesterday’s post)

3-2-1 Go!

Invasion of The Body Snatch-ers

Strength WOD:

Power Snatch
3/3/3/3/3
* Work up to 3RM (3 Rep Max)

Check Out WOD Immediately After:

3 Power Snatch (75#/55#)
6 Push-Ups
9 Squats

Results

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Snatches! Barbells and Kettlebells! Oh My!

The power snatch builds strength and speed. Start with the barbell in a standard squat stance with arms wide and elbows out. Shoulders should be over the bar. Keep the eyes level and chest up and maintain a tight core. As you stand with the barbell the hips and shoulders should rise together. Send the knees backward as you lift to keep the bar close to the body. This is the first pull. As you pull over the knees begin to close the barbell toward your pockets or thighs while simultaneously speeding up and pushing the hips forward. Keep it close to the body and shrug upwards. Allow the arms to bend and pull up as you extend the knees, hips and ankles into triple extension. Think speed. This is the second pull. Finally, as the bar is reaching its apex begin to pull yourself under the bar and land locked out with the bar behind the ears while in a 1/4 squat. This is the third pull. Stand tall while locked out.

Got all that? If not click on the above link and watch the videos. One of the most technical lifts, the power snatch is invaluable and efficient in getting a load quickly overhead. From a lifting or CrossFit standpoint, think how much more efficient you can be if you are overhead squatting and can snatch it into position every time you have to pick it up? From a CrossFit Games Sectionals standpoint, think how much you will need this lift on WOD#3 on Saturday!

For outstanding form and execution look no further than Sage Burgener, daughter of Coach Mike Burgener:

Coach Burgener On Power Snatch – Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

Notes:

We wanted to welcome Lena who is a CF’er that dropped in this week while home from Air Force deployment. Thanks for your service and thanks for checking us out! Also Shari from the Torture Chamber in Dupont came in today to learn some power snatches and say hi. We are glad you made the trip up and hoped you learned a little more about an unfamiliar lift.

CF Games WA Sectionals info:

Agenda and times can be found here. For those riding in the RV with Pat meet up on Saturday at 0630 outside the box. We will meet all of you at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds for check-in starting at 0730. 1st WOD is at 0830 and Ladies will go first.

Competitors! Any questions don’t hesitate to ask Michelle, Moe, or me. We will bring foam rollers, tape, extra ropes, pull-up bands, and anything else we can think of. Bring extra clothes for yourself, snacks, running and lifting shoes (Travis we will bring yours from the box), headphones if you want some tunes between WOD’s and dress in layers for keeping warm between workouts. Get rest, stretch and eat well.

For those interested in spectating click here for more details and a map to the event. We would love to see any of you who come to watch but there is a $50 fee for both days (should be cheaper for only one day). I do know they aren’t at capacity so likely you can come the day of and pay to get in.

3-2-1 Game time! Don’t hate the playa hate the game!

"Karen"

For time:

150 Wall Balls (20#/14#)

Results

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Steph and Melissa meet “Karen”:

Well cross wall balls off the list of things we haven’t done much of lately! 150 of them will certainly make for one heck of a workout. For those who have done this benchmark WOD before there was a lot of progress to compare to today. For those who are new this is a benchmark workout that is one commonly found across CrossFit. Pat and Nan owned the leaderboard with smoking fast times. Sub 7 for men and sub 8 for women is REALLY fast. There were many PR’s today from the last bout with “Karen”, here are some; Bonnie, Laura, Bridget going RX’d and Curtis, Pat, and Jeremy PR’d. Marc M. also took 4 minutes off his time while Sherry went for it at the men’s height (10ft. target) and hit every single rep above the line!

There was also one other really cool milestone today in the box:

Fran got her first pull-up!

CONGRATS FRAN!

Notes:

Today was the deadline and 24 of us are officially in the Paleo/Zone Challenge. Outstanding! Stick with it and stay strict, and let’s see what happens after 7 weeks. Keep your diet logs!

We are CLOSED this Saturday! (No Classes on Saturday 2/27) Michelle and I will be competing at the WA Sectional Qualifiers for the CrossFit Games along with Moe, Lucy, Sherry, Lorri, Curtis, Travis and Pat. Above all we will be there to have fun! Good luck to all the competitors.

Watch “Mary’s Story” Pt. 1, A CF Journal Preview [wmv] [mov]

Mary is the mother of a couple of friends of ours who train at Rainier CF. This is the story of how CF is saving Mary’s life. One WOD at a time.

"Tabata Something Else"

Perform 8 intervals of 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest for each exercise. This will equal a total of 32 intervals (8 pull-ups, 8 push-ups, 8 sit-ups, 8 squats). There is no rest between exercises:

Pull-ups
Push-ups
AbMat sit-ups
Squats

Results:

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Tabata Torture:

Partner up and keep score:

Today the CF Games 2010 WA Sectionals announced 2 of the 3 WOD’s for Saturday (Day 1) of the competition next weekend. The WOD for Sunday (Day 2) will be announced at the end of Day 1. They also posted video of the first two here.

What do we know? They will be good challenges. The movements are ground to overhead, sprints, handstand push-ups and front squats so far. They will be heavy, short and medium duration, and need strength, power, speed, balance, and stamina. Judging by the “bring your own jump-rope” note they will involve agility and cardio-respiratory endurance. No doubt with the other two wod’s yet to be announced they will cover these and more of the ten components of fitness. If you want to test yourself then there’s no better place than the Sectionals. Top 20 men and women will each advance onto the Regionals in May. We will also be competing in May at the Pacific NW Regional Qualifiers with our Affiliate “Team Squatch”. We will select our team of 6 based on the 9 athletes who are competing next weekend.

I know all of us as competitors all feel some level of anxiety and fear over the WOD’s. It’s only natural. Heck Michelle seems stressed out about it, and I am the one who normally does the stressing for the two of us. Bottom line: Have fun. Take it for what it is; a few workouts on Saturday and one on Sunday. This is our chance to compete with a ton of good people who all simply do it to get fitter. It’s our CF Games event as individuals. Come Monday it will be a memory that no one will ever take away. It will make you both physically and mentally stronger. A chance for your friends and loved ones to go cheer for you and for yourself to cheer on others. It will forge elite friendships through mutual suffering. It will be something that if you were to change your mind and not compete would likely leave you feeling disappointment. So why not? Doing it is what makes you stronger. So just do it. We’re as ready as we’re gonna be! Who’s with me?

Rona wrote to me today about the Sectionals (where she will be volunteering with Jana) and I thought I should share it:

“Hey guys,

I just had to follow-up to this morning and talking about sectionals. I totally get how frustrating and nerve racking it is not knowing what’s coming and not being super happy with what you do know. Get that completely.

I definitely think everyone should go, and I know you guys will encourage them to. One thing Jesse was saying from last night, that I thought was really key, is that this is “Our WA state CrossFit Games” meaning make the most of the experience. Go into it with all the heart and excitement and attack the workout with all you got. How can you go wrong with that? Not everyone gets to go on to the next phase and even less make it to the games, but that’s ok. You get to this experience together, with the community that you have fostered and no one can ever take that away. I am pumped!

I know you are all going to kick some ass at sectionals!

Good Luck!!!

Rona”

Notes:

Tomorrow will be our Paleo/Zone Nutrition Challenge kickoff! 7 weeks of eating right! Come weigh-in, check your body fat, take your pics and do a WOD! WOD is 1030 for main group, 0900 for Affiliate Team.

The lulu crew (I kind of like that name) came in today for some more brutal fun.

Yesterday Anthony said he would never do handstands because he didn’t like being inverted. Umm…

"Helen"

3 Rounds for time:

400m Run
21 Kettlebell Swings (53#/35#)
12 Pull-ups

Results

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Curtis on his way to a sub ten minute PR of Helen:

High fives and chest bumps (I had to borrow that from Todd W.) to everyone of you who tackled “Helen”. Many PR’s and accomplishments today ranging from Bonnie moving up a kettlebell, Mark ditching the band and getting his first WOD with pull-ups, and Jim M. hitting his 100th WOD! (Our 100th WOD Club T-Shirt first order is in production by the way)

This week we are focusing on what “right” looks like. That means ensuring we hit standards. Clean and perfect reps. No slop or cutting corners. Getting it right at a lower weight before getting heavier and risking injury for a faster time. Today’s main blog topic is designed to tie into this week’s focus and also be thought provoking.

The article below was really interesting to me. I read it after it was recommended by a fellow trainer and friend and I thought it was a really good topic for the blog. It got me thinking and wondering what other CrossFitters think. As I read it I thought about my opinion and decided to share it with all of you (after the picture below).

Read the following article from HyperFit USA – Ann Arbor CrossFit: “Clock Whores“.

My opinion? It’s “Clock Gone Bad”. Not in reference to the actual product (pictured above) or some WOD title; but in reference to the topic of how measuring performance with a clock in a group environment can shift from a perfectly legitimate tool for tracking progress toward’s one’s own goals to natural and healthy competition to the worst possible scenario. That scenario? “Win at all costs”, regardless of the method in getting there. The potential for intentionally sacrificing standards, limiting full range of motion, improperly counting, and cutting corners to simply be faster to beat others or even yourself. The potential to cheat. In my mind, that is unacceptable. Simply because it is pointless. It is a road I suspect that once someone goes down likely would be hard to ever get off. It is a time-bomb (pun intended) that when it goes off and is discovered can have zero positive impact, and it likely will go off at some point.

We all willingly pay for training and high intensity workouts that continually test our limits and are designed to push our fitness to the next level. We forgo the “conventional” Globo Gym type model and embrace CrossFit, whether it’s our primary fitness tool or a supplement to our other fitness endeavors. Each day we come into the box, feel the butterflies, warm-up and nervously anticipate the 3-2-1 GO that starts each WOD. We do this because it’s fun in a twisted sense, because it works, because it makes each of us feel like we accomplished something meaningful. Because it’s addicting and provides an interesting high after we yell time and flop on the floor. It usually is quickly replaced with an intense feeling of relief, accomplishment and surprise at what was just accomplished. So why on earth would anyone cut corners to cheat themselves of that result? Why in the pressure to get a faster time or maybe even outperform someone else would someone decide to count some garbage reps or maybe even skip some?Why would anyone pay for it? What satisfaction could ever be gained from knowing that what someone just spent the last several brutal minutes nearly killing themselves for was all for naught? Why would anyone ever want to be a “Clock Whore”?

Post your thoughts to comments.

Notes:

Starting tomorrow at 6am Moe will be teaching class. If you are an early riser come in bright and early! (Every Tuesday and Thursday at 6am we will have classes)

Here’s a really well done video of the Midwest Sectionals WOD #1 (Air Force WOD) Video: [wmv] [mov]

"Ton of Ten"

Main Class WOD “Ton of Ten”:

For time:

10 Power Clean (95#/65#)
10 Burpees
10 Push Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Clean and Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Push Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Power Clean

Results

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Affiliate Team WOD “A Sh*t Ton of Ten“:

For time:

10 Power Clean (135#/95#)
10 Burpees
10 Push Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Clean and Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Push Jerk
10 Burpees
10 Power Clean

Results

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Great barbell workout today with a focus on power cleans and push jerks. We are seeing significant improvement in developing both movements for many of you. Congrats to Ryan who also joined the muscle-up club! After the WOD while everyone was talking the room quickly was surprised to see him completing the lockout on his first ever muscle-up. After another which I missed on camera, I was able to get him to give it one more try to take some pictures. Talk about a quick learner, he just went through learning the progressions on these last week! And only two weeks ago Ryan did “Murph” as one of his first WOD’s.

Ryan and his muscle-up:

Moe is currently halfway through her Level 1 Certification this weekend. I was able to get down tonight to see her PR “Fran” in 8:30 during the mass workout at the end of the day. It was inspiring and fun to say the least. I will post some pics of her tomorrow. Huge congrats to you and way to shatter your previous best by almost 3 minutes!

Notes:

CF Games 2010 News: The SD and AZ Sectionals announced their Sectional WOD’s. Interesting to say the least! The Midwest Sectionals kicked off officially this weekend. Let the Games begin!

Power Hour

Strength WOD:

Power Clean
1/1/1/1/1/1/1

Checkout:

AMRAP (As Many Rds. As Possible) for 12 Minutes of:

5 Power Cleans (95#/65#)
10 Jumping Lunges (2 Count)
15 AbMat Sit-ups

Results

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Congrats to Bridget, Travis and Jorge who completed their 100th WOD tonight at SRCF! They earned their right to get a shirt (which we are submitting the order for)! We are all proud of you for hitting this milestone.

Moe, Jim C., and Sherry powering through (Love the stink eye from Jim):

Today I happened to walk by a “gym”. I was at the downtown replica of Rodeo Drive (otherwise known as The Bravern) for work and as I was leaving figured I would stop in and check out this place called David Barton Gym. I walked in and promptly felt like I should order a martini and look for the DJ. As I regained my senses and walked through a weird entryway towards the desk I started feeling a little ill as the walls curve like a skateboard ramp while the music thumps and candles flicker. Pushing the fight or flight response aside I felt I needed to see what the “gym” really was like. After way too long of a talk at the front desk with the Beverly Hills 90210 cast I was “allowed” to “quickly take a look” rather than sign up for the tour. It didn’t take me long to realize that this place is a total disgrace to the word “gym”. Staff members wearing T Shirts that say “Look Better Naked” and zero emphasis on creating an environment of fitness. Lighting so dim it had to be a nightclub. Oversized contemporary couches and chairs scattered throughout the workout area and chandeliers dangling. People plodding through routines on machine after machine. After briefly considering doing burpees for time I hurriedly left and drove as fast as I could to our box. After a brief trail run I was able to do a Squat Snatch WOD and PR my one rep max between observing two classes of high intensity suck-fest taught by two fabulous coaches (Michelle and Moe). Now that is what I call a gym. But I am a little biased…

Notes:

We are totally stoked that Moe officially ran her first class tonight at SnoRidge! It was far from her first time running a CF class (she has been a trainer at Gravity Jane’s for over a year) and tonight she hit it out of the box! I also have to say it was really cool watching and learning from another coach and trainer. She will run next Thursday’s 7pm WOD as well. Then starting 2/16 she will be teaching a new 6am WOD every Tuesday and Thursday for those crazy enough for CrossFit that early in the morning!

Are you competing in the Sectionals? Are you one the fence? Are you scared or worried about whether you should have registered? Go read “An Open Letter to All CrossFitters in Queensland“, an article directed to Aussies but applicable to CF’ers worldwide. This addresses the most common questions with some great advice around competing in events. It will make you better, it will give you focus, it will push you farther than you expect. The CrossFit community is supportive. It is filled with people just like you who know that you cheer more for the person who finishes last than the person who finishes first. We support and admire honest effort, plain and simple.