Food for Thought – Page 17 – SNORIDGE CROSSFIT

Going Overhead

For time:

400m Run
21 Overhead Squats (95#/65#)
21 Box Jumps (24″/20″)
400m Run
15 Overhead Squats (95#/65#)
15 Box Jumps (24″/20″)
400m Run
9 Overhead Squats (95#/65#)
9 Box Jumps (24″/20″)

Results

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Jenna in her 9th month of pregnancy ROCKING an overhead squat:

(yes she is scaled; at least for her!)

Overhead squats. For many it’s the bane of their existence come WOD time. Many dread it, hate it or fear it. Some like them. Few love them. I happen to be one of the few. Lucky you.

The overhead squat is absolutely effective as a barbell movement and very challenging to master. It develops strength, balance, flexibility and accuracy to hold a heavy load and drop into the full squat and stand back up. It fires muscles throughout your legs, midline and shoulders. It requires concentration and determination to not lose it or dump it and bail at the first sign of getting shaky.

Of the many things we coach in the OHS the primary areas we cue are: shoulder and knee position and tight abs/breathing. Think “tight abs/hold your breath”, “armpits forward and shoulders up” and “knees out”. Master those at light weight, improve your flexibility and you will learn to love them as much as me.

By the way, who liked the PVC warm-up by Coach Mark today? I enjoyed watching the 7pm class lunging back down the alley in the dark as they all looked like Zombies in the “Night of the Living Dead”. Very amusing.

Nutrition and Performance Challenge:

Who’s fallen off the wagon? The “Stop the Slop” wagon that is? Noticeably less food logs have been turned in or logged and it seems many have boarded the grain train back to inflammation-ville! We hope we are wrong and you all are merely choosing to stick to a Paleo plan in solitude. For those who are still with it keep it up and let’s get serious until 2/19 when the results will be in and the winners are crowned.

Read “Whole30 Success Story Contest Winner: Jennifer’s Story“

CrossFit Games 2011:

Compete March 4-6 in CrossFit at the Arnold Sports Festival – video [wmv] [mov]

Cathy says “hi” while Rona shows off a solid OHS:

Double Trouble

5 Rounds for Time:

21 Thruster (75#/55#)
21 Double-Unders

Results

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Mark B. butterfly rope pull-ups:

Thrustering away:

No Saturday class tomorrow! We will be as Cascade CF joining Sculptor CF, SnoValley CF for a community building get together from 9-11am.

It’s the Field Trip WOD Saturday at 9am to Cascade CF! Join the crowd, wear your SRCF T and have fun meeting others in the community. WOD is listed on yesterday’s post (along with directions to get there) and YES it can be scaled or modified. See you there!

Wish Pat luck as he goes for his best 2k row time tomorrow morning at Ergomania: The Pacific NW Indoor Rowing Championships. I’ll be accompanying him with Jeremy O. to cheer him on and watch as he crushes the competition.

Food logs are due tomorrow. Keep it up and DON’T give up! Stick with it and let’s see who wins the Stop the Slop Challenge.

Notes:

This is pretty intense. Two past CF Games champs going head to head for a brutal heavy power snatch AMRAP:

Snatch workout with Mikko Salo and Graham Holmberg – video [wmv] [mov]

Dead Run

For time:

21 Deadlifts (225#/155#)
Run 800m
15 Deadlifts
Run 800m
9 Deadlifts
Run 800m

Results

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Stop and do this: Do Nothing For 2 Minutes. At least just stretch while you do this. Don’t fail!

Short post. Lots done, tons of help, almost there. Target is mat and equipment moving on Wednesday.

Don’t forget on Saturday the field trip WOD to Cascade Crossfit is from 9-11am. The WOD will be a simple chipper of row 500m and 6 movements of either bodyweight or light weights with pretty standard movements that everyone can do.

“Crash Course: The Butterfly Kip” with Chris Spealler, CrossFit Journalpreview video [wmv] [mov]

"2 Minute Defense"

Jeremy coaching Nadia:

Strength WOD:

12 Minutes find your 1RM Clean and Jerk
*Squat or Power Clean, Push or Split Jerk

Then Complete:

“2 MInute Defense – Team”

Teams of 2 alternate rounds and complete 10 rounds each for time:

1 Power Clean (135#/95#)
3 Hang Squat Clean
2 Push Jerks
100 Ft. Sprint

“2 MInute Defense – Solo”

Complete 5 rounds for time, Rest 2 Minutes, Complete 5 rounds:

1 Power Clean (135#/95#)
3 Hang Squat Clean
2 Push Jerks
200 Ft. Sprint

Score total time (including rest)

Results

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Nick from Cascade CF dropped in for “2 Minute Defense”:

Huge PR’s today! Laura got her first pull-up! (2 actually) She has been progressing for a year to this point and it was hard fought and well earned. Lots of people PR’d their clean and/or jerk. Jeremy D. joined the big boy club with a 405# deadlift PR!

We are stoked to be listed as a Whole9 Nutrition Partner!

10 Tips for Success for the CrossFit Newbie

Michelle giving some pre-WOD instruction on the clean:

"Sugarholics"

3 Rounds for Time:

10 Deadlifts (275#/185#)
50 Double-Unders

Results

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Jeremy practicing his fingertip handstand push-ups…

Zach working on the new space:

Read: CDC: Nearly 26 Million Americans Have Diabetes, Third of Americans At Risk

23 million Americans have it. 53 million are pre-diabetic. I heard this on the news today and it was totally disturbing. Do the math, after the latest census we have a population of roughly 300 million in our country. This means approximately 1 in 4 Americans are either pre-diabetic or diabetic. We are trending towards 1 in 3! This “disease” (not Type 1 but Type 2) is completely preventable and totally avoidable simply by eating correctly. You are what you eat. Yet our “healthcare” and government authorities and “experts” continue to tell us all the wrong stuff to eat and focus on the wrong fixes (Don’t get me started on the food pyramid). This “disease” is costing us $174 billion a year. Billion! Last year my mom was diagnosed as pre-diabetic and went to her doctor referred nutritionist. This person then gave her a list of foods and recommendations that were high glycemic, insulin spiking garbage and encouraged her to eat the wrong things. Now that was a long series of phone calls home.

Jack Lalanne figured all this out quite a while ago. Watch this and wonder how we can still have aisles of processed and cleverly marketed fake foods killing us one Ding Dong at a time.

“Sugarholics”:

Some of you were asking about coffee today and how much is too much. Read The Coffee Manifesto by Whole 9

Take a Walk

4 Rounds for Time:
50m Walking Lunges
50 AbMat Sit-ups

Results

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AbMat Smiles:

Tonight I went with Mark, Jeremy, Kim, Matt, and Rob to Imperial CF for a nutrition lecture with Todd Widman (of CrossFit HQ). It was the third time I have attended his lecture and each time I find myself learning more about Paleo, Zone, the importance that nutrition plays in your health and the effects of the crap that is continually pushed, sold, marketed and fed to our kids and loved ones.

Paleo 101: The 15 Rules of the Paleo Diet

Walking Lunge with Mollie:

Take a deep step forward with your foot at a 10 to 15 degree angle from your body (not in a straight line in front of you)
Front knee remains behind the toe in the lunge position
Rear knee gently “kisses” the ground
Airplane arms are optional!

Pull-up challenge:

Try this post WOD and let’s see who can get the most in the box. If you don’t have a pull-up for for max bar hang (total seconds) or max chin over bar hold (total seconds).

“Max 25lb Weighted Pull-ups” with Dave Castro, Dave Lipson, Mikko Salo, Juha Kangasniemi and Christy Phillips – video [wmv] [mov]

Camp Awesome

Sectionals Training WOD:

10 Minutes to find a 1RM Power Clean

Check Out WOD After:

Every Minute on the Minute for 8 Minutes complete:
Sprint 100ft.
Max Rep Power Cleans (155#/105#)

Group Class WOD:

5 Rounds for Time:
Run 400m
21 Box Jumps (24″/20″)
12 Ring Push-ups

Results

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Just another day at Camp Awesome. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and the weights and bodies were flying. Everyone helping one another and skills being developed, refined and strengthened. The mood for Sectionals training was focused and very fun. The way it should be. The main class was just the same. Saturday mornings are my favorite as group after group rolls in and hits their workout and the gym is buzzing pre-WOD with conversation, laughs, coaching and tunes. Once it starts it is like any other day and everyone pushes themselves through and encourages each other but afterwards the Saturday mood is just a little more relaxed. Usually people stick around and work on skills, have fun or just chat. It almost always ends with the coaches getting coffee. Like I said, Camp Awesome.

Zumba Warm-ups with Michelle:

Ninja or Monkey with Matt?

Slop Stoppers:

Searching for Paleo recipe ideas? Try looking on Rob’s CrossFitDad.com site. Rob gathered 52 Paleo Recipes off Facebook from a post on Rogue Fitness’ page the other day. He posted a recipe for Paleo Sloppy Joes that won him a T Shirt and then he complied everyone’s entries. If you pick one you like share it with the group so we can all try it. Tonight Michelle is making the Pina Colada Chicken & Calypso Confetti Cauliflower that Laura shared recently.

Coaching Tip:

The Ring Push-up with Jeremy O.:

Stabilize yourself on the rings in the push-up position with arms fully locked out.
Lower your body in a plank so that your shoulders dip below your elbows
Ideally the rings touch the inner part of the upper pec.
Squeeze the rings together as you push up in a plank.
Ensure you open the elbows and lock the arms out at the top.

"The Air Force WOD"

For time:

* EMOM complete 4 burpees; with remaining time in each minute complete:

20 Thrusters (95#/65# Barbell for all movements)
20 Sumo Deadlift High Pull
20 Push Jerks
20 Overhead Squat
20 Front Squat

* To start complete 4 burpees before moving onto the barbell exercises. Stop every minute to complete 4 burpees and only move on to the next barbell movement after completing 20 reps. Athlete may rest only after completing 4 burpees for the minute.

Results

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For a WOD description and comparison to the last time we did this see previous results. The crux of this WOD is you start in a hole and have to dig yourself out as the sand keeps pouring in around you.

Nadia endured the AF WOD Solo! Not only that she rocked it:

Take a couple minutes and read “Health, Happiness, and Food For Thought” on SicFit by Ricky Frausto, CrossFit Omaha. Especially if you are in the middle of the nutrition challenge.

"What I Learned When I Fell Off the Wagon"

AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) in 16 Minutes:

8 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
8 Pistols (4 per leg)
8 Deadlifts (185#/135#)

Results

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Nan and Melissa getting it done:

Attention “Slop Stoppers!”

We are almost 2 weeks into our “Stop the Slop” Nutrition and Performance Challenge! The efforts at better reps and better eats are going to pay off. Believe it and stick with it! Your coaches have been reviewing food logs, fielding questions, and hearing very similar experiences. These topics range from weight loss, body comp changes, recipes, falling off and climbing back on the wagon, energy swings, and more. It’s all good to talk about and all things that have happened to those who have cleaned up their diet before. If we haven’t given you feedback on your logs yet keep documenting and we will follow up.

Stay strong, don’t reinvent the program and don’t “okay” each cheat meal or slip. Simply acknowledge it, get strict and test your willpower. Watch the video below and imagine how much willpower USA Weightlifter Zach Krych must have to come back from such a devastating injury. Think about how much discipline and “never” quit attitude this guy must display. If he can do that then you can give up bread, beer, and pasta and eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Oh and drink plenty of water.

Read Lindsay’s insightful and humorous email she sent us about her recent “Faileo” Weekend and the “aha” moment she had. If you have fallen off the wagon, take Lindsay’s advice and climb back on and drive that damn wagon off into the sunset!

“What I Learned When I Fell Off the Wagon”

“Hey Guys,

What I’m about to say is mildly shameful, and certainly an admission of guilt. This past weekend was the first time I ventured out of my Paleo bubble since my husband and I have made some major life changes. I started a new job, we both started Crossfit (he re-started; I was brand new) and both made the choice to eat (and live) cleaner, healthier and more simply, with the most recent declaration coming in the form of our “Stop the Slop” challenge.

My guilty admission? The slop stopped me. I had a near-total failure of a Paleo weekend.

However, I say near because, while I ingested an obscene amount of inflammatory factory food, I learned a valuable lesson. And as I traveled home last night, I thought that maybe this lesson would be good to pass on to my fellow Slop-Stoppers.

My lesson: In the midst of my Paleo nose-dive, my new “way of life” was affirmed. I had a moment of clarity. For the first time in memory (maybe ever), I looked into an everyday, run of the mill pantry and didn’t find a single thing that was worth eating. I recalled what I had consumed in the last 2 days (broccoli cheddar soup being one of the worst offenders) and felt total shame. In that moment, I realized the difference between food and fuel. If I had looked into that pantry 3 months ago, I would’ve grabbed that box of Smart Start cereal or that whole grain bagel and peanut butter jar and told myself “Great choice! Healthy choice! One point for Team Lindsay!” Tasty? Yes. Wholesome? Duh, yeah. Now…well, I know better. After rummaging through my friends’ fridge (and not finding a single piece of fruit or vegetable) I found a lone banana on the kitchen counter and ran away with it.

This Faileo weekend could derail me and send me into a deep fried potato bender. I could drown my missteps in a pool of maple syrup or at the bottom of a Coke can. But I don’t want to. I want to be better than that. It isn’t failure that defines you; how you chose to recover from it defines you. So I am choosing to use my cheese and sugar whiplash as motivation to not only get back on the wagon, but to drive that damn wagon into a fiery red sunset.

Shake it out, re-grip and 3, 2, 1, go!”

Games Throwback

5 Rounds for Time:
5 Deadlift (275#/185#)
10 Burpees

Results

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Deads and Burpees with Mollie and Steph:

This WOD is from the 2008 CF Games and one we have done previously. This is day 2 of 3 featuring couplets. I personally like WOD’s that are couplets and triplets the most. Simple, efficient, and capable of a serious ass kicking. They don’t need to get cute or be a laundry list of movements. Those have their place but a well chosen couplet can be the most effective workout and leave you fearful of repeating them.

Today marks 1 week into our Nutrition Challenge and food logs are coming in. We will be reviewing them over the weekend so please turn them in tomorrow or email us if they aren’t on btwb.com. The most important point: You are 1 week in! Stick with it! “You can do it!” (cue the Rob Schneider voice)

Several of you have been sharing your Nutrition Challenge results, experiences, recipes, cravings and questions on Facebook and in the gym. Keep that up. Use the discussion tab the SnoRidge CrossFit group to share recipes, or just print one you want to share out or write them on the whiteboard in the box. One of the cool things we have heard are the MANY people who are already reporting body comp changes and weight loss after a week. Stick through the energy swings of switching to cleaner food and let your body and metabolism adjust.

Lorraine attended Todd Widman’s Nutrition Lecture at CrossFit Advantage last night. Here is what she had to say about it: “Todd Widman’s Nutrition talk was excellent. Highly recommend people making the trek to Imperial (CF) on the 25th if they can. Really charismatic speaker sharing very common sense information.”

Nutrition Discussion with CFHQ Trainer Todd Widman Upcoming Dates:

1/25 at Imperial CrossFit: 5:30-7:30pm Cost $10
Practical discussion on Paleo/Zone nutrition and the benefits and common sense to changing the way you eat.
Several of us in the box are planning to go to Imperial for this. Let us know if you are interested. It’s worth it!

Preview of tomorrow’s WOD which happens to be a couplet:

Graham Holmberg does “Fran” in 2:17 – video [wmv] [mov]