Friends of SnoRidge CF – Page 2

"2 Minute Max"

2 Minutes of Max Reps of each of the following exercises:

Box Jumps (24″/20″)
Push Press (75#/55#)
Double-Unders
AbMat Sit-ups
Air Squats

* Rest 1 Minute between exercises
** Partner up and count reps

Results

Today I thought we would mix it up, have fun, and everyone could go for broke. Since it was a rest day I am looking forward to making this one up soon! Watch the video, then read the post below I borrowed from a friend. It is right on, well written, and worth reading.

For those working on double-unders, watch Chris Spealler show you how it’s done:

“10 Points to Live By in the CrossFit Community” by Scott Rodriguez of Stoneway CrossFit

10 Points to live by in the CrossFit Community

1. Have fun – Whether it be in CrossFit or your favorite sport or shopping with grandma, make sure you try and have fun. Honestly, you can do CrossFit just about anywhere with anyone or by yourself. You choose to come to us for a reason, because we’re awesome.

2. Show up on time – Actually show up early and leave late. Foam roll, stretch and get rid of all that junk in your lower back and shoulders. Showing up late will only cheat you out of a sufficient warm-up. Without a good warm-up, your chance of injury increases exponentially. If you show up early you have two options, cheer on the class that is finishing or start warming up.

3. Don’t whine – It’s okay to cry, just make sure that we can’t see or hear you and remember to clean up your tears when you’re done. Maybe the song that comes on isn’t your favorite, in the immortal words of Josh Everett “If you need music to motivate you, go find something else to do”. Be careful of asking me to change the song, I might just put on Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA on repeat. I’m your coach, not Mix Master Mike. You have a task to accomplish, so do it. Yes I know that every workout is hard and I know that you hate running and I know that the bar hurts your delicate hands, but there comes a time when we have to nut up or shut up…or both. CrossFit is constantly varied, so the odds are that you will see some workouts you hate. That’s why it’s CrossFit and not alltheshityoulikeFit. When you come to CrossFit, be ready to work. Come prepared to face all those pains and things you hate head on. Accept the suck.

4. Give it all – More than strength, speed, flexibility or endurance, effort is what matters most. I don’t care if you’re Joe Thruster with a sub 3 minute Fran, if you half-ass a workout, you’re a poser. Grandma doing jumping pull-ups and thrusters with a PVC kicked your ass because she gave everything she had just short of a stroke. Times and weights matter, but they fail in comparison to effort. Keep pushing yourself to your most extreme limits. I don’t care if you have a 500 lbs or 50 lbs deadlift as long as you put forth the effort and don’t sandbag.

5. Listen to your coach – We are here to help you get more fit and accomplish your goals. When we say things like “you’re lifting with your back, use more hips” don’t act surprised when your lower back is sore. When we tell you that the foam roll and lacrosse ball works, we aren’t just being sadistic. We tell you to rest because you need rest, just as we tell you to get in the gym more because you need to be in the gym more. If you want to get better at something, you have to practice it. Plain and simple. Yes there are some of you who are naturally good at some things, but why not get better?

6. Fail sometimes – The unique thing about CrossFit is that the only way to achieve excellence is through failure. The strength portion of our workouts are designed to where you may fail at a set. If you don’t fail you aren’t trying hard enough! CrossFit is an environment where no one will laugh at you or put a permanent letter in your file for dumping an overhead squat. Don’t be afraid to fail, there’s always next time. Pushing yourself to fail is more of a mental thing than it is a physical thing. We have conditioned ourselves to think that failing is bad and therefore don’t push ourselves in fear of failure. Take that fear away and see what you can accomplish.

7. Eat good food – The short answer is eat Primal. If you don’t want to eat like that, just eat meat, some fruit, vegetables, little starch, no sugar, no grains. If you’re low on energy, then you’re not eating enough. I remember a lot of people starting off on Paleo complain of low energy then proceed to tell me that they didn’t eat anything all day because they didn’t know what to eat. Is it that hard to eat meat and vegetables these days?

8. Count it – Tracking your workouts matters.

9. Be nice – CrossFitters are notorious for making fun of people who go to globo gyms (present company included). People achieve their personal fitness goals in their own ways. Instead of pointing out their propensity for douchiness on the elliptical, try introducing them to CrossFit. You’ll get a better reaction and won’t come off like a jerk. You were once that guy on the squat machine or that girl on the elliptical. If someone made fun of you and then said CrossFit was the way to superior fitness, you would tell them to go *F themselves.

10. Get involved – CrossFit is more than just an hour of working out. We are a family and you can get as involved as you like. Just like anything else, you get out what you put in.”

Mt. Rainier's Strongest Man and Woman

“Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” ~ John Wooden

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure…than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. ” ~ Theodore Roosevelt

Yesterday was Mt. Rainier’s Strongest Man and Woman, a fundraiser for Fragile X Research held at Rainier CrossFit in Puyallup:

Event #1: 1RM Axle Deadlift: 3 attempts (20# progressive load)

Event #2: 2 Rds for time of: 200m Run/5 Stone Loads /16′ Rope climbs (2 Men / 1 Women)

Event #3: 3 Rds for time of: 7 OH Log Press / 21 double-unders

Event #4: Sprint / Heavy Farmers Walk / Sprint / Heavy Sandbag Carry event (~ 30 ft. all distances)

Full Results

Pat, Moe, Sean, Mark B., and I all competed yesterday for Team Squatch.

Pat finished 3rd out of 7
Mark finished 4th out of 11
Moe finished 6th out of 8
Sean finished 9th out of 15
Tom (me) finished 2nd out of 11

As Mark said it was a day of doing epic shit! After spending last night after the event eating a big meal, drinking a margarita (or two), soaking in an epsom salt bath, and sleeping in I can safely say I am sore, tired, and absolutely stoked! Yesterday’s event was an amazing day. Team Squatch went down to Rainier for the MRSMW 5 event and threw down for charity. This annual event is a meaningful cause to raise funds to help find a cure for Fragile X. This directly benefits Rainier CrossFit in that Kurtis and Laurie’s son Casey has Fragile X. So this event is essentially for Casey. Every dollar raised, donation made, and entry fee paid goes to help fund research for a cure. Personally while the competition is truly fun and intense, it’s made even more meaningful when you know that the community is coming together to benefit something real. That’s why events like this, Fight Gone Bad or Amazing Grace are more fun than Sectionals or Regionals.

There were four Strongman/CrossFit blended events and unique from what we typically do in the box. A few of us were able to work at least once in the past couple weeks to learn the new movements we had never done. Things like stone loads, log presses, and heavy farmer’s walk; while some on the team learned or gained more experience with rope climbs and fat bar lifts. These events proved unique and challenging. They were very well programmed WOD’s that were deceptively hard in their own right, as even if you could do all the movements and loads as prescribed they were very physically taxing when done for time. Strongman events are typically very short duration, max power, anaerobic type events. The movements require enormous strength and technique in their own right, but adding things like runs, rope climbs or double-unders elevates your heart rate, and makes it even more of a challenge. This blend of CrossFit and Strongman was really effective and over the course of the day and kicked all our butts.

I am honored to have sweated and bled (yes bled) with some very good athletes and friends. Our hard training at SRCF paid off as we all represented ourselves well. Are there things for each of us to work on? Of course. Now are there things we did yesterday that we couldn’t probably do just a few short months ago? Absolutely. Did we all have fun and contribute to something important while doing it? Heck yes. That makes it one successful day.

My personal recap:

I loved these WOD’s. The fat bar deadlift is different for most (Mark is the inhuman exception as he is seemingly capable of deadlifting anything that happens to be in his way). Knowing you only had three attempts with predetermined jumps meant you also had to think about strategy and not get greedy without being too conservative. At the end I tied my normal bar deadlift and finished tied for 3rd. I could have maybe pulled more. Lessons learned all around.

The stone load/rope/sprint triplet was deceiving yet really a blast. For me it felt like “Fran” when I was done. Going all out was my strategy without missing a 200 lb. stone load. Taking active rest during the WOD and knowing when to chalk (like before the “3-2-1 Go”) helped save seconds. Climbing fast and sliding down the rope was crucial in a WOD and field that every second clearly mattered. During that second round the stone got real heavy and the forearms got really tired. By the time this was over I was in 2nd for the WOD and left wondering if I would be able to keep my post WOD recovery meal down. I also think I want to buy some stone molds!

Log presses and double-unders are a good couplet. Learning to lift/roll the log up (you don’t clean it) and then move your head out of the way to lift it makes what seems a manageable weight quickly feel like you are lifting a small tree. For me this WOD was a blast as I got to go head to head with the defending Strongman champ for my weight class from last year’s event (Paul – a truly great dude). As the shoulders and legs quickly fried, and the double-unders flew by, I realized I was still slightly ahead of Paul. Knowing he would not slow down, I kept the log in my hands during round three despite wanting to drop it. Finishing just seconds ahead of him in 1st meant a lot as my wife, daughter and friends were cheering us both on. It ranked up pretty high as one of my all time favorite workouts.

The final event was short yet important. There was no room for error. Trip, fall (more on that), or fail and your placement in this WOD suffered. As each heat went by it was obvious that it would be heavy and that falling or diving over the line was getting to be common. For me I knew I had to win the event to at least tie for 1st. The sprint across the gym was short and you had to turn and step (or jump) into your farmer’s handles. The loads were heavy (210 lbs. each hand for me) and walking a real hurdle. Short choppy steps was the key as I made it across with no issue. As soon as I sprinted back and grabbed the 200 lb. sandbag I knew I just had to keep moving to maybe get the fastest time. Moving too fast as I neared the finish I went splat and fell face first in front of the finish line which lost a few precious seconds.

Overall I finished 2nd for my class. I had tons of fun and look forward to next year already!

Read the recap of the MRSMW event from Moe and Mark’s perspectives on their own blogs:

Moe’s Beef

Mark’s Training blog

Team Squatch (pictured L to R are Sean, me, Moe, Mark, Pat):

Rowing for Dummies

* Not you all, the dumbbells!

For Time:

21 Dumbbell Push Press (40#/25#)
500m Row
18 Dumbbell Push Press
500m Row
15 Dumbbell Push Press
500m Row

* Post Warm-up instruction/practice Turkish Get-ups with Kettlebell or Dumbbell or Barbell

Results

View this photo

“Get UP!”

Who liked Turkish Get-ups? These are good for building functional strength, strengthening the shoulder girdle, legs and midline, and developing coordination. Read the link above, and work them before or after a WOD. Start light and learn the movement before adding weight.

Turkish Get-up Variations – Jeff Martone [wmv] [mov]

Both of “The Paleo Solution” books are officially claimed to be checked out (Rob and Maria). As soon as they are read and returned I will post it for whoever is next.

Push/Pull:

Notes:

Saturday class tomorrow is a Team WOD (teams of 2) and Michelle will be coaching. Bring your game face!

Tomorrow is also the Mt. Rainier Strongest Man and Woman, a fundraiser for Fragile X Research to be held at Rainier CrossFit in Puyallup from 10 am until around 5:30. Come watch the events in RCF’s huge new box!

Representing Team Squatch will be Pat, Moe, Sean, Mark B., and I. Go to the site to read more but there will be four events that are strongman/CrossFit blended events and unique from what we typically do in the box.

Tentative Schedule:

8-9 Athlete check in/ registration/ weigh in
9-9:30 MANDATORY rules meeting. Athletes MUST be present

10am Deadlift event
11:30 Run/ Stone/ Rope climb event
2pm OHP/ double under event
4pm Farmers walk / sandbag event

5:30 awards

If you are interested in donating to the cause you can donate at the event or just buy some food or drink which proceeds will go to FRAXA. For those who are Microsoft employees (like myself), please don’t forget that Microsoft will match any donations. Doris Buffet of the Buffet family has pledged that if FRAXA can raise $500,000 as an organization she will match that amount!

"Running (or Rowing) Diane"

For time:

21 Deadlifts (225#/155#)
21 Handstand Push-ups
400m Run or 500m Row
15 Deadlifts
15 Handstand Push-ups
400m Run or 500m Row
9 Deadlifts
9 Handstand Push-ups
400m Run or 500m Row

Results

View this photo

Moe and Eric rocking banded handstand push-ups:

Today was a rare day where we made a WOD adjustment due to weather. Seeing as the monsoon would have required real rowing outside we made the option of rowing on an erg indoors a substitute for running. The surprising thing is how many chose to run anyway. That’s either hardcore or fear of the rower!

Events:

“Strength to Find a Cure”: Sean training the Log Press

Mt. Rainier Strongest Man and Woman, a fundraiser for Fragile X Research is slated for Saturday, November 6th at Rainier CrossFit in Puyallup, WA.

Several of us from Team Squatch will be competing in the event and helping raise money for an important cause. Right now myself, Moe, Sean, and Mark B. are all signed up. All the events are scalable, there will be weight classes, and it will be fun! Go to the site to read more but there will be four events that are strongman/crossfit blended events and unique from what we typically do in the box. If you are on the fence then climb over and register at the link above or on the right hand side. If not then come watch the events in RCF’s huge new box.

If you are interested in donating to the cause you can also do so on the MRSMW site and if you want to be a local business sponsor there is sponsorship info as well. For those who are Microsoft employees (like myself), please don’t forget that Microsoft will match any donations and that the GIVE campaign is currently running. Doris Buffet of the Buffet family has pledged that if FRAXA can raise $500,000 as an organization she will match that amount!

Rainier CrossFit on why this event is so important to them:

“Mt. Rainier’s Strongest Man began in 2006 as a way to combine a love for Strongman and a need for funding and awareness for a little known genetic condition called Fragile X Syndrome. Our son has Fragile X, the most common cause of inherited mental retardation and the most common known cause of autism yet largely unheard of and drastically underfunded. We heard our call to action, paired with The Old Cannery, and MRSM was born. The contest has grown from 5 local competitors to 5 divisions of men and women, more than 40 competitors from 5 states, and has raised over $25,000 to date.”

CrossFit Archives: “CrossFit and Strongman“, a CrossFit Journal Preview [wmv] [mov]

(Pretty cool that Kurtis talks about a CrossFit Strongest Man and Woman and it’s that much closer with this event)

"Mossy Stump HIll Run"

For Time:

1.36 Mile Sandbag Trail Run to Mossy Stump Hill and back

* Choose a vest, sandbag, or weight. Post load and total time.

Results (Pic to be posted tomorrow)

All Weighted Down and Ready To Go:

lululemon weight-vests?

Today was time to mix it up a little. We’ve been wanting to get out for a run to Mossy Stump Hill for class. I love this hill. Running hill repeats will be something that anyone considering Sectionals should be ready for. The weather mostly cooperated and hitting the hill down, up and back again is tough with or even without a vest or sandbag. The distance may be relatively short but running it for time is a good workout. Adding in the vest or bag to go as RX’d makes breathing (and running) all the more difficult.

Notes:

Tomorrow is Barbells for Boobs! For those planning on coming, rest up, eat a good breakfast, go forth and dominate! See you at King CrossFit. For the rest of you remember that the box is CLOSED Saturday and all are more than welcome to come to King and WOD with the rest of us for good times and a good cause.

There will be NO CLASS this Saturday here at SRCF!

16 October (Sat.) – “Barbells for Boobs” at King CrossFit. Part of breast cancer awareness month, “Amazing Grace” is a fundraiser sponsored by the CrossFit Journal to benefit Mammograms in Action

Location: King CrossFit, 200 South Tobin Street, Renton, WA 98057
WOD is “Grace“: 30 Clean and Jerks for time (135#/95#) as RX’d
“Go” Times: (arrive a little early to warm-up, let them know you are Team Squatch)
- Box opens at 8:30am
- 1st wave at 9am and goes every half hour until 12pm
If you have kids then they can try CF Kids at 11:30am if there are open spots!

"Karabel"

10 Rounds for time:

3 Power Snatches (135#/95#)
15 Wall Balls (20#/14#)

Results

View this photo

Part Isabel – Part Karen:

So today I planned to do Karabel. Some schedule changes made it unknown and unknowable so instead I tackled the CrossFit Total with Mark at his request. The best part was I got to watch Mark hit his one month goal he set on Saturday about, oh I don’t know, 28 days early! His goal? Hit 1000 total pounds lifted on his CrossFit Total. He managed to complete a total of 1010 with a PR on his deadlift of 500 pounds!!! Lifting a 1/4 ton is pretty good stuff. Hit the link to read what the CF Total is. We are planning to run one in the gym and are trying to figure out logistics due to the time required to complete it.

Notes:

Are you ready for Amazing Grace on Saturday at King CrossFit?

There will be NO CLASS this Saturday here at SRCF! Let us know (post to comments) if you are registered and planning to go to King CrossFit with Michelle, Moe and I this Saturday. All are welcome, everything can be scaled and it’s an event to have fun and raise money to fight breast cancer.

16 October (Sat.) – “Barbells for Boobs” at King CrossFit from 8:30am to 11:30am

Part of breast cancer awareness month, “Amazing Grace” is a fundraiser sponsored by the CrossFit Journal to benefit Mammograms in Action
We are teaming up with King CrossFit in Renton and we are going to their box for this workout for the Saturday WOD. Come represent SRCF!
WOD is “Grace“: 30 Clean and Jerks for time (135#/95#) as RX’d
Please RSVP
There will be NO Saturday class at SnoRidge on 10/16 as we will all go to King

Video:

Highlights from the USAW/CF Weightlifting Open by CrossFit Again Faster video [wmv] [mov]

"Jack"

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 Minutes:
10 Push Press (115#/75#)
10 Kettlebell Swings (53#/35#)
10 Box Jumps (24″/20″)

Results

View this photo

“Jack“

Army SSG Jack M. Martin III, 26, of Bethany, OK, assigned to 3rd BN, 1st SF Group, Ft. Lewis WA, died Sept. 29, 2009 in Jolo Island, Phillipines, from the detonation of an IED (Improvised Explosive Device). He was also a CrossFitter from Rainier CrossFit. Rest in peace.

"You Ruined My Perfectly Good Push-ups"

10 Rounds For Time:

15 Deadlifts (135#/95#)
15 Push-ups

Results

View this photo

Deadlifting for two (Jenna CF’ing in her 2nd trimester):

Who loves the “new and improved” push-up? Just when you thought that “hands release” push-ups were hard, now you get to try the “KStar” push-up that we learned at the Mobility cert. Yes they made the WOD harder to focus on these early. Now you know what they are. Practice these. Then go forth and crush push-ups.

Homework Assignment: Go to the Mobility WOD site. Watch one of the videos. Pick any one. Come into the box 10 minutes early. Warm-up and then do it. You will see results.

Speaking of push-ups: Cristin had a great idea to work on push-ups. Here is our next challenge that will start on October first. It will be a 30 Day Challenge.

Scaled version: Day 1 complete 1 push-up and 29 scaled push-ups. Day 2 complete 2 push-ups and 28 scaled, Day 3 complete 3 push-ups and 27 scaled and so on, continuing until Day 30.
RX Version: Complete 30 push-ups everyday for 30 days.
Break them into sets as needed or just display random acts of awesomeness by doing all 30 at once.

Notes:

“Amazing Grace: You Can Fight Cancer” through Barbells for Boobs, CrossFit Journal [wmv] [mov]

Come fight cancer and support a great cause by doing “Grace” on 10/16 at King CrossFit! Event details on the right side of the page.

It may be an early arm pull, but the fact that Jeremy is shrugging in a clean is a victory in and of itself!

Jeremy O. cleans his way through the “Broomstick Mile”:

"Grace"

“Grace”:

For Time
30 Clean and Jerks (135#/95#)

Results

View this photo

Rona “Hearts” Jerks!

Today there must have been something in the water in the box. PR’s and bars were flying everywhere! You men and women are becoming beasts! Maybe we should do Grace every month. All of the strength WOD’s and couplets of cleans and overhead presses/jerks paid off for many of you today with improved technique, heavier loads and faster times.

Now you all have another baseline for the rematch on 10/16 from 8:30am to 11:30am at King CrossFit when we will tackle Grace again for Barbells for Boobs. Mark it down now, it will be the Saturday WOD for our box and we want to bring a group to lift some weight and fight breast cancer! This cause is important for us as Michelle’s mom is a breast cancer survivor.

John from Rack position to Jerk:

Grace (CrossFit Kids from 2007) [wmv] [mov] (FYI these kids have turned into firebreathers)

Notes:

We are going to hold off on the rowing instruction with Sammamish Rowing Association until we can be sure the weather and water will be warmer and drier. Look for it next spring! Thank you Lucy for working to get this lined up, we look forward to hosting an indoor rowing class with you and Rob at the box soon!

Upcoming Events

“UHaul” Wall Balls:

Fresh off of yesterday’s event we are already planning more! Here’s a peek at what’s to come:

October:

2 October (Sat.) – Rowing on Lake Samm with the Sammamish Rowing Association
- Learn the ABC’s of rowing: How to row on the indoor erg and in a boat on the water! Time is 12-3pm. <Cost TBD>
16 October (Sat.) – Barbells for Boobs at King CrossFit from 8:30am to 11:30am
- Part of breast cancer awareness month, “Amazing Grace” is a fundraiser sponsored by the CrossFit Journal to benefit Mammograms in Action
- We are teaming up with King CrossFit in Renton and we are going to their box for this workout for the Saturday WOD. Come represent SRCF!
- WOD is “Grace“: 30 Clean and Jerks for time (135#/95#) as RX’d
- There will be NO Saturday class at SnoRidge that day as we will all go to King
30 October (Sat.) – “Frankenchipper” Halloween WOD at the box from 10am until 12pm
- Same WOD as last year
- Costume required (you will do the WOD in it too)!

Notes:

I wanted to also share that Cristin finished her first ever triathlon today (which is why she missed Fight Gone Bad on Sat. – we coached her to take a rest day prior even though she wanted to come do it)! Congrats to Cristin for such an amazing accomplishment!

Here’s her words and a pic after the finish:

“I did it! I finished my first triathlon. I loved it and I only used profane language a couple of times 🙂 I thought that the swim would be the most difficult but it actually ended up being the bike, gotta hate those hills. I TOTALLY noticed a difference in my abilities and strength and I know that it is all because of CrossFit! You guys have helped me change so much…I never thought I would ever be able to finish something like this.”