Hot Off the Press

Strength WOD:

Press
5/4/3/2/1/1/1

Checkout:

3 Rounds for time of:

30 Double-Unders
15 Ring Push-ups

Results

View this photo

Rona Lockout Tom Press

Press: (noun) a lift in weightlifting, in which the weight is raised to shoulder height and then steadily extended to a position above the head without use of the legs. 

or (verb) a) to try hard to persuade or exert influence on. b) to insist on or request urgently.

Which one described your press attempts today? For me it was both. It started as a weightlifting movement as defined above. It quickly became the latter as I persuaded, insisted, no requested urgently to get the bar overhead! The removal of the legs to generate power to push the load overhead is a quick eye opener to your relative strength. It shows why you become more efficient as you engage your legs and hips, and also quickly demonstrates how getting stronger in the press will make getting heavier loads over your head easier and faster with lifts like the push press, jerk, snatch. As you find your 1RM you will realize that 5 pounds is a big difference from one attempt to the next. Many of us tried to push, then persuade, then request that bar to move up. Some stared at it to no avail as it hovered at the eyes. Others tried to “duck” their head around it (didn’t work), and one even managed to push one arm up at a time (not recommended)! The Press equals raw strength. You either get it or you don’t. 

        

Notes:

We are stoked to announce that our next Paleo Challenge will kick-off on Friday 2/12 at 6:30pm with a nutrition discussion with Todd Widman, who is a CFHQ Staff Trainer and certification instructor. In addition to his duties traveling for CrossFit certs and judging events like the CF Games, Todd has also been on the CF Journal in the “Boz and Todd Show” (which travels to various boxes to film segments on coaching and motivational techniques) as well as different workout videos. He recently hosted a great nutrition lecture at Rainier CrossFit which I attended. It focused on a very practical discussion of the application of a clean diet and the role proper nutrition plays in performance, CrossFit, and life. We will do the same and this chat will offer good insights into paleo and Zone eating, the how to’s and why’s of eating cleaner, and how to manage it with our families, jobs and busy lifestyles.

  • The nutrition “chat” will last roughly 2 hours and the cost will be $10 per person. 
  • Please understand we will have a “no kids” policy for this so that everyone can benefit from a Squatch Cave free of kids.
  • Bring your questions!

If you have a CF Journal subscription, go here to watch a video on Todd going for a sub 1:20 500m row.

We will then start off the official 7 week Paleo Challenge after the Saturday morning class 2/13.

Early high level summary: We will have weigh-in’s, ‘before” and “after” pics (not to be shared), measurements, and establish a pot for those who want in. The pot will split between the top Male and top Female winner or “loser”. Weekly weigh-in’s will be required and food logs will need to be kept. This is only 7 weeks so everyone can do it! Winner will be determined based on change in body comp. We will base this on the successful challenges that CF Seattle has run. Stay tuned…

Last but not least; sign up for 10am Saturday class by posting to comments. First 8 get a slot otherwise please come at 11am. Affiliate Team training will be at 9am.

Penalty Box

Every minute on the minute complete 10 Box Jumps then perform max reps of overhead squats for the remainder of the minute. Continue with this rep scheme each minute repeating box jumps and max OH Squats until you total 100 reps of overhead squats. 

EMOM: 

10 Box Jumps (24″/20″) 
Max Rep Overhead Squat (75#/55#)

* If you cannot complete any OH Squats in a minute rest and continue with box jumps until you hit the 100 rep total.

Results

View this photo

 Nan and Pat praying to the CrossFit Gods yesterday for help in today’s WOD:

Nan and Pat praying to the CF Gods

Quote of the day: Deb mid squat talking about her husband ~ “Oh my God I don’t want to look like Curtis!”

After today you may all want to throw me into a penalty box. This was our re-match from back in November and there were a bunch of PR’s today. Keep working on the form over loading up the weight. Full depth should be the goal first, then load. This movement is a core taxer. It also was the cross-box challenge with several local affiliates (Outer Edge CF, Local’s Gym, King CrossFit, Stoneway CF, CF Advantage, Foundation CF, and Rivertown CF). We picked the WOD this month so you can understand why I chose this! You can check results that will be posted to Facebook under the group “A Bunch of CF’ers” and I’ll post our average gym time here as well.

Bridget post Penalty Box:

Bridget Post Penalty Box

Notes:

Hey you rowers! Did you know Concept 2 has a dedicated section on their site for CrossFit and rowing? Click here for some useful info, demos, events and training videos. 

Congrats to our friends from King CrossFit who made the CF.com main site today in a video from back in their garage days. They are now thriving in a big box in Renton. Time flies. [wmv] [mov]

"Whoopsie!"

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 15 Minutes of:

15 Deadlift (135#/95#)
500m Row

Results

View this photo

Pat sneaks a peek:

Pat sneaking a peek

Quote of the day: “Concentrating this hard is really stressful!” ~ Vicki taking about her WOD today.

CrossFit forces a lot of concentration during the workout of the day. No matter what level you are at you must concentrate. You have to if you want to block out the pain or discomfort, to slow down the breathing and keep plugging away. Or when everything seems new, unfamiliar, uncoordinated, challenging and impossible in a “are you insane for making me do this” kind of way. You stand at a barbell, watching peripherally as bodies and weights fly around you and all you can think is “GO” while at the same time thinking “stance, butt down, chest up, hands here, head there…”. For some it becomes stressful. We understand that. Our advice? Slow down a second, remember the cues that work for you, and progress through them while blocking out everything else. Don’t worry about how many rounds or how much time has gone by, get that progression in your head, focus on technique and 3-2-1 go! As you become more advanced or more familiar with the movement pattern, your concentration will shift more towards replicating perfect reps, hitting a target number or going unbroken, consistent pacing, split times, managing your rest, and maintaining strategy. You may even decide to check on your competition to see if you are ahead or behind. Bottom line: If your workout is carefree, devoid of all concentration, and totally relaxed and pleasant I would argue it’s not a workout. 

Today’s WOD was meant to be a heavier deadlift with fewer reps. It was supposed to be a repeat from a WOD we did back in November. Due to a mix-up by Household 6 (who I am thinking should be demoted to Household 5 or at least be given burpee de-merits), this version today listed a lighter deadlift and added reps. Whoopsie! Despite that It changed the workout in a positive way and made for more of a row/dl endurance workout combination. It averaged 2000 plus meters rowing along with high reps of lighter deadlifts at an appropriate load that meant more power.

Bonnie AKA “Pinkalicious” rowing:

Bonnie Rows

Notes:

Speaking of power: Jeremy reported his 1st ever 400 yard drive on the golf course this past weekend; thanks to CrossFit (and maybe a little wind). Either way, you could put a hurricane behind me and I probably couldn’t drive it that far. 

Registration forms are in the gym for signing up for the local Snoqualmie valley Cinco De Mayo 1/2 marathon and 8k on May 1st. Register in person here in the box and save $5 off either race. Let’s get a good presence out there and support this community run and fitness challenge! Make it your first 8k or first 1/2!  Also don’t forget the Snoqualmie St. Patty’s Day 5k race is Mar. 13th!

Tomorrow is our monthly cross-box Affiliate Challenge. We called the WOD for this month and it’s a doozy (many will remember it). We will do this workout along with several other local boxes (Local’s Gym, Outer Edge CrossFit, King CrossFit, Stoneway CF, CF Advantage, Foundation CF, RiverTown CF). Show up and bring some intensity!

No More Pull-ups!

10 Rounds for time:

10 Pull-ups
10 Burpees

Results

View this photo

Curtis and Nan demonstrating the two components of “Burpee Hell”:

Got Pullups?_Curtis Nan_Burpees

Today was our first cross-gym CrossFit affiliate challenge brought to you courtesy of Outer Edge CrossFit. They are to blame for the pull-ups and burpees that hit us in the middle of our burpee challenge and only two days after “Chelsea” had us swearing off pull-ups forever. Whatever doesn’t kill us makes us stronger right?

A total of 6 boxes agreed to rotate picking a WOD for all to do each month on the last Wednesday of the last week starting today. We will tally up the total time for our gym and divide by all who completed it today to determine the average WOD time for SRCF. Once we have a final result for the top gym I’ll let everyone know. Next month another gym will get to pick so we will have our turn. Great turnout today and way to represent! This one crushed the chest (I am still coughing) and made your legs feel like lead and your arms feel like rubber. Can’t wait until next month! 

Don demonstrating the common post-“Burpee Hell” position:

Don_Post WOD

Notes:

Today is Day 36 of the Burpee Challenge! We are under two weeks to go. Stick with it. 

New Year’s Eve WOD schedule: 

  • 9am Affiliate Team Pull-up Training: Kidding! No Pull-ups!
  • 10am class roster: Bridget, Mark, Steph, Nan, Rona, Maria, Sangeeta
  • 11am class: Open to all

New Year’s Day: The gym is closed. For those interested Jeremy and Pat have invited all to come run with them along the golf course. Let them know tomorrow. We can ask them to accommodate a shorter route for those interested.

For those with kids: Snow Tubing at the Summit at Snoqualmie on Friday night, New Year’s Day. Pat and Jeremy are taking their kids to the 6pm – 9pm tubing session as it beats the crowds (he has experience with this so trust him). If interested get your tix and let us know! We are planning to join them.

Fight Gone Bad IV

One Day. One Brutal Workout. One Purpose. 

3 Rounds of Max Effort for 1 Minute each of the following exercises:
WallBall (20#/14#)
Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75#/55#)
Box Jump (20″)
Push Press (75#/55#)
Row (for Cal)
Continuous running clock with 1 minute rest between rounds.  Score total reps completed and calories rowed.

Results

View this photo

View this photo

IMG_6862 IMG_6732

IMG_6744 IMG_6841

IMG_6753

This was it! CrossFit affiliates across the country participated today in the fourth annual FGB fundraiser benefiting Athletes for a Cure and The Wounded Warrior Project. Overall the fundraiser raised close to a million dollars. As a collective group SnoRidge CrossFit, CF Redmond, and Team Schneider raised over $1500! Not counting matching funds!

We were proud to have 29 athletes of all levels and ages hit this WOD with max effort and max support from their fellow CrossFitters in our box. Today was motivating and inspiring on a number of levels for us. Thanks to all who came, participated, scored, cheered, and kept that energy level high with each wave. We hope we can do this again next year. Take a nice rest day tomorrow, you all earned it!

CF Redmond, Team Schneider, SnoRidge CF

View the photo album here:

         

"This Will Make a Man (or Woman) Out of You"

5 Rounds for Time of:

200m Run
20 Jumping Lunges
10 Man Makers (25#/15#)

Results
Jumping Lunges or Man-Makers? Which was tougher? Survey says… Both! Pretty much an even split among everyone polled for what was harder. Both worked some of the areas commonly neglected in typical gym training: balance, coordination, speed and explosiveness, and functional movement using one half of your body. 

         

Notes:
The “Grace” Challenge is now OFFICIALLY OVER! Neil made his up tonight. Will finalize the results and announce tomorrow.

Congrats to Steph, Pat, and Jeremy who all completed Elements today and will be joining classes starting tomorrow! All three are fired up! Welcome to Solveig who started Elements. She came, saw, and pretty much conquered the “Intro WOD”. 

Fgb-srcfncfr

FIGHT GONE BAD: Our workout fundraiser event is Saturday morning from 10AM until 2pm or so. We expect a busy day and have over 30 folks coming from our box, Dan is bringing some athletes from CF Redmond, and a large group from Dupont. Feel free to come join us as we all workout for two great causes: Athletes for a Cure and The Wounded Warrior Project. Or come watch! A great way to get some exposure to CrossFit, meet great people, and get motivated. (Dan made the incredibly cool graphic on the right.)

As a gym SnoRidge CrossFit has raised over $1234 in donations. That is just some outstanding stuff. And I need to submit this to my company for a matching grant tomorrow. Everyone should be proud for garnering support for this. Seeya on Saturday!