Community. Coaching. Caring.
are this weekend! We will be competing as an affiliate team with Michelle, Moe, Kim, Mark, Pat and Jeremy as well as I will be competing individually against the best of our 6 state region. For more info go to the CrossFit Games site.
If you want live scores you can get them here:
Wish us luck!
5 Rounds For Time:
10 Power Clean (135#/95#)
15 Push-ups
Results
Travis and Tara cleaning and pushing:
I love this WOD! It’s one of my favorites.
This Saturday we are CLOSED!
In case you haven’t heard we will be competing at the Northwest Regionals for the 2010 CF Games at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. The top 75 male and 75 female athletes from Sectionals competitions from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Alaska will be competing to send 3 men and 3 women to Los Angeles in July to compete in the Games. There will be 35 or so Affiliate teams (including SnoRidge) who will also be competing to send the top 6 teams on for the Affiliate Cup. Last but not least will be the Masters Competition where CF’ers over age 50 all around the world are vying at their respective Regionals to advance the top 15 worldwide for the 1st ever Masters division competition.
If you plan to come then you can purchase tickets at the door but it will be cash only. Look for your fellow “Squatches” when you come into the arena. There will be plenty of vendors, food and free parking available. See here for more event details. This weekend is shaping up to be loaded with great weather, big effort and big fun! We hope to see you all there!
Notes:
Come tomorrow and help celebrate Lucy’s special day with her birthday WOD!
A few of you are SO close to your 100th WOD so remember to tell us when you hit it!
Watch the women’s competition at the North Central Regionals preview from the CF Journal [wmv] [mov]
By the way we love the feedback that many of you have been inputting into the site on the “feedback tab” (over on the left). We read and discuss all of the ideas and are trying to figure out ways to incorporate them!
Michelle: Moe: Kim:
Pat: Jeremy: Mark:
Here’s your team people! Next weekend these six will go to the 2010 CF Games Northwest Regionals to represent our box, work hard, grin and “bear complex” it, and high five their way through two days of tough team workouts. They will go up against at least 30 other teams representing affiliates from Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Alaska that all want to earn a shot at competing for the Affiliate Cup at the Games in Los Angeles come July.
Come support them at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. It’s practically in our own backyard! How lucky is that?
I’m so stoked about coaching this team I am gonna go run or something!
Strength WOD:
5 Rounds of Dead Hang Pull-ups
* Rest as necessary between rounds; work up to max reps per attempt
Check Out WOD Immediately After:
As Many Rounds As Possible in 12 Minutes:
5 Deadlift (Use 60% of 1RM)
7 Shoot-Throughs (Parallette)
10 AbMat Sit-Ups
Shoot Through’s for Two!:
Results
View this photo
View this photo
Today was a different type of strength WOD and check out WOD and both were quite effective. Dead hang pull-ups are all too often neglected in CrossFit. We rely on hip drive and kipping so often that developing the strength to adequately pull our own bodyweight can take a back seat to speed and efficiency. So why train dead hang pull-ups if they are less efficient? The same reason we do one rep max lifts with the barbell. To get stronger so that when we want to go faster we can because we take longer to fatigue and can get more work done. This means more power. That means better results physically. Practice those strict dead hang pull-ups, with or without a band. You will get stronger and your pull-ups will get better.
The “Shoot Through” with Ryan:
Think “Burpee on parallettes”. I learned these at the Gymnastics Cert and they are outstanding. Part push-up, dip and jump. It teaches speed, builds strength in the arms, core and shoulders, and drains you quickly. You can do them on parallettes or scale them using boxes or something higher to allow more room to jump and to make the push-up easier. Either way, it’s still hard to “shoot it’!
Notes:
History of the Burpee according to Wikipedia: The exercise may have originated from native North American ‘Indian Wrestling’ or it may have been originated by a man named Lieutenant Thomas Burpee (1757-1839). He was an officer in the New Hampshire Militia during the American Revolutionary War and was described as “having the innate Burpee fondness for martial exercises” in A History of the Town of New London, Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Lt. Burpee may have used the combination of push ups and squat thrusts as a means of drilling, conditioning, and disciplining the troops under his command. In addition, the exercise may have also been used by the troops as a way to stay warm during the winters in wartime New England.
Quick heads up on the box schedule:
On May 15th and 16th (Sat. and Sun.) we will be closed for the 2010 CF Games Northwest Regionals competition being held at the Puyallup Fairgrounds. We will have a team of our very own competing (Moe, Kim, Pat, Jeremy D., Mark B., and Michelle) in the Affiliate Team qualifiers and myself for the individual qualifiers. If you are thinking about attending as a spectator then before you go buy tickets let Michelle, Moe or I know as a few of our team members had already purchased a ticket and no longer need it due to being on the team. Come out one or both days and watch the events. There will be a bunch of amazing people all sweating through the Master’s Qualifiers, Team Qualifiers and Individual competition that weekend! It will be exciting, fun and a great opportunity to see some of the best CF athletes our 6 state region has to offer tackle some sure to be grueling WOD’s. All for a shot at the Games!
Tabata Intervals: Perform 8 intervals of max reps for 20 seconds work followed by 10 seconds rest of the following exercises in sequence. Score lowest number of reps for a given round.
Box Jumps (24″/20″)
Kettlebell Swings (53#/35#)
Air Squats
Following the WOD:
2 rounds of hang for time from the pull-up bar.
(Grip it and dead-hang for dear life)
Results
View this photo
View this photo
Who thought the bar hang was way tougher than they thought?
Here’s a link to the Garage Gym throwback days for when we last did this one. We haven’t done Tabata’s in awhile ( since the March Cross-box Challenge) so it was good to put this in the mix.
Notes:
T Shirts are in tomorrow! We will bag and tag them and get them to you ASAP!
Welcome to Jenna who dropped in today to the morning class and rocked some Tabata’s! Also welcome to the gang who recently completed Elements : Annette, Michelle D., Sashank, Doug as well as Willy who is one day away from being complete. Make sure you all introduce yourselves and give high fives and chest bumps!
Congrats to Adriana and Jim M. who earned their 100th WOD status recently. You’ll see them proudly sporting their T’s.
CrossFit Games Update:
In addition to our group who is competing at Regionals in 2 weeks we have a group who are volunteering. Shout out to Rob, Rona, Lyndi, Eli, and Sangeeta who are all going to help ensure the event runs smooth!
Coaching Tip: The Air Squat with Eli
Air Squat cues:
Rest Day
Mike and the “Oh So Fun Squat Clean”:
Notes:
Today’s topic: “When the arms bend, the power ends”
Mirror Images?
Technique is everything. In the two pics above, one is of a CrossFitter that was posted recently on crossfit.com that was used to show a slight early arm pull with triple extension on the power snatch and the other is of Ryan doing the same. I wanted to use these pics as a teaching point. Both athletes are in the “second pull” with triple extension in the power snatch. Both are bending the arms slightly early as the bar is still rising. In both photos the ankles/knees/hips of the two athletes have all reached full extension (i.e. open joints) while the arms have begun to bend. This marks the transition to the “third pull” which is the transition point when the barbell has reached its highest point and the arms bend as the lifter begins to explosively pull under the barbell to receive the bar overhead (the “first pull” being the pull off the floor).
My interpretation of both photos is that they have really good form and have reached the top of their “second pull” and are beginning the “third pull” under the bar. I also think Ryan’s form is slightly better (lifting form only of course) since he has a slight lean back showing he is generating more “speed through the middle” which translates to greater momentum on the barbell upwards. However, both could have better form by eliminating their early arm bend. Nit-picky sure but that early arm bend may mean the difference in getting more weight up.
One of the most common mistakes on cleans or snatches is that the lifter bends the arms early in the second pull or worse yet prior to reaching full triple extension. A great rule of thumb I learned from Coach Burgener is “When the arms bend; the power ends”. You want to achieve the most power you can in the lift to be the most efficient. This means letting that bar rise with the straightest arms possible before pulling under. It ideally reaches the highest point when you reach triple extension and then you bend to pull underneath. At it’s worst if you are already bending your arms while your hips/knees are bent and your ankles are flat on the floor you essentially are performing a reverse arm curl. So remember the three pulls, focus on exploding, and let that momentum work to your advantage and you will feel the surprise of the barbell “floating” up while you pull under it. The list of things we all have to work on just never ends!
Read “A Tale Of Three Pulls” by CrossFit Orlando
Photo of Second Pull from Catalyst Athletics:
Note less arm bend, and the barbell is much higher. And heavier.
Strength WOD:
Front Squat
1/1/1/1/1/1/1
* Work up to 1RM (1 Rep Max)
Check Out WOD Immediately After:
As Many Rounds As Possible in 10 minutes of:
10 Front Squat (95#/65#)
10 Ring Dips
10 Double-Unders
Results
The key to the Front Squat, get your butt back and get down in the hole. Learn to fire out of it with your chest up, leading with your elbows. Weight should always be on the heels with the elbows high.
Quote from Chris Spealler (one of the top elite CrossFitters) Q: “So how do you train the mental aspect?” A: “You just go THERE.”
So what does “going there” mean? Rather than having me try to explain it go read what Kallista Pappas wrote on the topic. This is perfectly stated. We all need to learn how to go THERE. Oh and in case you are wondering, her poster is the one framed in the box. The one that says you just got schooled by a 14 year old girl.
Coaching Tip:
Full range of motion on a ring dip means the shoulder drops below the top of the elbow joint (As Ryan shows below) and then locks out at the top:
Notes:
Reminder for the Saturday BodyFat Test. The truck will be here at 7am to 12pm and you will need to sign up in the box for a slot. You’ll need your swimsuit and cost is $35 if it’s a re-test and $49 for 1st time. I would encourage you to get it measured. Make it your baseline if you are new or your yardstick for seeing how you have done if you kept up with the Paleo/Zone Nutrition Challenge. Saturday class for 10am and 11am will be open and we won’t try sign-ups this week. Just to stay constantly varied (actually because so many are on vacation).
10 Rounds for time:
3 Power Snatch (135#/95#)
15 Wall Balls (20#/14#)
Results
“Karabel” is a mash-up benchmark WOD. Taking Karen (150 Wall Balls at 20# men/14# women) and combining it with Isabel (30 Snatches at 135#/95#) creates this little monster that ends up with the same number of reps but with a different approach. There are several ways you can mash benchmark’s together or mix them up and a couple are in the programming in the next month or two. Look for possible rowing, team, or heavy variations and maybe even a backwards version. The possibilities are almost endless.
Notes:
Traveling? If you are gone for business or vacation don’t forget to consider fitting in a WOD. You can download a list of Bodyweight WOD’s here on our site (right hand side) to use or think about looking for another CrossFit Affiliate to drop in on. The experience of visiting another box on the road is a bunch of fun and good exposure to the rest of the community.
Go get a massage! It’s worth it to get outstanding attention paid to removing the stiffness, tension, adhesions and pain points we build up through everyday work and CrossFit. I got one today, and what a difference it makes. Travis told me recently something that his massage therapist told him, (which I’ll paraphrase); “If you are going pretend to be an elite athlete and train like one, then you have to eat, sleep and recover like one; including taking care of yourself with regular sports massages and stretching.
Don’t forget if you bring a SnoRidge CF business card with you to North Bend Therapeutic Massage you can get a discount off a 60 minute massage (which works out to a very affordable $55 for an hour of myofascial release, sports, or deep tissue massage). Get more info from us in the box.
Go watch some cool video of the women’s highlights from the New England Sectionals [wmv] [mov]
50/40/30/20/10 of each of the following for time:
Box Jumps (24″/20″)
AbMat Sit-ups
Results
View this photo
View this photo
Jeremy and the GHD:
Weak Sauce: Defined by Urban Dictionary as “an event or object that lacks intensity and/or fails to fully accomplish its purpose”. I would add to this definition to include: “whining, complaining, or generally approaching the CrossFit Warm Up with a lackadaisical attitude; going through the motions or trying to shortcut it.”
The warm up has a purpose. It is movement preparation and injury prevention. It warms the muscles and overall body temperature, which increases muscle elasticity and reduces stiffness. It dilates your blood vessels and allows more oxygen to travel through the blood in your muscles enhancing endurance and performance. It induces the body to cool itself more efficiently. The warm up improves range of motion around your joints and triggers the release of hormones in the body that drives your body to release carbohydrates and fatty acids to be used for energy production. Finally, the warm-up signals the mind to get ready to get work done.
When you come in, leave the weak sauce at the door and approach the warm up as a chance to focus on movement prep as well as a chance to improve technique with a PVC and perfect your range of motion. It will pay dividends in the WOD and in your overall fitness.
If you want the exact opposite of weak sauce, then go watch two of the top CrossFitters in the world in “Speal vs. Khalipa” on the CrossFit Journal [wmv] [mov]
Notes:
Congrats to Zach for getting his 1st Muscle Up today after the WOD! Also congrats to Lucy, Pat and Jeremy for running the Mercer Island 1/2 Marathon this weekend. Warriors all of you!
Lorri’s going away gig is this Friday night! If you didn’t receive the Evite let Lucy know or drop us an email. We don’t want her to move so this is our last chance to change her mind!
Beyond the Whiteboard posted some major changes recently. Go read the link for some in-depth explanations around some of those new features.
Paleo/Zone Challenge Update: The Body Fat Truck will be back April 10th at the conclusion of the challenge to conduct a follow up test. Stick with the diet changes and make them lifestyle changes. For those who have been weighing in weekly we have seen weight dropping, and for many performance and recovery improving. Rachel has lost 13 pounds so far!
Schedule change: Starting this Friday we will have a 5pm class each week with Moe! Whoo hoo!
Happy Birthday to Graham and my brother Jim N.!
3 Rounds For Time:
16 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (95#/65#)
19 Knees-to-elbows
400m Run Backwards
Results
Graham busting out some double-unders:
Graham seems to look better off.
Two really cool dudes had birthdays this week so we did a mash-up and this is what we came up with. Grip killing, ab torching, leg burning fun. Who doesn’t like to run backwards? At least it makes the 400m seem way easier when you run forward. I wanted to give my brother (who lives in Austin) a WOD as part of his birthday gift from afar since he follows our programming on his own in his garage when the Army allows him the time. Hope you both enjoyed your birthday gift. If not, well there’s always next year. We’ll try harder!
This weekend Michelle will be attending the CF Olympic Lifting Cert at Rainier CF (they are hosting) with an incredible coaching staff that includes Josh Everett. She’ll spend plenty of time learning the Olympic Lifts with heavy focus on the snatch, more on the snatch, the hook grip, penalty burpees, snatch, more penalty burpees, more hook grip, and maybe a little time on the clean and jerk! Oh did I mention the snatch? It’s an intensive two days that will be a huge benefit for her and all of us. I am stoked that we will have three of us (Moe, Michelle and I) who have attended this cert or clinics with Coach Burgener to learn these lifts and coaching cues to better teach all of you. I am also stoked that hopefully she will get the chance to really practice the burpee as it’s a pretty good group motivation tool for those who attend the Oly Cert. Yay burpees!
Sumo Deadlift High Pull Coaching Tip:
Assume a wide stance and ensure the pull finishes with elbows “high and outside” (like Adriana and Lorri). Fully open the hips to stand tall and explode the bar up to under the chin while pulling those elbows up towards the ears.
Notes:
Rob Orlando of CrossFit Conan wins the Viking Fest Strongman Competition (under 200 lbs.) [wmv] [mov]
Read “The CrossFit Congressman“
