Monday is a two-fer birthday WOD for Michelle and Cathy! “Newbies” scale # of rounds to two and load, “Standard” scale load on both movements, “Advanced” scale barbell load, “Smells Elite” category goes as RX’d. However you choose to go, go after it!
M and Moe sharing a laugh:
Upcoming Events:
Tuesday 1/25: Nutrition Discussion with CFHQ Trainer Todd Widman
If you are in the “Stop the Slop” challenge so far use this to take the time and go learn and get re-energized!
Several of us in the box are planning to go to Imperial for this. Let us know if you are in. It’s worth it!
Saturday 2/5: The Sat WOD(s) will be a field trip to Cascade CrossFit for a WOD. Time will be from 9am until everyone is done. You can come later depending on your schedule. They will be hosting SnoValley CrossFit, Sculptor CrossFit, and us for a community building workout. We will program and run the workout in advance here in the box to allow you to get familiar with it. There will be no cost and all levels are encouraged to come and REPRESENT!
Cool video from Jim C. with a message that applies to many sports and CrossFit:
Great video below on the mindset and approach to scaling. Just because you can do one of something doesn’t mean you can suddenly do a whole WOD with them. All movements, range of motion and exercises can be scaled or subbed. Weight, load, and workouts too. It takes consistency and experience to progress to “RX’ing” a WOD; earning a RX once doesn’t mean you will then RX them all. Remember: WOD’s can and will be programmed to find and expose weaknesses. Common sense prevails, build your technique and work capacity first!
Tony Budding from CFHQ on scaling, GHD Edition – video [wmv] [mov]
Notes:
9am Sectionals Athletes Training; 10am Regular Class
Please do you best to put things away where they are supposed to go! While the corner by the rowers may seem to be a logical spot to you to put your med ball or jump rope, that’s not where it belongs. Dumbbells and kettlebells may seem better organized by randomly grouping them in any weight order or stacking method, but really it isn’t. Most importantly, keep the PVC’s in the bucket when you are done and not in places like the bathroom. While it’s arguably functional to practice with the PVC while taking care of business, we actually don’t encourage that type of efficiency!
This is how we will make everyone sign waivers from now on:
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.
Why 21 Minutes? The 21st is his birthday. We did it early to ensure he made it. If we went with his age we would all still be doing the WOD. Happy birthday to the longest “tenured” dude in the box! In a year and a half we’ve managed to somehow teach Curtis how to touch his shoelaces (not quite toes), jump off the floor, split his shorts during a WOD, and channel his rage just enough to not scare the living daylights out of the kids.
Quote of the Day: “Rest is the sweet sauce of labor” ~ Plutarch
Jenna had her baby shower today. Check out this CrossFit cake!
Mikko Salo completes “Fran” in 2:17 – video [wmv] [mov]
From Moe: “Attention Early AM Squatchers…this week starts the Monday, Wednesday 6am schedule (no more Tues/Thurs)! Come on in and experience early morning Happiness in the Pain Cave!”
Hope everyone had an active rest day today. Or at least you did some Euro Training. Time to kick off another week of training. Who’s birthday WOD(s) are we doing? What benchmark may make an appearance? Will Jeremy D. showcase his Dance Central rump-shaker skills somehow before the 6pm WOD on Friday? More importantly will we start seeing some “Euro Training” work it’s way into the box? I am a FAN! Combine with shake weights and watch the results fly.
Today was FRAN-TASTIC! Congrats to all the first timers who hit this Benchmark “Girl”, as well as to all who PR’d! The intensity was high right from the warm-up for the early group training for Sectionals Qualifiers and carried on through the morning class. There was a great vibe of coaching, cheering, concentration, and support in the box the entire morning. Ensuring everyone had a judge/coach was vital to eliminating “slop” and making sure only good reps were counted. Way to kick Fran in the ass and send her on her way!
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:
Julie hits the squat in the Wall Ball throw while Moe demos double-unders:
If you haven’t posted your size and are close to 250 WOD’s and want to purchase a 250 WOD Club T-Shirt then go here and post to comments so we can place the order by Friday!
“Stop the Slop” Nutrition and Performance Challenge Day 5 Update:
For those who have been logging their meals on beyondthewhiteboard.com I’ve been reviewing them daily. Here’s some observations, feedback, and random highlights thus far:
Keep it up! Keep logging your meals (you can name each meal to separate them)
Consult those Whole9/SRCF Nutrition guides and read them thoroughly
Keep putting in the detail in your logs. Things like sleep, quantity or servings, or how you feel are good to look back on the longer you go to see how the nutrition change is or is not effecting you.
Everyone is mostly eating well balanced meals of protein/fat/carb with cleaner ingredients for all of these macronutrients
Some of you should up the veggies!
Snacks consist mostly of a handful of “x” nuts, 1/2 apple or orange, hard boiled egg, or Lara Bar
When eating a snack, try to have some fat or protein with the carb source; i.e. 1/2 banana with almond butter or have a chicken lettuce wrap with avocado and peppers
Some post WOD nutrition items sounds so good I may hang out with you and beg after your WOD
Some breakfasts and dinners are so awesome I am going to show up on your doorstep
Lose the creamer substitutes in the coffee people! No Soy Delight, Coffee Mate, or “insert brand name of colorful carton of inflammation” here. Try unsweetened coconut milk (make sure it’s the full fat kind in the can found usually in the Asian food area of the gro-sto) or heavy whipping cream if you don’t like coconut milk and absolutely need to add to your coffee. (Note: I know heavy cream is against the preaching of the Paleo Gods. That said I would rather you use a splash of that to wean yourself off the partially hydrogenated poison of coffeemate or the evils of sugar spiked soy milk)
I have yet to see anyone list rice or pasta!
Don’t drink SODA! Diet soda or plain soda does not matter. It is harmful and undoing everything you are doing in the day. If you need something with taste other than plain water try a little squeeze of lime or lemon in your water, Perrier or plain Talking Rain.
Alcohol is surprisingy not being reported, although someone listed 1/8 ounce of crack cocaine… 🙂
Everyone is making notable positive changes and doing well. Don’t quit! If you need help ask your trainers. Don’t expect us to tell you it’s okay to binge and cheat though! We will give you tough love and encourage you all at the same time.
If you aren’t using btwb.com to log your meals, then don’t forget to write it down or use some sort of method to track them and turn them into us on Saturday.
Tomorrow we will detail the prizes for winners and runners-up of both the 6 week nutrition challenge and performance challenge (the emphasis on the prize pot will favor the nutrition winner and nutrition runner-up winner).
Notes:
Part 2 of the insights into the main site WOD programming discussion from CrossFit.com (I love this video series):
Tony Budding reviews the last WOD cycle – video [wmv] [mov]
First off who felt like they were mauled by a bear? This WOD usually fills you with doubt and dread, fearing that next set. The rule of no re-grip on the ground or letting the bar go makes this unique. Even more unique is the barbell complex (a series of lifts done together to equal one “set” or rep). A complex is useful in not only working several muscle groups but also in training movement. Who felt better about their form or technique with at least one of the required movements after the WOD was over? The repetition and focus on achieving the number required helps train technique and safety in either performing the reps together or bailing. If you are new and didn’t get as heavy as you like don’t worry, the right thing is to use this WOD to work on technique and adding weight later as you gain experience.
Nutrition Challenge: This short preview video from the CrossFit Journal is a good example of how preparation of the week’s meals can keep you on course. If you are in the Challenge stay strict and log those foods. We are able to see everyone’s logs that are using beyondthewhiteboard.com so that helps in submissions. Expect feedback as the week’s tick by. Read your nutrition guides!
This Thursday 1/13 we will start a 0830am class every Tues/Thurs with Mark B. If this time proves popular we will make it a keeper. If not Mark’s feelings will be deeply hurt and he will be an emotional mess for at least a week or so. Let’s help Mark have a happy face!
Beginning next week the 6am classes with Moe will shift to Mon/Wed at 6am. Everyone in the 6am class is prepared for this shift but if you are planning to get up and WOD at the crack of dawn note that the days are changing. This should better help both the coach and those who are in the class manage their schedules.
Attention Seahawks Fans! Blitz does CrossFit at CF Advantage:
Gotta love Baseline. Almost every time you do it you get a little faster, or move from one level of scaling to another, or find a way to make it harder. One of these days we will do a Rowing / Chest-to-Bar Pull-up Baseline. Or a Hand Release Push-up / Weighted Sit-up Baseline. So many possibilities…
As we are a couple days into our “Stop the Slop” Nutrition and Performance Challenge I felt it was a good WOD to program early in the cycle so that we can repeat it along with Jackie at the end to gauge improvement. Keep the focus on eating clean, make every rep count and see what happens in 6 weeks!
Speaking of eating clean, some of you and your coaches are posting what you are eating on Facebook to share and keep each other motivated. Keep it up! Share your recipes, ask for help if you need it.
Welcome to Heidi, Jeff, Rhonda and Julie are finished with Elements as of this week and will be joining classes! They still want to come after learning “tabata’s”!
Nutrition Discussion with CFHQ Trainer Todd Widman Upcoming Dates:
