Get Strong Overhead

3 Rounds for Time:

50 Ft. Barbell Overhead Walk (155#/105#)
20 Wall Balls (20#/14#)
15 Box Jumps (30’/24″)

Results

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Wall Balls Overhead Carry

Overhead carries and Farmer’s carries are two examples of ways to make you stronger. Any lifts that involve picking something up, stabilizing your midline, and carrying it quickly will work your midsection far more than you might suspect. Every time you stabilize something either overhead or as a heavy load that you must carry; you must activate the muscles that surround your spine. Those include the rectus abdominus, spinal erectors, and obliques. Hip flexors and hip extensors provide stability and locomotion while allowing you to control the weight overhead with your shoulders and midline. As in other weightlifting movements that we do in CrossFit, these are yet another effective way that we work on “abs”.

Notes:

Last night to vote for best Frankenchipper WOD costume before we declare a winner!

A Dumbbell’s Guide to CrossFit and Weightlifting – Washington Post

High fives to Jana for quietly going about her 1st 15′ rope climb post WOD!

Jana 1st Rope Climb 

"Jackie"

For Time:

1000m Row 
50 Thrusters (45#/33#)
30 Pull-ups

Results

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Eric vs. “Jackie”:

Jackie vs Eric

Can you guess the 10 Most Popular CrossFit Workouts from beyondthewhiteboard.com? “Jackie” is not one of them, however it’s close. If you are wondering why it’s a benchmark just do it. As fast as possible. 

From Gymnastics and Tumbling, Aviation Training, United States Navy, Revised Edition 1950:

 “The word “Gymnastics”, meaning “naked art”, comes from the early Greeks. So much importance was attached to gymnastics that the gymnasium, an outdoor meeting place for athletic contests, was the seat of Greek intellectual development. All-round development of the individual was the goal sought, a perfectly trained, hardened, disciplined body, a citizen and a warrior worthy of highest Greek standards. Exercises in Greek gymnastics were based on natural movements and included running, throwing, wrestling, boxing, climbing, jumping, and work with weights. Weightlifting and jumping with weights were popular activities.”

Gymnastic movements at play in the box:

Moe Rope Climbs

Learning Gymnastics movements – Muscle-up to Ring Handstand Push-up:

   

"Frankenchipper"

Creepy Combination of:

400m Run 
21 Kettlebell Swings (53#/35#)
12 Pull-ups
400m Run
15 Overhead Squats (45#/33#)
30 Wallballs (20#/14)
2 Rounds of Cindy: (5 pull-ups, 10 Push-ups, 15 Squats per Round)
50 Push Press (45#/33#)
50 Walking Lunges 

Results

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3-2-1 Go

Vote for the best overall costume by posting to comments. Winner gets a prize!

SRCF Group Costume Shot 2

My apologies for slacking off on the post; too much partying this weekend!

The Frankenchipper is a combination of Frankenstein like parts. Part “Helen”, “Nancy”, “Karen”, “Cindy”, and Filthy Fifty. While it’s light and fast it’s still a challenging WOD. Even more challenging when you have a costume on. Great turnout Saturday, awesome costumes, and lots of fun. Already can’t wait for next year!

We also had our annual Halloween party (I can say annual now that we had our second one) in our “haunted house” last night with many who couldn’t make the Frankenchipper WOD as well as many who did. We had a blast and once again there were great people, amazing food, more costumes, and a really fun time for Michelle and I. If you missed it then plan on next year and maybe you will have the luxury of meeting the “flashing grandma”.  

Monster Mash-up

Enjoy the Photos:

   

Notes:

Remember class times change starting this week! See the schedule link for updated schedule.

  • Monday through Thursday: 5pm and 6pm classes daily!
  • Tuesday and Thursday ONLY: 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm class
  • Wednesday: the 7:30am class will move to 8am
  • All other classes not mentioned above (Monday to Saturday) will stay the same
  • Click the Schedule link for more info

How fun does this WOD look? CrossFit.com 11-01-10 WOD Demo by Pat Burke and Matt Chan [wmv] [mov]

Push It, On the Double!

For Time:

50 Push-ups
50 AbMat Sit-ups
50 Double-Unders
35 Push-ups
35 AbMat Sit-ups
35 Double-Unders
20 Push-ups
20 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Double-Unders

Results

* Post-WOD pick a weakness and work on it

Results

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John AbMat

Costumes ready? Frankenchipper is tomorrow! We will run waves as needed with the 10am class. Best costume contest after the WOD wins a prize. Everyone gets to vote! We now return to decorating for the Halloween party tomorrow evening…

Miranda Oldroyd does “Amazing Grace” for Barbells for Boobs [wmv] [mov

Death By Power Clean

With a continuously running clock perform 1 Power Clean the first minute, 2 Power Cleans the second minute, 3 Power Cleans the third minute, and so on, continuing to add 1 each minute until you cannot complete the required number of reps in the given minute. 

Use 65% of your 1RM (1 Rep Max)

Score total rounds and partial reps in the last round completed. 

Results 

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Queen of the Clean: Lucy pulled her way through 15 rds. plus 11 reps! Check out that extension!

Queen of the Clean_Lucy

The Clean (Squat) with Coach Burgener [wmv] [mov]

The Power Clean with Coach Burgener [wmv] [mov]

One of CrossFit’s Finest – An Interview with Chris Spealler

Notes:

ATTENTION PARENTS FROM THE 5PM CLASS TODAY!

Q: What do these two pictures have in common?

Nuclear-explosion

Squatch Cave Mess
A: They are the aftermath of a 50 megaton explosion of energy.

In this case the energy is the result of your children. If you bring these little nuclear weapons into the box, please defuse them. If they detonate, then help clean up the result of their firepower BEFORE you leave. 

Seriously, I am not a maid. Cleaning person? Yes. Maid? No. Just as we should put away any equipment that we use daily (and do it NEATLY!); the Squatch Cave is for your convenience. Please keep it clean. I decided rather than clean it up I would leave it until tomorrow for those responsible parties to help with the damage. If this does not work I will implement a “Tribal Council” in the Squatch Cave and the kids will “vote out” which parent has to clean!

Schedule Changes Nov. 1st!

As of November 1st, our schedule made the following changes:

  • Monday through Thursday: 5pm and 6pm classes daily!
  • Tuesday and Thursday ONLY: 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm class
  • Wednesday: the 7:30am class will move to 8am
  • All other classes not mentioned above (Monday to Saturday) will stay the same
  • Click the Schedule link for more info

What's a Thruster?

Strength WOD:

Thruster

3/3/3/3/3

Check Out WOD Immediately After:

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 12 Minutes of:

5 Thruster (115#/75#)
2 Rope Climbs (15′)

Or

As Many Rounds As Possible (AMRAP) in 12 Minutes of:

5 Thruster (115#/75#)
8 Pull-ups

Results

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Cathy locking out a Thruster:

Thruster_Cathy

Rope Climbs:

Rope Climb_Rona Rope Climb_M

“What’s a thruster?” Quote of the day from Cristin to Michelle.

Even though she was joking and knew what it is we couldn’t help but laugh since this is probably the most popular question heard in the box. The thruster is a movement that combines the front squat with the press or push press. It involves a squat with a barbell, dumbbell, kettlebell or other weighted object and uses the momentum out of the squat to transition directly into a press or push press. Using the leg and hip drive helps propel that load up into a locked overhead position. Pausing at the rack position to rest after the rep is complete is perfectly acceptable but try not to stop before completing the thruster itself. No matter what this movement is paired with it will utterly exhaust you quickly. What sounds like an “easy” weight quickly will make you think again.

For a barbell thruster:

  1. Start in a rack position (after cleaning the bar from the ground)
  2. Focus on a solid front squat with hips going back, weight on the heels, and knees out
  3. Front squat down while keeping the bar in the rack position with the elbows up to keep your chest up and to avoid contact with your knees and elbows 
  4. Front squat should reach below parallel for full range of motion
  5. Stand tall and drive the hips open, keeping the elbows slightly in front of the bar
  6. Move directly into an overhead press, driving the bar up in a vertical path (not around your head)
  7. Lock out overhead with knuckles facing the sky (“punch the sky”). This gets your wrists to move flat rather than “cocked” back with a load overhead (this is tough to do as it gets heavier)
  8. Return to the rack position
  9. Complete the next rep. Or simply combine with pull-ups in a 21-15-9 rep scheme and do them as fast as possible.

Food for thought: “Form Matters: Do It Right Or Don’t Do It At All” from CrossFit Charlottesville

Notes:

Frankenchipper on Saturday starts at 10am! We will run waves and have a costume contest for best costume. Everyone who shows gets to vote. Winner will get a prize!

"Dirty Thirty"

Happy Birthday Jeremy O. and Kamran!

30 Reps each for time of:

Box jumps (24″/20″)
Jumping Pull-ups
KB Swings (53#/35#)
Walking Lunges
Knees to Elbows
Push Press (45#/33#)
GHD Back Extensions (Sub Good Mornings 45#/33#)
Wallball (20#/14#)
Burpees
Double-Unders 

Results

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The Birthday Boys tackle the Dirty Thirty:

Jeremy Bday Boy Kamran Bday Boy

This is the “Filthy Fifty” only slightly less filthy. Perfect for a birthday WOD as the “gift” was that Kamran and Jeremy O. both had 20 less reps over completing the “Filthy Fifty” (yes Kamran that is a real WOD and we will do it in the box someday). 

Welcome to Lindsay, Nadia, and Charles who all started Elements today. This was AFTER witnessing the carnage and destruction of the 5pm class post-Dirty Thirty. I was happy no one went running for the car.

Sequence: One Arm Kettlebell Snatch with Michelle

One Arm KB Snatch - 1 One Arm KB Snatch - 2 One Arm KB Snatch - 3

The KB Snatch is a more fluid, powerful continuous movement than the dumbbell snatch (which returns to the floor each time). The path of the kettlebell is unique and swings out from between the knees in an arc and then quickly rotates around the wrist as you corkscrew the bell and punch up toward the ceiling. This is important to prevent the “flop-over” that can crash into the wrist or forearm causing injury.  

Notes:

Want to learn rope climbs? Hint Hint. Watch these two videos. Memorize the technique that you think works best. Practice. Ropes can be tons of fun.

Rope Climbing Techniques: The Spanish Wrap” CrossFit Journal video preview [wmv] [mov]

“Rope Climb: Russian Wrap” with Kim and Adrian Bozman [wmv] [mov]

"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

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Moe and Eric rocking banded handstand push-ups:

Bands and Handstands equals fun

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

Strength to Cure Fragile X

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)

Boo!

Michelle taking everything way too seriously as usual:

Clown

Frankenchipper this Saturday! Get those costumes ready!

Schedule Changes coming:

Starting November 1st, our schedule will make the following changes:

  • Monday through Thursday: 5pm and 6pm classes daily!
  • Tuesday and Thursday ONLY: 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm class
  • Wednesday: the 7:30am class will move to 8am
  • All other classes not mentioned above (Monday to Saturday) will stay the same

What does this mean? More training friendly choices for you! After talking to almost everyone and polling around the gym and seeing what class times fit best; we decided that the evening schedule of 5pm and 6pm classes daily Mon-Thurs made the most sense. Having two late 7pm classes during the week will still allow for those days where things are running late.  Wednesday 8am is a better fit for those who want to get in earlier. Monday and Wednesday the gym will close after the 6pm class to allow your coaches some time off. We will reserve those two days for Elements scheduling.

Notes:

Today we participated in a Trainer’s Nutrition Workshop with Whole9 at CrossFit Fort Vancouver. It was a great opportunity to gather in a small group with other trainers, CrossFitters, affiliate owners and Dallas and Melissa of Whole9 to discuss how we as your coaches help educate and prioritize the role nutrition and sleep plays in our health and overall fitness. Part roundtable discussion, role playing, education, and “case study” type of activities; this workshop helped us realize there are several ways we can bring more value to you as your coaches. Some of these ways include providing education, reviewing nutrition concepts, helping you set realistic goals, reviewing food logs, and generally helping fine tune what you eat to improve performance. Curious about what you can do to eat and rest properly to fuel overall good health? Reached a plateau? Want to take it to the next level or get ready for Sectionals? Just ask. Then get started. There’s no time like the present.

Resources:

The Paleo Diet.com

Whole30, Version 3.0

Whole9 Blog

The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf

SRCF, Adam – CF Fort Vancouver, Melissa and Dallas – Whole9:

SRCF, CF Fort Vancouver, Whole9