Heavy weight plus burpees = Good WOD. Who thought this looked easy? Chris Spealler did this in 2:48, Graham Holmberg 3:02. Faster does NOT equal easier. It means more power which = more pain.
WOD Demo with Miranda Oldroyd and Mary Lampas [wmv] [mov]
This weekend we are excited to attend the Whole9 Trainer’s Nutrition Workshop in CrossFit Fort Vancouver. We are looking forward to expanding our nutritional coaching knowledge and ability to help you dial in your nutrition for better health and performance.
Make-Up Day: 5k Row, CFT, Cindy, Baseline and some Wendler Deads at the same time:
Test week is concluded! We will now return to our regularly scheduled WOD-ding.
Hope you all liked it. Tell us what you thought of this week. Positive or negative. We would like to run it again in a few months to see progress and PR’s. These WOD’s collectively provide a good all-around gauge of fitness across several domains and metabolic pathways.
This past week some of the top CrossFitters who are sponsored by Rogue and Again Faster met in a team head to head competition in Lake Tahoe. The videos are slowly coming out of the overall competition but this short one showcased a challenge that was 2 minutes of max rep double-unders. Dave Castro set the bar that Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, Mikko Salo, and Graham Holmberg all tried to beat. The top score was 200 reps by Holmberg.
Today several of us tried it. There were pretty good numbers for all but Sean slayed it. Just crushed it. He completed 216 reps in 2 minutes. I should make him do it again on video.
Coaching Tip: “Having Fun In the Box”
There are many ways to have fun. Try this method.
Grab a partner
Have them stand directly behind you
Dance like clowns and laugh
Ensure that it looks like you have four arms
Take pictures and post to web so others can make fun of you
Notes:
Welcome and congrats to Nicole, Andrea, and Nicholas who all completed Elements; as well as Dustin, a CrossFitter with previous experience who joined us yesterday. We look forward to you hitting class, making progress, meeting the gang and having fun.
Pineapple Classic on 11/13 Saturday at 9am! First team is formed: Me, Sean, Mark B. and Jeremy D. Get your team! (Teams of 2 or 4 are allowed)
“Test” week continues! Today was a a classic metabolic conditioning benchmark WOD. This means we have now held a strength test (CF Total), an aerobic conditioning and endurance test (5k row), and a metabolic conditioning workout. There will be a makeup day tomorrow for anyone missing these WOD’s plus Grace.
To read up on what metabolic training is and why CrossFit favors it, see the following CrossFit Journal article.
The article explains very well why CrossFit sees greater benefits in combining conditioning exercises with high power anaerobic training, mixed modalities and varied combinations to yield results. These results typically are higher functional strength, aerobic capacity and endurance, higher fat burned and muscle gained, and better overall fitness.
We have programmed “Cindy” likely more often in our box than any other WOD, as today was the 6th time we have done it. This WOD usually is limited by the push-ups. Once they go, they drastically limit your rounds as you wait to recover. Stick with that push-up challenge and work them into your warm-ups, varying grip width and hand placement. Knowing the target number of rounds you want, what pace you need to maintain, and what exercise to leverage to keep moving is key to hitting that PR. More key is being surrounded by other motivated CrossFitters pushing each other along. Congrats to so many of you who PR’d today! The list was long. Gotta love that!
One other note was that no one ripped or had a callous tear today. That means people are gripping right, using less chalk, and pulling correctly. Maintain that tight finger hold on the pull-up bar and not a “palm” grip on the bar. Regularly sand down those callouses with a callous remover or file and moisturize your hands. Taking care of callous buildup is key and will avoid setbacks in your training due to tears and rips. If you get a rip, clean it, put Neosporin on it, and bandage it. Keep it that way for 2-3 days and it will heal nicely and you’ll be gripping and ripping the bar in no time.
Notes:
Events (over on the right):
Halloween party invites are out and the Frankenchipper is slotted for Saturday 10/30. Get your costume ready!
Tomorrow will continue our test week with a classic CrossFit benchmark WOD. Get your rest and get ready! If you missed any of the test WOD’s you will be able to make them up on Thursday.
Notes:
Dave Lipson, Jason Khalipa and Dave Castro complete the CrossFit Total. Video [wmv] [mov]
How’s this for a throwdown? Some of CrossFit’s elite athletes meet in Lake Tahoe this weekend for a head to head battle of individual and team WOD’s: Team Rogue vs. Team Again Faster
Again Faster vs. Rogue at Tahoe – Preview [wmv] [mov]
Quote of the Day: Jim M. ~ “I’ve been waiting a long time for this WOD (CF Total). Too bad I’m not in better shape.”
Moe coaching and encouraging Jana and Eric through some PR’s:
Today we finally tackled the CrossFit Total and the 5k row. This test of strength and endurance will be split across Monday and Tuesday of this week to allow us to get everyone through. On Wednesday we will test basic CrossFit skills and metabolic conditioning with a time honored benchmark that the majority of you are familiar with (it ain’t Fran!). There will also be a make-up day for anyone who misses one of the test WOD’s on Thursday. These three CrossFit WOD’s will allow each of you to gauge areas of weakness, strength and skills to learn, improve or maintain. In a few months we will repeat it for you to gauge improvement.
Having enough equipment, the right amount of time, space and logistics for a CF Total have been a thorn in our side for some time. Same with the 5k row. You need rowers! Not only that, we wanted to ensure there was adequate experience with the three Total lifts, max lifts, and strength WOD’s in general. This test of general strength is time consuming. It takes space, racks, and coaching. Pairing it with a 5k row and splitting the class allows us to get this done over two days for a large group.
Tips for the Total:
When you come in tomorrow for your total or your row, warm-up with a vengeance and move efficiently. Especially for the Total. You will get one hour to complete it. Warm-ups included. If the hour ends, your total ends. So use the time to get your lifts in. Everyone was able to get it done today without losing reps to time.
Read up on how the Total is conducted and make your strategy. Knowing the rules, what weight to open with and when to try a PR is important. If it’s your first, just find your relative max for each lift (start with a lift close to your 3RM). If you know them already, then plan your warm-ups accordingly. Either way, remember that good technique and proper form is paramount. No slop, no unsafe movement allowed. We will gladly be watching and coaching!
Three rules:
Don’t be stupid.
Don’t be greedy.
Don’t be pig-headed.
Congrats to all who PR’d today on either the Total, a 1RM lift, or a 5k Row!
Video of “Barbells for Boobs”:
SnoRidge does “Amazing Grace” at King CrossFit (with Mark B, Jenna, Sean, Jeremy, Michelle and me):
Do your 30 push-ups and get ready for one “Total”-ly big week!
This week will establish some baselines or set some new totals and PR’s. You will have the opportunity to test yourself in strength, cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, and gymnastics/metabolic conditioning across several days. Don’t worry, we will also have a great “normal” or non-test WOD to round out the week. There will also be a make-up day opportunity for those who miss a day. As in everything we do in our box, use your head. Technique, form and safety are paramount over intensity or just going for numbers.
The best way for me to illustrate what I mean about using your head and not doing something just for numbers?
Watch this video (specifically the “deadlifts” at the end). When going for a max effort lift, if the desire for a weight pushes you into something that resembles a position in which you are attempting to blow your spine out of your ass then rest assured as your coaches we will stop you and the attempt will be over. It’s always better to live to fight another WOD, just remember to train hard and be awesome.
“Dangerous” starting at 1:14 into this video – [wmv] [mov]
Great event on Saturday for “Amazing Grace” and the Barbells for Boobs. We had 15 fellow Squatches go to King CF for a date with “Grace”. We are stoked at our turnout today! In total 48 people completed the WOD, many PR’d (with some insanely fasts times all around), all had a great time and the kiddos even got a CF Kids class when all the adults were done playing.
Sadly all of us either will know or have known someone effected by cancer. Funding research for a cure is equally as important in my mind as teaching health and nutrition to potentially avoid it. Today was for a great cause, funds were raised either via registration and donations in advance or at the box, and we all should feel good about supporting the fight against breast cancer and helping uninsured women get a mammogram.
Big thanks to Michael for organizing it and for the whole King CF crew for inviting us and letting us participate. Field trips to other boxes are fun and we need to do more of these in the future.
Also wanted to call out that Rona managed to do “Grace” while on vacation and did it as RX’d for the first time in a blazing 4:30!
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!
Happy Birthday to Jenna and Laura! If celebrities can combine names, you ladies can be JLa. According to Adriana we need to get younger people in the box cause these birthday WOD’s are killing you all!
“Amazing Grace” is this Saturday at King CrossFit. So far I know of 15 of us going. Please RSVP by posting to comments or on our Facebook page. All are welcome, everything can be scaled and it’s an event to have fun and raise money to fight breast cancer.
Details below:
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
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
Tabata Squat followed by 4 min of max rep muscle-ups
Score is calculated with lowest tabata squat score multiplied by total muscle-ups
Or
“Tabata This”:
For each of the below exercises perform max reps for 8 consecutive intervals of: 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Rest 1 minute between exercises.
Squats
Pull-ups
Ring Dips
The Tabata score is the interval with the lowest number of reps per exercise.
After “Test 3” or “Tabata This” rest 4 minutes then complete:
Because Cathy got her kipping pull-up down in a WOD!
What is “Test 3“? Read the link from the CrossFit Journal for the original 5 CrossFit tests back from 2003 that were designed to test the Ten General Physical Skills we train. It’s a pretty cool idea to have tests to train all ten skills (strength, stamina, power, speed, cardiovascular endurance, agility, flexibility, accuracy, coordination,and balance). While there are endless variations of movements to test these skills, simply having a test makes it fun and challenging.
Recognizing that not everyone can do Test 3, I wanted to have a version to test similar movements and also allow for working skills that will translate to getting a muscle-up. That’s where the tabata pull-ups and ring dips come in. Either way it was a smoker. Adding a max effort 1 mile run after all of it was over makes it even more demanding. There were so many displays of awesomeness in the box today to count; Cathy getting pull-ups all the way through her tabata, Don doing muscle-ups, some blazing 1 mile times post tabata intervals, several people moving up a band with assisted ring dips, people moving from jumping to band assisted pull-ups, Mark’s 21 and Rob’s 22 legit tabata squats… I could go on.
Welcome back to Rachel who’s been out a while due to recovery from a car accident and PR’d her Baseline today! Also it is great to have our wonder twin couple Jorge and Jana back from their long honeymoon of sightseeing and sampling international cuisine. We are all jealous so that may mean we will be mean during WOD’s.
Notes:
Our very own Rob has started a cool blog! It’s called CrossFitDad and in my book it’s worth putting on your list of sites. Give it a read and leave a comment. Great idea and I look forward to watching where you take it.
