Birthday Bunch

5 rounds for time:

200m Row
12 Medicine Ball Cleans (20#/14#)
7 Handstand Push-ups
200m Run

Results

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Happy Birthday to Nadia, Dustin and Matt!

Birthday WOD

Birthday Trio

Amy N. made an awesome montage video of a ton of SRCF pics. Check it out here.

Birthday WOD today was a combo for three people. Rather than come up with some sort of rep scheme that combined dates and ages, I opted to choose a WOD that had movements that challenged everyone and still provided enough “suck” factor. Happy birthday you guys!

Notes:

Saturday CF Kids Class: We will begin at 10am this week only due to the SR Early Learning Center Art Show that will impact half the kids and parents (and coaches). For those parents who are taking their kids to the Art Show you will be able to hit the WOD at 10am after the first wave that starts at the normal 9:30am finishes.

WOD on Saturday is the CrossFit Games Open 11.6 Workout

CF Games Open Competitors will still go at 11am with judging and we will run waves of 3-4 at a time.

After the Open WOD will be a casual bring your own food/beer/drink BBQ for anyone interested!

Last but not least if you are interested in the Throwdown at CF Marysville on Sat. May 7th then check out the event info on the right. So far we have a few interested in going and throwing down: Pat, Rob, Lucy, and Lindsay have mentioned interest. We will still plan to run CF Kids and also class at 0930 that morning, but will likely head up after to provide judges and cheerleaders. Who else is in?

Birds Eye View:

Birds Eye

Overhead Fun

Strength WOD:

20 Minutes to find your Overhead Squat 3RM (3 Rep Max) 

Score highest 3RM load

Immediately after complete the following Checkout WOD:

Checkout WOD:

2 Minute Challenge
2 Minute Max Effort Overhead Squats (75#/45#)

Results

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View this photo  

Check out our new sign over the door leaving the box:

New Sign

Read: Recovery by CrossFit Lisbeth

Share a rack, share a bar, partner up and go heavy for 3 reps for 20 minutes. Don’t go too heavy that form is sacrificed or range of motion is limited. If flexibility is your goat (usually the biggest problem in overhead squatting), then make it a habit to work on it. Hit a Mobility WOD, ask a Coach (Rona is awesome with Mobility WOD knowledge) and get those tight muscles stretched out. Stretching is vital to your fitness, preventing injury, enhancing athletic performance, and allowing you to move correctly. Don’t fight your body. Bend it to your will. Then watch the overhead squat weight add up.

Justin and his 3RM PR:

Justin_3RM OHS

General Announcement: Box Rules

The rules are posted in the box. Read them. Today was a reminder (and a learning point for some) that one of them is you don’t drop empty barbells. You also are not allowed to drop kettlebells. Penalty is burpees. (Emergencies are acceptable of course). Why is this a rule? Is it to be mean? No. It’s for a few reasons.

  • One: It’s damaging to the equipment. “But we have rubber floors” you think. Yes but the barbells don’t need to have the bushings or bearings knocked around simply because you think it’s a soft floor. They can still get damaged. We care about all of our equipment. We DON’T like to replace broken equipment. It’s costly and careless.
  • Two: Bars and KB’s also have a knack for bouncing and if you drop them it’s highly likely that bounce can hurt you or another athlete. Ask Sean about the time an errant dumbbell bounce took out his fingernail. If you need to dump a bar or weight learn to do it responsibly. Everyone is strong enough to put down an empty bar. When there are bumpers on it there is a way to drop it so it doesn’t take off with a mind of it’s own. Again it comes down to safety. Accidents happen, injuries are preventable.
  • Three: Dropping empty bars and KB’s inside will start a habit that will happen outside. The damage that can occur to equipment on pavement is even worse. 
  • Last: The burpees are a reminder and reinforcement tool for everyone. If you mess up, then own up and knock ’em out. The goal being it happens once. Similar to the “gum on the floor” incident, we are reinforcing our rules.

Notes:

Spealler Warm-up? Yesterday’s news. Make way for the Michael Scott Warm-up:

Raise Your Hand If Your Sure

21/15/9 Reps of each of the following for time:

Kettlebell Snatch – Left Arm (53#/35#)
Kettlebell Snatch – Right Arm (53#/35#)
Ring Push-ups

* Cannot break up and alternate arms on the KB snatch reps; must go all left then all right

Checkout WOD:

2 Minute Challenge
2 Minute Max Effort 10m Crabwalk

* Partials do not count, butt cannot hit the ground while moving

Results

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Kettlebell Snatch with Brad:

Brad_KB Snatch

New movement today with the Kettlebell Snatch. Lots to think about and coordination is essential. Bottom line, don’t be timid! Get aggressive with it and don’t try to be the Statue of Liberty at the top with that kettlebell. Moving your arm slowly through the top of the snatch (and not punching it) will lead to a nice slow timbeeeerrrrrrrrr kind of effect to the KB into your wrist. 

KB Snatches
Crabwalk Races:

Crabwalk Race

Notes:

Saturday CF Kids Class: We will begin at 10am this week only due to the SR Early Learning Center Art Show that will impact half the kids and parents (and coaches). For those parents who are taking their kids to the Art Show you will be able to hit the WOD at 10am after the first wave that starts at the normal 9:30am finishes.

WOD on Saturday is the CrossFit Games Open 11.6 Workout

CF Games Open Competitors will still go at 11am with judging and we will run waves of 3-4 at a time.

After the Open WOD will be a casual bring your own food/beer/drink BBQ for anyone interested!

RokFit Commercial/Video that shows a typical CrossFit WOD well. Group of people working hard, good form, crushed at the end.

   

"Zombie Helen"

Strength WOD:

Weighted Dead Hang Pull-ups
3/3/3

3 rounds for time:

400m Run
21 Deadlifts (Bodyweight)
12 Dead Hang Pull-ups

Results

View this photo
View this photo

When Zombies Attack:

Ready for Deadlifts

Zombie Helen DL

Quote of the Day: “90% of all missed lifts in weightlifting are attributed to something with the feet.” ~ Coach Mike Burgener

Annie Comes to Mike’s Gym: Part 1” with Coach Mike Burgener and Annie Thorisdottir, CrossFit Journal preview video [wmv] [mov]

Competing in the Open? It’s our final week. One more WOD to go and then the fun ends. Until next year. Or until the next Throwdown! Hungry for more competition? Check out the Throwdown in May at CF Marysville over on the right hand side of the site. Good cause and competition with good peeps. Register if you are interested and let us know.

If you are tackling 11.6 this week for the Open then read “This Is Our Time” from CrossFitDad (aka Rob)

More importantly here is our new coaching technique for teaching all of you movements like the clean, snatch, burpee, muscle-up, you name it. Just think Pop Up. Do Less.

   

"Bar and Hammer"

Dueling Bar and Hammer:

Partner up and go head to head for max reps total:
400m Run
Front Squat (95#/65#)
400m Run
Sledgehammer Swing to Tire (16#/12#)
400m Run
Front Squat 
400m Run
Sledgehammer Swing to Tire

* One partner squats/swings while other runs; switch up after each run
** Score total reps of both exercises 
*** Try to outdo your partner! 

Results

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Sean and Josh doing work:

Sledge Work

The sun came back! This means outdoor WOD’s, and different things like hammers make an appearance. Like wall balls, double-unders, and box jumps, swinging a sledge takes accuracy and coordination; two components to fitness. If you didn’t enjoy it then consider it functional practice so you can tackle those home improvement projects like chopping wood or driving fence posts.

Squatch Kids kicked off yesterday with our first CrossFit Kids class:

CF Kids

The kids listened well, had a good time and starting learning to air squat, play a game and do a WOD! The best feedback from the little ones was “CF Kids isn’t long enough!”

Squatch Kids

Annie Goes Rock Climbing

For Time:

50 Double-Unders
1 Rope Climb (15’/12′)
40 Double-Unders
2 Rope Climbs
30 Double-Unders
3 Rope Climbs
20 Double-Unders
4 Rope Climbs
10 Double-Unders
5 Rope Climbs

Results

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Open WOD 11.5 Results to date:  View this photo

Don Climbing Away:

Don_Climb

This one is way harder than “Annie”. ‘Nuff said.

Open WOD 11.5 squared off with a few more people today. I took a TON of pics and need to make an album and share but here’s a few pics:

M_Open WOD 11.5

Moe WB Nan T2B_Open WOD 11.5

Toes-over-Bar

Cheerleaders

Jeremy_Power Clean Sean_T2B

Done_Sean

With Open WOD 11.5 having a healthy dose of Toes-to-Bar several folks have wanted tape grips to help with protecting from a potential callous rip. Here are four tips:

  1. Maintain your hands! File down your callouses. File them, Dremel them, take a pumice stone to them. That will remove dead skin and any edges. After that moisturize your hands.
  2. Grip the pull-up bar correctly. Don’t grip the bar with the palm of your hand, rather grip it between where your fingers meet your palm. Then wrap tight. 
  3. Use less chalk! Excessive chalk will contribute to rips.
  4. If you have a war wound, or a potential to thrash your hands from a ton of kipping pull-ups, toes-to-bar etc., then use tape grips. (Diagram below)
  5. Bonus rule #5: Toughen up! Callouses are good. Gnarly, rough, dry, cracking ones aren’t. Your hands are gripping devices. Strengthen them, care for them and use them! 

ConstructingTapeGrip

Run Forrest Run!

Complete Each Individual Max Effort Run For Time:

1 Mile Run
Rest 3 Minutes
1200m Run
Rest 2 Minutes
800m Run
Rest 1 Minute
400m Run

Results

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View this photo

As Forrest would say “I was running!”

Running

Borrowing an article posted from Rainier CrossFit: How Little Sleep Can You Get Away With? NY Times

Read this then go get 8 hours of sleep. Don’t fool yourself that waiting until the weekend can make up for that deficit. (Me included!)

Catnap:

Post 11.5

Speaking of rest and recovery, before you leave the box and after the WOD make sure you are stretching. That 5 or so minutes of stretching can make a world of difference in sore backs, tight legs, pain in places like knees and other joints. Don’t fool yourself by saying you will stretch at home. Remember your muscles are warm, loose, and prepared to stretch right after the workout.

Pat tackles the CrossFit Games Open WOD 11.5:

Pat_Open WOD 11.5

Pat completed the latest Open WOD today and should maintain a solid spot in the Masters Top 20 rankings. Keep it up only one WOD left! (Top 20 men’s masters in each age bracket go directly to the CF Games this July)

Notes:

Got a heads up from Anna that if you want to get your body-fat measured (aka the Chunky Dunk as Michelle calls it) by the BodyFat Truck then hit them on Monday. They will be over near Ridge Fitness on Center ST. We have had them come to the box in the past and can look at arranging it this summer if there is interest.

CrossFit Games Open WOD 11.5

Complete as many rounds and reps in 20 minutes of:
5 Power clean (145#/100#)
10 Toes to bar
15 Wall ball shots (20# to 10″/14# to 9′)

  • PC: Elbows must be in front of bar in rack position, stand all the way up.
  • T2B: Both toes must touch bar, arms straight, feet behind bar at bottom. No hand grips allowed.
  • WB: No butt ball allowed, must hit wall above line

Results

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Power Cleans

Cleans

+ Toes-to-Bar

Toes-to-Bar

+ Wall Balls 

Wall Balls

= Naptime

Aftermath

Yesterday’s results have been fixed and thanks to everyone for the heads up! It’s good knowing you people are checking. 

Two weeks to go in the Open! This WOD looked brutal (I haven’t done this yet but will this week). Nothing like cleans and kipping on the bar to torch the forearm grip. Then after that you get to avoid getting smashed in the face by your wall ball. Maybe I am not really selling this WOD very well. Next week’s WOD 11.6 is a doozy too (think “Fran-rap”). Ah the things we do in the name of fitness.

Rebecca Voigt on today’s WOD – video [wmv] [mov]

Speal vs. Khalipa: An Early Test of 11.6 [wmv] [mov]

Notes:

CF Kids Session 1 kicks off on Saturday! It is SOLD OUT! Remember this will be upstairs during the main Sat. AM class and is ONLY open to CF Kids that are registered and paid for class. Siblings and other kids who may be in the box must stay in the “Squatch Cave” during class per normal box rules. The upstairs area is also Off Limits to all kids at all times (outside of CF Kids Class). This is strict and to ensure their safety. We are asking you as parents to explain and help enforce these rules.

Please understand that the Kids Classes will also be off limits to “observers” and parents both to save space as well as to ensure the little Squatchers are focused on the coaches and listening well. We also want to remove the potential for anxiety from kids who feel self conscious about an audience. At some point we may have an “Observation Day” and will post when we do do so. Your kids are in good hands with Michelle, Moe and Rona! 

Snatch-tastic!

Strength WOD:

Snatch one rep every minute on the minute for 15 minutes.

Score highest and lowest loads (Specify Power Snatch or Hang Power Snatch if you cannot perform a full Squat Snatch)

Immediately after complete the following Checkout WOD:

AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible) in 7 Minutes of:

6 Hand Release Push-ups
9 Romanian Deadlifts (45#/33#)
12 Squats

Results

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Sean_Snatch - 4

Snatch (Full) with Sean:

Sean_Snatch - 1 Sean_Snatch - 2
Sean_Snatch - 3 Sean_Snatch - 4

Catalyst  Athletics:

Basic steps to success on the Snatch:

  1. Good set up stance and start position (feet under bar, shoulders in front of bar, wide grip, elbows out, back flat, deep squat)
  2. Clear your mind and picture success, take a deep breath
  3. LIft off: Weight on heels, hips and shoulders rise together, elbows out, stand
  4. Passing the knees: Shins are vertical, head neutral, pull to extension
  5. Triple extension: extension of knees, ankles, hips while arms are still straight
  6. Pull under: Jump aggressively under bar as arms bend
  7. Catch: Feet hit while hands and arms lock bar overhead, ride into overhead squat
  8. Stand: Drive up out of the squat with feet coming in line and bar locked overhead

Nadia (who’s Romanian) demonstrates the Romanian Deadlift:

Romanian DL_Nadia - 1 Romanian DL_Nadia - 2
Romanian DL_Nadia - 3

CrossFit Games Open Update:

CrossFit Games Open Workout 11.5 Announced!

Sneak Peek of CrossFit Games Open WOD 11.6

Update on the Open: Week 4

"Badger"

Choose:

Badger” : In honor of Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Carter, 27, of Virginia Beach, VA who was killed in Iraq 11 December 2007. 

3 Rounds For Time:

30 Squat Cleans (95#/65#)  
30 Pull-ups
800m Run 

or

For Time:

30 Squat Cleans (95#/65#)  
30 Pull-ups
400m Run  
20 Squat Cleans 
20 Pull-ups
400m Run
10 Squat Cleans  
10 Pull-ups
400m Run

Results

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Zach pulls and Rona cleans:

Zach Pull-ups

Rona_Clean

Notes:

CrossFit Kids power clean box jump workout at the Arnold Sport Festival – video [wmv] [mov]

Woo Hoo and Congrats! (Or Wool Hoot and Contests!) to Cristin for hitting her 100th WOD last week and joining the club. Also Amanda and Cristin got Double-Unders last week, and Steph did her first WOD with RX’d pull-ups today! If I missed other random acts of awesomeness then let us know and post a comment.

Coaching Tip: The Power Clean with Coach Jeremy D.

Jeremy Honey Badger_Power Clean - 1 Jeremy Honey Badger_Power Clean - 2 Jeremy Honey Badger_Power Clean - 3

  1. Setup: Begin in a deadlift stance with shoulder width stance, weight on heels, toes slightly out, and hips above the knees
  2. 1st Pull: Chest up, flat back. Pull slow off the floor and send your knees back
  3. 2nd pull: Explode past the knees and brush the bar off the front of the mid-thighs while shrugging up and extending your hips forward (arms are straight and do not excessively “bang” or “bounce” the barbell out front)
  4. 3rd pull: Jump, shrug and pull under the bar to land on the heels in a partial squat with the bar in the rack position. Elbows rotate around the bar and finish high (parallel to ground)
  5. Stand tall with the bar in the front rack before lowering the barbell
  6. Practice with an empty bar. Excessively.
SNORIDGE CROSSFIT