Tuesday, February 26, 2008

"Cindy" is a Crossfit workout. 20 minuets of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 squats, how many rounds!?!?
Well, I'm not doing Pull-ups right now and my Pushups are weak! So I've been using this modification in order to have a bench mark for myself.
5 ring rows
10 pushups on and elevated surface
15 squats
10 mins instead of 20.
My Max at this point is 6 rounds.



"Intensity could be considered the "Holy Grail" of CrossFit,
however it should not be "intensity at all costs". Intensity
is not an absolute but it is relative. Relative to our
psychological and physical make up. Often our lives have
a way of preventing us from getting a PR everyday we
show up for a workout. It is important to remember that
while pushing the intensity will benefit our fitness, some
days it needs to be more about the beauty of human
movement. So when it seems like the last thing that your
body can handle is coming to the gym for an intense
workout, come anyway and remember that the"
"magic is in the movements"
-CrossFit Santa Cruz-

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Importance of Progressions
It's become clear to me that using progressions in order to achieve a functional movement is of the utmost importance.
How does this apply to my training.
Let me list the ways.
1.Getting My Kipping Pullup back. Or coaching someone in getting there first pullup.
I'll be using Ring Rows. A Lot of them to get that pulling strength back before I hang my full body-weight onto my shoulders.
From ring rows I'll use bands. The period of time until I get to the bands is unknown at this point. I've been using ring rows for a few weeks now and have felt that they have started my return to the pull-up. For coaching this is an important one to remember. It builds a great foundation for the pull-up. Getting that strong foundation is key to achieving the pull-up and being safe on the shoulders.


2. Building Overhead strength in preparation for snatches, OHS's and heavy thrusters.
TGU's, Overhead walking Lunges, Wall-ball, Push press, strict press.
It seems really important to build some core overhead pushing strength in order to safe and effectively do high rep snatches or heavy OHS's.
My personal game plan has been to work the TGU's to build total body strength which includes OH strength. I'm not embarrassed to say that at this point with my shoulder I've been using 15# DB for OH walking lunges.
Whatever your doing rebuilding strength or building it for the frist time it's better to BUILD before you toss your body into the big movements.

3.Getting back or getting more pushups. Right now I have about 10 good Strong pushups in my arms. I started back with doing them on a wall, good god that was humbling! Then I moved to my knees, then to elevated on a bench or on the Parallets. At the point I'm at right now it depends on how many I plan on doing or what kind of circuit it is. Today in PT I was doing broken sets of 5 full out pushups. This kept them crisp and strict. If I'm dong a load of them I'll still use an elevated surface or the parallets.. I hope to start working in a few ring push-ups over the next few months in order to advance the strength in my shoulders.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Sunday's WOD
Warm up with four weighted jump ropes at 50 turns each. The ropes get bigger from yellow to blue. I don't know what increments they go up in but the last one is a beast!
15 GHD sit-ups
5 Front squats @ 65#
I got 6 rounds in 9mins. I was keeping a good pace but the overall goal was to keep good form on the front squats.
Part two: 3X3
1/2 keg unknown weight Clean and front squat
80# sandbag Bear-hug squat
50# sandbag Shouldering
16k Kettlebell Snatch right High pull left


Form work: Rack form with KBs. It's an awkward position for me. It seems like it should be a simple thing but it's not so I have to work on it.
Balance on the Vew-do board. I don't write about it much but I try weekly to put in time on Nero skills to keep my brain working.

Just for fun I did some side presses and was able for the first time to press the 24k KB on my right side. I was alone so I have no prof but no reason to lie!
Side press 12k KB on the left side..that's a step up!

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Quote of the day "Anyone can come up with a workout that will make you puke!"

Yup it's true. It's not hard to come up with a kick ass workout that makes you puke and sore for 8 days. Now don't get me wrong, sometimes the puking is not avoidable. Our workout should have a strong emphasis on form and body awareness, on progression of movements. Most people work years on learning a Kettlebell and dumbell snatch or a OHS. It's important not to forget that you progress to these movements. For me getting my pull-up back is high on the list. Yet, it's not so important that I'm willing to re injury myself. So like it or not I'm doing ring row. Which as it turns out are very hard and the have a load of variations. I going to try to hold myself back even after I feel ready. I'm also trying to rebuild that OH strength and power. With OH walking lunges, TGU's, and a few others. For some reason I can do slamball and I feel it really helped me gain ROM in my left arm. On the OH list are odd objects, like sandbags and med balls OH lunges and other movements. My workouts are one on one off for now. My recovery takes a lot longer in my left arm. When I say one on one off I'm talking arms. On some off days I will do just lower body movements like squats, lunges, jump ropes, Box jumps and running. Today's workout will be 5 ring rows 15 squats How many rounds in 10 mins. I have a little cold so this is a nice easy one.

Nice MU's from Brett of Albany CF!

Friday, February 15, 2008

Last week I went to Albany, NY because a friend of mine lost her husband to cancer. It was a strange visit but after all is said and done It was nice to get home and see my brother and sister-in law.

While I was home I made my way over to Crossfit Albany, NY. What a cool bunch of people. Alot of people there are new to Crossfit and hungry to learn. Jay the owner is really on fire and making it happen. He hit the ground running! He's committed to making a strong core group. The people who train there are keeping track of where they started and where they want to go. If you go over to the CF form Crossfit Albany keeps there daily workout log on the form. Everyday they are putting the numbers down and Jay is speaking words of encouragement and coaching like crazy. He and Niki just took a trip out to CF Santa Cruz to work on there skills. I'm sure they will come home sore but ready to share everything they learned while they were out there. I'm hoping to see Video of Niki kipping away like a wild women!
Thanks Jay and Niki for being so welcoming and fun to train with. I look forward to my next trip to Albany!

May 30th through Sunday, June 1st Crossfit Albany will host the East coast Crossfit Challenge.
The festivities begin Friday evening with chance to meet fellow Crossfitters during a non-alcoholic cocktail hour, a tour of the facility, and a pre-games briefing.

Saturday, May 31st morning will see participants doing their best in the CrossFit competition. A 5 kilometer run is scheduled for Saturday afternoon.

Sunday morning Crossfitters will wait breathlessly for the Hopper event, a random drawing that will set competitors to doing a Crossfit WOD. Will it be Fran? Or Murph? Or something we haven’t seen before?

What you get for your entry fee:
-T-shirt for all competitors
-Prize money for top overall male and top overall female finisher
-Medals and Free participation in next year's ECCFG for top male and top female in the hopper event
-Medals for top 2 finishers in each weight class for the heavy lifting
-Food during Friday's social hour
-Food all day from the kitchen Saturday
-Dinner Saturday night (tentatively scheduled to be a full pig roast on premises with plenty of sides for the non-meat eaters)
-Awards ceremony Sunday late afternoon following the hopper event.

Ten years from now, when Albany's hotels fill up months in advance for the East Coast Crossfit Challenge, you will want to say you attended the FIRST ANNUAL event!

Albany Crossfit is located within the Court Club, a gym that includes racquetball courts, a climbing wall, spin bikes, and full service locker rooms with showers. Family members will be welcome to use the Court Club facilities, including the climbing wall, for a small fee.

Albany Crossfit is located a short ride from Albany International Airport. Blocks of rooms at discount rates will be available at hotels located within walking distance of Albany Crossfit. Also within walking distance: an upscale shopping mall with movie theaters, restaurants, and bookstores, to keep the family happy if they accompany you!

I would put money on the the fact that Jay and Crossfit Albany will double in size over the next year. Better than that I think that all the people who are already there will be a hell of a lot stronger, faster and more fit the next time I see them! If your in the area you should check it out!

Below is a little slide show that I put together.

Saturday, February 02, 2008

Jerry Hill's Crossfit Challenge is built on Commitment, Passion, Goals, Records, Positive reinforcement, Creative ideas and Constancy. These are the words that come to mind when I think of Jerry Hill's Crossfit Challenge. I've felt the pain and rewards of the blue room. I've seen the efforts pay off. I've seen Jerry's commitment to keeping people and his program moving forward. He keeps statistics for his crew, gives them goals and helps them to achieve them. His blog and web site are constantly changing and evolving as do the people he coaches.

Whatever the goal might be, not only does he coach/train people to reach them he is already planning what your next goal should/could be. This format is the key to people and programming being successful. His blog and web site are in a constant state of motion. Showing his crew's achievements daily. It's incredible! In this day and age if you slack off for one day your behind by four. This applies not only to training but in running a business. It's a on going everyday commitment that you make to yourself and your program. To keep things flowing and growing.

Talking and hanging out with Jerry for me is like going to a class in business and personal achievement. He's not shy about what needs to happen in order to make his fitness program work. It has to succeed on a few different levels in order to succeed overall. It's not cheap to be a member of Crossfit Challenge, no matter what way you look at it. You pay both monatarily and in Sweat equity! It's all worth it. The time and attention that Jerry will put into your training more that pays it's self back.

Don't get me wrong there is no hand holding! When you leave CFC you'll know where you've been. Your pushups are going to be chest to the floor and if you do pullups your chin is gonna to be over that bar to get the numbers. If your injured he will find way around it. If your weak you'll be doing a modified version....but your going to work. If your form sucks it's going to improve. Don't try to avoid certain workouts....or it will bite you in the ass. Since he keeps statistics on you and you also do some of the input on that Jerry knows where your strong and what needs work.
His classes have athletes in them and his classes have athletes in the making. I'm telling you its addictive! You see your numbers, you watch the others around you...you come back for more. The goals are in plain sight just out of reach for today but maybe tomorrow will be the day for the 20th pullup or that first pull up. It's happening for others and you feel it can happen for you.....Take the Challenge...Crossfit Challenge!