Today Potomac Crossfit did Fight Gone bad at Greenbrier park in Alrlington, VA. It was a great turn out and a hard ass workout!

See more @ http://www.flickr.com/photos/crossfitdcjensgym/

Have you checked out http://www.potomaccrossfit/ ? I wish you would!

This is Dan. He's one of the owners of Potomac Crossfit and he's a Crossfit Coach.

Dan's one athletic dude and I'm proud to have him as a fellow coach and buisness partner.

Read more about Dan.....

"I’ve always been fairly athletic, but I am not an elite athlete. I’ve always been intellectually curious, but I am rarely the smartest guy in the room. I started working out regularly (again) and with intensity during my 10 months in Iraq (I am a Naval Flight Officer). It was something I could do to briefly get away from the job. Also, I turned 30, and knew that the days of athletically getting by on my youth were over. At that time, I was not doing CrossFit, but I was building a good base doing diverse workouts (mainly to fight off boredom in the gym). When I got back from Iraq, Brian (Co-Owner, Naval Academy Classmate, 2000) kept hounding me to do CrossFit. I was skeptical - as I tend to be. It seemed like it was a little bit of smoke and mirrors - how could workouts so brief possibly train you for much longer endeavors? I actually gave CrossFit a chance as a way to conserve time. Since then, my perspective on CrossFit has completely changed. Bottom line, it works. I am in the best shape of life. No caveats. I do not dread workouts - I savor them. The diversity of the CrossFit program has me constantly learning - which I love. I believe in CrossFit and what it does enough to start a business in it. I believe in Brian and Jen (Co-Owner and Head Trainer) and who they are enough to start a business with them. Come check us out."

Coach Rutherford I have a question for you. When you have the DB's at your shoulders for any reason is it preferred to have them like this??


Or to hold them like you would a Oly bar like this..


I of course have my own thoughts on this but would really like your feedback first. Thanks for your time.

Coach Rut's answer:
"Since I use dumbbells primarily for conditioning and not for strength tests, I let the athlete pick them up and do their own thing. My experience demonstrates that the neutral grip (position one in your photo palm facing the ear) allows for great extension and an active shoulder so if someone looks confused I preach that neutral grip.

In either case I really want full extension with the shoulder up and the arm on or slightly behind the ear.

Thanks for asking!"

Coach Rut, thanks for taking time to stop by and give us that feedback it means a lot coming from you. I have loads of respect for you!

http://www.potomaccrossfit.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/crossfitdcjensgym/

Sumo Dead-lift from Hell.

Top three winning ladies. In the white tank top on the right side we have Kristy from CFDC and Primal.

Please take a trip over to www.Albanycrossfit.com to see more pictures and results!

I'm back from Upstate! What a trip! Let's get to the important stuff. My CFT Crossfit Total is a PR overall!

Back Squat 180#

Press 85#! WHooot! Big improvement and testament to making a come back from an injury by being smart and taking it slow and doing Crossfit!

Deadlift 255# I rounded out a bit but overall not bad. This is 10lbs over my before injury PR.

520 is the total.
I had third place in my weight class! Yup that's a medal!
I did not do the run or the Hopper. It bothered me but I want to get and stay fit not injured.
I have a load of photos that I will get up soon, also some stories.
The people at the event were great! I even had two beer angels who kept me well supplied! Thank you!


Kristy in the above photo of Crosfit Alex, VA. She was awesome! We had some great laughs together.


I think the young man in the photo above is Dave of CF Brooklyn, NY. What a beast! He worked so hard during this WOD I wanted to cry!


Tanya was the overall winning lady. What an awesome athlete!

No real workout today. I was beat from work the last two days! Today was a get stuff done like clean the gutters and run errands.
While hanging out watching TV I would hit TGU's 4 left 4 right with the 15#db. Then a set of OHS with the PVC pipe. Next break I did 10 DB OHS with one 15# DB.
Then between changing my laundry over I got in two sets of 20 squats and 3 sets of 5 pushups.


Be smart and scale your workouts and the movements within a workout. Don't be a dork and do half range of motion. In the above photo my business partner Brian(which from now on will be written BP) Scaled his handstand push ups. I think you accomplish more by scaling then doing partial range of motion.

Today's WOD
21-15-9
Backsquats at 135#
Thrusters two 20# DB's
13:40
It was a killer!

"My hands may be rough, but I look better than you do naked!"
Jen Conlin

Today's WOD

7:30am
Warm-up 10kb swings with 16k
10 KB snatches each arm
20 air squats
Deadlifts
95lbs X 5
115 X 5
135 X 5

205 X 3
225 X 2
235 X 1

My Toe was feeling good today so I ran to everything while I was in DC. Ran to the gym, ran to the metro from the gym. Ran home from Metro, one min on one min off.

Did things around the house, read part of my book. BTW, Books I'm reading are
Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs..read anything by him he will make you pee your pants!
4 Of July by James Patterson(listening on my ipod)
I need to buy more books.

Afternoon WOD
1 min of 24k KB swings
1 min of dips on PVC bars
1 min of DB cleans with 25lb db's
Rest one min
Repeat for a total of 3 rounds.
I could feel how tired the DL's made me.
Tomorrow is a workday and a rest day. As restful as running in the ER can be.




If you get a chance take a trip over to Pamela MacElree's blog. It's listed in my links. She is aways and encouragement to me. I can't wait to hang out with her in Albany! That's her with the Keg overhead in the picture above.

Over the last two work days my WOD's were.

Day 1:
Tabata KB swings
2min rest
Tabata wallball

Day 2:

Row 500 meters
2 TGU's each side 16k KB(I was really working with the Left side.)
Row 500 meters
TGU's
Row 500 meters
TGU's


Next week I'll be up in Albany for the Crossfit Challenge. I have to say that over the past year I've been pretty humbled by my injury. It does bother me that I can't shin. I guess it's a life lesson. Maybe a coaching lesson, that you don't always have to be the center of attention in order to be good at what you do. I'm going to Albany with the hope to get a new baseline for myself. Also to help out at the CF total. It would be nice to go and be the east coast wonder women..but that's not going to happen. I want my form to be top notch and my attitude to be inspiring.
I could take my shirt off or pull my shorts up my ass....but I think I'll hold back on that! It would be funny to do the Deadlift in a thong!! But I don't thing upstate is ready for that!


This picture is from the Underground Strength Coach/Urban Athletics clinic I went to a few months ago.

Too check out the East coast Challenge go to www.AlbanyCrossfit.com

I just got back from Colorado, we were there for a week on Vacation. Over that week I really only worked out once. It was at 8500 feet and all I had were two 35# dumbbells. I did some sort of hang clean, push press and thruster deal. Followed by walking lunges and front squats. I was crushed! I could not get my wind for a long time!

We spent a lot of time with Di's family in Denver. We drank and ate! Whew, I feel fat and lazy!
While we were there I got to see an old friend of mine and my brothers, Greg Reickert. I used to babysit Greg. Now he's a grown man, it blows my mind. We had a short visit but it was still good to see him. Greg if you read this, just know that your in my thoughts and I hope great things for you!

I did get a few handstands in.


More impressive than that was seeing the Denver Marathon...well actually most impressive was this lady Donna who did it in her wheelchair. I don't know how she did, but as her pacer went by she told us her name and we cheered her on. I was deeply inspired! Go Donna go!



So now that I'm home and done sitting on my ass for now, I thought I would do a modified "Fran"


21-15-9
Jumping Pull-ups
Push press with 45# bar(I know Fran is Thrusters, today was not the day for me to do thrusters)
3:54

Warm up: all with bar
5 Shoulder shurgs
5 hang cleans
5 hang squat cleans
5 seated shoulder presses
repeat twice.

Later today I will do tabata squats and Swings.

Saturday's Kettlebell Trail run was a lot of fun. We had a good turn out of about 15 people. It was not the perfect day weather wise. Which ment we did not run the "trails" since they were really slick. It all worked out really well and a good time was had by all.
Tuba Steve said it was harder then Murph! The workout was called "Gene" for a friend of mine that was killed at war. Gene would have really dug this workout!







"Gene"
It was as follows. People had 3 options.
Pitbull-
25 pullups
25 picnic table presses
40 Kettlebell swings
Run 800 meters(give or take)

Bulldog-
25 pullups
25 picnic table presses
40 KB swings
40 squats

Boxer-
25 pullups
25 picnic table presses
40 KB swings
40 squats
sprint hill- 400 meters.
All done 5 rounds for time.
Chris finished the pitbull in 52 mins. Others were between 56 to 60 mins. Everyone did awesome! People were really digging deep! Way to be!









Look for more pictures at Potomaccrossfit.com

Kettlebell Trail Run this Saturday in Rock Creek Park at 4pm. If I don't have enough KBs don't worry I'll make it work so that you work! It's going to be a blast to put that fitness into sport action! Drop me a line if your intrested in coming. It's a five dollar cover for my gas and trail marking time. If that's an issue let me know and we can take care of it!
jen@potomaccrossfit.com

www.crossfitphilly.blogspot.com

I went to the foot doctor today. I knew what he was going to say, and he did. At some point I will need to get my bunion fixed up. I'm going to put it off for now at lest for the summer. It sucks, but because it's a degenerative problem it wont get better. He did give me an injection so that I can not be in pain for my trip to Colorado. I know it's not a fix. It was one of the most painful experiences of my life. Worse than a root canal!! Far worse! Now I'm off work for a few days since it will be more painful before it gets less painful.

I had been trying to run so that I can do the 5k in Albany Ny for the CF games. Truth is I don't care that much for running it's just easy and efficient. I'll start riding or rowing and be fine with that. It's work that I'm more concerned about, it's an on my feet kinda job. Guess we will just have to see how it goes.

MY WOD(Workout of the Day)
Warm up- 30 GHD Situps

65lb Oly bar

Hang power clean
Thruster
Back Squat
Front Squat
That's one rep don't put the bar down with in the rep or you have to start over.
The clock was set for 15 Min's of work. In the end I was in the range of 18 too 20 reps. This one was hard on the shoulder so tonight I will Ice and IB it.
Cool down- 30 GHD situps

The Thrusday AM crew!

I know the bar is not level on some of my hang-power cleans. It's a work in progress! It was fun!!

Got the skates out and it felt really good to be on them. The only issue I had was that it made me want to play hockey and or start Jumping, which is not a good plan. The whole reason I had to got out of hockey was because I've hit my head so many times. Which as you can imagine has causes me some issues! LOL!

I just had to push the limits and see if I could skate around with two 25# DB's!


After my little skate demo that I did for Ewunike she did "Fran" a scaled version.
Two 25# DB's
And she used a Band for her pullups.
21-15-9 of Pull-ups and thrusters for time.
Ewunike had great form on her thrusters and pull-ups I can see her flexibility and strength changing each session.
Her time was 5:30! Nice work my friend!
After Fran we work new skills and old skills in couplets. We still go for time but it's in more of a controlled fashion. If she needs to stop and get some cues we do that and work through the issue.

At 6:30 this Am I met with Eva, Shashi, and Jessica for a workout. They all kicked butt. Once these ladies get moving they really have some power and motivation. If only we could meet more then once a week. Next week I'll have pictures. Good workout ladies!
We did a Tabata mix up

First Tabata KB swings
Second Tabata squats
Third Tabata Spider lunges
1/2 Tabata Wall push-ups
Then some weighted walking lunges and we ended on plank holds and Bootstrappers.
Sweet!

This picture is from Crossfit Elements that takes place on Sundays at 9am at Balance gym in DC. Elements is a part of Crossfit DC.

Updates on my workouts. I've been having a hard time with allergies which cause me to get migraines. So it's been a little hit or miss.
I've been doing multiple short workouts each day.
On my way to work I've been stopping at the Lincoln memorial and running the stairs. It's 40 up and forty down.
On Monday I did the 6 sets of stairs on my way into the hospital. Once I got to work I worked some skills
Wall squats
OHS with Pipe
Then did four sets of 15 OHS's
Fours sets of One handed OHS with 10# DB
Two sets of Sotts press's with 10#
Came home early due to headache.
Later that evening
Tabata swings
Tuesday
Ran 10 rounds at Memorial stairs with 15# weight vest.
Once at work
Mobility work
Scorpions
Spider lunges
Bootstrappers
Wall squats
Left work early again due to Headache
While cooking dinner
Tabata KB cleans
Then half Tabata of KB Clean and press with 12k KB
On and off during the day I've been doing GTG pushups.

Washington Capitals are Rocking the Red again tonight. Make sure you check out our T's on the link to the Right of this page! Exciting times here in DC!

This has been a week of PR's for me. Which is a little surprising since I've been struggling with allergies for about 5 days. This time of the year I get migraines that come from congestion. I think I've had a headache for at lest 4 days and one night it did get the best of me and went into a migraine. It sucks!
OK so the PR's are
185# Back Squat
245# Dead lift-this is my old PR from before surgery.
85# Strict Press. Of everything this was the most surprising. It felt amazing to feel that bar lift off my chest and see it go passed my nose! Just amazing! I think I got 2 or 3 reps. Thanks Jerry Hill for the encouragement! And thanks Laura for the cheering and words of caution!
I needed a week like this. My workouts are hit or miss. Since surgery I've had to listen to my body in a new way. There have been days that I've so wanted to do somthing..anything...but no it had to wait. It's still like that. I might get 3 good days and then take off 2 or 3 days. Or go so easy that I walk away feeling like I've done nothing. Even today. I want to ride my bike so bad. I've been off the bike since November, I miss my bike. Yet, I just can't tell if it's going to be the day to give it a go or not.
Yesterday at Crossfit Old Town Challenge: After our strict press work.
Five min rounds of
4 ring Rows or Pull-ups for those that have them..not me!
8 push ups
12 squats
We did 4 rounds of Five minuets with one minuet rest in between. Body weight workouts will bring people to there knees!

The push ups kill me. I'm really into doing honest push-ups and I've been working on it almost everyday. The other day while I was fresh I wanted to see how many Honest, chest to the deck, no head dip and full ROM with arms push-ups I had. TEN....Just TEN. Going into yesterdays workout I was like Oh shit! I just had to do my best to keep my head in line and not except 1/4 or 1/2 push ups. Once I was fatigued it was hard to tell what I was doing. In my head I kept visualizing my body like a plank moving through space. It was hard and humbling. At one point I couldn't get my body down to the floor without falling on my face. It took me the good part of one minuet to get one push up at the end. Wheeew! I feel it today!

OK, enough about me let check out what my clients are ups too.
I'm back training two women from Di's office that I worked with last year. They have a biggest loser club going on and had me in to speak last week. I spoke about fitness and life style changes. Two women are very honest about just hating exercises. Out of 8 women who came to hear me talk about fitness and what it really is only two want to workout with me. Which is great, its better then nothing! The lies these women believe about fitness blew my mind.
Like...
"If I wrap my arms in this plastic fitness bands from sports authority will my arms get smaller?"
Or
"I have big muscles in my thighs, so I need to lose weight in my tummy area. What can I do to get a smaller tummy and not make my thighs bigger?"

Better yet..this one. "If I workout for and hour one day can I eat more that day?"

We all kinda think that way don't we?


I was honest with them and told them that weight lose and fitness are gained by hard work. I encouraged them to find out what activities they enjoy that are active. Most of them said they like to walk. I also asked them to pick something in there daily routine that they could cut down on to make more time for being active. They had a hard time with that one.
We really are a lazy people. Once they get moving I'm sure they will find that it's more enjoyable then they frist thought.
I hope to win a few of them over to the active side. I'm not expecting that they'll become Crossfiting maniacs or Olympic lifters, just active.

Now for a Ewunike's workout this past week.

She had an introduction to the sledgehammer and tire! I think she liked it!

Yesterday Diane and I went to Brookside gardens so she could take some photos. It was such a beautiful day! In the pond the frogs were all hooking up so I just had to reach in an pick a few up.



When I started to get bored I would find places to do pushups, Di spotted me on this one!

I love being outside and in gardens but would much more enjoy being on trails and hiking. But it's a good time for me to do some GTG's like pushups and dips.



Caps Win! Rock the red! Check out our T-shirt at http://www.concretepond.com/ao/

My friend Geroge of Concretepond.com and concrete apparel just made this T-shrit up for tonights game. It's awesome! If you want one go to the link and pick one up. If you have any issues let me know. For some reason I can't get links to work on my posts so just go to http://www.concretepond.com/ao/




Alexander Ovechkin Is awesome! Ya gotta love hockey! Go Washington Caps!



Rock The Red!

Some of you might be wondering why I'm affiliated with at com-bat sports site? Well first off it's Jason C Browns and if you've seen anything that he and Pamela are doing with Crossfit Philly you'll understand why I would want to be affiliated with them.
Second, this site is loaded....freaking loaded with Videos of Kettlebell skills, Bodyweight Training, Dumbbell Training, Injury Prevention and Mixed Martial Arts. If you can't see the cross over between com-bat training and Crossfit then your nuts! I've been looking for some fresh material and a good form that's a little different from the CF form. Since I think it's important to not get boxed up. This site is a hit IMO! Yes you have to pay to be a member, It's $15.00 a month. But well worth every penny and you can cancel at anytime.
We get a little spoiled with Crossfit being free but if people who teach us Crossfit can't make money then they can't keep bring us awesome information.
I had the privliage to hang out with Jason and Pamela this passed weekend and we had a blast.



Go check out the site and let me know what you think. Also, Jason and Pamela always tell me that if there's a skill that you need help with or want to see demonstrated just ask them and they will put together a video to help you out.

My WOD for the day:
Be as lazy as possible! Sloth, I rocked it!

Yesterday I attended a Strength & Conditioning Clinic held by Zack Even-esh, Pamela MacElree and Jason C. Brown.
It was a good time and a great clinic. I walked away with some new skills, new cues and ideas for training and coaching.


Zack is a beast! Unfortunately I did not get to see his jump squat, since according to Jason C. Brown the ceilings were only 20 feet high and Zack was afraid of "Exploding" through the ceiling! Maybe next time we will be outside so that Zack can demonstrate his Jump squat! I need to see that crazy shit!
I'm sure by now some of you have hear of the pregnant man that was interviewed by Oprah? Well I'm not sure if the tabloids have gotten hold of the Jason C. Brown Pregnancy or not, but I saw it first hand! It's true, I mean I don't think he could lie about it. By the size of his belly he must be in his second trimester! Yesterday that baby was doing BJJ In Utero! Good luck Jason, I hope everything comes out ok!

When I started to go to Crossfit Old town after my Shoulder surgery I wondered if I should do this. If you know me at all you know I love ball slams!It feels good to slam the shit out of a ball!
Anyhow I gave it a go. It really improved my ROM. I have been at a point where I was just not getting my OH ROM gains. It also took some of the slam out of it which can aggravate my shoulder.
Now, let me say that I did not go all out the first few times. I worked my way into it. Even now I can't just go balls to the wall. I have and had to control myself or pay the price.
As a CF coach it really has worked to get people into that full ROM and not stay round in there back. Overall I dig this exercise in more ways than one!
Good stuff Jerry!
My Before work WOD
3 Rounds
30 situps
30 MT climbers
Had to take it easy today. It's been a long week here at Mount Vernon ER so I can't kill myself.