Potomac Crossfit Of Arlington, Va is now open! You can register at http://www.blogger.com/www.potomaccrossfit.com/get-started/. We at Potomac Crossfit are doing things a little different.
Everyone must be enrolled or have completed Foundations to attend a Workout of the Day (WOD) class. We will expand our WOD classes in the very near future, but to get the maximum people through Foundations, Tue and Thur mornings will be strictly dedicated to Foundations classes.
I will be running Tuesday/Thrusday class at 6am and 7am, please go to http://www.blogger.com/www.potomaccrosfit.comfor more information.

20080805 Gym Tour from Potomac Crossfit on Vimeo.

What's your lung capacity? I'm not taking Vo2 max or your O2 saturation's. Do you breath deep? Do you fill your lungs up at lest a few times a day. Inhale deep let that chest expand, then blow it all out.
Why, because it's good to breath deep. It allows you to see how shallow your breathing the rest of the time. Breathing deeply helps you remember how your core should feel and move. It can also teach you how to stay tight when you squat or lift, slam and Jerk!
Try on some oxygen!

Crossfit Total.

Back squat 185#

Press 95#(PR)

Deadlift 255#(but ugly for sure)

Do you sleep enough? Are you a vampire or a up with the sun person?

For myself I would rather get up at 4am and go to bed at 7:30 or 8pm everyday.

I find that I stay up for reasons that are less than important. Watching TV or screwing around on the Internet. When I catch myself doing that, I make the effort to get my butt to bed.

Sure I get made fun of by my friends for being an "Old lady", it's OK I can handle it. Most people like to sleep in. My best sleep happens between 9pm and 2am. I'm not up after that I just think that is the deepest part of my sleep. No matter what time I go to bed I'm always up by 5am latest. This is my flow. What's yours?

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/sleep-your-way-to-better-fitness.html

Personal Punishment.

Some days I just can't decide what WOD to do. There are so many options with Crossfit. I can do the WOD of the day or something I make up. On days when I find that I'm spending more time thinking about what to do and not just getting to it I have a cut off.

OK, Conlin now your going to pay!

Five rounds of 15 of each no rest.

KB swings with a 45lb KB

Cleans Left(12k) and Right(16k)

Snatches same as above. 6:30

At the end my lungs are burning and my soul is on fire.....so next time don't waste time. Just get to it!

How do you manage your time?

I give myself time limits, on the computer or for getting things done around the house. Otherwise I flounder around and waste time. I also find that I rest better when I get shit done.

Rest is so important. Time when your quiet and or sleeping/napping.

I've been having sleep issues for the first time in a long time. My head spinning with ideas and work. It's a time where I have to play games with myself to find the off switch and block out all that engulfs me.

Things I do:

Read

Breath and stretch before napping

Drink less alcohol..no really I try!

Play with my dog.

Vent more to friends and partner about my work. It's a need that I at times forget to take care of.

My work is not something most people want to hear about. I've made a concerted effort to talk more to my colleges or to talk to friends about things even if they can't relate. Otherwise I stay up at night thinking about the tragedy I see and feel. I know that sounds dramatic, but some days it is. Day's were you feel the weight of someone else life on your soul.

You do what you can as a team in the ER, but you always walk away as an individual. I chose my path so I knew that it was going to be hard going at times. Days where your a stranger in a very personal and final moment of peoples life.

Torres can use a swissball if she wants to!


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/18/sports/othersports/18torres.html

My WOD at Potomac Crossfit Of Arlington
"Karen"
150 wall balls for time.
I used a ball that's between 13 and 15lbs.
8:20min
Concentrated on keeping my heels down on the squat portion.

Potomac Crossfit Of Arlington, VA!
It's the real thing folks! http://www.potomaccrossfit.com/ for more details and updates!
My First WOD at PCF
Warm up: KB Swings
5:20am
21-15-9
135# Deadlift
15#Slamballs
6:50min
No photos or Video, I guess it’s to early for anyone to join me.
This was more of a kicker than I thought it would be.

20080802 First Wod from Potomac Crossfit on Vimeo.
Yes, I missed the first WOD at the new Fort. I was falling asleep on my feet and needed get my ass home. Soon enough my friends you will see my kicking it at PCF or Arlington.
Friday went like this. Off to work at 4:30am then took off early at 1pm to head over to Potomac Crossfit in Arlington. Unloaded a truck full of toys! Lots of beautiful Kettlebells!
Stayed in Arlington over night and really did not sleep because I was dreaming of things to come at PFC.
Up at 7am at the Fort by 8:30 and unpacked boxes of KB's and bumper plates. Then we went and got a shit load of equipment from Dan's apartment, brought it back unloaded it.
Then we spent a long while painting metal plates that had rust on them. Seriously I was beat!
My WOD today was:

Warm up five rounds
5 ring Push-ups
10 KB swings @ 16k
10 Med-ball cleans @20lbs
8 minutes

Back squats
3X bar
3X65
3X95
3X100
3X115
3X120
3X125
3X130
3X135
3X140

Kettlebell skills
Snatches two different stlyes
12k on left 16k right 10 reps each side
Snatches continued on right
and High pulls on left

Double cleans 10 reps 12k left 16k right
Again with 10 reps 16k left 45lb right

Ended on max ring push-ups 9

News Flash........Potomac Crossfit has a Box in Arlingon. I like to call it a "Fort". http://www.potomaccrossfit.com/ for more details.
Also, in the links check out some new places to visit.

My long distance friend Jon of Crossfit Boston and Again Faster is at it again making some really helpful videos.

The Concept2 Rower - Part One from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.

Do you use Crossfit Standards? Check out Fready of CF one World and the Burpee standard.

Really having lifting shoes makes a huge difference! Spend your money wiseley and get a pair!

Warm up:
Five rounds
5 push-ups
10 16k Kettelbell swings
5 12lb Med-ball cleans

WOD:
Front Squats
3X45
3X65
3X75
3X80
3X95
3X100
3X115
3X120
3X130
My focus was to drive up from my ass. If you want understand what I'm talking about go to http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wiki/Starting_Strength_Wiki and learn from the best!
I ended on a strong note. I could have pushed for a set or two more of maybe less reps but I wanted to end this way so I did!!

As I turn 39 what are my fitness goals? Why do I do Crossfit?

First lets make a list of all my past injuries.

Four or five broken ribs. Most of them from a fall I took off a ladder the others from hockey.

I've broken my nose twice that I can remember, once from a soccer game the other from a dog who flipped me over and I landed on my face.

One broken jaw, I fell off a boat and hit my face on it as I went down.

Two dislocated shoulders from a MTB accident.

Two broken fingers from the same accident.

Two dislocated ankles one from a soccer game the other from volleyball.

Five or so concussions. Once I fell into a bowl while in-line skating and landed on my head. The others were from hockey.
Along with them I've had some pretty bad whip lash.

A dislocated thumb from playing footbag or net ball. It's a hacky sack game.

One sliped disk from a swinging accident where I went over the top bar and did some amazing flip and landed on my ass which also broke my tail bone.

A load of road rash from a cycling spill where I slid on my helmet and shoulder for several feet.....but I got up and finished the race.

Geeesh, that's a pretty good list. As Jerry said in the comments I have a lot of good memories that go with them. As I wrote the list out I had some good laughs!

Why this list of injuries, well because... This is my body and I don't want to make excuses for not pushing. Yet, I have to listen to what it's telling me, if you don't think these things add up you crazy! I have days when I just don't feel like moving.
If I stop moving I become my injuries, if I move when I should rest I have another injury to add to the list....that is not a goal!

OK, Now for my goals
I want to go to the senior Olympics!

Of course I have other reasons. I like being strong and fit. Whether I'm cycling or or doing Crossfit I feel mentally stronger when I've motivated myself to push my limits.
My grandfather always wanted me to go to the Olympics when I was younger. I hope to make his and my dream a reality in the next ten years!

20080719 Park WOD from Potomac Crossfit on Vimeo.
It killed me to miss the Park WOD, but I had to put the hours in at the hospital. From the video it looks like fun was had and really that's the point Right! Have fun Get Fit!

Just as an example of the "Crossfit bond" I'll use my friend Adrienne.

Adrienne and I first met at Crossfit DC. Tom spoke of her before I met her. What he told me was this "When you work out with Adrienne your going to push yourself harder than you do when she's not around" My thought was kinda like, Huh? Well for Christ sake he was right. As we took on whatever crazy ass workout that Tom made up we were right across from each other. Out of the gate she gave me a look that said, "come on bitch I dare you to keep up."
Who knows if I kept up, that remains a secret between Adrienne and I!


Now it's been a few years since we first met. We have on very rare occasions hung out outside of Crossfit. You know how it goes, life is busy. Does that make us not friends? Nope! Our friendship is built on Crossfit. We've had the girly chats over the years, the heart break and the injury and triumph of physical challenges.


I've seen Adrienne become a strong person. Physically yes, and emotionally. She walks into a room with an emotional strength that is empowering! I'm not saying she was a wuss before. Let's leave it at this, I've seen a change and it's good.

Also, although we don't get to chat so much these days I know she has my back. Whatever comes down the pike. I could call or email and support would be there. Not because I'm special but because we have worked hard together to get strong and break down walls of physical and emotional opposition. When you've done that with people a bond is created and that my friends is a Crossfit Friendship.

Today's WOD's

Rode 13 miles did 3 sprints one uphill.

Two hours later

5 push press
5 push-ups
10 American swings with 16k KB
Five rounds for time
5:30

My legs are just not recovering. I can feel the burn as soon as I get on my bike and start the ride. For the last two days I did nothing but go to work and walk around for 12 hours. I've been eating and resting well. This has been a frustration of mine in the past. When I was riding everyday after a while I just never felt fresh.

Being the best Crossfit coach I can be and Why!

At some point during the winter of 2006 I decided to get in shape. I was sick of myself.Riding my bike was just not doing what I wanted to do. Faster, longer, hill sprints I just could not get the fitness I was looking for.

At that time I worked in the Nero Rehabilitation department of the Hospital. I'd been working in Nero Rehab for ten years altogether. Working with people who had had strokes or head injury's. Also working with people with spinal cord injuries. One thing kept repeating it's self in my mind. Most of these folks are out of shape, most of them are over weight. Maybe their weight did not cause there issues maybe it did. There lack of fitness was defiantly affecting there rehab. By saying fitness I mean having strength, endurance and the ability to move well. They had no idea what hard work was until they had to move there bodies when there brain was not functioning well or when they did not have a functioning spine. It pained me to watch.

I kept thinking, " If that happened to me I want to be stronger, fitter and more mobile". I want to have muscles that know how to work hard, all of my muscles. We coached people on how to move how to eat and how to get to the bathroom, talk about getting real! In the photo bellow is my first Crossfit Gym.











At that same point in 2006 I decided that I would not only get fit but that I would press others to get fit. I'd never gone to a gym, I just rode my bike played soccer ran around in the woods to stay in shape. I took the leap and joined a gym. I went everyday, to spin and I would play with the weights. I got strange looks when I was in the free weight section. Who knows what I was doing most likely something I saw in a magazine, yikes! Looking back from where I am now after all the people I've coached CF to I realized that when I was in the free weight area I was using the 20lb dumbbells and sometimes the 30lbs dumbells. Today I handed a client two 20lb DB's and she looked at me like I was from another planet. So I guess the looks were because of the heavy DB's I was using. (if it was because I looked like a dork I don't want to know, let me dream!)
I've been watching people and how they move for years. This is not to say I move perfectly. I don't and I'm my biggest critic. Once I found Crossfit which was via Jerry Hill I really latched onto it. It's my passion to keep learning how to move my body when all sorts of different forces are applied. I've dedicated hours and hours to understanding how to cue or touch people so that they can move better during there WOD. When I see someones squat go from scary to functional I get butterflies in my tummy! Understanding how my own body moves helps me deal with others over all. Yet, I've come across people so different that it can't be all I relay on. Asking people where they think they are in space and seeing where they really are has been an eye opener!

I work on my Fran time(scaled)my Cindy rounds and my CFT as much as I can, yet with in reason. I work harder on understanding how to be a Crossfit Coach that can reach and teach a wide swath of people and groups.

I'm not ashamed to reach out to other coaches and ask for advice and insight. If I had Coach Glassmen's Cell number I would call him or coach Rip or coach Burgener and say hey, I have no idea how to deal with this persons issues, any insights?(I'm sure they're happy I don't have there cell numbers! LOL!)
If I don't understand how to teach something I'll find someone better at it and call or email them asking for assistance. Because the main focus is this..We Gotta get these people moving! It will save there life! Whatever there war or battle is we have to get them moving safely functionally, with strength and power! Hitting the TGU's at Crossfit Old town.

Today's WOD
50 squats run 400 meters four rounds. I think I ran to far but can't be sure. I also had a hill in my run...damn it!
My running was really slow!
Anyhow, 26:00
I was not pushing hard at all, my squats should have been faster but I was just moving slow today.


WOD two:
Four rounds for time:
Five 75# Push press
Five windmills with 16k KB (five left/Five right)
6:55
I’ve been trying to do two-a-day’s when I can and today I could so I did.

Taking a true "day off". Yesterday was a rest day and I was at work. Which really is not so restful. My legs and my head are fatigued today. So I bagged my WOD and will just REST!

Hot and Hotter or hotter and hot? I can't decide! It's great to be me!

WOD's from the last few day's

Tuesday:
Trim Hedges
Five clean and jerks with two 16k KB's
Trim
Five clean and jerks
Trim
Five double cleans
Trim
One arm Clean and Jerks Five each side.
Trim
Two handed KB high pulls with 24k KB
Pick up...cooked, done, finished!

Wednesday:
PVC work warm up. Shrugs, high pulls, Muscle snatches, snatch balances, Wall squats, hang squat cleans.
WOD
Mini tabata mix:
Air squats, lunges
Had to stop there, it's unwise of me to blow up before a 12 hour shift.
Then repeated all PVC work


Today at Balance gym:
Warm up: 500 meter row, Front squat with bar.
Play WOD, I just wanted to do stuff. With no order or RX!
5 Front squats with bar
5 FS with 65lb
5 FS with 95lbs
5 Squat cleans from the floor with 65lbs
5 squat cleans @ 95lbs
Attempted 120...no deal!
5 more 95lb squat cleans
5 hang cleans with 95lbs X 5

Pressed Bar X 5
Push press X 5
Repeated five times working form. Focused on the push press and getting my weight to go into my heels and not forward into the balls of my feet.

Twice
45lb KB snatches Right
16k KB snatches left
Farmers carried with two 40's up and back the gym then 10 lunges
Hows that for Varied and random!!

Have you gotten your Potomac Crossfit T-shirt yet? www.potomaccrossfit.com
Get outside and get some! Just move your body, don't wait for the right time or day. Today is the day!
I love being a strong women!! It rocks!

Meet Potomac Crossfit from Jennifer on Vimeo.

Five 185lb Dead lifts

10 Burpees

5 rounds for time

7:21

I had to do 2 extra Dead lifts because on one I didn't get all the way up and on the other I dropped the bar at the top.

Also, I added one burpee on do to laying on the floor to long after the push up part.

Three hours later

Ran one mile with moderate hill in the middle.

10:20-I'm a slow runner..really slow.

The plan was to do all three WOD's from yesterday. I think I'll save some for Monday. My shoulder is saying no!

Today's WOD

75# Deadlifts 15

75# Hang power cleans 12

Front squats 9

Push Jerk(split for me) 6

3 Rounds for time

RX'ed this is 95# for women and 135lbs for men and 5 rounds.

The scaling was to take it to 65# for women and still do five rounds. I knew I did not have this today. I also only have 74# at home. So I just took two rounds off. I think it balanced it's self out. It was heavy for me for sure. The cleans were the hardest. Please use smart scaling if and when you do these workouts. It might hit your ego a little but your going to seem wiser in the end.

Overall a great WOD for me. I liked it and the pain it brought me.

Cheers!

12:06min's

My last rest day went like this.
Ate Breakfast at Open City then it was off to George Town to go kayaking with Di. Then we went to the National Cathedral and walked around. Ate some pizza and took a nap....Ahhh. Ya gotta love that!