Wednesday Form: Rope burns

"1. Fast and secure 2. Slower and more secure 3. Faster and less secure."
(crossfit.com; september 8 2010)

Wednesday Form: Stride Right

Check out the info at Newton Running.com
How did it come to this? The heavy heel strike.

Lift from the hip, drop foot (with ankle neutral...not flexed for heel strike) under body AND recover (heel to butt)...all with little strain, letting gravity do the work!

So, why not? The effortless mid-foot strike makes people think of "fast" running...and fast running means getting tired...and most folks give themselves a "vote of no-confidence" on holding that form (beyond say 50m). Thus, sit back into the hips, flex toe to shin, reach way out with heel, and plod away trying to conserve energy.

Yet perhaps that's the paradox. The scissor straight leg, heel strike stride (ie, running with the brakes on) that is associated with slow running (ie, not getting tired) may be more fatiguing...starting and stopping momentum with each step along with the increased ground&pound.

Stay light!

Check out this excellent CrossFit explanation of stride/strike/recovery using the wheel analogy.
Or read good review at NPR here:
For Humans, Slow and Steady Running Won the Race

Wednesday Form: Make Stability a Staple

"People ask me, 'what do I do for abs? I tell them, stabilize the mid-line like a motherf***er, that's what you do."
-Greg Glassman
Functional "abs" (targeting the Transverse Abdominis, Internal Oblique, all the muscles of the Back...yes, Back!) are attained through pressing, pulling, pushing, swinging, squatting, jumping, hopping, sliding, and a variety of other multi-joint multiplanar activities. When the "abs" are trained to do what they are supposed to do...Stabilize the Spine...then they look good to us!


Staple "ab-exercises" should address "entire trunk" stability...front & back, outside & inside.

(image from crossfitkelowna)

Wednesday Form: Squat, Deadlift, Swing, Oh My!

"a proper squat has hips below knee height, weight on the heels, knees in alignment with the feet..." (CrossFit main site). Though squats may look different for different people based on several variables, one being "length of hinge system", all proper squats adhere to these basic principles.

Not to be confused with a Deadlift: "Proper set up for the deadlift: Natural lumbar curve, hips higher than the knees, shoulders in front of the bar, weight on the heels." (CrossFit main site)

Which, in turn, should be confused with a KB Swing. Born from the Deadlift, the Swing cues will sound very much like a Deadlift.

None of which look like a Burpee OH Clap. Better than Yesterday!

Wednesday Form: Triple Extension

"In the barbell clean (and snatch), completion of the pull or full extension occurs ideally with knees and hips completely open, arms long, and the shoulders behind the bar." CrossFit 4/14/10

See explanation here at CrossFit Pacific Coast.


Notice in frame 2...arms still straight!

Wednesday Form: I feel like a heel!

All the cues..."stay back" "wiggle the toes" "dig in" "full foot"...and even "get on your heels!"

Yes, "heels" is a critical position for many of the exercises at CF. Deadlift, clean, squats, wall ball, KBs...and on!

For example, being able to squat on your heels will tell you about your achilles and backside flexibility, balance, midline stability, and strength.

Will you transfer to the toes? Yes, of course, many exercises require extension from heel to toe (ie, wall ball or snatch). But the foundation is "heels dug in."

See the CrossFit "Why heels?" explanation.

Murph

"Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open..."
"This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy... At one point he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in."

1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 mile run
(Partition the reps as needed)

Kelly Wednesday Form

Kelly: 5 rds
400m
30 Box Jump
30 Wall Ball

Wondertwin powers activate: Form of….a circle.
A circle? Yes, but not just any circle – an Enso: A single brushstroke to create a circle that is at once complete and endless; full and empty; perfect and imperfect; moving and stagnant. Nothing in the enso exists separately from the whole – everything is part of something bigger...more than the sum of the parts. Kind of like the participants in a CF circuit!


At the most basic level, the mere presence of each one of us adds to the dynamic atmosphere of the whole CF experience. At the next level, the positive contribution of each person giving their best effort has an immense impact on the class – the ‘takeaway’ if you will. Ultimately, it’s what we get from each other, though, that is most significant and puts CK's CF experience in a class all by itself. And THAT is why those who ‘get it’ keep circling back and back and back for more. Are you getting it?

"Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. And 'you can do it' when things are tough.”

You hear it from the CF regulars..."let's go" "pick it up" "you got it" "dig" "keep moving" during the circuit...and at the end "nice push" "well done" "great job". Advanced or Beginner....when working rightly at CF you're exhausted, nauseous, and delirious...and it's that quick, positive mental pick-me-up that makes the difference between getting a few more reps and pausing.

As Hero/Girl Week circles around, we're all beyond recovery, beyond soreness, pain, discomfort, ache-i-ness, and fatigue. So, we ALL need a little more of this positiveness. Send around some cooperative selflessness – the desire to make yourself better, and as important, to make others better, too. As you go around the circle or as you're circling through your rounds, remember, if you are THERE, you are an integral part of IT…give to get and it will be returned to you!

(enso by Daisy Janie)

Daniel Day

Dedicated to Army Sgt 1st Class Daniel Crabtree who was killed in Al Kut, Iraq on Thursday June 8th 2006.

50 Pull Ups
Run 400m
21 Thrusters
Run 800m
21 Thrusters
Run 400m
50 Pull Ups


Did you know that CF offers everything you need to get faster. Exercises and activities to increase stride length and rate...high knee, butt kick, skipping, sprinting, lunging, jumping...see other ideas here. Of course, results only come from performing each to the correct range of motion and at the correct intensity.

And if you don't like any of those suggestions for getting faster, then just rely on the old maxim, "There's only one way to run faster, and that's to....run faster!"

Hansen Day

Hansen: Marine Staff Sgt Daniel Hansen died February 14th in Farah Providence, Afghanistan when an IED he was working on detonated. Daniel is survived by his mother Sheryll, his father Delbert, his younger sister Katie, and his twin brother Matthew (also a Marine).





5 Rds:
30 Swings, 30 Burpees, 30 GHSit Ups

Tomorrow:
Daniel:
50 PullUps
400
21 Thrusters
800
21 Thrusters
400
50 Pull Ups

Saturday Hero/Girl Week Kickoff

"Danny": AMRAP 20 min.
30 Box Jumps
20 Push Press
30 Pull Ups
(Oakland SWAT Sergeant Daniel Sakai, age 35, was killed on March 21, 2009 in the line of duty along with fellow officers Sergeant Ervin Romans, Sergeant Mark Dunakin, and Officer John Hege. Daniel is survived by wife Jenni and daughter Jojiye. From CrossFit main site)

Hard core group showed up to brave a very intense 20 min at 7am! Nice push!




CF Class:
Neg PU, Lunge, Sumo Squat
Rope Heave, Russian Twist, JM Row
Step Up, WallBallBurpee, Dips
Curl/Press, Sandbag Squat, Honeymooner
(10x Mtn Climber, Lying JJ, B-buster, Flutter Kick after each)

Let's rally a big group tomorrow for Hansen 9am:
5 rds
30 Swings
30 Burpees
30 GHSitUp

Wednesday Form: Snatch

A great find from Tanner. Especially good for watching how the body moves and how the weight moves in relation to the body...the program that draws the lines is very cool in showing the "miss." (watch at least into the 3rd minute).

Monday "Did you know...?" Lean and Green

A fit person on a fit planet. Check out the provoking ideas at this guide.
There's alot of overlap between being leaner and being greener. A solid example is the Paleo diet.
Here's a summary. You can see more at Robb Wolf's CrossFit (he's a Paleo guru and the site has some cool recipes on the daily blog) or at his website.

Either way...Eat less, Eat better, Move more!

All of the lean meat, fish, seafood, eggs you can eat
All of the non starchy vegetables you can eat
Plenty of fruit
Moderate healthy fats
Moderate nuts and seeds
No grains or cereals at all
No legumes
No dairy products (eggs are meat)
No processed foods – make it yourself!
No sugars. Agave, organic honey, molasses, pure spun golden sunshine….it doesn’t matter. They are all equally bad for you.
No artificial sweeteners. These are not food! Creepy laboratory products with sketchy safety records, artificial sweeteners have been shown to produce an insulin response.

MEAT:
Grass fed beef
USDA certified organic meat
Wild fish
Locally raised animals
Eggs are good. Eggs from birds allowed to forage and run around are better.
Buffalo, elk, venison and other types of wild game are excellent choices if you can get them.

VEGETABLES:
Experiment with sautéing, roasting and grilling your veggies. Try different recipes and different ethnic foods. Learn to use herbs and spices. This stuff should taste good!
Peppers, squashes, eggplant, garlic, leeks, onions broccoli, cauliflower, avocado, carrots, green, cabbage, celery, kale, dandelion (yes! dandelion) spinach, tomatoes, radish, parsnips, mushrooms….
Avoid starchy vegetable – potatoes, etc. If you must eat starch (it happens) try yams and sweet potatoes.
Avoid legumes. Peanuts, beans, peas, lentils and soybeans should be avoided.

FRUIT:
A paleo diet allows and encourages lots of fruit consumption. There are a few issues with fruit consumption though. We need to consider how the fruit was grown as well as the type of fruit to evaluate nutritional value. We also need to consider pesticide exposure.
Scavenge the local farmers market for fresh local seasonal fruit. Organic is best.
Try to avoid fruit from far away. Flying in kiwis from New Zealand is not really helping our health.
Avoid GMO (genetically modified organism) fruit. Period.
A little fruit juice occasionally can be okay but, fruit juice is really candy.
Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to minimize pesticides.
Some fruits like bananas have a high glycemic load and should be avoided if you are trying to loose fat.
Berries! Eat lots of berries!

NUTS & SEEDS:
Filling and nutritious. Nuts and seeds are packed with protein, fatty acids, enzymes, antioxidants and lots of vitamins and minerals, especially potassium and magnesium. It is possible to screw up your fat profile with nuts though. Lots of nuts have an unacceptably high omega 6 / omega 3 ratio. Here are the best choices:
Walnuts
Macadamia nuts
Pecans
Nuts in moderation are very healthy but overeating them can stall weight loss. Cashews especially are delicious but surprisingly high in carbohydrate and contain too much omega 6.
Peanuts are not nuts.

Read more at Robb Wolf.com.

If you're into it, you can even buy the diet in a 'kit'.

This might help through the never-ending-holiday-eating season. Keep you eye on your goal...don't make your weight-loss or conditioning plan harder than they have to be as we head toward a new year.

PS. Thanks to the dietary caveman Tanner for forwarding the Paleo material.

Wednesday Form: Make it a Double.

Buddy Lee teaching the Double Under
(Watch it here at CrossFit.com)
"It's all in the wrist."

PS. Thanks to the delightful Karate Steve for the form suggestion.

Tuesday Attitude: Here comes trouble.

"The happy and efficient people in this world are those who accept trouble as a normal detail of human life and resolve to capitalize it when it comes along."
-H Bertram Lewis

WOD
20 Deadlifts
Run 400m
20 KB swings
Run 400m
20 Overhead Squats
Run 400m
20 Burpees
Run 400m
20 Pullups
Run 400m
20 Box jumps
Run 400m
20 DB Squat Cleans
Run 400m

Black Friday 9am

WOD: "Jake"
10 DEAD LIFTS (watch this if you don't know how!!!)
20 H.S.P.U
30 THRUSTERS (95#)
40 KBS (53#)
50 PULLUPS
60 SQUATS
70 BURPEES

Tuesday Attitude: For the Fallen

Many CrossFit gyms have their own variation of "For the Fallen" Workouts. Recently, CrossFit Front Range held a version for Veterans Day, here's their description:

"5280 is the number of KIA in Iraq and Afghanistan to date. You are here. They are not. Get in here and work your ass off."

As a group, accummulate reps for soldiers killed in action. What exercises will you choose from? Hmmm...box jump, double-under, burpee, pullup, pushup, situp, squat, wall ball, ball slams, OH walking lunges, 400 meter run (sandbag, vest available for extra challenge), kb snatch/swing, and maybe others.

Cost: $10 donation to Operation Phoenix (please put $ in box at gym). There is no CF punch that day. Also, even if you aren't participating, please consider making a donation.

What is Operation Phoenix?
Operation Phoenix is a CrossFit initiative that will raise the necessary funds to equip the entire United States Marine Corps with functional fitness equipment to increase combat preparedness, reduce injury, and strengthen unit cohesion. This will be accomplished through non-profit sales, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations. Every penny raised will go directly to "America's Fighting Force," the USMC.

Wednesday Form: Practice

Consistency before intensity. Do it right before you do it fast. Master the basics. Practice, practice, practice. Better than yesterday. Part of coming into CF is a commitment to certain exercises. Sure we want to crash around and have our HR up, but we also have to want to practice and master movements. That's the only way to see improvements and avoid injury. Why? Because the kind of fitness that happens at CF is a sport!

Of course, please attend the FORM SEMINAR on SUNDAY NOV. 8, 10-noon (see signs at the gym). This is your time to practice the consistency outside of the intensity of class.

BTW, you can watch the CrossFit Snatch Balance instructional here

Wednesday Form: Reach high!

Hey, who took the Smokehouse?!

Jolie's Rope Climbing Tips at the CrossFit Main Site.

Wednesday Form: Clean it up a bit.

Medicine Ball Clean (click here to see moving version at CrossFit Eastside)
Arms straight, drive hips, shrug, create weightlessness of ball at hips (still arms straight), elbows down and back, while dropping into squat under the ball.







One aspect to work on in fitness is Proprioception: it's the ability to sense the position, location, orientation, and movement of the body. It's how you know your hand is on the mouse at the computer and your finger is on the left (not the right) button (without looking). Or when writing, it's how you know you are getting close the end of the page and need to start a new line (again, without looking). Obviously, in exercise, Proprioception is crucial.

It will be how you know you are executing a movement correctly. Your brain tells your body to move, yes. But your body then sends feedback to your brain (proprioception). So as you do exercises, don't focus solely on the movement. But also think about the signals your body is giving. Does that squat feel right? Can I tell from my hips, that my plank is too high? Can I tell I'm curling instead of shrugging on the Cleans?

See how important? Then you're in charge of your fitness, because your body can self-correct. Begin focusing on how the correct, full ROM exercise feels. Get your body to learn that, and your brain to understand the signals from your body. Then you can clean it up yourself anytime your form gets out of whack.