Corps Fitness Updates

• Starting next Thursday, April 16, there will be a Corps Fitness Intermediate/Advanced class at 530am. Class will run on a trial basis and as long as attendance is good it will become permanent.
  
• April 18th Jim Catchmark will hold a Triathlon Transition Class. The class will be held at 12pm at Blue Marsh Lake at the Dry Brooks boat launch (Accessible from Palisades Drive, it adjoins the Dry Brooks Day Use Area in Bern Township). You will need to bring all gear that you plan to use for a triathlon i.e. Wetsuit, bike, helmet, running shoes, towel etc. This will be a fully simulated class and will take you through all that is involved with the transition area in a triathlon. This class is free to tri club members and $15 for the public.
  
• Our new picture site is up through SmugMug, corpsfitness.smugmug.com, and there is a page displaying Corps Fitness regulars getting outside, competing and enjoying being active. I want to showcase anything you do outside of class and ask you to submit any pictures you have to myself or to Matt D mjdicintio@comcast.net to get posted on there and the blog. If you don't know, the blog address is www.crossfitberks.net.

Watch your lines

Regardless of the exercise, make sure the muscle action comes from 1) mental engagement, focused consciousness of what is happening and about to happen to the body, and 2) quality, natural, elegant, coordinated, well-executed movements. 'Tis true for basic bodyweight exercises (bicycle crunch, bend & thrust, push up, whatever) to loaded exercises (KBs, squat cleans, deadlifts, whatever).

Notice in the pic, hips are back (posterior), and we need them vertical. How's that gonna happen? Drive the heels and use the hamstrings & glutes. You can almost visualize how this can go south...too much leg (squats), too much pulling with the lower back (ouch), too much shoulder movement and shrugging, too much up on the toes (knees). That's someone that's just approaching it as, "Muscles will move this." Instead of thinking, "OK, I gotta get this bar, straight up that line by driving my heels and firing my posterior side..."

Check out these 2 CrossFit journal teasers (subscribe in order to get full article). You get the point. Then watch the CrossFit video.
Deadlift Analysis
Squat -- Active Hip

Make it stop!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...turn that frown up-side down. Chris will be back Monday!



Where was he? Our fearless leader was recognized by PSU for professional accomplishments. Congratulations, Chris!!



PS. Almost forgot this from Friday 5am KB

Lower Body (5 Pushups after each)
KB Squat
Tire Jump
Snatch into Rev. Lunge
Plank Knee
KB Single Leg Reach

Upper Body (5 Broad Jumps after each)
Double Pulls
Seated Iron Cross
Quick Step/Backward Bearcrawl
Handwalk
KB See-Saw Press

Need something to do over Spring Break?

Any CFers taking some Spring Break time in warm, relaxing places (like, ahem, the Gulf Coast of FLA)...here's a recipe for success...in between beach volleyball, wading in the surf, golf, mosh pits, etc.






1) Warm Up (you know, the kind that makes us sure of the fact that "our warm up is your workout"!)

2) 2 Rounds
Double Pulls
Steam Engines
B&T 3 Hurdle
Body Bar Crunch
Med Ball Suicide
Arm Haulers
Plank Knee
Side Step Up
JJ2BT
Box Drill
KB Sit Up

3) Speed Round of same

4) 3 minute Jack Webbs

5) Collapse until the Final 4 games begin.

Ta-da!

While CKs away, the CFers will play!

Nice push last night.
KB Swing
Box Jump (length)
Push Ups (double)
Quick Step
Plank Knee
Rope Heave
Skater Lunge
8 Ct.
Med Ball Twist
Side Hurdle
HRs up...bear crawl or star jump to each station.
See you on Saturday morning!

Ever get the feeling...??

OR

Food complexes

If you're contemplating your dietary content and process, here's some info that may help you get more bang for your buck when you eat. How can you get the most out of the energy and nutrients in the food you consume? Well, it may be an issue of correct "combinations" of foods.

Yes, kind of like a Kettlebell Complex (say, Swing, Clean, Push Press)...the parts are good, but the whole is greater than the sum. So it may be with foods...how can you unleash the potential of all those raw, natural foods? Make a Complex!

Tomatoes & Avocado
OJ & Oatmeal
Blueberries & Grapes
Apples & Chocolate

Click here to read the full descriptions and research.