Update

Hey Guys,

Been a while since I posted. Frankly, I've been doing my best to keep up with the demands of the current 12 BTWG Project as well as coaching my "Biggest (Healthiest) Loser" team at RCI and coaching my private clients - all good stuff!

Just a quick update, especially for those who have been AWOL the last couple weeks due to illness, or sick family members; I know it's been a rough season for many of us.

Over the past 8 weeks I've introduced 8 of the the "9 foundational movements" of CrossFit and integrated each of them into various WOD's. Here are the 9 foundational movements:

• Air Squat
• Front Squat
• Overhead Squat
• Clean
• Shoulder Press
• Push Press
• Push Jerk (only one we haven't done - wanna guess what we are doing next week?)
• Dead Lift
• Sumo Dead Lift High Pull

If you missed some of them along the way, don't worry, we will continue to cover them, learn them, refine them, and progress with them.

We've also been working pull ups, especially since I installed the pull up bar in the garage and purchased the "Iron Woody Bands" (www.ironwoodyfitness.com). On a recent Thursday session we worked on the Dead Lift and several of those attending worked up to their 3 rep max, which for some was at, or near their bodyweight! Glad I bought those bumper plates...

I've also been putting out WOD's on Monday and Thursday that offer a taste of the variety of CrossFit WOD's Singlets (single exercise WOD), Couplets (two exercise WOD), and Triplets (yup, three exercise WOD). Tonight's WOD? What is affectionately known as a "chipper" workout. A chipper entails a workout with multiple tasks to complete for time. If you have ever watched the movie "Fargo" then you will know where this style of workout gets it's namesake. Here is a little clip, though I would caution you before you watch it, it's graphic and not family friendly or for the faint of heart:



Tonight's WOD is one I put together and it looked like this:

Do 30 reps of the following for time; scale reps and movements as necessary -

• Box Jumps
  
• Sit Ups
• 10 meter shuttle runs
• Pull Ups
• Kettlebell Swings
• Thrusters or Push Press
• Double Unders or Singles (if you do singles, double the number of reps)

I'm really proud of all of you and all the hard work you have been doing. I also appreciate all the support and enthusiasm you guys have put out there.

Next week we will talk about the road ahead and the schedule during the holidays, etc.

Keep cranking it, guys.

Chris

Catching Up

For those who were not there last Thursday, I thought I'd post the WOD.

After a warm up, we practiced the Deadlift - one of my favorite lifts. Years ago, I suffered a "bulging disc" in my lumbar spine; the doctors said I shouldn't do full squats or deadlifts. Of course once I was pain free these two exercises are the first thing I did, along with stretching. As a result I currently squat and deadlift over 300 pounds and I never have back issues, eventhough my spine is now prone and suseptble to herniation.

The theme of last weeks class was "Picking heavy things up off the ground." Which I later changed to "Picking up heavy shit if fun!" - it seemed to be a more appropriate title as I saw the smiles, excitement, jumping up and down and high-fives after everyone started increasing the weight. We worked up to what was close to everyones 5 rep max. A few of the ladies were deadlifting their bodyweight for 5 reps!

We concluded the class with this short WOD:

3 rounds for time -

• Deadlift X 10
• Run 200 meters

Tonight's class consisted of learning the Front Squat and Pull Up.

After a warm up and stretch/range of motion we went over the basic "Air Squat". Once everyone was looking good with the air squat we added the PVC pipe for the front squat. Again, once everyone was squared away, we added a load, the 45# Olympic bar. A few folks added more weight and I have to say that I was glad to see that most were able to do the movement sufficiently. This is a very technical movement and takes tons of practice to get it down enough to be really efficient and to lift heavy loads - be patient everyone, it will come with practice.

Next we moved to the pull up bars and learned the basics for the pull up and even went into the basic elements of the "kipping pull up". We put the new pull up bar system and assistance bands to good use tonight!

I would encourage everyone to get over to Crossfit.com and go to the "exercises and demos" page and look at the demonstrations for the deadlift, front squat, and kipping pull up.

At the end of class we did the following WOD (it's a little confusing to read, but makes sense once you get going).

3 Rounds - Score equals the total number of front squats and pull ups you complete:

• Run 400 meters or walk 200 meters
• Front Squats X 1:00 (count your reps)
• Pull Ups (or assisted pull ups) X 1:00 (count your reps)

Enjoy!

Can you Say "Bumper Plates"?

Earlier today I had the good fortune to come across the find of the times (at least for me), something that rarely comes up - I found a nice pile of used bumper plates. Not familiar with bumpers? No worries, you will soon find out. They work as weight plates for the Olympic bar, and the cool thing is they are the same diameter allowing your lifts from the floor to start in the ideal position and you can drop or "dump" the bar if needed and you don't have to worry about smashing the floor or breaking the plates.

Tomorrow is a heavier lifting day that I think you will "enjoy" : ) See you tomorrow.

Find of the times - used bumper plates! Oh, and those numbers on the plates 15, 20, 25 - that would be kilos, not pounds! That means 33, 44, and 55 pounds! We now have over 400 pounds of bumpers to work with. Time to get stronger, folks!

Until then, check out this cool video of Buddy Lee and you too will soon be doing double unders like nobody's business...

Monday's WOD - 12 Oct 09

Here is the WOD from last night if you were not able to make it. I will post another WOD for this week either later today or tomorrow. See you Thursday!

Warm Up
Stretch/Range of Motion

Skillz and Drillz - with a few new folks joining us, we reviewed the kettlebell swing and jump rope, in particular the infamous "double under" though we didn't have any takers for the DU in the WOD. Here is how it went...

Run length of soccer field and back and then...
As Many Rounds As Possible in 15:00 of -
Box Jumps X 10
Bench Dips X 10
Kettlebell Swing X 10
DU X 10 or singles X 20

We did a second workout after 5:00 rest, it's often referred to as "Death by 10 Meters" - here's how she goes:

2 cones or points set up 10 meters apart (we used lines of soccer field)
Have a timer that counts down 1:00 and runs continuous.
On first minute run10 meters. When beeper goes off, run 20 meters. When beeper goes off run 30 meters, etc. Keep adding 10 meters until you can no longer finish the set within the 1:00.

If you are new to this, let me further explain. Start your countdown beeper and run 10 meters, this will take only a few seconds. The remainder of the 1:00 you stand and get ready for the beeper to go off, when it does, you run down and back (20 meters), this will take a few seconds. Wait for the remainder of the minute until the beeper goes off and run down, back, and down again (30 meters). This is a cake walk until you get up around 8, 9, 10+, at this point it is taking you almost the entire 1:00 to get in all the reps, leaving you with only seconds to recover before the beeper goes off once again.

Newcomers Jennifer and Paul set a class record of 14 last night, besting the previous class record which was 13. Sound easy? Believe me, this thing starts to implode REAL QUICK!

Good job guys!

Last Week's WOD

For those not able to attend last Thursday's session, here is the WOD.

• Warm up - 400 meter and stretching/range of motion
• Skill training - review of "Push Press". Front Squat with PVC pipe and Olympic bar or dumbbells. Thrusters with PVC pipe and Olympic bar or dumbbell

WOD:
For time
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps of

• Burpees
• Thursters - 45# bar
• Sit Up

This means you do 10 burpees, 10 thrusters, 10 sit ups, then do 9 of each, 8 and so forth.

Scaling Options:

• Do 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 reps
• Leave out the push up or jump squat on the burpees, use your knees, etc.
• If no bar or if 45# is too much load, do Thrusters with lighter dumbbells

Record your workout and times. Please post in "comment".

A view of last week's whiteboard...

WOD for the Week

Hey Guys,

Here is a short, yet oh-so-sweet WOD you can do this week. Jody did it earlier this week and was able to complete 8.33 rounds. If you do these workouts, please let me know, or better yet, post your times, scores, rounds, etc. in the "comments" section.

Warm - Up
Skillz and Drillz that as you see fit.

Complete as many rounds as possible in 15:00 of:

• Double Under X 20 or 50 regular jump ropes


• Front Squat X 10


• Sit Ups X 10

Notes:

• Double Under = jumping rope where the rope does 2 revolutions per jump. Here is a helpful video from the CrossFit main site: http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_DoubleUnders2.mov. If you cannot access the video, just go to crossfit.com and click "Exercises and Demos" over on the left of the main page, you then scroll down and click on the link "Double Unders (Brendon Gilliam demo)", you can select "mov" or "wmv" format.
  
• Front Squat load for women = 45#-65# Load for men = 75#-95#. If this is too much, scale it back even more
• Sit ups - if you cannot do sit ups do crunches and double the number of reps
  

Enjoy!

Chris

I Like The Way You Roll, Hope!

Hi Chris~

I have to tell you that I raved about the team event to Rashid last evening! It was completely motivating to push personal efforts in the attempt to help out not only myself but fellow team members.

Quite honestly, I have thoroughly enjoyed the dynamics of the group experience and am excited for the two-a-days to begin.

Have a great weekend!

Hope