OH MY GOSH! Are we this bad??? I mean, I know we are passionate about what a difference Paleo makes in how we feel and perform, and that we all look better naked as a result of caveman nutrition, but have we fallen to this level? Please drag me back to reality if I come anywhere close!

-Beth

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Floor Press:  Find 1RM, after finding 1RM, lower weight to approx. 85% and complete minimum of 5 reps.

4 Rounds:
6 Hammer strikes /Hand
8 Toes to Bar
10 Kettlebell swings (70/44)
12 Box Jumps (30″)

Christina Rivera Gyetvan sent me this cool essay, and I could not help but pass it on:

I know I talk about CrossFit a TON on this blog (and I swear I don’t work for the company!). Thing is, with all that CrossFit has done for me, I feel it’s my duty to relay the vast benefits on to other women if only to educate and inform. Having said that, if you have an aversion to hard work, read no further.

But if you love the adrenaline rush of hitting new PBs (personal bests), constantly challenging yourself with new exercises and techniques, and always improving your fitness level, read on.

Here are 8 reasons why you (or a woman you love) should give CrossFit a shot:

1)      It’s always challenging you to learn new exercises, so it keeps workouts fresh and exciting. Walking at an incline on the “dreadmill” 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week? No, thank you. There are more fun (and productive) things to be done!

2)      It strengthens your core (WITHOUT doing 200 reps a day of ab-specific work). CrossFit includes so many compound exercises that whether or not it’s your goal, you will build core strength. So, once you inevitably peel away fat you’ll have some amazing abs to show for it.

3)      It burns calories like crazy. Try doing one of the WODs (Workout of the Day) with running + compound lifts (like deadlifts, weighted squats, or cleans). It is not only exhausting but also brings you into a whole other realm of calorie burning. Workouts like this will keep you lean and mean.

4)      You’ll get more muscular. And I’m talking about the lean, athletic, fat-burning, awesome kind of muscular. Don’t believe me? Check out this video and try to argue otherwise. “Skinny fat” is nowhere to be seen.

5)      You will feel like the energizer bunny. I know, weird that exercising actually gives you energy, right? CrossFit is no exception.

6)      It increases confidence in the gym. I have worked out with so many women who are deathly self-conscious about entering the “men’s area” of the gym. You know, where all the barbells and plates are (aka, the good stuff). After you bite the bullet and tackle a few of the heavier CrossFit workouts you’ll never harbor that fear again.

7)      It increases confidence OUTSIDE of the gym. After completing a killer WOD, I can tell that my sense of accomplishment carries over into everyday life. I can tell that it does this for other women too. I taught a young female client how to back squat in the “men’s area” last night. She simply glowed with accomplishment afterwards… Or maybe that was just sweat?

8)      It’s an investment in your future. Like you, I don’t want to suffer from bone density issues when I’m 50. I want my fitness level to bounce back as quickly as possible after I have kids. I want to continue to feel strong and powerful into my 40s, 50s, 60s, and beyond. If you do too, now is the time to make the investment.

Train hard,

Steph

PS…

Here are some more resources about Women & CrossFit:

http://games.crossfit.com/features/women-2011-reebok-crossfit-games

http://orangecoastcrossfit.com/crossfit-for-women/

http://blog.fitnesstown.ca/2010/07/01/why-women-need-crossfit/

Maybe we should pay her to keep up the good PR work….

-Beth

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Pull Up work.

4 rounds:
400m run
50 air squats

This CrossFit stuff is really going mainstream! Even the Washington Post is talking about burpees. I guess we’re onto something cool and effective around here….

To see it live click HERE.

-Beth

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Snatch work

Every 30 seconds for 15 mins
1 Power snatch
Weight is variable, up it as needed.

Compare to 4/7/11

Check out Avelyn doinga bit of CrossFitting at home with her mom Lorraine.  You all may know Lorraine if you have ever come to a mid morning class.  She’s the one you can always find on the rings working on her muscle ups.  She’s also the one who you have probably noticed who constantly has that little (Rx) next to her name on the board.  Well, I now know why it is Lorraine trains so hard.  She’s nervous!  She knows that she’s going to be chased ferociously by the next generation.  Lorraine’s daughter Avelyn is no stranger to the Wine Country CrossFit community, and it looks like she has developed some mad skills watching her mom in class on the weekends.  Check her out!

-Ryan

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Friday’s WOD:

Deadlift: find 1rm

Complete 5 rounds:
7 deadlifts (315/225 rx)
21 Double unders

Ring work of coaches choice

6 Rounds:
Max reps Pull Ups
Buddy Drag from corner to telephone pole
(Walk back into the gym for rest period)

Back Squat – Find 3RM

Floor Press – Find 1 RM, then reduce weight to 85% and complete 5 reps

As time allows: bent over rows 8-8-8

This week marks a new benchmark to our list of benchmark Mondays.  Everyone please welcome “Fight Gone Bad”:

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We’ve used this in 3 and 5 round versions. The stations are:

1. Wall-ball: 20 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20″ box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75 pounds (Reps)
5. Row: calories (Calories)

The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of “rotate,” the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Enjoy everyone!

-Ryan

I’m on a roll talking about squatting this week!  While the rest of your coaches and I talk your ear off about squat technique, I think that one place we don’t place enough emphasis on is the topic of spotting.  It is vitally important as the bar starts to get heavy that you have a spotter to save you in case of failure.  Freddy Comacho of CrossFit One World is one of my CrossFit heroes (he’s one of the real OG CrossFitters) AND he has a great blog post all about spotting the back squat.  Check this out, watch all of the videos, and read it all of the way through.  It could save you or your lifting partner an injury!

Squatting and Spotting

-Ryan

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Friday’s WOD:

Snatch grip Deadlift – find 5rm

Tabata Sprints
rest 1 minute
Tabata Situps (scale up to GHD) (only for firebreathers, this will tear you up!)

Happy Monday guys, we’re going to kick this week off with Karen (see below), but I want to direct your attention to this video about the box squat.  It is about 10 mins in length and worth watching every second.  The guy in the video is one of my powerlifting heros.  His name is Dave Tate.  Dave was a member on the strongest powerlifting team of all time.  He has squatted 935lbs, bench pressed 610lbs, and deadlifted 740… you don’t want to challenge him to arm wrestle!  Needless to say, this guy knows a thing or two about the power lifts.  He teaches the box squat a bit differently than we do, and it is always good to hear a different angle on the moves we talk your ear off about.  Let me know what you think, post your thoughts and questions to the comments.

-Ryan

Click here to view the embedded video.

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“Karen”

150 Wall Balls for time (20/14)
Compare to 6/8/10, 12/6/10, 3/21/11

Have you been working on your double unders? Feeling pretty good that they are finally coming along? Not to ditch on your jump roping progress, or even cast aspersions about mine (which suck) but check out the double unders these folks can do!

Click here to view the embedded video.

-Beth

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Box squat 12×2 on the minute for speed working with 60-65% of 1rm back squat (75% of 5rm)

Push Press 3-3-3-3

As time allows:  Bent over rows 8-8-8 supersetted with GHRs 3×10-12