The November Farmer’s Walk Challenge

***Thanksgiving Schedule: Thursday morning 8:30-9:30 am. Closed Friday. Saturday at normal time 8:30-9:30 am.***

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 11/25/09

Four rounds of:
Run 800 m
Rest 3-5 minutes

By now, most everyone has tried the November challenge – 400 meter farmers walk with kettlebells or dumbbells for fastest time. The Rx’d weight is 53# and 35#. You’ve still got a few days to do it, or repeat it for a better time. So far, no one has even come close to Darrin’s time of 3:15 – not even Justin Riley (2009 CrossFit Games Competitor).

Big Swings

Workout of the Day for 11/24/09

21 Thruster (115/75)
24 Pull-ups
15 Thruster (115/75)
18 Pull-ups
9 Thruster (115/75)
12 Pull-ups

CrossFit Paid Off

***Thanksgiving Schedule: If you are interested in working out on Thursday morning, please email me. Closed Friday. Saturday at normal time 8:30-9:30 am.***

Workout of the Day for 11/23/09

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
then,
Three rounds of:
10 Overhead squats (95/65)
10 Left arm kettlebell swing (53/35)
10 Right arm kettlebell swing (53/35)

Set a PR on the Deadlift.

Jason showed up with 6 weeks to prepare himself for 3 days of riding for Pablove Across America. Look for his testimonial coming soon on how adding CrossFit workouts to his riding regime made a huge difference in his performance.

3 in the Box – 2 on Your Own

Workout of the Day for Saturday 11/21/09

Five rounds for time:
Run 800m
Pullups 8/5
Pushups 16/10
Air Squats 20/32

If you want to progress in your pursuit of health and fitness you should be doing three days a week at CrossFit Placer and two days a week on your own. “On your own” means workout with intensity – why “on your own”? That’s a subject for another blog post.

Your welcome to come here five days a week if that can work for your schedule and your life. 3-on, 1-off, 2-on, 1-off is the maximum prescribed rotation.

If you’re getting here three days a week, kudo’s to you. Now get your two days of training on your own and enjoy the feeling of steady progress.

If you’re getting here two days a week, I sure hope your are working out hard three other times a week. If you are not, why? You were made to move.

If you’re getting here one time a week, we’re glad to have you, but it is imperative you are exercising regularly on your own.

Please provide a caption Vol 1

Workout of the Day for Friday 11/20/09

Athlete’s Choice/Open Gym
If you don’t have something you want to do, then do this -
Four rounds for time of:
Walking lunge 50 meters
Sit-ups, 50 reps

Please provide a caption for this picture:

Ryanimal

Workout of the Day for Thursday 11/19/09

Weighted Dips 5-5-5-3-3-3
then,
Four rounds of:
Barbell Bear Complex

If you don’t have 10 dips in a row, you’ll do bench press instead with the same rep scheme.

The Bear Complex consists of a power clean, front squat, push press, back squat, push press, tap the floor and go again until 7 cycles have been completed. After 7 times through, you may then rest as needed. It is not done for time – it is done for completeness of movement and as heavy as possible. Complete four rounds of this complex working up to the max weight you can survive 7 cycles with. You are not allowed to set the bar down during your 7 cycles. You may rest as needed during the cycles but you can not put the bar down.
If 45 pounds is too much for your to complete these movements safely and efficiently, then start with dumbbells and start light, but your work will remain the same: 7 cycles of clean, squat, press, squat, re-set by passing dumbbells below the knee.

Finalize your goals, tomorrow is the last day. Challenge yourself!! Put it on the board.

Ryan brings intensity to every workout. He’s a good example of what is possible when someone makes up their mind and works hard. He knows how to push through pain.

Happy Birthday Denise!!

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 11/17/09

Back Squat
3-3-3-1-1-1 reps
rest 3-4 minutes, then:
Three rounds for time of :
5 Snatch Grip Barbell Deadlift (1.25 BW)
Row 250 meters (or Run 200 meters)

Today is the actual day, right Denise? Happy Birthday.

Don’t Miss Today!!

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 11/17/09

20 Minutes Warm-Up Stretching and Talking

20 Minutes of Breathing and Visualization Techniques (find your “power animal” click here )

20 Minutes of Cool Down Yogalates (that’s not a Starbuck’s drink, it’s a combo of Yoga and Pilates).

Just kidding. You’ll find out the workout when you get here. Just show up ready to throw up!! If you skip today – 100 Burpee Penalty.

The Goal…Consistently Push You Beyond Your Capacity

Workout of the Day for Monday 11/15/09

Five rounds for time of:
7 Muscle-ups
21 Power clean (95/65)

From the CrossFit Games website:
Click Here for full post.
As a strength and conditioning program, the goal of CrossFit is to consistently exceed the capacities of its athletes, including the world’s fittest humans. No matter where you are in life, gains in fitness cannot be achieved without discomfort. Of course, that pain shouldn’t be excessive, nor should it be just for its own sake (it’s easy to create a painful workout that doesn’t lead to much). But, there is certainly a high correlation between competency in life and tolerance of discomfort.

Are you rape safe?

Workout of the Day for Saturday 11/14/09

“Fran”
21-15-9
Thruster (95/65)
Pull-up

Rob Orlando, One Armed Fran – video [wmv] [mov]

Rape Safe with Tony Blauer
I know it is in Las Vegas, but if you have any Southwest Airlines credits, it’s a good excuse to spend a night in Las Vegas! As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” A little mental preparation can be the difference maker in avoiding, fighting off, or surviving a personal assualt. I have personally sent my wife to several seminars like this, as well as my friends and family members. I hope you will seriously consider this seminar. Tony Blauer is the real deal and it will be worth the time and resources you devote. If this seminar is logistically impossible for you, consider attending one in the future! Click here for information.

How much fish oil?

Workout of the Day for Friday 11/13/09

Friday: Open Gym/Athlete’s Choice 4:30-630 pm

This is a good time to test yourself and see where you are at as you set your three specific goals. Use this time to work on skills, learn a new lift, hit that WOD you’ve been wanting to try, or just play around and have some fun with the equipment. Tried a muscle-up lately?

The recommended WOD is as follows:

Power Clean 5-5-5-3-3-3
then,
“Mini Nancy”
Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
15 Overhead Squats (95/65)

 

Here’s an answer from – http://thepaleodiet.blogspot.com/ – to the frequently asked question how much fish oil should I take. The answer 2-4 grams a day. 2 grams a day if normal, 4 grams a day if inflamed or having auto-immunity issues.

Read full answer here:

Q: What is the calculation when prescribing fish oil? I am not intending to prescribe it to anyone I was just curious.

A: From an evolutionary standpoint, it seems that hunter/gatherers consumed around 1 gram a day of EPA+DHA, as stated by Dr. Cordain in his paper Dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during the paleolithic, World Rev Nutr Diet, 1998.

Taking into account that the intake of vegetable omega-6 fatty acids in the paleolithic was considerably lower than the western diet, 1 gram of DHA+EPA was enough for healthy people to achieve a 1:1 ratio of omega-6/omega-3 (which was the estimated ratio for late paleolithic hunter-gatherers). In the western diet the omega-6/omega-3 ratio is between 10-15:1, so we recommend to cut down vegetable omega-6 oils and increase the intake of fish oil (omega-3) to 2 grams of EPA+DHA (not all omega-3 is DHA and EPA and we need 2 grams of EPA+DHA). In case of an inflammatory and/or autoimmune disease increase this amount to 4 gram a day of EPA+DHA.

So, the bottom line is to eat fish 3-4 times per week plus a supplement of 2 grams a day, at least during the first 4-6 months. All of this depends on how much you adhere to The Paleo Diet. In case of autoimmune and/or inflammatory disease increase this amount to 4 grams a day.

“Strong like you Mom!”

Workout of the Day for Thursday 11/12/09

As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes:
10 push-ups
12 kettlebell swings
Run 200 meters

 Strong Like………..
“Are you strong like a lion?”
“Nope.”
“Are you strong like a bear?”
“Nah.”
“Then what are you strong like?”
“I am strong like you Mom!”

In August, I decided to make a change. I was satisfied with my life, but I was not happy that the only thing strong about me was my opinion. I didn’t have visions of grandeur and I wasn’t trying to re-enact my glory days as a high school or college athlete, but I knew I needed to take better care of myself. I wanted to feel physically strong again.

I started by eating better, trying to get more sleep and reducing stress. I was working out too, but my workouts were unorganized and sporadic. Though I was feeling pretty good, I still felt like something was missing. Then I looked into a program called Crossfit and found the missing piece of the puzzle. I started training in October and haven’t looked back.

As corny as it sounds, when I am working out, I am a warrior. My only goal is to be faster, stronger and more focused than the workout before. For sixty minutes I do battle, running, pressing and pushing myself to my physical and mental limits. Some days I win, but most days I go home bruised and torn down. I cry, get over myself and make a list of things to work on next time. Despite the less than flattering description above, I love every minute of it.

Once I get home I am a wife and mother again, albeit a sweatier, happier version. I make dinner, give baths, read stories and get everyone ready for bed. The only difference is, when I lie down and drift off to sleep, I actually look forward to tomorrow. I look forward to the future and finding out how it feels to be strong like me.

Ever a work in progress,
Duff

Eating for Quality: Low Glycemic Load

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 11/11/09

Press 5-5-5-3-3-3
then,
21-15-9
Burpees
Sit-ups

Insulin is a big deal. It is a master hormone telling your body what to do. Control your insulin by eating QUALITY foods that will not spike your insulin. Because when your insulin is spiked, bad stuff happens like high blood pressure, low magnesium, hormone imbalance, intestinal bloating, and even depression just to name a few. Here’s an example of a food choice – apple vs potato.

Apple:
Glycemic Index = 38
Glycemic Load = 6

Baked Potato:
Glycemic Index = 85
Glycemic Load = 28

This guy has been helping diabetics through the revolutionary new methods of, believe it or not, diet and exercise.
Dr. Bernstein: Achieving normal blood sugars for diabetics with the aid of a low carbohydrate diet and exercise.

Three Nutrition Coaches and November’s Focus

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 11/10/09

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
Run 200 meters
21 Sumo deadlift highpull (95/65)
15 Pull-ups

Last weekend, three CrossFit Victrix athletes attended CrossFit’s Nutrition Certification; Heather Peterson, Justin Arnest, and Lilia Arnest. You can bet that we are all motivated and anxious to help everyone dial in this vitally important element of our health and fitness. Please ask us for information anytime! See if you can find us in the picture click here.

For November, we will focus on three elements:

1. Building Strength

2. Food Quality

3. Goal Setting

1. Strength: November’s workouts will tend to be heavier with less volume and the intense metabolic conditioning will tend to be shorter and less frequent. Women, don’t worry, you won’t get “huge”. In fact, this will add tone and lean muscle, your fat will melt away faster as we change your body composition, your metabolism will respond by going faster, and you will be able to bring more intensity to every endeavour.  In January, we will transition back to a more typical CrossFit template as found at CrossFit.com. Focus on form, technique, and maximal efforts.

2. Nutrition: With Thanksgiving and holiday parties just around the corner, now, more than ever, is the time to run clean! There is no comparison between a lunch of turkey, apples, and almonds compared to a lunch of cheeseburger, fries and soda. Seriously, so much can be accomplished if we just focus on food quality. If we can spend November cutting out the crap, our time in the gym will reap more rewards, our immune systems will be stronger (it is flu season), and we will feel better. Let’s focus on eating high quality protein sources (lean meats), limiting our exposure to foods that will spike our insulin levels, and eating whole and fresh foods instead of processed and packaged foods. We can worry about amounts later. For more information, ask Heather, myself, or Lilia. Please grab a food log from the table and start tracking what you are eating. At this point, don’t worry about how much, just log what. Your trainers will be expecting you to have these with you often so we can see what you are eating.

3. Goal Setting:  There will be a section of the white board for everyone to write three goals by the end of next week. These can be performance based, body composition/size based, or nutrition based. At least one goal should have a deadline of year-end (12/31/09) and one goal should be longer term. Your public declaration of specific goals is symbolic of your dedication to progress. Other then that, they are your goals, so make it whatever you want. If you want some ideas, talk to me in the gym or check the athletic skill level chart for ideas.

Seth Kotelnicki’s 2nd CrossFit Certification

Workout of the Day for Monday 11/09/09

Thruster 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Finish with “Full-Speed Fifteen”
For time:
15 Box jump, 24 inch box
15 Jumping pull-ups
15 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
15 Walking Lunge
15 Knees to elbows
15 Push press, 45 pounds
15 Back extensions
15 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
15 Burpees
15 Double unders

Seth completed the coursework for certification as a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer this last weekend at CrossFit Santa Cruz North. This is Seth’s second CrossFit certification, the first being in running and endurance training. Seth has been making steady, consistent, and large gains in his strength and conditioning. He’s a passionate CrossFitter and a true asset to our community.

See if you can find him in the picture on the main page click here.

See You Monday the 9th

The gym is closed until Monday November 9.

Group Classes will be as follows:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 6 am
Monday thru Thursday at 430 pm
Tuesday thru Thursday at 530 pm
Friday at 430 – 6 pm  (Open Gym/Athlete’s Choice)

In case you missed these – from CrossFit.com .

2009 CrossFit Games – video [wmv] [mov]

2009 CrossFit Games: Row and Sledge Hammer Event – video [wmv] [mov]

Annie vs Angie, CrossFit Copenhagen – video [wmv] [mov]

CrossFit Kids

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 11/04/09

Two workouts to choose from:

A. Strength Work
Five rounds of:
Max Dips
Max Pull-ups
Plenty of rest between sets. Those who missed yesterday will also do overhead squats.

B. Olympic Work
25 minutes of Snatch Progressions and Snatch Drills
then,
‘Lil Karen’
75 wall-ball shots

Chatting about the Snatch with Mike Burgener – video [wmv] [mov]

***The gym will be closed Thursday November 5 through Sunday November 8. Classes will resume on Monday November 9 starting at 6 AM.***

Starting Monday November 9, there will be a 6 am class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you know someone who might enjoy an early morning workout, please mention it to them. Also, there is now a 4:30 PM class on Wednesdays and the Friday open gym will be from 4:30-6:00.

The Birth of CrossFit Kids 

Can you imagine your Fran time if you hadn’t wasted 10 years doing biceps curls?

What if someone had taught you in college to squat below parallel instead of to barely crease your knees while “feeling the burn” in your quads?

How fit and functional would you be right now if you had never set foot in a Globo Gym?

Greg Glassman came up with the CrossFit Kids program to ensure young athletes don’t make the same mistakes their parents did. By starting kids on the right path, CrossFit Kids is creating safe movement patterns at a young age and setting children up for a lifetime of fitness.

Jeff and Mikki Martin of CrossFit Brand X run the CrossFit Kids program, and they explain how it went from an idea batted about over breakfast to a full-fledged training methodology that will help kids avoid the lure of three sets of eight reps on chest and tris, back and bis—grunting optional, flexing in the mirror mandatory.

“Our kids who are coming out of this program, they’re never going to see fitness as going to a 24 Hour Fitness,” Jeff explains. “They’re going to see fitness as going to a CrossFit box.”

Go to the CrossFit Journal to watch the video article.

Additional reading: Getting an A in CrossFit by Vince Miserandino, published Feb. 4, 2009.

Pistol Work

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 11/03/09

Run 800m
15 left-legged pistols
15 right-legged pistols
run 400m
12 left-legged pistols
12 right-legged pistols
run 400m
9 left-legged pistols
9 right-legged pistols
run 800m

Pistols, Part I (Adrian Bozman) …[wmv][mov]
Pistols, Part II (Adrian Bozman) …[wmv][mov]
Pistols, Part III (Adrian Bozman …[wmv][mov]

There will be a 6 AM class this  Wednesday November 4. Starting Monday November 9, there will be a 6 am class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you know someone who might enjoy an early morning workout, please mention it to them. Also, there will now be a 4:30 PM class on Wednesdays and the Friday open gym will be from 4:30-6:00.

***The gym will be closed Thursday November 5 through Sunday November 8. Classes will resume on Monday November 9 starting at 6 AM.***

Adam and Ryan blazed throught the birthday WOD. Nice work!

Ryan’s Birthday, New Class Times, and Closed Thur-Sat

Workout of the Day for Monday 11/02/09

“RM Quarter Century”
Four rounds for time:
25 Power Cleans (75/45)
25 Push-ups
25 Double-unders
25 Sit-ups

Ryan is 25 years old today! Before attempting this WOD dedicated to Ryan being a quarter century old, we’ll spend some time training the handstands. Happy Birthday Ryan!

There will be a 6 AM class this  Wednesday November 4, then starting Monday November 9, there will be a 6 am class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If you know someone who might enjoy an early morning workout, please mention it to them. Also, there will now be a 4:30 PM class on Wednesdays and the Friday open gym will be from 4:30-6:00.

***The gym will be closed Thursday November 5 through Sunday November 8. Classes will resume on Monday November 9 starting at 6 AM.***

Halloween 2009

Workout of the Day for Saturday 10/31/09

Three rounds for time:
20 Thrusters (95/65)
Run 800 meters

We are getting caught up at the new gym. Pictures, new class times, pull-up bars, and yes – toilet paper, are all on the way! Thank’s for your patience!

 

 

River City Raiders WBB

Workout of the Day for Friday 10/30/09

Athlete’s Choice -
Friday is your day to work on skills, strength, make-up a missed WOD, hit that WOD you’ve been wanting, pull a card from the Hopper Deck, pull the lever on the Hopper iPhone app, get some focused coaching, perform your first muscle-up, like Jon did on Wednesday night, etc.

There will be a prescribed workout for visitors and beginners. 

I had the privilege of coaching the River City Raiders Women’s Basketball team on Thursday afternoon. They were hard workers, anxious to learn, and had a blast learning the Snatch. This is a great group of athletes. I am sure they will do well this season and I don’t expect them to forget the Tabata work we did.

Pick it up and Put it Overhead

Workout of the Day for Thursday 10/29/09

Snatch
5-5-3-3-1-1-1

Finish With
 ”Backwards Newbie”
For Time:
400m Run (backwards)
10 Kettlebell Swings
20 Push-ups
30 Sit-ups
40 Air Squats

Thursday’s focus is all snatch work. Barbell, kettlebell, and one-armed dumbbell should all be explored. If you have a sticking point, work it out. Work on overhead squats as necessary to develop your solid and deep catch.

Today is about speed and confidence. Pick it up off the ground and put it overhead quickly. Lock it out, then stand. It doesn’t get any simpler then that. There should be no pressing the weight to lock out, catch it in the lockout, get stable, then stand.

Cereal – Not the Breakfast of Champions

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 10/28/09

Three rounds for time:
15 Deadlift (250/165)
Run 800 meters

 

Found this article linked from Diablo CrossFit:

Article: “Kids’ Cereals Pour on the Sugar and Sodium”

“•Companies have dropped the average sugar content of kids’ cereals from 3½ to 3 teaspoons a serving.

•The average preschooler sees 642 cereal ads a year on TV. Most are for types with the worst nutrition ratings.

•Some cereals with the poorest ratings have health claims on the box. . .”

Click here for complete article.

Heather’s Birthday

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 10/27/09

Team workout with 3 people on each team:

124 Walking lunges with a 15# plate held overhead (as a team)

4 rounds of**:
24 KB swings
24 Double-unders
24 DB Push Press

**One person at each station- person completes their prescribed 24 reps, then takes a knee and waits for the remainder of their team to finish.  When all three people complete the required 24 reps then they rotate.

124 Walking lunges with a 15# plate held overhead (as a team)

Heather came up with her own birthday workout, can you guess how old she is? Her and Kevin will be there at the 5:30 class. Don’t miss this one, it will be fun. Plus we get to witness Faith finishing her challenge by getting primal with some milk and oreos!

All Classes at New Location – 8413 Washington Ave #120

Workout of the Day for Monday 10/26/09

For time:
135 lb Squat clean, 10 reps
50 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 8 reps
40 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 6 reps
30 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 4 reps
20 GHD Sit-ups
135 lb Squat clean, 2 reps
10 GHD Sit-ups

 

All classes will now be held at the new location:
8413 Washington Blvd, Suite 120
Roseville, CA 95678

Look for AM classes to be added soon!

Tuesday is Heather’s Birthday! There will be a special birthday workout followed by milk and cookies.

Faith is finishing her challenge on that day and will have a big pile of oreos and a 1/2 gallon of raw milk as her reward. Nice job Faith!

Say Your Goodbyes to the Garage

Workout of the Day for Saturday 10/24/09

Each team of 3 will be assigned at random and complete the following:
Run 800 meters
200 One-arm Dumbbell Snatch
200 Sumo Deadlift High Pull
120 Burpies
Run 800 meters
Rules: Team starts together, completes assigned reps in any order, and all teammates may work at the same time, however, teammates can not be working on the same exercise at the same time. Team time stops when last teammate finishes the run.

Leave some sweat around today, it’s going to be your last chance.

V 2.0 is Coming

Workout of the Day for Friday 10/23/09

Athlete’s Choice -
Friday is your day to work on skills, strength, make-up a missed WOD, hit that WOD you’ve been wanting, pull a card from the Hopper Deck, pull the lever on the Hopper iPhone app, get some focused coaching, perform your first ______, etc.

There will be 2 recommended WOD’s including cleans and rows.

 Stretching: The Truth

Click Here for Article

The old presumption that holding a stretch for 20 to 30 seconds — known as static stretching — primes muscles for a workout is dead wrong. It actually weakens them. In a recent study conducted at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, athletes generated less force from their leg muscles after static stretching than they did after not stretching at all. Other studies have found that this stretching decreases muscle strength by as much as 30 percent.

Marvin Eder

Workout of the Day for Thursday 10/22/09

Five rounds for max reps of:
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Body weight back squat
 

Excerpts from an interview at: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson304.htm

At a bodyweight of 190 to 200 pounds Marvin performed the following. 

• Olympic press – 330 pounds.
• Deep squats – 50 reps with 300 pounds.
• Side laterals – reps with 120-pound dumbbells.
• One-arm-chins – eight consecutively with each arm.
• Press behind neck – 305 pounds.
• Side press, left hand – 220 pounds (with a man sitting on his hand).
• Parallel bar dip with 434 pounds (two men hanging from his feet!).
• Bench press – 515 pounds.
• Still arm pullovers – 250 pounds.
• Wide grip chins – 80 with his bodyweight and 8 reps with 200 pounds attached.
• Consecutive handstand push-ups on a horizontal ladder – 25.

Some highlights from the interview:

“I never even took any vitamins or supplements of any kind. I would eat regular foods. All kinds of food: milk and steak and chicken and dairy foods, cereals.”

“The horror of today is the use of all these chemical substances that’s going on. It is so perverse. You know, when I lifted weights I believed the stronger and more muscular I got, the healthier I became…Health was never divorced from my training. I would never, under any circumstance, consider the use of any kind of artificial drug to stimulate my muscle growth.”

“You want to get muscular and stronger, workout hard and look after yourself like I did. You can’t beat your genetics. Can everyone be an Einstein? No they can’t.”

“I never took weight off the stand in the conventional way. I would clean the weight to my shoulders and then do the heavy presses.”

“Ludwig Shusterich, a very nice man, one time came up to workout with me and we both dead-lifted without any particular training, 665 pounds. It was just like an afterthought, after we had done working out.”

“My philosophy was train to your limit, never use any artificial means, eat well and above all, have the goal of good health.”

“It was all free weights. The only thing we had was a homemade lat machine with a simple pulley and cable and a bar attached. That’s about it. Everything else was free weight. Of course we also had an Olympic revolving bar for the heavy presses, clean and jerks and snatches and all that. But otherwise everything was all free weight.”

“The only advice I can give the guys today in the field is to live clean and to get a way from this horror of chemicals. Enjoy the feel of the steel in your hands, but struggle to get it overhead. Make contact with that. Build yourself up in that manner and you enjoy it for the rest of your life.”

McDonald’s

 Workout of the Day for 10/21/09

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

For maximum load.

10/20/2009

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 10/20/2009

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

For maximum load.

Time to work on speed

Workout of the Day for Monday 10/19/09

Ten rounds on the minute thirty:
Sprint 100 meters
Each sprint is an all out 100% effort.

After a brief warm-up in the garage, we’ll jog over to a neighborhood park and run our sprints on the grass field. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting a little water on since the grass may be wet. Rain will not cancel this WOD unless it is absolutely dumping.

*** UPDATE: It looks like it will be too wet and muddy to run the sprints. I was expecting a sprinkle in the morning and clearing up in the afternoon. The rest of the week will be all strength based work. ***

Athlete’s Choice 10/16/09

Workout of the Day for Friday 10/16/09

Athlete’s Choice – Choose your won WOD.

recommended -
Five rounds
Run 400 m
30 push-ups

2009 CrossFit Games: Rachel Steinbrucker – video [wmv] [mov]

Consistency!

Workout of the Day for Thursday 10/15/09

Front squat 3-3-3-3-3 reps

 
It’s been great to see the progress everyone has been making lately. The pull-ups, clean & jerks, deadlifts, one legged rows, backsquating, thrusters….so much progress! It is great to see. You are all becoming stronger, faster, healthier, and fitter and your consistency is the reason why. Keep up the good work! Today is a big strength day, hit it hard.

http://badgirlopen.com/

Buddy Lee in the house?

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 10/14/09

“Annie“
50-40-30-20 and 10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

Watch this: Annie (Speal)…[wmv][mov]
then this:

4 Indications of Too Much Cardio

Workout of the Day for Tuesday 10/13/2009

**Rainy Day Substitution WOD in Effect**

Five rounds for time
7 Deadlift (275/165)
21 Double unders

Logging hours on the treadmill and stairmaster is not the golden path to “flat abs”. Seth found this article: Click Here or Read Below.

“Ma’am, step away from the treadmill!” – 4 Indications you’re doing too much cardio

Sometimes when I go to the gym, I have this urge to tell some of the most religious treadmill riders “Ma’am, Step away from the treadmill!” No matter how many articles and reports are written on the benefits of exercise other than cardio, it never ceases to amaze me how many women (and men too…) relegate themselves to the endless monotony of the treadmill – or for that matter, any other piece of cardio equipment.  Moreover, these individuals will do cardio for over an hour…sometimes hopping from one piece of cardio equipment to another…never even considering time in the weight room, in classes or outdoors.

 Although there are definite benefits to doing aerobic exercise; strength, core and flexibility training all provide numerous health benefits that cardio can’t:  They increase muscular and bone strength, increase lean body mass, safeguard against injury and boost metabolism while decreasing fat.

Is it possible you are overdoing the cardio?  Here’s how to know:

1. Time: Unless you are training for a race, marathon or triathlon, there is no need to do more than 30 minutes of cardio (with your heart rate between 65% – 85% of your maximum heart rate) when you workout. Fitness Revamp: If you want to exercise for over 30 minutes, you are better off doing a 20 – 30 minute cardio session and another 20 – 30 minutes dedicated to strength training, stretching and/or core training.
2. You aren’t seeing results: If you are trying to lose weight, yet you aren’t seeing results, it may be because of too much cardio.  Believe it or not the idea of ‘burning off fat’ does not stem from cardio…it stems from strength training.   Fitness Revamp: Build in 20 – 30 minute strength training sessions 2 – 3 times a week.
3. Injuries: Too much wear and tear on your muscles and joints can end up in an injury…or even worse, multiple injuries.  Incorporating flexibility and strength training helps to strengthen the joints which will prevent pain and damage to joints. Fitness Revamp: Take the time to stretch before and after your cardio sessions.
4. Boredom: Does it take a lot to motivate yourself to go to the gym?  Doing the same type of exercise every day, of every week, of every year is…BORING!  Working out should be fun and should make you feel good.  Fitness Revamp: Mix it up.  Take a class or two that interest you each week.  Get into the weight room and do a few sets of bicep curls.  Go hiking.  Do things that motivate you and keep you interested.  Being active is what is most important…not the time and mileage on a piece of equipment.

Do you think you are overdoing cardio?  Have you found any of the above indicators true?

Some give so much.

Workout of the Day for October 12, 2009

 Five rounds for time
10 Thrusters (95/65)
10 Pull-ups

Two New Class Times: Wednesday and Thursday at 6:30-7:30 pm

 
From CrossFit Invictus Saturday October 10, 2009 

LT Daniel B. Cnossen
Written by George Economou 

LT Daniel B. Cnossen (pictured above) could use the support of a strong community that respects service to country. I last saw Dan in June up in Alaska. Sarah and I were getting ready to head back into Denali National Park and Dan was taking a break from SEAL training in Fairbanks. It was a chance encounter as we were both staying with a mutual friend’s parents who happened to own a lodge at the entrance to Denali. Before that, it had probably been 6-7 years ago, soon after graduating from the Academy in 2002. Early in September, I got the following news:

“On September 6th, 2009, Dan returned to Kandahar, Afghanistan. With less than 36 hours on the ground, his team received their first mission task targeting Taliban operatives. During the mission, Dan activated a land mine and lost both legs, and sustained traumatic internal injuries. Currently he is at the National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland where he is fighting a new battle. Like any other challenge in his life, Dan will face this one with courage and dedication. Already, friends and family have witnessed Dan’s unbelievable strength as he begins what will surely be a long and difficult recovery. Despite the challenges ahead, Dan remains positive and exudes his kindness and true appreciation for friends and family, and for life. “

On October 17th, there will be two fund raising events for Dan. The first, at 9:00 a.m., is an Aquathlon (500m swim/5k run), and then a 6:30 p.m. silent auction later that evening. Details are in the link above, and both events are in La Jolla. While I can’t say that Dan and I were drinking buddies, or even close friends, catching up with him in Alaska was a highlight of my trip. I’d be remiss as a classmate and fellow (former) warrior if I didn’t use the power of the Invictus Blog to share his story and highlight this event.

Dan’s story at www.dancnossen.org

Get some!

Workout of the Day for Friday 10/10/09

There will be two workouts offered simulataneously today; a Strength Building workout and also a main page metabolic conditioning workout. Athletes will choose one workout to complete.

Metabolic Conditioning:
From CrossFit.com main page on 10/01/09 (Main site WOD’s are the inspiration for all workouts at CrossFit Placer.) Get some!!

Two rounds for time of:
50 Box Jumps (20″/18″)
40 Kettlebell Swings (53#/35#)
30 Pull-Ups
20 Wall Ball Shots (20#/14#)
10 Handstand Push-Ups

Strength Building:
3×5 Back Squat
Then,
Three rounds for time:
Run 400m
25 Burpees
 

For inspiration – a couple of interviews. Where will you be physically in 5 years?
Carey Kepler Interview … [wmv] [mov]
Mikko about training … [wmv] [mov]

What motivates you?

Workout of the Day for Friday 10/09/09

Athlete’s Choice – Choose your won WOD.

Recomended – “Cindy”

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

What Motivates You?
by Seth Kotelnicki

Several weeks back I had entered my first marathon. The experience of running trails along the lake and river up to Auburn was bliss. I was proud of what I had accomplished, especially looking back at my training. Not once did I run over 1.5miles, I relied solely on strength, conditioning, and mental toughness. The following week after the run was met with much criticism, both good and bad. My friends and family were very supportive and proud of what I had done. I couldn’t be happier to have had a close group of people who supported me and what I was doing. Shortly there after, I started receiving the negative feedback.
Where I work several people started attacking my methods and what I had done. Even though some of them had never run marathons, to them my performance was slow and poor. I was berated with questions and criticism.” Why would I ever put myself through something like that if I were not any good at it?” “Why wouldn’t I train “properly” with long slow distance runs?” “?The only reason to go out there is to win.” To say the least I did not take all of this in a very warming and open manner. It did however; make me start thinking about why I did it. I was not certain what drove me to want to run this distance; I just knew it wasn’t about winning for me. The following day this video came to me (bottom of this story) and relieved my stress. David Goggins shares why he pushes himself and for me this was my answer to why I push my limits. The marathon was for me to test my limits and to see who I am and what I am made of. I will continue to stretch those boundaries as long as I can throughout my life. When I am faced with a difficult situation, I want to know who I truly am. I was once taught fatigue makes cowards of men and this couldn’t be any closer to the truth. This is where I have found my true character comes out and I am able to forge and better stronger person from it. I will continue to push my limits further in everything I do.
The reason I write this is not to attack the people who gave me a hard time nor is it to seek sympathy or self gratification. I write this to tell people it is ok to stretch their limitations and not let others hold them back. You have to travel your own path; no one else does, so choose what is right for you. If you are going out to set world records or just to finish, so be it. I support you and I hope you also support others in their goals. I will not let myself beheld back by barriers others place before me.
My challenge for you this week is to find out what motivates you and what your goals are. No matter how big or small, LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN. Here at Crossfit Placer we are that family and we will support each other to the end. We are not the outsiders who put each other down for their own false self worth. Start coming up with ideas and sharing them, let’s be supportive of each other and make them happen.

Biggest Loser

Workout of the Day for Thursday 10/8/09

Clean and Jerk
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

 Cleaning from the Ground, Coach Burgener …[wmv][mov]
Jerk Efficiency Demo…[wmv][mov]

 
From Mark’s Daily Apple: “The Biggest Loser. . . Is the Audience”

“. . . Truth is, I figure it’s about time someone shook America by the lapels and exposed the myths and fallacies in this show, which has become one of the most popular on TV. With all the glowing coverage, the average viewer is starting to think The Biggest Loser somehow represents the indomitability of the human spirit and the triumph of modern bariatric medicine.

Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. It’s a made-for-TV spectacle that has morphed into a cruel hoax perpetrated on the typical overweight person in America who is desperately looking for the weight-loss secret. It shows precisely how NOT to lose weight. Talk about two steps forward and three steps back. A few years ago, I suggested in this post that there were a few things right with the show (I still took them to task for their sponsor choices) but I’ve changed my mind. If this season’s opener, in which two morbidly obese, untrained contestants nearly died trying to race a mile in the heat, is any indication, nothing will do more to prolong the current obesity epidemic than a fixation on the Biggest Loser and its yelling, screaming, puking, crying, collapsing, extreme dieting, six-hour workout mentality. Hell, if I were an obese person watching all this, I’d be thinking, “dude, if this is what it takes to lose the weight, pass me another Twinkie and let’s see what’s on VH1.” . . “

Click here for complete article.

The Paleo Diet

Workout of the Day for Wednesday 10/07/09

Seven rounds of:
7 Deadlift (225/135)
10 Push-ups
20 Sit-ups

More information for those following the Paleo diet.
http://www.thepaleodiet.com/