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August 31, 2007
Add It Up!
Saturday 070901
Back squat, 1 rep
Shoulder Press, 1 rep
Deadlift, 1 rep
Post total to comments.
Compare to 070704.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 11:48 PM | Comments (13)
August 30, 2007
Fight on Friday
Friday 070831
3 rounds
1 min squats
1 min situps
1 min pullups
1 min rest
Like "Fight Gone Bad" 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.
Post reps for each round and total reps.
"Sickness, Wellness, and Fitness
There is another aspect to the CrossFit brand of fitness that is of great interest and immense value to us. We have observed that nearly every measurable value of health can be placed on a continuum that ranges from sickness to wellness to fitness. See table above. Though tougher to measure, we would even add mental health to this observation. Depression is clearly mitigated by proper diet and exercise, i.e., genuine fitness.
For example, a blood pressure of 160/95 is pathological, 120/70 is normal or healthy, and 105/55 is consistent with an athlete’s blood pressure; a body fat of 40% is pathological, 20% is normal or healthy, and 10% is fit. We observe a similar ordering for bone density, triglycerides, muscle mass, flexibility, HDL or “good cholesterol”, resting heart rate, and dozens of other common measures of health. Many authorities (e.g. Mel Siff, the NSCA) make a clear distinction between health and fitness. Frequently they cite studies that suggest that the fit may not be health protected. A close look at the supporting evidence invariably reveals the studied group is endurance athletes and, we suspect, endurance athletes on a dangerous fad diet (high carb, low fat, low protein).
Done right, fitness provides a great margin of protection against the ravages of time and disease. Where you find otherwise examine the fitness protocol, especially diet. Fitness is and should be “super-wellness.” Sickness, wellness, and fitness are measures of the same entity. A fitness regimen that doesn’t support health is not CrossFit." Coach Greg Glassman
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:35 PM | Comments (10)
August 29, 2007
Labor Day Schedule
Please familiarize yourself with the following schedule changes.
The Labor Day weekend schedule is as follows:
Saturday 10am Beginner’s class
Saturday 11am WOD
Sunday 10:30am WOD
Monday 10:30am WOD
No Kettlebells. No Olympic Lifting. No Fight Club.
The Elements Workshops have been a great success. It's been great to see so many new faces come into the gym and work hard learning the basics. We hope to improve upon the program for September.
NEW ELEMENTS WORKSHOPS! NEW TIMES!!! NEW PRICES!!! Due to the holiday, elements classes will start on Tuesday, September 4th at 6pm and Wednesday, September 5th at 6pm. If you wish to attend the Elements workshops for September, you must attend one of these first two classes. Enrollment is limited so show up early. Or come into the gym and pre-pay.
For September the Elements will meet in two groups. Group A will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm. Group B will meet Mondays and Fridays at 7pm instead of 6pm, except for the first class that will be Wednesday, September 5th at 6pm.
That means the WOD classes will be at 6pm on Mondays and Fridays for the month of September.
No Beginner’s class next Wednesday.
Try to get in this month, because in October the price of the Elements Workshops will increase.
Thursday 070830
Run 5 K
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070814.
We'll be doing something fun and interesting indoors tomorrow for those of you that come into The Box.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:08 PM | Comments (23)
August 28, 2007
I Must Be Psychic!
Wednesday 070829
With a continuously running clock do one muscle-up the first minute, two muscle-ups the second minute, three muscle-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.
Use as many sets each minute as needed.
Post number of minutes completed to comments.
Lengthen and tone, ladies! Lengthen and tone!
NSFW
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:35 PM | Comments (56)
August 27, 2007
Walk This Way!
Tuesday 070828
400 meter Walking lunge
Post time and number of steps to comments.
For inspiration:
Now for something completely different...
"Humans were just not designed to work for extended periods of time at 80-90% VO2max. Our evolutionary blueprint, the last draft of which was completed well over 10,000 years ago, set us up as great slow-movers and occasional fast sprinters. Our two primary energy systems are: (1) fat-based, which allows for long slow steady walking across the Savannah (or the Queen K after dark); and (2) ATP-based, which gave our ancestors 20 seconds of balls-out sprint speed to escape the charging saber tooth tiger (or let grandma lift the '67 Ford truck off gramps when the jack failed). We just weren't designed to operate at high revs for long periods of time. Doesn’t mean we can't, we can, but it's at an appreciable cost that I will explain shortly. It just means we weren't evolved to. Even our hunter-gatherer ancestors probably relied more on superior tracking skills and walking than they did running for hours or days after their prey. In fact, the energy costs of doing the latter were so high as to almost guarantee extinction. (Imagine your predicament when you run after an antelope for four hours and he gets away. Now you not only don't have any food, you’ve used up all your glycogen and, oops, there’s that frikkin' saber-tooth again, licking his chops.)
The problem with many, if not most, age group endurance athletes is that the low-level training gets out of hand. They overtrain in their exuberance to excel at racing, and they over consume carbohydrates in an effort to stay fueled. The result is that over the years, their muscle mass, immune function, and testosterone decrease, while their cortisol, insulin and oxidative output increase (unless you work so hard that you actually exhaust the adrenals, introducing an even more disconcerting scenario). Any anti-aging doc will tell you that if you do this long enough, you will hasten, rather than retard, the aging process. Studies have shown an increase in mortality when weekly caloric expenditure exceeds 4,000.
That's why I stopped racing and training ten years ago and why I prefer hiking, sprinting and weight-training today. But what's a competitive type-A to do if s/he wants to kick age-group butt in Kona and NOT fade away prematurely?" Excerpt from Training Is No Guarantee of Health by Mark Sisson -- a former sub-2:20 marathoner and a 4th place finisher in the Hawaiian Ironman
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:49 PM | Comments (68)
August 26, 2007
Oh Say Can You See...
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Monday 070827
5 Rounds for time:
1 Snatch + 10 Overhead Squats 65lbs
1 Snatch + 10 Overhead Squats 65lbs
15 Pullups
Watch the video!
Post times to comments.
Anybody that hasn't done Fran, should feel free to do it instead of this workout.
Elements Classes will be working the Olympic Lifts this week.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:30 PM | Comments (30)
August 25, 2007
Fran
Sunday 070826
"Fran"
Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070623.
"Nearly everyone will have to chop up either the weightlifting exercises or calisthenic exercises into manageable subsets. If you can blast through without stopping, these workouts take about 4 minutes apiece. If you’re less than a weightlifting gymnast with the lungs of a porpoise your times will reflect as much."
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:46 PM | Comments (20)
August 24, 2007
Dead To Rights
Saturday 070825
Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
Post loads to comments.
Compare to 070525.
"Doc: Many of my patients shouldn’t be doing the deadlift.
Coach: Which one’s are those, Doc?
Doc: Many are elderly, marginally ambulatory, and frail/feeble and osteoporotic.
Coach: Doc would you let such a patient, let’s say an old woman, walk to the store to get cat food?
Doc: Sure, If the walk weren’t too far, I’d endorse it.
Coach: All right, suppose after walking home she came up to the front door and realized that her keys were in her pocket. Is she medically cleared to set the bag down, get her keys out of her pocket, unlock the door, pick the bag back up, and go in?
Doc: Of course, that’s essential activity
Coach: As I see it the only difference between us is that I want to show her how to do this “essential activity” safely and soundly and you don’t.
Doc: I see where you’re going. Good point.
Coach: Doc, we haven’t scratched the surface."
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:48 PM | Comments (23)
Sounds Easy...Must Be Hard.
Friday 070824
Five rounds for time of:
50 Squats
30 Pull-ups
15 Handstand push-ups
Post time to comments.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 12:19 AM | Comments (37)
August 22, 2007
CARD - EE - OH!!!
Thursday 070823
Today’s WOD will involve our newest piece of equipment at The Box…a deck of cards.
1 deck for time.
Take a deck of cards. Shuffle the deck. Flip each card and do the corresponding exercises:
Spades = Kettlebell swings (2 handed)
Diamonds = Pullups
Clubs = Pushups
Hearts = Kettlebell snatches
Jokers – 20 Burpees
Reps:
Number Cards = face value
Face Cards (Jack, Queen, King) = 10 reps
Aces = 11 reps
Post time to comments
The Elements Gone Bad
Thursday's and Friday's elements classes will partake in the de rigueur CrossFit right of passage: "Fight Gone Bad."
"The WOD is responsible for quite a bit of confusion about the CrossFit method. CrossFit is a strength and conditioning system built on constantly varied, if not randomized, functional movements executed at high intensity. The WOD is but one example, designed by CrossFit’s founders, of CrossFit programming. The WOD is designed to tax the capacities and improve the performance of athletes working at the outer margins of human capacity.
Not being able to complete a WOD doesn’t mean that you can’t do CrossFit. Taking a WOD and reducing the load, cutting the reps, dropping a set, taking longer rests, and sitting down three times during the workout is still doing CrossFit. In making these modifications the athlete is merely turning down the intensity.
Strength and conditioning gains come fastest for athletes who hold the highest average intensity over sustained periods. Consistency must be established at any general intensity level before it is appreciably turned up, or the specter of burnout looms. Countless people have after three spectacular CrossFit workouts stated a preference for a fiery death over coming back for a fourth workout. They went too hard – too intense."
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 8:55 PM | Comments (41)
August 21, 2007
Stop The Presses!
Wednesday 070822
Shoulder Press 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
"Athletically, the abdominals primary role is midline stabilization, not trunk flexion. They are critical to swimming, running, cycling, and jumping, but never is their stabilizing role more critical than when attempting to drive loads overhead, and, of course, the heavier the load the more critical the abs role becomes. We train our athletes to think of every exercise as an ab exercise but in the overhead lifts it’s absolutely essential to do so. It is easy to see when an athlete is not sufficiently engaging the abs in an overhead press – the body arches so as to push the hips, pelvis, and stomach ahead of the bar. Constant vigilance is required of every lifter to prevent and correct this postural deformation." Coach Greg Glassman
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:40 PM | Comments (47)
August 20, 2007
Tabata Tuesdays
Tuesday 070821
"Tabata Something Else"
Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.
Post total reps from all 32 intervals to comments.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:18 PM | Comments (46)
Let's Get It Started!
It's the start of another awesome week at The Box. Let's get back to basics with some squatting.
Monday 070820
Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 reps
Post loads to comments.
The Elements Class will have their first date with Fran tonight. Wish them luck...or come by and cheer them on. :)
What can you do with your kettlebell?
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 5:45 AM | Comments (40)
August 18, 2007
J.T.
Saturday 070818
"J.T."
In honor of Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jeff Taylor, 30, of Little Creek, VA who was killed in Afghanistan in July of 2005.
"My husband was a warrior and a man who believed his purpose in life was to defend the freedoms that each of us enjoy today." Erin Taylor
21-15-9 reps of:
Handstand push-ups
Ring dips
Push-ups
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070621.
The Black Box's very own Juan Gonzalez in Mongolia. Welcome back, Juan! You can see this photo on the Affiliates page of CrossFit.com as well.
Posted by Allison Bojarski at 10:50 AM | Comments (18)
August 17, 2007
Michael
Friday 070817
"Michael"
Three rounds for time of:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups
In honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, 30, of Portville, NY, who was killed in Afghanistan June 28.
With heavy hearts we offer our prayers and condolences to his wife, Laura, and 14-month-old daughter, Molly.
The price of freedom, and its worth, is found in Michael's passing. The debt owed to Michael and his family can never be repaid but only honored by remembering Michael and remaining free.
Post time to comments.
Weekend Update:
Kettlebell class and Fight Club are scheduled for this weekend but the Olympic Lifting class is canceled.
Bye, Roxanne! It was great having you around. Good luck in school. Come back and visit often.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 3:16 AM | Comments (30)
August 16, 2007
"Murph"
Thursday 070816
"Murph"
In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.
This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it 'Body Armor.' From here on in it will be referred to as 'Murph' in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070629.
Posted by Allison Bojarski at 6:03 AM | Comments (34)
August 14, 2007
Dating Sage
Wednesday 070815
"Dating Sage"
Five rounds for time of:
95-pound Snatch, 10 reps
15 Pull-ups
75-pound Thruster, 20 reps
Post time to comments.
This workout is named after Coach Mike's daughter. It first showed up May 2, 2005. I've always wanted to try it. As it requires 2 barbells, if there are too many people we will modify it so the snatches and thrusters are the same weight or perhaps use kettlebells for the thrusters. Enjoy!
This is Sage after she tried the workout.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:18 PM | Comments (45)
August 13, 2007
Takin' It Easy
Tuesday 070814
Run 5 K
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070804.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:32 PM | Comments (311)
August 12, 2007
Another case of the Mondays
Monday 070813
50-40-30-20-10 rep rounds of:
L Pull-ups
Double unders
Glute Ham Sit-ups
Back Extensions
Post time to comments.
"We're changing the world. We're doing all the right things for all the right people for all the right reasons. And it's a load of fun." Coach Greg Glassman.
PS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, COURT!!!!
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:18 PM | Comments (34)
August 11, 2007
Grace
Sunday 080812
"Grace"
135 pound Clean and Jerk, 30 reps
Use 95 pounds, 65 pounds or broomstick as needed and post time and load to comments.
Looks like this will be the focus of the olympic lifting class tomorrow as well as the WOD.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 11:28 PM | Comments (16)
August 10, 2007
"Rhabdo doesn't kill people. Chuck Norris kills people."
I'm teaching tomorrow's 10am drop-in Beginners' class as well as the 11am WOD class. Since it's a rest day on the main site, I had to come up with workouts for both classes. I asked around to see what people were wanting to do, and got some good suggestions. So don't blame me, blame Adam and Brian D.
Adam thought the beginners would enjoy doing a scaled version of the Filthy Fifty workout, a.k.a. "Chuck Norris". I decided to cut the reps in half and also scale things down a bit.
So here's the "Half-Norris":
For time:
25 Box jump, 20-inch box
25 Jumping pull-ups
25 KB swings, 16 kg men/12 kg women
Walking Lunge, 25 steps
25 Knees to elbows
25 Push press with KB, 16 kg men/12 kg women
25 Back extensions
25 KB Thrusters, 12 kg men/8 kg women
25 Burpees
25 Double unders (or sub 250 turns of the jump rope or 25 tuck jumps)
And Brian D., who's going to be doing the 11am class, really wants us to do that extra-high-box-jump workout Brendan did on video on the main site recently:
"Box-L-K2E"
As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 Minutes of:
5 Box Jumps (of at least 20 inches--how high can you go?)
10 L Pull-ups
15 Knees to Elbows
Brian D. doing a 46-inch box jump.
Posted by Allison Bojarski at 10:20 PM | Comments (23)
Press It, Push It, Jerk It. Repeat as Necessary.
Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps
Post loads to comments.
The shoulder press is to the push jerk what the strict pull-up is to the kipping pull-up. The analogy holds across a score of physical and physiological attributes.
Posted by Allison Bojarski at 1:31 AM | Comments (24)
August 9, 2007
"Nicole"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
Run 400 meters
Max rep Pull-ups
Post number of pull-ups completed for each round to comments.
"To exercise at or near capacity is the best way I know of reaching a true introspective state. If you do it right, it can open all kinds of inner doors."--Al Oerter, 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist in Discus
Posted by Allison Bojarski at 10:10 AM | Comments (46)
August 8, 2007
Simply Squats
Wednesday 070808
Back Squat 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 reps
Post loads to comments.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 6:00 AM | Comments (28)
August 6, 2007
MHF SMMF
WOD 070807
Mark Twight dubs certain workouts Single Movement Mind F***s. I think this would count as one such workout.
"Truly Terrible Triple Tabata Push Press"
8 rounds of 20 s work 10 s rest of 1/2 bodyweight push press
Rest 2 minutes change weight
Repeat at 1/4 bodyweight
Rest 1 minute
Repeat with PVC pipe
Tabata workouts are scored by the least amount of reps performed in any of the eight sets. Post load and score for each tabata round.
"Elements of Muted Hip Function (MHF)
The elements of MHF include but are not limited to structurally disadvantaged spinal posture, low/no glute recruitment, low/no hamstring recruitment, pelvis abandons the spine and chases the legs, center of gravity shifts dramatically backward, center of balance shifts toward toes, knee experiences unsound sheer force, leg extension only productive effort, hip extension not possible with low hip angle, pelvis rotates wrong way, and most importantly stability, balance, and power diminish with lowered center of mass.
The Damage
The degree of MHP varies from mild to severe. In severe cases everything the athlete attempts is rocked by instability and low power. In mild cases power loss and instability occur only while under great physical stress. In combat and elite performance even mild MHF can lose the day.
For physical performance what could be worse than low power and instability?
The Solution
Deliberate and focused training and practice of demanding hip extension movements is the only way to eliminate the effects of MHF. Again, it will typically take three years or more to eliminate all tendencies toward MHF.
No exercise offers as much opportunity to correct MHF tendencies than perfect form, high rep push-press. MHF is evident within the first .01 of a second of a bad push press." Coach Greg Glassman
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 9:51 PM | Comments (21)
August 5, 2007
Snizatch
Too bad nobody showed up for Olympic lifting class today.
Monday 070806
Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
Post loads to comments.
As we have been having continuing problems with the people downstairs, we will NOT be doing heavy snatches in the lunchtime class. Wake up early or come late for heavy lifting. If you come to the lunch class we'll be doing lots of light work on form.
NB - The Elements Workshops begin tonight. If you are relatively new to CrossFit or just new to us, then you should be attending the Elements Workshops. If you come at 7pm you had better know the Burgener Warmup and be ready to snatch HEAVY. No excuses. If you can't snatch HEAVY, then why aren't you enrolled in the Elements Workshops?
"You'd better be aggressive." Coach Mike Burgener
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:34 PM | Comments (18)
August 4, 2007
Heavens to Betsy!
Sunday 070805
"Elizabeth"
21-15-9 reps of:
Clean 135 pounds
Ring dips
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070613.
Getting our props!
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 11:36 PM | Comments (23)
August 3, 2007
Mercy
Saturday 070804
Run 5 K
Post time to comments.
Compare to 070725.
Since we can't do the run inside The Box, we'll devise something fun for you kids to do.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 10:40 PM | Comments (17)
Cat Breath
5 rounds for time
30 seconds (combined) L-sit
15 Skin-the-Cats
20 KB Alternating Clean-Burpee combo (L-R)
Here's Kevin's L-Sits this morning on the 5th round. He says the clean-burpees pump your legs full of blood (plus your hip flexors will be fried from the cleans).
Posted by Court Wing at 8:11 AM | Comments (13)
August 1, 2007
OMFG!!!
Thursday 070802
"Jason"
For time:
100 Squats
5 Muscle-ups
75 Squats
10 Muscle-ups
50 Squats
15 Muscle-ups
25 Squats
20 Muscle-ups
Post time to comments.
S01 (SEAL) Jason Dale Lewis was killed by an IED while conducting combat operations in Southern Baghdad July 6, 2007. We name this workout "Jason" in honor of his life, family, and courage. Donna, Jack, Max, and Grace, we'll forget neither your husband and father nor your sacrifice and loss. Fair winds, Jason.
PS - I told you guys it would be muscle-ups.
Posted by Keith Wittenstein at 8:57 PM | Comments (33)