Barbells for Boobs Fundraiser: 10.10.30

Fundraiser today for Barbells for Boobs - Amazing Grace at 10AM.

Grace:

30 Clean and Jerks for time.

CF: 135 lbs

SM: Scale according to ability, post your weight used.

Looks like we raised about $1000 in pledges and signup fees combined! Really a great showing gang - special thanks to Jarrod, Mike, Jen and Christen for all their behind the scenes work to make this happen.

Stay tuned for the next fundraiser.......

5x5 Metcon: 10.10.29

In the Big Group room for a Friday metcon kick:

For time: 5 rounds of

1. 20 Italian Twists: > 10 % BW (Double count = 1)

2. 1 lap ladder drill

3. 10 Jump and Bar Touch

4. 10 Ball Slams (>10 lb ball)

5. 10 Lunge in place with bodyweight (Double count = 1)

Post time.

Clean & Jerk practice: 10.10.28

Not for time, not for weight - qualitative rather than quantitative.

Clean and Jerk for 5 sets: 20/10/5/10/20.

Select the weight that you can do 20 reps of C&J - stay with this weight. Your job is to make every rep as near to perfect as you can. Do not strive for a strength/conditioning effect with this workout, particularly if you are participating in the fundraiser Saturday. Take your time and work to develop coordination and accuracy in the form.

Post any comments regarding gains in form with this movement.

Barbells for Boobs Fundraiser

Silly name - serious topic.

Barbells for Boobs is the creation of Zionna Munoz, a CrossFitter from Southern California who, like many of us, had a close friend undergo treatment for breast cancer. Her creative response to this situation was to initiate a fundraiser tied to the CrossFit workout "Grace" that would benefit Mammograms in Action, a nonprofit organization that funds mammograms for women who cannot afford them. You can watch a video of her explaining this journey on the CrossFit Journal by clicking here, or you can read same story by clicking here.

CrossFit Summit is proud to contribute to this effort on Saturday, October 30 at 10AM at Summit Health and Fitness. Members of our CF group have volunteered to raise pledges and perform Amazing Grace in order to raise funds for BFB/MIA. Community members are encouraged to participate by pledging, either directly with a friend/family member/acquaintance/coworker who is one of our CF athletes - or the community is also encouraged to attend the workout by arriving between 930 and 945 to select an athlete to sponsor with a pledge and stay for the workout. Athlete profiles (including their secret superhero name) will be available with pledge sheets for sponsors to read and support with a check or cash donation. Checks should be made to "Mammograms in Action." If you cannot attend the event, direct contributions can be made online at Barbells for Boobs - click here to go the the main page.

Participants times and funds raised will be posted on this website. Stay tuned.

Core Blast: 10.10.27

For time:

First evolution is 50/40/30/20/10 of:

1. Single arm KB swing, L arm

2. Single arm KB swing, R arm

3. Situps

Then, run 1/2 mile to finish (subs are 1 KM row or 1.5 mile bike)

CF: Men use 20K KB, Women use 16K KB. Butterfly situps.

SM: Men use 16K KB, Women use 12K KB. Freestyle situps.

The reason this combination targets the core has to do with the rotary forces occurring with the KB swings - you are forced to stabilize against that transverse plane moment with single arm swings, then the ab focus occurs with situps, particularly the butterfly situps. Relatively high volume because stability is a long term event: long, low forces for stability, not as much explosive work. Strength? You bet. Strength that holds, not as much the primary mover.

Post your time and any mods. Compare to Sept 21.

Deadly Pyramid: 10.10.26

Not for time but for total tonnage lifted

Deadlifts: 20/10/5/10/20

Record your total tonnage lifted.

Jarrod's triplets: 10.10.25

For time, 21-15-9 of

Hang Power Cleans

Burpees

KTE

CF: Men 60K, Women 40K

SM: Men 40K, Women 25K

Regarding your performance in the workouts.

This from Greg Everett at Catalyst Athletics. Greg is a very serious and competitive weightlifter and weightlifting coach who has a few quotable things to say about measuring your abilities against anyone but yourself. He publishes a newsletter that is delivered to my email box, you can subscribe to it via a link on the left side of the page at the link in the first sentence above. I've edited out the portion of the article that deals with the sport of weightlifting, but I thought his comments worth sharing with the group........

Everyone Else

It’s human nature to compare ourselves to others in a multitude of respects, from athletic abilities to hair styles. It’s also natural to rationalize away the source of our failures, inabilities or shortcomings in ways that mitigate the sting and comfort our delicate egos. These habits are reinforced by community behavior until they’re all but invisible. This process eventually transforms into a defeatist attitude, which only fuels the process further until failure is virtually guaranteed.

On a personal level, it’s easy to become discouraged with your own training when focusing on the performances of more advanced lifters. I’m frequently compelled to remind my lifters, particularly early on, that it’s important they compete with themselves, not the other lifters in the gym. It’s remarkable to me how discouraged lifters can become watching another lifter or looking at numbers on the record board when those lifters have made dramatic gains, often far greater than those of the lifter to whom they’re comparing themselves. This is simply a matter of maintaining perspective and reminding yourself that you started at a different time, a different initial level, have different strengths and weaknesses, and that the only performance you have control over is your own. You can get wrapped up in the abilities of others and get frustrated, or you can focus on your own abilities, watch them improve, and use your own progress as continued motivation.

This is not to say that it can’t be useful to have models or heroes. Having lifters whom you admire, whom you want to emulate, and who inspire you can be immensely helpful. However, this is different than becoming obsessed with the abilities or progress of such an individual and feeding feelings of inadequacy. This is far from productive and can have a profoundly limiting effect on your motivation, your commitment and your enthusiasm for training.

I’m not going to say that if you work hard enough, you can achieve anything, because that’s simply untrue. This is not cynicism or self-defeatism—it’s fact. The truth is that with enough hard work, commitment, and consistency, you can achieve your full potential; this is very different, and this detail trips up many athletes.

While there is inarguably a significant mental element to the sport of weightlifting, there is a more significant physical element. I tell my lifters that weightlifting is 90% mental—if you have 100% of the necessary strength. No amount of focus, determination or visualization of success will make up for inadequate physical capabilities; it will only aid in their development and recruitment. In this respect, these things are critical. But don’t make the mistake of believing they’re magic.

The take-home point is that there is no use in getting wrapped up in what the guy on the next platform or the rest of the world is doing. Focus on what you’re doing, what you can do, and what you can do better. Be ambitious; use your heroes as models without stripping yourself of merit unless you can duplicate their performances; let your competitors push you without demoralizing you; set goals that require a great deal of dedication and hard work; and then make the commitment and put in the work.

Get a Grip: 10.10.22

Every minute, on the minute, perform a combo of pullups and KTEs.

1. 9 pullups/1 KTE

2. 8 pullups/2 KTE

3. 7 pullups/3 KTE

4. 6 pullups/4 KTE

5. 5 pullups/5 KTE

6. 4 pullups/6 KTE

7. 3 pullups/7 KTE

8. 2 pullups/8 KTE

9. 1 pullup/9 KTE

10. Repeat

Stop when you do not complete a round in the 1 min time frame or for torn callus (don't bleed on my equipment!)

CF: 2 rounds per above (18 consecutive mins)

SM: rest for 1 min at 10 mins and at 15 mins (complete in 20 mins)

Catch your breath, then run for 1 mile. Post your performance on Get a Grip and your 1 mile time.

Squat & Dip duet: 10.10.21

Not for time, 10 rounds of

Back Squat x 10 reps

Ring dips x 5 reps

Post total tonnage for squats and any mods/scaling for dips/squats.

Compare to 9/23.

Jen works her dips under Jarrod's watchful coaching.

Longest Mile Mix for time-

1/4 mile run

25 push-ups

1/4 mile run

25 KB swings (W16kg M 20kg)

1/4 mile run

1-lap lunge - 70 yards bodyweight (leading leg parallel to ground)

1/4 mile run

Post your time and any mods/scaling. Compare to 9/14.

CrossFit: 24 Kg KB swings, lunge with 24Kg KB.

S&M: as above

Dumbbell Mix: 10.10.18

Big mix using DB's with single arm lifts - Clean/Squat/Press/OHS/Pushup/Pullup/TTB.

Not for time - focus on executing perfect form with every single lift.

Lifts are single arm, then bodyweight work, then switch hands and repeat.
1. Dumbbell clean (S&M - hang power clean)
2. Dumbbell squat - to the depth where you can maintain the curve in your low back
3. Dumbbell push press (or jerk if weight requires it)
4. Dumbbell overhead squat
5. Place dumbbell on the ground
6. Perform a single perfect pushup - thighs/stomach/chest touches at bottom.
7. Perform a single perfect pullup (kip, butterfly, strict - your choice)
8. Perform a single perfect TTB - Toes To Bar (S&M is knees to elbows)
9. Repeat 1-4 with dumbbell in other hand, then repeat 5-8.

15 reps of 1 to 9.

CrossFit: 25# DB for men, 15# DB for women, full clean, no jumping or assisted pullups, TTB.
S&M: 20# DB for men, 10# DB for women, hang power clean, jumping pullups allowed, KTE.

Post level selected and weight used with any mods/scaling.

Euro Grace: 10.10.18

Quote from Mechanical Low Back Pain: Perspectives in Functional Anatomy by Porterfield and DeRosa, 2nd Edition, page 17: "Tissues of the musculoskeletal system have a common denominator: they all require the stimulus of nondestructive stresses to maintain their health. Nondestructive stresses refer to those forces of movement, weight-bearing and muscle contraction that load the musculoskeletal tissues within their physiologic limits."

30 Clean and Jerks for time.

CrossFit:
Men: 60Kgs
Women: 40Kgs

S&M:
First and foremost, concentrate on perfecting your form with 60 C&J's with empty bar (not for time), making sure your movements are full range and proper form. If you can do that, then
Men: empty bar to 40Kgs
Women: empty bar to 25Kgs

Post your time and any scaling/mods.

Weekend Musings.......

Looking back a few days at the thoughts relative to the market identity of CrossFit today, you might think I'm disappointed in the emphasis on highlighting "monster power" that rolls from CF HQ. I'm not, and it is important that I communicate that. The potent ability of this training approach to effect broad, inclusive and general fitness levels at such an elite level is impressive, and speaks volumes to the effectiveness of variation in functional movements executed at high intensity. Bring me the right person with the right mindset ready to commit to the program, and it will create those kind of changes. The question arises, however, what if one of more of those criteria don't fit?

My reservations about using this approach under our roof is the relatively small market that that kind of selection process produces. Don't get me wrong, I admire and enjoy working with that kind of mental mindset and gifted protoplasm. I'm just convinced that, scaled and modified, the same kind of approach might appeal to a broader audience. That audience, who probably has different goals than monster status, might benefit from assurance that they can be included in the mix as well. Enter what I'm going to call the "S&M" group.

Scaling and modification is nothing new to the CrossFit approach. From my initial exposure and to this day, I hear and see it as a defining feature of this growing school of training. However, I often get the impression, particularly with those new to the collective group, that it is seen as either a sign of weakness or some sort of "junior varsity" class of CF follower. Rather than repeat the same argument time and again, we're going to create a group that not only embraces this concept, but also promotes it as an identifying feature. Hence, the birth of the S&M group. Is it still intense? Yes, the workouts will promote physical and psychological discomfort as a marker of adequate training threshold for creating greater levels of endurance, strength, power and other markers of fitness. However, the "all or none, go till your hands bleed just short of coughing up a lung" approach will be reserved for the CrossFit Summit full scale prescription. The S&M prescription will be for those either not ready or not a match to that categorydue to constraints of aging, injury history or even just personal training goals.

Put simply, I simply think it is stupid to discourage someone from joining in because they are not a "20 something, tried alot of other things, packed full of fast twitch fiber, send me to the games" type of trainee. My hope for our group is that it expands to bring in all kinds of people with all kinds of fitness goals - people who are willing to do the work to move, step by step, to the next level of personal fitness.

We will continue to celebrate the achievement of "firebreathers" as impressive and worth congratulations. However, extoling that level of work and performance as the only and best approach to training will not be a part of our makeup. 500 pound deadlift is impressive? You bet, way to go. More impressive than someone getting a proper squat after working on it for several weeks? More impressive than the first pullup? More impressive than losing 10 more pounds of unwanted body fat or moving back into a pants or dress size you haven't seen for several years? More impressive than finding relief from longstanding back/shoulder/knee pain? I think you know my answer....hence the birth of the S&M group.

Carl's Mix: 10.10.14

Every minute on the minute for up to 20 minutes. When you fail to complete all the reps in the minute alloted, your workout is over. Use the same weight on all lifts:

5 Deadlifts
5 Hang Cleans
5 Squat thrusts

S&M: Hang Power Cleans, Push Press sub

Post weight used, any substitutions/modifications and the time achieved.

Thanks to Carl and Mike for covering in both Jarrod and my absences. No, we're not vacationing together: he is with his sweetie and I with mine.

AMRAP 20: 10.10.13

As many rounds as possible in 20 mins:

5 Burpees

10 Pullups

15 box jumps - 24 inch box

20 KB swings @ > 1/5 body weight.

Post rounds completed and any modifications/scaling.

What is CrossFit?

Here are a couple of video answers to that question.

The answer from Adidas: click here.

The answer from CrossFit HQ: click here.

The characterization I see (in both videos) is dominated by 20 and 30 year olds who are willing to undergo whatever it takes to forge elite fitness. This is a focused approach to training, admittedly, and that well defined sense of mission has clear advantages. The phrase "Forging Elite Fitness" is the motto of CrossFit, and I understand that.

However, I've always been a fan of the CrossFit principles of scaling and modification as a means to respond to different fitness levels and even levels of interest and commitment to training. It just makes sense to me that an alternative to an "all or none" intensity commitment could find a wider audience for fitness pursuits. My interest is in helping folks move to the next level of their own fitness and health, even if they are interested in alternative to elite levels of fitness.

Keep an eye out for that phrase - The Alternative - as a term that might surface again in the near future. While we will maintain CrossFit training times for those who want to breathe in fire and shed blood, our prescriptions will soon include a more deliberate scaled and modified version of training, still using constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity, to be sure. However, as we continue to pursue broad, inclusive and general fitness, we want to extend that opportunity to as many as possible. We might even deliberately pursue those over 40 without tattoos, who even choose to keep shirts on during training. Shocking, no?

More to follow.

Front Squat & Pushups: 10.10.12

Not for time:

Front Squat with 50% bodyweight for 20/16/12/8/4, then 1 RM (max load)

Pushups 40/32/24/16/8

Post 1RM on Front Squat, compare to 8/24.

Lockett: 10.10.11

Metcon Monday with a dose of high altitude intensity named after a rare stretch of beauty: Lockett Meadow.

5 Rounds for Time of:

20 KB swings (Men use 20Kg, Women use 16Kg)

1/4 mile run

Post time.

Mile and a half run: 10.10.08

Very straightforward - 1.5 mile run for time.

Acceptable substitutes are 3 KM (3000 meter) row or 5 mile bike.

This is a pretty fundamental measure of fitness and a relatively simple workout that meets the 12 to 14 minute training prescription that we like. The work of Swain & Franklin, for instance, and many others suggests that the higher volume, lower intensity workout prescription promoted for years as optimal for cardiorespiratory fitness is unnecessarily long if intensity is higher. You can click here for a summary of the Swain and Franklin meta analysis of moderate vs. high intensity exercise and effects on prevention of cardiovascular disease. The article is written by exercise scientist and educator Dr Len Kravitz (yes, that's really his name, but not this guy) of University of New Mexico.

Carpinelli and Winnett, in this article and other articles, suggest that 12 to 14 minutes of higher intensity cardiorespiratory work (i.e. "cardio") exceeds a threshold sufficient for developing higher fitness levels. These two exercise scientists also recommend resistance training as central, not complementary to running, biking, etc for overall fitness. Sound familiar?

Post your time - if you hit 12 to 14 minutes of higher intensity work, the research supports your efforts as sufficient for enhancing fitness.

Deadlifts, just deadlifts: 10.10.07

Warmup: PVC Pipe warmup first. Practice "Good Mornings" with empty bar - 20 reps.

Deadlifts: 7/7/5/5/3/3/1

Post 1RM. Compare to July 13 .

Dessert: KTE - Knees to elbows pushing for max reps, then Heartbreak Hill.

Upper Body Slam: 10.10.06

WOD.

For time, 30/20/10 of

Pullups, Pushups, Ring Dips

Dessert: single heartbreak hill run (or sub 1/2 mile run with last 1/4 mile at 8% grade on treadmill).

Post your time for the main WOD with any mods/scaling and your time for the hill run. Compare to May 5.

Farmer's Lunge Buttkicker: 10.10.05

For Time, start and finish with Farmer's Carry on the top deck

5 Rounds Farmer's Carry for 70 yards, 50% bodyweight

4 Rounds Lunges for 70 yards, 25% bodyweight

Dessert: 70 KB swings, Male 20KG, Female 16KG.

Note that cast iron plates may be easiest utensil to use for this workout.

Post your time. Compare to 23 June.

Dumbbell Nancy: 10.10.04

For time, 5 rounds of:

1. 1/4 mile run

2. 10 reps of single arm OHS with DB or KB (men use 15 lb, women use 10 lb).

3. 10 reps of single arm OHS, other arm.

Spartans: Men use 20 lb, women use 15 lb for dumbbell OHS.

Please don't drop my weights to the ground - place them on the ground, as they have been known to fracture at the junction of the handle and the weight. Thanks!

And here's a couple of images:

I call it Young and The Restless.

Nice going Ben and John D.

Post your time.

Big Volume Squats: 10.10.01

Not for time:

Chipper style 21/15/9/3/1 of

1. Front Squats

2. Back Squats

Post 1RM for both lifts.