Work on your Mobility!

Proper Shoe?

The proper shoe can make a big difference!  There are many shoes on the market that are designed to help improve your workouts.

Running shoes like the one's above have great cushioning and are great for walking, running, and endurance training.  On the other hand, they are not ideal in CrossFit for a couple of reasons.  The first being that the cushioning does not allow a direct transfer of force from the ground, this can lead to instability in the knee and ankle while performing power movements.  Also, when doing rope climbs the bottom of the shoe can easily deteriorate while sliding back down during a descend.  Good for all around general fitness, however, we do believe you can see improvements in lifts with a flatter soled shoe.

A hybrid CrossFit shoe like the Reebok Nano are great for working out because they provide a flatter, thinner sole than most running shoes.  This allows for a more direct transfer of force while doing Olympic lifts.  It also has the flexibility needed to complete varying WODs.  A great all around shoe that can be used in all workouts.  The bottoms are durable enough to last through rope climbs!

The last shoe to consider is an Olympic Lifting shoe.  These are ideal for Olympic lifting as the soles are rigid and flat.  The force you create is transferred directly to the ground and your feet will feel locked in place.  These types of shoes are not the best for completing WODs with running or rope climbs, but a must have if you are looking to gain every advantage in your Olympic Lifts. 

If you have any questions regarding the right shoe, come talk to us and we can help narrow down your choices. Shoes do make a difference and should be one of the first things you should investigate when starting a workout program.  There are many different brands out there, find one that fits you best and let's set some PR's!

It works!

A study at the Ohio State University showed improvements to VO2 Max & Body Composition in both males and females who participated in a 10 Week CrossFit program.  Dr. Michael Smith and Dr. Steven Devor go on to mention that High Intensity Power Training (CrossFit) can increase VO2 Max in individuals that are considered "above average condition" currently using High Intensity Interval Training (Aerobic fitness programs).  Consistency with your work out routine combined with proper nutrition delivers results!

Read more about this study...

5.2.13 The Real Deal

WOD: The Real Deal

Skill:  Cleans (3 Phases) 5x8 or PRs

1 Round for time
75 Cleans (75#/45#)
50 Burpees
4 Laps

Tip of the Day:  Have a daily plan.  Schedule you workout time, meal frequency, and stretching to stay on track.  Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Kyle P. - 20:48 Rx
Tom S. - 23:13 Rx
Lindsay Z. - 16:21
Jeff - 22:54
Abby - 19:07 Rx
Jenn - 12:54 Rx
Jenna - 12:49 mRx
Jason P. - 14:49
Fernando - 13:49 Rx
Brock - 19:37
Elisa - 17:30 Rx
Ronak - 15:02
Tom'D. - 13:02 Rx
Nick - 15:53 Rx (+255# Clean! Nice job!)
Sean O. - 11:15 Rx
Tim - 14:48 Rx
Kaela - 18:48
Bob - 11:09 Bx
Nicole - 14:46 Rx
Jason G. - 12:40 Rx
Rich - 10:55 Rx

Come to our Skill Seminar this Saturday to work on position!  Way to fight through it!

5.1.13 May Day

WOD: The May Day

1 Minute AMRAP / 3 Rounds
Sled Push (90#/45#)
Ring Dips
OH Squats
Double Unders (3:1)
Sit Ups
Rest

Tip of the Day: Practice your technique!  Spend extra time mastering the different positions. Come to our skills seminar this Saturday at 11am (5/4/13) to work on Muscle Ups, Overhead Squats, and Kettle bell Swings.

Kenia - 299
Jeff - 377
=676 Reps

Jenna - 435 mRx
Jenn - 599 
=1,034 Reps

Tom S. - 376
Fernando - 483
= 859 Reps

Newton Boys
=504 Reps

Nicole - 607 Reps

Bob - 363
Sean O. - 362
= 725 Reps

Tim - 458
Kaela - 394
Kyle - 347
Corretta - 461
= 1660 Reps

Richard - 517
Elisa - 476
Jason - 457
= 1450 Reps

Congrats to Team Ramrod for taking down the team title with a total of 1,660 reps!

4.30.13 Moon

WOD: The Moon

Skill:  DB Hang Split Snatch, Rope Climbs

7 Rounds for Time
10 DB Hang Split Snatch (Right Arm) (20-50#/15-30#)
15 Ft Rope Climb/300m Row
10 DB Hang Split Snatch (Left Arm)
15 Ft Rope Climb/300m Row

Tip of the Day: Maintain a neutral head position when lifting.  Keep your eyes straight ahead, looking on the horizon.  Your body tends to follow your head and your head will follow your eyes.  Doing this will help improve balance when lifting.

Abby - 5 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Jeff - 4.5 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Lindsay Z. - 4.5 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Kenia - 3.5 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Jenna - 7 Rounds 19:33 Rx
Jenn - 7 Rounds 23:40 Rx
Jason P. - 5 Rounds 20:04 Rx
Brock - 7 Rounds 30:37 Rx
Nicole - 7 Rounds 30:41 Rx
Ronak - 6 Rounds 24:58 Rx
Lindsay D. - 7 Rounds 23:51 Rx
Tim - 7 Rounds 31:01 Rx
Elisa - 7 Rounds 27:04 Rx
Tom S. - 7 Rounds 34:25 Rx
Fernando - 7 Rounds 20:40 Rx
Natalie - 7 Rounds 32:02
David - 4 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Jason G. - 7 Rounds 13:21 Rx
Corretta - 5 Rounds 30:00 Rx
Nick - 6 Rounds 30:00 Rx

First day on the ropes and they are tough!  Practice makes perfect, we'll work on the footwork and revisit them again soon!

4.29.13 Pheezy

WOD: Pheezy (Mod)

Skills:  8x3 Front Squats, 8 Tire Flips

3 Rounds for time.
5 Front Squats (80%BW/60%BW)
18 Jumping Pull Ups
18 Toes to Bar
5 Handstand Push Ups
18 KB Swings (2 pood/1 pood)
5 Tire Flips

Tip of the Day:  Ice! If you are experiencing any soreness after a workout be sure to ice those areas for about 20 minutes.  Icing will help reduce inflammation, begin the recovery process, and decrease the amount of soreness you experience the next day. 

Kenia - 13:32
Ronak - 12:35
Tom S. - 44:10
Jenna - 14:28 Rx
Jenn - 16:21
Sean O. - 18:01
Brock - 17:03
Nicole - 14:37
Brian P. - 19:17
Greg - 35:17 Rx
Elisa - 14:15
Fernando - 14:09
Natalie - 13:37
Jeff - 10:59
Tim - 13:10
Kaela - 14:23
Jason P. - 11:56
Nick - 14:54 Rx
Lindsay Z. - 9:04
Jason G. - 12:59

Nice job with the front squat and flippin' those tires!

4.27.13 Klepto

WOD: The Klepto 

Skill:  DLHP 5x5

4 Rounds for time.
27 Box Jumps (24")
20 Burpees
11 Dead lift High Pulls (135#/65#)
5 Sit Up, Stand Ups

Tip of the Day:  Never skip meals.  Most people believe that eating more leads to gaining more.  The fact is that eating more of the right foods at the right times can have great health benefits.  Never skip breakfast; and make sure each meal is packed with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.

Lindsay Z. - 20:09
Jeff - 22:49
Jenn - 21:12
Tim - 22:44
Kaela - 30:08
Sean L. - 29:39
Rich - 19:38 Rx
Jason G. - 31:07 Rx

Eat well, stretch frequently, and get some sleep! See you next week!

Women and CrossFit

We have many women ask what sort of transformation they expect to see after doing CrossFit.  Many are concerned about bulking up.  CrossFit in conjunction with a drug-free training program will create lean functional mass and decreased body fat.  Muscle weighs more than fat and during the beginning phase of a CrossFit program many women will experience an increase in muscle density while losing fat.  This results in a slight increase in body weight which usually causes alarm.  However no need to worry, over time with consistency, you will start to see a significant drop in body fat, increased lean muscle mass, and a more defined and toned physique.

Check out this article written by Keller Williams that was featured in Health & Fitness on 9/16/09.

The CrossFit Women Phenomena

4.26.13 MJ

WOD: The MJ

Every minute on the minute for 23 Mins.

4 KB Squats (2-12 Kg)
6 Push Ups (X-Fit)
10 Oblique Knee Raises

Tip of the Day: "Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win." - Sun Tzu

Keep it positive! Have a plan and stick to it. If you get knocked down, get up and keep going!

Jeff - 14 Rounds
Kenia - 20 Rounds
Lindsay Z. - 21 Rounds
Nick - 14 Rounds
Tom S. - 16 Rounds
Tom'D. - 23 Rounds Rx
Jenna - 23 Rounds Rx
Luc - 23 Rounds Rx
Jenn - 23 Rounds Rx
Eric Sr. - 15 Rounds Rx

Have a great weekend!

4.25.13 Nanny

WOD: The Nanny

Skills:  Clean & Jerk

15 Min AMRAP
4 Clean & Jerk
15 Crunches
50 Jumprope

Tip of the Day:  Go at your own pace!  Find your own intensity. Start light, build your foundation of strength and range of motion.  Worry not about others in the class as they are likely at different levels of fitness.  Find what works for you and increase your own output!

Rich - 7 Rounds @ 165# + 15 JR (547 Reps)
Lindsay Z. - 9 Rounds @ 55# + 4 C&J (625 Reps)
Jeff - 7 Rounds @ 35# (483 Reps)
Fernando - 12 Rounds @ 75# + 2 Crunches (834 Reps)
Jason - 12 Rounds @ 45# + 4 C&J (832 Reps)
Kyle M. - 6 Rounds @ 135# (414 Reps)
Brian N. - 8 Rounds @ 115# (552 Reps)
Sean L. - 8 Rounds @ 75# + 4 C&J (536 Reps)
Tom'D. - 11 Rounds @ 115# + 13 Crunches (778 Reps)
Ronak - 11 Rounds @ 35# + 4 C&J (763 Reps)
Nicole - 11 Rounds @ 35# + 14 Crunches (777 Reps)
Brian P. - 10 Rounds @ 45# + 4 C&J (694 Reps)
Lindsay D. - 8 Rounds @ 25# + 15 Crunches (571 Reps)
Sean O. - 12 Rounds @ 85# + 15 Crunches (847 Reps)
Kaela - 8 Rounds @ 15# + 10 Crunches (566 Reps)
Tim - 10 Rounds @ 65# + 11 JR (720 Reps)
Kyle P. - 9 Rounds @ 65# + 11 Crunches (636 Reps)

Great work with the clean & jerk today!  Thank you to Kaela, Tim, and Kyle P. for coming in, you guys killed the WOD for first timers!

4.24.13 Rebound

WOD: The Rebound!

6 Rounds for time
12 KB Swings (2 pood/1 pood)
Run 1 Lap
18 Hand to Elbow Planks
36 Bent Over Rows (30-60#, 5-25#)

Tip of the Day:  Every day ask yourself how you will make your life healthier.  It can be as easy as drinking more water or parking further away from your destination.  It is all about habits, work daily to develop good routines to fight bad habits.

Rich - 16:44 Rx
Danielle - 18:37 Rx
Elisa - 16:19 Rx+
Kenia - 21:49
Lindsay Z. - 17:04 Rx
Jenn - 19:50 Rx
Fernando - 16:18 Rx
Taylor - 19:01 Rx
Brock - 19:20
Ronak - 12:37 Rx
Nicole - 13:05 Rx
Jeff - 26:34
Jason - 17:14
Bob - 20:36
Sean O. - 15:06 Rx
David - 37:31
Marika - 23:18
Kendal - 24:53
Devon - 22:29

4.23.13 Fran

WOD: Fran / Fran (Mod)

21, 15, 9
Thrusters (95#/65#)
Pull Ups
-------------------------
Max Dead lift

Tip of the Day:  What is a snack?  A snack is a small nutritious food that has 50-200 calories.  It should provide some protein and or fiber.  Try to carry small snacks with you even if it means packing a cooler!  Take an hour or so on the weekend to pre-make and pre-pack your snacks.

Lindsay Z. - 5:10, 85# (PR)
Rich - 5:17 Rx, 375#
Jeff - 6:44, n/a
Kenia - 6:58, 15#
Ronak - 3:42, 135# (PR)
Luc - 5:48 Rx, 405# (7 Reps)
Jenna - 6:11, 235# (PR)
Jason - 6:42, 145# (PR)
Fernando - 6:17, 245# (PR)
Jenn - 7:04, 135# (PR)
Gina F. - 7:40, 165# (PR)
Brian N. - 5:15 Rx, 315#
Eric - 4:50 Rx, 405#
Brock - 10:16, 165# (PR)
Tom'D - 11:11 Rx, 245# (PR)
Sean O. - 4:43, 245# (PR)
Nick - 7:17 Rx, 405#
Greg - 9:45 Rx, 335# (PR)
Lindsay D. - 4:48, 45#
Danielle - 7:42 Rx, 175#
Elisa - 7:44 Rx, 245# (PR)
Al - 8:35 Rx, 245# (PR)

My goodness!  What a day!  Everyone got a taste of Fran and did great!  Use these times to push yourself faster next time.  All of the Personal Records are a testament to your hard work and dedication.  In 2 months of training, we were able to get Jenna to increase her max dead lift by 40 pounds!  Keep up the outstanding work!!

4.22.13 Avalanche

WOD: The Avalanche

2 Rounds for time
50 Box Jumps (24"/18")
50 Push Ups (X-Fit)
50 KB High Pulls (44#/26#)
50 Russian Twists (16-20#/10-12#)

Tip of the Day: It takes 3,500 calories to gain/burn 1 pound.  In order to begin losing weight at a rate of 1 lb/wk, reduce your calorie intake by 250 calories and incorporate exercise that will burn 250 calories per week.

-250 Cal reduced intake

-250 Cal burned exercising

= -500 Cals x 7 days

or

-3,500 Cals/week

Kenia - 7:54 

Cara - 27:32

Jenna - 17:45 mRx

Jenn - 19:02 Rx

Sean O. - 17:00 Rx

Fernando - 16:46 Rx

Eric Sr. - 26:03

Eric Jr. - 25:04 Rx

Brock - 22:47 Rx

Brian N. - 23:20 Rx

Jeff - 25:45 Rx

Sean L. - 25:28 Rx

Mark - 25:28 Rx

Stephanie - 21:08 Rx

Tom'D - 19:43 Rx

Bob - 17:56

Nick - 25:58 Rx

Greg - 25:56 Rx

Lindsay Z. - 12:32 Rx

David - 34:35 Rx

Al - 26:25 Rx

Excellent workouts today!