Due to the weather, the 5:45 a.m. class is cancelled.  Check back in the morning for class schedule changes, late opening, or closing. 

Nibble and Bits is the newest addition to our site.  You can find it conveniently located on the upper right corner of this page. Nibbles and Bits is dedicated to real food for real people that want to improve the quality of their lives.  In the posts to come, you can expect to see recipes to nibble on and bits of information.  We are dedicated to providing you with a trustworthy source for local food, recommendations for high quality eating, ideas to ponder, and tools for Zone/Paleo eating success. Check it out!

 
Love the snow days but dreaming of beach days. 

CrossFit Ocean City's
CrossFit Preschool

WHAT IS CROSSFIT PRESCHOOL?
Our goal is to introduce young kids, ages 3 to 5, to body awareness and to teach them that exercise is BIG Fun!  Each class will have a small focus session on a particular movement, a kid-style fun workout lasting just a few minutes, and a fun game!  All of this will be done in a safe, fun, friendly, and positive atmosphere and all classes will be taught by trainers certified by CrossFit Kids!

WHEN DOES THE PROGRAM START?
Beginning March 1st, CrossFit Ocean City will offer CrossFit Preschool for kids ages 3 to 5.  Class size is limited. 

NOT LIMITED TO CROSSFIT OCEAN CITY MEMBERS
That's right!  CrossFit Preschool is open to any kid between the ages of 3 and 5.  Parents do not need to be members.

HOW LONG ARE THE CLASSES AND WHEN WILL THEY MEET?
We'll offer two 30-minute CrossFit Preschool sessions each week.  Depending upon response to this new program, our plan is to hold classes on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:45 to 12:15.  If the initial signup is more than 10, we'll likely add additional days.

MAY PARENTS LEAVE THEIR KIDS AND RUN ERRANDS DURING THE CLASS?
Unfortunately, no.  Our insurance will not allow us to run a child care facility at our gym, so the parent or guardian must be present at all times during the class. 

MAY PARENTS HELP WITH THE CLASSES?
We need all parents to watch from the side and offer encouragement and motivation for their kids.  Only CrossFit Kids Certified trainers may help with the preschool program.

HOW MUCH WILL CROSSFIT PRESCHOOL COST?
We offer several options:
One class per week - Only $44 ($40 for existing members) per month
Two classes per week - Only $80 ($75 for existing members) per month
10-class punch pass (good for 90 days) - $150
Payments must be made in advance by cash, check, or credit card.

HOW DO I SIGN UP?
Email Kelley at kelley@crossfitocmd.com or call 443-235-3207.

Join us for class.  Our doors are open.  Next class is Friday, 6pm.

 
It took three paramedics to get Graig to class.  Here he is (third from the left) post workout.  He did awesome and you will too.  Come on in for a great workout and a great time. 

If you know you're planning to drop in, please shoot us an email just so we know you're coming.  Since all CrossFit training is scalable to ability and general physical condition, there's no need to worry that you'll get your butt handed to you.  You might, but you also may discover a whole new way to workout!  One that changes your life and view of fitness forever.

Four years down!  Four years ago, I gave up soda.  I was a heavy, heavy soda drinker on the order of five to seven per day.  Usually, I drank diet whatever, but the one I loved the most was Diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper.  Every time I say it, I can taste the awesome flavor!  Wow!  Hard to compete with that, but I decided that my digestive system and future outweighed more soda.  Rather than ween myself off the stuff, I just decided to go cold turkey.  It was easier and a lot simpler to manage!  Anyway, for those of you looking for a goal for this month, try giving up soda (or some other thing you really like).

Lora kissing the mat, or just full range of motion on her pushup?  OK, full range of motion.  Lora can do full plank pushups, but she scaled automatically to use her knees to complete her set of pushups once form broke down.  This is a great example of  "CrossFit Maturity," which means she knows when she must scale without someone telling her to do so.

Do you exercise "CrossFit Maturity", or do you just plow through a WOD with wild abandon wrecklessly performing crappy reps until a trainer catches you?  Fess up in comments!

Running in warmer times!

There's a movement afoot (no pun intended) to switch from running endurance races in traditional running shoes to running barefoot.  Some people do run barefoot, but a large number of people switching over to barefoot running actually run in a glove-like shoe.  The most popular of these appears to be the Vibram Five Fingers.  Click HERE to check out these puppies! 

So, why run barefoot?  If you think about this logically, humans have been running barefoot for thousands of years.  Then in flat shoes in more modern times.  Up until the 1970s, running shoes didn't exist!  Then again, neither did recreational running.  Prior to this time, we humans ran with our weight on the forefoot.  With running shoes, we've altered our strides and now land predominantly heel first and roll through to the forefoot thereby taking longer strides.  Check out this article from Sci-Tech Today that explains this phenomenon.  Click HERE.  (While you're there, check out the great story on global warming bunk.  Click HERE.)

Although a huge advocate of POSE running, I struggle with this running form.  (Click HERE to learn more.)  My biggest drawback is falling back into my old style of running as I fatigue.  So, since I'm planning on running the OC 1/2 Marathon on April 24th, I'm going to buy a pair of the Vibrams and give barefoot running a try to see what happens.  Never run barefoot before, so I'm going to start out slow and add more mileage until I know I'm ready to go the distance in the Vibrams.  Should be an interesting experiment!

And remember to come out to the Green Turtle in West Ocean City for the 1/2 Marathon and 5k kick-off event this Tuesday, February 2nd, from 6 pm to 8 pm.

Alicia worked hard on the deadlift/pullup WOD last week.  You can see her here back on her deadlift bar while the others were still working on their pullups.  The WOD, which came from the CrossFit.com mainsite, went as follows:

For time:
225 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
50 Pull-ups
225 pound Deadift, 12 reps
40 Pull-ups
225 pound Deadlift, 9 reps
30 Pull-ups
225 pound Deadlift, 6 reps
20 Pull-ups
225 pound Deadlift, 3 reps
10 Pull-ups

For many, this WOD tore hands and resulted in days of DOMS recovery.  How did this WOD affect your mental toughness and what were the physical effects, if any, on your body?  Post to comments.

 

The WOD included 500m rows and 5RM sets of front squats.  Hilary stayed consistent with a 1:54 average 500m row times and excellent form on both the front squats and rows throughout the five-round WOD.  Hilary strives for excellence and pushes herself to get better at all things CrossFit, but not at the expense of good form.  Way to go Hilary!

 

Thought to ponder:  Would you sacrifice good form on a movement just to get a faster time?  Discuss in comments.
 
 

 
The 2008 CFOC 1/2 Marathoners at the start of the OC 1/2 Marathon.  Ten more CrossFitters ran the 5k.  

We're gearing up for our next CrossFit Ocean City Fundraiser!  This spring, we'll support the Worcester Youth & Family Counseling Services' Team GoWoYo.  Check out this story from Ocean City Today (click HERE). Here's how this works:

- Sign up for either the Ocean City 1/2 Marathon or 5K race

- Raise $250 as part of CrossFit Ocean City's contingent of Team GoWoYo.

- Run the race on April 24th!

CrossFit Ocean City has raised thousands of dollars over the past four years for a number of charities both local and national.  We have an opportunity to help another local organization that desperately needs our help. Click HERE to read up on all of the wonderful things the Worcester Youth & Family Counseling Services does for our community!

The best way to get started is to attend the kickoff event on this coming Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at the Green Turtle in West Ocean City from 6 pm to 8 pm.  You'll be able to register for the race at a reduced price, meet other CrossFitters and local runners, ask questions, and enjoy happy hour!  Come train at CrossFit from 6 to 7 and we'll hit the Turtle after the WOD!

Here are some other bits and pieces of info:

Download Team GoWoYo Donation form

Download Team GoWoYo Fundraiser Press Release

Download Team GoWoYo info sheet

To learn more about the OC 1/2 Marathon or 5k races, click HERE.