Have you checked out the “Best Of” section of our blog?  You can find the category list just to the right of what you are reading right now.  In there, you will find what we consider to be some of the most pertinent information to CrossFitting that we have ever posted on the blog.  Check it out, you just might have a better Helen time for reading it.

-Ryan

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Monday’s Benchmark WOD:

Helen

3 Rounds for time:

400m Run

21 KB Swings (53/35)

12 Pull Ups

Compare to:

12/5/11

8/8/11

4/4/11

11/29/10

6/4/10

Hey folks,

Ryan is out of town for the weekend, and I will be covering for him on Saturday. So come on in on Sat morning for a FUN team workout. You can arrive alone and find partners in the gym. We do not have a bias against singles….

As many of you know we are in the midst of a Paleo Challenge that started last Monday night. I have heard from a few folks that they were doing great, but then something upsetting happened and they hit the chocolate chip cookies. We can’t always  control the world around us, but we can set ourselves up for success by having the right foods, and the right “cheats” on hand. Check out this short article on how best to prepare for the Paleo Cheats.

I also share with you a short quote that came from our Challenge group:

“IF IT DOESN’T CHALLENGE YOU, IT DOESN’T CHANGE YOU” – FRED DEVITO

-Beth

Paleo is just this easy:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Friday’s WOD:

Speed Pulls:
Sumo deadlift moving the bar as fast as possible 9 sets of 3 on the minute at approx. 65% of 1rm deadlift.

5 Rounds:
Run cone drill:  start at middle of box, run to front door (approx) run to back of box, finish back in middle of box
directly follow this with 8 KB Swings (70/44)
and 16 push ups

rest 1 min between rounds

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Thursday’s WOD:

Gymnastic work of coaches choice

4 rounds:
400m Run
15 Chest to bar pull ups
12 Ring dips

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Wednesday’s WOD:

Back Squat: Find 1RM

reduce weight to 75% and perform a set of 20

Not For time:

3 sets (alternate back and forth)
Glute Ham Raises
Ab work of athlete’s choice

Kelly Clendenning and I raced in the Great Russian River Race on Saturday in Healdsburg, and had heaps of fun. We were under the impression that it was a dress-up race, so we did our part with her in the black mini skirt with the cat ears, and me with the long blond hair and the purple tutu. I always heard that blonds have more fun, so I wanted to test the myth.

I discovered that, in fact, it’s true! And that blond hair made me paddle faster too as I won the race! Kelly’s cat ears influenced her paddling as well. She kept going for five long miles, and finished with a smile on her face.

In the bigger picture I believe our performance is a testament to CrossFit. Everyone knows that performance declines with age, and my case is no different. But I’m not far from 50, and I’m living on residuals from years of training as I certainly don’t much of it anymore. In the last 6 years I’ve added CrossFit to my regime, and despite my myriad of current injuries it clearly pays off. I had not paddled a boat in years, and I had to work hard to win, but my early technique training combined with recent CrossFit had me in front of all the women, and the men too! I wish I could look in the mirror and think it’s cuz I’m such a bad….s, but I know it’s cuz of the efficacy of CrossFit.

So, if you are reading this blog, and you are coming to classes, and you are working hard and digging deep and listening to your body and eating right, then you’re on the right path and we commend you. We also encourage you to join us next year at the Great Russian River Race. There were 400 paddlers on the water, a great party at the finish line, and Kelly reported that it was the funnest day she could remember in a long time! We’ll give you plenty of notice for next year’s race, but start shopping now for the blond wig as I’m confident it was my key to success.

-Beth

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Tuesday’s WOD:

Press – find 1rm, once found, push press 3×5 with same weight

5 Rounds:
15 KB Swings (53/35)
10 Walking lunges carrying bell
(Compare to 10/11/11)

Monday night at 7PM we are kicking off the Spring LEANing Paleo Challenge. 7PM 101 class is cancelled so that we might deliver the required Paleo info that prepares you all for success.

This is a friendly and supportive way to shed some extra winter poundage before summer.   Rules will be the same as our previous leaning challenges.   If you have never participated, come to the kick-off meeting Monday May 14 at 7.00 PM ready to take your “before” picture (Men, shorts only; Women – shorts/sports bra), get a primer on the Paleo Diet, and learn how to log your food.  Each participant must put $40 (cash only) into the kitty, $30 of which will be shared by the winners.   If you are a veteran leaning participant, you may just show up to have your pictures taken.

Can’t make it Monday night to get your pictures done, or you want to be ahead of the crowd? Then please come in during these hours on Monday to get registered: * Monday May 14, 11.00-12.30, 2.00-4.00PM, and  of course 6.00-9.00PM.

-Beth

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Monday’s Benchmark WOD:

Fight Gone Bad!

3 rounds with 1 minute of rest between rounds.  Each round consists of 1 minute each of the following:
1.  Wall-ball: 20/14 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75/55 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20? box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75/55 pounds (Reps)
5. Row: calories (Calories)

Compare to
6/29/10
5/12/11
8/1/11

For everyone wanting to prepare for the upcoming benchmark Mondays, here is the schedule for the next few weeks:

5/14:  FGB

5/21: Helen

5/28:  Annie

6/4:  Elizabeth

6/11: Cindy

6/18: Diane

6/25: Grace

Enjoy!  Now get out there and enjoy your Sunday!

-Ryan

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Monday’s Benchmark WOD:

Fight Gone Bad!

3 rounds with 1 minute of rest between rounds.  Each round consists of 1 minute each of the following:
1.  Wall-ball: 20/14 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75/55 pounds (Reps)
3. Box Jump: 20″ box (Reps)
4. Push-press: 75/55 pounds (Reps)
5. Row: calories (Calories)

Compare to
6/29/10
5/12/11
8/1/11
11/28/11

Front Squat – Find new 1rm

5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of:

Front Squats, 185/135 pounds

Bar-facing burpees

Power clean – find 1rm

Run 400m
12 power cleans (135/95)
21 Push Ups
Run 400m
8 power cleans
15 Push Ups
Run 400m
4 Power cleans
9 Push Ups