Flashback Monday!

This picture was taken just over a year ago.

Recognize anyone?

Why do you CrossFit? Are your goals short-term or are they long-term? Ideally the long-term means that you become more knowledgable in health & fitness over years.

It's fun to see how we've developed as a business, but it's more fun seeing how we've developed as a culture. We're not about building physique. We improve movement, not muscle. Looking good is an awesome side effect.

We're not going to please everyone with our direction in fitness, but that's okay. If we're not pissing people off, we're not trying hard enough. CrossFit isn't for everyone- only awesome people do it.

How have you developed while being a member at our gym?

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WOD


5 individually-timed rounds:
500m row
30 burpee-box jumps, 30/24"

rest 3-5 min between rounds.

results here.

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How's the Journaling Challenge going for you?

CHECK IT OUT.

Get under the bar.

Repeat: GET UNDER THE BAR.

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WOD

"LIL ESÉ"

for time:
2 ground-to-overhead, 75/35kg
50 double unders

2 ground-to-overhead, 75/35kg

40 double unders

2 ground-to-overhead, 75/35kg

30 double unders

2 ground-to-overhead, 75/35kg

20 double unders

2 ground-to-overhead, 75/35kg

10 double unders

SupeRx weight is 93/52kg.

results here.

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CrossFit now ANSI accredited!

Jack Lalanne VOD: The Hands of Time



And a happy belated January birthday to Ross, Cedric, Josh, Peter, MVB, Sage, Joel, Woo, Pasco, Adam-Jon, Brian R, Cassie, Kevin, Jenny A, Amelia, Adam, Kristin, Julie, J Freshwater, Joey Muscles, Sameer, Ben R, Jason C, Tim B, Long, Arnnie and Sara D!

Bye Bri!

One of our most dedicated is athletes is leaving us! Fortunately she's joining the military to kick ass and protect our country. She'll be MP and keeping people in line.

her favorite

Safe journeys Bri!

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WOD

Bri's Farewell

for time:
100m run
10 pullups
10 goblet squats, 16/12kg
200m run
20 side-to-side pushups
20 pullups
20 goblet squats, 16/12kg
300m run
30 jumping lunges
30 side-to-side pushups
30 pullups
30 goblet squats, 16/12kg
400m run
40 squat clean wall ball, 20/14#
40 jumping lunges
40 side-to-side pushups
40 pullups
40 goblet squats, 16/12kg

Lots of pullups this week. Play with grip (overhand, underhand, alternate/mixed grips) and widths.

today's results.

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Jack Lalanne VOD: Sugarholics



Are you a sugarholic?

A schedule change

Attention Attention!

We'll be adjusting our class schedule beginning next week to add even more CrossFit classes for you hungry athletes! Here are the details:

• 10am classes Monday through Friday will be shifted to 11am. (No more 10am classes for now) Hopefully you early lunchtimers can start showing up!
• New 8am classes will be added on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
• An additional CrossFit class will be added on Saturdays at 10am.
• The Foundations Program classes will be held Tuesday/Thursday at 7am/11am/6:30pm and Saturday at 12pm.

The changes are already up on our awesome RSVP system! Thanks Hermz!

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WOD

"CHIPPA"

for time:
50 wall ball shots, 20/14#
40 pullups
30 dips
20 power snatch, 45/25kg
10 burpees
20 shoulder-to-overhead, 45/25kg
30 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
40 box jumps, 24/20"
50 double unders

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The 30-day Food Journal Challenge starts today! Register here. For your first post, let us know your goals for the duration of this Challenge.

The Jack Lalanne VOD: Unhappy People

Registered yet?

The 30-day Journal Challenge starts tomorrow! If you have not registered yet, do it!

Register here.

We would love to have all of our athletes participate. See what you eat- be transparent!

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WOD

OC Throwdown Event #2

"ROCKAFELLA"

for time:
3 rounds of
20 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
20 pullups

Start and end with a 330m run (after the second Ferrari/Maserati garage).

results here.

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Life Is a Battlefield

Throw Down!

If you haven't heard the news, Fitness guru Jack Lalanne dies at 96 - USA Today

In honor of the man who was vocal to fight for what we fight for today, we'll be showing one of the many videos of his show. His contribution to the world was making people (or, his "students") responsible for their own well being. He also did a lot of crazy shit on his birthdays.

Jack taught us to believe in ourselves to find success.

"POOPED-OUT-ITIS"

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This week we're going to emulate Tony's weekend of events from the OC Throwdown!

WOD

"SMOKING GUN"

7 rounds for time:
4 burpee-deadlifts
3 burpee-power cleans
2 burpee-squat cleans
1 burpee-squat clean & jerk

Prescribed weights are 60/35kg. Chest must touch bar for the "burpee" portion of the lift to count. Hands must stay on the bar for the entire duration of each exercise.

results here.

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"You’ve got to work at living. Ninety-nine and nine-tenths of Americans work at dying! You’ve got to eat right, exercise and have goals and challenges. Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Together, you’ve got a kingdom. If you have a Corvette, you don’t put water in the tank. The human machine deserves the same treatment."

– Jack Lalanne

A new year, a new challenge

We are starting a 30-Day Journaling Challenge to better help you reach your health and fitness goals.

The intention of this challenge is to become more aware of what you put in your mouth on a daily basis. As a gym, we generally promote a “Paleo”-type diet – but the intention of this challenge is not to see how paleo you can eat. We want you, the athletes, to be aware of how you fuel yourself.

Keeping a food log is the best way to really know what and how you eat. If you have a specific goal, like snacking less or eating less sugar or eating breakfast everyday – logging your food intake can help you achieve those goals.

We will be providing general information, tips/tricks and recipes to help you in your journey to healthy eating. Information posted will mostly reflect paleo philosophies and will come from fellow gym members who eat paleo.

This is a great way for you to start experimenting with a different way of eating – to be able to see what other people eat at the gym and to talk and communicate about food and food choices. The best part? There is no cost to participate and all you have to do is state some nutrition-related goals and record what you eat for 30 days!

You an submit your daily food journals to journal@foundationcrossfit.com and they will appear on the blog within 24 hours.

Sign up at http://journal.foundationcrossfit.com/wp-register.php using the email address you will be sending from. Only emails from this address will be accepted.

This coming Wednesday, the first day of the Challenge (January 26, 2011), please state your goals for this challenge. On subsequent days, please state what you ate throughout the day or submit a photo of a meal or meals. Examples of goals would be:

• Eat less
• Eat more
• Snack less
• Eat less sugar
• Eat no sugar
• Drink less alcohol
• Eat out less
• Eat more fresh foods
• Try eating more paleo meals
• ... and so many more!

So get started! Sign up now!

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WOD

"FILTHY FIFTY"

50 reps each, for time:

box jump, 24/20"

jumping pullup

kettlebell swing, 16/12kg

walking lunge

knees-to-elbows

push press, 20/15kg

back extension

wall ball shots, 20/14#

burpees

double unders

results here. compare to 24NOV2010 or 08SEP2010.

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Use ze hips and keep them mobile!

Front or Back

What's your preference?

The front squat or the back squat?

Why?

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WOD

front squat 3-3-3

then

"JACKIE"
for time:
1000m row
50 thrusters, 20kg
30 pullups

today's results. compare to 01OCT2010.

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Rogue Fitness sponsored athlete Kendrick Farris front squats 225kg:

Thanks Robyn!

Today, we were surprised with a special delivery of pizza.

Just kidding- it's more weight for some more fun stuff coming your way...

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WOD

weighted pullup 1-1-1

then

50-40-30-20-10 reps for time:
"push press wall ball", 20/14#

Run 200m after every round.

today's results.

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A 30-Day Nutrition Journal Challenge is up on deck.

Details tomorrow!

Chicken Kelaguen!

Thanks to Mark B for this paleo recipe!  A traditional dish from Guam and paleo without any replacements! Maybe the more you eat, the more you'll destroy workouts like Mark!

Kelaguen

Ingredients:

3 cups shredded chicken (meat from ~2lb roasted chicken)

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp red pepper flakes

juice from 1 lemon

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Mix it all up, let it chill for an hour or two and enjoy!  I ate it wrapped up in some romaine lettuce.

- Marg

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WOD

find your 8RM bent over row.

then

"TEST 3"

tabata squats
max reps of muscle-ups in 4 minutes

from CrossFit.com:

The Tabata interval is 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals. Tabata score is the least number of reps performed in any of the eight intervals. Begin time for muscle-ups immediately after the last 10 second rest interval. Test score equals Tabata score multiplied by number of muscle-ups completed.

see How Fit Are You? in The CrossFit Journal [pdf]

compare to 20SEP2010.

today's results.

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Is this necessary?

Starbucks Drops a 31oz Bomb: The Trenta - Consumerist.com

Here goes another step in a more Obese/Diabetic America.

Heavy heels

Will + wall ball

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WOD

press 1-1-1

then

max kettlebell swings (24/16kg) in 10 minutes.

compare press to 27SEP2010 and kb swings to 09AUG2010.

The press will be taken off of the ground. Kettlebell swing is Russian-style.

today's results.

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How to Strengthen Your (Bare, Flat) Feet - Mark's Daily Apple

What's the difference?

This is why we believe it is so important to be active. You are a biped and your feet are working almost ALL THE TIME. It's like riding a bicycle or driving a car with under-inflated, or worse, flat tires.

A stronger cyclist

the birthday boy!

Looks good for a 30 year old, huh? (=

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WOD

Kevin B's bornday!

within 5 minutes find your 3-rep max deadlift

then

for time:
100 double unders
75 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
50 box jumps, 24/20"
25 turkish get ups

compare and contrast to 30NOV2009.

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We've been talking about it and I know there's a bunch of you out there that have never seen it:

Dancing WODs

I feel like we should hold a dancing intensive

Speaking of which, there's a GOAL SETTING INTENSIVE CLASS this Saturday at noon. Let's chat goals, game plans, strategies on quality and consistency.

and for those who didn't get to see this in action

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WOD

push jerk 5-5-5-5-5

Watch Caleb Ward jerk 160kg in practice (and listen for Rippetoe!):

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So no we don't have showers. What if we had these?

Qwik Shower Gym Class Wipes - NPR (via Margaret)

Aren't these just large baby wipes? What are your thoughts? Innovative? Useful? Gross?

8am?

What say you?! Vote above.

Who wants an 8am class? Speak now and vote or forever hold your peace.

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WOD

AMELIA's 27

tabata squat thrusts

immediately followed by

as many rounds as possible in 16 minutes:
12 overhead walking lunge, 25/15kg
30 v-ups

Results. RSVP for tomorrow's class here.

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Want more benching tips? Check out KStar's Mobility WOD:

Mmm... bacon and benching

I've been a "bacon wrapping" skeptic... but I'm a skeptic no more. I tried this recipe last night for a dinner party from Jen's Gone Paleo. It's definitely more fussy than my typical dinner meal, but I'm not lying when I say this meal was freakin' amazing!

Prep time: 20 min, 1 hour OR up to 24 hours.

1- 12oz Chicken Breast, pounded to 1/2" thickness
6 Bacon Strips (or more)
Caul Fat (about 12" in diameter) - I found this at Rain Shadow Meats in Capitol Hill
Handful of Fresh Baby Spinach, chopped
3 Asparagus Spears, thinly sliced
1 T. Thinly Sliced Fresh Basil
1 oz Goat Cheese (optional)
Black Pepper, to taste

• Slice one piece of bacon, into 1/2" slices and add to a heated saute pan. Cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy. Add spinach and asparagus and toss to coat. Cook until spinach is slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Set aside and let cool.

• Lay a large piece of caul fat out on a flat, parchment paper-lined work surface. Lay 4 bacon slices in the middle, slightly overlapping, and one bacon slice perpendicularly (to cover ends of chicken breast). Arrange the chicken breast on top. Lay the spinach mixture, goat cheese (if using), and basil on the chicken, season with pepper, and roll it up, creating a neat even log. Wrap the bacon around each end, then fold the bacon that's underneath around the chicken. Wrap the caul fat in an even layer to create a smooth even log. Tie with twine to secure. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or up to overnight.*

• Preheat oven to 400F

• Heat an oven-proof saute pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to heated pan and transfer chicken breast to the pan. Cook on all sides (including the ends) to brown the bacon, about 15 minutes total, and then transfer the pan to the preheated oven. Cook chicken for 40 more minutes, turning the chicken every 10 minutes to cook evenly on all sides.

• Remove from oven, transfer to a plate, and cover with foil to rest. If you're making broccoli or another veggie, toss to coat in the bacon fat (left in the pan) and return to oven, while the chicken rests (5-7 minutes).

Remove the twine, slice, and serve.

*This step isn't necessary, but will help the roll to stay tightly wrapped.

Find original recipe and more pictures at:
http://jensgonepaleo.blogspot.com/2010/11/wrapped-and-stuffed-chicken-breast.html

AB's NOTE: I've done this before as a very toned-down Paleo version of the infamous "Bacon Explosion". I just "weaved" together a package of bacon, threw down a boneless chicken breast in the center, folded the bacon over, threw it in a preheated 400F degree oven and let it cook for just about an hour. Amazing.

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WOD

"LYNNE"

5 rounds for max reps:
bench press, BW/BW x .7
pullups

compare to 21OCT2010 and  10AUG2010.

Bench 1

Bench 2

Bench 3

"Bench" 4

Eight 25kg bumpers, two planks of wood, and a daisy chain with a caribiner.

As a wise man once said "BLAOW! How you like me now?"

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In the early days of CrossFit, it was all about Do-It-Yourself equipment at the majority of the affiliate gyms. Before retailers like Rogue Fitness and Again Faster Equipment you either had to have loads of money, luck out on craigslist or become creative to have the necessary tools for true constantly varied, functional movements at a relatively high intensity. This practice is still common within garage gyms, military bases, and of course, the frugal at-home athletes.

Check out some of these examples from CrossFit.com from within the past two months:

• Gas can front squats
• TGU's with kids
• Pulling a vehicle
• Family weighted pullup
• a Transylvanian home gym
• a what I consider a feat of badassery, water case wall ball

What home equipment do you have? Or, what could you make?

How high?

How high is your standing vertical jump?

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WOD

for time and for as few sets as possible:
75 thrusters, 45/30kg

Your score is your time and the amount of sets it took you to complete it.

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I really hope we find a space to move into soon... maybe something as big as Graham CrossFit!



I just really want that barbell table!

Joey Wiggles

Happy birthday to Joey Muscles!

He's so cool he has to wear a scarf when he lifts.

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Joey's Dirty Thirty

7 rounds for time:
3 muscle-ups
7 squat cleans, 45/30kg
30 double unders

Next time you see this, we're turning it into squat clean thrusters.

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Would you like to see the previous day's whiteboard results in every post?

Hermz Solo

The Chinese version of Han Solo!

Thanks to Han Hermz, we have this awesome RSVP system to use!

Failure to use this will cost you in burpees! (;

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WOD

for time:
5k row

compare to 18MAR2010 or 04FEB2010.

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Blake Griffin is a rookie in the NBA, but already a beast athlete:



Crazy hops, huh?

Tenacity

For those who wanted to know more about the Olympic-style Press that I've been discussing in classes:

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WOD

press 5-5-3-3-1-1

A proper press ends with the arms completely vertical and just passing the ear.

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Homeless Man With Golden Radio Voice - NY Post (via DJ Hyphen)

Tim's Tuesday

This was my New Year's meal this year.  A little taste of Spain.  Only semi-paleo due to the beans and the wine - the wine mostly cooks out and beans are kinda one of my lee-way food items.  You could try replacing the beans with other stew veggies like carrot and sweet potato.  Enjoy!

Catalan Stew

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1 1/2 pounds of Italian sausages
1 cup chopped onion
2 ounces chopped prosciutto
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 large head escarole or endive, chopped
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup chicken broth

Cooking
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sauté sausage until cooked
through, breaking up with back of spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion, red pepper and garlic to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 1 minute.  Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add beans and stock and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Top with chopped greens and let wilt.  Enjoy!

Did YOU make any food-related New Years Resolutions?

Some good tips for following up with your New Years resolutions over at Fuel As RX: http://fuelasrx.blogspot.com/2011/01/happy-new-you.html

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WOD

Happy belated birthday Tim!

"DAS BIESENDORFER"

20-15-10-5 reps for time:
deadlift, 100/60kg
ring pushup
kettlebell swing, 24/16kg

finish each round with 3 turkish get-ups (24/12kg) per side

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Getting In Shape - The Soldier's Way - The Wall Street Journal (via Paul B)

Holiday Party!

This Saturday the 8th at 12pm we will be holding our annual Holiday Party here at the gym. We'll have some food on hand, but you already know we do potluck-style: bring something tasty to share and some drinks to drink. We'll also have some gift bags to raffle for some lucky athletes.

Cheesecake, mothersuckahs

We will have a drawing for some gift bags as well as running a white elephant gift exchange. If you'd like to participate you can rewrap a gift or buy something around $20.

Tony will be doing snowboard handstands all day.

The gym will also be tricked out with games! TVs with PS3's Move and XBox360's Kinect, and well as Bananagrams. We're doing it big!

Then later that evening we'll be heading over to Club Motor to cheer on Nate as he once again dons the persona of The King at the 2011 Elvis Invitationals. More info here.

I want to say "knees out"

RSVP on the whiteboard!

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WOD

"MARY"

as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

5 handstand pushups

10 pistols

15 pullups

compare to 05OCT2010.

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Are you signed up yet for the Warrior Dash this year?