FCF Athlete of the Month is...

Gavian has been a hard working athlete since he entered our gym late 2013. He's become April's Athlete of the Month because of his eagerness to work, and for the fun he has in class!

Gavian W yoking

How did you find CrossFit?

I had a gym membership and a regular appointment with a personal trainer but there wasn't the community aspect to it that I was used to from doing team spots. CrossFit had a reputation of being a fun, open, encouraging community an that is what drew me to it.

How long have you been working out with FCF?

Since October 2013 with a nice gradual ramp up in frequency.

What class time do you frequent?

7:30 PM usually but I like to get in earlier if I can. All the classes are awesome but 7:30 seems to be the serious getting it done class!

Do you have a favorite CrossFit exercise? Least favorite?

Squats are awesome because I can do them, burpees suck because burpees suck.

What keeps you coming back to the gym?

I was coming to lose weight, now I go to move weight. Ha! I like the atmosphere, it's fun, and I feel great afterwards no matter how dirty the work out was. One thing I like is that I only have to focus on showing up - everything else is taken care of once I get there.

Any outside-the-gym activities?

Running, biking, Paleo.

Favorite motivational quote?

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other opinions drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” - Steve Jobs

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Upcoming Events:

• Saturday 4/12. Lululemon Salute the Studio: HellaFit at CrossFit SLU. 10am.
• Friday 5/16 through Sunday 5/18 - CrossFit Games NW Regionals.
• Friday 5/16 - CrossFit Total Nights at CFSLU. 5pm to 8pm.
• Saturday 5/24 - Weightlifting Total at CFSLU. 9am to 11am. 
• Saturday 5/24 - Track Time Trials at TBD. 12pm to 2pm.
• Sunday 5/26 - VERSUS IV: The Reckoning. 10am to 2pm.
• Monday 5/27 - Memorial Day Murph

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WOD for Champagne Friday 4/11

CGO 13.2

as many reps as possible in 10 minutes:
5 shoulder-to-overhead, 52/34kg
10 deadlifts, 52/34kg
15 box jumps, 24/20"

Post score to whiteboard/the Cody app.

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Skwaaaaats

Jeff P

Upcoming Events:

• CrossFit Total - TODAY! Saturday 4/5 at CFSLU. 9am to 12pm.

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WOD for Volume Saturday 4/5

400m lunge for time

Post time to whiteboard/the Cody app.

Today was a classic workout. Compare and contrast your time: http://www.crossfit.com/mt-archive2/007081.html

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Ahh... the double-edge sword that is the whiteboard.

5 Whiteboard Misconceptions That Are Ruining Your CrossFit Experience - Tabata Times

How do you use it?

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Shelly & Tomoki

GUESS WHO JUST GOT ENGAGED?!

Tomoki & Shelly

Congratulate them next time you see the pair!

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• Saturday 1/25 & Sunday 1/26 - CrossFit Kettlebell Course hosted by FCF
• Friday 1/24, Saturday 1/25, & Sunday 1/26 - Cretus Ex Duellum @ Local's Gym
• Saturday 2/15 & Sunday 2/16 - CrossFit Advanced Kettlebell Course @ Morgan Junction CrossFit

---- WOD for Champagne Friday 12/27 STRENGTH deadlift 1x5 CONDITIONING "DIANE" 21-15-9 reps for time: deadlift, 100/70kg handstand pushups Post results to whiteboard/your journal/the Cody app. ---- Generation CrossFit - The New Yorker (via Fran M) The New Yorker's first article on the CrossFit scene!

Trainer's Choice Thursdays

Hannah N

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• Saturday 1/25 & Sunday 1/26 - CrossFit Kettlebell Course hosted by FCF
• Friday 1/24, Saturday 1/25, & Sunday 1/26 - Cretus Ex Duellum @ Local's Gym
• Saturday 2/15 & Sunday 2/16 - CrossFit Advanced Kettlebell Course @ Morgan Junction CrossFit

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WOD for Thursday 12/5
STRENGTH
front squat 3x10
ACTIVE RECOVERY
Trainer's Choice!
Post results to whiteboard/journal/Cody.
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CrossFit: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly - T-Nation
My thoughts:

• An accurate and fair assessment from one of the original Subject Matter Experts from the CrossFit world.
• It is fair to criticize the system in which anyone with $1000 can get "certified" and start their own gym.
• I am also in agreement in the Exercise vs. Training topic. This has been something I've had to develop personally for myself and for the gyms in the past couple of years.
• That being said, I'd like to think our program has vastly improved. Just look at the workouts from two years ago. (Go ahead, check the archives!)
• I still believe in the CrossFit community because it still does more good than harm. People get hurt doing stupid shit, but we try to minimize those opportunities by providing a learning atmosphere that values moving well and living healthy over who can get the fastest "FRAN" time or lift the heaviest weights… even if that's the fun thing to talk about.

What do you think? Do we do a decent job?

Skill Work

 Blair S and Julie B

---- Sign up for the Freestyle Connection Seminar with Carl Paoli on Sunday 10/27 here. ----
WOD for Deload Week Thursday 9/26

STRENGTH

• front squat 5x3
• every minute on the minute for 10 minutes: 2 jerks

Post results to whiteboard/comments/Cody.
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Why Do People Hate CrossFit So Much - Medium

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Jump For Joy

HBD BCS!

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WOD for Wednesday 8/6

STRENGTH

establish a 1RM power snatch within 15 minutes

CONDITIONING

for time:
90 double unders
800m run
70 kbs, 24/16kg
60 HR push-ups
50 burpees
40 t2b
30 pistols

17 minute time limit. Post results to whiteboard/comments/Cody.

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3 Reasons to Get Upset About CrossFit - Huffington Post (via)

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Coach Glassman and CrossFit

Tony, Coach Glassman, Andrew in April 2013. Photo by Paolo.

from CrossFit.com:

CrossFit begins with a belief in fitness. The aim of CrossFit is to forge a broad, general and inclusive fitness. We have sought to build a program that will best prepare trainees for any physical contingency — not only for the unknown, but for the unknowable. After looking at all sport and physical tasks collectively, we asked what physical skills and adaptations would most universally lend themselves to performance advantage. Capacity culled from the intersection of all sports demands would quite logically lend itself well to all sport. In sum, our specialty is not specializing. 

CrossFit is many things. Primarily, it’s a fitness regimen developed by Coach Greg Glassman over several decades. He was the first person in history to define fitness in a meaningful, measurable way (increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains). CrossFit itself is defined as that which optimizes fitness (constantly varied functional movements performed at relatively high intensity). CrossFit is also the community that spontaneously arises when people do these workouts together. In fact, the communal aspect of CrossFit is a key component of why it’s so effective. 

Today, CrossFit, the company, provides accredited training seminars throughout the world. We publish several websites providing extensive free content, including workouts, training and support for becoming fit, as well as a growing Journal of extended instruction. We have a worldwide network of more than 5,500 affiliated gyms and more than 35,000 accredited CrossFit Level 1 trainers. And, we have created the Sport of Fitness, known as the CrossFit Games, where we crown the Fittest Man and Woman on Earth.
In 2003, we started a “new” blog that would spur a revolution in the fitness industry. The contents were simple: the date, a picture, the Workout of the Day (WOD), and usually some provocative nugget of information. Check out our first full month of posts back in May 2003. 

Anyone with an Internet connection and the willingness, curiosity and bravery to try it, could. From this simple blog and a single gym in Santa Cruz, Calif., there sprung an immense community of fitness enthusiasts who have learned the movements, tested the theory and accumulated a huge amount of data supporting Glassman’s equation: 

CVFM @ HI + Communal Environment = Health

A regimen of constantly varied (CV), functional movements (FM) performed at high intensity (@ HI) in a communal environment leads to health and fitness.

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WOD for Champagne Friday 5/17 (Pick your Poison) "CHRISTINE" 3 rounds for time: 500m row 12 deadlifts, BW 24 box jumps, 24/20" OR "HELEN" 3 rounds for time: 400m run 21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg 12 pullups Box jump is Games standard. KBS is American Style. Post time to whiteboard/comments/Cody. ----

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Let Me Tell You About CrossFit...

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WOD

clean & jerk 12x2, rest 60 second between sets

then

for time:
5k row

compare to 29NOV2012. Post results to whiteboard.

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Find out what a good skill level is. Then see what your pace should be!

1. Athletic Skill Levels - CrossFit Seattle
2. Pace Calculator - Concept 2

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The FCF Fun Run

Our first FCF Fun Run was a fun way to start the week!

Those who attended were treated with a 4 or 2+ mile run with exercises and obstacles along the way!

Kelley and the over-the-wall burpee

Look forward to the next one Colin comes up with!

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WOD

for max reps:
tabata press, 40/25kg

then

7 rounds for time:
100m farmer's walk, 40/25kg
30 situps
20 over-the-box jumps, 24/20"

Farmer's walks are to be done with a total of the prescribed weight, ex: two 20/12kg kettlebells, etc.

Post total reps and time to whiteboard!

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Stop Anthos from Taking Over CrossFit - Russell Greene, the CrossFit Discussion Board

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2005: Fight Gone Bad

HQ just released this gem from the vaults on their YouTube channel, originally posted on 11FEB2005 on mainsite.

The video features OG athletes Greg Amundson, Mike Weaver, Dave Leys, Andrew Thompson, and Brendan Gilliam in the original CrossFit gym in Santa Cruz:



Crazy to see how they moved back there (and to hear/see Glassman coaching) and to know what is standard today. If not for the videos and these guys who knows what CF would've become.

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WOD

max weighted pushup

then

as many rounds as possible in 8 minutes:
50m run
20 pistols

compare to 15DEC2011. Post max load and rounds completed to comments!

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Do you also look at the Foundation Athletics blog? Check these out:

• How To (and Not To) Load a Barbell
• [Recipe] Grilled Grasshoppers

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Satan's Tricycle

three more to The Fleet

The AirDyne is great for warmups, cardio substitutions, and rehabilitation. The nature of the cycle is low-impact and that's what makes it great for the injured. The design of the bike has gone through little change in the past 25 years and it still has the same functions: push and/or pull with the arms, and cycle with legs, or don't! I cannot stress how well it can work when someone can't use their leg(s).

Coined by Andy W, the tricycle the AirDyne is known to put people into oxygen debt quickly for those pushing, pulling AND cycling their way with as much gusto as they've got. An awesome feature is that the harder you go, the harder it gets! 300 cal is the goal for the brave in today's WOD. That means that the athlete would have to average 1800cal/hour. Good luck!

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WOD

for as many calories as possible in 10 minutes:
Use the Concept 2 Rowing Erg OR the Schwinn AirDyne

Giving 100% is today's workload. It's just as much a mental task as it is physical, but we'll spend a lot of time mobilize pre- and post- to get you warmed up and cooled down properly.

Post number of calories to comments!

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25 Ways CrossFit is Changing Fitness and Changing the World - SIC FIT

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Mom & Daughter

playing the Fish Game

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WOD

bent-over row 8 x 5

then

3 individually-timed 500m row OR 1mi AirDyne

Which monostructural piece did you use?

Post results to comments!

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When someone asks, how do you define CrossFit?

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New CrossFit.com Map Feature

Did anyone else discover this badass feature CrossFit.com has?

http://map.crossfit.com/

All of the CF Affiliates of the world listed on a googlemap!

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WOD

power clean 3RM x 5 sets

then

using 80% of your 3RM power clean:
tabata front squats

Post barbell loads and tabata score to comments!

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So we're back to posting the WOD at the end of the day. Did anyone notice how we posted earlier last week?

Which do you prefer?

Discuss.

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Paleo Rx/Summer Solstice Party

Come join us for the end of The PaleoRx Challenge! Let's celebrate with some good eats and drinks, good music and even better friends! RSVP via Facebook!

All are invited, from PaleoRx, from FCF, and all friends! Bring something to share and let's hang out!

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WOD

"KELLY"

5 rounds for time:
400m run
30 box jumps, 24/20"
30 wall ball shots, 20/14#

compare to 10MAY2011.

Did you rest less? Are you faster? Post time to comments!

(and yes.. I'm posting the WOD early. ONLY for this week though...)

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Fit Club - Hemispheres Magazine (via Jeff P)

Is this article flaming CF or praising it?

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Locked out

Colin using a wide grip

'Overhead' means that your elbows are locked out, shoulders are active and the bar is over the back of your neck.

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WOD

2010 WA Sectionals WOD #1

every minute on the minute for 8 minutes:
100m run
max shoulder-to-overheads, 60/40kg

SupeRx is 71/50kg. Results [dudes] [ladies] from the 2010 competition are here.

How did you stack up?

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CrossFit Lisbeth discusses CrossFakers. We don't have any, of course!

...

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!

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?

Ready for lifting

The CrossFit/USAW Weightlifting Open has long be over with, but I wanted to share the awesome video that bore from the event:

Hope it inspires you as much as it does us!

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WOD

for max load:
find your 5RM back squat

compare to 14SEP2010.

Depending on time, you may go up to 5 sets with your working weight. Otherwise it's time to find your true 5-rep max!

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Enough with the metcons- it's time to start lifting more often! Stop lifting in your marshmallows. [Buy] [your] [weightlifting] [shoes] now. Or put them on your Christmas list.

Remember

Remember remember the 5th of November

Team Epic: Garit

Because your legs will hurt after this workout.

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WOD

"PENALTY BOX"

Every minute on the minute perform 10 box jumps (24"/20") and max rep Overhead Squats (35kg/25kg). After completing 10 box jumps use the remaining time in that minute to perform max reps of overheads squats. Each sixty seconds you must stop to perform 10 box jumps. Stop when you complete 100 overhead squats.

Your score is the number of box jumps and time required to get to 100 total Overhead Squats.

compare to 27JAN2010.

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Go Team Rogue!

courtesy CrossFit.com

Have you been watching mainsite for this awesome competition between some of CrossFit's elite? Equipment suppliers Rogue Fitness and Again Faster sponsor athletes to get them to competitions. CrossFit HQ decided to get everyone out to Tahoe for a weekend and put them through a bunch of challenges.

As Paolo has said, it's basically like Real World vs Road Rules for CrossFitters! You guys already know who we ride for...

Team Rogue vs. Team Again Faster [mov] [wmv]

Tony & Mikko [mov] [wmv]

CrossFit's Elite vs Double Unders [mov] [wmv]

Event 1: Log Toss [mov] [wmv]

Paddleboard Cam [mov] [wmv]

Event 2: OHS & Pushups [mov] [wmv]: 

Event 3: Squat Clean Thrusters, Hill Run [mov] [wmv]

Event 4: 20 Backsquats [mov] [wmv]

Event 5: Log Flip, Run, Push Press [mov] [wmv]

The Story Behind the Rogue vs. Again Faster Throwdown [mov] [wmv] 

Event 6: Relay, Plate Carry, Truck Push, Buddy Carry [mov] [wmv]

Roundtable in Tahoe: Lipson on the Spot [mov] [wmv]

Event 7: Hill Run [mov] [wmv]

Event 8: Burpees & Pullups [mov] [wmv]

We Didn't Plan This [mov] [wmv]

Event 9: Max C&J [mov] [wmv]

Event 10: Handstand Pushups, GHD Situps and Muscle-ups [mov] [wmv]

Dealing With Defeat [mov] [wmv]

Event 11: Team Chipper [mov] [wmv]

Roundtable in Tahoe: Multiple Competition Season [mov] [wmv]

Event 12: Burpee Broad Jump, Kayak, KB Swing, Run, Drag [mov] [wmv]

Camille Leblanc-Bazinett and Dave Castro Arm Wrestle [mov] [wmv]

Event 13: KB Swings, Buddy Carry, Pistols [mov] [wmv]

Event 14: Burpees, KB Snatch, Sled Drags [mov] [wmv]

Roundtable in Tahoe: The Team Experience [mov] [wmv]

Event 15: Kayaks & Paddleboards [mov] [wmv]

Stay updated! http://crossfit.com

Graduated!

Big congratulations to Grace, Connor, Miche and Eric for participating and completing our very first Foundations (On-Ramp) program. Were the classes full of information? Did you learn a lot? Do you feel good about joining in on our normal classes? Can I ask enough questions?

Grace and Connor: so eloquent

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WOD

"ANNIE"
50-40-30-20-10 reps for time:
double unders
situps



Remember the progression for the double-under:

1. High cadence singles
2. Low cadence singles with higher jump and a slight pike
3. Quick twist of wrists

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AOD/QOD:

CrossFit: Total Solution or Dangerous Waste of Time? - World's Toughest Workouts

What do you think? If you train with us, you obviously believe in our methodology. You believe in moving larger loads, longer distances faster. You believe in variance, in functionality, and intensity.

We know that safety is paramount to our training. Mechanics, consistency, THEN (relative) intensity. 

I can't speak for all of the affiliates. Our CrossFit gym is not a hardcore fitness cult. We do not condone working so hard that you throw up (but you'll definitely sweat and grunt!). No one here is training for the Olympics so we're not overly serious about things, nor do we take everything Coach says as gospel. We have fun. We smile and laugh when we work on skills. We go through workouts as a team and encourage each other the entire way to make a better us. We'll joke about how tall and lanky Max and Jake are, how Mikey has the ugliest workout faces, and how Mike S. is Mr. Universe.

Mikey

Mr. Universe

We have a community of people who want healthier and more active lifestyles. We know that it's a lifelong pursuit and not a quick fix. If it's easy it's sleazy. Our members are champions in their own rights: we work hard for ourselves daily. Muhammed Ali had a great quote:

Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from what they have deep inside them- a desire, a dream, a vision. They have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

Everyone at Foundation CrossFit has a desire, a dream, a vision. We're building both our skills and our wills each and every workout.

CrossFit is safe, efficient, and fun, and our way of reaching our goals.