Barbells Await You

Ready for Max Week?

Tests on tap this week:

• back squat 1RM/3RM
• HELEN
• heavy snatch
• heavy clean & jerk
• ISABEL
• GRACE
• push press 3RM
• KAREN
• 5k row
• deadlift 3RM
• CGO 14.2
• ME handstand
• ME kneeling medicine ball throw
• ME broad jump

--

Upcoming Events:

- CrossFit Total Nights - Friday 5/16 at CrossFit SLU. 5pm to 8pm.
- VERSUS IV: The Reckoning - Sunday 5/25.
- Memorial Day Murph - Monday 5/26 at both FCF and CFSLU.

--

WOD for Test Week Monday 5/12

STRENGTH

15 minutes to establish a 1RM back squat. 3RM if you've been in the gym for less than 6 months.

CONDITIONING

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

Compare to 02APR2014. Post barbell load and time to whiteboard/the Cody app.

--

The CrossFit Games Regionals for 2014 Started this past weekend. Checkout http://games.crossfit.com/ for video of the entire weekend's results and videos of the event. South East, North Central, Latin America and Canada West all finished.

This coming weekend will be the North West (!!!), Central East, Canada East, Europe, and Australia.

--

Oldie, but goodie:

James "OPT" Fitzgerald was the first CrossFit Games Champion, owner of Optimum Performance Training and now head coach for the Phoenix Rise of the NPFL.

--

HBD ROBYN!

the birthday girl, who's been with us for about 4 years now

Hopefully no one played any big jokes on you yesterday! Let's see if we can work some negative splits during "HELEN" today: first round should be your slowest, second round goes faster, then last round is your most powerful and fastest round!

---- Upcoming Events:

• CrossFit Total - Saturday 4/5 at CFSLU. 9am to 12pm.
• Lululemon's Salute the Studio: HellaFit by CrossFit SLU - Saturday 4/12 at CFSLU. 10am to 11am.

----
WOD for Volume Week Wednesday 4/2

STRENGTH

push press 7x3

CONDITIONING

HBD ROBYN!

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

Compare to 30OCT2014. Post time to whiteboard/the Cody app.

----

There's always next year...

Simple April Fool's Day Pranks - Mashable

----

Max Week Continues

Madge D spotting!

----

• Sat 11/9 - 2013 Trident Athletics Olympic Weightlifting Championships
• Sun 11/24 - VERSUS II: FCF vs SLU Throwdown

----
WOD for Working Women’s Wednesday 10/30

STRENGTH

bench press 3RM

CONDITIONING

“HELEN”

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

Post results to whiteboard/Cody.

----

----

DK's Last Day

David K is leaving us for the Hawaiian Islands.

I hear the weather is terrible there. Luckily they'll have him to brighten up the mood!

----

• Mariners host CrossFit Night this Friday! Discounted tickets available.
• Sign up for the Freestyle Connection Seminar with Carl Paoli on Sunday 10/27 here.
• Barbell For Boobs coming this October!

----
WOD for Wednesday 9/25

STRENGTH

bench press 5x3

CONDITIONING

"DOUBLE PYRAMID HELEN"

for time:
1200m run
63 kettlebell swings
36 pullups
800m run
42 kettlebell swings
24 pullups
400m run
21 kettlebell swings
12 pullups

You must go with unbroken sets for the (Russian-style) kettlebell swings.

Compare and contrast to Monday 24JUN2013. Post bench and time to whiteboard/comments/Cody.

----

----

Top of the Swing

Daniel celebrates 'MERICUH with his 'MERICAN-style swing.

What could improve in his mechanics?

----
WOD for Skills Week - Monday 7/15

STRENGTH

back squat 3x10

CONDITIONING

4 rounds, each for time:
400m run
21 kbs, 24/16kg
12 pullups

Rest as necessary. Post fastest round to whiteboard/comments/Cody.

----
Johnny Medina (super young Outlaw who weighs 155#) hits a 415#/188.5kg back squat:

----

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.

----
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. ----

----

Ribs: In.

Keeping the abs and glutes on in the overhead American-style kettlebell swing protects the back from overextension.

----
WOD for Tasty Tuesday 3/26

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 "perfectly vertical" kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 29JUN2012. Post time to whiteboard!

----
Essential Vitamins and Minerals - Daily Infographic (via Blair)

Are you actively getting these into your systems? Whether it's through whole food nutrition or supplementation?

----

Tomorrow's Throwdown

Remember spectators are totally welcome... and it's a potluck so bring something to share. The Nutrition Challenge is over so let's celebrate.

0900am: Registration, waivers, team construction
0930am: 1st WOD overview, warmup
1000am: First heat of 1st WOD
1130am: 2nd WOD overview, warmup
1200pm: First heat of 2nd WOD
0100pm: BBQ, Beer O'Clock, meet some new CF friends!
0300pm: GTFO

This isn't for competition- it's for fun! Have you registered with me yet? See you there!

----

WOD

DOUBLE PYRAMID "HELEN"

for time:
1200m run
63 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
36 pullups
800m run
42 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
24 pullups
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 24JUN2011.

If you were in the EBTLB Nutrition Challenge and/or if you plan to participate in tomorrow's Three Gym Throwdown, then you'll do

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 22MAY2012. Post time to whiteboard!

----

Use Your Damn Brain - Again Faster (via Mandy)

----

CrossFit For Hope 6/9

CrossFit is combating childhood cancer and other deadly diseases through its inaugural CrossFit for Hope fundraiser, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

We will run "CrossFit for Hope" on Saturday, June 9th 12pm @ Foundation Athletics. We will gather athletes from both FCF and FA to team together to help the fight. Contributions can be performance-based pledges or donations for participants and affiliates. We'll keep track of the athlete performances and donations for each individual.

Register here: http://hope.crossfit.com/ and choose "Foundation CrossFit" as your Affiliate. Bring your friends, bring your family, and work out for a cause!

For more information, visit the website http://hope.crossfit.com/ for more info or contact one of the trainers!

All FCF and FA Athletes are invited to participate!

“HOPE”

3 rounds for total max reps:

• 60 sec burpees
• 60 sec power snatch, 35/25kg
• 60 sec box jump, 24/20"
• 60 sec thrustser, 35/25kg
• 60 sec chest-to-bar pullup
• 60 sec rest

The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. On call of "rotate," the athlete/s must move to next station immediately for good score. One point is given for each rep.

You ready to help?

----

WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

Compare to 07FEB2012. KBS are perfectly vertical. Post time to whiteboard!

----

The Eat Better to Live Better Nutrition Challenge begins today!

----

Where are the rest of you?

The current Foundation CrossFit roster of registered 2012 CrossFit Games Athletes:

Question: WHERE ARE THE REST OF YOU?!

Register here: https://games.crossfit.com/mygames/login.php

or here: https://games.crossfit.com/mygames/login.php

or here: https://games.crossfit.com/mygames/login.php

ps
here: https://games.crossfit.com/mygames/login.php

Also: check out the new toy we have at Foundation Athletics!

----

WOD

split jerk 10x2

then continuing on with the benchmarks ...

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 14NOV2011. Swing is Hard-style. Post results to comments!

----

You ask "Wait, what are the CrossFit Games?"

Look no further and WATCH THIS.

----

POSE, FALL, PULL. (Repeat)

Read then Read on!

----

WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 28OCT2011. Post time to comments!

----

Maintaining Physical, Social, and Mental Fitness for Peak Performance - Harvard Business Review

----

Impressive... Most Impressive.

The American athlete Donny Shankle of California Strength wins Bronze at the 2011 Pan Am Games. He's won a spot on the 105kg podium with a total of 368 (165 snatch, 203 clean & jerk).

Other Pan Am clips who didn't get to see the badassery live:

• View Kendrick's lifts here.
• View Chad's lift here.

You'll see these guys again at the 2012 Olympics.

----

WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kb swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 01FEB2011. Post results to comments!

finisher: max L-sit (standards per 2011 Games)

HALLOWEEN PARTY starts at 8:30! Special WOD at 7:30!

----

In other CrossFit news, Dan Baily does "GRACE" in 62 seconds:



Zeb and Mark: you've got some work to do!

----

PRIDE

Happy Pride Weekend!

We will run a normal schedule. Just remember that 11th is closed to traffic, so if you can, walk or bike to the gym this weekend!

----

WOD

HBD Mark Beast!

Double Pyramid "HELEN" aka "HELL-EN"

for time
1200m run
63 swings, 24/16kg
36 pullups
42 swings, 24/16kg
24 pullups
21 swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

This was one of the WODs of the 2010 CrossFit Games Championship.

Post results to comments!

---- 

Time-waster:

http://animalsbeingdicks.com/

This isn't spam either, I swear.

----

Sodaholics

My name is Toni, and I’m a SODAHOLIC...

the devil's drink

As far back as I can remember I had a Coca Cola in my hand or baby bottle. I don’t ever remember drinking water as a kid unless it had Kool Aid in it with tons of sugar. I was a pretty active kid, I never played video games and we were always outside from dawn til dusk. In high school I was a three sport varsity athlete so I stayed lean and active all year including the summer when I played in volleyball tournaments every weekend. I would probably consume at least  three to four 44oz sodas a day and in the summertime it was more. Circle K! Super Big Gulps! Refills only $0.35!! I never thought anything about it being bad for me because it tasted so good and I never felt bad when I drank it.

I remember trying to quit several times throughout my twenties because I eventually weighed 330 lbs after I stopped being active and bet that at least half of my calorie consumption was liquid. I couldn’t have a soda without eating something with it and vice versa. When I’d try to go without I usually failed because of the headaches or the convenience of sodas. Trying to being more ‘healthy’ I switched to Diet Coke and lost 20 pounds within a month. I was convinced I was doing a good thing by drinking soda with no calories. I didn’t realize that I still craved the same junk food with the soda…. Come on, you soda drinkers know that pizza isn’t good without a soda! And greasy hamburgers are so much better with a coke in hand!…

Read the rest here on the Journaling Challenge Blog.

----

WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:

400m run

21 kettlebell swing, 24/16kg

12 pullup

Actively pulling the kettlebell down cycles allows for more work to be done faster.

compare to 26JUL2010 or 16JUN2010.

results here. 

----

How to survive a 1000-foot fall - Gizmodo

Be lucky (and CrossFitting doesn't hurt either!)

"It's Grand Salami Time!"

Seattle sports loses another- the voice of the Mariners, Dave Niehaus, passed away today from a heart attack.



Mariners broadcaster Dave Niehaus dies - The Seattle Times

----

WOD

"HELEN'S UNDIES"
5 rounds for time:
50 double unders
21 kb swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare and contrast to 02MAR2010.

----

Happy 235th birthday to the US Marine Corps! Also a big congratulations to my brother for making Master Gunnery Sergeant. I'm proud of you!

which one is a Bueno?

To all of the Marines past and present, thank you for everything you've done.

FCF Beach Day!

This Saturday! I'm bringing my 165quart cooler, a big beach umbrella, 8# medicine ball, volleyball, frisbee, sunblock and some good eats!

FCF @ Alki in 2008

Our tentative schedule:

• 11:00am - Running Drills & Skills, Running WOD
• 12:00pm - Group WOD (will involve running, sand, buckets and burpees!)
• 1:00pm - BBQ Potluck and good times with awesome people
• 2:30pm - Hooverball Games, volleyball, frisbee, etc
• Dusk - Bon Fire if everyone's up for it...

What are YOU bringing? Please sign up on the whiteboard in the gym so we can plan accordingly- tell your friends, bring something to share and let's enjoy some Seattle summer...

----

WOD

"HELEN"
3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kettlebell swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 16JUN2010.

----

What do you feel more from doing "HELEN"- are you gassed or does your grip go?

Schedule this Friday

This coming Friday we will be running the WOD ("CINDY") every half hour beginning at 6am until 1:30pm and then 4pm to 6:30pm.

We will be having a party at the gym at 7pm. Everyone is welcome to come by- just bring something tasty to share!

----

WOD

"HELEN"
3 rounds for time:
400m run
21 kb swings, 24/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 07MAY2010.

----

How David Blaine held his breath for 17 minutes. Inspiring!

Broken?

.. or rebuilding?

Awesome.

----

WOD

"HELEN"

3 rounds for time:

400m run

21 kettlebell swings, 24kg/16kg

12 pullups

compare to 02MAR2010.

----

Sustain an injury pre-CrossFit? Has training in constantly varied, functional movements executed at a relatively high intensity improved upon your "janky-ness"?

I am a soccer player that discovered CrossFit about 4 years ago. I was coming off of my 4th knee surgery (including an ACL replacement, MCL replacement and a couple of cartilage surgeries on my left knee) and was thinking that if I keep going at this rate, I would not be able to walk by the age of 40. I originally thought that I could use this as a tool to stay in shape, but was not thinking about injury prevention or being able to better play soccer. 

As I began, I immediately noticed that I was way faster than the people that I considered equals on the field. It felt great and inspired to keep working hard in the gym. Foundation CrossFit (Foundation Fitness back then) was strengthening not only my legs, but my entire body. Since starting, I haven't had any problems with my knees. In fact, I was feeling the strongest I've had in years.

That all changed last Sunday.

I was playing soccer and a player came at me running full speed while I was dribbling the ball. I turned my right leg to challenge him and he slammed full speed into me, creating a huge impact. The player ended up flying over my knee and I took that ball away from him, but in doing this my knee gave a little bit and I felt a sharp pain coming from my knee. Although I played out the last few minutes of the game, my knee continued to hurt through the next day, so I made an appointment with my orthopedic knee surgeon. Having gone through this before, I expected him to give me grim news that I had torn either a ligament or cartlidge in my knee and would have to go under the knife for a fifth time.

When I entered the office I was angry but ready for the grim news. The doc began to examine my knee and immediately asked me what I was doing as my legs looked "bigger" then the last time he had seen me 2 years ago. I told him about the CrossFit workouts that I had been doing. As he got deeper into the examination, he inquired further about how I injured my knee. Finally he gave me the news that I had only strained my MCL in my knee, and would be out 1-3 weeks. He told me that my knee was stronger due to the workouts at Foundation- I had increased my flexibility and muscle strength, thus was able to better absorb extreme impacts (like crazy tackles on the soccer field). The doctor finally told me that the impact that was described above would have torn "75-90% of other people's MCLs, and a torn MCL is a minimum recovery time of 6 months... If you had not been working out the way that you did, we would probably be talking about surgery right now."

The bottom line: CrossFit works. It strengthens your body, and can save you from serious injury. The body is still fragile, and injuries happen, but it equips you to deal with the unexpected rigors that come up on a soccer field or elsewhere. Thank you Foundation Crossfit, you have help keep me injury free and have also prevented injuries that may have happened if I was not working with you.

This shit works...

Nathan Alidina

Real foods.

The real food movement has another ally:

"I wish for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity."

- Jamie Oliver

----

WOD

You'll have 10 minutes to find your max consecutive double unders, then

5 rds for time:
400m run
21 swings, 24kg/16kg
12 pullups

compare to 19JAN2010.

Some of our newest members

Say hi to Jeff, Danielle, Angela, Maureen and Garit next time you see them!

Saturday Afternoon

Nutrition Lecture with Coach Dave Werner at CrossFit Seattle this Saturday at 1:30pm. It is open to everyone.

The 12 Days of CrossFit 2009, CrossFit Seattle

----

WOD

5 rds for time:
400m run
21 kb swings, 24kg/16kg
12 pullups

What's your best "HELEN" time?

----

Do you listen to Robb Wolf's podcast The Paleolithic Solution?

picture courtesy CFFootball

You can download the mp3s or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes. It's highly recommended- there's a wealth of knowledge regarding Paleo nutrition and the Primal lifestyle in these. Check it (show notes and all) out here.


Bonus:
Compare Fish Oil brands here!