Box Jump or Step-Up?

Kevin D

In such a limited time will step-ups or pure box jumps yield you more reps?

---- Upcoming Events:

• CrossFit Total Nights - Friday 5/16 at CrossFit SLU. 5pm to 8pm.
• VERSUS IV: The Reckoning - Sunday 5/28. REGISTER HERE.
• Memorial Day Murph - Monday 5/31 at both FCF and CFSLU.

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WOD for Skill Week Monday 3/24

Deload Tuesday 5/6

STRENGTH

10 minutes to find a heavy 3-rep sumo deadlift. practice double unders during rests.

CONDITIONING

a.
for 8 minutes:
15 seconds double unders
15 seconds rest
15 seconds dive-bomber pushups
15 seconds rest

b.
for 10 minutes:
20 seconds box jumps
10 seconds rest
30 seconds wall squat

c.
3 minutes max burpees

There is a one minute rest/rotation between each section. We won't be recording scores to the whiteboard, but that shouldn't deter you from counting your reps for your own recordings.

Post results to the Cody app.

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Weekly Challenge #2 - PaleoRx 2014

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What's the Best Strategy for Box Jumps?

Bobby B's box jump

With all the strategy/tips that have popped up online for the CrossFit Games Open, most people have more success with the step-up over the box jump, but what about the classic FGB-style workouts?

The actual box jump has been the default (and describes the actual action), but comes with the risk of missing the box, "shinning", swinging your hand into the box, and some injuries to the back, knee, and lower leg (foot, achilles, calf, tib ant, etc.) Think of sports like basketball where there is a high volume of jumping and landing, but form isn't paramount. Along with other reasons, we see injuries to the foot, ankle, and knee. Search around and you can find some great discussions about RGIII's and Kobe's mechanics and why they were both injured.

I was a proponent of the actual jump (since that's what it's called!), but find that the step-up is more efficient, safer, and scores better over longer sets. The box jump is great and can be used if your mechanics are strong, but the risks outweigh the rewards in longer conditioning pieces.

• Perfecting the Box Jump w/ Dr. Kelly Starrett and Carl Paoli - CrossFit Journal
• Exercises You Should Be Doing (Better): Box Jumps - Tony Gentilcore
• Efficiency Tips with Matt Chan - CrossFit Journal
• Step Down If You Like Your Achilles - Tabata Times
• How To Improve Your Box Jumps - The Rx Review

We will introduce a jumping cycle in the middle of summer to build the proper capacities (not just technique, but strength, mechanics, tissue-strength, and more).

What do you think?

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Upcoming Events:

• 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 Max Week Wednesday 4/16

STRENGTH

push press 7x3. rest exactly 90 seconds between sets.

CONDITIONING

"FIGHT GONE BETTER"

3 rounds for max total reps. 1-minute stations of:
- wall ball, 20/14#
- power snatch, 35/25kg
- box jump, 24/20"
- row (calories)

Post score to whiteboard/the Cody app.

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PaleoRx 2014: Get It Right, Get It Tight

It’s that time of year for our annual gym wide nutrition challenge! Let's try to reset our health through cleaner eating and check how it affects our performance. This starts on Monday, April 28th and ends Sunday, May 25th for a total of four weeks.

click to embiggen!

The purpose of this challenge is to get you to commit to eating clean for a full four weeks. Its goals: feel better, recover better, rest better, and have a better sense of what you are (or were) eating to nourish your body. You might: change size(s) in clothing, lose weight, gain weight, get frustrated, get excited, become a ‘professional’ chef and/or food photographer. ;)

Registration opens this Saturday, April 19th and closes Friday, April 25th. Registration is $30. If you are interested in a more in depth conversation as to what the challenge entails, attend our casual PaleoRx meeting this Saturday April 19th at 12pm, at FCF.

See you all there!

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Victor is Stronger

Victor

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WOD for Wednesday 5/15

establish a front squat 3RM within 20 minutes

then

establish a max height box jump within 10 minutes

Compare squat to 22APR2013. Post results to whiteboard/comments/Cody.

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Two-Foot Takeoff

Two-foot landing

Get pumped for jumping on tall things!

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WOD for Wednesday 3/27

• establish a 1RM* overhead squat within 20 minutes
• establish a max height standing box jump within 10 minutes
• take 3 attempts to find your max handstand

*3RM if you have been training with us for less than 4 months. Ideally the handstand is freestanding. Post results to whiteboard.

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Are You Truly Addressing All Aspects of Your Training? - an article written by former FCFer Joey Shevelson for Morgan Junction CrossFit

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Puppies Need Midline Stability Too

Our new gym mascot Appa demonstrating great midline stability for a 10-week-old:

• shoulder directly over hand/paw
• strong line from the ear through the neck, shoulder, ribcage, hip, and foot
• head neutral, eyes forward

CGO 13.2 THROWDOWN TOMORROW AT CFSLU. BEGINS AT HIGH NOON!

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WOD for Champagne Friday 3/15

"JACKIE"

for time:
1000m row
50 thruster, 20/15kg
30 pullups

Compare to 22FEB2013. Have you been doing some of the Extracurricular CV? If so, are you seeing any changes yet? Post time to whiteboard.

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Weekend Reading:

• 13.2 Strategy and Tips - Outlaw Way
• CGO 13.2 Prep and Strategy - MobilityWOD
• Bounding Box Jumps - CrossFit Invictus
• Box Jumps: Step Down if You Like Your Achilles - Tabata Times
• Photos of Children From Around the World With Their Most Prized Possessions - Feature Shoot 
• Runaway Train - Field Gulls
• If I Knew Then What I Know Now: More Than Just a Coach - Elite FTS

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Extracurricular CV (2 of 2)
Do this sometime this weekend!
RUN, ROW, and AIRDYNE 20 minutes for distance.
Post distance to comments.
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SEA Affiliate League: Week 1 done!

A big congrats to Cheryl C, Sarah M, Andrew B, and Tony L for representing the gym for Week 1 of the Seattle Affiliate League in the inaugural season. Also to Dave S, Bethany P, and CrossFit LOFT for hosting such a fun time.

The workout was Team FRAN and our competition was no other than CrossFit SLU!

Next Sunday it's a Team CrossFit Total:

Who's up to represent? Post your best lifts in kilos/pounds and we'll determine the next four (2 ladies, 2 dudes) to represent. Everyone else will show support (with beer paleo beer drinks) in hand!

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WOD for Tuesday 1/22

A.
"DIANE"

21-15-9 reps for time:
deadlift, 100/70kg
handstand pushups

B.
for time:
max L-sit

C.
for height:
max box jump

Post results to whiteboard!

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Go see our dude Skylar at Excellence Chiropractic! Learn you something:

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Euro Invitational 2012

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WOD

establish within 15 minutes:
max standing box jump

then

Reebok CrossFit Euro Invitational 2012 - WOD 1

for time:
12 thruster, 60/43kg
12 box jump, 30/24"
9 thruster, 72/52kg
9 box jump, 30/24"
6 thruster, 84/61kg
6 box jump, 30/24"

Post time to whiteboard.

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(Clean) Rack Support - Catalyst Athletics
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What kind of magic is this?

ask Steve W!

50 points to Gryffindor if you answer this correctly!

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WOD

as many reps as possible in 7 minutes:
muscle-ups

  immediately followed by

as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes:
20 russian-style swings
20 burpees

FINISHER

find you max standing box jump.

Post results to comments!

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Do you still have a membership to a "big box" gym? Do you see any "bro's"?

Sick of the Bro - 70's Big

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Fluid-style vs Hard-style

Danielle

Which style do you like better? Why?

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WOD

backsquat 10 x 2

then

for max height:
standing box jump

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Today's box jump requires two feet jumping together from a standing position.

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Balls!

Event 3 and 4 of the 1st Annual FCF Field Day tested Speed and Power.

Stacey 

Our test for Speed was the "egg carry race" done with lacrosse balls. This required a solid position and navigation skills, as the field had many mounds and potholes. The catch was that after the 100m egg carry everyone went again, this time sprinting the same course backwards.

It was a close event, but The Killah Beez came out on top.

The test of Power came by a standing medicine ball throw. The ladies would throw a 14# and the men a 20#. Zeb demonstrated the different techniques to chuck heavy loads long distances effectively, then we had everyone try some attempts. We asked each team to put forth their best four (two ladies, two dudes) and they would get build on each throw. The team covering the longest distance would win.

So much energy..

... that Nate falls

It was a good fight for everyone, but High Until Noon dominated the Power event.

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WOD

max standing box jump

then

for time:
100 box jumps

Use half of your max standing box jump height for the 100. Every minute on the minute do 1 handstand pushup, 2 toes-to-bar, and 3 squats.

compare max standing box jump to 13APR2011.

Post height and time to comments or BTWB.

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Open Invite Trail Run This Saturday!

From Adam:

We'll be heading out to get some fresh air in the woods. It's not for time, it's for fun! The weather will be beautiful as we head to Coal Creek Park, which has historic mines, structures, multiple waterfalls and a creek. Everything is up to you, go at your own easy pace, walk the hills, don't do the whole thing (there's a smaller loop option at the first waterfall) or run as fast as you like.

We'll be meeting at the gym at 2pm and carpooling. Bring some water and maybe some snacks- it should be a fun time!

Are you ready?

Mark your calendars. More info to come. It's going to be a rad day...

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WOD

find your 1RM turkish get-up.

Finisher:

find your highest standing box jump

Post results and how high you can jump to comments!

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REI Infographic: A History of Shoes

Click to enlarge!

If I were to wear some Reeboks, I'd rock high top Pumps!

Interesting trivia, isn't it?

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Hops (cont.)

Congrats to Max and his 54" box jump! That's almost Heather's height!

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WOD

PICK YOUR POISON.

Press 1-1-1-1-1
Push press 3-3-3-3-3
Push jerk 5-5-5-5-5

compare to 03MAR2010.

or

Run 5k

compare to 18MAR2010.

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And because it's a great visual tool:

Hops

The max box jump can tell us two things: 1.) how high you can plant your feet and 2.) how powerful and fast your athletic ability is. The jump is more about contracting muscle than it is having it.

Olympic lifts like the clean, the snatch, and jerk are all about jumping a weight up to a desired position. Because of the nature of the sport, these athletes have a ridiculous amount of jumping ability.

The ability to jump onto a high surface is about power vs. bodyweight, but when it's right it's amazing.

From Catalyst Athetics, a strength & conditioning gym in CA, who specializes in O-lifting:

Box jumps: When training knee and hip explosiveness with box jumps, it's typically more effective to use a box considerably below the athlete's maximal possible jump height but encouraging maximal jump height and a specific focus on complete knee and hip extension. The athlete should come down onto the box softly rather than sneak the feet up onto it. Often jumping onto boxes too high will encourage the athlete to cut his or her extension short and focus more on flexing and reaching the feet, which has nothing to do with what we're interested in achieving (this is analogous to a degree with snatching and cleaning heavier weights; athletes will often cut their pulls short in a rush to get under the bar). Additionally, there is no need to stand or jump to full extension on top of the box - this has nothing to do with the qualities we're interested in when performing box jumps. This is an action entirely associated with conditioning work.

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WOD

for time:
75 overhead squats, 44kg/30kg

then

max standing box jump

You must stand after landing for the jump to count.

Ladies Night & LOST

FRIDAY THERE WILL BE A "LADIES NIGHT". Everyone is welcome. We're going to do one of the Girls workouts. Please RSVP for the 6:30pm event.

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Season 5 premiere tonight on ABC. It has nothing to with CrossFit yet, but I just wanted to share.

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Warm-up

CFWU x 2
shoulder flexibilty movements:

• dislocates
• rack position stretches
• kettlebell halos
• elephant trunks
• dynamic chest, shoulders and arm circles
  

WOD

Overhead Press 5-5-5-5-5

Finisher

Tabata box jumps

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Have a cold? Are you getting enough sleep?