Lululemon Pacific Place x FCF

Foundation CrossFit will be at Lululemon Athletica Pacific Place tomorrow at 6pm for ANYONE to attend. Come by for a great workout and don't forget to check out the excellent clothing Lululemon has to offer! We'll be there again on October 13th and 27th.

The studio is located on the second floor of Pacific Place in downtown Seattle, two doors to the left of Lululemon Athletica.

600 Pine Street Suite 210
Seattle, WA 98101
206.682.1286

Cooling Down

Don't forget to stretch!

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Schedule for the week 9/21 to 9/26

Monday the 21st: 9am, 6pm

Tuesday the 22nd: 12pm, 6pm

Wednesday the 23rd: 12pm, 5pm

Thursday the 24th: 9am, 12pm

Friday the 25th: 12pm

Saturday the 26th: 10am @ CrossFit Eastside for FGB IV

RSVP prior to attendance. Don't see a time you'd like to come by? Ask me and we'll try to make it work.

Training for this week will be posted in the MEMBERS BLOG.

Committing to consistency.

Are you seeing results from your training? If yes, awesome. You are balancing out your activity and your nutrition. You are probably very positive in life and are self-sufficient. You are resting well and feeling energetic most of the time. You are consistent in your attendance. Attendence to a class where you learn more about using your body as nature intended, with others just as dedicated. More importantly you are committed to the CrossFit lifestyle.

What if you're not seeing results? Well, here at FoundationCF we'll start you in one of two places: ACTIVITY or NUTRITION. If you're awesome, you can do both at the same time. If you awesome (but in a different way) well start you one and slowly take on the other.

If you haven't put it to memory yet, CrossFit's "WORLD CLASS FITNESS IN 100 WORDS":

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow.

Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

It's simple, but simple is not easy. Otherwise everyone would be healthy and fit.. and we know that is not the case.

"Balance out your diet with some labor-making," - Common Market

Commit to consistency. Eat within The Zone and/or paleo and keep on keepin' on. Exercise (preferably CrossFit. preferably with Foundation CrossFit) at least 3x a week and make it a habit. Do it over and over and over and over and you WILL NOT get sick of it (mentally/physically). Get uncomfortable. No struggle, no progress...

AND WE MUST PROGRESS!

Schedule for this week

Classes at NOON and 6pm Monday through Thursday at Bobby Morris Playfield, rain or shine. Tuesday's 6pm class will be held at Lululemon at Pacific Place. This workout is free to everyone. Friday will be appointment only.

Call or email Andrew. Thanks!

Guess who's getting older?!

But definitely not weaker?

Can you also guess what we're doing for this weekend's RAINSTORM? (Refer back to the picture..). Workouts at NOON and 5:30PM tomorrow. RSVP to attend if you haven't already.

Saturday the 12th will be DONKEY KONG RODIZIO IV at Harbor Steps, Downtown Seattle @ 11am. $10 to workout if you're not an unlimited member. Rodizio (meat and veggie buffet) at Ipanema afterwards ($19/person)! They also have other options if you're not trying to get your Paleo-gluto on. Maybe I'll get Adrian to stand at the top of the stairs and have him throw barells or even kegs at us...

"DONKEY KONG"

21-15-9 reps for time:

burpees

kb swings, 24kg

box jumps

Each exercise will be on a different level. Harbor steps is a lot more difficult than the climb in the video. Please RSVP so I can bring the proper amount of kettlebells Andrew@foundationcrossfit.com

Bye Theresa!

She's moving onto bigger and better things! Good to know she whooped some 18 year old at her PT test.

This past weekend's RAINSTORM crew

Congrats and safe journeys!

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It's our last week inside the current box. More details on our movement coming soon. Please look at the SCHEDULE regularly for special engagements, changes, and classes.

Labor Day Weekend 2009

There WILL be a RAINSTORM this weekend. 10am @ Bobby Morris Playfield, rain or shine.

No classes on Monday. Check the Member Blog for @home workouts!

Have a fun and safe extended weekend!

Challenges update

Today is Day 31 of the Beach Body Burpee Bonanza Challenge. Are you caught up to do 31 burpees or do you have to buy in for 496?

With the end of this month, we have September to look forward to and this next challenge will not be an exercise challenge. For this coming month I challenge you to eat healthier and build better habits outside of the gym.

September will be the Nutrition & Habit Challenge!

What we'll ask of you:

• eat on the Paleo diet or Zone diet with a minimum of 5x/week
• CrossFit a minimum of 3x/week (at the gym or on your own). If you're on an unlimited membership, you're not getting your value if you're not here as often as possible.
• Cut sugar. Sugar also includes large amounts of bread, rice, pasta, grains, etc.
• Take fish oil supplements daily. See our buddies at Healeo.
• If you are consuming more than 3 alcoholic beverages a week, bring it below 3. If you want to do more, cut out alcohol completely.
• Reset your circadium rhythm and GET ON A SLEEPING SCHEDULE! It's difficult but sleep is very important.
• START A NUTRITION & WORKOUT BLOG! Examples are in the WOD Blog on the right. If you have a gmail account, you have a Blogger account. Other free blogging services: Wordpress, Typepad, Twitter, etc. Get one. If you want it private, make sure I can see it.
• Be good to yourself.

Got it? Good. Let's get it going again!

Schedule for Friday 8/28

We will have the following class times

• 9am @ Foundation CrossFit. The broad jump burpee mile.
• 11am @ the Harbor Steps, downtown (MEET HERE!). "Donkey Kong Rodizio: Part 3" followed by a paleo lunch at Ipanema.
• 6pm @ Foundation CrossFit. The broad jump burpee mile.

RSVP for your intended classtime, 4 hours prior if possible. Dress appropriately!

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No RAINSTORM this weekend. Instead I'd like you to do one of the following:

OPTION A.)

Support our CrossFit community and attend King CrossFit's Grand Opening! Festivities (and workouts) will begin at 10am with a bunch of fun stuff. Click the link to go to the blog and see what they have planned.

OPTION B.)

Join in on the Seattle Michael Jackson Flash Mob. This is free and they will have registration and practice at Cal Anderson Park from 10am to about 12pm and have two performances throughout the day- one at Pike Place Market, the other at Westlake Center.

Med Balls

Wall ball, "chuck-and-runs" and running: best way to beat you up!

Getting comfortable with Uncomfortable

We have some great wall ball target at the park, so why not use them?

Remember the cues for wall ball shots:

• be about an arms-length away from your target.
• front squat making sure your hands stay under-ish on the ball with your arms relaxed (aka rack position).
• drive hard and jump from your heels.
• push press the medicine ball when and only when the momentum tells you do.
• make the throw "go up and touch". Do not 'forward pass', give it any rotational spin, muscle it up. This is not basketball.
• catch the ball in the same grip you threw it, otherwise it will punch you or make you lose lumbar curve.
• reverse the movement when it arrives back.
• the movement standard starts and ends with a med ball front squat.

Great job this week folks. RAINSTORM tomorrow. 11am. Cal Anderson Park. $5. Fun, fun, fun. The weather's supposed to be 73 or so, but looking at the sky this morning I'll say wear some warmer gear just in case. We'll provide water and I'll also bring by some of our shirts if don't own one already. Please RSVP by contacting me!

Can you guess what exercise will likely be in that WOD? (=

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Most of you know that I recommend paleo for nutrition. Check out this article because it deals with the subject of the September Challenge. From the amazing blog Byers Gets Diesel:

HOW TO WIN FRIENDS AND INFLUENCE PALEO

Today, I'd like to talk about one of the first struggles you'll most likely hit when you start practicing this new way of eating. No, I'm not talking about the cravings, or the energy fluctuations, or even the grocery bills. I'm talking about the negative reactions of your friends and family. "You're eating all that fat? That can't be good for you." Or, "That's like Atkins, right? That's just a fad diet." Or, "It so restrictive - you can't eat anything!" I'm sure you've all heard these statements and then some since you began your 30 day period. And Oprah knows, it can be tough enough to stick out the 30 days on your own, never mind if you have to defend yourself against the negative reactions, doubts and criticisms of your spouses, friends and co-workers. So what's a 30 day'er to do?Here are some of my best tips for dealing with the nay-sayers (in a way that won't get you divorced, de-friended or fired).

• Lead by quiet example.This one is first for a reason, people, and it's your most powerful ally.Your results will speak for themselves. After 30 days, when your energy is rockin', your skin is clear, your aches and pains are gone and you've shed some fat or built some muscle, people will notice, and they will ask you what you've been doing. It's kind of hard to doubt the method when the results are right there in front of them. So let your experience shine through, answer questions if asked but don't waste your breath trying to convince, cajole or persuade others before they're ready. Just be a living example of what this way of eating could potentially do for them.
  

• Pick your battles. I guarantee on thing - you can make people feel bad about themselves just by rolling up to the lunch table. The way you eat may very well remind people that they aren't eating the way they should, or could, or might want to. As such, they're on the defensive the minute you plop your salmon and vegetables next to their Lean Cuisines. Now is not the time to point out the dangers of grains, or comment on the study you just read linking diet soda to obesity. Keep your lunch to yourself, and encourage others to do the same by not responding to blatant pokes, jabs or attacks on your "weird diet". If someone is truly interested, have the conversation away from the crowd, when you can speak privately and not be interrupted by the haters.

• Educate yourself. You know you'll have to deal with questions, comments and straight-up challenges from time to time, so you'd better be prepared. If I asked you right now, "Why don't you eat dairy?", how many of you would have an immediate answer for me? That answer could range from the documented inflammatory properties to the fact that as soon as you stopped, your skin cleared up - anything from reference to personal experience. The point is - you'd betterhave an answer - and it can't just be, "Because Byers said so." (Although I really like that answer.) So, do your homework. Figure out the difference between Atkins and Paleo. Learn why certain foods are excluded. Understand how a diet high in good fats helps promote body fat loss. Prepare some remarks based on your own experience. Just don't show up empty-handed, because if you do, you'll lose any chance you may have had to get the other party to buy in. (And if that other party is your Mom who shops for all the food, your husband who cooks all the food or your roommate who pays for half the food, you really can't afford to lose that chance.) On that note, however...
  

• Refer to "scientific evidence" cautiously.I'm not saying you shouldn't research and cite information from the likes of Loren Cordain, Robb Wolf or Gary Taubes. What I am saying, however, is that for every science-y article you find that talks about, say, why dairy is bad... there are a hundred justas science-y articles that will say the exactopposite. My recommendation? Unless you're totally on the ball with scientific references (and able to smartly refute the opposing side on the fly), don't let the scientific research be the only leg you choose to stand on. Refer back to point #1 - lead by example, and cite REAL people who have had REAL results. Hell, point 'em here. We're not a clinical study - we've got thousands of comments (literally) from real people who can attest to the real benefits of eating this way. Kind of hard to argue with all that, you would think. Which brings me to my final point...
  

• When outnumbered, fall back. You may very well find yourself stuck in a battle that you just can't win. It's a family dinner, your parents, siblings and children are at the table and you're being hammered with doubts, skepticism and outright criticism. Take a deep breath, smile and simply fall back. In the end, the only person whose health and wellness you are responsible for is YOU. And while it may pain you to see the unhealthy behaviours exhibited by your friends and family, ultimately, they are responsible for their own lives, and their own choices. So rather than spark a bitter feud or ruin a birthday party, swallow your ego, your pride and your frustration and simply say, "Well, this is actually kind of working for me right now, but I hear what you're saying and I really appreciate your thoughts. Now let's get back to enjoying this delicious meal!" Sometimes, that's all you can do... and that's okay. Refer back to point #1... if people are open to change, eventually THEY will come to YOU, and you'll get that opportunity to help them.

Click the link above to read the article in its entirety. It's a blog you should bookmark anyway!

The sun is back out

With summer running it's home stretch, I hope you've been outside learning and playing new sports. If not, I'd like to invite you out this weekend to enjoy a couple of games of Hooverball after the RAINSTORM workout at 11am. Details coming tomorrow.

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What do you do in your free time? Check out this video by Paolo

My Day, Yesterday from Pao Sanchez on Vimeo.

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Speaking of movies, Nate invested in an independent horror film here in Washington. It's called "The Taken" and the premiere is this weekend up north.

"The Taken" Trailer from Valentine Entertainment on Vimeo.

Want to go to the premiere? Let me know asap! It's this Saturday.

Isn't one of the reasons we CrossFit to be prepared for the unknown and unknowable? Like maybe escaping from/defeating a crazy serial killer?

(Dont' answer that.)

WOW.

Exactly a year after setting the 9.69 seconds 100m world record last year at the Bejing Olympics (with untied shoelaces), Usain Bolt sets the bar even higher by running the same event in 9.58 seconds. That means he almost runs 30mph!

We've been running and sprinting a lot lately. How does your 100m feel? Are you going all out? A couple of pointers:

• keep your head relaxed!
• eyes stay towards the ground in the first 20m while keeping the spine in alignment.
• drive hard with the arms in 90 degree angles forward & back (do not sway!)
• lean forward- remember you are "catching" your fall the entire way!
• when you eyes are finally level, keep pumping the arms and reaching with your legs and feet.

There is no heel-strike in sprinting. They're should NOT be heel-strike in running either!

RAINSTORM XXXIV

Back in Lake City we were doing FGB every other RAINSTORM, right? We'll we're back- muhahaha.

"Fight Gone Bad"

one-minute stations, for reps of:

• wall ball, 20lbs/14lbs
• SDHP, (2) 16kg kb/16kg kg
• box jump, 20"
• push press, 35kg/15kg
• double unders/jump rope (skips/3)

Thanks to Paolo, Ann Marie, Dorian, Tita, Kristina, John, RJ, Brady, Elizabeth, Nate, Woo, Sheena, Max, Mark, Evan and Narian!

We'll also do this September 12th in preparation for the FIGHT GONE BAD IV fundraiser on September 26th. Bigger details coming soon.

Fish Oil

Had your fish oil today?

Yes? AWESOME. You get a gold star for your journal.

No? WHY THE F@&# NOT?!

I'm not big on supplements whatsoever, but fish oil is essential to living healthy and isn't that what we're trying to do?

Benefits of fish oil:

• Stimulates blood circulation.
• Lowers blood triglyceride levels.
• Reduces the risk of heart attack.
• Reduces the risk of dangerous abnormal heart rhythms.
• Reduces the risk of strokes.
• Slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques.
• Lowers blood pressure!
• Reduces stiffness and joint tenderness.

A lot of REDUCED RISK of things right? Have any family history of those? Might want to start preventing that from happening right now. Healeo sells some real good Fish Oil and Salmon Oil supps. Go see our soon-to-be neighbors!

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RAINSTORM XXXIV tomorrow! Have you RSVP'ed?

Set that back

Keep your lumbar curve. Jenelle will show you how:

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One of our themes is "NO EXCUSES." We say that because the information to living a long, healthy life has been provided to you. Optimal health is attainable, but it requires hard work and dedication. We've all grown into this belief that there's a shortcut or "easy" way to achieve things, but I guarantee quality won't be there when you take that route.

Here's another "NO EXCUSES" post. From Mark's Daily Apple:

You’ve read about it. Thought about it. You’ve watched Mark’s message calling all readers. You’ve even imagined yourself taking part in this month’s Challenge. You’ve toyed with it, considered it, but ultimately held back. For whatever reason you’re a straggler, a dawdler, maybe just slow to warm up, perhaps unsure, apprehensive – for whatever reason undecided, uncommitted.

Mind if we ask…why? What’s holding you back? When you imagine taking up the Challenge, what scenarios, what predicaments come to mind that ultimately convince you to sit this one out? What self-talk, if you don’t mind us asking, finally persuades you to forgo the investment in yourself? And, hey, can we get in on that conversation? Pardon us while we brazenly interject ourselves into that floating thought bubble above your head and put in our two cents.

Ah, here we see what’s been going on. Rationalizations, reasons, excuses of all stripes. Justifications galore. Some, to be sure, are compelling. Others not so. A few humorous in a self-deprecating, tongue-in-cheek kind of way. The point is, we’re right there with you. “Really?” you ask. “How can that be?” Let’s put it this way. We get it. We’ve all had to start from somewhere. (And some of us have had to restart.) Ask all of us here among the masses of modern day Groks who’ve already committed to the Challenge, and you’ll likely find circumstances that bear a broad, if not striking likeness to your own. Mind if we burst those bubbles?

1. “I’m young and healthy enough that I don’t need this – not right now anyway”.

There’s a collective cultural assumption/joke that you can do anything in your twenties and most of your thirties without any real consequences. Eat crappy food? Check. Sleep only at convenient times (as defined by young children’s schedules or busy social calendar). Check. Exercise a) not at all, b) on weekend warrior adventures with friends, or c) all the time, chronic cardio/sergeant spin class style. Check. (All of the above being the wrong choice, by the way.) Sure, you bounce back faster and easier in your younger years than you will later on, but listen up, Gumby. Your level of fitness and fortitude in your 40s has everything to do with what you do (and eat) today. Abuse your body now, and you’ll age much more quickly and have a harder road ahead if/when you decide to finally get serious.

If you’re still young, you have the best body you’ll possibly ever have. You’re working off of the best muscle base and hormonal balance. You still have the ability to reach peak lifetime health. Don’t blow the opportunity. Won’t you wonder later what it could’ve felt like?

2. “I’m middle age, and the real opportunity for anything optimum has passed me by. I’m just looking for general health at this point.”

Yes, the vitality of youth isn’t to be wasted, but it isn’t the end all. (Those of us in this category can speak to that, I imagine.) Obviously, Mark isn’t one to believe the best is past. He’s said many a time that he feels better today than at any point in his adult life. You still have that opportunity as well – make no mistake (or excuse) about it. You have the chance to extend or reclaim the health most people associate with youth. What you do today can actively prevent disease, build muscle mass and epigenetically set the clock back.

And it’s important to realize that things won’t get any easier, especially once you’ve hit this age. Five years, even one year from now it will likely be more difficult to get in shape, lose weight, gain muscle. It follows that tomorrow will be incrementally more difficult than today, and the following day incrementally more difficult than tomorrow. The increments may be small, but over time the trend is powerful. Use today to your advantage.

3. “I’m too old for this to make a substantial difference in my health.”

Our culture often teaches complacency – particularly with age. We’re shown images of aging “gracefully” that reflect passivity and acquiescence to physical decline. There’s no reason your later years can’t offer vitality. If you’re a senior, small changes now could mean thriving in the coming years instead of just surviving.

The key is understanding that there’s more to be written. Your actions and choices feed the conditions of health or disease, ability or limitation. Men and women in their later years who take up exercise programs can make crucial, significant strides in physical strength and endurance. A healthy diet can minimize inflammation and beat back disease. Time is certainly of the essence, it’s true, and every day impacts both future vitality and longevity.

Bonus for any age! 4. “I just don’t have the time to commit right now.”

Here it is, the universal, catchall, everyman/woman rationale and blanket justification. (We couldn’t possibly skip this one.) The details vary, but the “no time” excuse inevitably follows the same template. Fill in your own blanks here, and then hear the real reality check. Time is always a scarce commodity. There will never be a time when “achieving fitness, eating right, and sleeping adequately” will be convenient. The house will always need some repair. Your kids will always need you. Your job will always impose demands and stress. Your family/social life will always involve commitment and probably some drama – the good and the grief. All of us find ourselves in this picture somewhere.

The key is to make your health a priority in the midst of life’s commotion. Make your life fit your priorities and not just the other way around. Healthy eating isn’t an add-on to your meal prep. Active living inhabits your full day rather than just a slot in your planner book. Adequate sleep means your waking hours are that much more awake – efficient, focused and productive. Look at it as infusing your life with healthful practices rather than heaping them on top or squeezing them in the middle. Shift your perception and practices rather than your calendar.

We know we haven’t covered every possible excuse. However, we hear these particular ones often, and we’re pretty sure they’re among those floating around in the minds of many of our readers. Our intention with these refutations here isn’t to belittle, to diminish or to dismiss legitimate difficulties. A Challenge is, well, exactly that.Our hope is to rally your better judgment, your bolder vision for what your life can be – not next year or next month but now, today, in the imperfect reality of daily life.

Now about that Challenge… Sure, there’s already a sizable throng of motivated, thoughtful folks already committed this month. They’re responsive and enthusiastic in the forum and boards, and we love it. However, we know there are more of you out there. Call us brazen or stubborn, but we’re not satisfied until we’re sure we’re speaking to every last reader out there. However much a chronic straggler, a reticent onlooker, or a casual lurker you might be, we’re talking to you today. This is our challenge to you, and you know who you are. Be honest. By all means, start from where you are. But start. Today. Make this your opportunity to turn the page on old habits, big regrets, small thinking and deferring, defeatist attitudes. Make this your time. Your month. Your commitment to yourself. You’re worth the time. The results you’ll see – physical and otherwise – will be worth the effort.

...

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE.

What are your excuses?

The Beach Body Burpee Bonanza

Were you on this board? More importantly, did you have 31 marks next to your name?

No worries! It's DAY 5 of the Beach Body Burpee Bonanza and for the month of August, we're back to burpees. No more excuses in not being able to workout (;

Day 5 = 5 burpees. Buy-in = 15. Most of you should be buying in.

RAINSTORMs are back!

and in full effect! Come out this Saturday at 11am at Bobby Morris Playfield (the southwest corner on the field near the tennis courts) for a workout. Bring your friends and some water and I'll bring the equipment! Did someone say Hooverball?!

RSVP to andrew@foundationcrossfit.com or call/text 360.908.9862.

CrossFit On-Ramp Classes

Foundation Classes aka the "CROSSFIT ON-RAMP"!

Question:

What are the CrossFit On-Ramp classes?

Answer:

The emphasis of the On-Ramp sessions is skill development and exposure to our basic movements. It is designed to prepare you to enter our ongoing CrossFit group classes. We will be emphasizing technique — to ensure your safety and to ensure success at the next level.

• First, we will introduce you to technique and mechanics, THEN increase intensity.
• We will teach you basic skills that progressively become more technical as you become comfortable.
• A total of 12 sessions will be taught over the span of one month. It is important that you attend each of the sessions as these skills build upon each other.
• There will be a workout at the end of each session that becomes progressively more challenging through the series.
• The difficulty of these workouts in ultimately in your hands. The degree that you push yourself will determine how much you learn. The class is called "On Ramp" for a specific reason - we want to ramp you up to the level of intensity and output that is inherent in our group classes.
• Shifts in body composition are one of the most motivating ways to measure success (weight shouldn't matter, how your clothes fit & how you look naked should!). We highly encourage you to take "Before" pictures at the beginning of On-Ramp class.
• The classes will be capped at around 15 participants to ensure that everyone gets the proper attention they deserve. The sooner you sign up, the sooner you will learn CrossFit!

Now none of these excuses apply!

• It's too intense for me.
• I'm not familiar with any of these exercises.
• I want to be in better shape before I get into CrossFit classes.
• I won't be able to keep up.
• I don't want to look like a dumbbass.
• I'm a beginner!

(=

Sound good? Contact us for a FREE Orientation and Workout!
Additional reading:  Getting Started & Pricing

Additional reading: January 2012 Foundations

August 2009 Schedule

Here's the new schedule for this month! That news I've been talking about and talking about... it's coming and you'll all be happy about it (seriously!) "Blue Collar" workouts coming to you in 2-3 weeks. (=

Anywho, check out the new classes.

BY DAYS!

CrossFit Classes

• Monday - 6am, 9am, 12pm, 6pm
• Tuesday - 9am, 12pm, 6pm
• Wednesday - 6am, 9am, 12pm, 6pm
• Thursday - 9am, 12pm, 6pm,
• Friday - 6am, 9am, 12pm
• Saturday - 11am

CrossFit On-Ramp Classes (for beginners)

• Monday - 10am, 5pm
• Tuesday - 10am, 5pm
• Thursday - 10am, 5pm

or BY TIMES!

• 6am CrossFit Class on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
• 9am CrossFit Class Monday-Friday
• 10am On-Ramp Class (beginners only!) - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
• 11am RAINSTORM CrossFit Class (open to everyone!) - Saturday
• 12pm CrossFit Class Monday-Friday
• 5pm On-Ramp (beginners only!) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday
• 6pm CrossFit class Monday-Thursday

I hope that made sense. I'll have a visual aid sooner than later!

Have a question about CrossFit On Ramp classes?

CLICK HERE!

RAINSTORM tomorrow.

Tomorrow (Saturday) there will be a workout free to everyone, but it'll be at Greenlake!

We'll be meeting at 11am towards the north end of the park near the "stretching rings", located near the parking lot and tennis courts off of Latona Ave NE. Give me a call if you need directions! Don't forget to dress properly and bring water. It could be as hot as 89 tomorrow.

View Larger Map

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Screw Seafair- go support Rainier CrossFit in their 4th Annual MT. RAINIER STRONGEST MAN AND WOMAN down at The Old Cannery in Sumner, WA.

More details for MRSMW4 here.

Don't eat before you workout Crystal

Danielle and Crystal after this morning's team WOD. Great job ladies- perfect reps, wonderful enthusiasm, and good ol' hard work!

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There will be NO 5:30pm and 6:30pm CLASSES tomorrow. Instead, Run 5k (or Run for 30 min and figure out your distance) and record it. Normal schedule resumes Wednesday on.

The Purple "IT HURTS SO GOOD" t-shirt looks like it's the most popular. Let's officially put these preorders down asap so you guys can rock these. If you haven't purchased a black one yet, just know that all the cool kids have (;

TGIF

Workout tomorrow @ 10am at Cal Anderson Park. EVERYONE is invited. Please RSVP by call/text with Andrew @ (360) 908.9862.

Big events going on this weekend in Seattle. Carpool if you can!

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Big congrats to Mr. Christopher Andrew Valle for passing his N-CLEX and becoming a certified Registered Nurse!

Not only did Andrew graduate from the University of Washington this year, but he's been CrossFitting regularly (two-a-days!) and was integral to building Foundation CrossFit into what it is now. That, and he's probably the gym's biggest cheerleader.

Congratulations man. WOOO! Male nurses!

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If you were in the gym today, you learned (or refreshed with) the Turkish Get Up. You can use any sort of weight for this exercise: a kettlebell, a dumbbell, a barbell, a backpack, a water jug, your little sibling (no, really), any weighted implement.

I'll let Anthony of AoS/MoS give you a run down:

Let's review.

• Eyes on the weight. Keep the arm locked out and reach for the sky.
• He didn't talk about keeping the shoulders "packed". Keep your shoulder blades together the entire time.
• Get up on your elbow forearm. You'll have better support.
• Readjust your hands as needed. Remember: "PILLARS!"
• Keep the arm locked out and reach for the sky.
• Make sure you legs are spread out as much as possible for better stabilization.
• BREATHE!
• Keep the arm locked out and reach for the sky.
• and finally keep the arm locked out and reach for the sky (get it yet?)

GET TO IT!

Champs

"Champions aren't made in the gym. Champions are made from 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."

- Muhammad Ali

Play

It's something we all need to do a little more: play outside.

So expect to do a bunch of workouts outdoors either on the Union St. side of the block, Bobby Morris Playfield, or Cal Anderson Park.

Bring sunscreen especially if you are at the 12pm, 5:30pm or 6:30pm classes! And don't forget your water as well- y'all sweat a lot.

Keep up the good work everyone.

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Above is an excellent video clip showcasing French Olympian Danny Rodrigues, the first athlete in history to compete what many considered an impossible strength element on the still rings; the Victorian. In fact he is so incredibly strong, that he has two variations of the Victorian in his routine. Be prepared for a little drama in the middle of the clip.

Monday!

Please refer to the video below before attending class.

Power Snatch Execution from Greg Werner on Vimeo.

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Rocking out in one of our shirts yet?

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This goes out to all the ladies out there who are afraid of working out, especially the CrossFit method of training. From Mark's Daily Apple:

I knew they were coming, as soon as I hit “Publish.” I knew I’d get at least one or two comments from our female readers asking if last week’s muscle building post applied to them, too. You see,Conventional Wisdom has somehow drilled into our heads the silly notion that men and women are completely different species, especially when it comes to working out. There are definite differences – anyone who’s been married will be able to tell you that! – but that doesn’t take away from the fact that we’re all homo sapiens with the same basic physiological makeup. And so an outfit like Weight Watchers will push the chronic cardio, the ankle weights, and the step classes because of some underlying, self-defeating assumption that women aren’t “meant” to lift heavy weights. It’s insane, it’s preposterous, and it’s downright insulting. Men and women have different work capacities and different natural inclinations, but their bodies still work the same way.

READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE.

CrossFitting At Any Age

Many people have questions about CrossFit and the ability to actually do it. Those who are coming from an athletic background fall in quickly and with far more ease than someone who's picking up a barbell for the first time in their lives, even at 40 years old.

Fran Mason of CrossFit Seattle shows the latter that it's never too late to become active.

45th birthday stunt collection from Fran Mason on Vimeo.

Inspiring to say the least!

Ketchup!

Apologies for the lack of posts. Someone's getting lazy...

We're getting a lot more people in through the doors! More equipment too.

Big welcome to Genevieve, Hessan, Erica, Ruth, Krista, Chris, Whitney, Colin and Jenelle. Here's to your future in better health and fitness! Not to mention all the sweat angels you'll be leaving.

Speaking of which, watch for a dedicated post soon...

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There are a bunch of CrossFit-related and not-so-CrossFit-related events this weekend:

• Saturday will be Washington's Strongest Apple Contest, a strength competition with events such as the tire flip, axle clean and press, farmer's walk and keg loading. We'll be there cheering on for Benji, one of our CF brothers over at Bremerton CrossFit.
• Sunday there will be a CrossFit Total over at Local's Gym / Lynnwood CrossFit. Get your 1RM back squat + press + deadlift on.
• Of course, for those wanting to rest it's The Bite of Seattle at Seattle Center throughout the entire weekend. Eat Paleo/Zone-like!

Back to regular posting come Monday!

CrossFit Games 2009 Individual Competition

Tomorrow the individual competitors will challenge themselves and each other to see who's the fittest person on Earth.

The competition, courtesy the official CrossFit Games 2009 site:

General Rules
1. The movement standards are typical HQ unless otherwise stated.
2. Each athlete will be ranked according to their time or score relative to the other athletes for that workout. Their final score for the workout will be equal to their rank.
3. The overall ranking going into each event will determine the reverse starting order for that event. For example, the athletes that win the first event will get to go last in the second event, while the athletes that come in last in the first event must go first in the second. The athletes in the lead (those with the lowest running total) after two events get to go last in the third event. And so forth.
4. After the second event, the bottom ten men and the bottom ten women (those with the most points) will be eliminated from the competition.
5. After the fourth event, the remaining bottom ten men and ten women will be eliminated from the competition. At this point, there will be approximately 55 athletes competing in Saturday's final event (for each men and women).
6. After the fifth event, the 16 men and 16 women with the lowest total points will be invited to compete on Sunday. If by chance there is a tie for 16th place, the athlete with the best single placement in any of the five events will be awarded the invite.

The first five workouts (out of eight total):

1. A 7.1k road & trail run with some nasty elevation.
2. A deadlift race. Starting at a weight of 315lbs for men, 185lbs for women, increase in 10lbs increments until you fail or someone catches you.
3. A sandbag (70lbs men/35lbs women) 170m sprint with a 100' elevation gain.
4. 500m row, Hammer a 4' stake (3' ladies) into the ground, 500m row.
5. A wallball/snatch couplet.

Check the official Games site for details. After some eliminations, the remaining competitors will have the chance at 3 more workouts on Sunday.

Good luck to Jenny Olson, Charity Vale, Kallista Pappas, Nichole Verbrugghe, Jennifer Kellams, Jerome Perryman, Tommy Hackenbruck, Moe Kelsey, Jason Neago and Jordan Holland, who are representing Seattle and the Northwest! Did we send some winners? Uh huh.

Responsibility to self

I hope you all had a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend. Enjoy it with fam and friends, brats and beer, fireworks and plenty of sleep? Good because it's time to get back into it!

Get prepared to use your upper body this week. You should see some cosmetic changes to the gym and I promise I'll get those other rings back up for use. We'll be building parallettes throughout the week, so bring some cash moneys if you want a set of your own! Also, I should be getting some more kettlebells.

Keep hitting it hard guys, you're making me beyond proud to be your trainer.

ps

If you haven't taken your "after" pictures, get ready to take them now!

pps

It's Day 6 so you owe 6 squats and 6 pushups!

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Original Facebook post here.

"A Little Motivation?"

So I just watched this video on the Crossfit Journal called "The Road to the 09 Games" about Heather Keenan, a future Crossfit Games athlete (I was under the impression that she wasn't going to compete this year). Anyway, she was talking about her motivation and one thing that she said was, "Every time I go to eat something, it's like...is that' gonna get me closer to the games? Or like, every time I'm in a workout and I'm like feeling tired, like I'm taking a break I'm like, 'Alright, is Tanya [a fellow competitor who placed in front of her in the East Coast challenge, and won 2nd overall at the 08 games] taking a break right now?' ... It's like, grab your fucking bar and get it up, you know?"

I thought I'd just post this up to urge all of us to really think about our goals. What are we doing this for? I know many of us have set goals with Dru, but are these goals just cause he asked us to create them, or because we want to get better in one aspect in our lives. Now think, what are you doing to get closer to that goal? Is that last cookie, brownie, cupcake, or bite of rice gonna get you closer to what you want to achieve? If your goal is obesity, cardiovascular disease, weak and brittle bones, muscle flaccidity due to too much adipose tissue, respiratory depression, diabetes, psychological disorders such as depression, and renal failure, then congratulations, you have taken one step towards that goal. Sound harsh? Sure is. But hey, that last bite didn't get you closer to a long life of good health. And while that one bite, or cookie, or whatever poor nutritious food will probably not kill you (I hope and pray for), it's a step in the wrong direction, even though it may be a minuscule step.

Is that break you are taking mid-WOD because you are tired? Or because you cannot physically lift that weight? (Remember, if you can laugh or talk, then you can get another rep in...) Are we taking a water break because of dehydration, or because you want an excuse to take a quick break?

Many of us have been hitting it hard core for months now. I've seen improvements in EVERYONE. But we need to extend our discipline from the box to our day-to-day lives. Look at it this way, even if we work out 1 hour a day, 5 days a week, that is still less than 3% of the week. What does that mean? 97% of our week is spent NOT working out. So we all need to find a way to make sure that we can best maximize that 3% of hard work. We all can improve, and I can be the most guilty when it comes to messing up. Find your own goal, and decide, if that bite of food will get you closer to that goal. If not, then change it. And then grab your fucking bar and get it up.

- Andrew Valle

We call this "the slight edge", "greasing the groove" or "the tipping point". The little things do account for the big things later, so don't use excuses for shortcomings. Keep it going strong for every little thing you do and I guarantee that you'll reach your goals, break your limits and be happy because isn't that what we all want to accomplish?

Another Birthday WOD

Happy Birthday Sheena and Adrian D.!

You have all been showing your dedication to health and fitness and I love it. Some of you are even doing two-a-day workouts since adding the 6 am class. To those few- YOU ARE CRAZY! Stop working out because you're making me look bad.

This weekend is the fourth of July so what are your plans? If you're free from 12pm to about 3:30pm you should join our team for the 2009 Wallingford Street Scramble. It's a 90 minute scavenger hunt across Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood. Here are last year's results. Come talk to me or Elizabeth if you want to join in.

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Congratulations to all those who completed the first month of the BEACH BODY BURPEE BONANZA. July calls for a refresher: Day 1 = 1 squat and 1 pushup. Tomorrow will see 2 squats + 2 pushups. Continue on until August.

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Article of the Day:

"Miss Manners" - CrossFit West Santa Cruz

CrossFit boxes as a rule are not that big on formality. Shirts? On or off, go for it. Cussing? My delicate sensibilities can handle it. Grunts, groans, screaming? Hey, whatever gets you through the WOD. Blood, sweat, tears? As long as it’s not the 70s band, yeah, no worries. Short shorts, long shorts? Whatever floats your boat, man (no thongs, sorry Golden). Chalk? My life is covered in it. Make fun of Golden or Cliff? Knock yerself out (see line above). Not formal tends to be an understatement at CF West.

However, ahem, there are a few points of etiquette that should be covered. Good sportsmanship, support, and respect. That’s it. That is what we demand at CF West. Well, that and blood, sweat, and tears…but you can keep your firstborn. Seriously folks, all three points go hand in hand and are pretty much a no brainer.

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