Two weeks to 2010

We are in the home stretch of the Stay Right Through Winter Challenge! How are you holding up?

You guys have been hitting it hard in the gym and I'm so proud to see the progress that's being made. Jason's squatting deeper, Margaret is still showing off with all the one-hand/one-arm modifications, Cedric, Brian, Max and Andrew V. are becoming firebreathers. Not to mention that our new folk like Grace, Connor, Chad and Michelle are learning fast and putting up those heavy weights!  Oh yeah, and 90% of all our members have double-unders.

Sheena's slight pike

Keep it up! The new year's right around the corner. I have a new board that will go up. You're all going to write what you plan to accomplish in your health & fitness in 2010.

LET'S GO!

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WOD

"CINDY"
amrap in 20 min:
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats

compare to 26NOV2009.

Nate

Make sure to get full range of motion per exercise: arms at full extension to chin above bar for pullups, stiff body moving from chest, thighs and hips on ground to full extension of arms for pushups, and standing as tall as possible lowering yourself until crease of the hip drops below the top of the knee with a straight back and heels down for the squat.  Quality, not quantity.

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AOD

"30 Lessons From My First 30 Years"
by Scott Kustes, Fitness Spotlight

1. Discussing nutrition in social gatherings is akin to discussing politics or religion. People identify closely with their food.
2. Don’t neglect your health and fitness to pursue monetary success.
3. If you’re in a bad situation (be that job, relationship, or otherwise), first take steps to fix it. If it’s beyond repair, do whatever it takes to get out of it. Life is too short to be miserable.
4. Maintain a few close friendships. I’d rather have 2 or 3 close friends than 50 mere acquaintances.
5. On that note, relationships (with friends and significant others) come and go. People change and grow. Enjoy the time you have with people and let it go when the costs to maintain it outweigh the benefits. Practice non-attachment. Read “The Way To Love” by Anthony De Mello.
6. Apologize quickly. Forgive quickly.
7. Let it go. It’s probably not worth dwelling on.
8. Call your mom.
9. Don’t let anyone crap on your dreams…most people are offended if you want to follow a different path (even if you aren’t an asshole about it). And don’t be an asshole about other people’s dreams either.
10. You make your bed, you lie in it. I’m not talking about sleeping.

READ THE REST HERE.

Tomorrow's 12 Days of CrossFit @ CFSeattle

They have classes scheduled at 6am, 7am, 9am, 12pm, 4pm, 5pm and 6pm. They have a potluck scheduled for 7pm, so if you're planning to attend that please bring something to share. Drop-in fee is $20. If you can, support local biz and buy a shirt since they're hosting this amazing WOD. We're going to bring a crew in the later classes (4pm, 5pm, 6pm) so no evening classes tomorrow. Let me know if you want to join in!

Like an AT&T commercial: "More bars in more places.. FCF"

View pictures from 2007 here. Or 2008 here.

Still improving

Ikea got nothing on Brady and me! We built it from scratch in just 4 hours (plus two coffee breaks): we planted seeds, grew a tree, made some 1'x8' planks and constructed the following:

Now we have a dedicated place for all your belongings: bags, clothes, water bottles, cellphones & keys, shoes, etc. We might paint it later down the line, add hooks for jackets. Awesome. The top of the entire cubby/shelf system will be known as the Lost & Found section. Make sure you check it everytime you misplace something. I'll be donating abandoned items every month or so.

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WOD

"DIANE"

21-15-9 reps for time:

deadlift 103kg/72kg

handstand pushups

Keep your form on the deadlift and do your best to not Quasimodo it. Scale using the appropriate DL weight. You may substitute any type of pushup, assisted HSPU (band, elevated pike), handstand holds, handstand negatives, headstands, etc. for the HSPUs.

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QOD:

Our Grand Opening is scheduled for January 31st, 2010. The festivities begin at 11am and 4pm. Expect a social hour/meet & greet, Introduction to CrossFit, workout demo, Q&A, potluck and raffle at each start time. We will also have other local business affiliates on hand! Full details will be up on Monday.

Will you be attending? Are you spreading the word?

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.

Food drive is on!

Thank you to those who have brought in items for the food drive so far this week. Continue to bring in anything you can, it helps a great amount!

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Sheena's Corner

Lately my sweet tooth has been acting up. I've been craving for some kind of dessert the past couple of days. Of course, I've turned to buying some fruit to fill the craving but since the holidays are just around the corner. I'm sure you all will be attending a couple, if not few, holiday parties. Nate suggested a simple fruit salad to fulfill a sweet craving but why not throw something together to share at those holiday parties? Here is a recipe swiped from Paleo Food Recipes on how to make a "healthy" peach cake...... ok, it's not cake but that's the name of it. No baking required!

Paradise Peach Cake
-------------------
1/2 cup pecans
5 peaches
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
3/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple
1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice 
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 
2/3 cup pitted soft dates, such as Med-Jool
11/2 cup fresh berries for garnish 
1 (9") Almond-Pecan Pie Crust 

**Almond-Pecan Pie Crust

1 cup almonds
1/2 cup pecans
1/3 cup chopped pitted soft dates
3 tablespoons water
-- instructions for pie crust here

Instructions

In a small bowl, cover pecans with water and soak for 8 to 12 hours.  
Drain and rinse. Set aside.  
Peel and halve peaches, reserving skin.  
Remove pit and thinly slice flesh. Set aside.  
In a food processor or blender, blend peach skin with pecans, dried and fresh pineapple,spices and dates.  
In pie shell, layer 1/2 of peach slices in a fanned spiral (optional).  
Evenly spread 1/2 of pineapple mixture over peach slices.  
Repeat with remaining peach slices and pineapple mixture.  
Garnish with fresh berries of your choice.  
Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve chilled.  

Maybe I'll try this to bring for the upcoming FCF Holiday Party on Saturday, January 2nd. Hope everyone is holding up with the Stay Right Through Winter Challenge so far. Keep up the great work! :)

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WOD

skill work: L-sit progressions (from support, from hang), handstands & headstands

tabata kb swings, 24kg/16kg
tabata knees-to-elbows
tabata row (calories)
tabata box jumps
tabata handstands

Nate, Adrian, Max

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QOD

What do you think about all the recent changes to Foundation CrossFit? Excited about the new equipment purchases? What other improvements would you suggest to help us build out your favorite place to work out? Reply in the comments, or email us at info@foundationcrossfit.com!

"100 Is the New 60" from Urban CrossFit




Very impressive, Mrs. UCF. Ladies- you should now have a new goal!

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WOD

Back squat 5-5-5

21-18-15-12-9-6 reps for time:
push press, 40kg/30kg
pullup

Rest a minimum five minutes after your last set of back squats. Jump hard on your push presses and remember to keep your legs straight after the initial dip. This is not the push jerk. Bear crawls for those not knowing the difference already! (=

Congrats to Mike (aka Mr. Universe) for getting a 300+ lbs back squat. His CFT is almost over 1000.

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QOD

Have you brought anything in for our Food Drive yet? We're looking good. If everyone brings at least one item, we'll be doing great. Planning to drop something off?

The Lakewood 4

From Rainier CrossFit:

... 

Why? To come together as a community of CrossFitters to honor Sergeant Mark Renninger, Officers Tina Griswold, Greg Richards, and Ronnie Owens. To show our support, say thank you, and raise money for the families. Each of these 4 individuals were our friends, co-workers, and mentors.

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WOD

Lakewood 4 Memorial

for time:

800m run

23 burpee pull ups (*Mark)

101 box jumps (*Tina)

400m run backwards

121 push ups (*Ronnie)

135 situps (*Greg)

800m Run

9 ground-to-overhead (Number of kids left behind)

*Badge Number

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Read their biographies here at the Seattle Times.

Donations to their families can be made here.

"The only way to win is to do more work faster"

The 2010 CrossFit Games official site is up.

courtesy CrossFit.com

Washington State Sectional: February 27-28
Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe, Washington.
Regional Seeds: 20 men, 20 women

Northwest Regional: May 15-16
110 9th Avenue SW, Puyallup, WA 98371
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Alaska
CrossFit Games Seeds: 3 men, 3 women

Should be a good one.

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WOD

"CHRISTINE"

3 rds for time:
500m row
12 deadlifts, BW
21 box jumps, 24"/20"

When you tire remember the five steps to the deadlift:

1. Stance
2. Grip
3. Shins
4. Chest
5. LIFT!

Row hard. Jump high and consistently.

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AOD:

The CrossFit Journal* is preparing to release plenty of footage from the 2009 CrossFit Games. Here are some great displays of what happened.

"The pain passes, but the beauty remains" - Renoir

"People don't lack strength, they lack will." - Hugo

*Don't have a subscription? Get one for Christmas!

Two Thousand and Ten

We have plenty of things ready for y'all come 2010. A holiday party, a New Years challenge, a Grand Opening, new toys and plenty of new skills to put in your toolbox.

We're evolving the way you train.

Crystal + double dutch

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WOD

Press 5-5-5-5-5

5 min rest

3 rds:
500m row
1 min rest

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QOD:

How are you doing on the STAY RIGHT THROUGH WINTER Challenge so far?

Fat Loss:

• Are you using The Zone, Paleo or IF? Or maybe even a combination?
• Have you tried any of the recipes we've shared? Do you have any to share?
• Have you seen any improvement? If so, what?

Muscle Gain:

• How's the nutrition going? Eating until you feel like you're about to chuck and then some? Or are you doing the GOMAD aka Squats & Milk program?
• Growth only happens when you rest. Are you resting enough?
• Have you seen any weight gain? How much?

Performance:

• Are your energy levels increasing?
• Are your recovery periods faster?
• What WODs have you PRed in since starting?

and for everyone:

• How often are you working out? How many of those times are you at FCF?

The Man in the Arena

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."

- Theodore Roosevelt

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WOD

"BARBARA"
5 rds, each for time:
20 pullups
30 pushups
40 situps
50 squats


Rest precisely 3 minutes between rounds.

Full ROM for all exercises. Scale as needed.

----

QOD

So are you The Critic or are you The Man in the Arena?

Tasty Tuesdays: Week 3 of SRTWC

How's your breakfast?

Sheena's Corner:

Since starting this challenge, how do you normally start your day? Did anybody ever try those Omelet Muffins from a couple weeks ago?

Well I couldn't resist sharing another recipe from Mark's Daily Apple: Almond Banana Pancakes. It sounded and looked so good that I had to try it... like now.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 egg
• 1 heaping tablespoon almond butter (we prefer Trader Joe's Raw Crunchy Unsalted)
• Optional: berries or fruit to top/finish

Instructions:

1. Mash the bananas. You might want to do this while they're still in their peels!

2. Add the egg and mix well.

3. Stir in the almond butter - for a more pancake-like texture, you may add more (if you're using a creamy-style)

4. Warm butter in a pan and pour batter into small cakes.

5. Brown on each side, add toppings and serve warm! With tea! Or coffee!

Warm breakfast food for the chilly winter months! Mmmm

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In teams

for time:
row 5k

Post times and how many people were in your team.

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FREE MOVIE! If you saw Food, Inc. then you might enjoy the following. (via Ross Training)

Watch here: The Future of Food

FCF - The C Stands for Community

The problem:

1. You need more CrossFit!

-AND-

2. Seattle's food banks need more food!

The solution:

Foundation CrossFit will help you get fit and feel good about it! We have teamed up with the local food bank to donate canned goods for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

Starting today, we are offering all of our current and previous clients an opportunity to get fit and contribute to the community that we all love. Between now and December 23rd, donate some canned or other non-perishable foods and get your workout done at Foundation CrossFit!

We will graciously offer up to 2 bonus workout days per week for all of our current and previous clients.  To get a bonus workout day each week between now and Christmas, just bring in 3-5 non-perishable goods to donate to charity when you show up for your bonus workout! 

What if you're not a member of FCF?  You should be!  Schedule your FREE one-hour Orientation session and workout by sending us an email.  After that you can partake in the holiday promotion!

You can also bring hot perishable foods to the gym for Andrew..you don't want him to start begging  (;

On Christmas Eve's eve, we will be bringing the donated goods to Northwest Harvest.  Please join us in spreading the good holiday spirit!

This opportunity is open to all current and previous Foundation CrossFit members. We know you are out there and you know you want to be here!  Do good for yourself, and do good for others! Help Foundation CrossFit share the holiday spirit with the Capitol Hill community, and have fun doing it!

Yule

Great work to everyone who came by for this weekend's "Lumberjack 20" workout, especially Fran & Tom of the soon-to-be affiliate CrossFit 206.

10:30's class

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WOD

"12 Days of CrossFit"

for time:
1 100 yard sprint
2 bear crawls, 50 ft
3 second handstand
4 clean & jerks
5 dive bomber pushups
6 knees-to-elbows
7 kb swings
8 toes-to-bar
9 dips
10 squat thrusts
11 pullups
12 rocking pistols

Runs in the order of singing the "12 Days of Christmas" song: Round 1 = 100 yard sprint. Round 2 = two 50' bear crawls, 100 yard sprint. Round 3 = three-second handstand, two 50' bear crawls, 100 yard sprint. Continue the pattern to Round 12.

5 DIVE BOMBER PUSHUPS!

----

QOD

Have you done this WOD before?

2007

2008

Are you going to join us for CrossFit Seattle's 6th Annual "12 DAYS OF CROSSFIT" this month on the 18th?

Tomorrow

To anyone and everyone in the Seattle area without a place (or crew) to do tomorrow's workout, you're welcome to come by our gym for the day.

Please note that at 9:30am and 10:30am we'll be running the following in honor of Fort Hood.

"Lumberjack 20"

for time:

20 deadlifts, 125kg/85kg

400m run

20 kb swings, 32kg/24kg

400m run

20 OHS, 55kg/40kg

400m run

20 burpees

400m run

20 pullups (C2B)

400m run

20 box jumps, 24"/20"

400m run

20 db squat cleans, 45lbs/30lbs

400m run

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the shuttle run

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Please do not park in any of the angled spots in lot in front of FCF. They are labeled 'Assigned Parking' and 'BMW'. Thanks for your cooperation!

"Strong" vs. "Fit"

the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the following:

STRONG:
1 : having or marked by great physical power
5 a : striking or superior of its kind
7 : not mild or weak : extreme, intense
9 : moving with rapidity or force
11 a : not easily injured or disturbed : solid b : not easily subdued or taken

FIT:
1 a (1) : adapted to an end or design : suitable by nature or by art (2) : adapted to the environment so as to be capable of surviving
2 a : put into a suitable state : made ready b : being in such a state as to be or seem ready to do or suffer something
3 : sound physically and mentally : healthy


I like 'em. Especially STRONG 1, 7 and 11 and all the definitions of FIT, especially the end of 2b.

We provide a broad, inclusive strength & conditioning fitness program that increases your ability to be both STRONG and FIT. We can only achieve this by defining the end goal. That's why I have you keep a journal. That's why I ask you to write your goals in the front of it.

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WOD

"LYNNE"
5 rds for max reps:
bench press, BW
pullups

FINISHER

for time:
500m row

We'll talk about callus care tonight. Something to add to your wishlist this holiday season!

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QOD

If General Physical Preparedness (GPP) is what we generally train for, is the bench press a valid training tool? Are barbell presses (strict, push, jerks), handstand pushups, pushups (and it's variations) enough for our pushing skill?

Call to Action

You may have seen the link at the top of the blog, but for those who haven't...

from CrossFitLumberjack.org:

Many in the CrossFit community were affected by the tragic shootings at Fort Hood, but none as directly as one of our affiliates, Lumberjack Crossfit . Four members of that affiliate were killed.

CrossFit is launching a hero WOD fundraiser for our four fallen Soldiers. On December 5th, we are asking affiliates and individuals to do two things: participate in the workout (as a display of solidarity with Lumberjack CrossFit) and to reach out to family, friends, and strangers to donate whatever you can.

With the help of the CrossFit community, we can assist the men and women at Ft. Hood and Lumberjack CrossFit to raise money for the families of the fallen, and the future needs of the approximately 30 wounded.

The long-term needs of these families and the wounded are significant; many of the wounded are still in intensive care. Most will not fully recover from being shot multiple times at near point blank range with a .357.

Our community clearly has the ability and commitment to make a difference for these folks. Let’s turn out on the 5th and show our support by registering as a fundraiser now.

Donate here. Even if it's only $10, it'll help.

We will run the "Lumberjack 20" WOD this Saturday in honor of what has happened. Let's honor those at Fort Hood. Let's honor SPD Officer Tim Brenton. Let's honor the four slain Lakewood Police:  Sgt. Mark Renninger, Ofc. Ronald Owens, Ofc. Tina Griswold, and Ofc. Greg Richards.

Let's show our strength as a community.

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WOD

AMRAP in 20 min:
12 hang power snatches, 30kg/20kg
10 pushups

Burgener warm-up beforehand. Use an empty bar if you can. PVC/wooden dowel for those not comfortable enough yet.

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QOD

I implore you. When's the last time you helped out someone in need?

Tasty Tuesdays: Week 2 of SRTWC

Do any of you watch The Biggest Loser?

I never did, but I'm glad that people are working towards a healthier lifestyle. I've heard some nasty stuff about it though. Here's an insightful article from the New York Times.

When more than 40 former contestants from “The Biggest Loser” gather Wednesday for a reunion television special, the winner of the program’s first season, Ryan C. Benson, who lost 122 of his 330-pound starting weight, will be absent. Mr. Benson is now back above 300 pounds but he thinks he has been shunned by the show because he publicly admitted that he dropped some of the weight by fasting and dehydrating himself to the point that he was urinating blood.

Whoa there. I guarantee CrossFit won't make you pee blood. We want you to learn proper mechanics of movement, become consistent in them, then ramp up to a relative intensity. We teach you nutritional habits in quality and quantity. You'll never be forced into losing weight with us or any other CF affiliate.

Read the rest of the article for some dangerous situations contestants have been in, medical professionals disagreeing with the show's tactics, and other "dark side" things the show doesn't put on air. Eh.

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ROD

From The Paleolithic Eating Support List's Recipe Collection.

30 Minute Dill-Baked Salmon
---------------------------


4 salmon fillets (each 6 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
4 lemon slices


3 chopped shallots
1 chopped garlic clove
2 tablespoons olive oil




fresh spinach
2 cups lightly packed basil
1/4 cup broth or stock


Place salmon fillets on baking pan.
Mix salt and pepper; sprinkle half over fish with lemon juice and chopped fresh dill.
Top with lemon slices.


Bake at 350F for 15 minutes.
Sauté shallots and chopped garlic clove in olive oil for 6 minutes.
Add [two 10-ounce packages] fresh spinach and basil; cook 8 minutes.
Add remaining salt mixture and broth or stock.


Boil for 4 minutes.
Serve salmon on greens.

Are you taking your fish oil supplements at every meal? If you've been in class then you've heard me ramble all about how it's the miracle drug that everyone wants and no one is taking. GET ON IT. And eat more fish. Please. If you take fish oil you'll never appear on The Biggest Loser.

----

WOD

4 rds for time:
400m run
50 squats

Sub-10 minutes is your goal! Even with our 400m+ run.

Ced looks dead.

Body Comp

Does a number really matter?

In contemporary fitness when you join a big box gym, they'll give you a complementary body composition test, either by a skinfold caliper test or an electronic impedance test. They'll tell you an absurd % and ask you if you've ever worked with a trainer before. To those who were in big box gyms before CF, does any of this sound familiar?

Like CrossFit, the American College of Sports Medicine has it's own "components of fitness":

1. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
2. Muscular Strength and Muscular Endurance
3. Flexibility
4. Body Composition

This is where the medical-fitness culture becomes too caught up in SYMPTOMS and do not recognize and fix the PROBLEM. If someone's body fat % is too high, we obviously have to fix that. Don't put them on medication. (This might be blunt, but) Get their fracking asses moving! Form follows function. Make them slightly more active and it should make a difference. Small or large a difference is a difference, and in when it comes to health we should all do our best to tip the scales in our favor. Speaking of scales, screw 'em.

Again, do those numbers really matter?

Or does your ability to move up some stairs matter more? Does picking up objects (heavy, not that heavy) and moving them with relative ease matter more? When your energy levels improve and you have more mental clarity, does that matter more? When your favorite pair of jeans become ill-fitting and you look better naked, doesn't that matter more?

A picture speaks a thousand words. Let yours do the same. BEFORE photos all week.

----

WOD

Hang Power Clean 1-1-1
Front Squat 3-3-3

for time:
100 double unders
75 kettlebell swings, 24kg/16kg
50 box jumps, 24"/17.5"
25 burpees

----

Does BF% matter for someone who wants to improve fitness?

Black Friday

If you're out today, I hope you find what you're looking for!

Be safe shopping! 

----

Why did we decide to start a challenge on Thanksgiving week? Well two things:

1. We all know what the holiday season does to our bodies (see: get slow. and fat)
2. Why not keep each other accountable by working as a team to achieve a higher echolon of health & fitness?

We're showing that you have the power to decide your own health. To achieve your goals. That old excuses stand for nothing, and in the end, just hold you back.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend. I'll see you Monday for "BEFORE" pictures.

Great work Connor!

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WOD

"CINDY"

as many rds as possible in 20 min:

5 pullups

10 pushups

15 squats

The goal is a round per minute. Are you close? If not, what could you improve to reach that?

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! Normally someone would advise to make your holiday "healthy", but I'm sure you all will make smarter, more intelligent choices this year. Make sure that you don't overeat- and get your workout on Friday evening at 5pm or 7pm. We also have our Saturday morning WOD @ 11am.

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WOD

Your choice!

for reps:
Bottom-to-bottom Tabata Squats

(need a tabata timer? CLICK HERE!)

OR

for time:
100 burpees

FINISHER

Go outside and play!

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I am thankful for my health, my mom, dad, sisters, brother, uncle, and the rest of my familty, CrossFit, barbells + bumps, kbs, butterfly kips, heavy deadlifts, a 26 rd CINDY, the oly lifts, HSPU, muscle-ups,

I'm also very thankful for Sheena, Tony, Adrian & Tammy, Boo Boo, Nate & Elizabeth, Mikey, Brady, Jason M., Marc-James, Dwinson, Adrian D., Max, Paolo, Andrew V., Andrew T. aka Tita, Crystal, Eggie, Katie, Jason A., Mark, EJ, Ann Marie, Sharla, Theresa, Gough, Woo, Cedric, Brian, Kiley, John, Mike S., Marc Sense, Shannon, Connor, Ruth, Eric, Mary, Jason T., Sara, Thomas, Faye, Laurel, Chris H., Jake, Todd, Grace, Ashley, Jenelle, Margaret, Danielle, Michelle, Erica, Mary, Genevieve, Hessan, Ruth, Shannon, Morgan, Justin, Junior, Nicole, Karen, Samuel, Elijah, Jamie, Jeff, Tina, Krista, Don, Michael, Nancy, Morgan G., Julie, Heather, Maureen, Emily & Brian, Erin, Chad, Lora, Veronica, Gary, Steve, Jodi, Chantel, Cory (RIP), Randy, Stewart, Nicole S., Heidi, Justin, Joe, Rachel, Willie, Chester, Julie, Erica U., Teddy, BJ, Mike W., Alvin, Evan, Steve, JT, Cory, Robbie, RJ, Sohel, John O. (1), John O. (2), Denise, Trey, Paul, Sean,  Janine, Dan, Arthur, ZT, Steven, Sean, Lisa, Linda, Dorian, Garry, Nicole, Chris, Whitney, Colin, Eric, Reginald, Arthur A., Gerson, Albert, Whitney, Kelley, Melanie, Hoy, Roger, Sean, Troy, Emil, Laarni, Eric M., Michael D., Justinian, Bridget & Godfrey, Rozano, Narin, Lelani, Joseph, Tony I., Angel, Kim, Melissa, Ricardo, Erika, Jeanelle, Plinette, Mikey V. (2), Brian, Pamela, Laura, Al, Joe, Renae, Thalia, Aneesh, Teddy L., Robert V., Colin, Christine, Dillon, Samantha, Leo, Eric T., Andrea, Joanne, Celine, Johnnie, Ryan, Coy, Heather M., Jason N., Eileen, Sean, Fran, Andy, Matt, Scott, Jesse, Abi, Charles, Glen, Ron, Allen, Arvin,  John, Dan & Leilani, Gabe, Janice & Kimo, Jordan, Skip, Matt, Benji, Lisa, Nick, Adam, Dan, Amy, Ray, Kurtis & Laurie, Nadia & Eric, Tom & Michelle, my fellow CF Affiliates, Coach Glassman, Robb & Nicki, Craig & Christina, Coach Dave & Nancy, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Eathorne, Ms. Champine, Mr. Peck, Mr. Vaughn, Kristy, Chris Ebert (RIP), Mr. Freeman, and anyone else I may have missed...

Thank you for getting us to where we are today.

----

AOD:

Thanksgiving Turkey Leftover Recipes - MDA

Ladies and Gentlemen

I present a video about our new pullup bar system...

Pullup Bars! from ABueno on Vimeo.
2009 1122 - 1123

A few more adjustments next week to take some of the shimmy out of the system, and we will be pulling like never before.  We're actually only in Phase One (of Three), so there's more to be added. If you have a nifty name for this behemoth of a pullup cage, please let us know! Looks like I'm going to have to repost the 'Callus Care' info again. (=

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WOD

"NANCY"
5 rds for time:
400m run
15 overhead squats, 44kg/30kg



QOD

Do you like running? Why or why not?

Stay Right Through Winter Nutritional Guides

I hope you've declared which category you fall in: Fat Loss, Weight Gain, and Performance.

First, download these (in this order):

1. Stay Right Through Winter Challenge Nutritional Guide
2. CrossFit Journal #15: Avoiding Metabolic Derangement
3. CrossFit Journal #21: Zone Meal Plans

We will approach nutrition one of three ways: Paleo, The Zone and/or Intermittent Fasting. I will provide details to each in the gym.

Welcome to the club Eric!

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Bars are up! Thanks to Morgan of Forced March Fabrication for helping us create our design.

setup.

middle section

DONE!

Come in and play! Expect a lot of pullup WODs (=

Rowers should be in sometime next week.

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Sheena's Corner!

Hey everybody! I'm the brains behind Tasty Tuesdays (Andrew actually wrote that, but I am)! :) If any of you have comments, suggestions - post 'em in the comments! Alright, make sure to check out the links posted in the beginning of this blog. Today's recipe comes from Barry Sears' book Mastering the Zone.

Beefy-Vegetable Stir-Fry

Servings: 2 dinner entrees (4 blocks)

Ingredients (block size):

12 ounces lean ground beef (8 Protein)

2 cups onion, sliced, & halved (2 Carbohydrate)

3/4 cup chickpeas, rinsed & chopped (3 Carbohydrate)

1 1/2 cups red bell pepper, sliced & quartered (1 Carbohydrate)

3 cups cabbage, shredded (1 Carbohydrate)

3 cups mushrooms, sliced (1 Carbohydrate)

2 2/3 teaspoon olive oil, divided (8 Fat)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce

salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Method:

In nonstick saute pan, add ground beef, onion, and 2/3 teaspoon oil. Cook ground beef and onion until browned. In another nonstick saute pan, add 2 teaspoons oil and remaining ingredients, and cook until cabbage is tender. When the cabbage is tender, add cooked beef and onions to the cabbage. Simmer entire mixture for 10-15 minutes. Divide mixture between two dinner plates and serve.

Yummy. 'Til next week - have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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WOD

Press 5-5-5-5-5

5 rds, each for time:

Shuttle Run (20m)

Please don't hit your head on the wall when doing this. Mikey said so.

Let's Begin.

Happy, happy Monday

I hope you are as fired up and excited for the possibilities as we are! Today is the beginning of The Stay Right Through Winter Challenge (SRTWC). Six weeks of health, fitness and progress designed to keep everyone "proper" through the holidays and the winter months. A lot of people let this time of the year hold them back, but not us! No sir-ee Bob!

We can (re)build you. We have the technology.

... and knowledge!

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Andrew, Coach Glassman, Tony @ CrossFit Bellevue

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WOD:

Deadlift 1-1-1


as many rds as possible in 10 min:
5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats

Discover your one-rep maximum. By the end of the SRTWC, this should go up substantially.

Link of the Day (LOD):

This is what we're going to move our tracking, class, and payment system to. Peruse this site please.

Saturday

Two more days until the official start of The Stay Right Through Winter Challenge. The proper materials will be provided to you via the Members Blog. Email Andrew if you do not already have access.

We will not be in the gym today, so get going on your own! Make up a WOD or do this one, rain or shine.

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WOD:

Run 5k

Simple. The hard part is doing it. Throw on some proper gear and get outside.

AOD:

courtesy Again Faster

Evolution

by Jon Gilson

The contention, like most that endure, made perfect sense.   Get too strong, and your endurance will suffer.  Too much endurance, and your strength will drop.  You can’t have everything.
Fortunately, perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution.


The fact that we missed:  previous feats of athleticism will always be surpassed.  Sprinters will sprint faster, lifters will lift more.  Quarterbacks will throw more accurately, batters will hit more home runs.  CrossFitters will get stronger and faster.

Perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution

Once, we said that developing the capacity of a novice across a variety of physical disciplines would create the fittest men and women on the planet.  Unavoidably, we’re being forced to remove the word “novice” from this definition; it no longer applies.  Our fittest are not novices, but legitimate contenders in nearly every arena.


For the first time, we’re seeing the strong, the fast, the enduring, occupying the same space.  The guy with the 5-minute mile is deadlifting 500 pounds.  He’s putting out half a horsepower for ten straight minutes.  He’s jumping four feet in the air.  He’s running eighty miles.  He is world class; his accomplishments are not a compromise.
Simultaneously, we are seeing adaption to imposed demand that does not follow traditional pathways.  Now, the strongest are not the largest, the fastest not the most waiflike.  Strength is achieved through increased neurological efficiency rather than mass.    Speed is achieved by getting stronger, not running more.  Athletes are borne from variety rather than specificity, exhibiting unheard of strength-to-bodyweight ratios.


We are throwing training on its ear, and this is just the beginning.  This discipline is in its infancy, still far from widespread, still the province of few.   There may come a day when our definition of fitness is not a compromise, when we no longer sacrifice mastery in one domain for competency in many, instead choosing mastery in all.


That day has started to dawn.


Josh Wagner fights 485 in Aromas.  Picture courtesy of CrossFit.com.

Prepared?

We've had about 20 people declare what category they'll fall in for The STAY RIGHT THROUGH WINTER Challenge: Fat Loss, Muscle Gain, Performance. By signing up, you'll receive a special PDF today regarding specific training and specific nutritional guidelines. Declare yourself asap!

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Throughout the challenge I will be posting the WOD Monday through Saturday. You've been taught the majority of these movements (if not, I suggest going to our Foundations On-Ramp program).

If you cannot perform the movement as prescribed, please do not be afraid to modify. I'd rather have you moving than spending 10 minute on one rep.

Spending 8 min is okay (;

Adrian & modified HSPU

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WOD:

"ANGIE"

for time:
100 pullups
100 pushups
100 situps
100 squats

One of the benchmark girls! Time to fill up the Leaderboard. Finish all pullups before moving onto the pushups, and so on. Full range of motion on each exercise. Hold the standard. Scale as needed (50 or 75 reps)

QOD:

While speaking of nutrition, the more wholesome and truly natural (unchanged from the Earth) the food is, the better. If you've ever heard of Gerson Therapy, they say that eating natural foods and some other natural "methods" can cure disease, like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. I googled (is that really a verb now?) Gerson because of the movie The Beautiful Truth. I don't believe that you can cure such serious diseases with diet (and enemas?*), but something should be said in living a healthier lifestyle and fueling your body with nutritious natural-occuring foods- not something a scientist created in a lab which is 70%-90% corn product.

This is what the CrossFit/Paleo/Primal/Zone diet, etc. stand behind: treat the PROBLEM, not the SYMPTOM. People get so caught in fixing the stink of the smelly person by changing their clothes and never making the victim shower. The entire drug and food industry is controlled by people who want to make money. Telling people to be responsible for their own health by eating readily available produce would make them nothing.

You are the hero of your own story.

You're obviously committing to making fitness a lifestyle priority, but how is your nutrition?

The Secret Garden

[via the Affiliate Blog]

The Secret Garden

By Crystal Hanes, TV reporter and CrossFit Milford member  

Have you ever read The Secret Garden?

It's the story of a little British boy who spends his whole life being told he was too sick to walk, to play, or to go outside.

The truth was he hadn't ever been given the chance to try. Everyone was too afraid he'd die on the spot.

Staring through the sallow yellow plastic of the isolation tent in the hospital room of the children's ward I had been admitted to more times then I celebrated birthdays; my seven year mind mind thought I was like that little boy. I thought I was being told I was sick, couldn't play or go outside when I was really okay. I could unhook the I.V., remove my oxygen mask, leave my plastic prison and play outside in the secret garden.

The truth was I was very sick and in months spent in isolation, my yellow plastic prison was almost my yellow plastic coffin.

But my child's mind wrapped moments like that in imagination and adventures of characters in books. But it did shape my life.

I spent the next eight years on asthma medications and steroids; kept inside and being told I was fragile. And while I became very adept at reading, I was also being a very skilled eater and soon knew what it was to be the fat kid.

By high school, I was off the steroids and thinned out a bit, but dozens of asthma attacks and a lung capacity of a little under 90% put sports far down on the list of possibilities. I was the smart kid, little geeky, that could talk you to death.

It's a state of mind knowing, believing you could never be athletic.

Flash forward to about three years ago; back in the hospital I was born in, dying of a post- surgery infection. On a diet of Chef Boyardee, frozen meals and soda. It was my second in four months and at 118 pounds, 5 foot 9 inches and a fever of 104, I was at my weakest.

Lying in another hospital room, I made a choice. I'd never be that weak or fragile again. I'd be stronger than ever before.

I started at the gym, hitting the elliptical and the occasional class, even going to a trainer for a bit. But nothing gave me the results I had wanted and gave me the guidance in changing my eating habits to get those results.

It wasn't until one very early, fateful morning in May where I discovered the thing that would change my life, forever. CrossFit.

As my news van pulled into the industrial complex, I didn't know what to expect.

After a few words about the format of the show and being dared to do a pull-ups on television by my colleague, I tried one.

After doing a few jumping pull-ups with a 24 inch box I thought, "Maybe I could do this."

What sealed the deal was Jason and Jocelyn's enthusiasm and know-how on the human body. It was very impressive to a professional information gatherer, and was what struck me the most.

They weren't selling a potion or a fad phrase. They were selling common sense. They were selling an unwavering belief in my ability to excel at their gym; in my ability to be an athlete. They were selling, unconsciously, hope.

And I have never been let down. I have never looked back.

After a week, I was sore from running, exhausted from burpees, calloused from lifting weights and completely hooked. It wasn't just the workouts that forced me to challenge my core beliefs in what I could physically do, but the education in eating and the continuous support from the members of the gym.

Running my first 400 meters, I was actually startled to see others cheering me on; some even coming back to run with me after they had finished their workout. They didn't know me at all. All they knew is that for an hour we were all one team, with the same goal: to finish and finish strong. In that hour and the hours afterward, I knew what it was to be on that team. (Could there perhaps, be something to the magic of the letterman jacket other than to make the geek-a-zooids like myself green with envy? Yes. Yes there was. And now there is the CrossFit tee!)

On my six month anniversary, as I cross the finish line of my first race, I'm reminded of my seven year old self; in my yellow plastic prison, wondering if it was possible to play outside.

This day, I know it is . . . and much more.

It's possible to deadlift 240 pounds.

It's possible to medication free.

It's possible to have a lung capacity above 90%.

It's possible to do a pull-up.

It's possible to eat healthy without feeling like you're missing out on anything, because food is for fuel, and a long healthy life with your loved ones is the treat.

It's possible to go from no running, to running a 5K.

It's possible to run.

It's possible to be an athlete.

It's possible to sit and play and laugh and be healthy in the garden.

And there are no words for the feeling . . . and it's all because of CrossFit.

Thoughts? Post to comments.

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WOD:



"FIGHT GONE BAD"

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. We will repeat this for three rounds. The stations are:

1. Wall-ball: 20lbs/14lbs, 10' target
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75lbs/53lbs
3. Box Jump: 20"
4. Push-press: 75lbs/53lbs
5. Row: calories

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 repetition, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Since we do not yet have any rowers, we will substitute jump roping (double-unders).


Double Unders from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.

Speaking of which, prepare for this:



Seriously.

AOD:

"Everything You Know About Muscle Is Wrong" - Men's Health