CrossFit Portland

We are excited to offer 221: RECOVERY AND MOBILITY classes! Schedule is Tuesday – 5:30 PM and Thursday – 10:30 AM. Please sign up online as you would any class, starts next week.

Here is a video intro from me with snippets of what the mobility class will be about. I see plenty of members who can benefit increased mobility from a performance and wellness perspective.

How were you introduced to Crossfit?

I have always been active and considered myself to be in shape, but I got into an incident at work that made me realize that my training had been very one dimensional. After a 5 block sprint I was dizzy and so oxygen deprived I was seeing spots. For someone that could run a 6 minute mile in the past I was surprised that I had gotten so distracted with functional training. I decided I wanted a more elite level of training and I called CFPDX the next day. I started with the 4 pack trial and loved every day of it.

Favorite WOD/Lift:
I like strength days…doesn’t matter the lift. My favorite WOD since I started is FRAN. I actually hated the WOD, but Rochelle and Scott W got me so redlined during that workout I realized how hard I could push myself. My mind during half that workout was telling me to stop and physically my body was freaking out. It helped me step up every other WOD because I know where I can take myself now. Took a long time to get comfortable with being uncomfortable and learn how to control my breathing and heart rate.

I have always wanted to:
Climb a mountain. I had the chance to climb Hood a few years ago and passed on it because I didn’t think I had enough endurance to make it to the summit.

One word people use to describe me:
Dedicated

Outside of the gym I like to:
When I’m not at the 0915 class I enjoy rolling out my painfully tight shoulder, hiking, rock climbing and am a huge shooter that has competed in several shooting competitions. I also have a strange addiction to shopping at REI and Sur La Table. Oh and of course read about CrossFit!

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me.
The first night of my honeymoon we helped save a strangers life. He had fallen off a ledge and had a major head trauma. “Jody” who looked like Guy from Chealsea Lately and was offended when i told him so had very labored breathing and had fully fixed pupils. During a 15 minute response time for EMT’s to arrive it was great to learn that they weren’t trained and unsure of what to do. Luckily a local volunteer Paramedic from Pennsilvania assisted and we stopped the bleeding and were able to get him to start breathing. The hotel staff informed us that the 8 police officers were more likely to take us to jail becuase Jody’s partner was upset and yelling. We ended up riding in the back of a police truck to the local hospital, which was dirty and rundown and spend most of the night waiting to figure out if they were going to charge us money for bringing Jody in. It was a crazy way to spend the first night of our honeymoon, but made for a great story around our small resort. Jody is fine and sent us a half gallon of Jack Daniels in the mail to make up for it.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit
Two things I really enjoy are training in Krav Maga and ridding my bike around scenic areas of town. Also helping out at my wife’s family gymnastics gym (The Children’s Gym NE 16th/Sandy) Promos for all CFPDX members!

Favorite place to eat in Portland:
Merriweathers on NW Vaugn. All Produce is local from their Skyline farm and all meat is WA/OR. It’s amazing…if you haven’t been here you need to!

Song that gets me pumped for a workout:
Godsmack Awake…listened to this song almost every workout before I joined CFPDX and had to change my
song list to upbeat boy bands on Pandora…

Proudest Accomplishment:
I volunteered with the Portland Police Bureau for 7 years. During that time I had the opportunity to work and train with some of Portland’s best local and federal law enforcement officers. I had the chance to experience a lot of things that very few are able to and it helped mold me into the person I am.

I also recently got married in January and she happily makes me Paleo friendly dinners.

Saturday and Sunday classes, we are benchmarking.

Submit your final scores here!

0:00-8:00 In 8 min, work to a max Power Clean
8:00-10:00 2 min rest
10:00-18:00 AMRAP Power Cleans in 8 min @90% of toady’s 1RM.
18:00-23:00 5 min rest
23:00-29:00 Max Standing Broad Jump in 6 min, 5 attempts/max
29:00-32:00 3 min rest
32:00-38:00 80m HH Prowler Push for time. 140lb men, 90lb women. One attempt.

Here is a standards video for the benchmark. Post questions to comments.

5/15 Jump Start is SOLD OUT. Next one starts 6/12, spots available.

I want to comment on a concept that I didn’t know how to explain until now. I recently finished the Poliquin International Certification Level 2 at the Poliquin Strength Institute in Rhode Island. During the first day, we touched on loading barbells. Specifically, we discussed plate economy.

What is plate economy? In barbell work, this breaks down to using as few plates as possible to reach the desired barbell weight.

This means using a 25# plate instead of a 10# and 15# plate. Or a 45# plate instead of a 25# and two 10# plates.

Basically, if you have a plate available that is the same weight of multiple plates on the bar you are using, then you should use it instead.

We’ve all seen and done the opposite, loading as many low weight plates onto the bar as we can. Not only do you make it easy on yourself by not loading and unloading plates, but at the end, you’ll have this enormous stack on each end of the barbell, and you’ll look like a monster pulling that deadlift.

Let’s do some math. Say I can pull a 300# deadlift as my 1RM. What is the absolute minimum number of plates that I can fit on the bar?

Given the plethora of plates available in the gym, we have everything from 1/4# to 55# plates. If we use a 45# barbell to build on, the minimum number of plates on the bar that we can use to get to 300# is going to be four per side.

For my 1rm pull at 300#, I’d use a 55#, a 45#, a 25#, and a 2.5# plate per side. This should get me to 300#. Someone should check my math, as I’m no mathlete.

What does plate economy do for me, other than showing that I’m good at math and am willing to share?

It improves my balance and control of the bar. The farther out the weight is on the ends of the barbell, the harder it is to control the barbell.

This may not be readily apparent when you’ve only got one or two plates on either end of the bar, but as your ability to lift heavier weights improves, plate economy becomes more and more important.

This concept of balance is really easy to understand if you have ever done both a kettlebell and a barbell Turkish Get Up, or farmer’s walks/suitcase carries with a barbell. The farther the weight is away from your hand, the harder it is to control.

So next time you’re loading up a barbell for that deadlift 1RM attempt, see how few plates you can get away with using.

Bro day, Saturday, 11:00 AM. Get signed up for ribs and beer afterwards.

Hey CFPDX-ers! Remember a few weeks back when Scott W wrote on the blog about Mikey’s stellar progress?

Remember the part of the story where Xi Xia told her to work on the pushing progression at home?

Making time to do the push-ups at home freed up Mikey to make progress with her other goals here at the gym. He’s a master of efficiency, that Xi Xia.

In case you didn’t pick up on it, there was a subtle suggestion embedded in that story: you, too, could do this work from home. You did pick up on that, right? No? Well allow me to not-so-subtly tell you that you can.

If you are working on Level 1 or Level 2 of the pushing progression, you can do it from home.

We can provide you with all the information you need to get it going. All you need is 10-15 minutes a day, 2 or 3 days a week. That, and maybe a little creativity when it comes to replicating the box heights at home.

Obviously when the pushing progressions were created, they were designed to be done here at the gym.

That’s why you get instructions to use various box heights combined with different-sized bumper plates as you progress.

I might be wrong, but I doubt any of you have such specific equipment laying around the house.

What I’m certain that you all have, however, is a wide range of comparable surface heights, along with plenty of common sense.

Counter-tops, table-tops, chairs against the wall, chairs against the wall with books stacked underneath them, a cooler, a coffee table, a helpful friend holding a plank position … the possibilities are endless.

Start high, and lower your surface height by about 2 inches each time you progress.

Not sure about your form? See if you can rally an accountability buddy to help you keep things in line (be sure and pick someone who will actually be honest with you here).

If you live alone, or if everyone you know loves you too much to tell you the truth when your form falls apart, take a video! Play it back for yourself or email it to any of the good coaches here at the gym for feedback.

You can also show up to class a little early once in a while and show off your progress/get tips from a coach to make sure you’re on track.

Contact me at sean@crossfitportland.com if you’re interested, and I will email you the progression so that you can get started right away. Let’s blow up my inbox, guys!

Jump Start gets going next week, deadline is this Sunday. A few spots left – sign up now!

Rochelle began coaching me using very basic, foundational strengthening and mobility exercises back in November 2011.

When we started, my weight was at an all-time high and pressure on my joints was a huge issue. When I wasn’t exercising, my knees, feet, and hips were pretty achy and sore, so it was important to build a strong foundation.

Also, we wanted to create and sustain momentum in my training, and so avoiding injury was my top priority. I was very impatient and wanted to make immediate changes, but Rochelle thoughtfully and methodically held back and focused on micro-movements and foundational joint strength. I had to really trust in the process.

So far, I’ve had no injuries. My knees, feet, and hips are feeling strong and pain-free. My foundation is super-strong, and it’s exciting to move into different and harder exercises.

Rochelle also wrote me training “homework” to cycle through every 6 weeks. Having homework made me feel like I was in control of my fitness destiny, and she was always there on paper instructing me on how to get stronger.

I’m super-diligent about doing my homework — I typically work out for 60-90 minutes at the Nike gym three days a week, and train with Rochelle two days a week.

Rochelle and I maintain a constant dialogue on how my homework is going, when it’s time to change things up, and what PRs I’m hitting on my own. Diligence and communication with my coach are key.

I recently integrated formal Pilates training into my routine, too, which has been a fantastic addition. My Pilates coach at Nike and Rochelle have similar “foundation first” approaches. By adding Pilates I now have 2-3 double work-out days a week.

It’s been great for my overall lifting flexibility, and has helped resolve hyperextension in my legs, develop my powerhouse, and restore overall structural integrity.

I also ride my bike, hike, and swim as much as possible on weekends.

My diet is primarily Paleo-style, gluten- and sugar-free. I eat on a 12-hour metabolic curve. I’m also lucky to have a similarly minded friend who cooks awesome Paleo-style meals.

At the beginning of this journey my friend said something that still sticks in my mind: “This food will make you healthy and stronger today.”

In the past, I perceived food as an enemy that would make me fatter — yet even this mind-set didn’t stop me from overeating.

Now, eating Paleo has shifted my perspective so that I see that food truly fuels me and makes me a whole, healthy, and strong person.

Eating Paleo is naturally perfect for someone like me who has Type-1 diabetes. I used to seriously obsess about calories, fat, and carbohydrate counting, and it was a total waste of mind space.

I no longer count, and instead trust in the whole, good foods, relying on satiation to determine how much to eat.

I have a lust for pizza that sometimes gets the best of me. Once in awhile I’ll consume gluten-based foods, and my performance working out the next day is definitely not as strong.

My numbers continue to improve since this journey began in November 2011. Right now I’ve lost 52 pounds, with the ultimate goal of losing 100 pounds total. My bodyfat percentage has decreased by 17% overall!

6 months ago
Blood pressure: 140/90
Insulin intake: 105 units a day
Hba1c: 9.1% (goal is under 6.5%)
Cholesterol: 240

Today:
Blood pressure: 115/70
Insulin intake: 45-50 units a day
Hba1c: 7.1%
Cholesterol: 195