CrossFit Portland

How were you introduced to Crossfit?

A couple of years ago I found myself wandering aimlessly around my corporate gym, spending more time looking at equipment than actually exercising. I decided I needed some structure and a newer training philosophy to get me out of my rut.

I found out one of my coworkers was a Crossfitter, and everything she described Crossfit to be was what I was looking for — varied workouts that keep things interesting, a positive and supportive community, a focus technique to prevent injury and increase strength. I was sold!

I checked out a few gym websites, decided I really liked the positive vibe I got from Crossfit Portland, and gave XX a call to get started. I distinctly remember at our first meeting, telling XX that my fitness goal was to get Jennifer Biel arms. I don’t think he knew what I meant then, but thanks to CFPDX, I’m well on my way now…

Favorite WOD/lift:

Any bodyweight/gymnastic exercise that reminds me of being a kid again is my favorite — climbing rope, box jumps, handstands, etc. I also secretly love those long chipper workouts, like the ones we did for a few of our benchmark WODs… there’s something about being in the middle of those and looking around at everyone working hard, and thinking, Hells yeah! We’re all in this battle together.

I have always wanted to

Learn how to sail and travel by boat to Australia.

1 word people use to describe me:

Energetic is probably the one I hear the most.

Outside of the gym I like to:

Hang out with my awesomely wonderful boyfriend, Derek, and our two pups, Ritzer-dog, a retired Greyhound, and our new Pitbull/Cattledog puppy, Winston Snugglepants. It turns out its incredibly difficult to tire out a puppy, so we have been spending a lot of time running, playing, and training the little dog, which has been taking up a lot of our free time lately…

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:

I recently helped connect two people, both friends but who hadn’t previously known each other, for a kidney transplant … all thanks to a random Facebook post about a year ago.

An old high school friend was quickly spiraling in health due to a chronic kidney condition, and he posted a plea on Craigslist for anyone out there who would be willing to help him find a kidney. I reposted the link to my Facebook page and another of my long-time friends responded and connected with my other friend who needed the kidney.

By luck and magic she was a match, and they recently went through with the transplant and everyone is recovering and doing great! It’s pretty amazing to see how one small thing can change people’s lives, and I’m very honored to have been able to be a part of that experience.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:

Does dog walking/playing count? I also love biking, but am a pretty dedicated fair-weather cyclist.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:

Well at the expense of shameless self-promotion (but since you asked!), my favorite place to eat is at my family’s restaurant, The Takahashi Japanese Restaurant.

When we moved to Portland from Japan in 1985, my mom and pop started the restaurant…not only was it one of the first few traditional Japanese restaurants in Portland, it’s still one of the only ones left that is family owned and operated. I still work there with my folks on the weekends — a few lovely CFPDX members have stopped in and gorged themselves on sushi a time or two (hi Madoc and Sasha!).

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:

I’ll quote Schep on this one: “Anything Sean plays.”

Proudest accomplishment:

Oh there are a lots to choose from … graduating with my Master’s Degree in Public Health, then landing my dream job … watching the birth of my best friend’s beautiful baby … getting my black belt in Tae Kwon Do… and I suppose, constantly working toward being a fully formed, kind, present, and emotionally competent human being. When I know I’ve gotten there, that will be pretty nice!

BORN TO RUN: OCTOBER RUNNING MINI-CLINIC

It may surprise you to learn that running is a skill as much as an innate ability.

That’s good news, because it means that you’re born to run and, with a little practice, you can get even better at it.

During the Summer Mile Challenge, for example, practicing the Pose running technique helped Maite shave 34 seconds off her mile time and Greg nearly a minute off his.

So come dial in your running technique at Crossfit Portland’s Running Mini-clinic on Saturday, October 1 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., taught by resident Pose Running expert Madoc Yng-Wong.

The mini-clinic is open to anyone with an interest in improving their running form. The fee is $25 for active Crossfit Portland members and $50 (before 9/19) for the general public. Sign up before 9/19 for the early bird discount!

Madoc Yng-Wong is a Level 2 POSE running coach, a certified Crossfit Level 1 trainer, a certified Crossfit Endurance trainer, and has completed the Crossfit Mobility seminar. You can email Madoc with any questions. Runyng@gmail.com

If you have one, bring a stopwatch/watch with a timer to class today!!

Warm Up
1) Run Seq
2) 2 trips each:
Sampson Lunges, back leg LOCKED
Walking Ginga Lunges
Wide Stance Inchworms

Mobility

50 steps each: Blade, Heel, and Instep walks
+
Death Stretch
Band Hamstring

WOD

A. Front Squat: 6 x 2 @10X0, rest 60 sec. Use 62% 1RM, explode!!
B. T-Line Drill: 4 x 1 attempt. 70%, 90%, 100%, 100%. Rest 2-3 min b/t attempts.
(tentatively…)

The T-drill is a fun test of agility and quickness. For timing consistency, I suggest you follow these procedures:

1) Timer starts the watch on first movement from the athlete, NOT with a “3,2,1…Go!”.
2) Timer stops the watch when athlete crosses the final cone

C. Run 15 minutes. Sprint the 1st 20 sec of each minute. How far can you get?

Demonstration of the T-Drill

For this Who’s Who we have Jamie G.!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?

I was searching online and stumbled upon the main site for Crossfit (sometime in summer of 2010). Naturally I wanted to see if there were any in Portland, and I started checking out PDX’s blog. After committing to the Air Force Reserves in November 2010, I signed up for Crossfit Portland in December 2010, and I am so thankful that I did! Crossfit is amazing and the community at CFPDX is superb.

Warm Up
1) Row 600m easy
2) Squat Sequence

Mobility
Hip mobility, instructor’s choice

WOD
A. Pistols – 10 min practice. Do ~25 reps per leg, in sets of 3-5. If advanced, add weight or try OH pistol.
+
Row 10 min for max calories
+
Hip mobility work before or after rows.

For this Who’s Who we have Dean!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
The Interwebs.  Mounting health issues told me I needed to get some exercise and eat better.  I looked up full body workouts online, and found out there was a Crossfit gym right by my office (CrossfitRVA).  It only took me 6 more months to actually get to the gym.

Campout this weekend! If you don’t like roughing it, just come Saturday and enjoy the ribs. You can sign up online for the single night option as well.

Warm Up
1) Row 3-5 min
2) Shoulder Seq

Mobility
Prone Scorpion focus

WOD
A. Bench Press: work up to a heavy triple.
+
5 Rounds:
AMRAP Bench Press @70% of today’s triple
Sprint Row 30 sec for max watts
rest 5 min

For this Who’s Who we have Chris!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
My friend’s brother-in-law is a beast of a Marine, I was fat and wondering what it’d take to be in that kind of shape. My friend said he did Crossfit so I looked into it.. tried a few of the workouts on my own and decided I better get some help!

Favorite WOD/lift:
Snatch. I have some sort of affinity for it that I can’t explain, but I love working on it and I feel like a bad ass dropping underneath a bunch of weight over my head.

I have always wanted to
Own my own software company. Be a teacher. Snatch my body weight. Beat Aumie at every WOD.

1 word people use to describe me:
Funny. Or .. Delicious.

Outside of the gym I like to
Write software, ride my motorcycle, play video games.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
I was a sponsored rollerblader in my youth. I could do all the cool flips and spins and grabs and whatever. Skateboarders hated us. I also have an unhealthy love of Karaoke, but most people already know that.. <3

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
There is something deep in my being that connects ultimate freedom with riding as fast as I can on a bicycle. So that’s pretty good. I love ping pong and throwing a frisbee for any reason as well.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:
Por que no? / Russell St. BBQ / Beer Floats @ Pix! / Swagat / Bento @ Phil’s Meat Market

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
Oh man.. Anything Sean plays. Give me some Ga Ga, Britney, Kelly Clarkson, T-pain, Kanye, anything like that. I also love Coheed and Cambria, and all sorts of other scream-y metal-y music my mom hated when I was 15.

Proudest accomplishment:
Showing up at Crossfit Porltand alone and fat for the first time and actually getting out of the car and going inside! Seriously though, CFPDX changed my life, someone hug me. <3

Well, I missed the challenge last week and can’t wait to hear how it all went down! Did anybody team up and try the 5 plates?

Thanks Ted for the inspiration on this week’s challenge!

Challenge #5 – Get maximum points in 90 seconds. You can do whatever sequence and number of the following movements you want. I suggest having someone else count for you.

Strict Pull Up(there will be slight waving if going quickly, but hips need to be neutral) – 3 points per rep
Thruster 2 x 40 LB dumbbell for men, 2 x 25 lb dumbbell for women – 3 points per rep
Kipping Pull up – 2 points per rep
Pushups – 2 points per rep
Situps – 1 point per rep
Squats – 1 point per rep

Warm Up
1) Run Seq + build-up shuttle runs
2) Wrist/Rack position DROM
3) Bar Complex, clean

Mobility
Squat Sequence x 1-2

WOD
Teams of 4, tag team style; 6 rounds each for fastest round time:
3 heavy TnG Hang Squat Clean (~80-85%)
8 x 25 yd Shuttle Run
1 Rope Climb
rest while teammates go; help change weight on the bar.

For this next Who’s Who we have Hannah!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
My girlfriend, Cami, works out at CrossFit Fort Vancouver. She’s been involved with CrossFit for three or four years now. So when I decided not to play volleyball the second semester of Senior year and needed a way to stay in shape, she highly recommended CrossFit Portland!

Favorite WOD/lift:
I’m particularly fond of deadlifts right now, because I just PR’d at 200 lbs. In general, I’m pretty boss at situps.

I have always wanted to
See the aurora borealis.

1 word people use to describe me:
Physically: tall. Personality-wise: kind.

Outside of the gym I like to
Read, play volleyball, sing, mess around on the computer, sleep, volunteer at the Oregon Humane Society.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
I’ve dyed my hair pretty much every color of the rainbow! Not my whole head though, just the front bits. That’s where the blonde comes from!

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
Volleyball! I’ll be on the varsity team at Swarthmore, come fall.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:
Pita Pit—you can order “salad” versions on all the pitas, so it’s paleo-friendly!

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
Heart of a Champion—Nelly & Lincoln University Vocal Ensemble

Proudest accomplishment:
Graduating high school!

Challenge of the Week:

Start at one end of the pull up bars with your medicine ball (M 25#/W 15#) and go all the way down and back for time. The rub is that you have to “wall ball” the medicine ball over each bar, without touching the bar, and catch it. This means you have to full squat, throw the ball over, and catch it. Repeat for the next bar.

* You may move and adjust your position before throwing over a bar.
* If you touch the bar with the ball, even if the ball goes over, it does not count and you have to throw again over the bar.
* If you drop the ball after a Successful throw over the bar, it does not count and you have to throw again over the bar.

Time starts with ball on floor. Time stops once you catch the ball after it goes over the first bar on your round trip back.

Warm Up
1) Your choice 4 min
2) Squat Seq
+
3 Inchworms
3 Wide Stance Inchworms
5/5 Shinbox Switches

Mobility
6/6 slow, steady Mtn Climber Twists
+
end with Crossleg Sit

WOD
A. Deadlift: 4 x 3,3,3,10-12. rest 3-4 min
B. Partner Russian KB Swings (chest high): 150 total, break up as needed, one working at a time. 2p/1.5p is RX but you may always go heavier!

For this next Who’s Who we have Michael Ann!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
A friend of mine used to go to Crossfit Portland and I was always impressed by his strapping physique and energy levels.  Although I secretly wanted to know more about it and fantasized that one day I could be “hard-core” like him, I figured it was just out of my league.  I’ve always enjoyed hiking and yoga but I never got the hang of really pushing myself and getting to know my inner athlete.  Gyms bored me to death and even though I would pay the membership every month, I just couldn’t find the motivation to go, and if i did, I would end up just sitting around talking and reading the gossip magazines.

Then some tough stuff happened in life and I found myself in an all-out funk.  I knew I needed something to jump-start my life and energy again.  Crossfit popped into my head, and because I was so intimidated by it, I figured I should give it a go.  I’m SO happy I did.  Crossfit was totally out of my comfort zone and forced me to take my fitness seriously.  It has consistently kept my interest and has made a profound impact on my life – physically, mentally, emotionally… the whole shebang.  What I love most about it is that it turns out it’s not intimidating at all.  Challenging, yes.  But I feel comfortable and supported by the community of it.  I’m always trying to recruit people because I think it’s so great.

Favorite WOD/lift:
Angie! I love the high number WODs.  I tend not to push myself as much with AMRAPs – too many mental loopholes.  But I get fixated on specific goals and will work hard to finish, and Angie works it all.

I have always wanted to
Way too many things to list here.  I keep a running list and try to do at least one a year.  The past couple of years I got to check off:  learning to surf in  Maui, traveling Europe, and a 4month road trip of the Northwest.  This year I’m excited to check out the Mayan Ruins, run my first 5K, and, most importantly, achieve my first pull up!

1 word people use to describe me:
I asked around and it’s a tie:  1) genuine, 2) smart-ass.  Which I guess makes me a genuine smart-ass.  Make of it what you will.

Outside of the gym I like to
Travel, get outdoors,play with my awesome nephew (see pic above), read like a maniac, work (I actually love my jobs), spend time with my friends, go to the theater and music shows, sleep, … you know, things and stuff.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
I paid my way through grad school by being a “Bud Girl” on the golf course.  For those who know me well, this is very, very surprising.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
Getting outdoors with my dog.  People laugh at me for having a Pomeranian, but he is one athletic little guy.  We hike, swim, camp, paddle board, and he even follows the horse on trail rides.  I always say the way to my heart is through my dog. It takes a real man to go on a hike with a Pomeranian without feeling deep shame.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:
Well, before Rochelle took away everything good in life (ice cream, cheese, bread, pasta) for my Paleo transition, I went crazy for Andina and Mitzl.  Now that I’m obsessed with slabs of meat, I frequent Dick’s Kitchen on Belmont.  I go there so much that the owner knows me by name and gives me free t-shirts.

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
I have an eclectic taste in music and find that I can get amped up to pretty much anything. That being said, if i hear Metallica or Green Day at one more WOD, I may be forced to take drastic measures .

Proudest accomplishment:
Ok, here comes the cheese:  being exactly who and where I am.  It took a lot of work, but it’s turning out great.