Archive of the category: Who’s Who

Who’s Who: Melissa!

31 Oct

11-1-2010

Just a touch in the Oregonian about smaller, more personal service oriented gyms. We got mentioned and there is a picture from one of our classes in there!

A. Power Clean: work up to a 1RM. PR day!
B. Front Squat: 2 x 1, rest 3 min. Use 90% 1RM.
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Alternate with a partner:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps each of Jumping Deck Squats for time.
(eg: P1 does 10 reps, P2 does 10 reps, P1 does 9 reps, etc.)

Mobility:
“1-2 rounds:
Shoulder Bridge x 10 + 10 sec hold
Cobra stretch
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Seated Spinal Twist”

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How were you introduced to Crossfit?

My husband, Jason, would come home looking like he might pass out any second after an a.m. workout, and tell me how I should go to crossfit, and that he thought I would really love it.  I was happy working out where I was, and continued to look at him skeptically every time he would tell me about lifting really heavy objects and working out really hard for 10 min.  I was focusing on my yoga practice, and noticing that my strength, or lack thereof, was holding me back.  After about 6 months, my curiosity peaked, and we won a gift certificate from a school auction.  I did OnRamp, and was really excited to learn how to do lifts.   My very first actual class was an “Angie”  variation WOD, and I didn’t completely die, so I figured I would keep going.  I haven’t been to yoga in awhile!

Favorite WOD/lift:

I like wall ball WOD’s, and deadlifts.  After years of low back pain, it is so liberating to be able to lift something heavy with no pain.

I have always wanted to:

Make my own clothes, and grow my own food……I’m taking baby steps…….

One word people use to describe me:

warm……..

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Outside of the gym I like to:

Take my kiddos on mini adventures, have special “date nights” with my  hubby, camp; have crafty nights with girlfriends while drinking wine

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

I am a military “kid” (some say “brat”).  I moved every few years until my parents both got out, and settled in Colorado.  Of course 4 years later I moved to Portland, and have been here ever since!  I am finally home!

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:

Yoga

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Favorite place to eat in Portland:

Ciao Vito or Del Inti for date night….  Edgefield with the kiddos….  Helser’s or Petite Provence for breakfast/lunch,  and Pix anytime!

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:

I like dance-y tunes….Gorillaz, Daft Punk, Outkast

Proudest accomplishment:

Definitely having a home birth with my son.  That was an amazing experience!
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Who’s Who: Kendra!

24 Oct

10-25-2010

1) Jay’s Olifting Class starts this week, Thursday evening at 7:30 PM.  A few spots still available.
2) Ido Portal Intensive training this weekend. Also, a few spots available.
3) Only one Saturday class, 8:00 AM, this week.
4) Lost and found will be cleaned out Saturday 10/30. Claim your stuff!

A. Power Clean: 70%x1x3 sets; 75%x1x3 sets; 80%x1x3 sets: 9 sets x 1 rep; 1 min b/t sets. Then, off the clock, work up to a heavy single for the day. Only count lifts done with good technique!
B. Front Squat: 3×3 @ 82% @ 31X0, rest 2 min
C. 50 Shoulder-to-Overhead for time. Attempt to do w/o setting the bar down. You choose the weight. (~55%max) Each time you rack to bar, row or Airdyne 15 cals.

Mobility:

Death stretch, 3 positions. Do 2-3xper side.

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
Tammy introduced me to Crossfit about a year before I started OnRamp. At the time I was struggling with a chronic shoulder injury from college that had forced me to stop playing the cello and change my career plans. When Tammy started Crossfit, I couldn’t lift a gallon of milk at my part-time barista gig. Many months of intense physical therapy later, I knew that I had to invest in some serious strengthening and conditioning if I was going to have use of my arm, let alone be a healthy person, when I’m 95. The results have been so much better than I could have expected, and I have ‘normal’ use of my arm for the first time since age 19.

Favorite WOD/lift:
WOD: At this point, anything that includes successful completion of something I’ve never done before. Recently I figured out GHD sit-ups and touching the ground behind me, and despite their inherent evil nature, I’m kind of enjoying them :)
Lift: Strict press


I have always wanted to:
go to graduate school; live in Canada; get paid to travel the world; be a polyglot. I only anticipate achieving the first two.

1 word people use to describe me:
veracious

Outside of the gym I like to:
I’m kind of a tool junkie, although I mean tool in a fairly broad sense. Basically I enjoy anything I can make with my hands, i.e. building houses with Habitat, fixing/building stuff around the house, knitting, needle felting, currently making a king-size quilt for a wedding gift. I also enjoying camping, fishing, hiking, reading and going to concerts.



Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
My preferred mode of transportation is train, both international and domestic. I have crisscrossed the US more than once via Amtrak and love it! There is no rush, no panicked passengers, just people who are willing to take the time to get there. Greatest people watching ever, as well as hands down an amazing way to understand a culture. Not to mention the natural beauty you see in random places you would never think to go.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
Hiking, probably. I am extremely uncompetitive with other people, almost to a fault, and that doesn’t fit very well with sports. I think that is one of the things I love about Crossfit, or how I approach Crossfit- I am only trying to beat myself.


Favorite place to eat in Portland:
As a lifelong vegetarian, my favorites are not all paleo friendly… Nevertheless, they are:
Bamboo for veggie sushi, Pambiche for happy hour, Flavour Spot for waffles, Gravy for brunch, and Haven for coffee.

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
Anything with a good beat that fits the cadence of the workout. Flogging Molly to Lady Gaga, and almost anything in between. Take me out of the workout setting and that all goes out the window- all I need is an iPod full on Brandi Carlile.

Proudest accomplishment:
Knowing who I am and living life without compromise.

Who’s Who: Aumie

25 Aug

Don’t forget about the Crossfit Total this Friday and Saturday. Find your max on the squat, press, and deadlift.

WOD 8/25/2010

Row 2000m. Every 2 minutes, you must stop to do 7 burpees.
Athletes go in heats.
While waiting, perform in any order:
30 GHD situps
35 Back Extensions
40 sec L-sits
45 sec total wall handstand

Cool Down

Standing DROM

For this next Who’s Who we have Aumie!

1: How were you introduced to Crossfit?: For most of my adult life I’ve been searching for new ways to push myself physically and mentally. I’ve dabbled in just about every physical hobby out there – cycling, rock climbing, martial arts, yoga, running, classic gym, etc, etc – even in combinations of cycling 15m a day + yoga + rock climbing, and was always left with a feeling that a certain element was missing. I think finding Crossfit was just a natural progression of my curiosity to better myself – and so far it feels like the right choice. I stumbled upon the exercise examples on the crossfit.com site one night while searching the web for variations of different exercises I do at home and for about the next year or so I used it as a very rough guide for my own workouts, and once I got comfortable with it I decided to give CrossfitPortland a shot at upping my game – so here I am!

2: Favorit WOD / Lift: Anything that involves bodyweight conditioning – muscle ups, pull ups, etc

3: I have always wanted to: shoot laser beams from my eyes

4: 1 word people use to describe me: sarcastic


5: Outside of the gym I like to: EAT! Hang out with my cats and girlfriend, bike, swim, take photos, dance, hike, travel, have adventures, and cause trouble – not necessarily in that order

6: Something no body knows about me or would be surprised to know about me: I’ll give you a few – choose your favorite: (Editor’s note: I decided to include them all.)
•    My first name is Amitabha (Ahh-Me-Tah-Bah), which is Buddhist – I lived from 0 to 6 yrs old in a Buddhist Ashram in Hawaii where my family lived in a one room hut with no power or running water. I took baths in a Soy Sauce bucket.
•    I have never drank, smoked, done drugs of any sort – ever.
•    I got a vasectomy about a month after I turned 25 (TMI?) and I’m proud of it. This is one of my ways of contributing to the global issue of over-population and dwindling resources.
•    I have been vegetarian for 13 years, and vegan for just about 8 years now. I laugh when people say that you can’t get all the nutrients you need from a vegan diet.
•    I am a total computer nerd. We have one of the top 20 fastest super computers in the world at my work (161 TFLOPS of computing power – 30,000 processors, 47TB of memory, 835TB of disk) and another one that’s in the top 40 – I grin like an idiot when I stand next to them.


7: Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit: Cycling (Zoobomb.net)

8: Favorite place to eat in Portland: Too many good places to have just one favorite – The food carts downtown, Portobello, Blossoming Lotus, Los Gorditos, Back to Eden, Sweetpea Bakery

9: Song that gets me pumped up for a workout: Most tracks by Killswitch Engage or 3 Inches of Blood


10: Proudest Accomplishment:  Not compromising my values to satisfy other people

Who’s Who: Jason!

18 Aug

WOD 8/18/2010

A. Press: 6 x 1 @ 85% 1RM @ 20X0. One rep on the minute.
B. Push Press: 4 x 2-3 @ 21X1; rest 2-3 min
C. Ring Dips: 40m/20w for time (4 min cap)
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3 rounds for time:
10 Burpees
2 Rope Climbs

Flexibility/Mobility

4 position prone scorpions; do 30 sec holds ea. side, then 5/5 dynamic switches for all 4 variations:
A. Arm alongside body @ 45 deg
B. Arm alongside body @ 90 deg
C. Arm @ 45 deg above horizontal
D. Arm in scarecrow position (90/90)

For this next Who’s Who we have Jason

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
Josh Walker.  We have been buds all the way back to 8th grade.  I was avoiding gluten and dairy, so he took me out for some tequila-soda-lime.  The next thing I know, Xai Xi is hollering at me to squeeze out one more pull-up.  Been adjusting my life around classes ever since.

Favorite WOD/lift:
KAREN.  Though I feel awful in some ways after this workout, I also feel awesome.  It was the first workout I showed up to pre-onramp so it holds a special place in my heart.  I thought I was going to die.  When I didn’t die, I realized that I loved it.
Everything else.  Every class I go to, I learn something about myself and the cool people who hang out at cross fit.

I have always wanted to
Kite-board.  Trying to limit hobbies though.


1 word people use to describe me:
Short.  Well my friends say that anyway.  I need new friends.

Outside of the gym I like to
Go and see music or get some food/drink with my lovely wife.  She is so cool to hang out with.  The two or three times a year we get out are like going to Disneyland for me.



Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
I was the first drummer for Portland’s infamous Sweaty Nipples and still do unplugged versions of songs every now and again for the kids.  My daughter says “Daddy…not pretty!”

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
Fly fishing, hanging out by a river, golf.


Favorite place to eat in Portland:
MacDonalds.  No kidding.  I just don’t eat there any more for ethical/nutritional/philosophical/geopolitical reasons.  But if you put a filet of fish and a big mac in front of me right now, I am not sure I wouldn’t eat it.  I probably wouldn’t, but maybe. That’s messed up, right?!

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
Anything off “High and Dry” by Def Leopard.  Any song by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.  Often though, I would rather have no music.


Proudest accomplishment:
Having a child, marrying the love of my life, quitting a job and opening up a new practice on my own.  I did it the cross fit way…   … for time.  Did it all in less than one year.  I have not seen anyone beat my time for that WOD.  I learned from the HBO series, “Big Love” that you can make this WOD harder by adding more wives.   Man! – that show stresses me out.

Who’s Who: Madoc!

9 Aug

WOD 8/9/2010


1) Noon T-Th-Sat(11:30 AM) On Ramp, 2 spots left, starts August 17th
2) Jay’s O-lifting program is half full
3) Did you know? I didn’t until Elisa told me! Portland Baconfest 2010 is just around the corner.

From Alaska, Team Lael:
12 DL, 12 pistols, 19 Cal (I was going for 20!), 100 lbs.
I’m going to start posting my stuff to pretend I am still there. The people on the treadmills sure looked startled when I was rowing 19 cal in a minute.

Make up the squats if you missed them.

A. Windmill: 5 x 5,4,3,2,1; rest 2 min. Work up to a heavy single.
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Teams of 2, perform 3 rounds.
20 Burpee/Tire Flips for time. (10 each. Flip the tire back and forth w/partner, do a quick burpee while your partner has the tire. Men big tire, women med.)
Rest while the other teams go, minimum rest 3 min.
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If you failed the Sorrensen test, do:
DB Back Extensions: 2 x 6-8 @ 3012, rest ~ 60 sec
If you have passed the Sorrensen, do:
Muscle-up practice.

Cool Down

Instructor led:
10 floor PVC pullovers + 10 sec hold
10 PVC Active Lift + 10 sec hold
90/90 Hip stretch + pigeon position

For this next Who’s Who we have Madoc!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?

Im a gadget-hound, and one of the Internet forums that I am a member of has a couple of artists on it who, when they post about physical activity, would talk about this “Crossfit” thing.  So Crossfit has been on my radar for a few years now, since about 2006.  You can credit one of the trainers (Jade Marsh) at Crossfit High Voltage in Burbank as being the reason I know about Crossfit – although I’ve only met Jade once in person, and that was while checking out the jewelry he produces.  Oh, and because I was in the Marines, I try and keep track of what happens in the Corps.  Needless to say, if it’s good enough for the Marines, it’s probably good enough for me.

Favorite WOD/lift:

Don’t have one yet.  Anything that challenges my skillset and ability (which basically means every WOD/Lift).

I have always wanted to…:

There is a long, long list of things that I would like to do.  Most of the things that I wanted to do as a kid I either did or grew out of the desire to do.  I do not not do things that I want to do.  If I want to do something badly enough, I’ll do it.  Currently, one of my short term goals is to complete an Ironman length triathlon by the time I am 40 years old.  I haven’t jumped out of an airplane yet, so maybe that’s something.

1 word people use to describe me:

For the people who have known me for a while, it normally is “Sigh.”

Outside of the gym I like to:

Work (seriously, I love my work).  Fish.  Kayak.  Run.  Drink beer.  Discuss health, politics, and philosophy.  Fish.  Drink more beer.  Prepare gourmet meals (cooking in the gym is such a bother). Dig clams.  Go crabbing. Ocean = interest. Hunt for mushrooms.  Hike.  Do all of the other standard things that Portlanders tend to do.  Recently I have discovered the joys of lounging about in the Sunlight.  Wandering around the Chinese Classical Garden.  Dim Sum. Discuss/proselytize about all of the above (yes, that means discussing discussion of philosophy.  Mind.  Blown).

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

That’s a hard question, given that I have the short history of Madoc ready at a moment’s notice.  Seriously, when you have a name like “Madoc,” you need to have a story ready.  Asking someone about their unusual name is an easy conversation starter.  Most of the “surprising” things about me are out in the open within 15 minutes of me opening my mouth.  And the stuff that no-one knows about me, well, no-one knows…

My love of irony is readily apparent once you read through/hear my bio.

I guess, because of the long hair and beard, people have a hard time believing I was a Marine.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:

There are physical activities outside of Crossfit?  Well, I used to detest running, and now I am equivocal about it, so not running.  Most of my kayaking is done to get me closer to fish – the actual physical activity is, again, not something I really pay attention to.  Not hiking, since I get bored easily, and really, hiking is just a long, long walk in the woods.  Absolutely not running in the woods – which really just a fast hike.  Oh, wait, a fast hike.  Maybe that’s it.  Kidding aside, I wish I liked dancing more.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:

Before I cut wheat and potatoes from my diet?  Grand Central Baking.  Best Croissants on the planet (I can say that because I lived in Paris for a year and a half, and spent a couple of months in the South of France.  The Croissants in Paris have nothing on what the Grand Central crew turns out). Pho Hung on SE 47th and Powell.  The Delta back when they were under original management (not so good now, although I guess Miss Delta is what the Delta used to be, as far as food quality goes).  Bete Lukas on 50th and Division (Ethiopian food).  Lauro.  Pok Pok.  Biwa.  Wildwood.  Papa Hayden’s.  Vincent’s Pizza.  Genie’s (arguably the best Eggs Benedict in Portland).

After I cut wheat and potatoes from my diet?  Toast, on SE 52nd and Steele.  The owner there turns out heartbreakingly good baked goods (MMMM, English Muffins).  But they also have dishes that have no wheat, potatoes, or starchy veggies.  Their “Truck Stop,” subbing the potato rosti with sautéed greens is awesome.  Local, mostly organic.  And then there is Navarre, on SE 28th near Burnside.  Tapas = yum.  Of course, I always end up eating the bread there, since it is made by Ken’s Artisan bakery, which, in my informed opinion, is in the top 3 as far as bread making goes in Portland.  Biwa is still tops, but I can’t/don’t eat ramen or udon anymore, so that kills one of the reasons to go there (housemade noodles).

Wong’s King on 97th and Division, because it is Dimsum.  When you are eating Dimsum, it all counts as Paleo, since it is all made of pork or seafood.  The headache and lethargy afterward can be blamed on the guilt that you didn’t eat that last char siu bao.  Always, always eat the whole plate of char siu bao.  If anyone else wanted one, they would order their own damn plate.  Those are mine.

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:

Whatever Xi Xia is playing.  After Rick Astley, the most current song that I like to listen to that makes me think about working out is “Dog Days” by Florence and the Machine.  Although I don’t really get pumped up by music while I’m working out – it’s actually kind of distracting.

Proudest accomplishment:

Don’t have one yet.  I view what I have accomplished in life thus far as just a component of what I will accomplish in my life as a whole – and each decade seems to have come with its own moments.  I’ve got most of the major milestones – high school, military service, college, existential crises after college (what the heck do you do with a degree in Bioethics/Philosophy?), non-profit work, grad school, self-employment.  Like I said, I’m aiming at an Ironman triathlon by 40.  Since I don’t have kids, I can’t fall back on that answer.  I think I’ll have a good answer in 60 or so years.

Who’s Who: Brock!

26 Jul

WOD 7/27/2010

Make up the squating if you missed it.

3 Rounds, not for time:
5 Over-barrier Burpees
9 Rope Climbs
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rest 5 min when done.
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5 rounds for reps:
30 sec burpees
30 sec rest

Flexibility/Mobility
Instructor led:
10 floor PVC pullovers + 10 sec hold
10 PVC Active Lift + 10 sec hold
90/90 Hip stretch + pigeon position

George Corbo over at Crossfit Fort Vancouver has designed a line of shirts geared towards Crossfitters, Weightlifters and athletes in general.  His company is Manimal, and they are taking orders for their first shirt, which the Fort Vancouver Afilliate team wore at the Games.  Check out his website.

For this next Who’s Who we have Brock!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
For a few years I looked over the main page website. I tried mixing in some of the stuff I saw there with my own workouts. I knew I could do better with some instruction, but never thought to look for a local gym. At the end of 2008 my diet and exercise went off the rails and I put on 45 pounds. A friend said “Go to Crossfit Portland, don’t ask for a tour or an explanation, just sign up for the January On Ramp.” So I did.

Favorite WOD/lift:
WOD: Randy (75 X 75# snatches), because it favors my strengths.
Lift: Overhead Squat, because it punishes my weaknesses.


I have always wanted to:
Study and master empty hand fighting techniques. My work schedule makes that difficult.

1 word people use to describe me: I’m a wicked sensitive guy.

Outside of the gym I like to:
I have rediscovered cooking. I went for years eating out of boxes, but the paleo diet has me back in the kitchen, and loving it. I also teach basic and tactical pistol shooting. Most of the time I train my fellow jailers on my own time. If one of them gets into a gunfight, I want them to be as prepared as they can be.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:
As a teenager I read every book on hypnosis that I could get my hands on. I did stage hypnotism for my friends just for fun. Later I tried making a career out of a quasi scientific study into it, but lacked the training to set up good experiments, and quantify the results. I did get my name mentioned in the acknowledgments of two books. One fiction, one nonfiction.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:
Walking my dog at the off leash park. Some times at the range I like to mix in running and pushups with pistol practice to simulate the fight that precedes 50% of police shootings.

Favorite place to eat in Portland:
Ruth Chris for the steak, Harvey’s Comedy Club for the entertainment.


Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:
“Broken, beaten, scarred” by Metallica.


Proudest accomplishment:
When I was 30, it was discovered that the lower half of my heart is completely backward, and the nerves running to my heart and lungs are in complete disarray. I was told then that by the age of 45 I would need a transplant, and could not expect to live past 60. Just before my 44th birthday I asked my cardiologist to rate my heart function as if he had never seen my echocardiograph. He said that I was easily in the top 10%, possibly top 5% of my age group. He also said to keep doing what I’m doing, and I will probably live a near normal lifespan with no transplant. This change is so drastic that I still get a little choked up when I think about it.