CrossFit Portland

Friday classes are usually smaller but today was quite the wonderful exception. Welcome to Sheenon, Amberlee, Ngan, Mark, Eric, and Alice on their first CrossFit class. They hit the workout hard!

We started with 4 max sets of either pullovers or knees to elbows for strength. Pullovers are fun and intense! We then warmed up with sprint drills and introduced everyone to a Reverse Tabatta. A reverse tabatta is doing an exercise for a set number of reps, should take 10 seconds or less, then resting for 30-40 seconds, and repeating 8 rounds. Score is the round that took the longest to complete. The focus is on performing each exercise with speed and power.

There was a special Academy of Kung Fu event in the gym tonight so the workout was in the weight room. Tight quarters brought out the best in everyone tonight. It was just the boys and we tackled a team relay chipper with running, rowing, DB cleans, CB swing to flag, dips, box jumps, and v-ups. Where were the ladies??? Congrats to new member Liam for staying focused and technically finishing before Chris by doing all of his reps

Ladies and Gentlemen, to your pistols! Pistols are single leg squats and a humbling test of strength and flexibility for many. Single leg squats improve strength, coordination, and elicit an incredible total body contraction. We mixed in pistols, pull ups, and a prehabbing movement – extended inch worm – into the workout today.

In Fundamentals today, we worked on developing the kip swing for pull ups. New members and first timers Jay, Lauren, and Winslow took on the workout and were inpsiring to watch!

Here are some clips from last weeks gymnastic workout. Michele reins in the handstand with authority and I think Gary might have found a new sport to go after!

In almost any movement that generates significant force and power, hip extension is the engine that drives it. There are many exercises that develop vertical hip extension (squat, deadlift, etc.) and some of our favorites are the Olympic lifts – the Clean, the Jerk, and the Snatch. Bill and Michele both have experience with the Hang Clean( technically easier and still effective) and we progressed to the the full Clean and Jerk today. The full Clean & Jerk starts with the weight on the ground and finishes with the weight overhead, arms locked. It is more functional than the Hang Clean and also more difficult to learn. Developing the full Clean is challenging, takes patience, and is just plain fun!

We also worked in rotational hip extension as well. Heavy Clubbell side swings elicit a potent side hip snap that is a basic component of athletic movement like shifting hips to throw a ball, throw a punch, or make a sudden change in direction. Clubbells offer arguably the most degrees of freedom, even more so than dumbbells or kettlebells, when it comes to any single piece of exercise equipment.

After a hard night at CrossFit, a bunch of us head over to New Seasons for their Hot Plate Special. For $6.99, it is hard to beat a hot meal of fresh organic produce and free range poultry. You can pick your items and create a meal easily devoid of processed foods. Add an avocado to the plate from the produce section and give your body what it wants – delicious and necessary fat!

There is one particular item, Dragon Thighs, that sometime shows up and is always in high demand. A sweet and spicy marinated chicken thigh baked until it can do no wrong…mmhhh. We decided to make the New Seasons recipe and couldn’t believe how simple it was. Get chicken thighs (bone and skin), put into marinate for 24 hours, and bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes[CORRECTION: Picked up some experience baking chicken, 20 minutes ought to do it. Keep it moist!]. The marinate is sweet soy sauce, chili garlic paste, ginger puree, and some lemon or lime juice.