CrossFit Portland

4-22-2010

On Ramp starts on Monday, sign up today!

Make up yesterday’s presses if you missed them.

5 sets each:
A1. Box Jumps x 20 unbroken – work on speed. Choose a height that is challenging but you can rebound quickly. Rest 2 minutes exactly.
A2. Kipping Pullups unbroken. Use 60% of your max from last week, try to complete all 5 sets w/o coming off of the bar. Rest 2 min exactly.
Eg: if your max pullups = 20, you’d try to do 5 unbroken sets of 12 reps. DO NOT do more reps in the early rounds! Score = success or fail.
3 sets each:
B1. Pushups x AMRAP; no rest
B2. Double Unders x AMRAP in 30 sec; rest 1 min
Score is three round total of both.

Mobility:

Wrist stretches
Wrist pushups 2 x 7

I made a breakthrough yesterday in my snatch technique…or I think I did. It was a very specific, intentional change in lifting the bar to my thigh and it felt like a major improvement in my technique. The weight just snapped up! It felt great because I was not expecting this change to suddenly propel the lift at all. As I’ve practiced the lifts for more than a year now, I feel like the coaching points I’ve received from experts are finally aligning and making sense. When I first heard it, it was just words that had no physical meaning to me. I had to practice, make my mistakes, make corrections to finally start understanding what the coaches were telling me.

Learning to lift heavier weights is very similar to learning how to “huck” a Frisbee(throw it long). Some of you are playing in the Portland Spring League and learning how to throw for the first time. By now, you’ve probably recognized that you can’t muscle a disc. The technique and coordination of your body moving in the right way leads to more accurate and farther throws. Start with short throws, get those to be consistent and then you move out a little bit at a time. Probably the biggest mistake I’ve done with lifting is using too heavy of weights, too early and too often. Recently, I’ve been practicing with lighter weights and it has afforded me the opportunity to improve my technique. I’m also reminded that the expert coaches told me to stay light but being stubborn, I piled it on heavy. That’s ego

I’m certainly looking forward to the Charles Staley O-Lifting seminar and getting more feedback and perspective from a world class coach!

WOD 4-21-10
Post load/time to comments

A.  Press 55%1RM x 5; 65% 1RM x 5; 75% 1RM x amrap.
Rest 3 min b/t sets; perform @ 20X0 tempo.  You must maintain tempo on amrap set!
+
Run 1200m (3 laps)
Rest 5 minutes
Row for total meters for the same time it took you to run the 1200m.
Eg: 4:30 1200m run; row for max distance in 4:30.

Flexibility/Mobility Focus

70 steps each:
Instep walks
Blade walks
Heel walks
+
2 Rounds:
Shoulder bridge x 5 reps; 2 sec holds @ top
Spinal Rocks x 10

For this Who’s Who we have Jenn!

How were you introduced to Crossfit? I saw the sign on Russell and wondered what it was. So I did what any other modern girl would do and googled Crossfit Portland. It was totally different from anything I’d done in the past and I was interested immediately. XiXia received a phone call from me that day.

Favorite WOD/lift: WOD is Fran…. Oldie, but a goodie. Current favorite lift is SDHP.

I have always wanted to: Learn to fly an airplane or helicopter, traverse the Alps from France to Italy via Switzerland, invent an Ativan dart gun, and speak Spanish fluently.

1 word people use to describe me: Tenacious.

Outside of the gym I like to: Play with my kids, throw balls, hit balls, catch balls, swim, bike, avoid running, write, read entertaining books, travel, visit local drinking holes, garden, hang out in the gorge, cook half-ass gourmet and fairly paleo food, kayak, and snowshoe with alternative motives.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me: I took ballet for 8 years and my mom had to fight me every recital to get the costume on me.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit: Pub crawling

Favorite place to eat in Portland: Current quick fav is Swagat. Fancy fav is Andina.

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout: Tough call. Red Hot Chili Pepper’s “Snow”

Proudest accomplishment: Gracefully sinking a flashing construction sign in a lake while under the influence of intoxicants during a Minnesota November and living to tell about it.

4-20-2010

Make up yesterday’s squats if you missed them.

Skill day:
A. Turkish Get-Ups – 4 x 3/3; rest 2 min b/t sets. Work up to a moderately heavy weight, focus on keeping shoulder down and packed.
B. One Arm KB Swings – 1 set; AMRAP w/o stopping. Switch hands every rep, you choose the weight. Can you do 100+? Swings to forehead height.
Rest 3 min when done.
C. Either Knees to Elbows or Toes to Bar: 5 sets, practice fast kip style. Reps done are up to you, choose a number you can do fast and controlled.
+
Passing “Cousins” – partners do 60 reps for time. (30/30) Deck squat w/med ball, stand then chest pass across gym to partner; then they deck squat, etc.

Mobility:

Pole press x 5 slow
Seated wall slides w/pvc: 3 x 5 reps; 5252 tempo

Different challenges keep life interesting…

4-19-2010

Last day to receive the early bird discount on On Ramp, starting April 26th!

Post load/reps to comments. Starting Wendler, phase 2. Remember, add at most 10 lbs to your MAX for squatting/deadlifting and then do the percentage of that.

A. Back Squat 55%1RM x 5; 65% 1RM x 5; 75% 1RM x amrap.
Rest 3 min b/t sets; perform @ 20X0 tempo. You must maintain tempo on amrap set!
B1. DB Split Squat 2 x 10 @ 3131; rest 60 sec
B2. Ring dips 2 x amrap; rest 60 sec
+
Tabata mash: alternate for total reps combined, 6 rds of each (12 total)
Pushups
Unanchored Situps

Mobility:

3 rounds:
Shoulder bridge x 5 reps; 2 sec holds @ top
Spinal Rocks x 10
+
2 Rounds:
Prone scorpion x 3/3
Elevated scorpions x 3/3

For this next Who’s Who we have Ken!

How were you introduced to Crossfit?
A friend mentioned she had been doing Crossfit and thought I would like it.  Several months passed and Sarah and I were having difficulty motivating ourselves, so we contacted XX and set up an intro session.  Adam and Rochelle put us through baseline, but I pushed too hard and ended up with rhabdo.  As I was lying on the floor trying to decide whether to pass out or puke, I also decided that anything that can make me feel that badly has to be worth doing.  I was back the next week for On Ramp.
Favorite WOD/lift:  I like the body weight metcons, especially with HSPUs and I like the strength days. I’d like another crack at “Diane,” now that I can do kipping HSPUs.

I have always wanted to: ride across the U.S. on my bike.  Ideally, I’d take a couple months, so I can enjoy the view rather than just hammering the pedals.

1 word people use to describe me:  Competitive

Outside of the gym I like to: hang out with Sarah and/or friends, spend time with my dog, Roark, play kickball, drink good microbrews, read and cook.

Something nobody knows about me or would be surprised to know about me:  I once rode a bull, one with horns and a bad attitude.  There’s a place in Ridgefield, WA that will let any idiot wander in off the street and ride a bull for $10 and a signature on a waiver.  I only lasted about 2 seconds, but I crossed another thing off my list and walked away without a scrape.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit: I’ve been playing in a kickball league for the last four years.  It’s just like the game we played as kids, but with beer.  How does it get much better than that?

Favorite place to eat in Portland: There’s something about the familiarity of a McMenamins.  I know I can get a good beer and a burger, pretty much wherever I am in Oregon.  I’m also a big fan of BBQ and Thai restaurants.

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:  You mean besides Rochelle’s 80′s aerobics mix?  I think that if I heard Motley Crue’s version of “Helter Skelter”, I would kick “Fran’s” ass.

Proudest accomplishment: Finishing Ironman Canada in 2005.  When I first saw an Ironman on TV when I was about 14, I remember thinking, “I’d like to do that someday.”  Accomplishing a goal like that makes many other things in life seem easy, but that muscle up is still elusive.

WOD 4/16/2010
Post load/time to comments

A. Deadlift 3 x 5 @ 21X0 use 40%1RM, 45%1RM, 50%1RM  Quickly, minimal rest.
B.  400m sandbag carry for time: use 1/2 BWT.
rest 3 min when done
C. Farmer’s Walk x 50m; 4 sets, rest 2-3 min b/t walks.  Work up to the heaviest load possible.  You must reach a weight that makes you fraction by the last set.  If you don’t, you do another heavier set until you do.
D. Tabata situps – for low score – try to beat last weeks score.

Flexibility/Mobility Focus

90/90 Hip stretch
Shinbox switches 4/4
Chest fwd Shinbox switches 4/4
Pigeon pose 30 sec/side x 2

For this Who’s Who we have Christine!

Christine and her grandson Jake

How were you introduced to Crossfit?

My sister, Kathy Price, is  half owner of CrossFit Woodinville in WA the formal name is http://www.agogegym.com/about With her advice I researched a bit  and found Scott. This is right before Scott left the Post Office to dedicated himself 100% to CrossFit and then Scott made the other best decision of his life and married our very own Rochelle.

Favorite WOD/lift:

My favorite WOD’s consist of a balance of Gymnastics and Weight Lifting

I have always wanted to

Teach Children

1 word people use to describe me:

Determination

Outside of the gym I like to

I enjoy anything my grandchildren, Jake 16 and Taylor 12, want to do.  I design and make quilts,  I love off road mountain biking, walking my dogs and more recently Yoga.

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

I have an MBA in Operations Management Logistic.  Supply Chain is my passion and my business is “Global Sales-Lead Generation”.  I put High level Sales Executives in front of Decisions makers at companies they want to make Money with all over the world.

Favorite physical activity outside of Crossfit:

Off Road Mountain Bike Riding

Favorite place to eat in Portland:

Home – My husband is a gourmet cook and over the years has tweaked his cooking style to fit my physical and health changes.

Christine, David, Paco, and Pita

Song that gets me pumped up for a workout:

It doesn’t take much to get me pumped up.

But my favorite song is from the movie Casablanca (1942) … “As Time Goes By  Ingrid Bergman”, Humphrey Bogart.  I love when Ingrid Bergamn ask Sam to “Play it Sam – Play it As Time Goes By………………………………I love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J07MoCdar2E

Proudest accomplishment:

I am exceptionally proud of maintaining a solid relationship with my grandson Jake 16 and my granddaughter Taylor 12; from afar.  They have lived in MD for the last 6 years and through the combination of texting, email, cell phone calls, summer vacations without their parents and my traveling to MD every 2 to 3 months has enabled us to maintain a solid bond.  Jake and his girlfriend Brittany choose to spend their Spring break with me in OR this March.

4-15-2010

Post time to comments

In the newsletter earlier this week, I asked for some feedback regarding 4,5,6,7 pm class start times. I’ve heard from some and would like more! Post your thoughts to comments

1) Yesterday’s presses if you missed them.

2) For time:
6 Rope Climbs
25 Ring Dips
10 Ground to Overhead 135/95lb

10 min rest

Row 750m
30 Deadlifts 135/95lb
50 Box Jumps 24″/20″

Prone scorpion – 3 x 3/3 each side
Supine scorpion – 1 long hold ea. side

Smooth move Ben. WARNING: Do not just jump on a bar and try this! It’s a lot of weight moving on one shoulder and you should be pretty strong and secure before you start swinging.

Shane pulls a switch-a-roo and picks up the “shinier” heavy ball. Ken is bummed

Matt K., has been Crossfitting for a year now, started at home and is finishing On Ramp tomorrow. He powerlifted in college and had a 500 lb deadlift, so this lift is familiar territory for him. When he first started a year ago, his deadlift PR was 275. Last night, he pulls 400 and he hasn’t done that since college!

Ladies, should we add more weight? Heck YES!