Saturday, April 24, 2010

WOD for Saturday: 

Complete for time:
50 Box Jumps, 24/18 inches
50 Jumping Pull-Ups
50 Kettlebell Swings 16 kg
50 Walking Lunge Steps
50 Knees to Elbows
50 Push Press, 45/33 lbs.
50 Back Extensions
50 Wall Ball Shots, 20/12 lbs.
50 Burpees
50 Double-Unders

Read the following: Inner Corset Stabilization by Michael Hall 

Announcements:

Barbeque tomorrow after class!  Bring your favorite dish or for those of you training in the 10am class you can do a grocery run prior to grilling out at 12pm.  Looking forward to seeing you all!

Friday, April 23, 2010

WOD for Friday:

“Squat Intensity”

Perform 4 Back Squats on every minute for 10 minutes.  Pick approximately 75% of your 1RM.

Perform 3 rounds for time:

15 Hang Power Cleans (135/95lbs)

15 Burpees

-Posted on Crossfit mainsite today

“Knowledge is Power”- Read Below:

Crossfit is more than an just a core strength and conditioning program (exercise program).  Crossfit’s dietary and exercise regimen impacts your health: blood pressure, body fate, bone density, triglycerides, and cholesterol.  It is a program that enables us to focus on health and performance gains.  Therefore, our lifestyle habits (sleeping, social habits, stress, and etc) impact our progress.  By committing to CF Balance, we are all taking the first step in becoming fitter and healthier.  It requires focus, discipline, and scrutiny to habits.  As coaches we provide guidance to the movements, the workouts, motivation, and dietary advice.  However, do not forget that your path of exploration requires self-education.  It may be attending seminars, specialty classes, reading the CF journal, or reading suggested material from us.  Here are a couple suggestions:

Never Let Go: A Philosophy of Lifting, Living, and Learning  by Dan John- looking for inspiration and a further understanding on concepts of strength training and high-performance athletics

Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training by Mark Rippetoe & Lon Kilgore- provides a detail analysis of the 5 most important exercises in the weight room and the most important assistance exercises

Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson- emphasis on nutrition relating to insulin production

As for motivation check out Nicole Carroll Overhead Squatting her bodyweight (150lbs) 15 reps! 

Importance of striving for full range of motion in squats…Why?

Mark Rippetoe emphasizes the safety and importance of achieving full depth in his book, Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training.  “The hamstrings, groin, muscles, and glutes perform their function in the squat when the hips are stretched to the point of full flexion.”  If this full range motion is not achieved, this stretch is not achieved and more pressure is produced on the knee and additional loading of weight may lead to greater increase in back injuries.  Full squat depth and subsequently loading the hamstrings will protect the knee.  Rippetoe discusses how squats (performed correctly with full depth) are important in preventing ACL injuries.  Squats develop hamstrings and underdeveloped hamstrings play a role in ACL injuries.

Announcements:

If you can make it this Saturday, please post what you will be contributing for barbeque/brunch to comments!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

WOD for Thursday:

Shoulder Press

3-3-3

Partner Row Ladders:

100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100

Partner-up- and complete above.  Use your partner as your recovery.  Do not hold back on these sets.  They are designed for you to sprint hard. 

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

WOD for Wednesday:

Muscle-up Practice*

AMRAP for 12 minutes:

12 Burpees

12 Pull-ups

100 Ab Mat Sit-ups for time

*Suggested Muscle-up practice:

1.) Advanced (have achieved a muscle-up) 5 attempts at max consecutive muscle-ups with 2 minute rest in between sets

2.) Intermediate (can do kipping pull-ups, stabilize on the rings, and perform ring dips, but have not achieved a muscle-up)- Practice progression focusing on transition with appropriate ring height for assistance; Suggested work sets- 5 sets of 5 with 2 minute rest in between sets

3.) Beginner (focusing on developing upper body strength- have not yet achieved a ring dip or kipping pull-ups)- Suggested work sets- May choose to focus on kipping pull-up or ring dips/bar dips

More about Goals: Read the following article and reflect upon, "What is the purpose of your exercise program?"

Announcements:

We have a grill!  If weather permits, we will be having a Pot Luck Brunch following our 11am class this Saturday!  Be prepared for a great workout, fun in the sun on the deck, and good times with friends. 

PAC Rugby team will be kicking off at Georgetown Prep at 3 pm and post-game festivities will be at the Bottomline!  Lets go out and support our Coaches (Ben) and fellow crossfitters!

REGIONALS: Please email Danielle or Ryan if you are interested in making the trip to cheer on our Affiliate Team and Danielle in Ohio.  We will be leaving Thursday, May 6th and staying till Sunday, May 9th.  The competition will take place from Friday-Sunday.  We will be staying in a large cabin (accomodating up to 14 people).  There are still a couple spots available.  Included soo far are (Jed, Rob, Mike, Ryan, Ash, Crystin, Lauren, Allison, Danielle, Ori, LaMarr, Graham).  I will be emailing details by the end of this afternoon.  Please confirm if your name was listed or email if you are interested and your name wasn't included.  The more, the merrier!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

New Foundation Courses Begin this Evening!  It's not too late to sign up!

WOD for Tuesday:

Deadlifts

3-3-3

Complete 7 rounds for time:

5 Power Cleans (155/105lbs)

5 Handstand Push-ups

100 m Sprints

Announcements:

Balance Gym Running Club:  For those of you who want to do more running- the Balance Gym Running Club led by fellow crossfitter Michael Hall will be meeting at 6:00 pm in the main lobby.  I encourage all of you who need an active recovery day or want to prioritize more running in your program to join!  It's a great way to meet more people and add variety to your program.

"Death Row" with Meghan on Wednesday evening (6:15pm)- For those of you out of foundations, please make it a priority to attend this class!  With practice and great coaching comes better technique, better movements, greater work capacity, and results.  Take advantage of coaching with Meghan

Goals....Stay on top of your goal setting.  Meghan Gaab share's her goals particularly for this weekend below.  Wish her luck for the upcoming Women's Single Trials!

This Thursday I am heading up to Princeton, NJ for the Men’s and Women’s Single Trials. This regatta is being run to select the Men and Women’s Singles that will represent the US at the World Cup Races throughout the spring. The races begin 7am on Friday morning with a time trial, where we are sent down the course one at a time, in a race against the clock. In order to even have the chance to advance to the A, B or C Finals, I need to place in the top 18 out of 28 coming out of the time trial. So I can’t leave anything on the race course from the first stroke I take.

Coming out of the fall season I was placed 16^th. Leading up to this race my team has done a lot of work with mental preparation and goal setting. For the first time in the 10+ years I have been rowing and racing, I had to organize and write down my “Race Plan” beginning the night before the race and ending with picking my boat out of the water. Going into this race I have set a few different goals for myself. All but one of them depends on my actions and focus over the three days of racing. My performance goals are to maintain the technical changes I have been working on under the pressures of racing, to solidify my race plan and have confidence in my preparation. My outcome goals are to place in the top 12 and enter into the spring and summer racing season as someone to watch. This is my first sprint race in about a year and I am excited and READY! I am only one day into my taper and I am already getting antsy! -Meghan Gaab

GOOD LUCK MEGHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!