First: 10 minutes to find your max power clean.

Next:  AMRAP in 12 minutes of:

5 thrusters (135/95 lbs)

7 Burpees

Many people come to CrossFit in what they, and the rest of the world, consider “good shape.”  And, for the most part, they truly are in descent shape in comparison to much of the latent American society.  Then…12 minutes of “Cindy” has them humbled, on their knees (myself included).  

Then there’s Allen Blanco…most of you know him.  He is a OG (“Original Gangsta”) of the Shoreline.  At our grand opening, he was the only person to perform “Fran” prescribed, and completed it in 5.30.  IMPRESSIVE!  Fitness and athleticism have always been important to Blanco, and he has continued to “bring it” to each and every WOD he performs at The Shoreline.

We are happy to officially announce that Blanco is now a coach at Shoreline CrossFit!  As we continue to grow, we need more trainers to coach our athletes at SCF.  We cannot be more grateful to have someone of such a top-notch caliber as Blanco.  He comes to SCF with a plethora of  knowledge in strength/fitness methods and diet.  Kelly, DP, Shlee, and I are ecstatic to have him aboard..and you should be too! 

Peter ripping through Friday's WOD.

WODs wouldn't be the same without Jacob (ask the Saturday 9:30 am class what I mean!)

Rob getting started on his 30 2 pood kettlebell swings.

Congrats to Alicia who completed her first WOD with REAL pull-ups on Friday night!

Welcome Carl to SCF (and how cute...Shlee and he coordinated their outfits!)

Mark has shown SERIOUS dedication lately in his training for the NE Sectionals!

Sarah has been showing major gains in her strength lately. She performed her first Rx'd weight WOD on Friday.

A LESSON IN PERSISTENCE: Desi pulled all of this stuffing out of her bed through a dime-sized hole. Never give up!

5 rounds for time:

7 push jerk (135/95)

14 burpees

21 wall balls (20/14)

In 20 minutes as many reps as possible of:

500m Run…THEN…
1-Arm Overhead Kettlebell Squats (35/26lbs) OR 2 arm bumper plate squat (35/25) (depends on class size)

Note: “Nicole” style scoring, put the kettlebell down at any point and run 200m.

* Bottom of the bell must stay above shoulder for entire squat for rep to count, hip crease below knee for full depth and hips at full extension at the top of the squat.
* Every time the bottom of the kb touches shoulder, head, or falls below the shoulder you must run 200m before returning to the kb and continuing. 
* You may change hands as long as the bell does not fall below your shoulder or touch your shoulder or head. Holding with 2 hands overhead is acceptable only when resting or changing hands.
* For the rep to count, the kettlebell must remain in the same hand for the full duration of the squat.

IT’S ALL IN YOUR MIND!!!  WHO’S GONNA SQUAT FOR 20 MINUTES STRAIGHT?

For time :
30 Wall Balls (20/14lbs)
30 Ground-to-Overhead (95/65lbs)
30 KB Swings (2/1.5 pood)
30 Shoulder-to-Overhead (95/65 lbs)
30 Burpees
30 Ground-to-Shoulder (95/65lbs)

30 pull-ups

Do you know what is pictured above?  This is Chris Spealler attempting 100 consecutive pull-ups in front of the CrossFit HQ staff.  Did he succeed?  No.  He got 96 consecutive pull-ups this day.  

There is a hackneyed, cliche Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that, in my mind, has found its place in CrossFit: “Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.”

The goals that we set for ourselves, many times, cannot be achieved in a day’s, month’s, or even a year’s work.  Does this mean that we’ve failed?  Would you tell Chris Spealler that he failure for only completing 96 of the 100 pull-ups he attempted to complete?  I highly doubt that any of us would say this.

So, you set a goal…you don’t achieve it in the day or the month that you’d like.   YOU HAVE NOT FAILED.  Focus on the achievements that you’ve gained across the way.  Maybe you didn’t get a muscle-up, but I bet your dips have gotten better.  Maybe your CrossFit Total didn’t hit 1000, but your 950 is more than you got the last time we did the total.  You may not achieve what you set out to, but take the time to focus on what you have achieved.  You are a minute fraction of society that chooses to accept challenges and beat yourself up daily.  When we set our goals high, even when we miss, we still achieve something great.  Then, eventually…you do get the moon…

9 am gettin' down with their deads today.

Kristy deadlifting while the sun rises.

T.J. has been working hard. She is definitely a contender in the Paleo Challenge.

Welcome Phil to SCF, who is working alongside his big sister, Liz.

10 Rounds for time of:

15 deadlifts (135/95)

15 Push-ups

The other day, I was at work talking to a colleague that informed me of the fact that she is a vegan (I am by no means suggesting that ALL vegans are unhealthy by this anecdote).  She was questioning me regarding my diet, so I began to question hers.  I asked, “Where do you get your protein?”  Her classic response:

“Well, I eat A LOT of whole grains.  I also eat A LOT of fruits and vegetables.”

This translated into my head as:

“CARB, CARB, CARB, and CARBS.”

While trying to be healthy, this young lady is poisoning herself.  But it’s not her fault.  The American FDA has been polluting the public mind for years by telling them that grains should be an integral part of everyone’s diet, and that WHOLE grains are good for you.  Check out this article from TheWhole9.com regarding the dangers of grains; even whole grains:

Why We Don’t Eat Grains

A. Grains provoke an inflammatory response in the gut

Lectins are specialized proteins found in many plants and foods, but are found in high concentration in grains (particularly wheat), legumes (particularly soy), and dairy. The most commonly referenced grain lectin is called “gluten”, but there are many others which are found even in pseudo-grains like quinoa. Lectins serve many biological functions in animals, but foods with high concentrations of lectins are harmful even if consumed in moderate amounts.

Lectins are hardy proteins that do not break down easily, and are resistant to stomach acid and digestive enzymes. They migrate through your digestive tract largely intact, and disrupt the intestinal membrane, damaging cells and initiating a cascade of events leading to eventual cell death. (Translation: lectins destroy the cells that line your intestines, leading to small “microperforations” or tiny holes in your intestinal lining.) These holes allow intact or nearly intact proteins, bacteria and other foreign substances to cross into the bloodstream – where they do not belong. As the immune system notices foreign substances in the body, it responds and attacks. The immune response can manifest in an unlimited number of conditions (not just in the digestive tract!) commonly referred to as “auto-immune” in nature.

It’s important to note that these cautions are not just critical for those with a diagnosed Celiac condition. These negative downstream effects happen to everyone who eats grains, to various degrees.

B. Grains spike insulin levels

Grains pack a whopping amount of carbohydrates in a very small package. As most grains are also heavily processed (yes, even whole grains) they are broken down into blood sugar (glucose) in your body very quickly. A high amount of ingested carbohydrate broken down very fast leads to a spike in blood sugar. The body, demanding homeostasis, then releases a massive dose of a hormone called insulin to pull blood sugar levels back down. This is often referred to as an “insulin spike”.

When too much blood sugar is present in the system, your body quickly runs out of places to store it as useful energy, and will store any excess as body fat. In addition, when too much insulin is present in the system, the cells in your body become desensitized to the hormonal “message” insulin is trying to send. Since the message isn’t getting through, your pancreas is prompted to release even more insulin when your body doesn’t need it. Finally, chronically high insulin levels lead to a condition in which your body has trouble releasing the energy already stored in your cells. This is a bad place to be. If (via a diet high in carbohydrates) this pattern continues, insulin levels continue to rise, fat stores continue to grow and the body becomes completely incapable of responding to its own directions.

C. Grains have an acidifying effect on the body

A net acid-producing diet promotes bone de-mineralization (i.e. osteopenia and osteoporosis), and systemic inflammation. Grains are one of the highest acid-producing food groups. By replacing grains and grain-containing processed foods with plenty of green vegetables and fruits, the body comes back into acid/base balance (and a more positive calcium balance). Recent research out of Tufts University has also shown that a more alkaline diet preserves muscle mass. We like muscle mass.

D. Grains are “empty calories”

All grains – things like oatmeal, pasta, breads and cereals – have two things in common. They are calorically dense, and nutritionally meager. A small portion of grains packs a whopping amount of calories, almost all in the form of carbohydrates. All those calories, however, contain a miserly amount of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (also called phytochemicals). Compare the calories, carbohydrates and vitamin profile of two large slices of whole grain bread (100 grams) to one cup of chopped, cooked broccoli (184 grams – nearly twice the mass). (Nutritional stats from NutritionData.com)

Note that we’re not saying there is nothing good to be found in grains. They do contain vitamins and minerals in various proportions and amounts. But the serious down sides of grains far outweigh any potential health benefits. Bottom line – there is NOTHING found in grains that you can’t get from a better source with NO down sides (like vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds).

Today, SCF got their back squat on (I took a ton, but the camera was set on the wrong setting and the files wouldn’t fit!):

Then we worked on our HSPUs, snatches, and box jumps:

Ben gotta little taste of "maximum intensity" tonight!

FIRST:

3 x 3 Back Squat @ 85% of your one rep max

THEN:

“WOD 4 TN/MS/AL Sectional”

MEN
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
95 pound Squat snatch, 7 reps
20″ Box jumps, 10 reps

WOMEN
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
3 Handstand Push-ups
55 pound Squat snatch, 7 reps
20″ Box jumps, 10 reps

I am not sure if I’ve ever posted this article before, but even if I did, it deserves a re-posting.  It was written by John Gilson of Again Faster and certainly gives one something to think about:

You have no right to bitch.  Your sore hamstrings and screaming core are artifacts of high intensity compound movement, enabled by firm contact with Mother Earth and the primate’s gift of an opposable thumb.  The very fact that your arms feel like lead and your legs like the business end of a propane torch is a gift of inclusion, given only because you have legs and arms to hurt.

The men of the Warrior Transition Battalion at Brooke Army Medical Center don’t know your pain.  They brought guns to a bomb fight, and came home with fewer limbs than they packed, blown apart by the cowardice of other men. 

Their pain is worse, one of exclusion, borne of wheelchairs and ramps, endless hours of physical therapy and prosthetic fittings, hobbled by the incessant need for painkillers.  You will never know the agony that they’ve endured, first physically mangled, and then pitied, seen as victims of a botched War.

Luckily, they don’t share the viewpoint.  An even twenty, enabled by the efforts of a young Lieutenant, are pursuing rehabilitation with revenge. 

These men came to Alamo CrossFit to learn the tenets of CrossFit, supported by a crackerjack crew of trainers and an unrelenting need to go beyond the bounds of traditional recovery. 

Placed in an environment where pity was gone and intensity was the only goal, I watched men do handstand pushups, femurs balanced against their wheelchairs, no feet weighing them down.  I watched a Marine pull himself up a gymnastics ring, ripping as hard as he could while an unwieldy leg brace fought his every effort.  I watched a man with no patella tendon sit into a full-depth squat, and a man with no legs clean a medicine ball from the ground.

These men, broken in body, were impossible to stop.  The pain that we could inflict—jackhammering hearts, mental torment, and burning muscles—paled in comparison to the months of adversity that led them to our doorstep.  They deadlifted and squatted, ran and pressed, displaying a fortitude far beyond our capacity to keep up. 

Every moment hammered home a single point:  You’ll be fine.

Remember that the pain is a gift, and men have overcome far worse.  When your training results in injury, remember that there are those whose injuries dwarf yours by degrees of magnitude, men who would kill for the right to feel a strained Achilles or a jammed thumb.  They will not quit regardless of the odds, and you will not disgrace their example. 

The next time your muscles protest or you feel a callus give way, be thankful for the feeling, and the comparative ease with which you train every day.  Be thankful for the gift that is your body, and the pain that it brings.

In Northern Texas, there are twenty men battling to reclaim lost capacity, showing the world that injury is not an endpoint, that sacrifice does not end in martyrdom.  Their courage is physical and mental, and their lesson is one that will serve far beyond their lifetimes. 

Their pain is unimaginable, but their message is easily understood:  the struggle to become a better human being ends only in death.  Don’t let them down.

Kyle Maynard coaches Josh through a muscle-up attempt at Alamo CrossFit.  Picture courtesy of The Napping Poet.

Chris Cap going hard during today's WOD.

Lee pushing some big weight during today's WOD

Welcome Rachel to SCF!

Welcome Ben to SCF!

Nothin' like some 4:30 skill work in the spring air!

We used almost every barbell during the 4:30 pm class this evening. Great work!

Uh-oh Mark Testa, you may have some competition for the best workout face! Great work today, Colin!

“SoCal Sectional WOD 1″

For time:

Run 400m
10 Squat Clean to Overhead (135/95lbs)
10 Pullups (kipping or strict, chin clearly over the bar, full arm extension at bottom, no butterfly)
Three rounds for time.
20 minute time limit.

If you haven’t recorded your weekly points for the Paleo challenge, please do so tomorrow.  We have a lot of PERFECT scores this week!

I almost hate to program a WOD with over head squats in it.  For some individuals, it almost seems as if the movement comes naturally.  They pick up the 45 lb bar and look perfect: shoulders active, elbows locked out, bar bisecting the head, crease of hip below parallel, knees tracking toes, weight in their heels.  But for most, this is NOT the case.  It is a difficult movement involving strength, stability, flexibility, and a tremendous amount of balance.  

The reasoning behind why I hate to program this movement, is because I hate to see you struggle. For most, it is a humbling, ego-shattering lift.  Today, I saw some individuals who can front squat well over 200 lbs for reps be reduced to the 45 lb barbell. I want to commend those of you who were not ashamed, or angry when you were required to do this.  Always remember, FORM OVER WEIGHT.  We would much rather see you moving properly with light weight, than pull heavy loads with terrible form.  I always say, “you’ve got to learn to dress yourself appropriately before you can even think about accessorizing” (an analogy that may be lost on some of our male clients).  It applies to lifting weights too.  I ‘d rather watch you perfect your air squat, or do an overhead squat with a pvc pipe, than load of the weights and lose form.

So, I continue to program overhead squats (and snatches…the OHS’ more explosive brother) because, as much as I hate to see you struggle, I LOVE TO SEE YOU IMPROVE AND SUCCEED.  With practice, will come better form, and therefore, heavier lifts. 

Kudos to all my athletes who put their egos aside today for the sake of good form and becoming a better athlete.  

Shlee's got a great OHS...

Gotta get that form solid...you never know what we'll be asking you to overhead squat next!

FIRST:
For 10 minutes work on gymnastics skills:

• Handstand holds
• L-sits (bar & rings)
• Skin the cats
• Handstand push ups
• Kipping swing
• Kipping push-ups

THEN:

“The Burner”
5 rounds for time
95/65 pound Overhead Squat, 15 reps
Burpees, 10 reps

Kevin Miller found this GREAT article on The CrossFit Journal about taming your “inner voice” before, during, and after WODs.  Here is a short excerpt:

“If everything that passed through your head was said out loud to another CrossFitter, would you be considered a good coach or a bad coach, a motivating coach or a demoralizing coach?

This question is important, because your self-talk is really your own personal coach.”

This article provides CONCRETE strategies to teach you to be more positive and increase productivity in your WODs.  It is worth the time you’ll take to read it.  Read it at:

http://journal.crossfit.com/2009/11/performance-psychology-taming-the-inner-voice.tpl

PLEASE BE SURE TO DOCUMENT YOUR POINTS FOR WEEK ONE OF THE PALEO CHALLENGE ON THE WHITEBOARD NEAR THE RESTROOM (37 max points).

If you haven’t noticed, we have added a 10:30 am class to our Saturday schedule.

Check out these pics from the past few WODS:

Hank gives Jacob some new ink...

Rich has only been with us for a few weeks, but has shown huge improvements in flexibility and strength.

Jeff rocked his his first FRAN this week!

Cynthia is determined in the Paleo challenge...watch out!

Lou set a PR on both FGB and FRAN this week...say adios to Louisa!

Hard not to set a PR with all eyes on you!! Great work Adam!

Watch out for this duo...Great work Sarah and Lina!

Ashley R. has "upped her game" as of late by doing her pull-up WODs RX'd and greatly improving her run. Keep up the hustle!

Deb has the same story...her pull-ups have been STELLAR lately and she has been doing all of her weights prescribed. She better tell her MAN to WATCH OUT!

FIRST: Find your one rep max shoulder press.

then…

“Helen”

Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
1.5/1 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings
12 Pull-ups

5 round for time of:

15 Deadlifts @ 135/95

10 Back Squats

600 M run 

or (depending on class size)

2 partner challenge:

While one partner runs 800 meters, the other completes an AMRAP in 20 minutes of:

5 Deadlifts @ 135/95

7 Back Squats @ 135/95