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

“FRAN” final Paleo Challenge WOD:

21-15-9

Thrusters (95/65)

Pull-ups

Do yourself a favor and watch this video.  Yesterday’s video was inspiring.  I don’t think that there is much that can hold a candle to it, but this is pretty darn close.  IS THAT A CROSSFIT TEE-SHIRT THE VET IS WEARING??!!!!  We could get a whole new generation of CrossFitters from watching this video!

Click here to view the embedded video.

You think you love FRAN...

then she GETS YOU...and....

knocks you out like a 67 year-old vet wearing a fanny pack!

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Med-Ball Clean-Wall Balls (20/14)

Kettlebell Swing 2 pood/1.5 pood

with intermittent 100 meter run between rounds (if it snows, sub 15 20″ box jumps) 

Check out this video of Kyle Maynard, owner of CrossFit No Excuses.  He competed at his qualifier…he was one to beat.  According to CrossFit.com, “Kyle Maynard competed in all of the events, setting the course record on the day two triplet, at 6:07. The first event of the weekend was a 1000 meter row followed by a run up 1.2 miles of mountainside. In his first attempt at anything over 1 mile, Kyle attacked the run and smiled down from the top of the mountain.” I never want to hear, “I Can’t” again:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Blanco doing today's WOD @175

Shlee @ 105

DP doing the WOD @195...aren't you glad your one rep max isn't that heavy (at least for this WOD)?

The boys finding their max pull-ups

Trish gettin' after the clean and jerk

A HUGE shout out to Jessie, who made it the furthest in today's workout without failure. 18 rounds!!!! GREAT WORK!!

Liz may be new, but she's been putting out 100% in her WODs. Great work!

Sarah C. completed her first class WOD today with success (after Shlee tried to take her out with a PVC!)

Jay has shown major commitment to the program lately. Keep up the good work!

1st: Find your max pull-ups without coming off the bar.  You may hang there, but once you drop, it’s OVER.  If you usually use a band, continue to do so.

2nd: On the top of every minute for 20 minutes perform the following:
4 power clean and push jerks at 70% of your 1 RM + 6 burpees

(Yes, McWalters, I changed it from last night)

If you cannot complete this task in under a minute, you are to turn this into an AMRAP for 20 minutes.

“Get Comfortable with Uncomfortable”
By James Fitzgerald, OPT of CrossFit Calgary

There is more to improvements in physical work capacity than meets the eye. 
I first thought that exercise only made our muscles more able, our hearts sustain and our minds free. When I first started introducing people to a component of intensity, I would see changes and outcomes moreso at a psycho-social level than at the physical level.
I thought that there must have been something to the exercise that was causing this.
I have discovered over time that the point at which a person reaches a certain level of intensity is when exercise becomes a “spiritual” thing for them.
Their friends call it obsession, I call it discipline. An act in which they search out ways to get outside of the normal homeostasis a lot of folks seem to be comfortable with today.
When exercising, I have direct evidence that for those that get to limits that are safe but outside of their comfort zone, these individuals become “stronger, more confident” people on multiple levels.
Getting uncomfortable is different for everyone. For one it may mean stepping in our doors, for another it may be breathing hard for the first time since they were a child and for another it may mean teetering on the edge of performance and injury.
Whatever the case, it is important to get uncomfortable and over time create a comfort with this state of being. I can attest that it makes it all worthwhile in the end.
Recently a beginning client mentioned she was going to make the step to go to the local community gym and do her OPT workouts there as she felt confident enough after doing it in her basement.
Another example was an online client of mine who has agreed to change his life that required changes in his job in order to move forward.
And finally, one long time client had gotten to the point where she felt that it was time to compete at a fitness competition after her long journey with self perception challenges.
All of these examples are of folks that are stepping into another realm and making it happen; a realm that requires some discomfort, and that is OK.

Check out this AWESOME video from the Nevada/Utah sectionals…hard to believe it is just the sectionals, and not the regionals.

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/Games2010_Utsect_Highlights.mov

If you cannot access it from our page, it is on the mainsite today.

PALEO CHALLENGE CONTESTANTS: remember to keep track of you score each day and report it on the whiteboard on Monday.

Paleo Benchmark WOD # 2:

5 rounds of 400 M run with a two minute rest in between.

Your five rounds will be averaged together for your average 400 M time.  This will be the score posted on the whiteboard.

So, the Paleo Challenge officially began today!  So far, signed up members that have weighed in and documented their FGB scores are: 

Cynthia D, John K, Jos, Junior, Liz F, Mike P, B-Unit, T, Tricia, Gayle, Rob, TJ, Brooke, Dan, Lisa G, Jamie, Ray, Poo, Sarah H, McWalters, Adam, Stacy F, Noelle, Colin, Matt M, Joey, Cait, Nails, Matt G, Francine, Donna, and Yollie.  

THAT IS 32 CONTESTANTS SO FAR!  

DY-Lan, Jenn, Lou, Mark T, Paul W, Chris CAP, and Jessica have signed up via Internet.  Please weigh-in, take a before pic, and perform FGB asap. THERE WILL BE MAKE-UPS ON SATURDAY IF YOU MISSED IT TODAY.

You bring us to 39 contestants!  That is quite a competition!

Please remember that you need to keep a running score and a food journal each week.  The purpose of the food journal is so that one of of can take a look at what you are eating if you are not receiving the results you desire.  YOU ARE ON YOUR HONOR to report an accurate score each Monday for the previous week (please view scoring procedure in yesterday’s blog). You must take the initiative in this challenge.  We will not be chasing you down to get your weekly points, or scores for WODs.

Remember:  this is a contest that is designed to GET YOU TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU EAT!  I had a great conversation with Noelle today about her coffee.  Previous to the challenge she always put sugar in her coffee.  I told her that this is a cheat and she would lose five points daily for it.  She immediately said that she would cut out the sugar and transfer from flavored creamer to heavy cream.  THIS IS THE TYPE OF ATTITUDE WE ARE LOOKING FOR! 

HOMEWORK: ANNOUNCE YOUR GOALS FOR THE PALEO CHALLENGE VIA INTERNET.  One component of the challenge is the achievement of a goal.  ALL 39 of you must announce your goal in the comments section of this blog.  Be sure it is realistic and measurable.  Also, please document the goal in your journal.

As for today, STELLAR WORK TO ALL!!  I also love the team work that was demonstrated during FGB.  Let’s look at some pics:

Organized chaos...

Team Deffrey (Dave & Jeff..get it??)

Lisa tearin' up the high-pulls

Jessie and Jacob rowing for calories

Ernie and Caitie smashing the row...

Team "MAdam" (Mike and Adam..opps..that's weird...)

As if these two haven't leaned up enough already, the McWalters have taken on the Paleo challenge together.

Congrats to Blanco, Jacob, McWalters, B-Unit, and Adam who all broke the 300 mark today.  Congrats to ALL who set a PR.

PALEO CHALLENGE BENCHMARK WOD # 1 (if you miss this WOD tomorrow, and would still like to be part of the SCF Paleo Challenge, you must make it up at another point this week):

Fight Gone Bad
3 rounds of the following
Wall Ball, 20/14
SDHP, 75/55
Box Jump, 20 inches
Push Press, 75/55
Row, Calories
Each athlete must spend 1 minute at each station and complete as many reps of the exercise, when the minute is up the athlete will proceed to the next station.  There is a 1 minute rest after the last station.  The athlete will complete this cycle 3 times for a total score of all reps combined.

Before I get into the logistics of The SCF Paleo Challenge Spring ‘10, I would like to recognize some amazing accomplishments attained by our athletes this month.  This was our first month with an accomplishment board at the gym.  Thank goodness the month ended because we we lacking room on the board!

• Joining the unassisted pull-up club is Liz Mauro, Ashley Roy, Paul Wirtz, John K., Deb Blanco, T Testa, and Stacy F. Most of these individuals have gone on to do unassisted pull-ups in WODs!
• The elite muscle-up club allowed entrance to Rob L., Jeff (who went on to do 30 for time), McWalters, Dave B. (who went on to do 15 more that day), and Adam M (as if you didn’t know that already!)
• Soon to be part of the muscle-up club are the following individuals who got jumping muscle-ups this month: Chris Walsh, Jenn M, and Mark T.
• Setting personal records on deadlifts this month: Jacob K, B-Unit, McWalters, Chris M., Mark T, Alicia, and ME (and probably many more that were not recorded on the board)! 
• The following people set PRs on the push jerk: Dan M, Charissa, and Chris M.
• Both Brooke and Dan M succeeded at double unders this month.
• Liz M, Jenn, and Trish were the only three to record their awesome PRs on the CFT, but I am pretty confident 90% of the gym set a PR on Total day.
• Shlee, DP, and me set a PR by minutes on “Nasty Girls,” and B-Unit set a PR by 4 minutes on “Kelly.”
• Anissa astounded us all with a 100 lb shoulder press.
• Gayle nailed box jumps in a WOD, while Jos had no problem running 400 M in a 5 round WOD for the first time!
• Annie succeed in accomplishing standard push-ups off of her knees, and Mark T set a PR on his 400 M row. 

DP, Kelly, Shlee, and I are THRILLED to watch you grow as athletes, and once again, thank you for giving us the most rewarding job in the world.

Now….on to the SCF Paleo Challenge…

It officially begins MONDAY, March 1, 2010. The specifics will be typed out and handed to you tomorrow, and there will be an OFFICIAL sign-up sheet at the gym; however, please commit in the blog comments today.  Briefly, the challenge will be 6 weeks long.  The winner of our TOTALLY AWESOME PRIZES will be judged by adherence to the Paleo diet on a daily basis, weight loss/appearance, performance and achievement of a specific goal.  

Adherence to the Paleo Diet: Each contestant will begin the week with 30 points.  Each time an individual cheats, he/she will lose 5 points…any cheat (one BEER!!!)…5 points lost!  Please keep a weekly FOOD JOURNAL and you will be ON YOUR HONOR to report your points and document them on a spreadsheet at the gym at the conclusion of each week.  

You will be awarded 7 points at the conclusion of each week if you take your fish oil daily (vegans take flax).  

Weight-loss/Appearance: Tomorrow, you must weigh-in at the gym and take a before picture.

Personal Goal: You must set a specific fitness/health related goal (i.e. “I want to do unassisted pull-ups by the conclusion of the challenge”) and document it in your food journal. 

Performance: The three benchmark workouts to judge your performance success will be “Fight Gone Bad” (tomorrow), five 400 m run repeats (Tuesday), and “Fran” (Friday).  The score and times for these WODs must be recorded in your journal as well.  If you miss one, it MUST be made up this week at some point.  

Alcohol: Paleo says that 1 glass of wine a night is legal…so do I (I am confident the caveman had vineyards).  Tequila is the preferred Paleo liquor, but it is technically a cheat; therefore, we will allow tequila on WEEKENDS, but you will lose 1 point for each drink you have with CLUB SODA or on the rocks.  If you drink anything besides your one glass of wine during the week, standard cheat rules apply (5 points lost).  

Any other logistics you may need can be explained by DP or me tomorrow.  GET IT! GET IT!

WHO’s in??!!??????

Check out the winner of CrossFit Performance’s “100 days to a Six Pack Challenge.” Can we have similar results?

Before

After!!!!!!