5 pull-ups

10 push-ups

15 squats

When your done work on weaknesses or exercises you’re not comfortable with/hate doing. Things like stretching to improve flexibility, handstand push-ups, olympic lifting, etc.

Machine Mike and Ollie look like long lost twins as they rock similar hair-do’s yesterday.

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There have been a lot of new faces showing up at ARCFit recently.  Please introduce yourself to the new members and provide them encouragement and assistance if needed. Remember how you felt when you first started training here. Don’t go through a WOD without knowing the names of everyone else that are sweating and bleeding next you! Potential burpee fine…

5 minutes of Burpees with 2 push-ups

Finish with:

50 knees to elbows

100 sit-ups

The 9:00 am crew gathers around the “water cooler” (aka Chad) to gossip about their wild weekend before beginning their workout.

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The state of California may not be doing so hot lately with furloughs, foreclosures, and the freeing of criminals from prison early.  But at least the Guvernator got an up close and personal glimpse of a CrossFit WOD: Governor Schwarzenegger at the 2010 CrossFit Games Ohio Sectionals within the Arnold Classic – video [wmv] [mov]

Run 400 M-7x @ 90% effort

Rest 1:30 between sets

Finish with 8 minutes of ab work

Beavis and Butthead work on their new dance routine.  And yes guys, wife beaters and sleeveless t-shirts are still cool!

Anais, Marlene and Natalie draw on their second grade math skills to figure out how many reps they recorded during yesterday’s team WOD.

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Anyone interested in improving their rowing skills might want to check this out:

Signups are due by Thursday, March 11th. This rowing workshop is open to the public and is being held by Toby Johnson (bio below). The fee is $25.00 and you can enroll and pay the fee online at :

http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=5909&stype=-8

Spend a morning improving your technique, power output and how to approach the rowing pieces in CrossFit WODs. Limited to 26 participants.

About Toby Johnson:
Toby is a graduate of Sacramento State University with a degree in Recreation Administration. He has rowed for sixteen years starting with Capital in 1992. He was recruited by Washington State University. After two years rowing with WSU, he decided to come back to Lake Natoma and finish out his collegiate eligibility with the Sacramento State men’s team. Within those two years, the men’s eight went undefeated with the exception of one race. After college, he coached for Capital and Sacramento State, as well as, continued to row for himself. In 2003, he moved to Georgia to train with a previous National Team Sculling coach, Igor Grinko, and try out for the 2004 Athens games. An inopportune knee surgery three months prior to trials limited his chances. He moved back to California and has continued with his training. He recently received his Certification for Level I Cross fit training and is working on his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification.

AMRAP IN 20 MIN

PUSH PRESS 95/65

20″ BOX JUMPS (20 REPS)

REST

ONE PERSON WILL DO 20 BOX JUMPS WHILE ANOTHER DOES AS MANY PUSH PRESSES AS POSSIBLE.  THE JUMPER MOVES TO PUSH PRESS, PUSH PRESSER MOVES TO REST, RESTER MOVES TO BOX JUMPS.

BOX JUMP REPS DON’T COUNT…ONLY PUSH PRESS REPS.

Chuck better be ready to defend himself from an angry mob of pilates practitioners after sporting this shirt in public.

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A recent study released by the Harvard School of Public Health found that 55% of professional baseball players were considered overweight between 2000-2006.  The study based their findings on the body-mass index (BMI) of the athlete.  I don’t agree that an elevated BMI automatically means the athlete is unhealthy.  There are other factors that must be considered including the fact that modern day athletes are just bigger and stronger (translation=heavier) then their earlier counterparts.  However, Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Prince Fielder doesn’t appear to be missing many meals (Paleo or otherwise).  Read more here:  As Pro Baseball Players Get Bigger, So Do Their Health Risks …

5-5-3-3-5×1 @90% of 1RM

Rest 5 mins

CrossFit WOD: Tabata’s-20 seconds on 10 seconds rest for 8 intervals each exercise

Tabata Run

Tabata Bottom to Bottom Squats

Tabata Jump Rope

I recently asked several of our members the simple question of why they like CrossFit.  Here is what they had to say…-CN

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More good news for coffee lovers! Drinking coffee is generally heart friendly, studies say

Row 1 minute (rear elevated 12 inches)

Row 1 minute (front elevated 12 inches)

Row 1 minute (flat)

“JT”

21-15-9

Handstand Push-ups

Ring Dips

Push-ups

*sub ring dips for bar dips, hspu’s for shoulder press

Nicknames.  Love ‘em or leave ‘em?  Unfortunately none of you have a choice (right K-Fed?).  Many of you are walking around the box wondering when we’re going to forget about your nickname.  Sorry gang, once you’ve been labeled with a moniker it’s going to stick with you for all of your days training inside the box.  It’s what gives this place that cool family vibe! What other gym can you walk into and see a Sonic, GyGy, Mesh, Machine, Aims, Bomba, ATP (Addicted to Pain), Irish Sean, B-Dub, Tine, Beavis and Butthead, just to name a few?

And now you can add one more nickname to that list-”Xena the Warrior Princess”.  This name was given to Karry by Brandon (above) after he watched as she walked over to his barbell and proceeded to add more weight for her 3 x 5 deadlifts.  As Brandon looked on in awe, he immediately gave her that fitting name.  Wear it proudly girl!-CN

5-5-3-3-5×1 @90%

CrossFit WOD: AMRAP in 12 minutes

6 Chest to Bar Pull-ups

8 One Legged Burpees (4 each side)

10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 95/65

The 9:00 am class didn’t let a little rain get in the way of their sprints yesterday!

CrossFit WOD: Sprints-10 rounds

150 meter sprint, walk 50 meters to rest-repeat

From front to back, Amy D., Lara, Anne Marie (the Birthday Girl!) and Jenny get after some Manmakers during yesterday’s WOD.

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Sorry for the late post on this but registration for the inaugural CrossFit Games Masters Competition opened up on February 22nd.  Masters athletes must have a birthdate that falls on or before July 15, 1960.  Registration at the Regionals will be first come, first served (no qualifying required).  I know some of you in here meet the age requirement and are definitely fit enough to compete.  Click on this link to register: http://crossfit.regsvc.com/crossfitregionals-CN

5-5-3-3- 5×1 @90%

Rest 5 mins

CrossFit WOD:

75 Double Unders (1x), then complete 3 rounds of:

5 Manmakers+Push Press

10 Toes to Bar

End with 75 Double-Unders

For time!

Have you found yourself plateauing recently during your workouts?  Unable to reach that goal you posted on the whiteboard?  A myriad of things could be contributing to your recent performances including nutrition, sleep and overtraining.  Let’s add something else to the mix-stretching. How many of you are consistently doing some sort of static stretching BEFORE and AFTER brutalizing your body in a WOD?  I must admit that I am a frequent violator of the post-stretching routine but since attending Kelly Starrett’s movement and mobility seminar I’ve made a more concerted effort to stretch and roll prior to going to sleep.  My flexibility has always been a joke but since starting CrossFit I’ve noticed better range of motion in my shoulders and hips (eliminating the Smith machine military presses probably helped).  Now I just need to be more consistent with my stretching to continue to become more limber and improve the elasticity of my muscles.  If you are someone who comes into the box, does the warm-up and then grabs a piece of pvc to knock out a few pass-throughs before jumping into the workout then you are definitely hurting your performance potential.

PNF stretching (or proprioceptive muscular facilitation) is one of the most effective forms of flexibility training for increasing range of motion.  PNF stretching can be done with a partner or by yourself and is implemented like this:

1- Mobilize a position of resistance to see if there are flexibility issues present (the hamstrings for instance)

2- Build peak tension in that hamstring for 10 seconds

3- Release the tension and then move into a new range of motion in that position (stretch further)

4- Repeat this for 5-6 cycles or until you stop making change (you can no longer increase the length of your stretch)

Remember that numbness and tingling while mobilizing muscles, tendons and joints is NEVER ok.  Start focusing on making stretching a regular part of your pre and post-WOD routine and see if your numbers get better.  Here is a video of K-Starr in action demonstrating some PNF stretching: PNF Stretching -CN