Tag Archives: Benchmarks

Tuesday, 2/21/12

20 Feb

THERE IS ONLY ONE MORE DAY LEFT!  REGISTER NOW for the CrossFit Games Open!

Last year, CFCC placed 5th in the South Philly Rumble.  That year we represented with 5 teams.  This year we want to bring even more of you AND we want to name every team after a weapon in Clue.  That’s right.  You heard me (and the little Cassie figurine on my shoulder who came up with this AMAZING idea).  We’re taming tigers, grabbing lotuses, and bringing team Candlestick, Knife, Lead Pipe, Revolver, Rope, and Wrench… and possibly Poison according to Chrissey.  Can we bring seven teams?  I think so.  Go here for more information and look for a sign up list in the gym.  YOU ALL DECIDE WHO’S ON YOUR TEAM… let us know so we can support you!

Tara, with the women's winning score yesterday on a strict Toes to Bar movement.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll Upper Back and Hips, 3 minutes.
MOBILITY: Cat Stretches, Wrist Stretches, 3 minutes. Straddle, 1 minute.
POSTURE AND STABILITY: Headstand Hold Practice, 3 minutes.
 STRENGTH WORK: Strict Handstand Push-up (use full range of motion where possible).
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:
“Mindy” : AMRAP in 20 minutes of:
3 Strict Handstand Push-ups
6 Strict Pull-ups
9 (Total) Pistols (Single Leg Squats if you have them).

A new cycle starts!

20 Feb

Ladies and Gents of CFCC, welcome to a NEW cycle. 

In the past cycle we made it our goal to maintain absolute squatting and pulling strength while actively trying to increase strength endurance for pull-ups.   Though we had plenty of PRs in peak week in the Front Squat, the Pronated and Supinated Grip Pull-up, we also saw loads of PRs along the way.

Many had their first bodyweight pull-ups AND with the addition of muscle-up skill work, MANY acquired their first strict and kipping muscle-ups.  The effect of the endurance we have built up remains to be seen in the next cycle and I intend to test this.

All in all, I call it a win!

Mel doing a pull-up on our old pull-up bar.

Here are some of the objectives of this next cycle:

 1.    Improving your score for regular CrossFit benchmarks, specifically Fight Gone Bad – so dig out that old Fight Gone Bad score and see where your weaknesses lie!  Fitness for a workout like this transfers well to many sports, and obviously, your performance in other workouts in CrossFit.

2.    Reintroducing the Olympic Lifts into the regular programming (the clean, and the overhead squat on Monday as foundational for all Olympic Lifters).  Every athlete should be able to overhead squat! And if you can squat 15 reps at Bodyweight you will get a prize. http://danjohn.net/the-overhead-squat-article/

3.    Keeping pull-up endurance and reintroducing deadlift strength in the rotation.  It’s been a while since we sumo deadlifted but it should nicely complement the movements of Fight Gone Bad.  Additionally, pullups and deadlifts are GOOD for what ails you! Why the Deadlift? http://www.thedeadlift.com/deadlifting/

4.    Building the strength necessary for more than just a kipping handstand push-up.  Because kipping is NOT enough!

5.    Maintenance of a training stimulus even while 30% of our average number of attendees in a day will be competing in the CrossFit Open (begins later this week!).

MONDAY: Single Leg Stability as warm-up. Overhead Squat, 5,3,2,1. Trunk Stability Endurance in Metcons.

TUESDAY: Strict Full-ROM (Range of Motion) Handstand Push-up Strength Work and Ring Handstand Push-up Skill Work for those meriting it – taught in the format of the muscle-up day from life-cycle.  Gymnastics Dominant Metcons – ranging from 15-25 minutes in duration.

WEDNESDAY:  Pull-up Endurance as Warm-up, “Fight Gone Bad” Variants – i.e. you’ll see! J

THURSDAY: Hang Power Clean, 2 reps, every minute on the minute for 10 minutes as warm-up.  Front Squat, up to a peak of 1 (every week up to a peak of 1).  Simple Movements and Simple Rep Schemes for Metcon.

FRIDAY: Sumo Deadlift – 5, 3, 2, 1 – Rowing for Calories., (Tim coaches the morning and the noon).

SATURDAY: Benchmark Workouts, often over 15 minutes.

SUNDAY: Gymnastics and Intro to Oly

In the article below, you’ll find special directions for folks dealing with hip/back issues, shoulder testiness and the CrossFit Games Open – which BEGINS THIS WEEK! Sign up by following the link on the side of our page. You only have two days left to register!

Saturday, 2/18/12

17 Feb

There are only 4 more days to register to join CFCC’s CrossFit Games Open team! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR???

 

SPECIALIZED CLASSES: 9am and 2pm regular CrossFit programming (Helen!), 10am CrossFit Endurance Class with Liz (rowing), 11am Yoga (with Tim!), 12pm ADVANCED CLASS (aaaand really everyone who wants to go) MEETS to go to CrossFit 1Force to play with Strongman Stuff (return by 3pm), 1pm Gymnastics Skills Only Session with Sammy.

ROWING with Liz at 10am: 

Row and Swing
5 rounds:
row 800m
kettlebell swings, 30 reps

GYMNASTICS at 1pm with Sammy: Handstand Push-up!

Below, Tim and Marcy complete “Helen” yesterday. Tim, sets up with the kettlebell in the bottom position of the swing exactly where it should be – as CLOSE as possible to your crotch! – Marcy hits the top position of the Russian Swing (Chest Height). The rx’d height for Helen is American or, OVERHEAD, but that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t sustain good form through out the swing. Both of these pieces create a good American Kettlebell Swing!

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll/Lax Ball 5 minutes, as needed.
MOBILITY: Wall Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side. Gastroc/Soleus Stretch, 1 minute each side.
POSTURE AND STABILITY: Single Leg Squat Hold in POSE position, 1 minute each side.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: “Helen” : 3 Rounds for time of: 400m Run (THE LONG LOOP), 21 American Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1), 12 Pull-ups

Friday, 2/17/12

16 Feb

PLEASE NOTE – there is NO 3-5pm Olympic Lifting Class today – EVEN IF IT SAYS SO ON THE SCHEDULE…

if you are planning on going along with the Advanced Class (OR, if you’d just really like to go this one time to lift stones, etc.) to CrossFit 1Force on Saturday at 12pm (meet at the gym at noon, be back by 3pm)- please let us know by emailing!  I’ll bring a minivan if I must – and we all know, ALL GOOD CFCC THINGS BEGIN with minivans!

As some of you know, both Ave and Cassie have been out all week due to an accident and some family issues. They are both doing better now and we are so grateful for their health. As a result though – some of our scheduling and emailing has been a little slow. Thanks for bearing with us – and we promise to make good on Monday when they both return!

Just make Kate’s face whenever you approach your monitor during FIGHT GONE BAND and the entirety of the row and you should be fine. :)

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll, 5 minutes.
MOBILITY: Coaches’ Pick! For 5 total minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Try out the different stations of FIGHT GONE BAD.
STRENGTH: Supinated Grip Pull-up, up to a peak of 1 (if you set a personal record – notate it on the whiteboard!)
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: “Fight Gone Bad”

Wall-ball: 20 pound ball, 10 ft target. (Reps) – Women, 14 pound ball, 9 ft target (IN the yellow line)
Sumo deadlift high-pull: 75 pounds (Reps) – Men, use 2 pood kettlebell.  Women, use 1.5 pood kettlebell.
Box Jump: 20″ box (Reps) – Women, 20″ box
Push-press: 75 pounds (Reps) – Women, 55lbs.
Row: calories (Calories)

We have enough wallballs now to use to SQUAT to if you are not hitting full depth on the Wallball – beware – I’ll film you and CALL YOU OUT!

Thursday, 2/16/12

15 Feb

I really like podcasts, and I really liked this one, about Commitment Devices – or, the tool we use in our 30-day Challenge.  Check it out!

ADVANCED CLASS FOLKS!  Please do not forget that there is an Advanced Class Field Trip to CrossFit 1Force on Saturday to play with Strongman Stuff!  We’ll meet at the gym at noon, carpool over, and be back by 3pm.

“Time is an equal opportunity employer. Each human being has exactly the same number of hours and minutes every day. Rich people can’t buy more hours. Scientists can’t invent new minutes. And you can’t save time to spend it on another day. Even so, time is amazingly fair and forgiving. No matter how much time you’ve wasted in the past, you still have an entire tomorrow.” ― Denis Waitley

Be the first one to comment on the blog and tell me the names of five people in this picture and you will win a pair of free CFCC socks! (CFCC MEMBERS ONLY!)

Handstands at High Noon!

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll Hips, 5 minutes.  Lax Ball Shoulders, 5 minutes.
MOBILITY: Wall Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side. Wall Quad Stretch, 1 minute each side.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 5 Perfect Burpees (see video here) go as slow as you need to!, then 3 attempts, complete 10 burpees as fast as possible. Rest as needed between attempts. Maybe don’t start out too fast if you’re not feeling too awake/too activated yet.
STRENGTH: Pronated Grip Pull-up, up to a peak of 1.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: The last time we did Brenton!
“BRENTON”

Five rounds of:
Bear crawl 100 feet
Standing broad-jump, 100 feet

Do three Burpees after every five broad-jumps. If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.

*There is a 15 minute cap on this workout.

Compare time to: Kevin Montoya 8:01 (20lb vest), Dave Leys 9:15 (20lb vest), Lucas Zepeda10:16 (20lb vest), Laurie Galassi 11:20 (18lb belt), Pat Sherwood 14:00 (20lb armor).

Tuesday, 2/14/12

13 Feb

WHAT??? You haven’t signed up for CFCC’s epic movie night and Paleo Potluck this Sunday at 5pm??? Go to sign up for a class and then look for “SEMINARS” – cause we’re going to be learning about the 80s, and wrestling, and what recipe cards look like.

Fruit Basket Upset – when’s the last time you tried something completely new in the supermarket?

“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” – Antoine de Saint Exupery

LT, finding tension... or something... for the pull-up :)

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll, 3 minutes. Lax Ball Shoulders, 2 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Cat Camel, Cat Stretches, Wrist Stretches, Hollow Rocks, Inchworms, Handstand Hold – take roughly 30 seconds with each.
POSTURE AND STABILITY: Skill Work with Tripod to Headstand, allow time for explanation and about 3 minutes of practice.
STRENGTH: Strict Muscle-up Skill/Strength Work – Learn the Skill, practice the Skill you already know, or work on your false grip hang/pull-up.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: For those who are able to complete it rx’d: 30 Muscle-ups for time. For those who cannot complete it rx’d: 30 Burpee Pull-ups for time.

If the height of the bar prevents being able to touch it from the floor, add something to step up to that allows you to get to your chin over the bar by jumping. Yes, this will take some maneuvering so try some different heights out! Your first few pull-ups should be easy – otherwise your last few will be impossible.

Monday, 2/13/12

12 Feb

MOBILITY TONIGHT WILL BE HELD AT 530pm!

Sign up for the CrossFit Open!  Our team is 33 strong – join up!  Even if you aren’t where you think you should be competitively, this experience is a benchmark!

9 Steps to Perfect Health from Chris Kresser.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, Easy Chocolate Pudding.

Larissa and Thai round off in Sunday's metcon.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll, 5 minutes.
MOBILITY: Band Behind You and Overhead, 1 minute each side. Band Pec Stretch, 1 minute each side. Spiderman Step Each Side, 1 minute each side. Wall Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes either 1 pull-up, 2 pull-ups, or 3 pull-ups. Pronated Grip. Pick your band if you need one. Do not use one that sends you to failure. If you do go to failure for any reason during the cycle at any time, back down to an easier band or an easier variation (i.e. if you were on 3 pull-ups and fail on the 5th minute, back down to two pull-ups in the next minute). AMRAP in 5 minutes Double Unders (record your score!)
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:

“BIG JIM”

3 rounds for time:

400m run
9 thrusters (135/95)
12 box jumps (30″/24″)
15 double unders

Friday, 2/10/12

9 Feb

Specialized Classes: Advanced Olympic Lifting with Jim from 3-5pm and 5-7pm.

Coconut Water vs. Gatorade as a post workout drink – GUESS WHICH WINS…

What is, the PAUSE?

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll IT Bands, 20 passes each leg, and 20 passes on Upper Back. Psoas Flossing, 2 minutes.
MOBILITY: Wall Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side. Wall Quad Stretch, 1 minute each side. Gastroc/Soleus Stretch, 1 minute each side.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: AMRAP in 5 minutes, Double Unders. If you’ve never got one before, spend 5 minutes working on your technique and trying to get one!
SKILL WORK: Review the Row.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Row a 2k.

Monday, 2/6/12

5 Feb

By the end of this week we’ll be trying to have everyone on board with the new MINDBODY scheduling system – if you’re unaware of the changes, please check out this post. To get started with signing up for classes, just go here. This is all a big part of making CFCC as safe, and as organized as possible – everyone reaps the benefits!  Please don’t hesitate to email us at crossfitcc@gmail.com if you have any questions – and thanks for dealing with the shift!

ALSO LOOK! —————–> clicking on the “Sign Up For a Class” button will take you directly to the page for signing up for classes!

A little update:  As most of you know, I (Erin) have been dealing with some weirdness in my ribcage (I have a damaged rib due to coughing – yep, it’s just that boring!).  If I’m sighing a lot, speaking a little more slowly and softly than usual, it’s because my breathing is being affected by the rib – I think you’re great! :)  And on that note, thank you so much for the emails, facebook messages, and comments regarding my well-being – it means a lot!  Unfortunately it looks like my recovery will take well over 2 weeks so you will notice a change in the Coaching patterns of CFCC. Specifically, I’ll be shadowing a lot, working on the new space, still teaching my Intro to Oly classes but mostly, not doing a lot of moving around in the interest of getting better as soon as possible.  I appreciate your patience with the changes in schedule!

Specialized Classes: Mobility with Tim at 730pm, Advanced Olympic Lifting from 6-730pm.

Looking for pictures of the CrossFit Total?  You should like us on Facebook!

Andreas, pulling over 400 at the CrossFit Total.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll, 5 minutes.
MOBILITY: Wall Quad Stretch with overhead reach, 1 minute each side. Band Behind You and Overhead, 1 minute each side. Adductor Mobs, 30 seconds each side. Leg Swings, 30 seconds each side.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes either 1 pull-up, 2 pull-ups, or 3 pull-ups. Pronated Grip. Pick your band if you need one. Do not use one that sends you to failure. If you do go to failure for any reason during the cycle at any time, back down to an easier band or an easier variation (i.e. if you were on 3 pull-ups and fail on the 5th minute, back down to two pull-ups in the next minute). Try to do better this week than you did last!
ACTIVATION: Box Jump, work up to a peak of 1 in 5 minutes.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Death by Thrusters (every minute on the minute 1 more thruster than the minute before, starting with 3 thrusters in the first minute). Pick and record your load: (45/65/95/135)

The last time that we did “Death By Thrusters”

Sunday, 1/29/12

28 Jan

I’m so proud of the ladies of CrossFit Center City that competed at CrossFit Queens yesterday. I’m also so thankful for those of you that were following along and encouraging us by either being there or Facebooking – thanks for thinking of us! Below, Tara sets up her pull-up, the second movement of the first workout. Go team.


GYMNASTICS with Sammy at 9am and 2pm:

SMR: lax ball shoulders, 5 minutes
Mobility: Band overhead-behind you-stretch, 1 minute each side
Skill #1: back extension roll to handstand
Skill #2: bridge work: bridge-up, back limber, handstand limber
Metabolic Conditioning:
3 rounds for time:
Bridge walk 15ft. (scale: 10 bridge-ups or 15 superman rocks)
10 inverted burpees
10 burpees

INTRO to OLYMPIC LIFTING with Erin at 10-1130am AND 1-230pm:

This class is already full but an alternate class has been posted (those on the waitlist have first dibs!)

ADVANCED CLASS, 1130am-1pm:

1130-1145a: Warm-up.
1145-12p: Work your weakness.
12-1230pm:

“Amanda”

Three rounds, 9-7- and 5 reps, for time of:
Muscle-up
135 pound Squat snatch

1230-1pm:

The last workout of Hail to the Queen:

In under 10 minutes, complete:
4 rounds for time of:
4 heavy deadlifts
Use the rings to drag a sled 75ft. with three turns.
3 rope climbs

Time to beat… 430something.

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