Tag Archives: cfcc

Friday, 5/4/12

3 May

Don’t forget!  This SATURDAY – Arrus is taking a group of people to Reading Terminal to talk about how to pick out the right cuts of meat for easy, tasty, healthy cooking.  Meet at the gym at 8am and walk over at 810am.  Members not in the BCCC invited!

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. - Theodore Roosevelt.

RECORD competes in the CrossFit Games Regionals in Maryland today.  Follow the blog and Facebook for up-to-date details – and throw her all the love, good thoughts, and virtual fist-pumps you can.  She has worked incredibly hard to get here, is a humble yet headstrong warrior, and I’m so psyched for her to have this opportunity.  Good things are going to happen – be sure to follow along!

CFCC’s Olympic Lifting Team – Liberty Barbell – is slated to compete this Saturday morning in Moorestown, NJ (20 minutes outside Philly). For more information on this go here. To see our first official participation in an Olympic Lifting competition – check out the video below! If you want to know more about Olympic Lifting and what you’d be in for should you choose to compete at the end of July following the end of our next cycle as a gym – you should definitely check out things this weekend!

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SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Lax Ball Shoulders, 3 minutes.
MOBILITY: German Hang, 1 minute.
ACTIVATION: Clapping Push-up Practice, 3 minutes. Use a band if you don’t feel like you can spring from the floor.
STRENGTH: Bench Press, up to a peak of 1.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: “Fran” 21-15-9 reps of: 95/65 Thrusters alternated with Pull-ups

Thursday, 5/3/12

2 May

CROGA AND the 730pm class are cancelled for Thursday (today). GYMNASTICS with Sammy at 730pm is still on!

CONDITIONING at 715-8am.
ELEMENTS with ERIN at 7a, and with Tim at 530pm, and 7pm.
GYMNASTICS at 730pm.

CONDITIONING:

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll as needed, 5 minutes. Lax Ball Glutes/TFL, 1 minute each side.
MOBILITY: Coach’s Choice, 5 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Row 500m.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: 10, 9, 8, 7… 1 reps of: Goblet Squats (1.5/1), Alternated with Unbroken Double Unders OR, if you’re not there yet with your double unders, attempts.

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GYMNASTICS:

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: lax ball shoulders and pecs, 5 minutes
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 3 rounds of: 5 cat camels, 10 second german hang, 5 candle-stick-to-lever, 10 arm swings
SKILL #1: SKIN-THE-CAT
SKILL #2: IRON CROSS
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:
5 ROUNDS:
30 SECONDS  HOLLOW ROCKS
30 SECONDS SKIN-THE-CATS
30 SECONDS TUCK SIT ON PARALLETTES
30 SECONDS OF REST

SCORE: total reps = (skin-the-cats + hollow rocks) – breaks on tuck-sit

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Meghan deadlifts her 1/8 of a cow from the Philly Cow Share – an awesome resource for those of you looking to do sustainably raised, grass-fed, humanely slaughtered meat.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll as needed, til 5 past.
MOBILITY: Wall Quad Stretch, 1 minute each side
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 2 minutes of this complex: – take time to work yourself into a better position each time.


ACTIVATION: Kneeling Jumps, 3 minutes of practice. If you are feeling pretty proficient try Broad Jumping out of the Kneeling Position instead of simply landing in a squat. If Kneeling Jumps are tough, work with Jump Squats in sets of 3.
STRENGTH: Clean, up to a peak of 1. For those who have not been completing the clean throughout the cycle, a Hang Clean, or a Front Squat may be used.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:
Complete 6 all out efforts:
Sprint 60 yards
*Rest 90 seconds between efforts

POST FASTEST TIME.

*This is 60ft. x 3 (30ft. is the same distance that we Farmer’s Walk and the same distance that we used for the sprints last week).

Friday, 3/23/12

22 Mar

PLEASE REMEMBER TO TAKE ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WANT TO GET THROWN AWAY OUT OF THE GYM BY TONIGHT (FRIDAY) – this includes all Olympic Lifting equipment, shoes, water bottles, etc.

We are going to do our very best to be in full operation in the new space this Monday. NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS WE’LL STILL RUN NORMAL SESSIONS AND YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO TRAIN.  All our equipment may not be installed and everything won’t be entirely finished but in any case, be prepared to receive information about this by Sunday evening after we’ve moved everything – and if you really want to know as soon as possible whether it works out or not – just come help on Sunday! :)

SPECIALIZED SESSIONS: 3-5pm, 5-7pm Advanced Olympic Lifting.
GAMES WOD: 630pm – remember, it’s this, or tomorrow morning (SATURDAY) at 10am – Sunday is reserved for moving only!

Chrissey in a Deadlift set-up, which for her, happens to be the same position as her start for the clean.

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll as needed, 3 minutes. Lax Ball Glute Ham Tie-in, 3 minutes (total, not each side).
MOBILITY: Wall Quad Stretch, 1 minute each side. Coaches Choice of Hamstring Stretch, 1 minute each side.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 3 Rounds: 10 Cat Camel, 1 Birddog Hold of 5 seconds each side, 10 Glute Bridges, 5 Ring Pushups – if you are using them in the metcon – or 5 regular or knee – if you are using them in the metcon – or 5 HSPU (can be kipped) – if you are using them in the metcon.
STRENGTH: Conventional Deadlift, work up to a light and very fast peak of 1.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:

“Diane”

FOR TIME: 21-15-9 reps of Conventional Deadlift (rx’d for men is 225lbs. – use HALF of your max today and NO MORE… That is, if you don’t pull at least 450lbs., you’re not deadlifting 225lbs. today 45 times). Alternated with a handstand pushup. If you have no HSPU, use a ring pushup or a regular or knee pushup.

I know not all of you want to do “Diane” like this, but the best “Diane” is one that involves you NOT having to crank your back to finish – “Diane” is supposed to involve working at HIGH INTENSITY – think “Fran”, not “Filthy Fifties”.  Sometimes going rx’d is worth it – today is not one of those days.  Today is a day to see how fast you can go when load is not an issue.

Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness. – Marshall McLuhan

Did you know that one our Coaches has MS and is probably still kicking your butt daily in her pursuit of elite fitness?  The Paleo Diet has shown great promise in contributing to the betterment of MS symptoms.

The last Elements at 210 S. 13th Street!

20 Mar

SAMMY’S ELEMENT CLASS:

ERIN’S ELEMENTS CLASS:

LIZ’S ELEMENTS CLASS:

CASSIE’S ELEMENTS CLASS: 

TIM’S ELEMENTS CLASS:

CHRIS’S ELEMENTS CLASS: 

Sunday, 3/18/12

17 Mar

There is no Intro to Olympic Lifting class this Sunday.  There is also no Gymnastics at 9am.

The last chance at WOD 12.4 is at 11am today.  Sign up on the Google Calendar to attend.

Sammy helps Sayra with the rope climb in Gymnastics. These classes can be intimidating because of their occasionally advanced skills set, but don't worry! Just like ALL of our classes, there are multiple levels of ability in one class, and there are ALWAYS ways to scale movements so that you can practice being better at them for when the rest of you catches up. :) Being better at Gymnastics makes you better at CrossFit!

GYMNASTICS at 2pm with Sammy:

Self Myofascial Release: Foam roll upper back, 3-minutes; Lax ball shoulders(front/back), 3-minutes
Postural Stability: Tuck/L-sit support, 1 minute
Dynamic Warm-Up: 2 rounds of: 10 cat camels, 30-second cat stretch, 30-second wrist stretch, 10 arm circles(front/back), 10 hollow rocks
Skill #1: Iron Cross
Skill #2: Bridge-up
Metabolic Conditioning:
3 Rounds for time:
10 Ring straight arm press outs
5 Candle roll box jumps
10 Bridge ups
5 Candle roll box jumps

Friday, 3/16/12

15 Mar

ELEMENTS: None.
SPECIALIZED SESSIONS: Advanced Oly 3-5pm and 5-7pm.
GAMES for the WEEKEND: Friday at 4pm (hopefully before your St. Patty’s Day madness), Saturday at 12pm, Sunday at 10am (this session has been moved up a little earlier – if a later day session is needed please contact me directly at erin@crossfitcc.com)

Irish Soda Bread, from Elana’s Pantry.

This looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! Save the date!

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE and MOBILITY: Coaches Choice, 10 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 3 rounds across the gym: High Knees, Butt Kicks, Toy Soldiers, Karaoke, Bear Crawl.
STRENGTH: SUMO DEADLIFT, up to a peak of 1.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: WOD 12.4 – 150 Wallballs, 90 Double Unders, 30 Muscle-ups, 12 minute cap.

For more information about WOD 12.4 – check this out.

Sunday, 3/11/12

10 Mar

SPECIALIZED SESSIONS: 9am and 2pm, GYMNASTICS.  10-1130am, 1130am-1pm Intro to Olympic Lifting.
ELEMENTS: 9am with Erin. 1pm with Sammy. (The last class of this cycle! – woohoo!)
CF GAMES OPEN: 2pm with Erin. Last chance! Come cheer on your fellow CFCCers!

From Coach John Wooden.

A picture taken by our very own Nat (Hookgrip!) - when we say "BIG FINISH" this is what we mean!

SELF MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Lax ball shoulders/pecs, 5 minutes
MOBILITY: Wall pec stretch, 1 minute each side
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Complete 3 rounds of: 10 cat camels, 10 arm circles, 10 hollow rocks, 3 handstand walk-ups
POSTURE AND STABILITY: L-sit/tuck-support, 1 minute
SKILL WORK: Rope climb
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:
AMRAP in 15 minutes of:
5 inverted burpees
5 toes-to-bar
10 hollow rocks
1 rope climb

Watch as Natalie Burgener (who’s father coaches the CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certifications) works up to a clean and jerk of 264lbs. at a bodyweight of 63kg (138.6lbs) and a height of 5’3″.  That’s STRONG.

Friday, 3/9/12

8 Mar

Specialty Classes: Advanced Olympic Lifting 3-5pm, 5-7pm – wondering what it takes to attend this class?
Elements: 7a with Cassie, 9am with Chris.

Avener, judging Meredith for WOD 12.3

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll, 5 minutes. Lax Ball Glutes and Hamstring Tie-in, 5 minutes.
MOBILITY: Coaches Choice, 5 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 3 rounds of: 10 Plate Loaded Good Mornings (Sumo Stance, Slight bend in the legs, as in Sumo), 10 Glute Bridges, 10 Adductor Mob sit backs each side.
STRENGTH: Sumo Deadlift, up to a peak of 2.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Partner Relay: with a partner, alternate rowing 1 minute for as many calories as possible for 10 minutes. So, you row for a minute (as many calories as you can), on the minute, switch with your partner, who will then row for a minute… until 10 minutes has passed. Your score is the total amount of calories. If you are the odd man out, row like you have a partner and double your score.

INSPIRATION: the daily experience of putting yourself through something difficult makes you BETTER at doing just that.

Tuesday, 3/6/12

5 Mar

Specialized Classes: None.
Elements: 7am with Cassie, 9am with Sammy, 6pm with Erin, 7pm with Tim.

Below, you’ll find a picture of my brother during his Elements (thanks, Chris!) Class.  It’s taken him a long time but for the first time ever, he’s giving CrossFit a real try.  He’s already got some of the spirit that we see in so many of you after just a few months of doing CrossFit – and this is why I love watching people who are new to CrossFit enter our world at CFCC!  You have no idea what you’re capable of – but I’ve seen so many start with just a small step in the right direction, and end up AMAZING me in the end. 

I’m so excited for him (whether or not he chooses to stay :) ) because even though I know CrossFit is not for everyone – I think I know enough about it to say that it has made my life richer and my mind stronger, and my body a lot more functional than it used to be.  Who wouldn’t want to give that to someone they love?  If you’d like your friends or family to try CrossFit – tell them to come soon!  Our next stage of Elements begins at the end of March in the new space. If you haven’t told someone about CrossFit NOW is the time.  We’re about to get bigger and better than ever before!

My brother, Joshua - in the elements class.

SMR and MOBILITY: Lax Ball Shoulders (Front and Back), and pick your favorite shoulder stretch(es) with the band, 8 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Skin the Cat Practice.
See this video for more details on why we do this, how to do it well, and what it has to do with your SHOULDER.
STRENGTH/SKILL WORK: 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.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: “Flotsam and Jetsam” AMRAP in 20 minutes: 1 strict muscle-up + 1 dip (perform a muscle-up and then perform an extra dip), 2 skin the cats, 40 double unders.

*If you don’t have a strict muscle-up perform one very hard strict pull-up (at least 70% of your best). If you don’t have an rx’d skin the cat perform a strict L-raise variation on the bars. If you don’t have 40 double unders, complete 100 singles.

“The pitch to which he was aroused was tremendous. All the fighting blood of his breed was up in him and surging through him. This was living., though he did not know it. He was realizing his own meaning in the world; he was doing that for which he was made…. He was justifying his existence, than which life can do no greater; for life achieves its summit when it does to the uttermost that which it was equipped to do.”
-Jack London, White Fang.

Everything you need to know about the CrossFit Total.

17 Jan

Daffy, in one of my favorite photos ever, by Ramsey Beyer.

It’s the week of the CrossFit Total!

The CrossFit Total, as many of you know, is this coming weekend on Saturday! The deadline to sign up for a time slot is THIS THURSDAY. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to max your deadlift, back squat, and press in one day! You get three attempts to max once you’re on deck. Usually this means your first is a given, your second is a PR attempt, and your third is something WILDLY crazy that may or may not actually lead to your getting petechia.

We do this two times a year and it’s always completely worth it to see how far your training has allowed you to progress. If you’re wondering why we emphasize Strength so much at CFCC, check this explanation out from the Mayo Clinic.  Also, remember to be familiar with this article from the CrossFit Journal, - strength plays a huge part in the foundation of a good athlete and an optimally healthy person.

For more information about the CrossFit Total go here.

To see what Totalling looks like at CrossFit Center City, go here, and here.

What to do on the day of:

The gym will be open on Saturday morning pretty early and will be all laid out so you understand exactly where you should go when you get there. Since sometimes we have spectators (WHO ARE VERY WELCOME) it’s important that everyone follow directions and stay in their designated areas. The CrossFit Total is open to members of the gym ONLY.

A great mobility piece for Squatting Big, photo by Ramsey Beyer.

Upon entering the gym, Emily Avener, our lovely new/old all around CFCC Superfriend will be directing you to a warm-up station along with giving you a much less entertaining summary of the structure of the day. Should you have any questions about where to be or what to be – you can always ask her, or myself (Erin) what you should do. Once your hour of lifting has begun, you are expected to report to the platform – aka, if you signed up for 10am – that’s when you move from general warm-up to warming up for your first lift.

Rach, in the first space CFCC occupied (you can understand by looking at this why we REALLY needed to move), back squatting what she currently triples easily. Photo by Mike Mackintosh.

As a subset of the Squatting Area – the Squatting Warm-up Area will be manned by Chris Santaniello, the man with a heart of gold and almost as many box jumps as Record (sorry, Chris). In all seriousness, Chris will be there to get you from empty barbell to your first attempt on the platform so be ready to tell him what weights you’d like to open with if any.

The Squatting Warm-up Area and Platform will both be downstairs in the CFCC Strength Dungeon and will be manned by none other than the illustrious Jim Rutter and the infamous Tim Heckman (of TIMJIM, a new jerky made only of the wildest boar of German forests). They will be your trusted spotters and will guide you should you need assistance in making fateful decisions about what weights to lift for your three attempts at the best back squat you can muster.

Meghan, pulling 300lbs. - a year in the making. Photo by Mike Mackintosh.

Once you have squatted you will ever-so-slyly be asked to move directly on to warming up for your Deadlift. You may sumo or conventional deadlift since there is no reward but the sheer ecstasy of your own personal improvement. Mistressing the Deadlift Warm-up station on the First Floor of the gym will be a woman of sound mind and +345lb. Deadlifting Body: Cassie Haynes Grassia. Cassie, a CFCC Coach in training (what, what?) will be able to help you ramp up to your first of three attempts at the MOST WEIGHT YOU CAN PICK UP, otherwise known as the Deadlift.

A woman who can single leg deadlift your mom will be waiting for you on the Deadlift platform. Elizabeth Edmonds, known for her keen eye and shameless love of a good lockout will be watching your deadlift attempts and will actually signal you to drop your deadlift if and only if she truly believes you are done. Pine for the signal, friends – it means real and good things have happened.

Arrus, racked for the press. Photo by Ramsey Beyer.

Summoning up all your courage you may take your buzzing spinal erectors to the Barbell Pressing Platform where you will be asked to name your three attempts and simply work up to them as you are able. The aptly named Samantha “Pixie Warrior” Wright, will be standing by to sprinkle eager admonitions of “HEAD THROUGH, HEAD THROUGH, HEAD THROUGH,” at you for as many reps as she must (but no more than three).

After EVERY lift (and not at the end of all lifts) you MUST report your numbers to Avener for her safe-keeping. They will be placed on a chart for posterity’s sake and will ne’er be forgotten – until you shatter through them at the next CrossFit Total.

How to prepare for the day.

The programming this week is intended to allow for a tapering of your training so that Saturday is the day you will be able to peak appropriately. We often perform lifts for a “peak set” – on the day of the Total, you’re looking to be at the peak of your peaks! We often joke that this is one of two days out of the year that you are allowed to lift slow.

Here are a few steps to making your CrossFit Total day as good as it can be:

1. Do train during the week. Every day of this week will attempt to keep intensity high, and volume low. You should feel powerful and a little antsy by Saturday. The movements of the total will be in the rotation but they will not be exhausted by any means. Friday’s training in regular classes will reflect the total but will also contain an alternate WOD for members who will not be able to make Saturday (the Total).
2. Go to Mobility class. Gaining better mobility for the lifts is a bit like taking the parking brake off while driving a Ferrari. Without the mobility to complete certain lifts you’re really only partially experiencing your strength.
3. Get lots of rest if you can. Good sleep means good neural recovery which means – fast and strong lifts!
4. Eat before you lift and if you normally do coffee – definitely do it on the day of – but not too much. This may be a day that only focuses on 9 reps but these are some of the hardest reps you’ll do this winter – fuel for them! Don’t eat too much and don’t eat anything that’s tough to digest, i.e. bacon and eggs and a bit of fruit BEFORE total steak, eggs, and potatoes AFTER ☺
5. Know what you want to lift. Come prepared to talk to a coach about what you would like to do that day in the squat, deadlift, and press. Dream dreams of bigger deadlifts, deep squats, and speedy presses.
6. If you want, dress fancy. Ramsey Beyer will be there to capture all the wonderfully strained moments of the day – if you’ve got stuff that makes you look weird, strong, awesome, paleolithic, CFCCish, or more like a superhero – this is your day to strut your stuff.

See? Earrings, purple leopard print pants = better Deadlift. Photo by Mike Mackintosh.

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