Tag Archives: Events

Tuesday, 5/15/12

14 May

CONDITIONING (click the link to see the programming AND a description of the purpose of this class) with Tim at 630am (1/2 hour class)
HYBRID OLY (click the link to see the programming) with Erin at 7-9am and with Jim at 530-730pm
ADVANCED OLY with Jim at 9-11am and 730pm-930pm
CROGA with Tim at 730pm

Don’t forget that Registration for Summer Camp is officially OPEN!

To learn how to flex your mind – sign up today for Annie’s Mental Strength Seminar (THIS SUNDAY afternoon!)

Keep your mind open: keep your body and movements as free as possible. An open mind is not one that is easily filled with every bit of nonsense that is current. It is one that has not fixed on concrete ideas about anything, a mind that reflects, seeks, and basically, yearns for knowledge, improvement, success, and in the case of the last lets nothing stand in the way of achievement, leaves no stone unturned, no experiment untried. Percy Cerutty, pioneering running coach

FIRST TIME COMPETITORS at Regionals talk about their experience below.  Record made it this year after less than a YEAR total of CrossFit – where do YOU want be by next year? The best time to start, is now.

Anna and Record battle it out last year at the Battle of the Bands.

WORKOUT OF THE DAY:

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Lax Ball Shoulders, 3 minutes.
MOBILITY: Band Pec Stretch, 1 minute each side.
SKILL WORK: Tripod to Headstand to HSPU (if possible – use a band to assist if needed). Teach for 2 minutes, practice for about 10 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Single Arm Ring Row Tabata (switch arms at every interval)
STRENGTH: Press, up to a peak of 3.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: AMRAP in 7 minutes: Burpees.

Back to Basics. Plus “Fran” every Friday.

7 May

UPCOMING EVENTS (mark your calendars now!)

PALEO POTLUCK.  At CFCC. Saturday, May 12th.  530-730pm.  Bring a dish with the ingredients.  Best three GREEN dishes win prizes!

A MINDSET FOR SUCCESS: Seminar for Procrastinators Everywhere, May 20th.  2-5pm

PROM. June 23rd.

DECATHALON.  Registration opens 6pm, May 13th.  The first 10 tickets sold are $50 off!

PROGRAMMING for our regular CrossFit “WORKOUT OF THE DAY” Sessions:

As CFCC waits for a few of its full-time Coaches to finish up their studies (Go, Sammy and Liz!) we will be doing as much as we can to make sure that our classes run as smoothly as possible given the ever-growing numbers of members, and class opportunities. In addition to all this, we eagerly await the addition of a little more help to our staff (both Coaching and Administrative) – in the meantime, this cycle is ALL about getting back to the basics.

If you are new to CFCC, it’s the perfect cycle to gain your sea-legs with. The format will be a little easier, with warm-ups staying MOSTLY the same for the same days and a lot of your single-limb work being placed in position at the beginning of the hour. Skill work will stay the same for the days that you are doing upper body strength work as well which will mean that we’re able to increase in strength, cross-sectional stability, and skill.

You’ll notice too, that instead of consistently focusing on many benchmarks only on certain days of the week – we are focusing on just one this cycle: Fran. For everything you ever needed to know about “Fran”, please examine the below:

The Story of Fran.

Fooling Around with Fran.

What is a Benchmark Workout?

Are we trying to specialize in one workout? No. Not really. We are trying to see what effect can be had by taking a cycle to work on kipping, a skill that is absolutely a huge part of your understanding of proper mechanics, mobility, and power output in CrossFit. We are taking that skill and transferring that to a small volume (45 total reps in “Fran”) while simultaneously experimenting with what the mind can do when presented with a test of intensity more frequently (kipping pull-ups alternated with relatively light thrusters in “Fran”). Sure you can get “Fran” done in under 6 minutes. As rx’d. But just how DOES someone think themselves into completing more than the guy next to them with the same abilities? That comes from a lot of heart, preparation, and a respect for the phrase “every second counts”.

For more inspiration, check out these performances:

The Men’s Master’s Division (+50yrs.) at the CrossFit Games completes “Fran” 

Mel Ockerby completes “Fran” in the Team Competition of last year’s CrossFit Games in 238. 

ODE TO FRAN – it’s kind of a big deal.

One-armed Fran (yes, the pullups too) from Rob Orlando.

The first ever men’s sub-two-minute Fran.

MONDAY: Back Squat: 3, 3, 2, 1 – Single Leg Warm-up
TUESDAY: Press: 3, 3, 2, 1 – Single Arm Rowing Warm-up and Handstand Push-up Activation.
WEDNESDAY: Weighted Chest-to-Bar Pull-up (Pronated Grip): 3, 3, 2, 1 – Kipping Warm-up and Skill Work (Butterfly and Gymnastics).
THURSDAY: Clean and Jerk, up to a peak of 1 every week. Short Conditioning Work.
FRIDAY: Conventional Deadlift: 3, 3, 2, 1 – FRAN every week.
SATURDAY: Running and Rowing Skill Work
SUNDAY: Team/Partner Workouts

A Mind Set for Success

4 May

A Mind Set For Success With CFCC-er Annie Stone!

Looking for something to kickstart you training goals?  Studying patterns?  How about eating habits (::cough BCCCers cough::)?  This day is for you! 

When: May 20, 2012 2-5 PM
Where: Crossfit Center City

$20 for members of the CFCC BCCC – in cash at Seminar.
$25 for members
$45 for non-members
$20 ($5 off for anyone who brings a friend or relative)

TO SIGN UP – look under “SEMINARS” on Mindbody.

For more details about the seminar, check out this outline.  

For more about Annie Stone, go here.

Monday, 4/30/12

29 Apr

Croga at 12pm and 630pm with Tim.

It’s PEAK WEEK. Welcome to the week of singles!  If you don’t keep a workout log – START ONE THIS WEEK!

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Foam Roll and Lax Ball as needed til 10 past the hour.
MOBILITY: Box Assisted Spiderman Stretch, 1 minute each side. Box Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side. Gastroc/Soleus Stretch, 1 minute each side.
POSTURAL STABILIZATION: Single Leg Squat Hold, 1 minute each side.
ACTIVATION: Box Jump, Work up to a peak of 1 in 8 minutes.
STRENGTH: Front Squat, up to a peak of 1.
***Especially in the 6am and 7am classes, absolutely no dumping/missing of barbells allowed – use a spot if you’re even a little bit unsure of a set.***
METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Tabata Burpees. Your score is your total number of burpees.

And now… for a VERY BIG DEAL…

CFCC IS GOING TO SUMMER CAMP!

Bathing suit? Check. Boom socks? Check. Bug spray? Check. It’s official, y’all, CFCC is going to summer camp! Mark your calendars for Friday, August 24 – Sunday, August 26! Registration will begin at noon on Friday and there WILL be workshops and WODs, along with all sorts of activities throughout the afternoon, so plan your time off from work accordingly! We will be headed to Indian Head, a summer camp and mountain retreat located in Equinuck, PA – about 3.5 hours from Philadelphia – for a weekend of adventure, beast-mode engagement, and all of your favorite CrossFitting friends.

Your weekend includes: Dinner on Friday, three meals on Saturday, and brunch on Sunday; 2 nights of accommodations; the CFCC Jamboree on Saturday night, featuring a pig roast, campfire, dancing, and open bar; specialized programming; workshops from guest presenters; and of course, the First Annual CrossFit Center City Decathlon.

Regular Members = $475; Students = $375. The first 10 people to sign up get $50 off of the appropriate registration fee! Registration begins soon!

Summer Camp is brought to you by Trap Door Athletics,the brand, spankin’ new business venture of Emily Record and Cassie Haynes Grassia. Find out more about who they are and what they do on their website, www.trapdoorathletics.com

Don’t forget to Like TDA on Facebook and follow them on Twitter, @fleethebox!!

Sunday, 4/22/12

21 Apr

Regular Sessions at 10am and 12pm.
Croga at 11am.
Gymnastics at 9am and 2pm.
Advanced Class at 2pm.

SIGN UP FOR THE CFCC BCCC this WEDNESDAY by emailing me (erin@crossfitcc.com) and letting me know whether you’d like to do the virtual version ($50 – one food log due a week for 40 days, feedback on your food log with edits for the next week, and any other suggestions you may need) or the in-person version ($100 – one food log due a week for 40 days which you will be able to go over in person – name your preference if you have one because I (Erin) will not be the only one reviewing logs this time – in 4 1/2 hour sessions.  In both cases you will also meet to weigh in, talk goals, and then weigh in at the end of the challenge.  You are eligible for prizes with both entry fees as well – and all KINDS of awesome events will be happening during the course of this challenge – starting with the below:

A TRIP TO WYEBROOK FARM (leave from the gym at 830am – return by 1130am) – Wyebrook Farm is an amazing farm about an hour away from Philly that happens to raise some of the best pastured chickens and pork, (plus much more) in the area.  Their market is opening this coming Saturday morning and we’re going out to pick up food and grab a quick bite in their cafe – come with us and take in the beauty of Lancaster as you walk the grounds and actually see where food you can feel good about really comes from!

YOGA FOR LIFT-OFF with Gina Stickney (SATURDAY, 12-3pm) – just $15 for members, $50 for non-members – a full 3 hours of yoga for CrossFitters, including time for theory and practice!  Come out and open up your shoulders and hips, reset your posture for the coming week ahead, and learn how to incorporate this practice into every one of our CROGA classes.

GYMNASTICS with Sammy: 

SMR: lax ball shoulders, 5 minutes
Mobility: band overhead stretch, 1 minute each side
Dynamic Warm-up: 5 rounds: 5 cat camels, 10 second invert grip hang, 10 arm circles back & front, 5 arch to hollow rock overs, 3 forward rolls
Skill: handstand walking
Met-Con: AMRAP 15 Minutes
20ft handstand walking
5 toes-to-bar
5 candle roll-to-tuck jumps


SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: As needed, until 10 past.
MOBILITY: Coaches’ Choice. 5 minutes.
DYNAMIC WARM-UP: 5 minutes of Red Light, Green Light.
STRENGTH: 30 ft., Farmer’s Walk as much Weight as you can.
*Each handle weighs 49lbs. Plus the clips, each handle is 50lbs.*–
Previous times we’ve done Farmer’s Walks.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:

WOD 12.5 of the CrossFit Games Open

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes following the rep scheme below:
100 pound Thruster, 3 reps
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 6 reps
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 9 reps
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 12 reps
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 15 reps
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 18 reps
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100 pound Thruster, 21 reps
21 Chest to bar Pull-ups…

This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 21, go on to 24. If you complete 24, go on to 27, etc.

Women use 65lbs. If you do not have an unassisted Chest to Bar pull-up you should still use the same range of motion (ROM)- use as much help from a band as you need to gain full ROM.

Video explanation is here.

ADVANCED CLASS, 2pm with Tim:

MOBILITY and DYNAMIC WARM-UP: As needed, 15 minutes.
METABOLIC CONDITIONING:

CFCC Movie Night and Paleo Potluck!

9 Feb

No costumes required for this one! :)

3 days before the CrossFit Open begins and probably the final big event we will hold in this space (CRAZY! We move in Mid-March)…

Come out on Sunday, February 19, 2012.  Starting at 5pm we’ll dig into some food and then start the movie at about 530pm.

We’ll be watching the movie on the wall! :)

Bring PALEO/PRIMAL FOOD only – or, at least label your food with what’s in it. Sign up in the gym to let us know what you’ll be bringing.  And sign up on the MINDBODY Scheduler  (under Seminars) to let us know that you’ll be there.  

All members of CFCC and all friends and family are invited.  This is a free and open event!

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.

Fall Ball the First.

19 Oct

Who: Exclusive to CFCC members only.

When: November 4th, from 6-9pm.  In lieu of regular classes.

What: About 1 hour of a workout done in costumes of your devising, followed by a Paleo Potluck style feast and good tunes you can choose to play. There will be a photographer, there will be a video camera – you may remember this forever. :)

Where: First Floor of CFCC

Why: Because it’s Fall and all of the Halloween stores will have costumes on sale… and because now that the CFCC BCCC is over we can definitely (if perhaps, in debatable fashion) consume pumpkin beer, paleo pumpkin cheesecake, and more stuff from Sweet Freedom Bakery!

How to sign up: Starting next Monday there will be a sign up for people attending and items being brought. Look for it, but you’ll also receive some reminders on the blog!

Thursday, 8/25/11

24 Aug

Need some paleo carb sources? Diane from Balanced Bites has ‘em right here! Does anyone know what to do with lotus root?

You wanna be lean?  Check out what former Eagle and CrossFit Football Owner John Welbourn has to say about it.

If you haven’t yet signed up for Diane’s Seminar coming to CFCC on Saturday, September 17th – you need to!  Go here to sign up!

Here are 5 things she’ll be talking about that most of you aren’t prepared to answer on:

1. What cholesterol is, what REALLY increases it, what REALLY decreases it and why low cholesterol is harmful to your health.
2. Why cooking with olive oil is not recommended.
3. How to properly address balancing omega 3:6 ratios and the real deal on fish oil supplementation.
4. What adrenal fatigue is, how it happens and how to know if you’re experiencing it.
5. What leaky gut is, how it happens, the mechanisms behind it and how to heal it.
Oh yeah, and by the way – Paleo isn’t just for people that want to be healthy – it has a lot more to do with being your strongest, fastest, and leanest.  Pretty helpful when you’re trying to do something like… THE CROSSFIT TOTAL!

OLYMPIC LIFTING with Jim at High Noon: Clean and Jerk, Romanian Deadlifts

GYMNASTICS at 730pm with Sammy:

Skills: Rolls + Ring Support (Iron Cross)

Metcon:

AMRAP 15 minutes:

5 ring dips

5 v-outs

5 rolling box jumps

Eileen SUMO DEADLIFTS (this is NOT a high pull... for SOME people)

SELF-MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Lax Ball to Shoulders, 5 minutes.

MOBILITY: http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/11/episode-91365-mobilize-in-position-of.html The 90/90 Stretch off the box, 2 minutes (maybe more???) on each side.  Plus, Partner Assisted Thoracic Extension, at least 1 minute, maybe 2?

ACTIVATION: Wallball Vertical Throw (no hip allowed, sit for the throw if you reach above the yellow line), aim to get your highest throw for 5 minutes.  Take plenty of rest in between attempts.

METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Pick a load that is 75% of your max press and complete the following with the same bar, same load: 5 rounds for time of: Press, 3 reps.  Sumo Deadlift High Pull, 5 reps.  Front Squat, 7 reps.

ON RAMP with Sammy at 6pm:

Mobility: Wall-Assisted 90/90, 1 minute each side.

Posture and Stability: Single Leg Squat Hold, 1 minute each side.

Dynamic Warm-up: 1 round as needed of: Cat Camel, Cat Stretches, Wrist Stretches, Adductor Mobs, Spiderman to Stand

Skill Work: The Single Leg Squat, The Pull-up

Metabolic Conditioning: Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes: 3 Strict Pull-ups, followed by as many single leg squats as you can do in the remaining time of the minute.  Your score is your single leg squats!

Friday, 7/22/11

21 Jul

Don’t forget to sign up on the Google Calendar to attend the Mock Olympic Lifting Competition tomorrow afternoon (Saturday) at 2pm.  Your fellow CFCCers will be lifting for a max in the snatch and the clean and jerk in preparation for their competition the following weekend in York, PA.  In short, it’ll be AWESOME and WE NEED YOU!

Are you worried about not getting enough calcium while nixing the dairy from your diet – stop worrying and start learning! Check out this great post on Paleo and Calcium!

Also, save the date! Diane of Balanced Bites will be RIGHT HERE at CFCC on September 17th to do an all day Seminar on all things Nutrition.  More info to follow.  Follow her on Facebook for up-to-date paleo meal ideas and holistic nutrition.

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein

SELF – MYOFASCIAL RELEASE: Lax Ball to Quads/Adductors, til past 5.

MOBILITY: Wall Quad Stretch, 1 minute each side.  Wall Assisted 90/90 Stretch, 2 minutes each side.  Gastroc/soleus stretch, 1 minute each side.

DYNAMIC WARM-UP: Rowing Skill Work.

STRENGTH: Back Squat, up to a peak of 3.

METABOLIC CONDITIONING: Partner 2k.  With a partner, strategize and row a 2k splitting up the work however you both see fit.

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