The August 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#72) is out.

Paul Eich, "All Other Things Being Equal: The CrossFit Fairness Doctrine" -CrossFit just isn't fair. As members of the community endlessly point out, workouts that require heavy lifting aren't fair to the small guys, and ones that emphasize bodyweight movements and running discriminate against heavy guys, wall ball and rowing are a bear for the height-challenged, and tall folks have to more work whenever they lift (or lower) weights or their bodies any distance, and there's no handicap for old guys, and don't even get started on the women. Right? Well, sort of. As is his wont, Paul "Apolloswabbie" Eich dishes out some tough love and puts things into perspective.

Judy Geer, "What Is an Erg?" - While you might think of the indoor rower as a Pain Machine, the literal definition of ergometer is "a device that measures work"--no small part of why we at CrossFit like it so much. In this article, Judy Geer of Concept2 talks about how the erg was developed, what innovations it introduced, and how it works to measure output.

Mike Houghton, "Mental Strength" - We all know that intense exercise develops physical strength and broad capacity, but, just as importantly, it also trains the mind and the will. Mike Houghton learned some of these lessons when he was a high school, college, and professional football player. CrossFit has brought all that back, and put a whole new, and somehow more personal, spin on it for him. Houghton gives his views on the fact that what we're doing here, really, is "training for the mental toughness to survive as well as the physical toughness to survive."

Tony Budding, "Media Tip #6: Video Equipment" (Video Article) - CrossFit's media director brings us more useful information on taking good photos and video. In this installment, he talks about various traits of video cameras. The bottom line is that for most CrossFit uses, cheap and convenient is best. You do get what you pay for, so a 3 CCD camera is better than 1 CCD, and professional optics make a huge difference in quality. But rarely are those significant factors for the videos that make their way onto affiliate blogs. Ultimately, the best video camera is the one you'll use the most.

Eddie Lugo, "Outfit Your Box: An Equipment Procurement Guide" - It's no accident that the CrossFit Journal's inaugural issue ("The Garage Gym") in 2002 was all about creating a more functional--and affordable--alternative to "big-box" gyms everywhere. That issue included broad explanations of the concept and its ramifications as well as specific nuts-and-bolts advice on what to buy and why. Here, Eddie Lugo continues that tradition by providing an updated guide to outfitting a box, whether it's a personal garage or basement gym, a portable equipment cache for outdoor workouts, a 5,000-square-foot CrossFit affiliate, or anything in between.

Mike Burgener, "Nick Hawke's Snatch Training at Mike's Gym, Part 1" (Video Article) - Ever wonder what it would be like to train in the gym with of one of the world's best weightlifting coaches? Here's a glimpse. Nick Hawke went to Mike's Gym thinking he'd never be able to snatch well. This video is the first set of highlights from his snatch session with Coach B. Turns out Nick's not so bad after all...

Jeff Tucker, "Why Train Gymnastics Basics?" -We all know that learning basic gymnastics elements is a foundational part of CrossFit training and development. Their relevance for training strength and body control are obvious, but they offer much more than that. The ability to move one's body weight effortlessly and with confidence will transfers broadly to other aspects of your training and daily life. You don't need an in-house gymnastics coach to get started, but a little expert guidance can go a long, long way, as Coach Tucker explains here.

Jennifer McKenzie, "Training for Special Medical Populations: Cardiac Concerns" - Jennifer McKenzie and her husband, Drew, both exercise physiologists and trainers, work with various special populations in their local community, hospitals, schools, and their own CrossFit affiliate in Savannah, Georgia. As more and more people discover the benefits of CrossFit, there is a corresponding increase in the numbers of clients with a variety of health issues and specialized needs who want the benefits of legitimate functional training. McKenzie offers some sound advice on bringing CrossFit to them safely and effectively.

Becca Borawski, "Countering the Clinch Escape" - In her previous two articles, Borawski I discussed how to enter the clinch and how to escape the clinch. But, in addition to having plenty of well-executed escapes and defenses in his arsenal, a good fighter needs to be able counter his opponent's escapes. Borawski and MMA fighter Tait Fletcher walk us through the moves.

Dave Castro, "CrossFit Programming, Part 3: The Movements" (Video Article) - In the third installment of his lecture on CrossFit programming, training director Dave Castro goes into more detail about how to construct effective workouts using various combinations of functional movements. Find out why seemingly simple couplets and triplets are the cornerstone of some of the most effective CrossFit programming. In the next video, Castro will talk about how to create and implement single modality workouts as part of your CrossFit training.

Cyndi Rodi, "CrossFit Kids: Forging Future Achievers" - At some point during their introduction to CrossFit, folks often wax wistful about how fit they'd be and how much they could have accomplished if they'd found CrossFit when they were young. Well, we may not be able to go back in our own histories and take CrossFit with us, but there is a whole program devoted to bringing the benefits of CrossFit training to new generations of kids and teens. Cyndi Rodi, who helps administer the CrossFit Kids program, talks about some of the effects and benefits of CrossFit for kids and, most importantly, claims that the positive effects are much more than a mindset or a surplus of self-confidence: "We believe," she says, that CrossFit "is actually changing the way our kids process information." Prepare to be inspired.

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Navigating the landscape of martial arts training can sometimes be a daunting and mysterious task. Following up on last month's article on how to choose a Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) academy, I asked a few more questions of a panel of experts in the art. This second article in a three-part series addresses how to survive in Brazilian jiu-jitsu once you've got started--meaning how to navigate everything from ringworm and cauliflower ear, to what to wear underneath your gi and how not to annoy your teammates.

This month's panel of experts

Jimmy Tang has been training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, both with and without the traditional gi, for six and a half years. A frequent tournament competitor, Jimmy earned his brown belt from Jean Jacques Machado in 2006.

Felicia Oh earned her black belt from Jean Jacques Machado in four and a half years and has been training for seven. She teaches BJJ and is a certified CrossFit trainer at Big John McCarthy's Ultimate Training Academy in California. In 2007 she was the FILA World Grappling Champion and Pan-Am Champion in both gi and no-gi divisions.

Kenny Florian is a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, Ultimate Fighter contestant, and top contender in the 155-pound weight division in the UFC. He has been training BJJ for approximately eleven years and earned his black belt in five and a half years, from Roberta Maia of Gracie Barra.

Valerie Worthington has been training for nine years. She earned her purple belt from Carlson Gracie and Carlson Gracie, Jr. Currently she trains under Johnny Ramirez and John Ouano at New Breed Academy. In 2007 she won the gold in her weight division at the World Grappling Games in Antalya, Turkey.

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Effective coaching requires efficient communication. This communication is greatly aided by coach and athlete sharing a terminology for both human movement and body parts.

We've developed an exceedingly simple lesson in anatomy and physiology that we believe has improved our ability to accurately and precisely motivate desired behaviors and enhanced our athletes' understanding of both movement and posture.

Basically, we ask that our athletes learn four body parts, three joints (not including the spine), and two general directions for joint movement. We cap our A&P lesson with the essence of sports biomechanics distilled to three simple rules.

We use a simple iconography to depict the spine, pelvis, femur, and tibia. We show that the spine has a normal "S" shape and where it is on the athlete's body. We similarly demonstrate the pelvis, femur, and tibia.

We next demonstrate the motion of three joints. First, the knee is the joint connecting tibia and femur. Second, working our way up, is the hip. The hip is the joint that connects the femur to the pelvis. Third, is the sacroiliac joint (SI joint), which connects the pelvis to the spine. (We additionally make the point that the spine is really a whole bunch of joints.)

We explain that the femur and tibia constitute "the leg" and that the pelvis and spine constitute "the trunk." That completes our anatomy lesson - now for the physiology. We demonstrate that "flexion" is reducing the angle of a joint and that "extension" is increasing the angle of a joint.

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One week after the (2007) CrossFit Games I was sitting around CF Santa Cruz and the topic of the top three male competitors came up. Someone marveled that they all performed at such high levels. As the discussions gained some steam I wondered to myself what they all have in common in the performance arena. The first thing that came to mind was the benchmark workout known as "Fran" (three rounds, at 21, 15, and 9 reps, respectively, of 95-pound thrusters and pull-ups). I knew for a fact that all three of them had a sub-3:00 "Fran" time. So I wondered what other benchmark performance numbers they put up. What does it take to compete with these three? What are some constants in their performances? And, are there certain benchmark workouts and exercises that act as indicators (and predictors) of broad fitness and capacity across diverse domains?

Brett Marshall (known as "AFT") and James Fitzgerald ("OPT") flew in from Canada to compete in the Games. Marshall burst into the realm of the CrossFit elite with his sub-2:00 time on "Diane" (three rounds, 21, 15, and 9 reps, of 225px-pound deadlifts and handstand push-ups). His training partner, Fitzgerald, is equally impressive. Josh Everett, the head strength and conditioning coach for UC Riverside's athletic teams--drove up from Southern California. He is well known in the CrossFit world for his lifting prowess, his broad fitness, and his epic battles against Greg Amundson at "Fran." The games The first event, the Hopper, was won by Marshall. He dominated the workout, which consisted of a 100px0- meter row followed by five rounds of twenty-five pull- ups, and seven 135px-pound jerks. Fitzgerald took second, and third went to Chris Spealler from Salt Lake City. Everett rounded out the group in fourth place.The second event, the off-trail run, saw Spealler winning and Fitzgerald again taking second. Marshall came in third, and Everett finished in the top ten.

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The July 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#71) is out.

Steve Liberati, "Steve's Club: A Nonprofit CrossFit Affiliate for Urban Youth" - Steve's Club is a nonprofit CrossFit affiliate in Camden, New Jersey (traditionally ranked as one of "America's most dangerous cities.") Founder Steve Liberati's goal is to build on the kids' inherent interest in athletics to engage them in a fitness program promoting excellence both in and out of the gym and sports arena. "While physical fitness is the heart and soul of Steve's Club," he says, "a sense of community, belonging, and responsibility is its backbone." See the full article for more details on how Steve's Club got started, how it operates, and what effects it's having.

Jeff Martin and Cyndi Rodi, "The Inherent Responsibilities of Training Children and Teens" - "Training kids and teens comes with a profound responsibility," remarks Jeff Martin. "It is not simply a scaled-down version of training adults." As a longtime CrossFitter and teacher, a CrossFit Coach, a father of four young athletes, and the co-owner of BrandX Martial Arts and the CrossFit Kids program, the man knows whereof he speaks. But the experience of taking two extremely high performing and hard-charging CrossFit teenagers over the past year and reining them in to focus on proper form and safe mechanics at very low loads yielded some important new lessons for him and the rest of the staff at his gym--lessons relevant not only to anyone who works with kids but to all CrossFitters and trainers.

Jeff Tucker, "Handstand Drills, Part 1: Ken C.'s Handstands" (Video Article)- This month, Jeff Tucker and his crew from GSX Athletics give clear visual demonstrations of the basics of the handstand, touching on everything from how to get into position from standing to how to execute a forward roll out of a belly-to-the-wall or freestanding handstand. They address the key concepts of being able to strike and maintain the pose: hand width, shoulder and head position, "locked and loaded" arms, and a tight "hollow" body position. Demo guy Ken C. had a "decent" handstand going into this exercise but found he still had things that a little expert coaching helped him improve on in just one session.

Christian "Mac" Ward, "A Nonprofit Affiliate in a Military Context: The Case of CrossFit Cherry Point" - As for Steve Liberati, above, the desire to provide CrossFit training to people who do not have access to it was the catalyst for Mac Ward to set up a rather different kind of nonprofit affiliate, this one aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina. Getting started on something like this may seem a daunting task, Mac acknowledges, but, as with any other affiliation venture, if you just take small steps, it will generate its own momentum, as his story shows.

Eric Devine, "Fully Alive: The 2008 CrossFit East Coast Challenge" - In the build-up to the 2008 CrossFit Games, CrossFit Albany hosted a regional two-day competition and community event this spring called the East Coast Challenge. Eric Devine was there, and his competitor's report from the inside makes for a good read. In the afterglow of the event, he may have been taken to rhapsodize on the experience a bit: "The Challenge was raw beauty. Limits were tested, barriers were broken, and camaraderie forged through shared experience and pain. It was evidence that CrossFit is like no other sport."

Tony Leyland, "Human Power Output and CrossFit Metcon Workouts" - From the beginning, CrossFit has unorthodoxly enjoined us to "strive to blur distinctions between 'cardio' and strength training." But, for university exercise physiologist Tony Leyland, that flies in the face of much of the accepted knowledge in his field and raises a plethora of tough questions. How is that "blurring" possible given that strength/power training and cardiovascular training are at different ends of the power spectrum? How do CrossFit's signature "metcon" workouts, in particular, work--and work so effectively? What are the mechanisms? Join the good professor as he continues on his mission of trying to peer under the lid of that inscrutable black box.

Chris Spealler, "Combining Wrestling and CrossFit Training" - In his series of recent CrossFit Journal articles, Speal has talked about some of the basics of wrestling such as stance, shots, takedowns, escapes, reversals, nearfalls and pins. That was all about rather specific wrestling moves. Now, he gives some thought to the broader question: How can and should wrestlers use CrossFit to complement our wrestling?

Tony Budding, "Media Tip #5: Shooting Stills" (Video Article) - CrossFit's Media Director brings us more useful information on taking good photos and video. This time, he takes a consumer-grade point-and-shoot digital camera into a random class at CrossFit Santa Cruz and narrates his process of capturing stills in a real-world CrossFit environment as the photo opportunities--and challenges--arise.

Becca Borawski, "Escape from the Clinch" - Last month, Borawski worked with Tait Fletcher, a veteran of the television show The Ultimate Fighter, on how to get into the clinch and deliver knee strikes. This month, they approach the move from the other side and look closely at one way of escaping from the clinch, a vital skill in mixed martial arts--and especially when fighting an experienced Muay Thai fighter (as anyone who watched the recent MMA fights between Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin has witnessed!).

Sue Lozinski, "From Obese to Athletic: A Success Story" - CrossFit Watertown client Sue Lozinski has come a long way since just over a year-ago, pre-CrossFit, when climbing up the thirteen stairs to her bedroom left her out of breath. "This was no way to live. Something had to give," she says. "But, even as I started to try, the voice in my head told me that wasn't really possible." Since she started CrossFitting (and has lost seventy pounds so far), everything is different. What she's learned, in addition to immeasurable practical knowledge of effective training and nutrition, is something even more important: "I have no doubt that I will reach my next set of goals...because now I know, for the first time in my life, that I can do this."

Dave Castro, "CrossFit Programming, Part 2: The Movements" (Video Article) - In Part 1 of his lecture on CrossFit programming (i.e., putting together effective training and workouts) in last month's video article, Dave Castro explained the proper application of the principles of variety and intensity, two out of three of the foundational pillars of CrossFit programming. This month, he covers the third, functional movements, which are, by definition, those that move large loads over long distances quickly. Exercises that meet this criterion provide the meat for any CrossFit workout.

Tony Budding, "The Quest to Measure Fitness" - CrossFit produces, and bases its definition of improvements in fitness on--"increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains." But that raises an important question: How relevant is this fitness? In other words, how much do improvements in a broad ability to generate and sustain power across broad time and modal domains within CrossFit translate into real, improved capacity in the world outside the gym? Does the capacity developed in CrossFit improve capacity in the real world? And, can that improvement ever be scientifically established and measured? Tony Budding is on it, and he reports his thoughts and observations from that quest in the article, just in time for the CrossFit Games test case.

Lon Kilgore, "The Measure of a Man" - Movement, specifically technical movement in exercise and sport, is subject to anthropometric and geometric influences. And, while the laws of geometry are pretty well fixed and understood, the precise effects of anthropometry in athletic movement and coaching tend not to get their due. Professor Kilgore explains in detail how being able to see, at a glance, how an athlete's body dimensions compare to an average template helps us place that athlete (or ourselves) in correct, efficient, and safe exercise positions.

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A front handspring is a common gymnastics skill that is often demonstrated outside competitive gymnastics as well. There is an appeal to being able to run forward, kick through a handstand and spring back to your feet. It has also found application in the upper levels of other sports such as a handspring throw-in on the soccer field. While less intimidating and safer to learn than a back handspring, a front handspring is far more difficult to perform correctly.

Performing a correct front handspring requires you to override several natural reactions during the course of the skill. It also requires a strong kick accompanied by a strong push with the opposite leg. Good shoulder flexibility is necessary to optimize push off the floor and allow for efficient positioning.

There are two prerequisites to a front handspring. You must be able to do both a decent hurdle and a solid kick to handstand. The kick to handstand should go straight to the handstand with proper shoulder extension.

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Coach,

Just thought I would let you know about a little PT session we had. We played Hoover Ball with a 12lb TKO medicine ball, 5 players per side, 6 games to 10 points. It took 55 minutes and everyone was wiped out.

Sincerely,

SSgt Frank Ollis

U.S. Marines

We found Hoover Ball when we were on the Internet looking for something more competitive and sporting for the medicine ball. It has a distinguished history , looked promising as a conditioning tool, and sounded fun so we suggested it on the WOD page and got the response above from Frank Ollis.

We know Frank well enough to know that if he thinks it's tough, it's tough.

The game is officially a game of catch played with a medicine ball under a volleyball net on a tennis court and with tennis scoring.

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Last month, we looked at ways to get up onto some objects that you might find in your path. Now, it's time to come back down. We will be using some of the same techniques that we used to ascend the obstacles, and some more of the static skills from part 1 will come in to play as well.

Just as with getting onto objects, be sure to master these techniques from very low obstacles to start. A curb works well. You want to make sure that you have the skills down pat before attempting higher drops. Also, keep in mind that landing on hard surfaces is less forgiving than landing on softer ones. As you take these skills to higher or more unpredictable objects, you will crash now and then. Prepare yourself accordingly. Learn to bail when things go awry. Don't go down with a sinking ship! You'll usually know that you are in trouble the moment you drop.

Try not to ride over your head. If you are not feeling comfortable with a line or drop, it is best to wait until later when you have the skill or confidence. Freezing or panicking in the middle of a line is a sure recipe for disaster (see video). Stay as relaxed as possible.

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While standing in a grocery store line the other day, I picked up one of the popular mainstream men's fitness publications. (I confess.) They are all the same. The models are topless, lean, and tan. Their makeup jobs take longer than those of all the girls I like, and their teeth are bigger and whiter than Mr. Ed's. To my utter amazement, though, the models in this particular issue were performing functional dumbbell movements (in this case the dumbbell snatch)! Not a biceps curl in sight! I would like to think the CrossFit Journal and this column are partly responsible.

Mainstream or not, this month's installment of the "Dumbbell Coach" column will focus on a challenge from my DVD Dumbbell Moves, Vol. 2. The dumbbell Bear is a unique complex that combines three of the most productive weight-lifting movements in a smoker of a task-priority workout.

History

I learned of the barbell version of the Bear in 2003. That version included a power clean, front squat, push press, and back squat in succession. The push press to back squat transition was difficult. The back squat toMy dumbbell version of the Bear consists of deadlifts, hang power cleans, and front squat / push presses (thrusters).

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In my first installment on parkour, in last month's journal, I recounted a bit of the sport's background, from some of the original concepts of functional fitness that underlie it to the sport/art that was developed by teens in the suburbs outside of Paris and has recently exploded onto the world scene. That being said, any activity is only as good as its actual practice.

Talking about parkour is in no way correlative to actually doing it. The same applies to CrossFit in general; rarely will someone garner an accurate view of the program purely through conversation or contemplation rather than action. So let's get right to the nitty-gritty.

Parkour, first and foremost, is dependent on two things: the environment, which dictates the possibilities for effective movement, and your current level of ability or comfort within that environment. In much the same way that CrossFit scales and modifies techniques from gymnastics and Olympic lifting for new trainees, parkour can be scaled and modified to benefit most any willing population. And the result of an untrained individual getting in over their head in parkour is similar to that of putting a newbie upside-down on a set of rings or in a full overhead squat under a bodyweight load on a bar. (Let's just say that natural selection can be a beautiful thing.)

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The June 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#70) is out.

Robert Ord, "A Day in the Life: Preparing for SOF Conditioning" - Ord wraps up his series of articles on training and preparation for special operations hopefuls with a description of the day in the life of a recruit in the Navy's Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUDS) training pipeline. With more stunning photographs from BUDS by Richard Schoenberg.

Kaitlin Lyons, "CrossFit Kids: Dryland Training for Young Swimmers" - California swimming coach Kaitlin Lyons describes her young swim team's adoption and integration of CrossFit strength and conditioning into their training. She gives detailed information on some of the drills, workouts, and games they began with, and talks a bit about the results the kids have seen so far.

Tony Budding, "Media Tips #4: Buying a Camera" (Video Article) - CrossFit's Media Director gives some tips on buying a digital camera and lenses suited to the needs of affiliates and others who want good shots of CrossFit-type action. He talks about various styles and prices of cameras on the market, from relatively inexpensive small and medium-size point-and-shoot models up to "prosumer" digital SLR models, and weighs the pros and cons of the features of each.

Lon Kilgore, "Certifiable Knowledge" - Professor Kilgore offers his two cents on the state of fitness certifications nowadays. He ponders what certifications are good for, what they actually mean, which ones are worth the time and money, and how trainers and the public ought to use them. Caveat emptor.

Becca Borawski, "Entering the Clinch" - After a foray into broader discussions of the world of jiu-jitsu training in the past several months, Borawski returns to detailed examinations of individual moves used in mixed martial arts. This time, she describes--and Ultimate Fighter Tait Fletcher demonstrates--getting into the clinch effectively and offensively.

Tony Budding, "Capacity, Standards, and Sport" - With the 2008 CrossFit Games coming up in July, Tony Budding waxes philosophical about the relationships between standards for "correct" technique, work capacity, the rules of competition. It's a topic that comes up frequently in CrossFit discussions. While exacting standards are relevant and necessary within the artificial realm of sport, "in the real-world pursuit of maximal fitness and capacity," he argues, "there is no reward for achieving some established 'technique' outside its support of a measurable accomplishment of work."

Brian Jolda, "SWAT vs. Fran" - When a link to "Firefighter Fran"--a video of two firefighters doing "Fran" in full bunker gear and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)--was posted with the Workout of the Day on CrossFit.com on May 4, 2008, the spirit of competition awoke in a couple of our Connecticut police officers and SWAT team members. So, here's the video and discussion of their experience doing "Fran" in full SWAT gear and gas masks.

John Hovey, "A Lighter Take on 'Fran'" - Seattle CrossFitter Hovey offers a humorous tale of his ill-fated experience with trying to show the college kids a thing or two about real fitness. You just know it's not going to go well...

Dave Castro, "CrossFit Programming, Part 1" (Video Article) - In this video from the beginning of a lecture on CrossFit programming, Dave Castro talks about the proper application of CrossFit's principles of variety and intensity (he'll cover the third pillar, functional movement, in a future video). Variety is about more than just changing up which exercises you do, and intensity comes with some caveats and prerequisites. Dave explains what that really means for us, in the most practical terms.

Chris Spealler, "Working for Pins and Near Fall Points in Wrestling" - This article picks up from the basic breakdowns and escapes Speal presented last month to talk about how to finish off your opponent with a pin or devastating lead in points. He looks specifically at the half nelson, crossface cradle, and corkscrew, with video demos of each.

Jeff Tucker, "Pull-Up Bar Drills, Part 3: Going Further" (Video Article) - For the third month, the crew from GSX Athletics continues their coaching session on pull-up-bar drills and techniques. In this video, they look at some more rarefied powerful pull-up variations. They work mostly on "dynos" (hopping between different-height bars) but also have some fun with clapping pull-ups, one-handed kipping pull-ups, and other monkeylike tricks.

Alex Dunne, "Race to Your Potential: How to Pace an Indoor Rowing Test" - Having the right race plan--and sticking to it--makes a huge difference both for your performance and for your enjoyment of indoor racing. In this article, Alex Dunne of Concpet2 Rowers talks in detail about how to construct a race plan and avoid making costly mistakes. He uses the 1000-meter distance as an example his discussion (in part because at the CrossFit Games next month there will be an opportunity to win an indoor rower by taking part in a 1000-meter race), but the same basic principles apply to any race distance.

Buddy Lee, "Jump Rope Basics, Part 3: Intermediate Phase" - In the first part of the intermediate phase of Buddy Lee's training progression for learning to jump rope, he talks about how to progress safely from the 500 jumps we built up to at the end of the preparation phase to the five minutes of continuous jumping that we'll aim for this time. We'll also learn some new moves and expand our repertoire from the basic bounce step and the alternate-foot step discussed in his previous articles to include the side straddle, forward straddle, skier's jump, and bell jump.

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The May 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#69) is out.

Jeff Tucker, "Pull-Up Drills, Part 2: Moving Toward Levers" (Video Article) -This, the second video article in a series demonstrating CrossFit-oriented gymnastics drills on the pull-up bar with Jeff Tucker and Jason Malutich from GSX Athletics, gives hands-on demonstration of some progressions and drills almost anyone can use to work toward front and back levers. Coach Tucker works with some regular CrossFitters, starting with beginning inversion on the bar and progressing closer and closer to a full lever. Plus some good information on safety and spotting techniques.

Jason Dougherty, "The Hard Routine" - Dougherty talks about the general applicability of the idea of the "hard routine" that originates in special operations communities, where mental toughness, determination, and discipline are required for success and, often, survival. There is a lesson here, he says, that applies to all of us, even in far less dire circumstances, as a powerful catalytic agent for change and success of all sorts.

Mikki Martin, "A CrossFit Kids Class" (Video Article) - If you've ever wondered how the incomparable Martin family and staff, of BrandX Martial Arts/CrossFit Ramona manage to train so many kids so effectively and with relatively little chaos, this video is for you. It follows Coach Mikki Martin as she and her assistants put a whole CF Kids class through their paces, from the beginning introduction, through warm-up, skill demos, workout circuit, and a follow-up game time, keeping them working hard and fully engaged throughout.

Chris Spealler, "Wrestling Escapes and Breakdowns" - Speal's articles in the past couple months have gone over a small set of basic wrestling movements from the feet, but what happens when you get on the mat? This month, he talks about the bottom position for escapes and reversals as well as breakdowns from the top position. With photo and video demos, as always.

Michael Rutherford, "Running a One-Trainer Business" , & Andy Petranek, "Balancing Act" -
In a pair of related articles, Rut and Petranek tell their stories of how they've managed two very different CrossFit-affiliate training businesses, dealt with some of the hurdles they've encountered along the way, and how they've gotten themselves to where they are now--to their current point (not of stasis or perfection by any means, but) of greater balance.

Tony Budding, "Media Tips #3: Tripod vs. Handheld" (Video Article) - The third in TonyB's series of media tips or CrossFitters and affiliates addresses the benefits and drawbacks of shooting video on a tripod versus filming free hand. Ultimately, how you choose to shoot, as with most everything in photography, is all about the purpose of your video, the subject of it, and the conditions under which you are working. Budding walks us through some of those choices and trade-offs here.

Tyler Hass, "Scaling Up CrossFit Workouts with Rings" - In an earlier article, RingTraining.com's Tyler Hass talked about ways to scale down CrossFit workouts for beginners by using rings. This month, he goes in the opposite direction, showing how to use rings to scale up the difficulty of workouts for advanced athletes.

Greg Hammond, "Rowing Corrections, Part 3" (Video Article) - In this installment of his rowing lesson and technique troubleshooting, Greg Hammond of Concept2 works with an audience member on the finer points of an already-strong stroke, focusing on teaching him to keep a slow but powerful and consistent stroke rate, maintain good head and elbow position, move the handle and seat in sync, and so on. He goes on to address the technique for starting from a dead stop to get up to speed quickly and safely and how to determine the damper settings for various kinds of rowing pieces and body types.

Mark Rippetoe, "Low-Bar vs. High-Bar Squats" - Rip is back! In this piece, he delves deep into another one of his favorite topics: why the low-bar back squat, with its emphasis on hip drive, is "the best strength exercise there is"--for CrossFitters, for Olympic weightlifters, and for anyone who wants to be strong. In particular, he explains the intricacies of its advantages over the high-bar, or "Olympic-style" squat.

Becca Borawski, "Succeeding in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" - In the last article in Borawski's series on getting and staying into Brazilian jiu-jitsu she brings together her panel of experts on BJJ to discuss the issues of how and how often to train, how to avoid and cope with injury, what to do about burnout, and the whether competition is necessary.

Lon Kilgore, "Dissecting the Fish: Plotting Progress in Multi-Mode Training" - Professor Kilgore takes another look at his and Mark Rippetoe's model of how the body's adaptation to training stress drives programming for barbell training, He looks here at what happens when we apply that model to CrossFit's comprehensive fitness programming and what all that means for integrating more specialized barbell training with CrossFit. See what he finds when he tries to peer into the black box a bit.

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Coach Glassman addresses a group of trainers-in-training on what it means to be a good trainer and why it matters. How successful you are--how good you are--he argues, is entirely up to you. While competency in the mechanics is the sine qua non of training, one of the differences between good and great trainers is passion. Passion for movement, for people, for spreading knowledge. It is not about marketing or a great business plan, or having the perfect space, or any of the other accoutrements. It's about loving what you do, caring enough to do it right, and, ultimately, sharing your knowledge as broadly as possible.

"Leverage your efforts," he says. "Talk to anyone who will listen to you about what it is that you do. But only if you love it--if you can get up and say Man, I want to show you something really cool. It's the squat. It's unbelievable. It's the simplest, most overlooked thing in the world. If you feel and believe that and can express that with passion, people are going to follow you anywhere. And they'll throw money at your feet."

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The April 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#68) is out.

Matt DeMinico, "National Champion Under Development" - DeMinico, of Motor City CrossFit, introduces us to 13-year-old future Olympic speedskating hopeful, and CrossFitter, Andrew Astalos. His story is a testament not only to the effectiveness of CrossFit training but also to the role of commitment and balance in training (especially for kids) and the importance of excellent coaching.

Phil Savage, "Hand Rips: Causes, Treatments, and Prevention" - As a gymnastics coach, Savage knows the importance of maintaining the health and integrity of the skin on the hands to allow sustained training, But he also sees plenty of torn calluses and skin rips, which are part of the territory for any physical exercise that uses the hands intensively--including high-volume kipping pull-ups and ring work as well as kettlebell and barbell training, to name a few. Here he presents an illustrated practical guide to callus maintenance and rip prevention and treatment that we can all use.

Chris Spealler, "Wrestling Set-Ups, Takedowns, and Finishes" - Following up on last month's article on the fundamentals of wrestling, this month Speal explores some basic options in offense. He gives step-by-step instruction for some key set-ups, double-leg and single-leg takedowns, and finishes. With photo and video demos.

Jeremy Thiel, "Youth Strength & Conditioning Programs" - CrossFit Central's Jeremy Thiel is back, this time with his story of developing and running successful CrossFit-based summer strength and conditioning programs for high-school athletes (and eventually translating that into an ongoing adult "boot camp" program). In addition to getting kids into better shape, the program emphasizes team cohesiveness, accountability, leadership skills, and learning what it takes to be a champion both on and off the field.

Adrian Bozman, "Training the Pistol" Adrian Bozman, "Training the Pistol" (Video Article) - Bozman, of CrossFit San Francisco, covers the basic pistol (one-legged squat), modifications, and assists, as well as weighted variations. He teaches several progressions and tactics for working toward success at the basic move, as well as some increasingly difficult weighted variations.

Tony Budding, "Media Tips #2: Framing" (Video Article) - In the second in his series of practical instructional tips on taking good photos and video in workout contexts, CrossFit Media Director Tony Budding gives some good pointers on framing your subject to produce more professional, appealing, and useful media.

Andrew Thompson, "Characteristics of a World-Class Trainee" - There is a lot of discussion out there about what makes good leaders, teachers, and coaches, but less about the qualities required on the other side of that relationship--about what it takes to be a world-class trainee. Thompson looks at the some of the consistent characteristics that distinguish these folks from the pack, both in and out of the training environment.

Jeff Tucker, "Pull-Up Bar Drills, Part 1: L-Pull-Up" (Video Article) - Gymnastics coach Jeff Tucker and assistant Jay Malutich takes us through the intricacies of the L-pull-up and progressions for developing the strength and skill to execute it, as well as showing some more difficult variations such as V-ups and weighted versions, for those who have already mastered the basic L.

Becca Borawski, "Surviving in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" - Following up on last month's article on how to choose a Brazilian jiu-jitsu academy, Borawski asks this month's panel of experts to talk about how to navigate the social and logistical landscape of the BJJ world once you've got started--how to deal with everything from cauliflower ear to what to wear under your gi and how not to alienate your teammates.

Mike Burgener, "Pat's Oly Workout: Clean and Jerk" (Video Article) - Coach Burgener continues coaching CrossFitter Pat Barber through an Olympic lifting session. Last month, they worked on the snatch, ending with a new personal-record lift for Pat. This month we see how Coach B gets him up to a PR in the clean and jerk as well.

Tom Bohrer, "Smoother Rowing for More Power" - Rowing coach Bohrer addresses some of the common issues with the "catch" in indoor rowing. This transition moment from the recovery phase to the drive is crucial to rowing efficiency and safety, but it is fraught with problems for many folks. Bohrer examines those problems, explains the right way to do it, and offers some simple tools and techniques for routing out improper mechanics and teaching correct ones.

Robert Ord, "Pre-SOF Training, Part 5: 'Land'" - The fifth article in our series describes the fourth and final phase--the "Land" phase--of U.S. Tactical CrossFit's program for building the physical and mental fundamentals that prospective special operations forces recruits will need to make it in SOF training. The focus of this phase is on rucksack work and preparation for moving on to an SOF training pipeline. Plus attention to the logistics of fitting and packing a rucksack and caring for the feet.

Brian Jones, "Sandbag Training: Part 2" - In Part 1 of his series on sandbag training (in our January 2008 issue), Jones discussed the rationale behind sandbag training, explained how to make a sandbag, and walked us through some of the fundamental sandbag lifts. This month, he presents more useful lifts and talks about integrating the sandbag into workouts and training programs.

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This month we respond to the oft-heard conjecture that lifting overhead is inherently dangerous--i.e., that it is destructive of the shoulder. Conjecture, by definition, is required neither to comport with fact nor to offer testable proposition, and, as such, it is a ready vehicle for those limited in the skills, focus, or desire required to give thoughtful examination on any topic. (See "Conjecture, Hypothesis, Theory, Law" in CrossFit Journal 64, December 2007.) "Squatting is bad for the knees," "lying down after a workout is dangerous to the heart," "swimming shortly after eating causes drowning," and "overhead lifts are bad for the shoulders" are all conjectures unsupported by data, untested by experimentation, and at odds with fact, yet each has at one time or another been offered as "common knowledge" in athletic communities.

Additionally, proving the non-existence of anything is fraught with logical difficulty. If you claim to be in possession of a unicorn, for example, by what process am I to prove the falsity of your claim? The point is that the burden of proof for conjecture lies with those who offer it, not those who are witness to it. No response ought to be required of conjecture until it is supported by data and experimentation--that is, until it is presented as a hypothesis and subsequently elevated by experimentation and data to become a theory. This is a simple protocol of rhetoric required by logic and practicality.

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The March 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#67) is out.

Robert Ord, "Pre-SOF Training, Part 4: 'Water' " - The fourth article in our series describes the "Water" phase of US Tactical CrossFit's program for building the physical and mental fundamentals that prospective special operations forces recruits will need to make it in SOF training.

Nicole Carroll, "Nutrition: The Teeter-Totter" (Video Article) - The simple CrossFit nutrition prescription-"Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar"-will deliver you from metabolic derangement (i.e., hyperinsulinemia, Syndrome X, etc.) and keep you generally well. It's all about balancing your body's internal teeter-totter, where the interdependent levels of "good" and "bad" hormones pivot on the food you take in. For maximal output and truly elite fitness, however, you need to be more precise than that. In this lecture excerpt, Nicole Carroll makes the case for why.

Greg Glassman, "Technique, Part 2: Q & A" (Video Article) - This month's Glassman video captures some of the key points from the question and answer session following the lecture excerpted in last month's Technique video. Here, Coach Glassman elaborates on a number of questions that get at some of the finer details of the relationships between technique, intensity, functional movement, and performance that he raised earlier.

Mark Eaton, "Good Coach, Bad Coach" - A brief collection of some elementary wisdom from the common body of knowledge on coaching, to serve as an opportunity for personal reflection on how we behave as coaches and trainers. These tidbits were originally assembled for coaches of adolescents, but they apply just as well to coaches and trainers of all ages and levels of clients, athletes, and teams.

Doug Chapman, "Mobility in Design: A Portable Pull-Up Structure" - What if you could have pull-up bars that are sturdy, allow full kipping pull-ups, and accommodate a large of people at once-and can be moved wherever you need them, including outdoors, with a minimum of fuss and muss? Well, it's not just a pipe dream. The folks at CrossFit Ann Arbor/Hyperfit USA have exactly that and explain how you can have it too.

Tony Leyland, "Good Hormones, Bad Hormones: The Energy Balance Equation" - Gary Taubes's fine new book Good Calories, Bad Calories is dedicated to demonstrating that nutrition for good health and weight control "is not just about the calories, Stupid." In this fine analysis, Leyland shows that the same is true, if under-recognized, on the opposite side of the energy-in/energy-out equation. When it comes to exercise, like diet, the important thing is not just quantity; what matters most is not simply how many calories you expend, but how you do so.

Becca Borawski, "Getting Started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" - Becca frequently fields questions from CrossFitters about how to get started in Brazilian jiu-jitsu (or any martial art). So she's pulled together a panel of successful jiu-jitsu players/MMA fighters to address some of the common questions about how to find a school and instructor, what to expect, how to prepare, how to combine martial arts with strength and conditioning training, and how to get better.

Tyler Hass, "Scaling Down CrossFit Workouts with Rings" - Tyler Hass, who is dedicated to bringing the benefits of basic ring training to non-gymnasts, presents a number of ways to modify CrossFit workouts to make them more accessible for beginners, or to help intermediate CrossFitters develop their ring skills in preparation for somewhat more advanced moves, or just to make more travel-friendly workouts.

Mike Burgener, "Pat's Oly Workout: Snatch" (Video Article) - After working on his own for a few months, Pat, the subject of the last two months' video articles on the fundamentals of the snatch, visits Mike Burgener for a coaching session on heavier snatches and tries for a new PR. It's an informative fly-on-the-wall look into an experienced coach's real-life session with a relatively new lifter.

Special Section: "On the Safety and Efficacy of Overhead Lifting" - This month, we bring together folks from a variety of disciplines to respond to the oft-heard conjecture that lifting overhead is inherently dangerous-i.e., that it is destructive of the shoulder. The central essay is a collaboration by expert lifting coach Mark Rippetoe, exercise physiologist (and lifter and coach) Lon Kilgore, and Ph.D. physical therapist (and lifter and coach) Kelly Starrett that debunks the standard myths. Their information is backed up by brief testimonials from sport physiotherapist Daniel Crumback and orthopedic surgeon (and strongman) Paul Benfanti. The next time you hear some "expert" tell you "overhead pressing is bad for the shoulders," you can just file that in the same dustbin as "deep squats are bad for the knees."

Tony Budding, "Media Tips #1, Light Positioning and Capture Settings" (Video Article) - In the first of a series of practical instructional video articles on the difficult task of taking good, clear action photos and video in workout contexts, CrossFit Media Director Tony Budding gives hands-on explanations of some basics of the art of capturing light on "film" (or, rather, the digital equivalent).

Chris Spealler, "Speal on Wrestling: Stance, Shot, and Handfighting" - Wrestling helps practitioners develop an amazing work ethic, solid body awareness, good strength to weight ratios, and the ability to transfer their skills into other athletic arenas. In the first of a regular CFJ series of articles on the wrestling, CrossFitter and wrestler Chris Spealler introduces some of the most basic skills that wrestlers require: the stance, the shot for a takedown, and handfighting.

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The February 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#66) is out.

Kelly Moore, "CrossFit-Powered U.S. Kettlebell Victory" - In November 2007, longtime CrossFitter Kelly Moore (one of the earliest and most impressive posters of workout scores back in the early days of the WOD) was the first U.S. athlete to earn the rank of Master of Sport World Class in kettlebell sport competition. She tells the story of her path to that achievement, built on a broad and extremely solid base of CrossFit-developed strength anf fitness and facilitated by a specialist coach with the right emphasis on fundamental mechanics and good technique.

Tony Young, "You Can't Lift What You Can't Hold On To" - Although CrossFitters do our share of both heavy slow lifts and Olympic lifts, where grip plays an important role, grip is usually not a specfic training focus. But it is no less important to CrossFitters than to full-time powerlifters, Olympic lifters, strongmen, or grapplers. In fact, our broad training approach means that we need hands and multi-dimensional hand strength even more than most sport-specific athletes. Young presents an overview of grip training both for building stregnth and for rehabbing some wrist, forearm, and elbow injuries.

Robert Ord, "Pre-SOF Training" - The third article in this series on preparing potential military special operations forces recruits describes the "Assessment" phase of Rob Ord's program for buiding the physical and mental fundamentals of what takes to make it in real special operations forces training.

Brian MacKenzie, "The Time Trial as a Training Tool" - Time trials define the endurance sports. They also, says ultra-runner and mutlisport endurance coach Brian MacKenzie, help define you as an athlete and how successful you are in training. He details how to integrate time trials and interval work into a training program for any distance sport.

Mike Burgener, "Coach Burgener Teaches the Snatch, Part 2" (Video Article) - In Part 1 of this instructional video, last month, Coach B worked with Pat, of CrossFit Virginia Beach, on some basics of footwork and positioning for the snatch. In Part 2, they walk through a progression of preparatory skill-transfer exercises and then into the snatch from the high-hang position-all still with just PVC.

Greg Glassman, "Technique, Part 1" (Video Article) - Glassman elaborates on the relationship between technique and functional movement, power, and fitness that underlies some of CrossFit' most basic principles and goals. Technique, he explains-like its cousins mechanics, form, and style-is not at odds with intensity but is in fact essential for maximizing power and thus fitness.

Robin Lyons, "Hammer Time: Throwing Drills" - From the specialized world of track and field, accomplished thrower Robin Lyons brings us some basic throwing moves and drills that anyone can use to build the power, coordination, accuracy, and balance inherent to the sport of hammer throw.

Tom Bohrer, "Use Your Feet for Stronger Rowing" - The role of the feet in indoor rowing technique is seldom dicussed; however, as rowing coach Tom Bohrer argues, it can have a tremendous impact on your form and your efficiency-and therefore your speed and power output.

Greg Hammond, "Row Corrections, Part 2" (Video Article) - Greg Hammond of Concept2 continues the rowing lesson he started in last month's video article. Here, he offers tips on efficiency and troubleshoots a full slate of common technique problems.

Greg Hammond, "Why Indoor Rowing? A Quick List" - A short take on the benefits of rowing, to address the question, "What makes the indoor rower any better than other forms of equipment for metcon (metabolic conditioning) training?

Becca Borawski, "Rear Naked Choke" - Becca Borawski and world-class grappler Valerie Worthington walk us through two versions of the rear naked choke, one of the popular and recognizable grappling moves and the one "most feared whenever a competitor gives up his back to his opponent."

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CrossFit.com runs on a three-on/one-off rotation: perform the posted Workout of the Day (WOD) for three days; debate and discuss on the fourth ("Rest Day"). The topic of discussion for Rest Day on December 10, 2006 was a charge leveled by Mike Boyle ("Body By Boyle") at a Special Operations Medical Association Conference that CrossFit's use of "high-rep Olympic weightlifting" renders it "dangerous."

The ensuing discussion among Greg Glassman ("Coach"), "René," 'BOA," and Michael Boyle, excerpted below, goes to the heart of the debate over safety, efficacy, and efficiency in fitness programming and the need for an objective basis for evaluating competing fitness claims.

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When assessing the most functional of upper body movements, it is tough to argue against the efficacy of vertical pressing movements (a.k.a. overhead pressing). Those individuals who labor for a living routinely take items and place (press) them over the head onto something else. If you work around your home you’re often placed in a position of extending the arms above the head to retrieve or replace a needed item. If you participate in outdoor activities, the roof of the car often may carry equipment such as a bike, canoe, or kayak. Therefore, I officially rank vertical pressing as my number one choice for upper-body strengthening movements.

Dumbbells are the perfect tool for vertical pressing for a number of reasons. They are well suited to the anatomy of the shoulder, allowing the glenohumeral joint to follow a natural path as the weight is pressed.

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The January 2008 CrossFit Journal issue (#65) is out.

Featured CrossFitter: Jolie Gentry - The journal's first featured CrossFitter, Jolie Gentry, is a California police/SWAT officer and the winner of the 2007 CrossFit Games. She talks in this interview about her background, her introduction to CrossFit, and her take on being a woman in the worlds of elite fitness and law enforcement.

Becca Borawski, "Double-Leg Takedown for Submission Wrestling" - Becca Borawski teams up again with world-champion grappler Valerie Worthington to describe in detail (and in photos) the how-tos of the double-leg takedown that Brazilian jiu-jitsu has borrowed from wrestling.

Brian Jones, "Sandbag Lifting" - The guru of sandbag lifting himself, Brian Jones, discusses why sandbag lifting is so useful, explains how to make durable bags for your garage or gym, and shows how to lift them properly once you've got your hands on them.

Brian MacKenzie, "Endurance Training: Decreased Training Time & Increased Work Capacity" - Endurance sports coach Brian MacKenzie challenges the "more is better" dogma that pervades endurance training circles, offering in its place an argument (and experiential support) for smarter, safer, more varied and more broadly functional training-and less of it, in terms of time and volume. When his athletes train stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, and balance in addition to cardiovascular endurance and speed, he attests, they make much larger gains in work capacity for their specialized sport, and with a much more positive effect on their overall health and fitness. He includes a detailed sample program-that incorporates CrossFit workouts and principles-for the last five weeks of training for a 50-mile race.

Mike Burgener, with Tony Budding, "Coach Burgener Teaches the Snatch Part 1" (Video Article) - We pulled Olympic lifting coach Mike Burgener aside during the lunch break at a recent CrossFit certification seminar to start to teach Pat, of CrossFit Virginia Beach, to snatch. He gets through some basics on footwork and positioning, plus the Burgener warm-up, in this month's video. Next month, part 2 in the series will continue the lesson.

Andrew J. Thompson, "Tribute to a Coach" - Many of us have a coach or teacher who has changed our lives and inspires and drives us to be better, both in the moment and in retrospect-and all of us who are coaches or trainers ourselves surely hope to have that kind of impact on our athletes. CrossFitter, trainer, and U.S. Marine Andrew Thompson pays homage to his U.S. Naval Academy football strength and conditioning coach, Phil Emery, whose impact still inspires him (and us).

Jeff Martone, "Double-Kettlebell Push Press and Jerk" - Jeff Martone walks us through the intricacies of the clean, push-press, and jerk as done with two kettlebells. As he points out, the important thing is to master the movement, regardless of the tool (whether barbell, kettlebell, medicine ball, sandbag, or what have you), but there some specifics of the KB that make this article an invaluable how-to for everyone.

Greg Glassman, "Productive Application of Force" (Video Article) - True, useful strength is not merely the muscles' ability to generate force but the ability to productively apply that force. The missing link in so much mainstream fitness programming is the neuromuscular component of this application of strength-in particular, the development of coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance. Omitting them from one's training necessarily results in only partial fitness, partial expression of one's genetic potential, and a decreased threshold of maximal capacity. Coach Glassman makes the point persuasively, in his characteristic engaging, no-nonsense style.

Robert Ord, "Pre-SOF Training" - Part 2 of our view into the workings of U.S. Tactical CrossFit's program for preparing potential military special forces recruits for entrance into one of the U.S. military's elite training pipelines. This month, he details the "Indoctrination" phase of his program's instruction in the physical and mental fundamentals of what takes to be in special operations forces.

Matt Swift, "Partnering with a Martial Arts Dojo" - One of our affiliates from down under, Matt Swift of CrossFit Brisbane, offers firsthand advice and personal anecdotes on the ins and outs (and ups and downs) of running a fledgling CrossFit affiliate out of someone else's gym-in this case, a martial arts studio. There can be drawbacks and stumbling blocks, but, as Swift has found, if your situation and gym-owner are right for it, there can be some pretty compelling advantages too.

Greg Hammond, "Row Corrections" (Video Article) - Greg Hammond of Concept2 Rowing works with two quite different CrossFit athletes in front of an audience to demonstrate rowing fundamentals and correct their mistakes. The point is clear: Faster rowing doesn't come from faster movement (i.e., higher stroke rate). It is the result, rather, of more power transfer and increased efficiency. In short, better, faster rowing (i.e., increased output) comes from better technique.

Keysha McClenton-Benzing, "Form for Runners, from Head to Toe" - Strength and conditioning coach, Olympic lifter, and badass runner Keysha McClenton presents a detailed guide to proper running mechanics, from head to feet. While running style is necessarily individualized, she walks us through the universal biomechanical positions and functions underlying efficient, powerful, safe running.

Jeremy Thiel, "Corporate Wellness" - Thiel, co-owner of CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas, explains how he and his staff started a CrossFit-based corporate wellness program for bringing training and education into local businesses and corporations. What might seem to be a huge undertaking really is quite manageable, he says. This article helpfully gets into logistical specifics about the structure, pricing, and positioning of the program, and the successes Thiel and company have had with it to date.

Michael Collins, "Where is Your Body Weight? The Key to Efficient Movement" - To be successful in endurance (and other) sports, Collins attests, you need to learn how your body weight can be your primary movement force and use your muscles to "service" your body weight instead of the other way around. The key to this is understanding where your body weight is supported and how forces such as gravity, ground reaction, torque, and buoyancy (in the case of swimming) affect your control of your body as it moves through space (or water). Triathlete Collins gives concrete examples from the sports of running, swimming, and cycling.

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Now that we've established the proper grip and set-up stance (CFJ 50 and 51), the next phase in teaching the Olympic lifts is what has become known as the Burgener warm-up. This warm-up consists of six different sequences that are important for learning to perform the Olympic lifts. The Burgener warm-up is performed with a length of PVC pipe or a dowel and specifically trains the second and third pulls of the snatch. Repetition of these six sequences with little or no weight conditions the body to move properly through the power phases of the snatch and the clean and jerk. In subsequent articles, I'll cover skill transfer exercises for the snatch, and the positioning pulls (the first pull off the ground and the scoop) for both lifts.

The essence of the Olympic lifts is creating momentum and elevation on the barbell through a range of motion that begins at the floor and finishes with the bar overhead (in the snatch and the jerk) or racked at the shoulders (in the clean). I recommend incorporating the Burgener warm-up into your daily routine regardless of the workout. It is remarkably effective at teaching and reinforcing the basic concepts of performing the Olympic lifts.

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In gymnastics, a hurdle is the final preparatory step before performing a skill from a run. The purpose of the hurdle is to properly position yourself for the takeoff while maintaining and/or building momentum.

In most cases, a hurdle should be low and long. This will maintain forward momentum and allow sufficient time for preparatory positioning. There are a few exceptions, such as a hurdle on a diving board, where little forward momentum is available and the jumping surface is highly flexible, in which case a high hurdle is optimal.

Even if you have no plans to perform gymnastics or acrobatic movements from a hurdle, practicing a hurdle will have transferable benefit. It will improve footwork in any athletic endeavor where step adjustment is necessary, and it will improve your ability to navigate uneven surfaces rapidly and without injury.

You must know how to skip in order to have an effective hurdle. If you have not skipped since you were young, or have never skipped before, now is the time to begin practicing.

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Photo courtesy of Team Quest.

Becca Borawski talks with a trainer who's been working with MMA fighters and world class wrestlers for decades, about how he incorporates strength and conditioning work with skills training and how he peaks and tapers training leading up to a fight.

Ideally, when preparing for a mixed martial arts (MMA) fight, an individual would like to have eight to ten weeks of preparation, a period known as a "fight camp." Frequently, however, for younger competitors fighting in smaller organizations, or even a fighter the level of current Pride Welterweight champion Dan Henderson, fights can come up with as little as three to six weeks notice.

A fight camp, regardless of length, consists of three elements of training: skill, strength, and conditioning. How often do you see skilled fighters "gassed" halfway through a fight and left unable to execute their well-honed techniques? Or see fighters with great muscular and cardiovascular endurance but only rudimentary skills to pair with it? All three elements must be trained, but this must be done in such a way that the athlete is not overtrained by the time of the fight.

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Have you ever thought about what it is exactly that drives improvement in aerobic work capacity? If you are like most people you probably haven’t really felt compelled to ponder this. Even though I am trained pretty extensively in cardiovascular physiology and training theory, I am an anaerobe and a musclehead. What makes muscle work, become stronger, bigger, or more powerful is my interest.

That means that I hadn't, until recently, considered the question either. In fact, if I had been asked that question two years ago, I probably would have pulled an answer out of some old aerobic dogma buried in my brain somewhere, obtained from reading texts and research journals or from sitting in a lecture hall somewhere. I accepted fairly unquestioningly (albeit with a few exceptions in programming issues) the conventional wisdom of aerobic training physiology. I was a happy camper. I didn’t know I actually cared about a higher level of understanding pertaining to aerobic fitness.

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CrossFit has been an active combatant in the diet wars. For decades it has been an exciting world of "us" versus "them."

"We" were the low carb, low calorie, good fat camp and "they" were the low fat, low calorie, high carb opposition. The battle was for the hearts and minds of the public on the very personal and private matter of nutrition - what diet makes us healthy?

Sheldon Margin, publisher of the UC Berkley Wellness Letter, a leader of "them," accepted this characterization of battle lines when we presented it to him in 1996. In 1996 Dr. Atkins and Barry Sears were both publicly and regularly referred to as "quacks" and "frauds" by mainstream physicians, journalists, and nutritionists. While this was something that Sears would have to get used to, Dr. Atkins had been dealing with vicious assaults on his life’s work and character since publishing his Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution in 1972.

We write here today in 2003 gloating. Gloating, because it is our perception that we are decisively winning the diet war. In the public square, the realization that carbs, not fat, make you sick and fat is spreading rapidly. Spreading like truth unobstructed.

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The December 2007 CrossFit Journal issue (#64) is out.

Robert Ord, "Pre-SOF Training" - Robert Ord, a former Navy diver supporting SEALs, and the current Director of Training at the U.S. Tactical CrossFit Training Center just outside San Diego, gives an inside view into the design and efficacy of the program that they have implemented to train, motivate, and mentor potential recruits before they enter into one of the U.S. military's elite special forces training pipelines.

Michael Collins, "Efficient Running: The Pose Method" - In the running world, the main focus tends to be on training harder, longer, or faster, and people seem to think you just "naturally" learn to run correctly by merely doing a lot of it. Triathlon coach Michael Collins counters that with an argument about the importance of using safe, efficient technique that harnesses the natural physical forces at play in running.

Brian MacKenzie, "The Basics of Pose Running Techniques" - Endurance athlete and coach Brian MacKenzie outlines some of the basic principles of the Pose technique that Collins introduces. In every sport, he points out, the elite all have some things in common: they use gravity to their advantage; they are compact in their movements; and everything is done with almost an effortless approach. The articles on running technique in this issue will get you started in that direction.

Michael Collins, "Intro to the Pose Method for Distance Running" (Video Article) - In a video companion piece to the articles by him and MacKenzie in this issue, Collins explains and demonstrates how to work with, rather than against, the natural forces at play in non-sprint running.

Tony Leyland, "Why a 10K WOD?" - What's up with all this (relatively) long distance information and interest popping up in the CF world lately? Professor Leyland responds to questions about the rationale for Workouts of the Day such as "Run 10k," and takes it as an occasion to delve into a discussion about the safety, efficacy, and wisdom of such endeavors.

Becca Borawski, "Gi Guard Pass from Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu" - Regular fight correspondent Borawski gets world-champion grappler Valerie Worthington to demonstrate one Brazilian jiu-jitsu technique for getting yourself out of the guard and into a more offensive position.

Tes Salb, "The Mental Marksman" - In the first of her contributions to the CFJ, athlete, marksman, and Shooting Sports magazine editor Tes Salb focuses on the mental aspects of training and the importance of visualization and concentration in any challenging physical endeavor. In future articles, she'll also examine the role of physical training in successful shooting.

Mike Burgener, with Tony Budding, "Supplemental Olympic Lifting for CrossFitters" - Coach B and Tony B present a sample program for committed CrossFitters who want to continue to train hard-core CrossFit while they also work on getting better in the Oly lifts. They offer an eight-week daily plan for improving your lifts that won't interfere with your standard CrossFit workouts and accommodates the three-days-on/one-day-off cycle of the WOD. Also featuring an index of past CFJ articles on Olympic lifting topics by Burgener and Budding.

Greg Glassman, "Evidence-Based Fitness" (Video Article) - In this excerpt from one of his talks at a recent CrossFit certification seminar, founder Greg Glassman discusses the methods and rationale of CrossFit. Fundamentally, what we are about, he explains, is evidence-based fitness. Here he breaks that statement down into its constituent parts and explains the logical, scientific basis of the CrossFit system for advancing human performance.

Buddy Lee, "Jump Rope Basics, Part 2: More Preparation Phase, Plus Double-Under Tips" - Jump rope guru Buddy Lee gets us deeper into the first of the four phases of his system for learning safe, effective, efficient rope jumping. And he speeds ahead in the progression to give some timely instruction and tips on double-unders, a favorite of many CrossFitters.

Andy Petranek, "Sign on the Dotted Line: Affiliate Membership Contracts" - When Andy Petranek, owner of CrossFit Los Angeles, took a hard look at the question of the best way to structure gym memberships to support both the development and growth of students and the development and growth of his business, one of the answers he came up with seems anathema to many affiliates: long-term contracts. He explains how and why he did it, and what his results have been.

Jeff Glassman, "Conjecture, Hypothesis, Theory, Law: The Basis of Rational Argument" - Evaluating the validity of scientific models and criticisms, whether about cosmology, or climatology, or physiology and the efficacy of CrossFit, requires an understanding of the terms conjecture, hypothesis, theory, and law. Jeff Glassman follows up on his video discussion of these in the November issue with a fuller written explanation of how these play into rational discussions of often-contentious topics.

Mark Rippetoe, "Back Squat Geometry, Part 2 (Video Article)" - This video article continues Rip's discussion of lifting mechanics from last month's journal issue. Taken together, the two videos offer a clear, down-to-earth explanation of how and why the principles of force, physics, and human physiology determine the positions that constitute good-safe, effective, and efficient-form for the barbell lifts.

Judy Geer, "Indoor Rowing Races" - The folks fr