I got this one guys.
3-2-1 lounge

We have more entrants being added daily to the East Coast CrosFit Challenge! Spider Chick is now in!

Even if you are not going to be compete all are welcome to attend. We have a great barbeque being set up for Saturday evening as well as plenty of food and beverages all day!

Contact me if you have any questions. Visit the site - www.albanycrossfit.com

Thanks.

great vid, carey! it is hysterical.

2/26/08 wod as rx'd
m/34/168
Time: 19:55

got a pr, body weight overhead squat 12 reps failed on the way up on 13.

another pr. body weight bench press 30 reps. last one wasn't pretty but it went up.

Oh, YES!!! A day to relax... I wish I could but my pup keeps giving me that,"Hey, it's been three days... time for a no-gym day... let's go run on the beach... Com'on, Mom, Let's go!!!" So I guess that we all know what I will be doing.

Rest up everyone. :)

Wow what a tease come on. I see the writting on the wall and I wanted to see Sevan get smoked. Guess I will just have to wait til next time. :(

Jolie is Bad A$$! Can't wait for Part 3. I have a feeling I know the outcome, but the banter in between is worth watching regardless.

These videos are great.

Anyone know what the record is for the number of posts for one partiular WOD. I noticed Fran is up around 775? Just some useless trivia for me to put away in the back of my head........

Thanks for the rest day, I really need it.

Great vid and what about part 3???????

Great video series so far. Can't wait to see the conclusion. Love the "vicious" competition.

Awesome video!!!

Thanks!

Fascinating article, especially in light of the business model here, chez Crossfit. But not ALL is free, and not all CAN be free. In some parts of the economy you STILL get what you pay for. And the illusion that it is free, the immunization of the consumer from the cost of the product, contaminates the market for that product so completely that the true cost in the market for that particular product expands unchecked, a line moving with a slope on infinity.

A "zero price" market is different from a "zero cost" market. $0.00 is quite seductive. The notion of $0.00 is quite seductive. One learns that it is possible for $0.00 to be the price of a product in one market and then wonders why it isn't the price of EVERY product in EVERY market. Perhaps the title should be that the perception of $0.00 is the future.

There is ALWAYS a price to be paid. In reality, someone always pays.

TANSTAAFL.

Wow, how long has this Sevan dude been brain-injured? Has anyone in the history of talkin' trash ever talked that much smack and ever won?

Okay, not including Ali?

That was even better than the American Idol I was watching earlier! What would Simon say to Sevan?

hahaha! These videos are awesome. I laughed my butt off.

Jolie rocks and Sevan is hysterical!

Great editing.

I'm seriously considering committing some crimes in Jolies jurisdiction after seeing that.

I so can't wait to see part 3. If I see the result I am hoping for (fingers crossed) I won't be able to resist showing this series to everyone!

I agree with bingo... Crossfit dovetails rather nicely with that article. I'm no economist, but I highly value crossfit, and would be willing to pay the $1,000 dollars for the cert even though the workouts and much information is freely available. As for the future direction of marketing on a national level; I'll leave that to the experts.

rest days are so boring :( haha

quick question for anyone, what is the best type/ kind of stopwatch to buy for crossfit

In the last two weeks I've been to military gyms at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Rucker and I've noticed people doing exercises that are conspicuosly Crossfit. Long live the Revolution.

Yeah, Jolie is pretty tough, and a little bit of a vixen to boot.

AJ - I just use the stopwatch on the old timex ironman, That way I always know where it is and it also has a countdown timer. But hey, I'm no expert.

Yes!

I can not WAIT to get to One World in May. Thanks to both of you for the small correspondence that you guys have done with me regarding getting stronger.

These are my favorite videos, well other than: the bear complex, nasty girls, Coach lectures, overhead days, Rob M doing Mary, Donky Kong, Nichole doing Linda, Greg A. heavy Fran, the ninja warrior stuff..
ah hell I think I'm hooked...

Sevan is hysterical. I have to assume he's acting...nobody can be THAT arrogant, right? Haha.

I would never be able to hold my tongue that long...props to Jolie. Hope she beats his ass.

Time to catch up on the overhead press day I missed.

Seth has been riffing about this for years now...

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/09/doing_it_for_fr.html

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2006/06/does_free_mean_.html

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/01/permission-mark.html

"The best free stuff is really and truly free. All you get in return is loyalty, consumer satisfaction and word of mouth."

"Cross-subsidy: You'd get one thing free if you bought another, or you'd get a product free only if you paid for a service."

CrossFit's greatest marketing tool is it's free website (a little pun, there on the both subject matters' derivative word). Like Shawn #18, I am willing to pay for the certs with the ten-folds volume of information that I get here for free.

In no time, media chain moguls will publish, "CrossFit is the Future of Fitness."

#12 Bingo - always very articulate

Video - Part III - Jolie Whops Sevan's A&&

So . . .Sevan Metossian says that he is always faster than girls in every physical activity. Does that include in the bedroom too? Somehow I don't think that's a good thing. You go Jolie!

Freddy just looks like a felon that needs to be taken down. ha,ha No offense, I guess it's the sleeves bro.

"make the videogame console cheap and sell expensive games"

which console is this? and where do I get it?

I think comparing Crossfit's version of free to Gillette's is unfair to Crossfit. Gillette helped create the throw away culture to the point that now you can buy a brand new plastic worthless razor for less than a package of razor blades (hell you can find them for free). Gillette's system mirrors big box gyms, which are constantly trying to sell a new gimmicky machine or a new exciting fitness class. There has to be high turn over and heavy advertising and hype (3 blades, 4 blades, 5 blades, jazzercize, stripper fitness).

No, Crossfit is a different kind of free. Crossfit is like me using a 1960s double edged razor that was passed down to me. It too was free. However, it is sturdy, rust free, and effective. That's the crossfit model:

"Oh, I see you've thrown away dead lifts and pull ups in favor of a nautilus machine? I'll take those."

Crossift reclaimed what society threw away and put it back into use.

I find it kind of ironic that in clicking on a link to view an article about the new free future of business, I had to decline 6 cookies (these were just the cookies from sites I had not already permanently denied). These cookies were from advertisers that were all over the site that paid money to get their ads there. These very same advertisers wanted to put information on my computer so they could track my activity and sell it to other marketing companies. The article seemed to be much more about the shifting in costs and the lowering of prices of goods. Started to sound like a bunch of drivel to me and since "time is money" I stopped reading. Now if I could just find a way to convince the company that brings me fuel oil that really they should do it for free rather than the $500+ a month they currently charge so I can have a 65 degree house in winter and hot water.

It is an interesting article... and I agree with bingo in saying it might be more accurate to call it the "perception of" free. In my experience, every technology I have received for free I have later paid extra money for increased service, customer service, more functionality, etc. Even so, the illusion of free is certainly (it seems to me) a good business model because of the “immediate-gratification-factor” many [younger?] Americans have grown up with. Many people would rather have something now for “free” and pay later rather than have to pay for something now only to receive enjoyment at a later point…

As a relatively new member (~2 months and counting) to the CrossFit "revolution" I would also agree with Shawn M's comment about CrossFit falling in line relatively well with the article (which is likely why it was picked for today). I will admit (I am sorry to say) that at the time I started, I would probably not have begun had the website cost any $$$ to join. However, after this short time I will now gladly pay for a back issue of the CrossFit Journal... buy items from the CrossFit store... and I would likely pay much more to attend a CrossFit seminar or certification if there was one much closer to my location. This "Free" model has certainly helped change my life for the better. God Bless CrossFit for allowing me this free opportunity to learn about, participate in, and join this training program that has opened my eyes to my personal fitness development.

RussG: So true. Long live the Revolution. (Now, if only the gyms were more “CrossFit Friendly”…)

Mondays Workout....22:23 (on Treadmill running)

35y/85Kg/180cm/M
5 x
(800m,50squats, 30back extensions)
27mins

is there a part 3 to the video?

All his examples are technology driven. Technology is only one aspect of the economy. And in each of his examples someone was paying something. It just wasn’t the consumer.
I sell B2B services. One of the reps was complaining that her companies wouldn’t pay that much because people are use to getting it for free. Not true I said. I get my checking account free. But at the same bank when I set up my business account they charged me out the @#$ for the exact same thing.

For counter arguments I present:

Water-WTF I just paid about $8 a gallon for water to drink. Stuff is free from the faucet. Yet somehow I keep paying for it. (Why, because tap water in Phoenix taste like crap.) It’s the value add of having tasty water & a nifty carrying case.

Which brings us to music. The value of the record company was sifting through a lot of really bad garage bands, finding the diamond in the rough and then telling radio stations and you about them and then bringing them along until they could sell out a stadium. With the viral nature of digital distribution they aren’t required. But just for giggles sometime do random searches of music or stop in on a live act. Chances are they suck. Weeding them out was the value. Its no longer needed. Artists never made much off of record sales. It was always the touring. Bye Bye record companies.

Drugs-Dang why shouldn’t they be free. I mean it cost almost nothing to manufacture them. Heck ask China. I mean after they rip off the formula.

Pharmaceutical developers spend millions in a chemical maze trying to develop something useful only to end up in a research dead end. A researcher I knew spent 18 years developing a drug. That is a lot of money that has to be made back in the end. Just his salary would be several million dollars & he was successful. Another friend spent 3 years tracking genes in nematodes for short & fat versus long & skinny to find out it was an RNA. Not so successful.

Healthcare-We get a lot of promises on why this should be free. It just wrong that people have to pay for it those evil…well someone in healthcare is evil for charging so dang much for saving our lives. And here we have a collision of technology (not getting cheaper for better more advanced equipment), the free market (of the lack there of) and consumer demand (limitless).

I realize I just bit off more than I can chew at the moment with that last one. Hopefully coach will include an article on Health Care cost & the lack of a free market in an up coming rest day.

Nice hook on the video!

kick his ass Jolie...kick it hard!

Ahhh and the plot thickens! Jolie excelent on the pullups, and Sevan great on the thrusters, its a battle of the Burpees! I think Jolie will win for sure, she seems to have the endurance. Can't w8 for part 3 and a humbling experience for Sevan.
3..2..1..Sleep in...

P.S. We should get a Pole going to see who thinks who will win..anyone ahve any ideas?

Unless Sevan is sandbagging, Jolie's got this one in the bag!

Awesome video, super funny! Great competition, but can't say I would put any money on Sevan, sorry buddy. :-)

Shut him up Jolie! ;)

#35 jakers

you are right about having bit off more than you can chew when you jumped to Health Care. That is a beast of it's own who's economic fatness has a lot to do with regulations, insurance, and lawsuits. Those 3 items break most rules of standard supply and demand economics and make some people lots of money while doing it.

I liked the article, though I think Bingo sums it up pretty well. The perception of "Free" is more important than the item actually being free. Now to figure out what I can give away for free and make some money on... :)

-TripMN

GollieGeeWhillikers, I'm watching Tony's excellent video on p___poor Mexican internet, and had to watch it OVER and OVER while waiting for it to download--didn't anyone else notice that our poor defenseless BOY did EIGHT pullups for the first two rounds to the Invincible Jolie's PATHETIC seven! Boo! Hiss! Talk about "unfair!" (and they WERE talking about it!) As an old film-student, it is really fun to watch Tony hone his excellent natural skills as a film-maker. We are seeing a true talent developing in front of our eyes! Sevan is a comic-genius, and Jolie is a killer-sweetheart. Thanks Tony.

25/m/5'8/160

Jolie is a badass and Savan is pretty funny. But it seems like he is not trying. He is taking his time between exercises and not really breathing hard. Also he did 8 pullups on the last round it showed. I hope he doesn't let her win.

Bench 4 sets 160lbs 15 reps
incline dumbells 3 sets 60lb dbs 15 reps
weighted dips
90lbs 5 reps
70lbs 7 reps
45lbs 10 reps
bodyweight 20 reps

squats 5-5-5-5-5
185, 205, 225, 245, 265
front squats
135, 155, 175, 185, 185
overhead squats
95, 105, 115, 115, 115
My overhead squats sucked after doin chest first. I dont know why I didnt do the squats first.

29/f/113

5 rounds of:
400m run
50 squats
30 back extensions

19:15

pre: nswux2 + ohs practice
post: stretching

eric 34/m/147

18:12

both of us did runs on TM. eric yet again beat me and his back is injured. augh.

Jolie you rock woman, kick his ass!

Well this bloke has his hspu's sorted!
In my day you danced with a girl, still he is really strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2tJbkPZ9W8

phew!

I think Tony Budding could be the next Vivid Entertainment of the fitness industry.

So, would that make Sevan... or Freddy... a budding Ron Jeremy of fitness?

* * * * * *

Another article, this one in the Washington Post, where CrossFit gets placed alongside "Bosu balls" as a new kind of fitness discipline.

The press is nice, but getting equal time with doing bicep curls while standing on an unstable half ball is a little insulting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/02/25/ST2008022501878.html

I didn't want to jump in today... but seeing the comments above on the 800-pound gorilla that is economic analysis of health care ---

A couple real basic principles:
1) medical licensing sharply limits the supply of health care providers. You limit the supply, you drive up the price. Simple. Much of the medical industry is engaged in maintaining this artificially high price.

2) corporate tax law! We all know that the only way to have lush health care insurance is to work for a large corporation. Because corporations can deduct the cost of employee health insurance from their taxes, they can compete for employees by offering deluxe benefits packages. Corporations are thus price insensitive -- they don't really care how much they pay -- which drives up the price for health insurance dramatically, making similar care unaffordable to most consumers.

Since the consumer who is NOT paying for his own insurance doesn't pay directly for what he uses, they also use more medical care than they actually need -- the well-insured are also price insensitive. This further drives up the costs. All these inflationary pressures result directly from the tax law.

Oh no that sucked, I was so into that video I didn't even realize it wasn't the whole thing. I want the rest of that vid RIGHT NOW. Ok im done throwing a fit. I'll be ok guys.

So entertaining. We want more, we want more! Thanks you guys

i think it's only apparent that jolie is going to beat him really bad. great video and wonderful suspence. had to try it for myself and must say this is a kick a$$ workout.

5 rnds
7pull-ups
7thrusters @ 75#
7burpees
time: 7:53

#49 gorillasoph:
I agree with your analasis(sp?) to a point, but I don't think those are the only inflationary pressures driving up the cost. As #43 TripMN stated, you have to include lawsuits, and consequently, the outrageous prices of medical malpractice insurance. What if healthcare did cost next to nothing? Would that make the lawyers stop chasing the ambulances (as we say in the south, you can't get blood from a turnip), or would that just discourage folks from becoming doctors in the first place (less supply again)? I don't know, that's a good question. But I do think there should be some kind of punishment for frivolous lawsuits of any kind, which hopefully would lower the volume, which would lower the rates for insurance. Personally, I think anyone bringing a lawsuit where the entitiy being sued is found innocent should have to pay the defense costs of that entitity. We know the lawyers are hoping to get a settlement out of court anyway. But I digress. I agree that tax laws in general have become a huge burden to the ones in this country that do the producing and hiring. Just ask anyone trying to become a crossfit affiliate. I can't believe the hoops a person in my state has to jump through just to incorporate, and then the taxing and other regulations start.

I liked bingo's "perception of free". I've noticed in the past that sometimes the human view is that free means inferior. Example: I worked as a trainer some years ago in the fitness center of a well known software company (they're almost always in Fortune's top 5 companies to work for). The personal training for the employees of this company was absolutely free. To be hired, we all had to have fitness related degrees and certifications (granted, none of us knew about CF back then, so it probably was inferior, considering). Because it was free, few employees took advantage of it, some even paying outside trainers to come in (when they could get away with it) who were, in some cases, worthless. They obviously didn't see the value in what they were offered, even though I was getting results (standard, conventional wisdom results, not CF results) for those that did take up the offer.
Any thoughts on this? Was it the "marketing"? Was it the particular service being offered? Does the philosophy of the article apply to human services at all? After all, It would be hard to find someone to paint your house for free, or install an A.C. system in your house for free, or rebuild your transmission for free, etc. Then again, one could prabably not fathom the amount of free "stuff" on the web years ago. There may be an angle that would work for free lawn care.
I'm out for at least 12 hrs.
Later

man, i never cease to be impressed by the cf community. there is a thread on the board about getting started with opera, and now a discussion about economics - then mix in some trash talking about pull ups and this is one heck of a read.

The conversation about 'free' is very near and dear to my heart. In putting together www.logsitall.com it was clear from the get go that there was no way i could ever charge for using the basic tool (nor will i ever). The economics of a web application typically involve a significant upfront investment (which has to date just been about 1,000 hours of my time) and then a very low incremental cost per user. This has fostered the "free" model that is so common on the web. Limewire - free downloads, Skype.com and Jajah.com - free phone calls, slacker.com - free radio, etc. In each case, the biz model offers "free" service to all - and then makes money by having a smaller % pay for additional features or services. I recall Jajah.com saying that if 2-3% of their phone calls generated revenue they would be profitable.

In my case, i'm still concentrating on building out the site and application - looking for good ideas and executing them. i have the luxury of being able do it myself - so i don't have any bankers or investors to answer to - so i can afford to be patient.

-bill

-all links w/f/s

Hello my name is Lcpl Cruz and I'm new to this workout. my master gunnery sgt. is introducing me to the workout.

gnarly sweatshirt

Loving the ass whooping vids, great stuff. When we going to see the rest in the series of Pat v Hendel or have I missed it already?

Thanks

Loving the ass whooping vids, great stuff. When we going to see the rest in the series of Pat v Hendel or have I missed it already?

Thanks

Too funny! Need part III quick!

I'm loving the Ass-Whipping Chronicles! I smell a major Jolie victory coming.

A couple of thoughts on the article as it relates to Crossfit, inspired in part by Bill Patton's post:

The article does not address generosity, the giving of a product or service to an individual or group without any thought to charging that individual or group at any time for that product or service. Make no mistake, someone STILL pays for that product, but that someone is the person who is providing the product. Typically this individual (it always seems to be a person, or at most a very small group of people) is committed to an ideal or a philosophy or a cause, and in response to this committment gives away the product.

Now, I've never actually spoken to Coach or Lauren about CF "the business", but I'm a pretty bright guy with a pretty well-developed "curiousity muscle". The original mission of the CF web site appears to be the free dissemination of a truly unique type of fitness information, given simply because Coach and Lauren believe that it is important for any of us out here in the Cyber-gym to have this information. Remember that initially there were no certs and there was no CFJ, and the Glassman's made their income solely from one gym (indeed, in the very beginning, from a small corner of someone else's gym). The expansion of the economic opportunities available to the Glassman's was a result of the power of their product, and to some extent an unintentional result of their generosity (launching and maintaining the CF web site before addtional revenue opportunities were even contemplated).

In some ways this reinforces the article, illustrating the power of a $0.00 price as a builder of a market, even when that is not the original intention (see multiple Coach videos wherein he explains that the CFJ and certs were services that CF users requested, not services generated de novo as an extension of a business plan). But make no mistake, there is STILL a difference between a PRICE of zero and a COST of zero. Ask coach what his bandwidth COSTS are. So, too, this illustrates a weakness in the article, that there is nowhere mentioned the difference between $0.00 as marketing strategy and $0.00 as generosity.

And finally, to those of us who do not go regularly to a CF gym, who work out on our own using the information here on the main site for which we pay $0.00, we are not truly getting our fitness for free. We must buy something: a gym membership, the equipment in a garage gym, etc. More than that, CF is you vs. you, and the path to a better, more fit version of you is not free. In order to win the battle of you vs. you, YOU must pay the price of the WOD.

TANSTAAFL

20mins, but i did 50 back extensions instead of 30 by mistake

20mins, but i did 50 back extensions instead of 30 by mistake

#55 Lcpl Cruz (Arcangel - nice...very sniper-ish)
= = WELCOME, from a fellow newbie :) = =

#62 Bingo's proficient disambiguation, I agree with "TANSTAAFL".

Really digging these videos.

Fine job at capturing what we do.

Good performance by the competitors, Jolie and Sevan.

Hilarious video guys! Jolie is gorgeous! Can't wait to see the end where she will obviously put down one serious a$$ whoopin!

Tony - LOVE that sweatshirt!

Freddy C. - i love your sleeves almost as much as your dimples!

Welcome aboard Cruz. Your Gunny has got you on the right track.

I did a workout prescribed by Mike Mc today
3 rds of
21 back squats @ 135 lbs
400 m run

I messed up and ran 800 the first round, so I skipped the last round's run

12:59

My legs haven't been this sore in a while

M/22/6'1"/185

Since I'll be giving my sig. a snowboarding lesson tomorrow, i'm treating that as my off day.

Today: Linda
as RX'd: 21:38
I found that rechalking before every set of DL's (except at the end when grip isn't so much of a factor) really helps. I think it's a PR. It's the first time I've done it since I started recording my results.

Happy Rest Day everyone

#27 - Amelia.
I think his eyes indicate as much when he makes that comment, and he even follows it up after with another comment. All in good fun - I'm sure!

A couple weeks ago, CrossFit Alexandria created a funny t-shirt playing on that theme. It has a picture of a stopwatch and the words "I do everything for time".

You can get one here:
http://www.printfection.com/crossfitalexandria

PS: Jolie - you rock! Get some.

Side-note: straight razors are far superior to disposable blades, electric shavers, etc. Although, they require a little more effort and skill.

Check em out for those of you that haven't tried...

http://www.straightrazorplace.com

Oh man...I want the rest of the video and a poster of Jolie. In the spirit of today's article I think it would be really nice if the poster was free too.

Andy Olmsted, an American Soldier in Iraq, unfortunately lost his life in combat just recently. He left a memoir/blog that was later posted in the link below in the case of his untimely death. He leaves behind a wonderful legacy and some important thoughts for all of us to keep in mind as we go forward.

http://obsidianwings.blogs.com/obsidian_wings/2008/01/andy-olmsted.html

32/F/5'10"/155#

finally caught up:

400m run
50 squats
30 back extensions

TM runs, GHD back extensions
22:33

I did this one alone; definitely could have gone faster if I had a rabbit to chase.

Ass Whoop as Rx'd

7 Pull ups
7 75lb Thrusters
7 Burpees

22 Minutes
Sea Level
24/M/160/5' 10"

I am definitely standing up taller after yesterday!

That is one of the things I love about Crossfit,

Strong Women!

Can't wait for part 3

JLR84 #32

Your post reminded me of something. There's nothing new about the desire for more-now and immediate-gratification. Chuang Tzu commented on it more than 2 thousand years ago.

----
To wear out your brain trying to make things into one without realizing that they are all the same--this is called "three in the morning." What do I mean by "three in the morning"? When the monkey trainer was handing out acorns, he said, "You get three in the morning and four at night." This made all the monkeys furious. "Well, then," he said, "you get four in the morning and three at night." The monkeys were all delighted. There was no change in the reality behind the words, and yet the monkeys responded with joy and anger. Let them, if they want to. So the sage harmonizes with both right and wrong and rests in Heaven the Equalizer. This is called walking two roads.
---- Chuang Tzu / Discussion on Making All Things Equal

TANSTAAFL again, maybe a bit more obliquely. Want it now? Pay for it later. Most people never notice the price they pay for things.

Bingo, it's good to see another Heinlein fan in these discussions. The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is one of my favorites and exemplifies the kind of classical liberalism that we need way more of in this country. It should be required reading in high school Civics classes.

Hey are you married?? I always wanted a wife that could quite possibly whoop my a$$ hah....

Great video, can not wait until part 3. You guys rock.

uh, didn't specify that indeed I did 5 rounds in that 22 minute period, not just one. duh. :p

To #61 and others...

yes but giving away a "product", in this case a website, was in fact good for his gym. It was also a heck of investment for his name and reputation.

Was it really generosity or was a different way to advertise? It's not that expensive to run a webpage especially when compared to print ads, billboards, radio time, etc..

Just a general question for those willing to help...

I was wondering if anyone here goes on and off crossfit, or if they stay on it year round. As everyone knows, to keep gaining muscle and increase training, your body cannot adapt to a program. Thus, people tend to switch programs every 6 weeks or so. I was wondering if this applies with crossfit as well, I love it and want to stay on it, but I am thinking I should do about 5 weeks of strength training and then return to crossfit after?

Let me know what you think? And the help is much appreciated!

Mike

Comment #13 - Posted by: gaucoin

DUDE - you stole my comment. Well, what I would like to think would have been my comment. Especially the Ali reminder ...

Thanks, Paul

I rooted for Billie Jean 35 years ago, but today, I'm pulling for Sevan.

This video series is great!! I love it. Does anyone know what Sevan's athletic background is before he became a “pseudo crossfitter? Is he a runner or a bicyclist? Is he just kidding when he though he could beat Jolie or is he really serious?

Great videos! I am looking forward to part 3.
Sorry Sevan my money is on Jolie however you definitely get the humor title. Keep it up you 2!!!

Interesting article. Especially as it realtes to the crossfit model. Is the price really the most important thing? I would argue that it is not by a long shot? Value is what matters most in real life economics. What is the value of crossfit? Can we even put a price on that? What crossfit costs in dollars and cents is largely inconsequential (what it costs in blood, sweat and tears is a whole other thing). Most of us would pay whatever coach asked for the information. Why? Because the value is so great. Would you eat Twinkies if they were free? Probably not, but you would pay an exhorbitant price for organic free-range beef because it has value.

Figure out what has value and you will find a way to pay the price for it, and it will be worth every penny.

as an example of free:

I have an inexpensive globo-gym membership through the generosity of my employer.

I utilise the free CrossFit website as my workout plan.

My desire to improve my ability to perform the WODs has led to me purchasing a registration for a Rippetoe seminar and a Olympic lifting seminar. I would never have thought of spending that kind of coin for personal training before I started doing CrossFit WODs.

My company offers the inexpensive gym membership to its employees because in general someone that goes to a gym will have fewer long term health problems than the general population.

That in turn means fewer days off for being sick, better attitude at work, and lower health care costs for the medical insurance carrier which can mean lower premiums for my employer.

Two additonal side benefits as it were as a result of the free website.

1. Over the passage of time CrossFit becomes the de facto standard for fitness programs. Due to the free WODs anyone can try out the CrossFit protocol and see the efficacy of the CrossFit program. We are begining to see that now with various militaries implementing aspects of CrossFit in their PT protocols.

2. The free website generates a pool of people willing to train at a CrossFit affiliate generating business for the affiliates and motivating other CrossFitters to want to become affiliates which thereby creates another revenue stream for the Coach Glassman and his wife.

#82, Mike

CF attempts to make it possible to avoid doing exactly that, by following the WODs as closely as possible, with a CFWU. The CF WODs combine all the aspects of fitness -- go into the FAQ section, and watch some of the videos in the Lecture Clip portion to fully understand the concepts behind CF.
The WODs will increase your strength without fully realizing it, increase your conditioning, running, pretty much everything as it is a functional program. WODs are designed to change daily (very few repeat - mainly the Benchmark and Other Girls, and Hero Workouts), so that way you do not have to 'change your program' every 6 weeks or so.

jolie please marry me

I love this video!! Doing "Ass Whoop" today in the gym actually.

we'll see how it ends up.

Coach - Just a quick question about the last WOD (20080226), actually about running in general. I've been practicing the pose running technique and do find it helps. I've always had poor technique in my runs and found it difficult to run (knee and shin pain). Pose running definitely helps a lot. My question is; does the pose running technique work on a treadmill as well as it does outside. I find it very difficult and I'm wondering if there is a reason, or do I just need to keep practicing inside and outside. Please no replies telling me that running is running and pose doesn't work because that makes no sense, seeing how you can make any body movement more efficient with technique. Thanks.

Coach - Just a quick question about the last WOD (20080226), actually about running in general. I've been practicing the pose running technique and do find it helps. I've always had poor technique in my runs and found it difficult to run (knee and shin pain). Pose running definitely helps a lot. My question is; does the pose running technique work on a treadmill as well as it does outside. I find it very difficult and I'm wondering if there is a reason, or do I just need to keep practicing inside and outside. Please no replies telling me that running is running and pose doesn't work because that makes no sense, seeing how you can make any body movement more efficient with technique. Thanks.

Bingo,
Consider this, perhaps as we develop their can be shift in cost.

I will make an example using a theoretical argument with the operation of a CF gym:

(I'm going to keep all of the numbers vary basic so people can read along with me. Keep in mind I'm not all that bright.)

Total Initial Capital (equipment) $500/m /y
Total Recuring Facility Cost: $2000/m
Total Living Expense of single Operator: $2000/m
Monthly Income Pushed to Savings: $1000

Total Monthly Cost: $5500.00 Assuming this person vary much enjoys their lifestyle and will not likely incure any other costs, and does not want too. Yes its hard to imagine.... But imagine it! :)

Clients-Cost/Client/Month
20-$275
30-$183
40-$138
50-$110
60-$92
70-$79
80-$69
90-$61
100-$55
110-$50
120-$46
130-$42
140-$39
150-$37

Ok what's my point? My point is if we're respecting the context of the article while the cost to operate remains. The cost can become so diffused among the users of the product or service that its price/cost is so inexpensive that it is virtually free. Particularly under Value Added service conditions. Which was iterated several times within the article.

It doesn't have to be Free it just has to be cheap enough that its cost doesn't matter. Most of us as CrossFitters would be happy to pay all of $37.00 per month to train with a competent coach.

Logistically it is more complicated than that.

One - you need 1 trainer who is capable of dealing with 150 clients. In all honesty with experience any good CrossFit trainer will be able to handle approximately $150 consistent clients. In fact as time progresses and the clientele builds itself the trainer should become more and more confident with his or hers abilities to manage people.

That's a 31 hour work week with classes of 6 people. I use 6 people because that's ideal per person and is reasonable in a small space. (like mine, actually I only go 3 or 4 at a time, with 10 more watching and cheering people on as they wait.)

Two - realistically getting to that starting point of 20 clients paying $275/m is the hard part. It requires a few things in my experience. Though $275/m for pers training is cheap you have to be a good enough trainer to get those clients in the first place. But if you know you're a good trainer you have to have enough focus to be willing to stick to the plan and not look to make more profit on those clients by raising your prices.

(this is where Doug Chapman calls me a Socialist, Socialism through Capitalism BABY!)

1 - Personal training clients and that may be a diffused, aka CHEAP cost per training hour... ($13.75/h)

2- Enough hours in the day to offer those personal training hours. (full time employment negatively affects that, but is often a must) (13.75/h @ $275/m at 5 times/week with 20 clients is 100hours/week) Key point would be to charge that for 2 on one and classes of 4 or less! ;) Or divide it by 3h/w instead of 5 and sell it as $23/h.

3- Enough wherewithal to figure this out in the first place... "I just realized I'm way dumber than I had first indicated."

4- Most importantly: Ability as a Trainer!

Three - You have to be able to maintain the same cost of operations throughout. Which means the space has to meet the requirements in the first place, the equipment has to support your class size, and you need a broad client base with schedules that are conducive to filling your space throughout all available time frames. You have to be able to use your time as effectively as possible.

Anyways, if that makes sense if you maintain your cost of living which I would assume keeps you comfortable, and your operational costs don't increase significantly. Then as the clientele increases their price matches yours it essentially becomes free. Free to the point where the cost remains but is of no concern to the client. So yes it costs, the cost simply doesn't matter! And it doesn't cost you as the operator, as it's not coming out of your pocket. It sustains itself. SO everyone is getting what they want.

At this point ODDLY enough is where I think you would find yourself with viral growth. Your prices are so low you can't help but grow, but you've reach your natural limit for client management as an individual. So you hire one of your clients as a trainer. You raise your prices enough to support them and they do it all again if they are any good, building another sub community.

Welcome to CrossFit!

The "allure of free" may prevent you from getting a better deal:

See this review of the book Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2008/02/25/080225crbo_books_kolbert (wfs)

"One of the more compelling studies described in the book involved trick-or-treaters. A few Halloweens ago, Ariely laid in a supply of Hershey’s Kisses and two kinds of Snickers—regular two-ounce bars and one-ounce miniatures. When the first children came to his door, he handed each of them three Kisses, then offered to make a deal. If they wanted to, the kids could trade one Kiss for a mini-Snickers or two Kisses for a full-sized bar. Almost all of them took the deal and, proving their skills as sugar maximizers, opted for the two-Kiss trade. At some point, Ariely shifted the terms: kids could now trade one of their three Kisses for the larger bar or get a mini-Snickers without giving up anything. In terms of sheer chocolatiness, the trade for the larger bar was still by far the better deal. But, faced with the prospect of getting a mini-Snickers for nothing, the trick-or-treaters could no longer reckon properly. Most of them refused the trade, even though it cost them candy."

Jolie, Jolie, Jolie... you showed such restraint as Sevan trash-talked his way along... I was so hoping you were going to kick him in the nuts.

I'm sure that in vid #3 we're going to see all the air come out of Sevan's sails as Jolie mops the floor with his arrogant, punk-a&& posturing. I, too, hope that was a show alone, because I've lost any respect for the guy.

(and thanks to Tony for the vids... we don't thank you enough...)

Oh, and the 'free' article is excellent; point well made coming from here. CrossFit rocks.

m/61/180/6'

Had to try the 7/7/7

5 rounds:

7 pullups
7 75# thrusters
7 burpees

time: 9:50

m/41/5'8"/185lb

OK, finally had a chance to take on "Eva" from the other day. Had an 1.5 hrs for lunch today, so hit the gym.

I made it through 3 rounds before I had to bail out and head back to work, but here's what I thought about the WOD's I think are most challenging for me, and what I discovered about Eva.

Rated in order of suck factor:

1 - Linda, which usually takes me about 32 min
2 - Murph, which usually takes me about 45

Figured Eva would be my number 3, BUT, after only 3 rounds, I will put it at the top of my list of most grueling WOD's...

So, for today, Eva, 3 rnds as Rx'd = 37:45

Brutal, and I have a long way to go. The only remotely enjoyable part of today's workout was taking the 70 db from some guy doing shoulder shrugs w 2 70 lb-ers and busting out some db swings - got some very odd looks given that he was moving them through about a 2 in path and I was swinging above forehead level.

I never cease to enjoy the odd looks I get. I hit CF Atlanta on weekends but during the week at our corporate gym, I'm clearly an oddball.

Monday's WOD

39m\190\5'7"
400 m run, 1xCFWU
as Rx'd
Shoulder Press:
135, 155, 175, 185, 195 (caught myself doing a little dip, so i guess thats a failure)
Push Press:
155, 175, 185, 195, 205
Push Jerk:
155, 165, 175, 185, 195 (did two then failed for the next three)

all in all not bad, form was good, asthma was under control. been sick so i felt weak. cant wait for tomorrow!

Monday's WOD

39m\190\5'7"
400 m run, 1xCFWU
as Rx'd
Shoulder Press:
135, 155, 175, 185, 195 (caught myself doing a little dip, so i guess thats a failure)
Push Press:
155, 175, 185, 195, 205
Push Jerk:
155, 165, 175, 185, 195 (did two then failed for the next three)

all in all not bad, form was good, asthma was under control. been sick so i felt weak. cant wait for tomorrow!

carey you are brilliant
sevan you are so cute and funny
jolie, you are my heroine

carey you are brilliant
sevan you are so cute and funny
jolie, you are my heroine

Tried the 7/7/7 workout from the Video:

4:43 as Rx'd

Sevan cracks me up, he plays the part well. Jolie appears to have a big edge in metcon. Me thinks the gentleman will get a thrashing!

Did Sevan do 8 pull-ups? Looked to me like he didn't get full extension on one so didn’t count it. Bravo for not wimping out or making a fuss but just doing another one to be sure.

Sevan's smack talk is playful, not insulting, you can tell by the self-effacing quality of it, e.g. always “finishing” before for the woman… only liking people he can beat, his funny reason for not wanting to increase the weight for the thrusters etc. When you meet a person who really believes the smack talk they are putting out they don't phrase things the same way Sevan is/was.

Besides if he didn’t play the villain what would people without a sense of humor complain about?

Ass whoopin' as rx'd w/30 strict L-pullups after-15:25..wish you guys were here in COLD upstate NY!

Brad # 88
I was with you today on this one brother -- but I was up in Dawsonville and it was bloody cold and windy! We had snow this morning (nothing like out west, but flurries nonetheless). Felt like I was running backwards in this wind!
42:43 as RX-ed
Don't 70lb DB swings just suck?
A-Street did it with me but she twinged her back on the KB swing and had to sub 1.5 Pood SDLHP instead of KB swings for a time of 52:08.
I had a theory and if anyone else has seen this please comment. On the second round she subbed rowing for running. Then when she went to do the KB swing, something twinged. I was thinking it was because her posterior chain had been prepped for a low-load from the rows and so when she picked up the KB her system didn't produce the force necessary for the lift. Does this theory have any validity? (BTW she felt a slight twinge on the first round, so I think it was just mechanics and too heavy of a weight but I was still wondering if anyone had an opinion on this). It is opposite but analagous to loading a muscle in a static contraction with a heavy weight before trying at your target weight. You confuse the nervous system and are able to 'do more'. This method has a name, but as I am still twitching from Eva it escapes me.
Have a great rest day!

42yom 185lbs
Did Elizabeth today. Used 95lbs for the Cleans and kipping for the PU.

Time: 11:48

Post WOD:
Ring Push ups 4 x 15 reps.
Inverted Rows 4 x 15 reps.

Could we PLEASE get that picture of Jolie standing triumphant over Fred in one of the daily posts. That woman is smoking (more than just Sevan).

Hey Harry # 108:

Elizabeth is 21, 15, 9 of cleans and -dips-.

But I think I love your version. Sounds pretty perfect to me. I want to do that. Maybe I'll add some squats in there too. :)

Sevan's hustling. The next one's for money.

Re: The Video

This is perfect for Regis and Kelly! Let's have the re-match live on air, with the studio packed with Crossfitters.

Sevan's PU's look pretty funny.

"Free" is never free. Sure, Crossfit costs me nothing, but I do what I can to support it (t-shirts, etc). If I didn't pay you money, I would have to trust that others are, or that you're some benelolent people who dedicate time because you love it. I don't want to gamble and depend on the virtue of others, because really, I don't want to wake up one day and find all my workout stats and times and weights gone as this website is down for good. No more WODs, no more Coach, no more videos. So, I hedge and buy stuff, and would gladly pay $15 a year to keep this thing going.

Of course, your business model is to use the website as a "free" hook to get people in, and then you make the real money on the seminars and certification, which funds the website, the moderation of comments, the video production, etc. Thank goodness for that.

So, free? Nah. Just a bit of a loss-leader.
Nothing is truly free, right? Capitalism at its finest!

ps: the DOMS from all the squats is catching up to me!

27/m/6'3"/165lb

sleeping, and sleeping in
1 set of sitting on my butt at work
figure drawing after work
laundry and cleaning
an hour or so of Call of Duty 4 online

Time
24:00:00

Now I will take a few days rest from Crossfit. On Friday about 10 km crosscountry skiing, to get to feel the snow. Sunday is the day for http://www.vasaloppet.se 90 km skiing. It's my ninth time, but the first since I started Crossfit.

f/27/169/5'8"

Im a bit behind - gonna hit up the squat,back ext workout today after work
yesterday's WOD
SH (5x1) 75 all sets
PP (5x3) 75 all sets
PJ (5x5) 75 all sets

Hey I'm consistent if nothing else : )

someone posted that they were extremely sore from eva. i concur, i'm very sore and needed this rest day. cheers coors light.

spinal injections went well today. Now some recovery in order.
(maybe Fran tonight)

The Armenian Ass whooper?

I do not think so.

He "finishes most activities before women"?

Heh heh heh...yeah, I think that he might with the amount of trash that is coming out of his pie hole.

I really like this video. The editing was really nice, and the tone was really fun. I don't know who put this together, but keep it up, b/c I've watched this like 10 times already (mmmmmm Jolie)

well since I am a year plus behind just returning from being on disability.....I started with yesterdays day of joy wod

I did 5 rounds as rx'd in 32:00 not great but I did it whew!

well since I am 1 year + behind the CF gang, just returning full force from being on disability....so I figured I would start with yesterdays day of joy 'wod'

I did 5 rounds in 31:00 not an easy task body feels like it just came out of a coma in may ways.....but i did it baby!

oops sorry it was 32 minutes.....didnt realize i double on the post sorry everybody i just finished working out a little light in the head LOL

crossfit rocks hardcore. and Jolie is my kinda lady =)

5 Rounds
15- 135# DL
10- KTE

9:28
35m/150/5'9
Come on Mar 22. Cert I.
Love the burn.

Has anyone looked at the link that #47 glyn posted? Not my scene, but those guys are absolutely f%*#ing amazing. That was impressive.

What a great, interesting article. One of the last points about electricity being free really makes you think about how much different our world could have been... sigh

"I'm not Eva" - Modified mostly due to time constraints (and I am not ready for 2pd bell!)

3 rounds
Run 400m
30 1.5 pd swings
30 pullups

32:49

Did the kb swings in sets of 5 the entire workout. That's 18 sets of 5!
Did the pull ups 10-10-10, 10-10-5-5, 10-5-10-5

Well, today was our last wod before the Cert. this weekend. We did: five rounds for time, 500m row, 50 squats, 30 back extensions. Results posted on yesterday's comments.

We get more excited each day that we get closer to the certification in Ft. Worth.

5 Rounds:
20 Pull-ups
50 Dips
30 Sit-ups (Steep Incline)
40 Back Ext.

3 Rounds:
Kettlebell Juggling w/ 25lbs
1 min Jump Rope

Basketball 45min

Today's workout
squat 5x5 finished with 100 kg
deadlift 5x5 finished with 120 kg
run 3,4 km in 17:33 min
Have fun, Johan

This video series is awesome. I think we all know the outcome given the way Sevan is walking toward the pullup bar sucking air at the end, but a lot of fun to watch and can't wait for part III.

Had a lengthy quote that I deleted all on my lonesome by accident.

Short summary: net profit will always approximate or equal gross profit times volume less costs.

It can easily be shown that as potential volume approaches infinity that necessary gross profit can approach zero asymptotically (I think I spelled that right), but never equal it.

Costs are down, potential volumes are up. Given the tight competition, however, there is price pressure on products and services seeking this volume, so you expect to see--and do see--all sort of gimmicks to attact potential consumers.

However, only habit and/or value will keep customer loyalty. Habit can be reinforced through advertising, but that of course drives up costs. Value pays for its own advertising, which drives down costs.

The free content on this site--which really only costs the brainpower and efforts of Coach Glassmen and Lauren, and a few other people like Tony, Lynne, Brian, and David--generates--through the power of ideational movement, advertising. What people would pay for is created ex nihilo, monetarily speaking.

However, at some point somebody somewhere still has to be writing a check. Here, that is, I think, first and foremost the CrossFit Journal, and Certifications. That is happening.

I will add, too, that $0 need not be a business model, but a labor of love. I don't get the impression the website was intended to do anything other than create a small following on the internet, or that Coach Glassman thought it would lead anywhere this big.

There's an interesting discussion related to "giving it away" on episode 133 of TWIT*. http://twit.tv/133

Dovetails nicely with the "create excellence and the rest follows" message here.

*TWIT = This Week in Tech and is a weekly tech news podcast.