Tuesday 061031

Rest Day

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Hamstring flexibility can readily be measured by having a standing athlete flex solely at the hips and noting where in the range of hip motion the natural lumbar curve is lessened.

"Conga Confusion," CrossFit Oakland

The Acquittal of Carbon Dioxide, by Jeffrey Glassman

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Monday 061030

10 rounds for time of:
10 Pull-ups
10 Ring dips

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060503.

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CrossFit Certification Seminar, October 2006 - Rainier CrossFit

"Cindy" [video] - Crossfit Rockford

Sunday 061029

Clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

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Take each clean from the ground and catch in a squat.

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CrossFit aims to increase work capacity across diverse, unfamiliar, or even unknowable physical challenges. Our vehicle in pursuit of this end is constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity.

Saturday 061028

"Strung-out, backwards, and upside down Fran"

For time:
Run 1200 meters
9 Pull-ups
95 pound Thruster, 9 reps
Run 800 meters
15 Pull-ups
95 pound Thruster, 15 reps
Run 400 meters
21 Pull-ups
95 pound Thruster, 21 reps

Post time to comments.

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Simple, sturdy, and inexpensive plyo boxes made from "irrigation boxes" and lumber - Rainier CrossFit

Friday 061027

Rest Day

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The push-up's little recognized yet chief value is development of core strength which for the purposes of our program we've defined as "mid-line stabilization". Very few people can perform full range push-ups without deformations of posture.

Baghdad Vigilantes and the Dark Side of Civil Society, TCS Daily, By Frederick Turner

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Thursday 061026

"Diane"

21-15-9 reps of:
225 pound Deadlift
Handstand push-ups

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Compare to 061016.

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Good catch for push jerk: Nicole has the ball, shoulder, hip, and base in line.

Brett Marshall, 1:49 Diane [video]

Wednesday 061025

"Cindy"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

OR

"Mary"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 One legged squats, alternating
15 Pull-ups

Post your choice of girls and rounds completed to comments.

Compare to 060927.

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"At the beginning of this year I started doing the cross fit workouts (at least what I could do). I've never felt so strong and fit in my life. As it turned out, CrossFit gave me the courage to go after a goal I thought was unattainable. In May, I joined an MIT group and went on my first run over 7 miles since high school 23 years ago. Last Sunday, I ran the Columbus Marathon at 43 and my 8 year old got to sprint across the finish line with me – like I'm some kind of super hero. I think the attitude of your program gives people the courage to persist and change who they are in whatever they do. I hope I can pass it on."

- John H.

Tuesday 061024

"Fran"

Three rounds, 21-15- and 9 reps, for time of:
95 pound Thruster
Pull-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060716.

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The first photo is the pulling stance for the clean and the snatch; the second photo is the landing stance. In November’s CrossFit Journal we begin regular installments on the essentials of Olympic lifting by Coach Mike Burgener with Tony Budding.

Monday 061023

Rest Day

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"The Back Handspring" - Hand position: "When your hands contact the ground, they should be turned inward and spread apart. To see the proper position, form a tear drop shape by putting your right and left index fingers and right and left thumbs together. Then separate your hands to about shoulder width. This is the position your hands should be in when they contact the ground. This hand position allows for better function in the shoulders than with the hands turned out." - Roger Harrell, CrossFit Journal Issue 47

Jon Gilson - Cliff Kipping [video]

The Neglected Swing Voters, The Economist

The Libertarian Vote, Cato Institute, by David Boaz and David Kirby

Libertarians: The Other Swing Vote, Cato podast

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Sunday 061022

Five rounds for time of:
135 pound Deadlift, 15 reps
Run 400 meters
15 GHD Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060315.

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Brand X Martial Arts - CrossFit Kids

Saturday 061021

For time:
Run 400 meters
21 L-Pull-ups
21 Handstand push-ups
Run 400 meters
15 L-Pull-ups
15 Handstand push-ups
Run 400 meters
9 L-Pull-ups
9 Handstand push-ups

Post time to comments.

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At first glance this squat looks good. But a closer look reveals that Lisa's center of mass has shifted forward of her starting base which is marked by the white line. The position is precariously balanced by her cantilevering forward to support herself on the balls of her feet. In the second photo you can see that Lisa's heel is lifted. (We deliberately put Lisa in this less than ideally stable position for the photo.)

Friday 061020

Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 reps

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Compare to 060825.

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Gate Vault - "Parkour Basics Part 6: Underbar and Gate Vault," CrossFit Journal, Issue 50 by Jesse Woody, American Parkour

CrossFit Journal Index

Thursday 061019

Rest Day

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Gagetown

Why Is Ahmadinejad Smiling? - The Weekly Standard

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Wednesday 061018

"Elizabeth"

21-15-9 reps of:
Clean 135 pounds
Ring dips

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060811.

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Elbows lead in the Sumo deadlift high-pull - Nancy Reilly, CrossFit Santa Cruz

Tuesday 061017

Weighted Pull-ups 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads and bodyweight to comments.

Compare to 060809.

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Inflexibility in the shoulder results in the forward-of-overhead posture in the first picture. Balance and control here quickly becomes tough with even light loads. The second picture represents the postural perturbation needed to find balance with the same inflexible shoulder. In the third picture, the problem is fixed when the shoulders are pulled back to bring the load over the center of balance without moving the athlete's center of balance forward of the frontal plane.

Monday 061016

"Diane"

21-15-9 reps of:
225 pound Deadlift
Handstand push-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060904.

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The "frontal plane" divides the athlete front half from back half. Keeping the center of balance and any load lifted in this plane greatly simplifies movement of body and load.

Viewed as a system, the athlete and load might find balance with the athlete disproportionately on one side of the frontal plane and the load disproportionately on the opposite side but balance this way is tricky and dynamic movements very difficult.

Sunday 061015

Rest Day

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New Westminster Regiment - CrossFit Vancouver

Air America Parent Files for Chapter 11, L.A. Times.

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Saturday 061014

Tabata Squats

In twenty seconds, do as many squats as you can, then rest 10 seconds. Repeat this seven more times for a total of 8 intervals, 4 minutes total exercise. The score is the least number of reps for any of the eight intervals.

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Shoulder stretch

CrossFit Oakland! - "Not Have to be Fun.."

Friday 061013

With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.

Use as many sets each minute as needed.

Post number of minutes completed to comments.

Compare to 060725.

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"We learned through CrossFit that combining agony and laughter is a powerful stimulus for developing camaraderie."

- Major Michael Perry, US Army

Thursday 061012

"J.T."

21-15-9 reps of:
Handstand push-ups
Ring dips
Push-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060612.

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In the front squat, resting the bar on the shoulders with the elbows pointing forward is critical even if it reduces the grip to a few fingers loosely touching the bar.

Wednesday 061011

Rest Day

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Light-object, high rep, synchronized clean and jerk drills are a great warm-up for group workouts and offer superb opportunity to correct and reinforce fundamental skills.

"Know Pain, Know Gain," CrossFit Central Scotland

The CrossFit Journal is announcing the release of hundreds of pages of previously published subscription articles to the CrossFit site over the next few months in order to expand the amount of content available free of charge. Our plan is to eventually publish the CrossFit Journal to the web where some articles will be free to the public and others available to subscribers only. Contributors will support the articles in "comments."

Post thoughts to comments.

Tuesday 061010

For time:
20 inch Box jump, 50 reps
Rope climb, 5 ascents
1.5 pood Kettlebell swing, 50 reps
50 sit-ups
40 pound dumbbell Hang power clean, 50 reps
800 meter Run
50 Back extensions

Post time to comments.

Compare to 041115

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Stephane Rochet - CrossFit Surf City

Dwight Lowery

Monday 061009

"Helen"

Three rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
1 1/2 pood Kettlebell X 21 swings (or 55 pound dumbbell swing)
12 Pull-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 060622.

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CrossFit Certification Seminar, October 2006 - CrossFit Boston

Sunday 061008

Push Jerk 3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads to comments.

Compare to 060827.

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"Shoulders in ears" - CrossFit Certification Seminar, October 7th and 8th, CrossFit Boston

Saturday 061007

Rest Day

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Naval Diving and Salvage Training Center CrossFit

DDT is back after millions perish.

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Friday 061006

"Annie"

50-40-30-20 and10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

Post time to comments.

Compare to 050907.

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Donald Player and John Franz

Thursday 061005

Three efforts for time of:
Run 800 meters

Post times to comments.

Rest between efforts.

Compare to 060922.

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Lt Col Michael Hamilton passed away suddenly 23 September from a heart attack. Michael was a friend and mentor to all CrossFitters; he will be dearly missed. His friends will keep his dream alive by someday opening a CrossFit gym in Simi Valley, CA in his honor. Fair winds, Michael.

Wednesday 061004

Three rounds for time of:
95 pound Overhead squat, 15 reps
15 L Pull-ups
95 pound Split-jerk, 15 reps
15 Knees to elbows
95 pound Hang clean, 15 reps
15 Back extensions, with 25 pounds

Post time to comments.

Hold 25 pound plate or dumbbell to chest for back extensions.

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Coach and Sage Burgener. In the landing position of the split jerk the front knee is above or slightly behind the ankle; the hands, crown of the head, spine, and hips are in perfect alignment; and the back heel is up, even turned out slightly, with a slight bend in the back knee.

Tuesday 061003

Rest Day

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CrossFitters net $100,000 for prostate cancer research.

2006 USA Weightlifting World Team

"Hot and Cold Media Spin Cycle: A Challenge to Journalists who Cover Global Warming", Senator James Inhofe, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Senate Floor Speech.

Post thoughts to comments.

Monday 061002

Deadlift 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 reps

Post loads to comments.

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Orange County Fire Authority

Sunday 061001

"Nasty Girls"

3 rounds for time of:
50 Squats
7 Muscle-ups
95 pound Hang power cleans, 10 reps

Post time to comments.

WOD demo [video]

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The correct finishing position for press, push press, and thruster (A)
is the same - the bar back over the shoulders, in line with the spine at
the base of the neck. The most common error is a forward finish (B),
easy to commit and bad-habit-forming with light weight, inefficient
and detrimental at heavier weight. Causes are incorrect elbow position
(C shows correct position with elbows forward of the bar, D shows elbows behind the bar and out of position), or pressing early before the torso is upright, which also takes the leg drive component out of the movement (E).

- Mark Rippetoe, CrossFit Wichita Falls