Fran
21-15-9 reps for time of:
Barbell Thrusters (95)(65)
Pull-Ups
I have some fantastic things to blog about today! What an exciting class!!! #1 Let's start with Nicole, she has been training for her upcoming wedding with me since 7/15. She first met "Fran" on 7/30 at that point she barely made it through 21 reps at 45lbs, dropped to 40lbs and finished her "Fran" in 9:55. After many grueling personal training sessions and complaints about burpees, box jumps, hand stand PUs, burpees and more burpees...I think she saw some of her hard work pay off tonight. She crushed her 9:55 with a new PR of 5:36 done all at 45lbs...she attributed to the "protein pudding" she ate for lunch...but something tells me; its her dedication, hard work and CrossFit-ing that has made her stronger! Nicole, I expect to see some Thrusters in that wedding dress on 10/4! You make me so proud!
Story number #2...Orla, another success story...cut her "Fran" time from 8:00 minutes @ 40lb to 7:36 @ 45 lbs. Orla also has just come back from a little time off and I must say, that left arm is getting so much stronger! I hope you find yourself this weekend in the woods!! We are all cheering for you!
#3 Hannah, Doreen, and Tanya...congrats on the 65lbs rx'd Thrusters...your next goal is move off those assisted bands for PU's... very soon! Great strength and determination in finishing today you all rock!
#4 Sue, our first timer rocked it with 40lb Thrusters the whole way through!
#5 Paul, Jeff and James...fantastic on upping the weight and pushing it as far as you could! Very nice performance! And let's not forget Paul's virtual Fran in 2:38. click here to watch some virtual Fran's... and click here for the always inspiring 2:02 Fran from Josh Bridges.
and last but not least, story #6 We welcome our new friend John to CrossFit and we welcome him to Rx'd! He pushed through the workout with 95lb Thrusters and "assisted" pull ups. John questioned the use of kipping pull-ups. The advantage with Kipping in CrossFit lies in the Power output, you will get twice the power, intensity and benefit by using the "kip". Is the kip is NOT all we do in CrossFit we also add some variety with strict, weighted, L-Pull-ups and jumping Pull-ups...but Fran happens to be one of the WODs where you want that increased power output!
...and now a little bit about me...I only shaved 11 seconds off my Fran time today, I was disappointed. But I have been fighting a chest cold inhibiting my breathing, sprained ankle and open calluses (I know, no excuse...right? but I certainly have a few) Rx'd I came in at 7:44 vs my PR of 7:55 last time around. I think I'm going back to this one in a week or so to give it another go!
Times below- all w/ assisted bands for PU.
Orla 45-7:36
Nicole 45-5:36
Doreen rx'd-6:46
John rx'd-12:42
Tanya rx'd-7:30
Hannah rx'd-9:26
Paul 85/75-9:00
Jeff 75/65- 10:50
Sue 40-13:41
James 75-5:00
Jason rxd-no assisted PU 21:35
9.15.2008
9.13.2008
9.11.2008
You are never too old for CrossFit
So, I really don't think you are ever too old to CrossFit. The pic above features Bob during his T-Push-ups!! GO BOB! Bob is 70 years old and I've seen him in more classes than most, he hails from Armenia and has the stamina and training age above most! No, the classes I'm talking about are NOT Silver Sneakers (or slippers) as I often refer to it as...he attends the actual CrossFit classes. Yes, he modified todays workout "slightly" but needless to say, he completed it and with fantastic enthusiasm and form.Our Hero's workout was "Michael"- In honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, 30 of Portville NY, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 28, 2005.
3 Rounds for time:
Run 800M
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit ups
...and we finished the class with 3 rounds of Push-ups (6), Pledge Push-ups (3L/3R) and T-Push-ups (3L/3R)...FANTASTIC!!!!
Paul 17:06
Doreen 16:53
Hannah 24:29
Lisa 18:38
Tanya 19:08
Jason 22.17
Jeff 20:11
Bob 23:20
Nicole 22:30
9.10.2008
Met Con Wed
It's an exciting day at the F.A.C...our new pull up bar has been installed and we tested it out to make sure it could hold three 6 AM CrossFitters at once! Whoo-hooo! Mission accomplished; Tim M., Tim P. and Ed in the pic working on their assisted Pull ups! Nice Job!
5 Rounds
12 KB Swings
12 Decline Push Ups
Rest 3 min
5 Rounds
12 DB Thrusters
12 Pull ups
9.09.2008
CrossFit Group Sessions
At the Fairmount Athletic Club I am NOW offering NEW CrossFit Group Sessions!
Gather your friends and partners and do it together! This program is built from functional exercises executed at high intensity with a constantly varied structure! All ages and workout levels are welcome! Every exercise can and will be scaled to your level; safety, form and function are number 1!
Session Length = 45 Minutes
Consists of = Dynamic warm-up and any needed instruction/practice of exercises involved with the workout, CrossFit Workout and Stretch.
Sign-Up Procedure = You must sign up for all 10 sessions, either Tuesdays at 6:30pm or Saturdays at 10:30am. Or you can sign up for both sessions. A one-time payment of $200.00 is due upon sign up at the front desk.
ONLY 12 Slots are available! Sign up NOW! Sign up by 9/14!
Dates & Times below:
Tuesday 6:30 PM 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/1, 11/18
Saturday 10:30AM 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25,11/1, 11/8, 11/15,12/6 and 12/13
For the budget conscience and workout savvy, these sessions will:
Reshape your body!
Increase your work capacity!
Develop power and speed!
Increase strength, stamina and endurance!Define flexibility, balance, coordination and agility!
Gather your friends and partners and do it together! This program is built from functional exercises executed at high intensity with a constantly varied structure! All ages and workout levels are welcome! Every exercise can and will be scaled to your level; safety, form and function are number 1!
Session Length = 45 Minutes
Consists of = Dynamic warm-up and any needed instruction/practice of exercises involved with the workout, CrossFit Workout and Stretch.
Sign-Up Procedure = You must sign up for all 10 sessions, either Tuesdays at 6:30pm or Saturdays at 10:30am. Or you can sign up for both sessions. A one-time payment of $200.00 is due upon sign up at the front desk.
ONLY 12 Slots are available! Sign up NOW! Sign up by 9/14!
Dates & Times below:
Tuesday 6:30 PM 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/1, 11/18
Saturday 10:30AM 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25,11/1, 11/8, 11/15,12/6 and 12/13
9.08.2008
Fall Burpee Challenge
Tonight was the start of our Fall Burpee Challenge! 100 Burpees for time!
We will be practicing our Burpees in each class until the week before Thanksgiving when we time our 100 Burpees again! So basically all fall!
We welcomed Paul a fellow CrossFitter from Pittsburgh tonight! Paul maintained perfect form throughout all 100 Burpees! Congrats! Fantastic work!
And Nicole...please don't ever say you are quitting with 17 to go...or we are having words! And by the way, your snatch was the best I've seen in awhile!
Form is something I talk about alot...remember time isn't always everything gang! Proper form is what counts and what makes you stronger and enables you to go the extra mile and gets the work done in the long run!! So in addition to our Burpee Challenge for fall, we are making form our other focus!
Everyone did an awesome job! This was a tough one!
Doreen 8:31
Paul 8:50
Betsy 9:49
Betsy 9:49
Margaret 9:29
Jeff 11:10
Lisa17:45
Eric 13:37
Lisa S. 11:30
Nicole 16:22
Paul S. (pit.) 10:23
Hannah 10:50
Liz 11:17
Jason 12:00
Aimee 7:14
9.07.2008
Creative Weekend WOD
CrossFit really can be done anywhere..always use what you have and be creative. Ed, one of our AM CrossFitters told me while on vacation at the shore he ran 10 miles and then dug a huge sand pit at the beach for his kids! FANTASTIC!
While in NC this weekend I managed to squeeze in a little CrossFit...50 Double Unders (yes, I bought my jump rope), 50 Squats, 50 Burpees, 400M run, 10 dead hang pull ups. My warm up was on the monkey bars!!
While in NC this weekend I managed to squeeze in a little CrossFit...50 Double Unders (yes, I bought my jump rope), 50 Squats, 50 Burpees, 400M run, 10 dead hang pull ups. My warm up was on the monkey bars!!
9.05.2008
Tropcial Storms...See you next week!
Jason and I heard there was a tropical storm "Hannah" coming up the East coast so we quickly booked some tickets and decided to visit some good friends in North Carolina! Haha! Kidding aside, we've had the tickets, but unfortunately for us, the weather will probably not cooperate... and unfortunately you, my F.A.C. crew; on Sunday I will not be there! There will be a sub though!
Next week starts the Thursday CrossFit class at 5:30! Get some rest!
...And get ready to really get competitive! Stay posted for details on a special 10 week CrossFit Group Session; Max 6 people per group. There will be a group on Tuesday at 6:30PM and a group on Saturday at 10:30AM. Sign up starts next week!
See you Monday at 5:30!
Stay dry! And have a safe weekend!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition really is the foundation for everything, most importantly Training! I've re-posted the nutrition entry from July, the last link at the bottom is very informative and worth opening!
Plateau is a nasty word for anyone who has ever experienced it. You diet, you exercise, you are motivated, you successfully lose weight, your friends notice, you are feeling good and then all of a sudden WHAM nothing but frustration...First I will generalize some reasons why you might plateau and then more specifically I will go into what CrossFit Recommends as the foundation, the CrossFit Dietary Prescription.
1. You need to eat. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories each day to function and maintain the muscle mass you have. Unfortunately, many people go to extremes and eat too few calories thinking this will speed up the process. It may work at first, but eventually you will stop losing – and may even gain weight again. Why? Because your body thinks it’s being starved and has entered “survival mode”.
2. You need to get out an MOVE!
3. You need muscle. Many people mistakenly believe that they should focus on cardio exercise in order to lose weight. While cardio is important, resistance training is critically important in helping your metabolism and increasing your muscle tone and definition. The only way to have a long-term impact on increasing your metabolism is to build muscle.
4. You need to keep your routine constantly varied. Your body has an ability to adjust to the demands placed on it. When you first start a new form of exercise, it may be challenging. However, as you get stronger and your body adapts, it is no longer a challenge. Over time, your body becomes so efficient that this same exercise no longer has an effect on your weight. If you’ve hit a plateau, it’s time to add some variety into your routine.
The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:
Protein should be lean and varied and account for about 30% of your total caloric load. Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40% of your total caloric load. Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated and account for about 30% of your total caloric load. Calories should be set at between .7 and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass depending on your activity level. The .7 figure is for moderate daily workout loads and the 1.0 figure is for the hardcore athlete.
What Should I Eat? In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.
The Caveman or Paleolithic Model for Nutrition. Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. The Caveman model is perfectly consistent with the CrossFit prescription.
What Foods should I avoid?
Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.
What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?
The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research "hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.
Caloric Restriction and Longevity
Current research strongly supports the link between caloric restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake. “Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous activity.
A few links are below for additional research:
The Zone Diet Website
A Quick Start Guide for Zone Eating
Plateau is a nasty word for anyone who has ever experienced it. You diet, you exercise, you are motivated, you successfully lose weight, your friends notice, you are feeling good and then all of a sudden WHAM nothing but frustration...First I will generalize some reasons why you might plateau and then more specifically I will go into what CrossFit Recommends as the foundation, the CrossFit Dietary Prescription.
1. You need to eat. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories each day to function and maintain the muscle mass you have. Unfortunately, many people go to extremes and eat too few calories thinking this will speed up the process. It may work at first, but eventually you will stop losing – and may even gain weight again. Why? Because your body thinks it’s being starved and has entered “survival mode”.
2. You need to get out an MOVE!
3. You need muscle. Many people mistakenly believe that they should focus on cardio exercise in order to lose weight. While cardio is important, resistance training is critically important in helping your metabolism and increasing your muscle tone and definition. The only way to have a long-term impact on increasing your metabolism is to build muscle.
4. You need to keep your routine constantly varied. Your body has an ability to adjust to the demands placed on it. When you first start a new form of exercise, it may be challenging. However, as you get stronger and your body adapts, it is no longer a challenge. Over time, your body becomes so efficient that this same exercise no longer has an effect on your weight. If you’ve hit a plateau, it’s time to add some variety into your routine.
The CrossFit dietary prescription is as follows:
Protein should be lean and varied and account for about 30% of your total caloric load. Carbohydrates should be predominantly low-glycemic and account for about 40% of your total caloric load. Fat should be predominantly monounsaturated and account for about 30% of your total caloric load. Calories should be set at between .7 and 1.0 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass depending on your activity level. The .7 figure is for moderate daily workout loads and the 1.0 figure is for the hardcore athlete.
What Should I Eat? In plain language, base your diet on garden vegetables, especially greens, lean meats, nuts and seeds, little starch, and no sugar. That's about as simple as we can get. Many have observed that keeping your grocery cart to the perimeter of the grocery store while avoiding the aisles is a great way to protect your health. Food is perishable. The stuff with long shelf life is all suspect. If you follow these simple guidelines you will benefit from nearly all that can be achieved through nutrition.
The Caveman or Paleolithic Model for Nutrition. Modern diets are ill suited for our genetic composition. Evolution has not kept pace with advances in agriculture and food processing resulting in a plague of health problems for modern man. Coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and psychological dysfunction have all been scientifically linked to a diet too high in refined or processed carbohydrate. The Caveman model is perfectly consistent with the CrossFit prescription.
What Foods should I avoid?
Excessive consumption of high-glycemic carbohydrates is the primary culprit in nutritionally caused health problems. High glycemic carbohydrates are those that raise blood sugar too rapidly. They include rice, bread, candy, potato, sweets, sodas, and most processed carbohydrates. Processing can include bleaching, baking, grinding, and refining. Processing of carbohydrates greatly increases their glycemic index, a measure of their propensity to elevate blood sugar.
What is the Problem with High-Glycemic Carbohydrates?
The problem with high-glycemic carbohydrates is that they give an inordinate insulin response. Insulin is an essential hormone for life, yet acute, chronic elevation of insulin leads to hyperinsulinism, which has been positively linked to obesity, elevated cholesterol levels, blood pressure, mood dysfunction and a Pandora's box of disease and disability. Research "hyperinsulinism" on the Internet. There's a gold mine of information pertinent to your health available there. The CrossFit prescription is a low-glycemic diet and consequently severely blunts the insulin response.
Caloric Restriction and Longevity
Current research strongly supports the link between caloric restriction and an increased life expectancy. The incidence of cancers and heart disease sharply decline with a diet that is carefully limited in controlling caloric intake. “Caloric Restriction” is another fruitful area for Internet search. The CrossFit prescription is consistent with this research.
The CrossFit prescription allows a reduced caloric intake and yet still provides ample nutrition for rigorous activity.
A few links are below for additional research:
The Zone Diet Website
A Quick Start Guide for Zone Eating
9.03.2008
4 Rounds for time...
The 6AM team is ever growing! We welcomed 4 new people this morning, Trisha, Danielle, Debbie and Avery! And we introduced everyone to two new skills; the Hand Stand Push Up and Hang power clean! Way to Rock it team!
WOD 4 Rounds for time:
50 Squats
25 Box Jumps
7 Hand Stand Push Ups
10 Hang Power Cleans (135/95)
Doreen 18:22 /55lb
Paul 18:33 /75lb
Tim 20:30 /85lb
Jeff 20:55 /75lb
Hannah 23:57
Katie 21:32 /55lb
Lisa 21:29 /55lb
Avery 29:53
Ed 22:45 /85lb
Daielle 25:46
Debbie 26:26
Trisha 26:51
WOD 4 Rounds for time:
50 Squats
25 Box Jumps
7 Hand Stand Push Ups
10 Hang Power Cleans (135/95)
Doreen 18:22 /55lb
Paul 18:33 /75lb
Tim 20:30 /85lb
Jeff 20:55 /75lb
Hannah 23:57
Katie 21:32 /55lb
Lisa 21:29 /55lb
Avery 29:53
Ed 22:45 /85lb
Daielle 25:46
Debbie 26:26
Trisha 26:51
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
