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Posted by Andy Petranek :
Friday, Oct 30, 2009
You hear a lot of people in CrossFit talking about training their weaknesses, and while this is great in practice (who, after all, really wants to have "chinks" in their armor) it's really fun and exciting to work on the skills at which you naturally excel, love doing, and consider to be your strengths. I for one love when a workout comes up that hits all my strengths, and while this may not do as much for me in terms of training my weaknesses, damn it's fun - and also usually really hard! Remember that training strengths is how specialists become the best in the world - they find the one thing that they're great at, and do nothing but train in those areas that will make them better at that one skill or sport (Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, etc).
Since there are so many areas that go into making an elite level CrossFitter, you will naturally have strengths in certain areas. Have you identified them? Have you set a goal? Are you training in those areas? And are you seeing progress?
Cathy yawns, "Can we get on with the workout already?!"
Today's Workout
400m Run
25 HSPU
50 KBS (24/16)
25 Pull Ups
50 Jumping Lunges
25 Snatch Balance (95/65)
50 Double Unders
25 Ring Dips
50 GHD Back Extensions
400m run
Posted by michael stanwyck :
Thursday, Oct 29, 2009
I know that many of us, myself included, started working out not to become a better athlete necessarily, but just to get in better shape. The more I do this, though, the more I feel that inner athlete yearning to get out. What we do is a sport, and one of the most exciting ways to participate in sports is to test yourself. Of course we do this each time we work out - but did you ever want to get out and see what you could do outside of our walls?
Our newest challenge was created so you could do just that. CFLA's next challenge is a 10k run, culminating with the Junior League of Pasadena 10k out at the Rose Bowl at the end of January. That means that everyone in the challenge will enter and run in an organized 10k - official times, t-shirts and everything - with dozens of their workout buddies. It'll be a great opportunity to put some skin in the game and to push your limits with the support of the people you train with every day. And for anyone with travel plans over the holidays, you can to continue to use this as a training tool when you're away from the gym!
Everyone is invited to participate, but especially those who have never entered a race or one of our challenges before. Ask yourself, when was the last time you did something for the first time?
"Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction."
- William James, American psychologist and philosopher
Safety first!
OHS 1-1-1-1
-Rest-
12 Rounds of partner “Cindy”
Partners alternate each round for a total of 6 rounds each
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009
We wrote these to put some handles on training at CFLA. What do you think? Did we miss anything?
1. Do not think you can master CrossFit or achieve elite fitness in a day. It will take an entire lifetime to learn. Keep showing up. Be consistent, even when you don’t feel like it. That is the key.
2. Arrive early and stay late. Anything less is to cheat yourself of the experience, and to rob others of the gift of your presence and support as part of the community.
3. Virtuosity is defined as performing the common, uncommonly well. Master your body and the mechanics of movement. Practice the fundamentals. Then add speed and intensity.
4. Accidents and injuries usually come as a result of impatience. Don’t be greedy. Slow down. Ask questions. Ask for help. Check your ego at the door.
5. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Clean up after yourself. Wipe down and put away all equipment, clean up sweat, spit, blood, chalk, dirt, and handprints after every workout.
6. Empty barbells were not designed to be dropped. Neither were dumbbells or kettlebells.
7. Chalk is useful, even necessary. It is also messy. Use as much as you need, but keep the excess inside the chalk bucket.
8. Grunting, screaming, cussing and otherwise making noise are all welcome and encouraged during a workout. Also remember that there can be such a thing as too loud, crass, gross or rude – be respectful.
"Iceland Annie" dropped by CFLA for a workout last Friday!
Today's Workout
3 rounds for time of:
100m Farmer's Walk
20 Wall Balls (20/14)
3 rope climbs
Posted by Becca Borawski :
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009
Sometimes I imagine, that to our friends, CrossFit must appear to be a Quixotic adventure. They don't see the "giants" we see. Why must we do hundreds of things? Why must we lift so much, so fast, so often? To that I say, because I can, because I want to, because it is there. And maybe, because as a kid I imagined myself a superhero, and now for an hour a day, I get to be one. I get to lift heavy things, leap on boxes, and do things that to my friends seem inhuman. If I picture my cape flying behind me, maybe I can even run faster.
So, let us be a legion of Don Quixotes, tilting at windmills and being superheroes. Let us go out into the world inspired and big. Let reason and logic remain for the small.
Clark, pushing dumbbells at the sky.
Today's Workout:
5 rounds for time:
15 Deadlifts (225# men, 155# women)
400m Run
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Monday, Oct 26, 2009
I ran in the Marine Corps Marathon yesterday. At no point during the first 12 miles did I think I needed any encouragement, I felt great - pose running, light on my feet, asesome! But then I hit mile 13... things started to unravel. Every step became difficult, and the bottoms of my feet felt like someone had been whacking them hundreds of times with a stick. By mile 20, I thought I might quit... I started calculating mentally how long it would take me if I just walked the last 6 miles. I must have been passed by hundreds (and maybe thousands) of people as I walked every mile at the water stops.
But with the help of the 29,999 other people running and the thousands along the sideline, I didn't quit. Watching the other runners, I kept saying to myself, "If they can do this, so can you... now keep running!" And I did, for the most part. With a finishing time of 4 hours and 30 minutes, I didn't exactly set the world on fire, but I did prove to myself that thinking and believing has as much to do with finishing as physical training or ability. Anyone else have a similar experience they'd like to share?
Jenna goes hard on a CrossFit run
Today's Workout
2,000m row
8 min rest
1,000m row
4 min rest
500m row
Posted by Andy Petranek :
Friday, Oct 23, 2009
"Our specialty is in NOT specializing." "Preparation for the unknown and the unknowable." "Fitness requires an ability to perform well at all tasks, even unfamiliar tasks, tasks combined in infinitely varying combinations. In practice this encourages the athlete to disinvest in any set notions of sets, rest periods, reps, exercises, order, of exercises, routines, periodization, etc. Nature frequently provides largely unforeseeable challenges; train for that by striving to keep the training stimulus broad and constantly varied."
"Smack Downs" are our way of bringing some fun, variety and UNKNOWN into your workouts. On Smack Down days, we won't post a WOD. When you arrive at the gym, before the warm-up, someone will draw a card from a deck. Each card represents a different workout (hint: they are all "Girls", "Heros" or CFLA "Favorites"). Every class on a Smack Down Day will do a different workout. And if you're on your own... pull one out of your Hopper Deck!
Mike givin' his all!
Today's Workout
"Friday Smack Down"
Draw a card from the CFLA Deck.
Complete whatever workout is drawn!
