Gymprovements

A few weekends ago we made our floor a tone more solid by reinforcing it with another layer of plywood. That fixed the depressions as well as the noise from dropping weights. We also added a soon to be painted wall for handstand push-ups and wall ball shots. Thanks to Greg Hanshaw, Chris Norton, Dimitri Merrill, Mike Delsart, Joe Lawton, Chris White, Todd Rector, and everyone else who helped us improve our gym.

CrossFit Ogden

Our last stop for CrossFit was in Utah at CrossFit Ogden. This was a partner workout of burpees, push-ups, pull-ups, double unders, and KB swings. The gym shared space with a rock climbing gym. The big windows surrounding the gym created an open and bright, but cold atmosphere. Great workout and a great way to end our road trip to the Northwest.

CrossFit Advantage

Our next stop was at CrossFit Advantage in North Seattle. Teresa's sister Melynda goes to CFA on a semi regular basis. Today we were invited to do a "cool people only" workout at the gym. This was a team workout that consisted of an indoor and and outdoor component. In the outdoor part we had to take three rides down the hill on a sled. Teammates must push, pull, or drag you to the top. This was our first ever sledding WOD.

Hood River CrossFit

Today was our first CrossFit workout on the road. We had a very warm welcome at CrossFit Hood River in Oregon on a rainy day. It was great to run at low elevation after doing so many workouts above 8,000 ft. Cardiovascular endurance recovery was extremely fast, a ten second rest would give us almost 100% recovery.

Holy Ballz

30-20-10

Push Press

Ring push-ups

then...

For Time:

100 wall balls

Polish Burpees

For time:

100 burpees...

but every minute on the minute do...

10 double unders

Parkour Workshop and Gymnastics Skills

Today in CrossFit we played like kids for two hours. We warmed up with gymnastics rolls, cartwheels, handstands, round offs, and dive rolls. Then we learned the basics of parkour in skills such as vault and precision jumps. In the end we all participated in a multi feature obstacle course in which athletes had to jump, swing, vault, balance and flip over gym equipment. I had a blast running this course and hope you did too.

Thanksgiving Week Schedule

Here is our schedule for the week of Thanksgiving

Monday 7:00am and 5:45pm

Tuesday 7:00am and 5:45pm

Wednesday 7:00am (we may do a 5:45 if we have enough interest)

Also, we will add another class in the evening starting the week of November 29. We will cut the 5:45pm class and add a class at 5:15pm and 6:15pm.

Thanks and have a great Thanksgiving. See you when we return from the Northwest.

Heavy Duty Cleaning

Pre WOD:

1 Weighted Pull-up

2 Strict Pull-ups

3 Chest to Bar Pull-ups

4 Butterfly Pull-ups

5 Kipping Pull-ups

Try unbroken. For weight. Not for time.

WOD

Clean (155/115) 15 reps, 10 reps, 5 reps

Handstand Push-ups 5 reps, 10 reps, 15 reps

There is a Hehir in my soup!

Last Wednesday we ate some great paleo food with friends at Dan and Sue Hehir's place in Ophir. This was quite possibly the best tasting pot luck we have ever thrown together. As the evening progressed the food just got better and better. We feasted on coconut shrimp, spicy green chili soup, chicken curry, and elk. Thanks for making the trek to snowy Ophir for this unforgettable food experience.

TABATA This

TABATA (4 minutes)

Sumo Dead-lift High Pull

Rest One Minute

Squat

Rest One minute

Pull-ups

Rest One Minute

Push-ups

Rest One Minute

Sit-ups

Tossin' Balls

Mobility Warm Up

Over Under Fence

Stripper

Lunges

Inch Worm Push-ups

WOD

AMRAP in 15 minutes of

4 Slam Ball

8 V-ups

12 Wall Ball

Intensity vs. Technique

Intensity vs. Technique  

Should I be striving for my PR or perfect form? 

The answer is yes. 

I would say this is one of the most common questions we receive as coaches and the answer can be complicated with opinions on either side. 

 

For this example let’s use the benchmark Elizabeth: 

 

21 – 15 – 9 reps of 135 lbs clean and ring dips.  

21 reps – You have just begun the workout and you should have perfect technique. You will be fresh, so the reps will not be difficult and intensity will also be high. 

TECH >INTENSITY  

15 reps – Fatigue is starting to set in and reps are becoming more difficult. This is where a balance of intensity and technique becomes most important. When you begin to focus too much on your technique, the reps will becoming more laborious and take longer; you’re not being efficient. Likewise if you disregard your technique and focus only on your intensity you will be wasting energy on an incorrect movement; again, you’re not being efficient. A marriage between the two produces the best results. 

TECH = INTENSITY  

9 reps – Technique is failing as you try to simply finishing the workout and your intensity level should be at its highest. This is where many will slow to return technique to perfection and this is incorrect. While we strive for form the ability to achieve your highest potential requires a reduction in the technical details. Failing at technical perfection on some reps lets you know that you are pushing your limits of intensity and technique. 

INTENSITY > TECH  

Still confused? Use this Level 1 certification metaphor based on three marksmen:  

All marksmen fire five rounds at a target and are finished in three seconds.  

- 

- 

-  

#1 hits the bulls-eye all five times. 

#2 hits the bulls-eye twice, but hits the target elsewhere the remaining three. 

#3 does not hit the target and shoots the instructor.  

Marksman 1 is in need of another challenge, this is too easy. Marksman 3 needs to return to basic skills and relearn technical skills in order to match her intensity. We should strive to be the second marksman, who is failing only slightly technically because of increased intensity.

by Mike Thurk

Fran

Fran

21-15-9

Thrusters (95/65)

Pull-ups

CrossFit Hypoxia Race

Great race last Saturday in Ouray with Hypoxia Gym. We had a great turn out of teams from Ouray, Durango, Grand Junction and Telluride. We ran, swung sledge hammers, performed burpees, climbed up and down canyons on rope, did pull-ups overlooking the Ouray Ice Park and enjoyed positive and inspirational CrossFit community in our region.

Big thanks to Alan and Faith for organizing this great event. Teresa and I were excited to have Chris Capaldo, Todd Rector, Chris Norton, and Dimitri Merrill join us in Competition.

In the end Telluride CrossFit took first and third place in the race.

We look forward to our next local race in Durango in January. Jacob is in the process of planning another spectacular event for our community. Hope to see you all there!!!

Count Down the Laundry List

100 Squats

90 Double Unders

80 Sit-ups

70 Push-ups

60 Jumping Pull-ups

50 KB Swings

40 Back Extensions

30 Box Jumps

20 Dead-lifts (225/135)

10 Ring Dips

Good O'l Legs

AMRAP in 20 minutes of:

15 Double Unders

10 Jumping Squats

10 Lunges

10 Sumo Dead-lift High Pull

10 to 1

10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Reps for time of:

Handstand Push-ups

KB Swings

Overhead Squats (45/35)

Pull-ups

Snatch Balance

5 Rounds for time:

7 Pull-ups

7 Med Ball Cleans (40/30)

7 Snatch Balance (85/55)

Saturday Lift n' Run

With a partner complete two rounds:

Dead-lift (2,000lbs men and 1,500 women) for each athlete.

Then run 400 meters

15 Handstand Push-ups each

Run 400 meters

Death by 20 Meters

Skill work: Running

With a continuously running clock run 20 meters the first minute. Run 20 meters twice the second minute. Run 20 meters 3 times the third minute. Run 20 meters 4 times during the fourth minute. Continue until you cannot make complete the distance in the minute.

Then.....

5 Ball Slams

1 Tire Flip

4 Ball Slams

1 Tire Flip

3 Ball Slams

1 Tire Flip

2 Ball Slams

1 Tire Flip

1 Ball Slam

1 Tire Flip

What are benchmark workouts?

While the majority of CrossFit workouts are developed with constant variance in mind, you may have noticed several workouts that you may have repeated, sometimes more than twice. These are called “benchmark” workouts and a variety can be seen hanging on the wall in the gym.

But what makes a benchmark workout different from a “regular” WOD? Why are these workouts special? We’ll use this entry to explore why.

By definition benchmark workouts are the “…most challenging, formative, and expressive of the CrossFit fitness ideal.” Greg Glassman has also said “This convenience and logic inspired our granting a special group of workouts women’s names, but anything that leaves you flat on your back and incapacitated only to lure you back for more at a later date certainly deserves naming.” Benchmarks can be used as a gauge for progress, a way to be challenged physically and mentally, and as a way to bring the CrossFit community together.

Indicators of progress can be completing a benchmark without any modifications or by finishing your workout just one second faster. Either of these can be considered great achievements by the individual and something to strive for. When participating in a benchmark workout, form and intensity should share your attention equally. While a reduction in form may produce a faster rep, your energy level will wane faster as you waste energy performing an inefficient movement.

On paper some of the benchmarks look pretty…well, easy.

WRONG.

I made the mistake of underestimating Jackie. (1,000 meter row, 50 Thrusters at 45lbs. , and 30 pull-ups. One round for time.) This looked fairly straightforward and easy. The post workout result was me lying on my back in a puddle of my own sweat wondering “Is this Rabdo?”. This is part of the mental aspect of approaching a benchmark: avoiding the Psyche. Knowing that these benchmarks are difficult makes them unique, especially if you have done them before. I’m looking forward to the next time we have Jackie as a workout and overcoming not only the physical aspect of the workout but also the mental strength I will gain from doing something that I know was previously a challenge.

These benchmarks can bring us together as a gym. When you have done these and sweated out alongside other local athletes, you have something in common that others do not. When you visit other gyms you immediately have something to discuss, because you’ve all suffered the same 150 wall ball shots of Karen.

While we will repeat benchmarks, you will rarely repeat a workout in one month and definitely not within two weeks. So next time that you see one on the board you may be a bit nervous, but embrace the opportunity to challenge yourself at your highest level, knowing that everyone around you is going to be doing the same.

Even if the name is Fran.

by Mike Thurk

Turkish Get-ups

For Time:

50 Dead-lifts (135/95)

10 Turkish Get-ups (45/35)

50 Push-ups

10 Turkish Get-ups

50 Pull-ups

10 Turkish Get-ups

50 Wall Ball Shots

10 Turkish Get-ups

V X V

Pre WOD

Tabata Sit-ups with Partners and Med Balls

AMRAP in 20 minutes

5 Push-ups

10 KB swings

5 V-ups

Team Workout

In teams of 3 complete the following:

1000m Row

500 Box Jumps

400 Jumping Squats

300 Double Unders

20o Push Press (75/55)

100 Pull-ups