CrossFit Oakland will be hosting the Fight Gone Bad IV fundraiser on September 26th, 2009.  Exercise heats will be going from 9am-3pm.  There will also be food, drink, and a ton of people from CrossFit affiliates all around the Bay Area.  This is a great event that raises money for Athletes for a Cure and the Wounded Warrior Project.  You can check out more details on CFO’s website.

_______________________

Tuesday’s WOD:

“Inaugural Sweat Shop WOD”
compare to 4/1/09

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

10 Wall Balls
10 Summo Deadlift High Pulls
10 Burpees
10 Medball Cleans

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

It’s time to look back at the first set of performance goals that many of us set back in May of this year.   Did you meet them?  Exceed them?  Come up short?  If so, by how much?  Also, it’s time to set some more goals.  Setting goals a few months back has really re-ignited my own training focus, frequency, and intensity.  Setting performance goals, and training within the CrossFit community, is truly one of the most effective to get results.  Even if your primary goal is to lose some body fat and/or gain a little muscle, setting some measureable performance goals will keep you motivated to train, and as a result, you will easily achieve your body composition goals.

Post to comments your 4 month goals and review any previous goals you have set.

Goals can be any of the following:

• Performance Goals
• Nutrition goals
• Lifestyle goals (getting a minimum # of hours sleep each night, minimum # of workouts each week)
• Should be measurable (5 unassisted pullups, deadlift 2x body weight, 403m run in under 60 seconds)
• Goals should be as specific as possible.

_______________________

Friday’s WOD:

30 KB Swings
403m Run
20 Overhead Squats

403m Run
20 Front Squats

403m Run
20 Pullups

403m Run
20 Wall Balls

results:

_______________________

Saturday’s WOD:

Skill & Strength Development:
Hang Squat Cleans
—————–
Finisher:
10 Minute Limit

403m Run
Then perform as many Hang Squat Clean reps as possible.  Leave enough time to complete (1) 403m run BEFORE time expires.  If you return from final run with time remaining you may not resume Hang Squat Cleans.  If you exceed 10 minute time limit, 1 rep is deducted for every second you are over.

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

So you want to make some fitness progress?  If you have begun to do CrossFit, whether it be at home, at Bally’s, 24hr Fitness, ClubSport, or at CrossFit Sweat Shop, you’ve taken the first step.  Now it’s time for you to get out of your comfort zone.  In order for you to progress you are probably going to have to take a few steps back first.  This means doing things that may initial seem tougher.  Performing a squat correctly after years of an inefficient movement pattern will likely be much tougher at first.  The same is true for anyone who is trying to learn how to use their legs to assist in lifting a weight overhead, when all they have done in the past is isolation exercises.  However, forcing yourself to go through the full range of motion on a squat, along with learning advanced movements will undoubtedly take your fitness to the next level.  It may feel akward and even inefficient in the begining, but don’t revert make to your old ways, with a bit of practice you will far surpass your previous capabilities.

Here’s a list of stuff that will help you progress:

• Full depth on ALL of your squats
• Learn the kipping pullup
• Get comfortable with both the regular AND the mixed grip on the deadlift
• Learn the hook grip, once you do, use it everytime you Clean or Snatch
• Practice the proper rack position.  Holding the bar in your hands, rather than having it rest on your shoulders during Cleans and front squats is unacceptable.  Get your elbows up, release it into your finger tips if you have to.  The bar must rest on your shoulders, not in your hands!
• Learn how to overhead squat, then get good at it.
• Learn how to do Push Jerks, don’t just rely on the Push Press.
• Get your knees to touch your elbows when doing Knees to Elbow.  Consult with Mike B. if you are having trouble.
• Refine your technique on the rower.
• Use your hips to swing the kettlebell, don’t rely on your arms.
• Go FULL range of motion on your pushups, even if it mean you have to modify by going from your knees.
• Learn how to cook so you can stop eating out so much.

“Do or do not. There is no try.”
-Yoda

***CrossFit Sweat Shop will be closed on Monday, September 7th in honor of Labor Day***

Regular Saturday schedule on September 5th

_______________________

Thursday’s WOD:

Thruster
3-3-3-3

Strict/Weighted Pullup
5-5-5-5

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

The painful truth about trainers: Are running shoes a waste of money?

Thrust enhancers, roll bars, microchips…the $20 billion running – shoe industry wants us to believe that the latest technologies will cushion every stride. Yet in this extract from his controversial new book, Christopher McDougall claims that injury rates for runners are actually on the rise, that everything we’ve been told about running shoes is wrong – and that it might even be better to go barefoot…

Read full article from Mail Online here.

Thanks to J.B., CrossFit Sweat Shop’s Media Specialist, for locating this article.

***CrossFit Sweat Shop will be closed on Monday, September 7th, in honor of Labor Day*** 

Regular Saturday schedule on September 5th.

_______________________

Wednesday’s WOD:

Perform as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

6ea. Single Arm DB Snatch
6ea. Single Arm DB Overhead Walking Lunge
12 Knees to Elbow

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

Here is a really good article from Time about the problems with the food industry.  If you don’t feel like reading the entire article online, I’ll have a few copies available at the gym.  The article does a good job summarizing the recent movie Food Inc.

Read full article here.

________________________

Tuesday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

15 Deadlifts
15 Ring Dips
20 KB Swings
403m Run

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop: Walnut Creek, CA

My brother Daun after a Sunday morning workout. 

When I was a teenager, my older brother got me involved in working out and taught me the basics of weightlifting.  15 years later I have now got him into CrossFit.

_______________________

A recent study done on rats shows that physical exercise may not only help to burn fat, but also stimulate a gene that makes our fat burning machinery work better.  Check out the video here.

_______________________

Monday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

403m Run
15 Summo Deadlift High Pull
15 Thrusters

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop:  Walnut Creek, CA