Lydia, Helen, Aaron, and Nabil:  CrossFit Games 2009 Affiliate Cup Challenge

Come out this Saturday to cheer on the members of CrossFit Sweat Shop that will be competing in the CrossFit NorCal Sectionals.  400 competitors will be in attendance, battling for a spot to move on to the Regional competition.  All competitors will do two workouts on Saturday.  The competition will begin at 9am, with heats starting every 20 minutes, and will continue all the way until 5pm.  The field will then be cut down, with only the top competitors moving on to Sunday’s workouts.  The event is being held at Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, stay tuned for complete details.

**REMINDER**  Due to NorCal Sectionals, there will only be a 10am class this Saturday, March 27th

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Friday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

15 Summo Deadlift High Pulls
15 Box Jumps
15 Ring Dips

*perform (4) 250m rows at some point during workout

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

A.) Overhead Squats
9-9-9-9-9

B.) 6 minute limit:
800m Run
As many Overhead Squat reps as possible

results:

Don, Nik, Helen, CJ and Ellie, doing wall balls

Reset your idea of what a gym should be like.  CrossFit Sweat Shop is nothing like a regular gym.  Here are a few of the differences.

• No treadmills.  If you are going to run it should be outside, the Sweat Shop is located on the Contra Costa Canal Trail and this allows some of the workouts to include a short 403 meter run.
• There is a shower at the Sweat Shop, however, there are no plasma televisions in the shower room, nor are there a bunch of naked dudes walking around the locker room, or sitting in a jacuzzi talking about the price of oil.  What you will find are members giving one another words of encouragment after a tough workout.
• No need to bring your headphones.  The Sweat Shop has music, it’s upbeat, and it’s played loud during the workout.  Another reason not to bring your headphones is because you’ll be receiving feedback on your technique throughout the workout.
• You are more than welcome to drop the weights!  The floor is rubber and the weights are rubber, drop the weights… everybody is doing it.
• No shoes, no shirt, no problem.  If you get really hot during a workout and want to take your shirt off, go ahead, it’s no big deal, no one will look at you funny.  If we are working on squats or deadlifts, and you happen to be wearing shoes that have a squishy soft sole, or a running shoe with an elevated heel, I may ask you to remove your shoes while you perform your lifts.  Often times, lifting barefoot helps to solve many of the improper techniques commonly experienced during deadlifts and squats.
• The only mirrors are in the bathroom.  It’s not about how you look at the Sweat Shop, it’s about how you perform.  Focus on working as hard as possible, not how you look while you are working.  Take away the distraction of mirrors and you’ll get a much better workout, and in turn, your body will look even better.
• Have some direction.  Unlike a regular gym where you may show up without a plan and just end up dabbling on some cardio equipment and maybe do a few exercises with weights, every workout at the Sweat Shop is lead by a trainer.  Each exercise in the workout is explained, practiced and then performed.  Every member is also given a log book upon enrollment, which they use to record the details of each workout allowing them to accurately measure their results, and stay motivated.
• Sometimes we throw things.  It’s not because we are upset, it’s because we are human and it’s a fundamental movement.  Most of the time it’s medicine balls we throw, sometimes they scuff the wall, no big deal, it’s all in the name of fitness. 
• Often times we have field trip workouts, monthly challenges, or local competitions (some for money, others just for fun).
• There is no smoothie bar to load up on high fructose corn syrup after your workout.  However, often times we’ll go to the The Counter in Walnut Creek, for a burger, after the Saturday morning classes.

CrossFit Sweat Shop fosters a fun, challenging, supportive, and learning environment for people of all ages and fitness levels to get in amazing shape, and have an awesome time doing so.  Regardless of how upscale a Club may be, all they can Sport are ammenties that raise your membership dues, but do nothing to help you achieve top level fitness.  The real Renaissance is in the completely different approach that CrossFit takes to helping people get fit, and live healthy, active lives… no matter how hard they try, big commercial gyms will never be able to replicate the CrossFit community.

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Legitness of the Week

CJ 205×3 Squat Clean (PR)
Tammy 115×3 Squat Clean (PR)
Nathan 205×2 Squat Clean (PR)
Brenna owns 55lb. Thrusters on Tuesday’s WOD 

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Thursday’s WOD:

A.) Squat Cleans
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 8 minute limit:
403m Run
Front Squats for REPS at 70% Max Load A.)
403m Run

results:

Nick, age 10, warming up the overhead squat – Nick recently tried out, and made competitive soccer for Walnut Creek Soccer Club (WCSC) - Congratulations Nick!

As anyone who has visited the Sweat Shop knows, there is 1x/week membership available.  And although working out once a week is definitely better than zero times per week, the 1x per week membership isn’t meant to be a stand alone fitness program.  This membership is for those, that whether it be for schedule, financial, or other reasons, workout either at commercial gyms or on their own at home a couple of times per week.  Attending CrossFit Sweat Shop in addition to this is an excellent way to:

• Learn and practice CrossFit exercises under proper supervision
• Understand the components of an effective CrossFit workout, thus developing the ability to create your own workouts at other gyms, home or while traveling
• Perform exercises and use equipment that isn’t available, allowed, or easily accessible at commercial gyms (ie. gymnastics rings, Concept 2 Rowers, throwing medicine balls, lifting and dropping weight from overhead, the Iron Horse running trail literally at your doorstep to incorporate into workouts, tire flips, kettlebells, rope climbs, bow and arrows, sledge hammers, sand bags, etc.)
• Perform workouts in a group environment thus elevating intensity

However, as with most physiological adaptations, frequency plays a large role.  Even though you can still see results by only working out once a week, the adaptation process will be slower, and post workout you will likely feel physically and mentally drained, much like your first CrossFit workout ever.  Bottom line:  You definitely don’t have to train at the Sweat Shop 4 or 5 times per week, but if you are only on a once a week membership, be sure to get in at least one, ideally two more workouts each week, remember these workouts should also be relatively high intensity.

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Monday’s WOD:

4 Rounds
4 minutes each:

403m Run
20 Knees to Elbow
Wall Balls for REPS

REST 2 minutes between rounds

results:

Photo courtesy of Tom Campitelli

Plenty of people do CrossFit 2-3x per week, they see awesome results in the way they look, feel, and perform, in and out of the gym.  There are also those, both young and old, male and female, that enjoy the competitive CrossFit events that are held throughout the year.  Some have cash prizes, most do not, some are team events, others individual competitions, some are comprised of multiple workouts in a day, others are just one workout, most are local, some are regional, others national and international.  The common denominator is that just like CrossFit workouts, each one has a different format, and scaling the difficulty is always an option.  Here is a great highlight video of one that was held in Sacramento earlier this month. (Windows / Apple)

The next Throwdown will be held on Saturday March 6th, 11:00am at CrossFit East Bay in Berkeley.  Check out their website for more details.  Stay tuned for even more taking place in and around Walnut Creek.

If you’ve done any CrossFit competitions, post to comments your experience.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

Alternating Tabata

20 Seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of REST
Alternate between the first two exercises until completing a total of 16 sets, REST 3 minutes, then complete the second two exercises in the same format.

Wall Balls
Deadlifts (or Power Snatch)

Ring Dips
Squats

results:

Here is February’s Challenge of the Month

2 minutes to complete:

Burpees (25 men/20 women)

5 shots at the target with the bow & arrow

Rules:

You may only attempt the challenge one time each day
Each participant gets 2 practice shots only before the very first time attempting the challenge
Target distance is approximately 15 meters
1 point for hitting the target
3 points outer ring
5 points middle ring
7 points inner ring
10 points Bullseye
-1 point for missing the target

Legitness of the Week:

John & Aaron 106lb. x 3 weighted pullup
Eric T. 18lb. weighted pullups
Donna 18lb. weighted pullups
Rob P. 5:01 Fran (Rx’d)
John M. 3:17 Fran (chest to bar) Sweat Shop Record
CJ finishes off January Challenge with 1:18 L-Sit
Nathan completes his 5th workout of 2010…. LEGIT!

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Thursday’s WOD:

“Nancy”
5 Rounds
403m Run
15 Overhead Squats

results:

 Here is a short video that gives some insight into the competition aspect of CrossFit, in particular, the CrossFit Games. (in my opinion the OPT is a bit cheesy)  Like I have said before, the great thing about CrossFit is that for the top level folks there are competitive events such as the Games.  However, for the majority of the people that do CrossFit, it’s simply an extremely fun and effective training method, along with an amazingly supportive community.

NorCal Sectionals Update:  The date for the NorCal Sectionals has been moved to March 27-28 and will be held at a high school stadium in San Jose.  Registration will likely open up on Monday December 21st.  If you want to compete be sure to register as soon as it opens, it will sell out.  You can check the current post on the CrossFit Games site, here.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

Row 350m

4 Rounds
15 Wall Balls
15 Summo Deadlift High Pull
10 Box Jumps
15 Knees to Elbow

finish with (1) 403m run

results:

Congratulations to everyone who competed in the CrossFit Sweat Shop 5K Plus this past Saturday.  Big thanks to Tom Campitelli for coming out and taking pics! Check out the highlight video here.

Here is the race format:

1K Run
Pullups
Pushups
Squats

REPEATED for 4 Rounds

Finish with 1K Run

Women performed 5 pullups, 10 pushups and 20 squats, while the men performed 8 pullups, 16 pushups, and 32 squats during each round.

Winners of each division recieved a $60 cash prize! 

Women Under 40 – Carrie Nash (also OVERALL winner)
Men Under 40 – Don Barks
Women 40 & up – Jennifer Behm
Men 40 & up – Charlie Hadsell

Complete Results:

Women:

Carrie Nash – CrossFit Excel – 24:48
Journey Meadows – CrossFit Oakland – 25:25
Nicole Barnes – Novato – 26:24
Carolyn Scalia – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 27:40
Lydia Encinas – CrossFit Oakland – 29:04
Jennifer Behm – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 29:19
Candace Hamilton – CrossFit Oakland – 31:07

Men:

Don Barks – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 25:39
Brandon Banks – CrossFit Oakland – 25:47
Myles Lewis – CrossFit Avalanche – 25:47
Charlie Hadsell – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 27:05
John Moffat – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 27:53
Raphael Dozzi – CrossFit East Bay – 28:00
Robert Parrish – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 28:03
Freddy Peralta – CrossFit Oakland – 29:01
David Sally – CrossFit Oakland – 30:05
Doug Scalia – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 30:12
Jim Dick – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 31:21
Christian Amsberry – Walnut Creek – 31:36
Mike Banks – CrossFit Sweat Shop – 33:28
Brian Hersh – Martinez – 33:39
Andrew Ambro – Castro Valley – 36:10

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Friday’s WOD:

10 Thrusters
25 KB Swings

9 Thrusters
25 Situps

8 Thrusters
2 Rope Ascents or 20 Ring Rows

7 Thrusters
25 Box Jumps

6 Thrusters
403m Run

results:

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Saturday’s WOD:

A.) Front Squats
5-5-5-5-5

B.) 21-15-9
Wall Balls
Knees to Elbow
Box Jumps

results:

This month we are going to start something called, Challenge of the Month.  (big thanks to the guys at Diablo CrossFit for this idea)  Aside from our daily workouts, there will be a different challenge each month that everyone is encouraged to participate in.  The challenges will be relatively short, and can be performed as many times as you’d like during the given month.  To make things even more interesting, we’ll have a board to keep track of everyone’s results.  At the end of 6 months, the winners will recieve half off one month membership dues!

Divisions:

There will be 4 divisions.  Men under 40, Women under 40, Men 40 & up, Women 40 & up

Monthly Scoring:

1st place - 3 points
2nd place - 2 points
3rd place – 1 point

Person in each division with the most points at the end of 6 months is the winner.

December Challenge of the Month:  Most consecutive double unders

Start practicing.

**REMINDER**  Due to CrossFit Sweat Shop hosting the 5K Plus, there will be only ONE regular class this Saturday morning.  It will be held at 8:30am.  NO 9:00am or 10:00am class will be held this Saturday.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

“Tabata Something Else”

20 seconds of work, followed by
10 seconds of rest

Perform as many reps as possible.  8 sets of EACH exercise before moving on to the next exercise.

Pullups
Pushups
Situps
Squats

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop in Walnut Creek will be hosting a 5K Plus this Saturday, December 5th at 9:30am (athlete briefing) 9:45am (race start). 

**PLEASE NOTE**  There will be only ONE regular class this Saturday morning.  It will be held at 8:30am.  NO 9:00am or 10:00am class will be held this Saturday.

Here are the details:

 Divisions:   

Lones participating in a CrossFit Sweat Shop workout at Civic Park in Walnut Creek

Best case scenario for me would be a “gym”, 1,500-2000 sq. ft. that is just an overhead shelter (25-30 feet high) with no walls.  Placed in a field, near a lake, at the foothills of some mountains.  The wall-less shelter would offer 360 degree views of nature, and the nearby lake could be used for combining swimming with barbell exercises.  Unfortunately this isn’t possible within the city limits of Walnut Creek, and lugging barbells, bumper plates, dumbbells, kettlebells, a Concept 2 Rower, and a pullup bar structure out to Briones or Shell Ridge on a daily basis could be a bit cumbersome.  However, with the location of CrossFit Sweat Shop being directly on the Contra Costa Canal trail, and a large roll up door that opens the gym to the outdoor world, workouts here feel nothing like those at an ordinary gym… and thank God for that!  Televisions everywhere you look, stationary bikes, treadmills, and rooms packed with exercise machines make most traditional gyms a depressing place to be even for a brief period of time.  California, and especially the East Bay, has some of the best weather in the United States… take advantage of it people!

Even across the pond, where the weather isn’t nearly as nice as it is here, people are feeling the same way.  Check out this article titled, “How I broke out of the gym”

Post to comments your feelings and/or experiences with exercising outdoors.

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Monday’s WOD:

6 Rounds

6 Clean & Jerks
9 Knees to Elbow
12 Box Jumps

results:

Walnut Creek 5K Turkey Trot Thanksgiving

A few weeks ago I got the opportunity to go through some training exercises put on by some former Navy SEALs.  After we completed a few hours of training, the SEALs spent nearly an hour explaining to the group about how the BUD/S training (the six month training that members of the Navy must complete in order to become a SEAL) has changed quite a bit over the last few years.   The training, which previously had a high emphasis on extremely long duration endurance work, is now being shaped largely by a new, more effective and efficient training method called CrossFit.  The SEALs that helped organize this event have also opened a CrossFit affiliate, CrossFit Forged, in the San Diego area.

Big thanks to Cameron for inviting me, and San Francisco Entrepernueur Organization (EO) for putting on the event. 

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Wednesday’s WOD:

Every 5 minutes perform:
10 Deadlifts
15 Ring Dips
20 Burpees

complete a total of 4 Rounds

results:

Kristyn from CrossFit RedPoint Virgina hitting a PR on overhead squats at CrossFit Sweat Shop

The first thing CrossFitters usually do before they leave town is check their destination and locate the nearest CrossFit gym.  If there isn’t one nearby they will usually try to find a park or some other outdoor venue that they can workout in.  A traditional gym usually has little to offer someone who does CrossFit.  Small spaces crowded with machines and cardio equipment offer little room and even fewer options to perform functional movements.  Couple that with gym patrons that lounge around on equipment or use the entire squat rack just to rest their curl bar on and you’ve got a recipe for frustration.  That’s one of the great things about doing CrossFit at home or on the road.  So much can be done with little to no equipment and all you need is some open space.  After all, were we really meant to be confined to a room full of televisions while we workout?

Post to comments what you enjoy most about CrossFit Sweat Shop that you can’t get in a traditional gym or health club, whether it be in Walnut Creek, or anywhere else for that matter.

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Friday’s WOD:

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:

12 KB Swings
6ea. Single Arm KB Squats
12 KB Summo Deadlift High Pulls
6 Burpees

*complete (1)403m run before time expires (run should be done last, you may not return to KB exercises after run)

results:

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Saurday’s WOD:

compare to 7/18/09

4 Rounds

12 Squat Cleans
15 Box Jumps
403m Run

results:

Some of the morning class during their workout, “Walking Grace”,  this past weekend.  30 Clean & Jerks performed at some point along the 403 meter run loop.

Statistical Fact of the Day:  147 people who just read this post are wishing their 24 hour fitness gym would trade in some of their mirrors for an outdoor running loop.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Thrusters
KB Swings
Pullups

results:

CrossFit Sweat Shop Masters Event:  Walnut Creek, CA.  October 24th 2009

The two videos below are a hilarious take on the Masters Event as seen and produced by some spectators from CFO (CrossFit Oakland)

Part 2

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Friday’s WOD:

5 Rounds

400m Row
403m Run

REST 4 minutes between rounds

results:

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Sunday’s WOD:

“Walking Grace”

-Barbell must be carried (anyway) one lap on the 403m loop
-Must perform 30 Clean & Jerks w/ barbell

you may break the C&J’s anyway you like and do them before, after, and/or during the 403m walk.

results: