Al demonstrating excellent body position during double unders

Lately, JB and I have been hammering away at Sweat Shoppers in an attempt to have all of our members capable of doing double unders.  Check out this post from CrossFit Northern Ireland on the progression that most people go through while learning the double under.

The Double Under
Ahhh, the double-under – one of the most technically proficient, co-ordinated, graceful, speedy and poetic exercises that you will see in the gym when it’s done well. Graceful? yup, there are however a few various traumatic experiences that one most get through before arriving at ‘graceful’. Let me explain and see if you can spot which stage you’re in.

Read entire post here.

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Monday’s WOD:

403m Run
then 3 Rounds of:
40 Double Unders
30 Box Jumps
20 KB Swings (70/44)
10 Pullups

then finish with (1) 403m run

results:

Jacque and Freddy at the 2010 Fran Off

It’s the most important movement we do.  It’s the foundation of so many other exercises.  Yet so many people, including some Sweat Shop members, refuse to use lighter loads on their squats so that they can perform the movement correctly.  Freddy, of CrossFit One World recently did a post, How CrossFit is Ruinning Your Knees, check it out below:

It’s an epidemic across the entire CrossFit community. There are too many people out there that can’t squat for shit. There are a myriad of reasons why you don’t squat well, but the first and foremost reason is you aren’t strong enough to do it right. You have weak hamstrings, glutes, abductors and adductors. Everyone relies on the strength of their quads. What you get is a stance that is too wide, feet that are toed too far out, and the real killer: knees that track in rather than track over the feet. The lack of strength also causes many to relax at the bottom of the squat. The butt practically touches the heels and then the person tries to bounce out of the bottom of the squat. What’s makes all of this even worse is you take a weak squat, and then you try and load it up. Thrusters, front squats, overhead squats, wall balls….they all load up the squat movement. Squat poorly and your knees are taking a brutal beating.
The thing I see the most in a squat is the knees tracking inside the feet. It’s easy to spot because it usually leads to the heels rising off the floor. Next time you are at the gym, watch for it. You will see it all around you. You need to learn to keep the knees tracking over the feet. There are some simple drills to work on this technique. Squatting to a box is one of my favorites in getting people to squat more efficiently. Its a simple drill and with some good tactical coaching, works quite well in getting people to realize just how weak their lower body is and how poor their squat mechanics are. Just set up a box to squat height or even a little higher. Practice squating to a completely relaxed seated position. Keep the heels on the floor and the knees tracking over the feet during the entire movement. After you relax in the seated position for a second or two, try and stand up out of the squat without rocking forward. Eventually, you can do this with a bar on your shoulders or even a medicine ball in your hands. It is a drill, not a CrossFit workout. Do the movement slow and concentrate on moving well. I’ll try and get a video demo up ASAP.
The second thing you can do to protect your knees if you squat poorly is to stop trying to do workouts “as RX’d.” Learn to take some baby steps and check your damn ego at the door. I keep telling you that no one in the entire gym but you gives a shit if you do a workout as prescribed or not. What really matters is that you move well. Wouldn’t you much rather have people talking about you saying, “watch this guy/gal’s movement, its beautiful!” rather than “wow, he finished that workout fast”?? You come to the gym to get healthier. If ten years from now your knees ache all the time and it hurts to walk up the stairs, how is that healthy??? If you can learn to move well with a lighter load, you will get much stronger and much faster much sooner.

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Monday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

Bench Press Max REPS
Front Squat Max REPS
Pullups Max REPS

*1 minute of each exercise
*constantly running clock
*REST 3 minutes after completing entire round

Rx’d Bench Press & Front Squat (Men 100% Bodyweight, Women 65% Bodyweight)

results:

Practicing functional movements is one of the staples of the CrossFit training model. You may have noticed that we spend most of our time focusing on movements that strengthen the muscles of our backside, also known as the posterior chain. Many people avoid these exercises strictly because the front side (chest, biceps, and abs) is more asthetically pleasing. For some time, many conventional trainers have carried the belief that each and every muscle should be worked evenly and equally. When looking at our basic anatomy, you will see that our “back side” needs more attention. We’ve talked about how important the care of the spine is. It is our vital structure of support. Without stabilization of it, no movement can be performed efficiently. The natural “pre-flexed” design of our thoracic (middle) spine makes extending it limited. This natural limitation along with assistance from gravity causes us to naturally deviate forward in most of our day to day activities. I bet 20$ you are reading this post on your computer hunched over. Therefore exercises that actively strengthen the spinal extensors should be performed consistently to help maintain a healthy spine. Along with the importance of the spine comes our hip. Considering that these two structures are connected, it is just as important to incorporate exercises that involve hip extension along with the keeping the spine stabilized. You’d be happy to know that squats, cleans, snatches, deadlifts, kettlebell swings, thrusters, and rowing all do this. Stop feeling so bad about missing chest and bicep days.

**Prather Ranch Meat Delivery** If your name is on the wall, you’ve got a box coming Wed. Jan 12th.  It will arrive by 6pm and must be picked up no later than 7:15pm!

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Wednesday’s WOD:

Perform as many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:
8 Push-ups
10 Box Jumps
12 Kettlebell Swings

9 minute:
Back Squat – 5 REPS
*score SUM of BEST 3 SETS

7 minute AMRAP (same as above)

results:

Squats are good.

All too often runners neglect strength training because they only think about improving their endurance by running.  Many even believe that strength training 2 or 3 times per week will lead to large gains in muscle mass that they fear will slow them down on their runs.  Little do they know that the repetitive effects of running, coupled with little or no strength training, will almost always result in running related injuries or ailments.  Most of these injuries require taking time off from running in order to heal; thus by having a program that only involves running, runners will likely sustain overuse related injuries that require extended rest periods, resulting in setbacks for their fitness.  Full depth squats, done with good form, will go a long way for developing the necessary strength in the glutes to help reduce the risks associated with running.  It will also give a much nicer shaped butt to runners who are notorious for having flat ones!

Excerpt from NY Times.com

The technical name of the condition I have is gluteus medius tendinosis — an inflammation of the tendons in the gluteus medius, one of three large muscles that make up the butt. It’s a very isolated and painful injury that knocked me out of marathon training in January with stabbing pains in my hip. It’s a symptom related to what running experts hammer at: the need for cross-training and strength training. I was running so much that I told myself I didn’t have time for the exercise machines or weights, so I have no one to blame but myself.“A new thought in running medicine is that almost all lower extremity injuries, whether they involve your calf, your plantar fascia or your iliotibial band, are linked to the gluteus medius,” said Dr. Darrin Bright, a sports medicine physician with Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and medical director of that city’s marathon. “In the last five to 10 years, we’ve just realized how much of an important role the gluteus medius plays in stabilizing the hips and the pelvis in running.”

Read full article here.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

“Helen”

3 Rounds

403m Run
21 KB Swings (53/35)
12 Pullups

results:

Jin, feeling “Jin and Tonic’d” 30-minutes post “Barbara”on 8/5/10. While contemplating why in the world he showed up to the Sweat Shop that day, he also regrets not having a recovery meal on hand before heading to work.

Whether you are training for CrossFit competitions, or to simply stay in shape, your recovery must be done right nutritionally and timely in order to accomplish your desired results. Many of you still inquire about when and what you should eat right after a workout. For the average CrossFitter, the simple rule of thumb is to replenish immediately after the workout and to eat “real” food as opposed to other sources. For the competitive athlete, the guidelines are slightly different in catering for longer, and more intense training sessions. Here’s an excerpt from Paleo-Creator, Loren Cordain’s book “The Paleo-Diet for Athletes” with a more in-depth explanation on the goals of each stage of recovery.

On eating 30-minutes post exercise:
At no other time in your entire day is your body as receptive as it is now to nutrient intake. Research shows that the restocking of the muscles’ carbohydrate stores is 2-3 times as rapid immediately after exercise as it is a few hours later. In the same way, other research reveals that the repair of muscles damaged is more effective if protein is consumed immediately after exercise. Don’t delay. Being refueling as soon as possible after you cool down.

Read full excerpt here.

Be advised: Many people mistake this 30-minute “warning” as some sort of alert to eat as much sugar and carbs as they can. Yes, missing the “window” all together can be detrimental, but so is using this window to eat 3 glazed donuts, frozen yogurt, and a happy meal.

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Legitness of the Week

Josh joins Bill’s “Double Day” club and crushes Wednesday’s “Pistols” WOD twice! His one day pistol total = 132!
Nabil raises the Sweat Shop “Consecutive Double Unders” record to 110!!

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Friday’s WOD:

WOD #1
4 Rounds:
9 Front Squats (155#/105#)
21 Box Jumps
2 Rope Climbs
9 Handstand Pushups

WOD #2

4 Rounds:
18 Thrusters
18 Box Jumps
12 Pullups

results:

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Thursday’s WOD:

3 Rounds

500m Row
40 KB Swings
30 Pushups
20 Pullups
10 Burpees

*3-minute rest between rounds*

results:

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Don’t forget to check out the spoiler for tomorrow’s workouts here.
Be ready to work!!!

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When done in a workout with rope climbs that are taxing on grip, relatively heavy Hang Squat Cleans force athletes to move quickly underneath and receive the bar at the bottom of the squat, versus pulling high with the arms.  CJ, JB, and Brandon, 3 dudes for Day 3 of “Shirtless Dudes Featured on the Sweat Shop Blog”

The two main types of cleans we do in CrossFit workouts are Power Cleans, and Squat Cleans.  Each has a different purpose and application when used in a workout.  It’s important to not only understand how to do each of them, but also what they are used for as the two can sometimes get blended together, which can have an adverse effect on our technique.  When performing a Power Clean the hips will not fall below parallel after the bar is received on the shoulders.  Also, when performing a Power Clean there should be no more descent after receiving the bar, this is what I mean when I give the cue, “HARD LANDING!!”

Check out this video from Again Faster that goes into further detail.
Meeting the Bar

**REMINDER**
New Year’s Eve  – 6am, 7am, 8:15am class only.  No 5:30pm class
New Year’s Day – regular schedule – 9am & 10am

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Tuesday’s WOD:

A.) Weighted Ring Dips
5-5-5-5-5

B.) 5 Rounds
10 Deadlifts or 2 Power Cleans (205/135)
10 Wall Balls
10 Box Jumps

results:

Cj, training for the 2-minute box jump competition

Here we go again, time to take more of Nabil’s cash!! Whoever can do 50 box jumps in 2-minutes gets 100$!…… Just kidding, however, it is time for another challenge of the month. This time around we are taking part in Beyond the Whiteboard’s monthly “2-minute challenge”. Every month, a 2-minute challenge is posted that involves some form of MAX REPS for a specific exercise. For the month of Decemeber, the challenge is to perform as many box jump REPS as possible in 2 minutes. Jump heights are 24 inches for males and 20 inches for females. Starting tomorrow through December 17th, we are opening up this challenge to all of our members. Considering that box jumps are a tad bit easier than double unders, we expect more of you to try this challenge out!! You may try as many times as you want, but must follow the “CrossFit Box Jump Standard”. We have many legit jumpers at the Sweat Shop so I believe you all can do quite well in this competition. You can post your box jump results to Beyond the Whiteboard to see how high up or close you are to the worldwide leaderboard. Although it may not be as gratifying as taking 20 bucks from Nabil, this is a another great way to stay motivated and get into that “competitive” spirit.

For more info on Beyond the Whiteboard, click here.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

3 Rounds

*1-minute at each station*

5 Burpees
Power Cleans for REPS

5 Burpees
Wall Balls for REPS

5 Burpees
Pull-ups for REPS

5 Burpees
Box Jumps for REPS

*2-minute rest between rounds*

results:

Empty rings….. Looking for a pupil..

Still can’t quite get the muscle up? Still can’t find a rhythm for double unders? For kipping pull-ups? We’ve all been here before in coming up short of mastering an exercise. For some exercises, it can be annoying enough to where you feel being “content” with not being able to perform them. As obvious as it sounds, the only solution to get over the hump of any deficiency is PRACTICE. If you wish to get better at something, it stands to reason that practicing will help build your proficiency in that something. But what type of practice? At times, we focus strictly on verbal cues and “secret” techniques to make an exercise “click”. This can severely limit us. You can’t talk your way through muscle ups, or butterfly kipping. When what you’re trying to master is physical, you must physically perform the movement for it to “click”.  Practicing the COMPLETE movement is also important. Too many times we bail midway through a movement because we “think” we are doing it wrong or “think” we can’t do it. By performing the complete exercises consistently , you will have a better feel for what mistakes you are making while doing the movement, therefore, allowing your body to adapt.

Feel free to work on these exercises before the class. If you show up early and/or finish the warm-up early, don’t hesitate to ask Nabil and I which exercises you feel you need help on.

This is the beauty of CrossFit, the desire to perform things well. But with this, comes a process. A fun process. Even the best athletes need something to work on.  Start learning to enjoy it, because it should never end.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

4 Rounds

90 seconds: Row for Calories
90 seconds: Bench Press for REPS
90 seconds: Double Unders for REPS

* 2-minute rest between rounds*
* Calories count double*

results:

Nabil resting after a gruesome set of “side-planks” while on the velvet grassy knoll of Maui.

As the holiday season comes near, many of you will be traveling to visit family and friends. Personally, it is my favorite time of the year because I get to catch up with old buddies and family I haven’t seen all year. Unfortunately, this “reunion” comes with some not-so-healthy diet and exercise habits. First comes the turkey and pie coma followed by a December of “cocktail” parties, all the while, being too sluggish to exercise. We all know the repercussions for these choices and we all know how horrible it feels when we do our first workout after returning from vacation.

Don’t make “travel” as an excuse to avoid exercise. There are plenty of workouts you can do with little or no equipment. Check out this 22-page list of TRAVEL WODS compiled by Shane Skowron, that you can do while on your travels. Having this list with you will definitely help ease the stress of trying to think of which workout to do without having do design one. Even better, get a couple of your friends and family members to one of these WODS during vacation. It will make it much more exciting! Plus, you just might persuade a family member to start exercising more!

You can download the Travel WODS here.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

A.) Deadlift (pause at bottom)
2-2-2-2-2

B.) 2 rounds for time:
15 Handstand Pushups
30 Knees to Elbows
60 Double Unders

** Perform 3 burpees for every break on any set**

results:

For some time, coaches have advocated the use of static (non-moving) stretching prior to practice and competitions to prevent injury. Although static stretching seems like a great thing to do for ones flexibility before practice and games, many coaches overlook what physiologically happens to the muscle during static stretching. In sports or exercises that involve powerful movements, static stretching before hand has shown to be highly detrimental to performance. On the contrary, dynamic stretching, which involves stretching while moving has shown to be beneficial. At my time at Cal Poly, I conducted a “mini-study” that compared static versus dynamic stretching on vertical jump height and other impluse and power measurements. Heres what we did:

-Participants first engaged in a 10-minute dynamic stretching session which involved the same stretches as the ones we do before the workout in the Sweat Shop (elbow to instep, inverted toe touch, squats, knee hug to lunge ect).
-Participants then performed 2 vertical jumps on a force platform which measured jump height, power, and time of movement.
-Participants then underwent 10-minutes of static stretching which involved “non-moving” stretches like seated knee hugs, and seated toe touches.
-Participants then performed the same vertical jump test as before.

Here were the results when comparing dynamic versus static:

- Vertical jump height decreased by 18% after static stretching.
- Power decreased by 23 % after static stretching.
- The time of the movement increased by 8% after static stretching.

These results support many research studies that suggest that static stretching can induce muscle strength and force deficits. This is because over-stretching can make the muscle tendon unit too compliant than necessary for explosive movements.  In less scientific language, the elastic component of the muscle is decreased, therefore decreasing the amount of force that can be produced. Like a new rubber band versus an old over-stretched one. Most powerful and quick movement skills like vertical jumping are affected by this decrease in energy.

Static stretching is not bad. It is essential in functional training to gain full range of motion, however there is a time and place for it. Stick with dynamic stretches before and save static stretches to after competition and exercise. At the Sweat Shop we do well at keeping up with the pre-workout dynamic stretches, however, don’t forget to give our foam rollers some love and get some stretching in after the WOD.

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Tuesday’s WOD:

A.) Front Squat
3-3-3-3-3

B.) “Lil Zook”

750m Row
15 Ring Dips
25 KB Swings
403m Run

results:

No, getting a muscle up isn’t everything, but it sure can make you happy.

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Legitness of the Week

Al gets his first MUSCLE UP!!
Rob K. almost severs his hand off on Tuesday, continues through most of the workout, goes straight to work, then is back at the Sweat Shop on Thursday!
Criselda gets her first workout back at the Sweat Shop after having baby Jocelyn back in August!

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Friday’s WOD:

800m Run
30 Back Squats
30 Burpees
30 Handstand Pushups
800m Run

*Squats, Burpees, and HSPU’s can be partitioned and performed in any order

results:

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Thursday’s WOD:

5 Rounds

Each round is 2  1/2 minutes
Each round begins with 200m Run
Each round has a different “buy in” exercise

Round #1 – 15 Wall Balls
Round #2 – 15 Pullups
Round #3 – 15 Knees to Elbow
Round #4 – 15 KB Swings
Round #5 – 15 Ring Dips

Each round finishes with MAX ROW CALORIES until time expires

REST 1 1/2 minutes between rounds

Score TOTAL CALORIES of all 5 rounds

results:

JB on the rope, while transitioning the Spanish Wrap technique

Let’s face it, everyone loves the rope climb.  And as soon as everyone’s scars heal from the last barrage of rope climb workouts, we can expect to see the rope climb again.  There are several different techniques for wrapping the rope around your leg.  The one I demonstrate to Sweat Shop members is apparently called the Spanish Wrap.  It’s not the quickest way up, and the technique does take a little practice to master, but if done properly, you don’t have to use a great deal of upper body or grip strength to get up the rope… and as everyone who has done multiple rope climbs in a workout knows, this is a pretty important point.  Check out the video below, initially intended to simply demonstrate the Spanish Wrap, it actually shows two variations of the same technique.  This is important to note because once fatigue sets in (especially grip fatigue), it is critical that your technique be efficient as possible.

Watch the video here ( Windows / Mac )

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Tuesday’s WOD:

A.) Max Height Box Jump

B.) Strict Press
3-3-3-3-3

C.) 20 Burpees
15 Knees to Elbow
40 Squats
403m Run w/ Medball

results:

Andrew, Ryan, Jake, and Nick reviewing the basics of the back squat with dowels.

Despite previous concerns that children would not benefit from strength training or that the risk of injury was too great, more doctors, coaches, and exercise scientists agree that strength training can be a safe and effective method of conditioning for children. One of the primary “scares” of youth strength training is that it is dangerous and will stunt a child’s growth. In the several years I have studied Kinesiology, I have yet to come across any legitimate evidence that supports the claims that youth strength training is dangerous and detrimental. Conversely, when instructed correctly, strength training programs for youth may be very beneficial. Early exposure to strength training allows young athletes to perform strength exercises correctly and safely. This will only benefit them as they grow older and enter intensified strength and conditioning programs in high school and college down the road. Check out this article by Bill Star, who debunks some youth strength training myths and highlights the real hidden benefits from a properly instructed youth strength program.

From the article:

The concept of sparing a child from doing anything strenuous is now very prevalent in this country. Just walking a few blocks to catch the school bus is out of the question. There’s no mystery to me why the country is facing an epidemic in the form of obese young people: we have encouraged them to be lazy.

What parents need to understand is that by helping their children get started on some sort of strength-training program, they greatly reduce the odds of them getting seriously hurt when playing any sport. Stronger legs help stabilize the ankles and knees. Stronger shoulders keep the shoulders, arms and elbows from harm, and a stronger back can mean the difference between getting up after a violent impact and being carried off the field on a stretcher.

Strength is a valuable asset at any age. Consider the infant before he becomes a toddler. What does he do a lot before he actually toddles? He squats—and perfectly, I might add. The squatting eventually makes his legs strong enough to support him, and he takes his first steps. This is the beginning of the bell curve, and strength is the most important factor in movement throughout life. At the far end of the curve, the octogenarian, after hip-replacement surgery, has to gain enough strength in her legs before she can walk again.

Read full post here.

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Wednesday’s WOD:

500m Row

4 Rounds of:
10 Front Squats
12 Pullups
200m Run

Finish: 50 Double Unders

results:

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***Reminder: Nathan’s gym CrossFit Adventure will be showing Food, Inc. at 7pm tomorrow Friday, Oct. 1 as part of their soft grand opening. Free healthy snacks and healthy information will be provided. Check CrossFitAdventure.com for details and directions.***

The term “Active Shoulder” (CrossFit Journal Sept. 2005 (37):13). has been used to quite effectively describe the proper motion of an overhead press—in short, when the shoulder girdle muscles, starting with a concen- tric contraction of the traps, end up supporting the weight in a way that places a balanced load over the scapulae, thereby protecting the soft tissue of the joint from impingement. Since I find that concept of the active shoulder very useful in teaching the press and its variations, as well as the snatch and the overhead squat, it always made me wonder: Is there was an equivalent concept available for cleaning up the problems associated with the squat?  Well, it turns out that there is. And just for the sake of making a nice little pattern, I call it the “Active Hip.”

Read full article here.

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Monday’s WOD:

A.) Squat Clean
3-3-3-3-3

B.) 2 minutes:
70m Sprint
Pullups for REPS

2 minutes:
70m Sprint Box Jumps for REPS

2 minutes:
70m Sprint
Wall Balls for REPS

1 minute:
70m Sprint
Burpees for REPS

results: