For time:
Randy nailing his muscle ups. Great work Randy!
70 Burpees
60 Sit-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
40 Pull-ups
30 Handstand push-ups
Post time to comments.
Weekend Schedule:
Saturday: 8AM to 10:00AM
Sunday: 9:30 to 11:00AM
Reminder:
Girls Night Out at Gilberte’s – 7:30PM in the lounge. Hope to see you all there.
We also want to wish Joyce a speedy recovery. We miss you girl!
Rest Day!
Eileen working her front squat. Nice work getting low Eileen!
WOD:
Front Squat
3-3-3-3-3
Melissa set up Girl’s Night out at Gilbertie’s Restaurant in the lounge for 7:30PM on Friday, April 30th. Gilberte’s is located off of RT 2 – Take Exit 19, left off exit, left at stop sign. Go straight to next stop sign, parking for Gilberte’s is on the left right after the stop sign.
Cindy demonstrates proper overhead technique at the 2009 CrossFit Games Northeast Qualifier.
WOD:
For time:
30 Handstand push-ups
40 Pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 poods
60 Sit-ups
70 Burpees
We noticed a lot of athletes had the bar “out in front” during the push press element of Sunday’s Fight Gone Bad, and want to touch on the proper form for overhead barbell movements, why we emphasize the proper methods, and the benefits of executing these movements perfectly.
One of the phrases you’ve all heard the coaches yell at one time or another is “Through the window!” I’d like to take a moment here to discuss why we use this as a cue, what we mean when we say it, and why it’s important to focus on executing your overhead barbell movements.
The phrase “Through the window” is meant to invoke the image of you literally opening a window and putting your head through it. While it may sound like a concept that is completely unrelated to lifting weights efficiently, it is a remarkably accurate and effective mental image, and is therefore useful as a cue.
Think for a moment of the position you would be in if you opened a window that was large enough to allow you to fully extend your arms overhead while opening it. If it helps, think of one of those huge old Victorian windows. Now, imagine opening that window, and literally putting your head through it. The picture you now have in your mind’s eye is the one that we want you to remember.
Now what you’ve got that image burned into your mind’s eye, let’s consider why this position is relevant to putting a weight over your head.
Consider basic (Euclidian) geometry: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Any deviation from that straight line results in a vector. When we consider moving loads (lifting weights), the introduction of a vector will always result in the loss of power. The bigger the vector, the greater the loss of power. Put simply, for every degree you are out of perfect vertical alignment, you will proportionally decrease the amount of weight you can lift. Yes, it really is that simple.
The human spine is a wonderful thing – it’s truly amazing at bearing load, and the muscle structures around it to which we lovingly refer as the posterior chain are utterly fantastic at isometric contraction. It is because of this marvel of evolution that we can take damn near anyone, teach them the proper position for the back squat, and have them pick up a bar with a greater-than-bodyweight load. They may not be able to squat it, but they will be be able to stand there and look good with the weight on their back. The same is true for putting weight overhead: if you work to keep the weight as close to the center of your spine as possible, you will be capable of lifting more weight. If you are doing a workout with a lower weight, i.e., Fight Gone Bad, you will achieve greater efficiency in your lifts, and you will be less tired.
One of the most beautiful aspects of CrossFit programming is that a lot of the barbell work we do can be used to reinforce other elements of the programming. We work on hang cleans because it’s important to learn where it is that you need to get violent with the barbell, and if you do it from too low in the movement (while you’re still deadlifting), you’ll take your kneecap off. We work the push press because it reinforces a solid upright (vectorless) posture for the jerk. Likewise, we work on the concept of head through the window to help us understand proper bar position when load is overhead. Mastery of overhead bar position will result in gains not only in strict press, push press, and push jerk, but will translate directly to the loads one can bear in overhead squats, snatch, and clean and jerk. Developing a “without thought” mastery of proper overhead bar position will allow you to concentrate on other aspects of these lifts, and will unequivocally result in improvement.
A minor but important point when taking a barbell from chest height to overhead is that our heads stick out a bit too much to allow us to take the barbell overhead in a perfectly straight line. To avoid clipping your chin or your nose, an important element to master is the hip sway. While tucking your chin in, introduce a very slight backwards movement of the hips as you start to move the weight overhead. As soon as the bar is past your nose, start moving the hips forward. Mastering this movement will dramatically reduce the amount of vector introduced to the barbell (meaning it will keep the barbell moving in the straightest possible line). The coaches will be more than happy to demonstrate and work with you on this concept.
The most perfect position into which you can arrive with a load overhead is a perfectly straight one. Obviously, this means is that if we were to draw a line from the barbell to the ground, it would be perfectly perpendicular to the ground. More importantly, it means, in the words of Coach Mike Burgener, that you have “stacked the bones.” Ideal position will consist of the weight being centered over the shoulders, spine, hips, knees, and mid-foot. A good test for this is to pause for a moment at the top of your lift. If you find the weight pulling you forward or backward, you are not in the proper position.
Work to incorporate these points into your overhead lifts, and you will find that your improvements in strength and performance are directly proportional to your mastery of these concepts.
WOD:
J.J hitting headstand push-ups on the rings with a little help from Tom Sutton. Nice work!
For time:
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
10 Muscle-ups
40 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
8 Muscle-ups
30 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
6 Muscle-ups
20 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
4 Muscle-ups
10 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
2 Muscle-ups
Sub for muscle ups – 3 pull-ups and 3 dips = 1 muscle up
You can also try muscle up progression by jumping.
Great job to all of you hitting FGB yesterday – high energy, and awesome community of people.
WOD:
“Fight Gone Bad”
1 minute at each station, 1 minute rest at the end of the 5th station, repeat for 3 rounds.
Wall Ball (20lb/14lb)
SDHP (75/55)
Box Jump (20″)
Push Press (75/55)
Row (for calories)
WOD:
“Paul”
Five rounds for time of:
50 Double unders
35 Knees to elbows
185 pound Overhead walk, 20 yards
No new action pictures, we need to dump our card and take some this weekend.
WOD:
Lulah prepping for RHSS. Nice X Lulu belle
Three rounds for time of:
135 pound Hang power cleans, 15 reps
15 Burpees
Schedule for the weekend:
Saturday: off – Odin has hockey and tee-ball
Sunday: 9:30am to 11am
Many of you have been asking for another “Eat Right” Challenge, which we are willing to do, but need your help to come up with good ways of testing or measuring progress. Please post your ideas.
***Please note we have scheduled start and stop times – (refer to link – “Schedule”) We all know that things can get in the way and cause you to be late here and there, but when it becomes a habit, it becomes a problem. If you are going to be five minutes late that is one thing, but showing up at the gym 30 minutes late every time you come, is a problem that needs to stop. Please be respectful that our lives and priorities extend beyond the gym. Thank you.
WOD:
Pirate Malzers
Five rounds for load and time of:
Back Squat, 3 reps
20 Ring dips
Thanks to Joyce, Will and Patrick for keeping the Playground up and running and working with the athletes. We are lucky to have such dedicated coaches that are willing to take time out of their schedule to help all of us. Thanks again!!!
Also, a bit of light reading for those of you who are still working on and tweaking your diets: some conclusive evidence from Princeton University pertaining to high fructose corn syrup. Take this into consideration in your diet – it has merit.
Rest Day!
Lulah at the Clearwater aquarium
This is the day to make up a WOD you may have missed or to work on the skills that you dislike most.
Tis the season to start reining in the diet. There are so many good choices out there for fruits and veggies. Keep you choices simply and clean. Go for fresh, and limit the process dips/dressing and sauces. Most of you keep or have maintained a journal for your WODs, add you daily intake to this journal to keep yourself honest. Give it two weeks and you will feel the difference in your physical and mental health.
