August

This video demonstrates a few variations of the ring muscle-up, Dave is combining a ring row with a jumping ring dip, James is just down to plain jumping ring dips and Mike appears to be performing kipping muscle-ups on low rings (an issue you confront when the rings are placed on a 8 foot pull-up bar. There are also several variations of the bar muscle-up popping up here and there at CrossFit Oakland so keep your eyes open for a muscle-up that is right for you.

Can you name a muscle-up variant you have seen performed at CFO?

Theresa during her final lunges of our 400m lunge workout

Theresa's been training with us for just 4 months now and has already made some serious fitness gains. To wit:

* She has 14 kipping pull-ups
* She has bar muscle-ups
* Her bench press is in the triple digits (she just recently easily surpassed her benchmark goal of benching 3/4 of her bodyweight)

All of this is especially impressive considering that when she came to train with us she had nary a push-up nor a pull-up.

But none of this is all that surprising; Theresa has put in some serious work at CFO. She's a regular, consistent member of the crew that trains Monday-Friday at 7 p.m. She's earned everything she's achieved (and has many more gains left to make).

Keep up the strong work, Theresa!

On the Potential Dangers of Excess Long-Distance Running

In case you haven't already read it on CrossFit.com, below is a great piece on how excessive time spent running long distances can be at odds with aging gracefully and maintaining one's health. What's nice about the article is that the guy writing it is actually quite an accomplished distance runner himself (e.g., 4th place in the Ironman), so he's intimately familiar with how long-distance training works, and how too much time spent running long distances can actually accelerate the aging process (couple this type of training with a diet high in carbs--the two go hand in hand, after all--and you've got a recipe for disaster).

http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/features/health_doping_slowtwitch2.html

Tim Rickards is now a CFO trainer! Tim, along with fellow athlete/trainers Candace Hamilton and Shira Yaziv received their Level One CrossFit Certification in June, and will be coaching classes and providing private training services at CFO. Tim is an accomplished CF athlete, writer, and expectant father of twins! We're really happy to have Tim joining the crew.

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FISH AND OMEGA FATTY ACIDS:
http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4632

Got to love free running, true application of functional movements.

James tearing it up in Indonesia earlier this year

James, who many of you know as "The Assassin," recently returned to CrossFit Oakland after 4 months of surfing in Indonesia (we should all be so lucky). Even with a long layoff from training, there are still glimpses of his old assassin-like self and we have no doubt that he'll be back in full force in no time at all. He's hardly missed a beat, it seems.

Upon his return to CrossFit, in addition to passing along some photos, James had the the following to say about CrossFit:

Good to be back at CrossFit Oakland, and to see the old faces, as well as new ones.

Most of my travels were in Indonesia searching for waves. I found them, and my past CrossFit training was right there with me. I want to show off a few pics and share how CrossFit helped me. I thought I might notice a difference in paddling and energy, yeah, but it was more about the impact CrossFit training had on my "core" that gave me a boost. I could feel the difference in bottom turns and cutbacks. They're right when they say the training is functional. Looking forward to getting back in shape. Nuff said....let's do a WOD!

Thanks for the endorsement, James. We're stoked to have you back with us again.

Rest Day WOD

After lots of rowing skill work, do the following:

15-12-9 Reps:

Kettlebell Swings @ 1.5 pood
Dumbbell Push Presses @ 40#

CATHERINE AND KATHY DO SOME HEAVY LIFTING

There is the elation of a body weight lift, the bragging rights of having done multiple 225# deadlifts, that super "I'm so tough" feeling that comes from a successful tryst with heavy weights, but the real long term benefits is in the bones.

It is important to understand that bone is not a hard and lifeless structure; it is, in fact, a complex, living tissue. Our bones provide structural support for muscles, protect vital organs, and store the calcium essential for bone density and strength.

Because bones are constantly changing, they can heal and are affected by diet and exercise. Until the age of about 30, you build and store bone efficiently. Then, as part of the natural aging process, your bones begin to break down faster than new bone can be formed. As the population ages, osteoporosis, or brittle bone disease, is a growing concern. Though osteoporosis is not just a condition that affects women, we are one of the groups most at risk for it. Predisposing factors for osteoporosis include:

-genetics: if mom has osteoporosis, you are also at risk
-age: risk increases with age
-menopausal status: menopause initiates changes in hormone levels which eventually can decrease bone density (by the way, improving bone density post-menopause is one useful application of testosterone supplementation)
- smoking: you all know you shouldn't smoke, so I don't have to tell you
- history of drastic dieting: this takes its toll on your bones
- high caffeine intake
- corticosteroid use
- thyroid disorders
-body composition: if you are too thin, especially if you have been amenorrheic (your periods have stopped) for lengths of time, this increases your risk

So, what to do? Focus on prevention, prevention, prevention --DO CROSSFIT regularly to build strength over time and:

Get 15 minutes of sunshine daily(for Vitamin D exposure which helps the body absorb Calcium)

Focus on Nutrition- calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts, and seafood.

Eat a diet that is not hypocaloric (taking in fewer calories than the body needs) for long periods of time, and a bodyweight that is healthy, not underweight.

Nice article from FIT:http://www.focusedtrainers.com/news/articles/0505_osteoporosis.htm

THIS WEEKEND! WOMEN'S SELF DEFENSE SEMINAR WITH JAMES MAIZ FROM 11 A.M. TO 1PM. --SIGN UP ON THE WHITE BOARD AT CFO-THE COST IS $50/PERSON!

Sam has been training with CrossFit methods for some time, however over the last few weeks I have noticed the marked improvement in Sam’s focus and intensity during group workouts. It is my view that these intensity levels have and will continue to produce outstanding performances for Sam within the CrossFit Paradigm.

Post your personal experience with intensity and focus provoked improvements in WOD performance to comments.

Not much more to say about this other than ouch!

Better have a comfortable chair and a nice cup of coffee--this video's a long one, just like the workout itself.

***REMINDER FOR SATURDAY, AUGUST 18***

One more day 'til:

Our Nutrition Seminar at 11:00 a.m.!

Our Monthly WOD-Off Potluck at 6:00 p.m.!

Shane and Franklin

Nicole and I had the opportunity to spend a few days working out with Shane Miller at Carl and Sandra’s Physical Conditioning Center. Shane is a USA Weightlifting Certified Senior Coach; many of the athletes he coaches in weightlifting have captured gold medals from local and state competitions. There are connections everywhere, Shane coached CrossFit Oakland athlete Molly Mehaffy to a first place finish at the 2007 National Masters Weightlifting Championships held in Savannah Georgia. Congratulations, Molly, you are an inspiration to us budding Oly lifters.

Rest Day WOD

21-15-9 Reps for Time:

DB Shoulder Presses
DB Push Presses
Air Squats
DB Front Squats
DB Thrusters

*** REMINDER ***

3 days until our FUEL (Feeding U Energy for Life) Seminar this Saturday, August 18 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more info on the topics covered, scroll down a couple of posts. Register by sending an email to info@crossfitoakland.com or calling us at (510) 595-9348.

Join us for our monthly WOD competition of 15 body weight overhead squats! The WOD-OFF will be followed by libations and good eats! Everyone is encouraged to participate---bodyweight squatters, 135#, 115#, 95#, 75#...bring us what you have with spirit and good form!

Check for the sign-up sheet on the Community Board for WOD and potluck sign-up.

My sister Lara and my mom Joanne

I had my sister and mom up for a workout today and it was a blast. They got to be trained by Nicole; she put them through 3 rounds of row 500m, 12 push presses, and 15 Abmat sit-ups.

They also got to witness LOTS of weight going overhead, between all of the shoulder presses, push presses, and push jerks going on this morning during our morning classes.

I'm already looking forward to their next visit.

Saturday 08-10-07 Workout

“CrossFit Warm-up” AKA “CFWU”

10-15 Pull-Ups
10-15 Push-Ups
10-15 Sit-Ups
10-15 Good Mornings
Sampson Stretch
10-15 Ring Dips
10-15 OHS with bar or dowel

Repeat 2 or 3X

Skills:

1. Kettlebell Swing
2. Knees-to-elbows
3. CDL

Performance Tests:

Tabata Squats/ 50 or 100 Free Squats
500 Meter Row
Kettlebell Tests

Amy's L Pull Ups

CrossFit Journal April 2003

Interesting, intelligent, useful information about the pull-up is not easy to come by. Here’s an interesting article we found from Clarence Bass’ site on Pavel’s theory of “greasing the groove” (http://www.cbass.com/Synaptic.htm). Find us another. Please! There are internet sites and message boards dedicated to bench press technique, mechanics, routines, and performance, where nothing similar exists for the pull-up.
How can a movement of such enormous import stir such little interest? It doesn’t make sense that the pull-up doesn’t inspire the same discussion, analysis, and overall attention that so many other movements do like the bench press and squat.

But, first let’s back up a little bit and give a definition of the pull-up. We’ll use Merriam Webster’s definition of “chinning” - “to raise oneself while hanging by the hands until the chin is level with the support” to describe what we call a “pull-up.”
Notice that we make no mention of grip, underhand or overhand (supinated or pronated). We don’t care, and we don’t want you to either. When you can do 40 pull-ups you won’t care much if the grip is underhand, overhand, wide, narrow, or mixed – it all starts to feel the same. The lesson is - mix it up.

How significant is the pull-up? In our view the pull-up is:
• At least as important as any other upper body exercise
• An essential part of athletic training
• Perfectly functional
• A gateway exercise to highly developmental gymnastics movements
• Singularly unique and valuable, and so has no replacement (“lat pull-down” is a weak substitute)

The requirements for the CrossFit pull-up are simple yet tough to execute. The pull-up begins from a hang at full arm and shoulder extension and ends, regardless of grip, with the chest pressed tightly to the bar.

Pulling the chest to the bar is very hard but encourages fully “opening the chest” and pulling the shoulders back or “closing the back.” In the early stages of developing a pull-up it is acceptable to bring the Adam’s apple to the bar instead of the chest, but leading with the shoulders forward rather than back is a fault that needs to be fixed long before you are going to get to 30 pull-ups.

read on:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=crossfit+pull+ups&btnG=Search

Amazing how they do things in Denmark, the fact that you have bikes available for you at every hotel to allow you to join the masses as they use human power to get around their grand old cities. What a concept, I would love to see more of this type of thing in the U.S.

Post your thoughts on Bikes as mass transportation to comments.

Today's WOD

After playing around with a bear, do the following:

3 Rounds for Time:

Run 400m
15 Front Squats @ 95#

Even when away from the gym, CrossFitters figure out ways to get some CrossFitting in, as Connie demonstrates here in her pair of handstands against a tree.

Post to comments your favorite away-from-the-gym CrossFit experiences.

The Man

The Moves

The Shoes

On Tuesday, Jacques Viera-Horn completed the WOD (remember all those pull ups and 800 meter runs?) as Rx'd in a pair of powder blue Sperry topsiders! Jacques rocks and we love him!!!

Jacques has been at CFO for about three months and is making big gains! He is an aspiring Oakland Firefighter and a gem of a grandson (he takes care of his 102 year old grandfather)! Keep showing us how it's done Jacques...

AND...a social sidenote:
http://www.sterngrove.org/08052007.html
Hugh Masakela and Goapele
Sunday, August 5th @ Stern Grove

LoSt & FoUnD:
Black and White Ironman Watch! H2O Bottles! stinky towels! sweaty shirts! and some random pairs of socks!...ask and you shall receive!