Friday

Every Minute on the Minute Perform until Failure
6 True Push Ups
5 Mountain Climbers(each leg)
4 Burpees

Painted nails, chalked fingers.  Functional is the new tantalizingly sublimated sensuous.

Sublimate this.

We have a very good relationship with Jonathan at CrossFit Defy! in Broomfield, and that's because he's a top-notch trainer running a quality affiliate.  He has offered all Freaks a discount on entry to the NAS sanctioned strongman [person] event, Lift the Rockies.  He has further offered to let Freaks try out the various implements at Defy! beforehand.  Let Vanessa or I know if you're interested, and we can arrange a carpool to Broomfield to have some practice.

Just because I shouldn't be doing a 500 pound yoke walk is no reason for me not to do a 500 pound yoke walk.

Thursday

Zercher Squat 3-3-3-1-1-1
AMRAP in 20:00
DB Deck Power Snatch 5 right / 5 left
KTE 10
Spiderman Push Ups 10

Sunrise snatches and box jumps

I won't be ready to lift at the Rocky Mountain State Games this year, so I can be a full time coach.  Darla is in, who else?

To be safe I'm planning on having someone physically restrain me from lifting at the August 25th NASA meet, so I can be a full time coach.  Audrey and Darla are in.

Wednesday

Ask the trainer:  Can I tone my arms in 30 days?  Silly but popular question, sensible answer.

How to tear your rotator cuff.

This is why I insist you get five good strict ring pull-ups and five strict ring dips before you start training the strict muscle-ups.  Sure, if you flail like an electrocuted monkey, you might be able to get over the rings with a kipping MU, but at what cost?  (Maybe this is why MY shoulder hurts...)  Your muscles need to get strong, but your tendons and ligaments need to get tough, too.  They take much longer to strengthen as well as taking MUCH longer to HEAL.  While you are working on some basic strength, work on the progressions for the muscle-up that train the fast turn-over.   Work on keeping those elbows in tight while you throw your head and chest through the plane of the rings.

Muscle-up Transition  Carl Paoli knows what he is talking about.

Make-up On-Ramp:  Thursday 6:30 am
                               (Friday at 6:30 am will be class #12 for the morning)
                               Friday 7:30 pm,
                               Saturday 11 am
                               Attend any class.  Please email us about your plans.

WOD

Alternating on the minute for 10 minutes

Perform max reps

*score is total KBS

Max Reps KBS (peform on odd minutes)

Max Rep Double Unders

Tuesday

 

Check out this cool brewery-in-the-making.
They've made gluten free beers and hard cider.  They were looking at the space next-door to us at 101 Pratt, wouldn't that be cool?

Split jerk - why the front foot moves back first.  Watch the second short video!

Max Effort Deck Snatch 3-3-3-1-1-1

Rest 5:00

AMRAP in 10:00

7 Dips

7 Pull-ups (Strict)

Memorial Day WOD - note class times!

Are you wondering if CrossFit is for you?  Free trial of CrossFit for newbies next Saturday the 2nd at 10 am! Please register on the website or email us if you want to attend.

There is room in the June On-Ramp if you want to jump-start your training regime.

Memorial Day Schedule Change!

Monday the 28th:  5:30 am
                            9:30 am
                            5:30 pm
                            No On-Ramps
Make-up On-Ramp:  Thursday 6:30 am
                               (Friday at 6:30 am will be class #12 for the morning)
                               Friday 7:30 pm,
                               Saturday 11 am
                               Attend any class.  Please email us about your plans.

Handstand push-up scalings, and pacing

There will be a special WOD on Monday for Memorial Day.  You will have a choice to do one of two Hero WODs named after a fallen soldier.  (Remember your minute of silence at 3pm.)


Murph
run one mile
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
300 air squats
run another mile

You may partition these reps as needed, perhaps as 20 rounds of Cindy, or 5-10-15.  If you have a 20 pound weight vest, wear it.  Ideally scale this so you can finish in under 25 minutes - it is not smart to ruin your training for the next month just so you can feel heroic for an hour.


Zimmerman
Complete as many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of:
11 Chest-to-bar pull-ups
2 Deadlifts, 315 pounds
10 Handstand push-ups

Saturday

I was asked to come up with a team WoD for Saturday.
I'm a lone wolf.
I came up with a team WoD for two lone wolves.
This is going to be rabid.
Eat some bacon then join us at 9 am.

I'm not the only one with casual socks.

We don't need pull-up bars

But we weren't sure how to fill this corner, so we're getting a Rogue Infinity rig.

Friday

Some of you missed a really fun workout on Thursday. The morning class got to do it scaled down to a sprint (in under 10 minutes) and the evening classes got to pair up and work as a team to split the reps. Anaya said it was too easy... The key is to pick a weight that makes it challenging but not crushing. Also, your ability to recover is key when you pick your scaling - we would like you be able to walk in two days when the delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) hits. As you become more experienced you will be better able to judge your capabilities. As you become more experienced you will be able to move more weight, a longer distance, faster, and be able to do it again the next day!

Floor press
5-5-5-3-3-3

Five intervals:
Clean & Jerk 5 reps
(Loading 75% body weight)
Sprint 200 meters
Walk back.
Time each interval.

Thursday

Coach B teaches the snatch

 

Aggression!  Junk yard dog attitude!

2012 CrossFit Games Regional: Individual Event 4,

This should be scaled heavily or done as a team of two.  Watch the elites do it below.

For time:
135 pound Back squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
135 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
85 pound Front squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
85 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps
65 pound Overhead squat, 50 reps
40 Pull-ups
65 pound Shoulder-to-overhead, 30 reps

or Trainers' choice

"For squatting, I hate the Zercher squat. Hate it. It kills me, but I've always noticed that my human inner tube seems much powerful after doing these squats. This is that odd internal pressure – talk to a martial arts person for more details.
Also, holding the bar in the crook of the elbow is callusing for the ages. I've also experienced, as many other brighter people than me have, like Pavel, that the Zercher squat demands a kind of moving mobility that has to be experienced to understand. If you hate Zerchers, you're probably doing them right."
Dan John at T-Nation

I assure you I am not screwing off at work reading T-Nation - James

Wednesday - Gym moving soon!

The new gym location is behind SugarBeets, 101 Pratt Street, just up and around from our current location. You can see the overpass in the middle photo.  We are excited to have a space in this beautiful building and we think you will like it too. It's about the same size as our current space.  However with multiple doors for cross-ventilation, insulation, and a working heater, it should more comfortable! We will have a gym-moving party in a few weeks, stay tuned.

WOD
Zercher squat
5-5-5-3-3-3

Practice this new exercise (demo here) and get comfortable with it; next week we will do it for singles.  We like this squat because it allows a more upright posture and thus puts less pressure on the back.  The arm position is unusual and may lead to some bruising, but you will quickly get used to it the same way you got used to the kettlebell clean and jerk.

Louie Simmons says:
Are there other forms of squatting done at Westside? Yes. The Zercher squat. Ed Zercher invented this exercise years ago. I was first intrigued after reading about Robert Barnett doing the Zercher lift, where one squatted down and hooked the elbows under the bar and stood up. Mr. Barnett was capable of doing 5 reps off the floor with 395. His body weight was 165 and he could deadlift 675. He did this around 1966. After getting out of the army in 1969, I started doing Zercher squats off the floor. My best was 320, and I made a 670 deadlift in 1973 at 181. When I moved up to 198, I couldn’t lift the bar off the floor because I had become too thick around the waist. I started doing a Zercher squat. I would lift the bar, which was on a low rack pin, in my elbows and go as low as possible. I used two versions: One was to lower the bar until it sat on my knees. The second was to lower the bar out over my knees as low as possible, then drop my hips as low as I could to stretch the lower back and then stand up. With this method, I made 500 at an all-star wrestling convention. At the time I made an official 710 deadlift at 198.  Read more here.

WOD
Five rounds
20 Burpees
250 meter row

Tuesday

Memorial Weekend Schedule

Friday and Saturday: normal
Monday the 28th:  5:30 am
                            9:30 am
                            5:30 pm
                            No On-Ramps
Make-up On-Ramp Thursday 6:30 am, Friday 7:30 pm,
                             Saturday 11 am
                             Attend any class.
                             Please email us about your plans.

 Coach Burgener 

Watch and learn

WOD
21-15-9
Press (load 50% of max)
KB swing
Burpees

Yea Burpees!

Monday

String!

Memorial weekend schedule: normal Friday & normal Saturday.  Monday the 28th- we plan on cancelling the On-Ramps, 11 am and 6:30 pm.  Classes still going on as usual: 5:30 am, 9:30 am, 5:30 pm.  Make-up On-Ramps on Thursday May 31th, 6:30 am and Friday June 1st, 7:30 pm.  We will consider doing a second-chance Make-up On-Ramp on Saturday the 2nd at 11 am if we have enough people who need it - email us!

Are you wondering if CrossFit is for you? Free trial of CrossFit next Saturday the 2nd at 10 am! There is room in the June On-Ramp if you want to jump-start your training regime.

More "World Record" footage from the CrossFit Regionals.

The weekend updates on the Regionals.  Last weekend's regionals were on ESPN! 

Bob Harper of Biggest Loser is a CrossFit fan.

Snatch
3-3-3-1-1-1

Franish
Five rounds
9 thrusters at 95/65 pounds
9 pull-ups

Weekend

Hollyne, Kristen, Angela

Saturday, May 19th

I'm gonna stay young until I die.

More from the Icelandic women.

As always, we'll have a free workout at 9 am.

Friday - Josh

 Watch "The World's Fittest Woman" do some awesome pull-ups.

Click here to watch the best CrossFit Games regional performances so far.

 More Pistols!

"Josh"
21 Overhead squats (95/65)
42 Pull-ups
15 OHS
30 Pull-ups
9 OHS
18 Pull-ups

Thursday

Lift: Push Jerk
3-3-3-1-1-1

WoD:

21 Deadlifts 275/185
400m Run
15 Deadlifts
400m Run
9 Deadlifts
400m Run

Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.  This is very similar to my screensaver at work.  It keeps me reasonably happy when I'm not at the gym.

The pull-up club is expanding.  What we're teaching is working, but I notice the new puller-uppers are the ones who consistently work what we're teaching.

There were more people in the 5:30 am class today than I could count on my fingers.  It's entirely a true story that I started the early morning class two and a half years ago by sitting alone in the parking lot, and yes, it really was snowing.  I thank you for making us what we are today.

Addendum

As a coach I try to learn everyone's style and comply with their wishes.  I though Megan Quigley wanted to keep her pull-ups quiet, but she's rightfully proud of her accomplishment.

Wednesday

More cool socks

Nice deadlift for an old guy

Work on your pistols!

WoD:
10 ->1
Box Jump 24/20
SDHP 115/75
Wall Ball Shots 20/14

Here's a great video on persistence.  Thanks to Dave Kirschen at EliteFTS for turning me on to this.

News from the Colorado CrossFit Open:

"The 2012 Colorado Open
The Colorado Open has filled up completely, both the Open and Pro Divisions.  The men were at capacity by 9:10.  The women were full at 9:57.  There is a waiting list of over 40 athletes of each gender.
At this point the wait list is completely full.  If you have not already signed up, or emailed me to get on the waiting list, it is too late to get on the wait list. "
Bummer - maybe next year!  This competition is quite fun and, as you can see, very popular.  Watching this is a great time - how about we all go out to Denver together and check it out.  August 25-26th, 2012  For more info.

Tuesday

I hope all of the mothers had a great Day!

Max effort front squat
3-3-3-1-1-1

For time:
Ten reps clean and jerk
Loading - men, up to body weight - women, 75% body weight
This should should be very heavy.

Monday

James' deadlifts from the Master's Meet

The bacon-girl and record-holding powerlifter, Abbey from Defy, does a "light" squat at the Defy meet.

Defy is doing a Strongman event this summer!

WoD:
7 Rounds for Time

7 Deadlifts
6 Bent Over Rows
5 Hang Power Cleans
4 Front Squats
3 Push Press
2 Hang Power Snatch
1 Overhead Squat

Loading: Men 115, Women 75

Saturday - Altas stone

Matt

Eric

 Steven

Jon

John

Poll:
Do you want classes Memorial Weekend and if so which ones? I'll be out of town Friday through Monday - how about you?

LIFT
Make-up lift
Some time to make sure you get some heavy lifting in this week.

WOD
From the regionals, event four
Teams

For time:
 50 Back squats (135 / 95 lbs)
 40 Pull-ups
 30 Shoulder-to-overhead (135 / 95 lbs)
 50 Front squats (85 / 65 lbs)
 40 Pull-ups
 30 Shoulder-to-overhead (85 / 65 lbs)
 50 Overhead squats (65 / 45 lbs)
 40 Pull-ups
 30 Shoulder-to-overhead (65 / 45 lbs)

Friday

 Exciting video from our local regional!

 

LIFT
Deck power snatch
3-3-3-1-1-1




WOD
Score total reps, only one round
1 min strict pull-ups
1 min dips
1 min sit-ups
1 min push-ups
1 min air squats

Thursday

Drop-in Saturday!  It's often a big class and we have fun!

We have multiple coaches and we are ready for a big group.

Skill:
Pistols and strict pull-ups
Handstand positioning

WoD:
"Diane"
21-15-9
Deadlift 225/185
Handstand Push-Up

This is the actual benchmark work out we've been targeting with the recent deadlift and HSPU work, so load up and PR!  This WOD should take less than ten minutes!

Barney Herzog has been powerlifting since the 70's, and he's been an honorary Freak since I met him at my first meet.  Here he's warming up to move big weight at USAPL Masters Nationals in the 65-70 age group.  Go hard, but never forget longevity rules.

Wednesday

Split Jerk
5-5-5-3-3-3

RDLs

WOD
3 rounds for time
dumbbell overhead squat
    10 right, 10 left
run 400 meters

Loading: one dumbbell up to 55 pounds.

Continuing on with our shoulder and thoracic mobility and stability theme...

Tuesday

Klepto
4 rounds for time
27 box jumps
20 burpees
11 cleans

Monday - Powerlifting Meet

Visitors!

Coach James

 

2nd Squat

Last squat, 402 pounds
Blogger's video and photo uploaders are just terrible.

A new On-Ramp starts this Monday both 6:30 am and 7:30 pm.  (Not 5:30 am OMG!)

I am hopeful that you all will be influenced to join us at the next powerlifting meet.  It is a great experience - the competition, friendly people, and people warming up with your max - it's awesomely inspiring.   I'd love to get your videos up on on our website, too.

LIFT
Front Squat
5-5-5-3-3-3

WOD
20,18,16,12,10 (sic)

Knees to Elbows
Dumbbell Hang Power Snatch
Loading up to 55/30 pounds - one dumbbell only, half the reps on each side.

Patrick Burke of MBS CrossFit at a meet

Saturday

LIFT
Make-up lift
Pick one or two from this week that you missed

Spealler does Angie

Not too thrilled about all of the movement quality here, but he sure is fast.


WOD
Angie
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Air squats

This WOD will be scaled; if you are not used to this volume of work you will do 25, 50, or 75 reps of each.

Good skill to one of our morning combat athletes, Andrew Lass, at the 44th Northglenn Judo Championship

Good Skill to Freaks Emeritus Alex and Eric Walden at the Crossfit Mid-Atlantic Regionals.

If you're knocked out after Angie, you can watch James at the USAPL National Masters. 

If you didn't do Angie, go out and play!

Friday

MWOD for pistols and another one with Carl Paoli.  It is all about those pistols we have been doing.

I will be representing TwinFreaks CrossFit at the USAPL National Masters powerlifting meet this weekend, and I will be looking sharp thanks to Peter Dougherty.  There's a little freak in all of us, and if there's a little of all of you in the shoes, I'll be unstoppable.

The original morning person, Lonna, got a pull up today.  I didn't see it, so I asked her to try another one and she nailed it.  Great work, Lonna, and no, I have never forgotten that you were coming in at 5:30 am before it was cool!

Skill:
Pull-Ups


WoD:
AMRAP 7
3 Deadlifts 225/185
3 Handstand Push-Ups
6
6
9
9
12
12
.
.
.

Use the same loading as last week for the tabata Diane.  I'm not sure if I decided to do this or if someone else mentioned it and I thought it was a good idea, but I am sure it will be a great way to roll into the weekend.

Thursday

Lift: Power Snatch
3-3-3-1-1-1

WoD:
AMRAP 20
20 Burpees
15 KB Swings 24/16
400 meter Run

Anna, who is not even close to first alphabetically - Aaron, Ana, Anaya, reminded me that I ran a very unsuccessful guess the equipment contest a few months ago.  This is a better view of the "land mine."  Basically you have a standard bar mounted on a universal joint which allows the free end of the bar a great range of motion while holding the floor end fixed.  You hold the free end overhead and rotate from the core side-to-side.  It can very quickly make the GHD sit-up feel like a mere crunch.  I put ten or twenty-five pounds on this one and I was done after two reps.

While you're waiting for one of these to appear, you can always do the windshield wiper.  You will make your coach feel loved by asking for a demonstration.