HOMEWORK WEEK!

(Forgot to post this before we left...sorry!)

The morning crew working on snatching. Becky is in her receiving position, while Steve is in the final overhead position! Way to go crew! In the second picture, the PM class is finishing their day with some plank holds!

Okay, so here is how it's going to work. Below are your homework assignments that you MUST do while we are gone. Each day we need to to post your times/ numbers/ etc to the comments. Be sure to indicate which workout it is as well. Have fun! The challenge is now on between the morning and night classes, push yourselves!

This week’s warm up:
3 rounds
10 push ups
10 sit ups
10 back extensions
10 pvc overhead squats

Monday ~ July 6th
*IRENE WILL OPEN GARAGE FOR EVERYONE AND CLASS WILL START AT 5:30PM*
“Kelly”
5 rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
30 box jump, 24 inch box (feet all the way on the box)
30 wall ball shots, 20/14# ball (aim for the basketball hoop’s rim)

Wed~ July 8th
*IRENE WILL OPEN GARAGE FOR EVERYONE AND CLASS WILL START AT 5:30PM*
(You do this 3 part workout continuous. Do not stop after each part. So it should go for 10 min, then run 400m, then 10 min again.)
Part 1: Max reps in 10 min of:
10 kb swings 55/35# (pop the hips and pull the bell down)
5 burpees
5 sumo deadlift high pulls 55/35# (feet are wide apart and pull the bell up to your chin…high elbows)
Part 2: RUN 400 METER
Part 3: Repeat part 1

Friday~ July 10th
*DO THIS AT HOME, AS IRENE WILL NOT BE HERE TO OPEN THE GARAGE.
4 Rounds for time:
400 m run
50 squats

Monday~ July 13th
*IRENE WILL OPEN GARAGE FOR EVERYONE AND CLASS WILL START AT 5:30PM*

Pull up ladder (use program #2 on the timer)
Do 1 pull up the 1st minute
Do 2 pull ups the 2nd minute
Do 3 pull ups the 3rd minute …. Etc. Go until you are unable to complete the required number in the given time….THEN work your way back down.

**Example:
1pull up on min 1
2 pull ups on min 2
3 pull ups on min 3
4 pull ups on min 4
5 pull ups on min 5
Couldn’t complete all 6 pull ups on min 6
4 pull ups on min 7 (go down the ladder from last completed)
3 pull ups on min 8
2 pull ups on min 9
1 pull up on min 10

HAPPY 4th of July!

A most humbling moment that I noticed at ground zero.
Take a moment to say "Thank You" for all the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Freedom isn't free.

7/03/09 Choose your hero WOD

A. "MICHAEL"

In honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael McGreevy, 30, of Portville, NY, who was killed in Afghanistan June 28 2005.

3 Rounds for time:
Run 800 meters
50 Back Extensions
50 Sit-ups

B. "MURPH"
In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.

1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 mile run

C. "BADGER"
In honor of Navy Chief Petty Officer Mark Carter, 27, of Virginia Beach, VA who was killed in Iraq 11 December 2007.

3 rounds:
800 m run
30 squat cleans (95/65#)
30 pull ups


Post times to comment. Enjoy your time with your family and friends this weekend. I know that I am so grateful for all of my blessings and you are all part of it.

7/1/09 CLEAN AND JERKS

Bob, one of the AM crew members in his starting position. Check out the game face too!

It's a strength day! Time to work on our highly effective and functional movements....can I get a "WHAT! WHAT!"?? Okay, Brett made me write that one. (Nothing like a middle age suburban white fellow to keep it real - yo!) LOL!

I know, I know, you are all excited about these moves, yet look at the progress each one of you has made with them. It is amazing to watch you all become such effective O-lifters! Yes, they will keep coming, so be ready! Anyhow.... onto the workout.....

7/01/09 Clean and Jerks

warm up to your 2RM (2 rep maximum)

Then....
2-2-2-2-2-2-2

Post your weights to comments.

**Don't forget to include any failures (which is completely okay!) to your post.

Example 1~ If you did the first and second round at 100# successfully, then on the third round you failed on the second rep, you would write "100x2-100x2-100x1" .

Example 2~ If you complete the first round at 100# successfully. Then the second round successfully at 100#, but failed immediately on the third round at 100#, you would write that as "100x2- 100x2- 100f".

Does this make sense? We will get it...just hang in there and try to record it the best you can.

6/29/09 "SNELLEN"

Snatches and cleans are complex movements, yet they are highly effective and functional. Not only can they help with strength gain, but they are also a wonderful tool to improve your agility, balance, and speed. Basically, they are the most effective way to "lift shit off the ground" as Brett says. :o) Both movements need a vicious extension of the hips and "scarecrow arms" close to the body to be effective. Remember to drive yourself under the bar, keep your elbows high and outside (scarecrow), and open the hips aggressively. They may take time getting used to, but once you have figured them out, they are beautiful movements!

6/29/09 WOD "Snellen"

3Rds
400m run
12 Squat Snatches (95/65#)
21 Pull ups

***REMINDER-- Squat snatches are BELOW 90 degrees people! IF you can't receive the bar below 90, then finish the movement with an overhead squat.

Go hard, go strong! Post times and weights to comment!

Game Faces!

AMRAP20

1 Power clean (95/65#)

3 Front squats (95/65#)

Willpower, concentration, determination, and just plain old game faces were put on to complete this one. To quote Brett, "just go to your happy place"!

Post your rounds to comment. (Yes, I know that we have been having problems with that....I do believe it is fixed, so give it a try and let me know.)

I'm Back!!!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for updated blogs! :)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Wishing all the father's out there a happy day!

By the way.....STILL waiting on votes for the gun show! ;)

What to do????

HELP!!!! Our trainers are out of town!!!! We have no equipment: no pull up bars, no bars with weights, no kettlebells, no abmats....NO NOTHING! Whatever can we use??? Hell, there are so many other things around us that can be used for a workout. Simulate real life situations! Grab a bag of sand and try 30 clean and presses for time, grab a kid and do turkish get-ups, jump over a fence, run up the stairs, overhead squat a case of gluten free beer... the list goes on forever. Whenever you are in need of a last minute, on the fly workout and you don't have any equipment, just look around and do a combination using the elements you have. After all, isn't that what we are training for???? To succeed at life? So, grab that dog food and get creative! (No, Ava's bag of food does not count...we are talking 'real dog' sizes like Dax! LOL) Can't wait to hear what you have invented! Post ideas to comments and try one!

POW!!! POW!!!

How do you know that your clients are making gains????? When the Gun Show Competition becomes an ongoing battle! After 'over hearing' the friendly banter between Stacey and Jamey on Facebook...what was I supposed to do, other than hold a Gun Show Competition as our finisher???? Who has the best guns? Post your vote and comments below! The winner with the most votes will get a freezy pop after Monday's workout and you can even choose the color of your choice! ;) BOOM BOOM FIREPOWER!!!!!!!!!!

WOD
50 KB swings
5 Push ups
40 KB swings
10 Push ups
30 KB swings
15 Push ups
20 KB swings
20 Push ups
10 KB swings
25 Push ups

Fight Gone Bad

FIGHT GONE BAD! The one we all love to hate! (Jamey was taking his rest when pictures were snapped. Sorry.) Finisher: Jump in the pool and grill out! The food was yummy and company was excellent! We even had our own little dog park going here! ;)

How's that working for you?

Okay, so as you know, we started doing weigh-in Wednesdays. Tough! There is now accountability! YUP! We all have goals that we want to achieve. We want to get stronger, gain muscle mass, get leaner, look good in a swimsuit, etc. However, the question then becomes what are we doing about it? I am also guilty on this aspect, especially this past month. Yes, I can come up with a million excuses as to why. It's the end of the school year. I'm stressed out. I haven't been able to get all my workouts in because of running the kids to their little league games and dance practices. I had three kids back-to-back-to-back. (I could go on forever here.) But yes, even to me....there needs to be a REALITY CHECK! When I get in my whiny excuse ridden mode, Brett always asks me the same question which seems to puts me in check....... "And how is that working for you?"

He is right. So, let me ask you! How is your current lifestyle and eating habits working for you? Are you happy with your weight, your strength, your endurance, your muscle mass? If the answer is no, then obviously your current lifestyle is not working for you. Something needs to change!!!! If you do not change anything......you will not see any changes or yield results. Things will ALWAYS stay status quo! Therefore, We need to start to peck away at the things that are affecting our progress. Start small. Do one thing a week: eliminate starchy carbs or gluten, get 8+ hours of sleep a night, workout an extra day in addition to your training, eat more like a hunter-gatherer.....DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT!

So, as our discussions continue on creating lifestyle changes that support our goals, we need to get real with ourselves and continue to aim for the large picture here. If we aren't continually PRing or making gains, then something in our food and/or lifestyle has begun to break down. We are the ones in charge of our life here. We need to eliminate our inner demons. So next time you catch yourself making excuses or saying "but I can't eat that" or "it's too hard". Well, ask yourself this one question...... "How's that working for you?"

Reality check!

Warrior Wednesday!

This week our "Warrior Wednesday" workout was a tough one! In teams of 2, the task is to complete 300 kettlebell swings. Sounds do-able, right? Ah-ha....here is the catch. Only one person is allowed to do the swings. In the meantime, the partner must be doing an isometric squat hold. Each time the partners decide to switch roles, they must complete 5 burpees each. Holy leg work, Batman!

This week's team champions are............. (drum roll)................

Mike and Jamey who completed the workout in 25:44

Second place goes to Stacey and Diane with 26:26 and Sue and Irene did an amazing job and completed the task with a time of 33:37.

You all are true athletic warriors in my mind! Way to go all!

SHEER STRENGTH!

Pic 1~ Jamey kicking butt on his last set of push presses.

Pic 2~ This is the set before Jamey killed his push press. This is the moment when Jamey ponders over what his trainer means by a push press rather than a push jerk. Hmmmmmm........ Can you feel the love? :O) Muah, Jamey, love ya!

STRENGTH! Building strength is a definite necessity to improve our overall health and fitness. As we will build strength, we inevitably become better athletes! We are stronger, faster, and can endure for longer periods of time because we have the sheer strength to achieve and succeed. Although days like this may seem slow and yes, it may feel "weird to leave without being all sweaty" (quoting our Diane today). However, it will only help us in our next workout. We will get closer and closer to doing the WODS at the prescribed weight and / or even beating our old times. So, it is important to not forget the strength days and to really give it our all and max out at our potential. Just like everyone did today. Way to go y'all!

WOD:
Shoulder Press 5x1

Push Press 5x3

******************************************************************

Irene~ SP 55/55/60f/55/60f and PP 55x3/55x3/60x3/65x2/65x3

Diane~ SP 55/55/60f/55/55 and PP 55x3/65x3/70x3/75x1/70x3

Stacey~ SP 55/60/65/70f/65 and PP 70x3/75x3/80x3/85x3/90x1

Jamey~ SP 95/105/110/115f/100f and PP 110x3/115x3/120x3 (jerked)/115x3/120x3

Upside down your turning me!

WELCOME TO OUR LITTLE BOX, FRANCISCO!!!!

Today's WOD started with a little strength training:

Warm up deadlifts in order to perform 3x5 deadlifts

Then....

3 Rounds

4 Handstand push ups

8 Chest to bar pull ups

12 Deadlifts (225/185#)

16 box jumps

In the pictures above, you will see a variety of scaling for handstand push ups. Going upside down can be a little nerve racking, although it is a great alternative for strength gains using shear body weight. Also, it creates the benefit that your body will adapt to the inverted pressure on your head and face. A few key points we need to work on as we develop this skill:

1. Avoid hyper extending (arching your back) ...we will get there with practice!

2. Activate your shoulders. Really get a strong shrug going.

3. Suck in your stomach~ make that mid-line stabilization rock solid

4. Squeeze your butt!!!!!!! It may sound silly but it is a critical point of assistance!

We may only be beginning to tackle these challenges, but as with everything else, it is practice that makes perfect!

Tabata work!

A little tabata work was done today.

Tabata SDLHP

Rest 1 min

Tabata Squat

Rest 1 min

Tabata Pull up

Rest 1 min

Tabata Push up

Rest 1 min

Tabata Sit up

Score is the LOWEST number in each set .... pick a number and try to maintain it throughout the workout.

Run Forest Run!

5 Rounds:
100 m sprint *Try to maintain your time from the first sprint.

Then.....
pull up ladder

"Run Forest Run"! I use the title of today's workout loosely and in a loving manner. RUNNING! It seems to be a huge nemesis of ours, including myself. We find ourselves wishing to run faster and for longer distances. Yet, at times, we feel defeated and awkward when we run. Well, time to embrace the suck and work on our difficulties.

In order to increase our running distances and decrease our times on running events, we best practice this by doing interval training. Interval training is defined as "a series of repetitions of work with a recovery period following each repetition."

Why interval training rather than long distance runs? Basically, it is our key to running faster. When we interval train, we are developing explosive energy and creating neuromuscular coordination that is needed to increase our speed. Long distance running does not develop these factors as well, thus creating more of a "plateau" type of state. During the short bursts of running that is performed with interval training, the body is creating lactic acid and depleting oxygen within our systems. We then allow ourselves a recovery period where the heart and lungs are still stimulated, but at the same time, they are replacing oxygen to our body which will help break down the lactic acid. One key for interval training is to pick a time that you want to achieve during your sprint. Then for each of the sprints, try to maintain that time. Push yourself fully to make the most gains!