WOD:
16-12-8 reps of:
Hang power snatch, (45/35)

Alternating with:

8-6-4 reps of:
Turkish get up, (45/35)

Yes, you use an empty bar the entire time. Yes, even on the turkish get ups. Let’s see what kind of balance and shoulder stability you have!

Talk about shoulder stability! Mikey P and Zach show us how it’s done, and in button down shirts no less. Both of these studs have been putting in a lot of hard work lately. Keep it up guys! What is your next goal and what is your plan of attack to reach it?!

FREE, FREE, FREE!!! (Knowledge, that is. See below.)

“IF IT CANNNOT BE FIXED WITH SQUATS OR FISH OIL, YOU’RE PROBABLY GOING TO DIE” – LiftBigEatBig.com Totally acceptable to use Arnold’s voice for this quote

Take a look at Coach Matt’s post from Friday May 10th. There are some amazing pieces of advice right at your fingertips. Not only do I incorporate the head to toe mobility circuit in the morning as he suggests, but also include “breakfast squats” (with the bar) in my living room and a daliy regimine of fish oil. OK, yes, I’m probalby the only person you know who has a full squat rack in the livingroom, but I know I’m not the only one with a broom, PVC or wooden dowel lying around. Whether you squat with something on your back, overhead or nothing, take a few moments to work on your squat everyday. If you’re tight in your back, hips, knees or ankles, the squat will give you instant feedback and, in some cases, painfully remind you where your deficiencies lie. The good news is, barring injury, range of motion and mobility are curable ills, hence the title above.

That said, I’d like to draw your attention to a few articles that have become staples of CrossFit and movement. Coach Greg Glassman drops some knowledge on us with the Squat Clinic, which drives home the importance of all the cues you hear from us coahes during every back squat session! “Hips back”, “knees out”, “big chest”! Coach Glassman continues with the Overhead Squat, which, if you were like me when I began my Free Range training, was the bane of my existence. If you’re struggling with the overhead squat, print this article out and go through the 7 steps. Remember the key to movement is to…..wait for it…..MOVE! You cannot progress without starting the progression! Move and move often.

What are some of your favorite ways to keep your body moving when outside of Free Range?

WOD:
Every 2:30 (x6-8)
A1. Clean, x2-5
A2. Explosive move

Barbell Club WOD:
Take 10 minutes to build to a tough power clean (good technique only)

Then,

Every 2:00, x6
A1. Power clean, x3 @ 80%
A2. Burpee, x3 AFAP

Hang around Free Range and you will see bananas being eaten all time time. Most people know that they are full of Potassium and Vitamins, but check out this list of 25 other great benefits that come from eating this delicious fruit! Have mosquito bites or other itching? Need some help to quit smoking? Or just need a boost before a big test? Bananas have the magical power to help with all of these situations and much more. What on this list do you find most unique?

“Washington”
5 rounds for time of:
5 Front squats (155/105)
7 HSPU
9 Pull ups, CTB

12 minute time cap.

*bars come out of the rack today. We will have several set up at each weight. First come, first served. Focus on quality of movement and you will go fast naturally!

WOD:
3:00 on 1:30 off:
L-sit, x:15
Pistol, x3 ea
Hollow rocks, x10
Wall walk, x2
Skin the cat, x3

Get as far as you can each round during the 3:00. Don’t worry about speed so much as quality of the gymnastic skill. Rest for :90, then restart at the top of the list. If you can make it through everything in 3:00 easily, we will give you a more advanced variation of some of the moves!

Check out coach Dave’s deadift? Great starting and ending form. Baller!

The deadlift: the foundation of a healthy back, core, and really every muscle in your body. It really should be called the healthlift It is directly applicable to your life. It allows you to sit better, get up better, pick more and heavier things off the ground, contributes to the hockey butts we see all around (Ok maybe just in Canada…), to name but a few benefits.
The deadlift is one of the oldest, most trained lifts. It’s usually the lift you can get the most weight off the ground with, some people up to 3-4 times their body weight! It’s badass!
So… Why deadlift?! Check out this informative article from Crossfit Downey (I love that name… not that I’m biased or anything )

WOD:
Every 2:00, complete the following:
Kettlebell front squat, x8 (24/16) one in each hand
Box Jump, x3 max height*

alternating with:

Kettlebell push press, x6 (24/16) one hand at a time
Box Jump, x3 max height*

Complete the circuit a total of 4 rounds through each segment. You should have a total of 8 rounds of box jump attempts. Your score is the total height of these 8 rounds.

*box heights: (12/16/20/24/30/36/42/48)
**jumps must be made from a standstill, no drop-steps allowed.

“Full-depth. All day, every day.” -Sean Bothwell

WOD:
5-4-3-2-1 reps of:
Dead lift (225/155)

Alternating with:

10-8-6-4-2 rep of:
Pull ups, CTB

Why is it important to be properly hydrated? Good question.

Our body is around 72% water. Our brain (the most vital organ) is 90% water, blood is 83% water, muscles are 75% water, bones are 22% water, and so on and so on. As you can see we are mostly made of water from a molecular level to a grand scale. Simply put; think of our body as a car and water as the engine oil, transmission fluid, windshield wiper fluid, power steering fluid, fuel, and everything in between.  Without water our body shuts down and can not function.

Water includes but is not limited to helping our bodies regulate temperature, aiding our organs in absorbing nutrients, protecting joints and muscles, detoxifies, and transporting nutrients and oxygen to cells.

Max Wunderle, of Crossfit Endurance, speaks about the importance of proper hydration.

You may be saying to yourself… yea I know I am suppose to drink water duh! But do you know that when you become thirsty that you are already dehydrated? Making sure our athletes are recovering properly I’ll ask around and get the response, “Yea I have been drinking plenty of water today (which is usually 2-3 water bottles). That is insufficient, but part of it is because some people just don’t know how much to drink. Right now ask yourself, “How much water do I drink in a single day?”

The answer should be: One-half your bodyweight (in ounces) is how much you should drink on a daily basis. Again, one-half your bodyweight (in ounces) is how much you should drink on a daily basis. So, for a 150 lb individual that would mean they would need to drink 75 ounces everyday. This does not factor in if you are active or what type of climate you live in. What does that mean for you? Well first off, it probably means your dehydrated. But don’t worry because you’re not the only one. And the best news is, its a simple and easy fix. Just drink more water!!

For our Free Range athletes you need to drink one-half of your bodyweight (in ounces) plus an additional 20 ounces of water per hour of exercise. And considering that you will be exercising in 100 + degree heat for the next 4-5 months an additional amount of water would not be a bad idea. So, for that 150 lb athlete they should be consuming at least 95 ounces of water a day.

If the taste of cold, soothing, refreshing water gets boring for you then try adding some electrolytes to your water for added flavor. They will also help replenish vitamins and minerals that you lose during the day, and especially during an intense WOD.

Keep this as a closing thought, ” 1% of a state of dehydration can negatively impact performance by as much to 10-12%”. Those are some drastic results so make sure you stay hydrated from the time you wake up, through lunch, during the afternoon, before/during/after your WOD, and before you go to bed.

Feel free to let us know if you have been sufficiently hydrating yourself, or if you will have to consume more water now that you have the knowledge! Now, how many ounces of water should you be drinking??

–”Stay thirsty my Friends (for water haha)”

Skill development:
Power snatch

Development WOD:
Every 2:30 (x6-8)
A1. Snatch, x2-5
A2. Explosive move

Barbell Club WOD:
Take 10 minutes to build to a tough power snatch (good technique only)

Then,

Every 2:00, x6
A1. Power snatch, x3 @ 80%
A2. Burpee, x3 AFAP

Movement is a living, breathing thing. (Your) movement is constantly evolving. There is no beginning or end to its practice. The path should be thought of more in a cyclical sense than a linear fashion; continuing to revisit the fundamental movement patterns to reexamine any areas that can benefit from further mastery.

One of the fundamental concepts that the CrossFit methodology was built on was: World class fitness in 100 words or less (emphasis is my addition):

“Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and NO sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat.

Practice and train major lifts: deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstands, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds.

Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. ROUTINE IS THE ENEMY. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports!”

Have you ever considered re-vamping you squat? How about, performing an absolutely strict push up or perfect pull up?

Each investigation of further refining your ability in these foundational movements will shed valuable insight into your own abilities as a mover and aid in becoming an effective teacher of movement.

If you find yourself on a plateau, what is your process for increasing your understanding of the movement to help you push through to new strength/mastery?

Semper discentes

Build to a weight that’s challenging but not overwhelming. We want a number that is higher than the weight you plan on using in the WOD.

“Elizabeth”
21-15-9
Cleans (135/95)
Ring dips

So I know what you’re thinking… ring dips… I’ll skip. They definitely can be rough. Not if you were at Free Range last Tuesday for skill day though. We did a full ring dip progression. Holding the top position, negatives, 1 leg, kipping and…. strict. If you didn’t make it last week, make sure you come Tuesday to work on next week’s Wednesday Test WOD skill (it’s a secret – I can’t tell you what it is). Skill day is rad… it’s how we get better. Practice makes perfect?!

WOD:
Max reps in 3 minutes of:
250 skips
Kettlebell swings, russian, (24/16)*
rest 2:00, x3 rounds

*you get one set of unbroken swings. If you have to stop before the time is up, you’re done for that round.

If you are unable to complete at least 15 swings, cut the skips down by 75 for the next round.

Your score is the total of 3 rounds of the max kettlebell swings.

One of the most important tools when it comes to CrossFit workouts is the condition, strength, and durability of your mits. Thats right those hands are super important and proper hand care is highly encouraged. If you have questions on how or why you should take care of your hands just ask one of the coaches. We all have different preferences so you’ll have to experiment and see which one works best for you.

Unfortunately no matter how well you take care of mits eventually they WILL TEAR. Here’s a helpful video by K Star if you have a rip in your hand. This is a pretty in-depth way to go. If you want a faster one, simply create a smaller loop and tape your hand instead of your wrist.

From Wikipedia:
“Sarah became a top-ranked shot putter, earning scholarships to the University of Alabama and Arizona State University. As part of her shot put training at a local Arizona gym under coach Joe Micela, she began doing Olympic-style lifts in 2008. That same year, after only three months of weightlifting, Robles qualified for nationals and stopped competing in shot put. She won the silver medal at a 2010 Pan American competition and is a three time national champion. At the 2011 World Championships, she finished in eleventh place in her weight class but first place among American woman weightlifters. Robles qualified as one of two American women to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Sarah was the highest ranked weightlifter leading up to the 2012 London Summer Olympics.”

She had quite the uphill battle to gain support and sponsorship to get to the Olympics in 2012. Here are some articles chronicling her journey:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/weightlifter-sarah-robless-journey-to-the-olympic
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2116119,00.html
http://www.buzzfeed.com/jtes/the-strongest-woman-in-america-lives-in-poverty

We had the pleasure of meeting Sarah a few weeks ago and she will be a blast to work with! She seems like quite the character, so we are excited to have her taking us through some of her training progressions!

Here is some footage of lifts and interviews:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTnJ6NHoAgM\
http://www.youtube.com/user/RedCarpetNewsTV

We are going to keep attendance limited on these workshops. We will be meeting at 12:30 on Saturday, and the workshop will run until 2:00. We will spend the first 30 minutes warming up as a group, then Sarah will take us through some instruction.

Saturday (5/18): Snatch
Saturday (5/25): Clean & Jerk

The cost of the workshop is $30 for Free Rangers and $50 for non-members for each :90 workshop. Or, you can pay for both weekends for $50 for members and $75 for non-members. Space is limited to 8 attendees (aside from our coaches). Please email matt if you would like to regiester!