Commenting this out because I find it annoying
#masthead
Today’s workout calls for Atlas stones. Who’s Atlas? And why can’t he pick up his own stones?
According to Greek mythology, after the Titan Atlas went into battle against the Olympian gods for control of the heavens, Atlas was sentenced by Zeus to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders.
Thankfully, you won’t need to do that in today’s workout. You will, however, need to get a big, round object over your shoulder as many times as possible (among other things).
Here are some tips for how to do it efficiently.
No Excuses Challenge 2019:
The No Excuses Challenge starts MONDAY, September 9. All classes will complete the baseline workout. Please show up a few minutes before class to take an InBody Scan.
Schedule Update:
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. will return to usual programming effective September 11. We will likely run specialty courses in the near future—stay tuned! Many thanks to all of you that showed up for the Summer of Skills classes! We had a blast. Please drop a note to [email protected] if you have any suggestions or feedback for next round.
Volunteer Opportunity with Berkeley Food Network:
The Berkeley Food Network is moving into a new space soon, and Sarah could use some hands and warm bodies to help with the transition! There are still slots available for September 14.
Here’s the link to sign up.
Outdoor WOD Saturday, September 21
Guests, family, friends, and teens welcome. The workout will be beginner friendly. FREE!
Workouts for the Week:
Monday—PERFORM
“NXC Baseline 2019”
3 rounds for time 400-m run 40 squats 30 sit-ups 20 push-ups 10 pull-ups
20-min. hard cap
All body weight this year—move fast and keep pushing on each movement! You are TESTING today. We will re-do this in 6 weeks.
Tuesday—TRAIN
Open Workout 13.4
Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes: 3 clean and jerks (135/95) 3 toes-to-bars 6 clean and jerks 6 toes-to-bars 9 clean and jerks 9 toes-to-bars 12 clean and jerks 12 toes-to-bars 15 clean and jerks 15 toes-to-bars 18 clean and jerks 18 toes-to-bars
This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 18, go on to 21. If you complete 21, go on to 24, etc.
MissFit (95/65); knees-to-chest
Everything will be allllll good in the shorter rounds … and THEN! UH-OH! But—it’s only 7 minutes. Try to keep your composure for a solid, big set of toes-to-bars EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T WANT TO! Go to failure here and see what happens—how quickly can you get back on the bar for 1-2 more reps?
You can look forward to 1 or so Open workouts each week as we prep for the FALL Open, which starts in October.
Wednesday—RECOVER
A. 12-min AMRAP: 50′ bear crawl 3 candlestick roll to squat 20 mountain climbers
For time: 21-18-15-9-6 Wall balls (20/14) Broad jump Ring push-up
Keep chipping away! Sets get smaller. Try to go unbroken on the wall balls and 2 sets or less on the push ups. Rx+ Ring dips 🙂
Announcements
No Excuses Challenge 2019:
YES, we will be running a No Excuses Challenge this year.
The challenge will officially begin Monday, September 9 and run through Monday, October 21 (6 weeks!).
We’ll have a full informational kick-off meeting on Wednesday, September 4.
For the 6 weeks, you’ll be accountable for the following:
A MINIMUM of 15 minutes of exercise 5 days per week.
7 hours of sleep per night, EVERY NIGHT.
10 minutes of mobility/recovery EVERY DAY.
Eating according to plan (more to come).
Logging your success on the above EVERY DAY.
The challenge is for those of you who are starting from scratch and want accountability to make basic, healthy habits STICK. You’ll learn the following:
How to compose healthy meals (what types of food make you feel best?!).
How to nail down sustainable HABITS.
How to develop a mobility/recovery practice.
If you’ve done this before, you can expect to:
Re-visit those habits that always trip you up when “life” gets in the way.
Connect with your buddy and the crew and learn new skills and tweaks to make the habits easier.
Bring BACK the awareness of which of these habits make you feel your very best.
Cost is $89.
Sign up at the front desk.
No Excuses Challenge Info Meeting:
Wednesday, September 4 at 6:30 p.m. Bring yourself, bring your questions! Get answers!
Schedule Update:
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. will return to usual programming effective September 11. We will likely run specialty courses in the near future—stay tuned! Many thanks to all of you that showed up for the Summer of Skills classes! We had a blast. Please drop a note to [email protected] if you have any suggestions or feedback for next round.
Holiday Schedule Monday, September 2
8-a.m. and 9-a.m. classes only!
Volunteer Opportunity with Berkeley Food Network:
The Berkeley Food Network is moving into a new space soon, and Sarah could use some hands and warm bodies to help with the transition! There are slots available for September 7 and 14. Coach Heidi will be there on the 7th after morning classes. Functional fitness for a good cause!
Here’s the link to sign up.
Guest Day Saturday, September 7
Guests, family, friends, and teens welcome. The workout will be beginner friendly. FREE!
Workouts for the Week:
Monday—PERFORM
Team Series 17.1
9-15-21 reps for time of: Thrusters Bar-facing burpees
Men use 95 lb. Women use 65 lb.
All reps are IN SYNC with partner–meet at top of every thruster and bottom of every burpee. This should be a fun challenge and a good push!
MissFit: 75/55
Tuesday—TRAIN
A. Tempo step-ups
5-5-5-5-5 per side
LATERAL step-ups. Choose a box that’s high enough to get your hip below parallel, but not so high you have to use a big heave to get up there.
“Tempo” will be: Fast on way up 3-2-1 count on the way down BONUS if you can pause for a breath at the bottom with foot off the ground.
These are a great way to build stability, strength, and positions for pistols. If these are too easy, descend with your “floating” leg forward of the box.
B. “Kriss Kross”
8 rounds, starting svery 3:00: 200-m run 8 burpees to 6″ target
EACH round is for time. Goal is to move FAST and not fall off the pace. 85-90% on the 200-m run, quick transition, and straight to burpees.
Wednesday—RECOVER
A. Warm-up:
Every minute on the minute for 12 mins (alternating) Min 1: AMRAP: 3 squat thrusts + 3 KB swing Min 2: 50-m farmers carry (1 arm, switch at half)
Focus on a nice, flat landing position with your feet. This will transfer over to awesome burpees down the line. Choose your standard KB weight–something you can swing without much concern 🙂
B. Get sweaty:
15 minutes for quality: 50-m sled push (90/50) 30-s L-Sit/tuck hang 10 inch worm + perfect push-ups
The sled will get your heart rate up. L-Sits are a “fun” skill to practice. Take your time on inchworm + push-up to make for perfect push-ups and a great stretch. 5 rounds would be a good goal today.
Work up to a heavy single for the day. MAY be a new max, maybe not.
B. “Just Enough”
12-min AMRAP: 5 strict pull-ups 15 air squats 25 double-unders
Goal is to get some work on your pull-ups with JUUUUUST enough squats and dubs to get you sweaty!
Friday—TRAIN
A. Look (e)MOM, no HANDS(tands)!
Every minute on the minute for 12 minutes (alternating) Min 1: 15-s hollow hold + 15-s arch Min 2: 200-m run Min 3: Handstand practice
Working on shapes! Open your shoulders, stack your ribs and hips and try to get a moment of balance in your handstands.
B. “Handlebars”
5 rounds for time: Accumulate 1 minute in handstand 21 toes-to-bar Rest 1:00
HS hold is cumulative, but call it when quality starts to suffer or you can’t compose yourself enough to feel like this is productive practice. Toes-to-bars will tax arms and midline even more, so finding a STACKED position is super important to minimize the amount of energy you put out.
This is NOT the time to “banana” yourself up to the wall and wait it out. Learn something! Start with one solid set of toes-to-bar (if you’ve never tried to do 21 unbroken, give it a go!). Ideally, commit to a big set that you’re not sure you’ll hit. If you have a few T2B but not 21, scale back to 12 or knees to chest + T2B linked.
Scaling options: Freestanding HS walk attempts Wall facing (wall walk) Pull a foot or two off of wall
Saturday—TRAIN (Guest Day!)
In pairs: As many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes: 20 lunge complex (rev lunge right, rev lunge left, ball slam) (25/15) 20 partner push-ups 200-m run with ball
Lunge complex should be a fun challenge today—carry the slam ball the entire time, and end each “rep” with a smash and catch. Split reps as needed.
Partner push-ups: Both push up and high-five at the top. Run together, but pass off ball as needed.
This one should be a consistently sweaty 20 minutes. Good fun!
Sunday—TRAIN
5 Rounds for time:
15/10 cal bike 10 burpees
Hit this one fast and hard. Get the RPMs on the bike up as high as possible and maintain a good clip on the burpees. GO!
Announcements
Summer of Skills:
8/28: Get a Deeper Squat With Coach Heidi 9/4: No Excuses Challenge Info Meeting
All clinics at 6:30 p.m.
These are FREE for members.
Is there something you’re dying to learn more of? Please drop a line to [email protected].
No Excuses Challenge 2019:
YES, we will be running a No Excuses Challenge this year.
The challenge will officially begin Monday, September 9 and run through Monday, October 21 (6 weeks!).
We’ll have a full informational kick-off meeting on Wednesday, September 4.
For the 6 weeks, you’ll be accountable for the following:
A MINIMUM of 15 minutes of exercise 5 days per week.
7 hours of sleep per night, EVERY NIGHT.
10 minutes of mobility/recovery EVERY DAY.
Eating according to plan (more to come).
Logging your success on the above EVERY DAY.
The challenge is for those of you who are starting from scratch and want accountability to make basic, healthy habits STICK. You’ll learn the following:
How to compose healthy meals (what types of food make you feel best?!).
How to nail down sustainable HABITS.
How to develop a mobility/recovery practice.
If you’ve done this before, you can expect to:
Re-visit those habits that always trip you up when “life” gets in the way.
Connect with your buddy and the crew and learn new skills and tweaks to make the habits easier.
Bring BACK the awareness of which of these habits make you feel your very best.
Cost is $89.
Sign up at the front desk.
Holiday Schedule Monday, September 2
8-a.m. and 9-a.m. classes only!
Guest Day Saturday, September 7
Guests, family, friends, and teens welcome. The workout will be beginner friendly. FREE!
Workouts for the Week:
Monday—TRAIN
A. Push jerk:
3-3-3-3-3
Start at a moderate weight and work up to a heavy, but not sketchy, set of 3. This is not the time to fail the first rep! Take a second stab at same weight or drop if form starts to go!
B. “Jack in the Box”
For time: 15-12-9 reps Push jerk (135/95) 30 double-unders after each set
immediately into….
6-9-12 Reps Push jerk (155/105) 30 double-unders after each set
How many Jack in the Box tacos can you get for the change in yo’ pocket? About as many as the number of jerks you’ll do today.
Upper body dynamic strength day + practice/stamina at heavier weights.
Goal is to hold on to the bar as long as possible—keep your movement SMOOTH and steady and try to keep each round to 1-2 sets, at most.
Tuesday—TRAIN
“Pringles”
For time: 750-m row 600-m run 50 slam balls
Rest 3:00, then:
50 slam balls 600-m run 750-m row
Monostructural fun day! Once you pop, you can’t stop!
Break the slam balls into 2-3 sets as needed; keep breathing throughout. You should push nearly to redline, but not to the point where you dog the rest of the movements. Slam balls should feel like 85-90% effort by the end … then just HOLD ON!
Wednesday—RECOVER
A. Warm-up:
12 minutes, alternating between: Min 1: as many rounds as possible of 4 alternating lunges + 4 PERFECT push ups Min 2: 150-m run/row or 40-s bike
B. Get Sweaty:
As many rounds and reps as possible in 15 minutes: 30-s hang from bar 15 parallette pass throughs 10 cossack squats
Use a plate, light KB, or light band on rig to balance the cossack squats. Remember: Hips back, and keep your full foot on the ground when you push your weight to that side!
Play with the pass throughs—try a higher set of boxes if it lets you kick forward and back without touching the ground. WEEE!
C. Mobility:
1:00/side pigeon 1:00/side saddle (half frog, other leg out) 1:00 child’s pose
2:00/side shoulder LAX ball smash or foam roll
Thursday—PERFORM/TRAIN
A. Back squat: –1RM
1-1-1-1-1
Work up to a new 1RM or something *really* heavy today! Aim for 5-10# over current max, if you know it! Rest 2:00 between sets.
Warming up to this: 5-5 moderate 3-3 moderately heavy
Start singles where you KNOW you can hit 3. Build some confidence in the setup and GO!
B. As many rounds and reps as possible in 9 minutes: 100-m run 5 DB push ups 10 DB walking lunges
DB push ups: Simply use the DBs instead of your hands on the ground! Chest touches down to bells.
Any rack for DB lunges: carry, front rack, anything goes.
Move quickly. Early sets should be 1 min or less!
Friday—TRAIN
“Food Coma”
For total time:
2 rounds: 15 deadlifts (135/95) 15 burpees over bar 200-m Run
–Rest 2:00–
2 rounds: 12 deadlifts (185/125) 12 burpees over bar 200-m run
–Rest 2:00–
2 rounds: 9 deadlifts (225/155) 9 burpees over bar 200-m run
MissFit: (115/75) (135/95) (155/105)
Score is combined time, INCLUDING rest!
Sub 25:00 should be very doable if you move quickly through the burpees. You WILL get tired, but do not let yourself stay on the ground! Moving slowly through 2-3 reps is better than stopping. Take your breaths before picking up the barbell, but transition as quickly as possible through everything else!
Burpees are lateral over bar, not bar facing—stay low and move FAST.
Saturday—TRAIN
42-30-18 reps of each movement Calorie row Box jumps (24/20) Pistols (total!) Pull-ups
MissFit: Box step-ups Ring rows
This one is all about stamina! It’ll be hard to keep moving through the first and second rounds, but just keep moving!
Pistols and step-ups will really challenge your balance after the row and box jumps, so try to find a rhythm or flow to help. Big sets on pull-ups/ring rows. Try to get through a third or more (e.g., in the 42: 18-14-10; 30: 12-10-8; 18: 8-6-4)
Sunday—TRAIN
In Teams of 2, for total time:
Row 1000m (split as needed)
then,
“Karen” 150 Wallballs (20,14)
“Isabel” 30 power snatches (115/75)
“Grace” 30 Clean & Jerks (115/75)
800m run (split as needed)
Rx+: (135/95) BOTH row and run 2k/1mi
Out the door by 30 min, regardless of where you are 🙂 You go, I go. Keep moving with fast single reps as needed or small sets. While each workout is a sprint, you’ll have to keep a steady cadence to have “gas” at the end.
Lately I’ve been messing around with my nutrition and I realized something.
Any good fitness program will help you improve the way you look, feel and perform.
But when deciding which program or diet to follow, you have to pick one of those goals to prioritize.
Of course, you want them all.
But when it comes down to it, which one are you willing to sacrifice for?
If performance is your priority, you need to push harder in training, eat to focus on performance and spend extra time working on skills.
If your priority is to look good, you have to make diet sacrifices, train for aesthetics and take a lot of selfies.
If your goal is to FEEL better …
Hmm.
That’s an interesting one. Because if your goal is to feel better, you can achieve that pretty quickly.
You’re only one meal and one workout away from feeling better.
Eat well and get to the gym, and you will be fired up.
Whereas you can’t change the way you look and perform much in one day, you CAN change the way you feel in just a few hours.
The best part is if you eat well and train for several days in a row, you feel better even if you skip a day or have cake at that party.
Feeling good becomes a motivator for you to keep training and eating well, which helps improve the way you look AND perform.
So really, the focus of your fitness program should first be to FEEL GOOD, then to look good and perform well.
Eat well, train hard, feel good.
Coach Jay
Announcements
Next Guest Day at Hale: Saturday, August 3
All athletes and guests welcome; no CrossFit experience required. Classes at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. FREE! New guests, please arrive 10 minutes before class to sign a waiver.
Summer of Skills:
Our next few skills sessions will be:
7/24: Oly Skills (Snatch) with Nathan Loe* 7/31: Oly Skills (Clean) with Nathan Loe* 8/7: Oly Skills (Jerk) with Nathan Loe*
All clinics at 6:30 p.m.
These are FREE for members.
*Advanced sign-up is required and space will be limited. Please sign up here or in person at the front whiteboard.
Is there something you’re dying to learn more of? Please drop a line to [email protected].
Mark Freeman (of Freeman Technique, Cirque du Soleil, and Cal Gymnastics fame) will be running his clinics on Wednesdays at 5:45 a.m. Cost is $20 for members; $25 for non-members. Our regular 5:45-a.m. Group Coaching class will continue as scheduled.
Oakland Tri and Alcatraz Swim
Now that the Hero Challenge is done and dusted, the coaches are training for two upcoming events. More info to come, but the more the merrier! Give us a shout when you sign up!
The Oakland Triathlon: Sunday, August 18 (Coach Jay)
Odyssey Alcatraz Swim: Sunday, September 21 (Coach Heidi)
Workouts for the Week:
Monday—TRAIN
“NOT Pressed for Time”
4 rounds for quality: 5 deadlifts 10 strict handstand push-ups or DB strict press 20 sit-ups
Strength day! Upper-body press + deadlifts. Add weight to deadlift through the rounds—5 reps here must be unbroken, and aim to work up to something heavy for the day. Pick a challenging scaling for HSPU or DB press and work on strength and good positions.
Tuesday—TRAIN
“PCP” (Posterior Chain Pump)
16-min EMOM: 15/12-cal row 14 alternating DB lunges (50/35) 40 double-unders/80 singles 14 DB hang power cleans
MissFit: 40/25# DB
Score is total number of minutes you “made,” or completed. Scale back row/singles as needed. You should be working about 40-45s.
Fun with EMOM! You won’t have a TON of rest between each movement. Move quickly on the DB movements to save your grip. Shoulders will burn! Try to to control your breathing through the dubs and rowing to hold it together.
Working on nailing down nice vertical position and drive out of the hole in prep for the 5 x 5 front squats!
B. Front Squat for load: 5 x 5
Working up to a heavy 5 for today–maybe a PR!
C. “Legs on Fiyah”
Every 5 min. for 3 rounds: 12 burpee over bar 12 front squats (135/95) 400-m run
Be safe but move FAST. Burpees are lateral over the bar—stay low and quick. Unbroken front squats and aggressive (but not all-out) pace on the run.
Keep track of your splits. Match or BEAT your time from the previous round!
Friday—TRAIN
“Farmhand Friday”
30-min AMRAP in teams of 3: 25 heavy ball toss 50-cal bike/row 150-m sled push 400-m farmers carry (53/35)
This should be a good chance to get outside and work with moderate weights and SIMPLE movements. No need to rush between stations—just a day to get work done. Stay in control of breathing and work hard when it’s your turn.
Hit the mile at a good clip—75-80%. Scale back as needed to keep run UNDER 10 min.
The bigger sets of pull-ups and push-ups will get nasty—this one is about stamina! Take the mile at a good clip and start chipping away!
If you get to Costco, you’ve run too far.
Aim for sub 20. Hard cap at 25 min.
Sunday—TRAIN
20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 Wall-balls (20/14)
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Toes-to-bars
Descending reps in this one will help improve the mental battle—try to go unbroken on the wall-balls and minimize transition time. I know you don’t WANT to pick up the ball, but do it! You may have to chip away at T2B in 2 sets to start. Your goal is SUB 12 minutes!
