CrossFit Pride

Monday, January 30, 2012

Attention: CF Pride family....

1. We have 2 athletes competing this weekend at the Next Level Invitational. This is the first time for both of them. Please come up and help us coaches support them. If you are interested in competing this year, here is an opportunity to see how it works and what to expect. For info - www.nextlevelinvitational.com

2. The Paleo Challenge will begin this Wednesday, February 1st. The rules will be posted that day. Prep that food challengers!

3. If you are planning on competing in this year's CrossFit Games Sectional Qualifiers, we will be registering as a team. If you need help registering, see Coach Caren.

WORKOUT OF THE DAY:

Strength: Bench Press

5 Sets of 3 reps @ 80%, 1 X 12 @60%

5 X 10 wtd pull-ups

3 X 1 minute plank holds

30 secs. on, 30 secs. rest X 10 run

OR

4 Rounds:

With a 5 minute clock running:

Run 400M

then as many rounds as possible of(with time remaining):

5 Handstand push-ups

15 Double-unders(75 singles)

2 minute rest between rounds

Sunday, January 29, 2012

WORKOUT OF THE DAY:

For time:

21-15-9

Wall Ball(20/14)

Burpee Box Jumps(24/20)

Thrusters(95/65)

KB Swings(53/35)

Row(Calories)

"The Hook Grip"

A little repeat for our advanced athletes, but some good info for the new CrossFitters in the room.

In many of the activities we participate in as CrossFit athletes, our grip strength can be a major advantage or set back. Cleans, snatches and deadlifts all rely heavily on our grip strength. In addition, combining these movements with kettlebell swings or pull-ups is a recipe for grip fatigue. Thus, as CrossFitters, we are always looking for ways to be more efficient in longer workouts, as well as increasing our ability to pull heavy (deadlift, clean, snatch), and the hook grip is a great way to do that.

The preferred grip of most athletes is called the traditional grip (shown above), where the thumb wraps over the index and middle finger. Ideally, we should be just below the fingers, and not all the way up on the palm, but that is a story for another day. This grip position, while comfy, is highly susceptible to fatigue. The “Hook Grip” is a technique meant to prevent or delay the fatigue that causes your grip to fail. In this post I wanted to briefly cover the hook grip, provide some basic instruction on how to incorporate it, and finally encourage you all to give it a try in your next lifting session.

The correct hook grip method is:

Start by stretching the thumb and index finger as far apart as you can so that the skin between the two fingers is tight. With the elbow in a straight and locked position press the skin between the thumb and index finger against the bar. The result of this action will cause the two fingers to move together and your grip to tighten. With pressure still being applied to the bar wrap the thumb around the bar. Reach your index and middle finder over the bar, grabbing the bar and thumb at the same time. Your grip should now be locked in the hook position. If that was too complicated, see below:

This grip should only be used in “pull” phases of your deadlift, clean, or snatch. When the bar rotates your thumb should come unlocked and leave the bar resting in the traditional grip position. The first few times you attemp this grip, its probably going to cause some discomfort. But the same could be said with just about everything you do in CrossFit. After several weeks of practice you will feel that it is a stronger grip than the traditional variation as your skin becomes used to it.

Adding this technique to your lifts has been shown to add anywhere to 2%-10% additional load to your lifts. Another great idea is to use it during barbell portions of WODs with a high number of grip intensive movements kettlebell swing, pull ups, muscle ups, etc. in order to have your grip last longer.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

REMINDERS: NO 3PM CLASS TODAY & the final meeting of our Nutrition seminar is today @ 11am. If you want to participate in our next Paleo Challenge you needed to come to one of these meetings. Get ready because the challenge begins, February 1st.

Hey CrossFit Pride family...as we grow and make this amazing community bigger, can I ask a HUGE favor, please? Let's try to take care of our little gym. It is going to be our permanent home so we have to keep it nice and the equipment in it. We are a little gym in a sea of big gyms and you chose this one because we are a school of elite fitness, so please help us clean up (even if it's not your mess) and let's treat the equipment with respect because it is not easy to replace. Thanks everyone for your understanding and cooperation.

WORKOUT OF THE DAY:

8am - Lifting only class

Lift of your choice

3 reps on the minute for 8 minutes @ 80%

8 X 100M Row Sprints - 30 second rest between intervals

200M Lunge

9am - CrossFit class

In teams of 2 complete the following, no partitioning. One works the other rests:

"Murph"

1 Mile Run

100 Pull-ups

200 Push-ups

300 Squats

1 Mile Run

10am - Beginner class

10 Rounds of:

200M Run

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-ups

15 Squats