CrossFit Solano

Qualifiers Rapidly Approach

JUST A LITTLE GLIMPSE OF THE RANCH AND WHAT THE QUALIFIERS HAS IN STORE FOR OUR CFS ATHLETES THIS WEEKEND!

CrossFit Games 08 from Jordan Gravatt on Vimeo.

Patrick, Ricky and Lauren appreciate all the good lucks and well wishes.  If you plan on attending there is lots of information for today so bear with me. This information is taken from the qualifiers site for your weekend if you plan on going:

In no particular order:
Food
Fuel2Go will be available at the NorCal Qualifiers! F2G will be there to provide healthy and delicious foods for spectators and participants on both Saturday and Sunday. All of their food is local, organic, and Zone friendly!
The following foods will be available for purchase:
Coffee!
Post-workout nutrition bars
Frittata muffins
Hard-boiled eggs & fruit
Persian lime & honey almonds
Paleo kits of jerky, berries & nuts
Heirloom tomato tuna salad with olives
Curried Fulton Valley chicken salad in whole wheat pita
Chicken/Prather Ranch beef skewers with vegetables and whole grain salad
Diestel turkey chili

More on Fuel2Go: http://fuel2go.blogspot.com/

How It Will Go Down Over the Weekend
Saturday, May 2nd
Volunteer Check-In: Begins at 6am SHARP! There will be a main registration booth for both volunteers and athletes. Please check in when you arrive!
Standards Meeting for Volunteers: 6:30am. This is a mandatory meeting for judges.
Competitor Check-In: 6:30am to 8am. Come to the registration tent to sign your waiver, get your athlete card, t-shirt, and competition number.
Competition Begins: We'll be running Workout A and Workout B simultaneously. We'll run both workouts from 9am to 12pm in the morning session. Then we'll take a 1-hour break, everyone will switch workouts (if you did Workout A in the morning, you'll do Workout B in the afternoon and vice-versa) and we'll run the afternoon session from 1pm to 4pm.
We'll be running 12-person heats for both workouts. You'll find out your heat time for the morning session and the afternoon session on the blog tomorrow (we're shooting for getting those details posted by no later than noon).
Saturday Night After the Day's Competition is Over
There will be two major happenings Saturday night:

1. We'll be announcing the Sunday workout, along with a demonstration of the movement standards that will be in place for the workout.
   
2. Pat Barber (4th place, 2008 CrossFit Games) and his band will be playing at the Ranch!
   

Judges: Also take note that we may be calling on you for a standards meeting either Saturday night or Sunday morning.
Sunday, May 3rd
We'll be running the top 40 men and top 20 women in heats for the Sunday workout from 9am to 1pm. A medal presentation will follow at the conclusion of the final heat.

All other competitors will have the chance to do the Sunday workout as well. It's optional, so you don't have to do the workout if you don't want to, but if you don't, you'll be missing out on a workout that will use the terrain of the Ranch in a way that's never been done in Games competition.

For competitors outside of the top 40/20, we'll be running the Sunday workout in two separate sessions:

• From 7am to 8:45am (for all you early birds)
• From 1pm 'til whenever the last heat is done (approximately 4pm if we have full participation in the morning heats)
  

We'll be providing a sign-up sheet for the two sessions Saturday night. Slots will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Directions
Address: The Ranch, 275 Dunbarton Rd, Aromas, CA 92115

Google Map of the Ranch

What about spectators?

Spectators can come free of charge. Let's pack the house! The more fan support, the better.  OH AND THERE IS A CHANCE OF RAIN SO BE PREPARED  

I (DJ) will have my cell phone on me but I may be busy running around so keep calling (707)373-2224 or Sakura's cell phone (707)631-3843.  Okay so this video has nothing to do with the Qualifiers but those of us at CrossFit Solano are sure glad you all have stood by us. 

Playing For Change | Song Around The World "Stand By Me" from Concord Music Group on Vimeo.

wod for 050109

shoulder press 1,1,1,1,1

push press 3,3,3,3,3

push jerk 5,5,5,5,5

Embrace the pain

Thank you Ruiner for sharing this article.

As we find ourselves entering the Qualifiers I found this to be appropriate. Even if you aren't going or competing, Jon Gilson gives a great view point on what it actually means to "give it your all" and how sometimes it's not about the strategy of how you are going to get through a WOD, but rather doing everything it takes to get through the WOD. I know from personal experience, I have over strategized a WOD and finished thinking "I could have gone without that rest" or "next time I will do sets of 10, not 6". Stop the voice in your head telling you can't and push through that pain, finish your WOD, then rest. 

"Embrace the Pain" by Jon Gilson, Again Faster

With Crossfit, physical proficiency comes quickly. A year into the program, an athlete who was overweight, weak, and deconditioned can expect to be lean, strong, and resilient.

Hesitancy and doubt are replaced by confidence and competency, and novel challenges become opportunities rather than obstacles. Somewhere along that path, the athlete realizes that progress is not limited by bodily capability.  It is limited by mental capacity.

Becoming a top-tier athlete requires one to balance on the precarious edge between self-preservation and self-annihilation. The intelligent athlete leans toward preservation, as this ensures progress rather than injury. The problem comes when that athlete shies too far from the edge, forgetting that the body is a very hard thing to break.

This leads to the dreaded sandbagging, performing below maximum capacity in the name of self-preservation. I'm often faced with experienced athletes who give ninety percent rather than one-hundred percent. This is not a conscious act, but rather a syndrome that comes from two sources: the brain telling the body to stop and the athlete's inability to override that signal.

Your brain is responsible for keeping you alive, and tends to overreact to external and internal stimuli. It sends pain signals to your conscious mind long before your body reaches mortal danger, and it does so for a very good reason: it doesn't want you anywhere near death. The larger the margin (and the sooner you quit), the less likely it is that you'll approach this point.

To reach the upper echelons of athletic performance, you must ignore this signal. Most athletes are nowhere near their breaking point, and can afford to do this. 

Finish reading the article (Click here) to lean more about embracing the pain.

WOD for 043009

5 Rounds: 

25 KB Swings (m: 2 pood; w: pood and a 1/2), 

25 GHD, 

25 Back Ext., 

25 Knees to Elbows.

Happy Birthday SAMPSON!

Happy Birthday Sampson! Wishing you a wonderful day of wodding to your hearts desire, going on a date with a girl named "Kelly" (Shh. I wont tell on you) and learning about what foods to eat v. those that are not good for you. After the nutrition class is over, stick around for cake and beer (after all we learn I bet it will be our last cake for some time). I would like to take just a moment to thank Sampson; Thank you Sampson for coming in and working out, pushing others through their wods when they want to stop, for "no repping" when granted, for showing up after a long day at your day job and for all the extra effort you put in to help my job easier- helping out with events, signing up to walk 52 stories, sharing music and technical advice- it all helps my day go a little easier! Thank you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! CHEERS.

Note: Nutrition class is tomorrow night at 6:30p, no 6:30p CF class. For those attending, Fathia has decided to give a little more of her time. Should you like what you hear and want to change your eating habits, Fathia has agreed to do a "one on one" with anyone who attends tomorrow night FOR FREE. The "one on one" will go more into detail of your PERSONAL nutritional needs, what to eat v. what you should eat and how to make changes to YOUR DIET. Very personalized and very free! What's the harm in free! Please, post to comments if you have not had time to sign up at the gym but plan on attending. Dustin and I will be in attendance and hope to see fellow CFSers there as well.

Chad's 199 mile run is coming up this weekend, please if you can spare a dollar or two put it in the donation envelope. Thank you.

WOD for 042909

Rest or Pay what you owe. This past week included: "Kelly", 120 Pull-Ups/120 Ring Dip or the mystery wod. This of it as open gym, come practice a skill, work on the rower, pay what you owe or REST.

NorCal Qualififers

This weekend is the NorCal Qualifiers gym hours will be as follows:

Fri. May 1st MORNING Sessions only; No 4:30 p.m or 5:30 p.m classes.

Sat. and Sun. May 2nd and 3rd CLOSED.

While I advocate and encourage rest, remember that when the gym is not open, fitness should still be your priority. I will post workouts that can be done at home and think it would be very cool if some of you tried them, I would be even more impressed if some took time to post what they did and how long it took them to comments. When any of you go on vacation or the gym is closed I encourage all of you to stick to CrossFit, if that means you try out a CrossFit in Texas/LA/Hawaii etc..., do it, buy a shirt, take pictures; if it means you do burpees in your hotel room or your house, give it a ago- set a number, see how long it takes you to do 100.

Zumba tomorrow night! If you aren't necessarily interested in ZUMBA but would like to spend some time with your CFS family, come/stay hang out. Night usually ends in ordering pizza and having a few beers, but all are welcome, the more the merrier. For those that have not tried ZUMBA, come dance till you sweat- lots of fun, open to guys and girls, outside if weather is nice, and free if it is your first time!

To help get Dynamax and Patrick pumped for the qualifiers, here is a clip from the Australia Qualifiers

The Qualifiers are free, Lisa has been asking if anyone wants to carpool, if you are interested post to comments.

WOD for 042809

SURPRISE WOD

NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO 6:30 P.M CLASS WED. 4/29; NUTRITION CLASS INSTEAD! If you haven't hand time to sign-up but are interested in attending, post to comments and I will write your name down.

DUE TO LACK OF ATTENDANCE; THE 6:00AM CLASS WILL BE CANCELLED. DUSTIN AND I WILL TRY TUESDAY/THURSDAY AT 7:30A TO SEE IF THAT BRINGS MORE PEOPLE IN. 

CrossFit v. Globo Gym

I have heard many stories about crossfitters getting kicked out of globo gyms for dropping weight from over head, using too many machines or attempting to do an exercise when the gym does not provide "that type of equipment" i.e. pull-up bars, doing GHDs on a back extension machine or box jumps on  obviously not a box jump. Big D aka Slim D aka Big Sexy has a good story about trying to do CFS' standard warm up and it taking over 30 min due to waiting for a treadmill and other equipment. I believe the story ends with D quitting globo gym.

Taken from CrossFit Affiliate Blog:

At CFS we try to have all the equipment for you to successfully complete any CrossFit workout (rope coming soon) however, if you happen to need to WOD when we are not open and you find yourself going to the local globo gym to attempt a WOD, here is a device to help you get a machine to open up and keep nay sayers at bay:

 

You tell me, can you CrossFit SUCCESSFULLY at a globo gym?! Have you tried? What was your experience? One concern I have is the inability to drop weight overhead- if you have to control the movement and set weight gently back on the ground, you miss out on days like 1 max rep. 

Cinco de Mayo falls on a Tuesday this year! ZUMBA+CFS= A GREAT TIME! Stay after the 6:30p.m. class or come back around 7p.m. We are going to make this a potluck, so please sign up to bring something. CFS will provide the beer! Sign up sheet will be located on top of the filing cabinet where your folders are.

WOD for 042709

30 Muscles-Ups for time.

SUB 1: 120 pull-ups/120 ring dips 

SUB 2: 120 pull-ups/120 reg. dips

SUB 3: 120 pull-ups/120 push-ups

Can be broken up into 10 rounds of 12 reps of each.

Words of a wise man

Mark Rippetoe is the Instructor at CrossFit Barbell Certification, he is an author, an owner of an affiliate, a strength and conditioning coach and lastly a blogger (he is so much more then I listed, I am really selling him short, but you all should start looking into the CrossFit "people" when you have time).

None the less, Mark has a blog called Rip Quote of the day, everything he says is to the point and up front. Recently he posted this about CrossFit, "CrossFit has the potential to change the popular cultural perception of what exercise actually means over the next decade, and I will watch with delight as selectorlized leg machines are melted down into useful items like re-bar and manhole covers." Amazing and so true. In your first month you should have figured a few things out about CrossFit: 1.) You were never really pushing yourself to your limits 2.) all those isolation movements turned out to not be "functional"  and doing them hasn't helped you since joining CFS 3.) puking is okay after a wod 4.) YOU TELL ME, POST TO COMMENTS HOW CROSSFIT HAS CHANGED WHAT YOU DID BEFORE, i.e. the leg press machine.

Reminder: The gym will only be open in the morning Fri. May 1st and closed May 2nd and 3rd.

Fellow CFSer, Chad, is running 199 MILES May 2nd and 3rd! The name of the run is "Catie and Annie Cops Relay." Many different agencies are participating, running from Calistoga to Santa Cruz. Both Catie and Annie are a Sgt. in Fairfields' daughters, they both have Batten Disease, which causes blindness, seizures, cognitive and motor loss, dementia ultimately leading to the children becoming bed ridden and unable to communicate. This disease is always fatal- please if you can make a donation and keep Chad in your spirits for the run CFS and Chad would appreciate it. No donation is too large or too small, I will leave an envelope in the gym near the radio. Thank you. For more information see flyer near white board, including tax i.d. info.

Now here is a good leg workout! NO LEG PRESS MACHINE INVOLVED.

WOD for 042609

"Kelly"

5 Rounds

Run 400m

30 Box Jumps (24in. m and w)

30 Wall Balls ( 20#; 10ft m and 8ft w)

CrossFit Boston - "Kelly" from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.

Taking your fitness to the next level

Some of you have mentioned you are noticing an increase in strength and stamina, however, you have either gained weight (muscles mass) or don't know what to do next to take your fitness to the next level...

Here is your answer- if you can honestly say you are training hard everyday, really giving it all you've got, and you are following some programming, whether it be 3 days on 1 day off, or 2 days on 2 days off, and still aren't noticing weight loss and performance increases, it is then clear you must go to the next level and change your eating habits.

Sign up for the nutrition class to learn more. Hear Fathia and her husband, Jared Clay M.D, talk about what happens to your body when you eat, how to make better food choices and how to increase your performance at the gym as well as speed up for your recovery time after a WOD.

Nutrition Class is Wed. April 29, 2009 from 6:30-8:30pm (the class may not go 2 hours- we just selected this time in case there were a lot of questions). CFS $5.00, Non-CFS $10.00. Sign up sheet in the gym.

Sign up before you turn into this guy:

The Where-Is-Your-God-Now? Burger from San Francisco School of Digital on Vimeo.

NOTICE: The gym will be closed Fri. May 1st (MORNING CLASSES ONLY), Sat. May 2nd and Sun. May 3rd as trainers will be coaching Patrick and Dynamax at the games. We appreciate your understanding and hope many of you make it to cheer them on. This is a free event, Dustin and I will bring a sunshade- you bring a chair and a cooler, maybe some snacks. We can work together to give Dynamax and Patrick a rest station. Please post if you are interested in carpooling with fellow CFSers.

WOD for 042509

REST- or pay what you owe. 

Reminder, trainers will be at the gym, however we ask that because it is possible more then one wod is going on at a time that you help by setting up your own bar (should you owe a Elizabeth or Thrusters). Think of this more as an open gym; we are there to watch your form and start/stop the clock. 

Get to Pulling

WOD 042409

NICOLE

Run 400 Meters

Max Reps Pull-Ups

As Many Rounds as Possible in 20 Minutes.  If your feet touch the ground or you fall of the bar you must run.  For those that are still trying to achieve pull-ups NO BANDS you hang on the bar till you fall off.  Here are some videos for a little motivation.

40+ Pull-ups from Leonid S. on Vimeo.

I think JOSH, JASON and DYNAMAX have this guy beat.  The last video is for Sakura... Annie is kind of her hero and for all of those wondering yes Annie is pregnant in this picture. 

Kipping Pullup from james hobson on Vimeo.

Happy Birthday Jerome!

Wishing you a Happy Birthday J Dome- from all of us at CFS. For those of you that have not met J Dome (Jerome), he is usually at the 8:30a or 9:30a class during the week, he has been with us for a while and consistently shows improvement in oly lifts and met con days. J Dome is also responsible for the music at the gym, he has brought in a few CD to help everyone get through their morning WODs without having to hear "angry" music. Hard work is paying off for him. Hope you have a great birthday!

On another note, this Sunday 4/26 Larry will be racing at Infineon Race Way in Sonoma (See very cool pic below). The racing starts around 0945 AM.  Larry's first race is at 1000 AM.  The entry fee is $10 paid at the gate with kids under 12 being free.  He has invited all the CFS family to come watch and hang out. It is important to support our fellow CrossFitters, please post to comments if you think you can make it out! Larry has promised good food and a family atmosphere. Maybe we can get a carpool going?

Infineon Raceway

29355 Arnold Drive

Sonoma, CA 95476

WOD for 042309

"Elizabeth"

21-15-9

Squat Cleans and Ring Dips

m: 135#; w:95#

"Elizabeth" is a workout on the board, to get your name on the board you must complete the wod rx'd. Here is a video to watch good form and excellent depth, both squats and ring dips. Andy, the guy in the red shirt is the owner of Petranek Fitness CrossFit LA, he will be competing at the games!  Check out his form, very intense but doesn't lose form.  It is better to have a slower time with excellent form then a fast time and crappy form.

What gets you off your duff?

Angry tries to motivate Liberty into some type of athletic movement with little luck.  However if Angry had a Scooby Snack Liberty would probably be a little more motivated to get off her duff and run around a little... What motivates you?  An upcoming beach trip? A second honeymoon?  A wedding perhaps (Bauer/Tweedy)? A reunion?  A race or event you are about to participate in?  Post thoughts to comments.

Okay so Mike AKA ROBOT has been missing for a little while because he has been endurance training for a 50 Mile Marathon.  It was last Sunday April 19th and Mike kind of just went of and did it.  Mike completed 43 plus miles of the event, click here for details and maps of event.  Good Job ROBOT you might be the first man I've ever met to run that far and looking at the terrain its ridiculous.

0600 am WOD + Two WODS of my own (courtesy of Beasty) + afternoon WODS+ Zumba (which always means beer for us fellas...EVERYBODY IS MISSING OUT ON A REALLY GOOD TIME TUESDAY EVENINGS!)+cold frosty beverages= a very short post.

WOD for 042209

Thrusters

1,1,1,1,1,1,1,

Clean Weight and then perform good form, full rep Thruster to qualify weight