The Fran-Off is Saturday!  There will not be any CrossFit classes, information pills but come out and cheer on CrossFit Oakdale athletes as they battle it out with some of Northern California’s best CrossFit athletes.  Registration starts at 8 and the first heats will kick off at 9am.   The Top 9 Most Important Foods to Buy Organic from Mark’s Daily Apple.  I’m not a Paleo wonk, see but this is a logical list of foods that you should buy organic if you can. Workout of the Day   Strength High Bar Back Squat Build to a heavy triple   Metcon 3 RFT 15 Power Cleans 135/95 50 Double UndersRead more

I’m not sure how many people check the CrossFit Journal anymore.  Even as recently as 2010, more about it was the GO TO place for fitness related material.  I admit, I don’t spend as much time on the site as I used to.  I would attribute this to the fact that even within the CrossFit site, the Games and Community sites have grown.  Add to the fact that dozens, if not hundreds, of CrossFit affiliates are putting out their own high quality content daily, kind of minimizes the role of the Journal.   I don’t know if CFHQ will strike me with a bolt of lightning, but the content is not a great as it was a couple of years ago.  That’s probably because great content suppliers like Kelly Starrett and Carl Paoli have struck out on their own.   BUT…there is still great stuff on the CrossFit Journal.  I...Read more

On Wednesday, dosage we will begin a Deadlift progression that will carry us to the New Year.  We will Deadlift a heavy set of 5 each week.  This strength session should take 30 minutes or so to ensure you are properly warmed up to pull a heavy 5.  A Heavy 5, view to me, case means your hands stay on the bar as you pull all 5 reps.  Your back must maintain a PERFECT LUMBAR CURVE FOR ALL 5 REPS!  This is the most important part. We have done many movements to develop strong backs: heavy squatting, tons of work from the hang position on the Olympic lifts.  During CrossFit WODs, and looking forward to the Open, you will need to Deadlift well.  You may be required to lift light for large sets, heavy for small sets and heavy for large sets.  Depending on load, reps and other factors, your...Read more

Thank you to Jen C. for writing about her experience with Rhabdo. Following the Merced Holiday Throwdown, prostate I developed a condition known to most CrossFitters as “Rhabdo”. Since that time I have done quite a bit of research on Rhabdomyolysis and have a few thoughts on my experience to share. There is a lot of information available regarding this condition.  It is, side effects by definition, medications the excessive breakdown of muscle fibers that leads to the release of muscle fiber contents (myoglobin) into the bloodstream.  This is extremely dangerous because the release of myoglobin into your blood can poison your kidneys and lead to renal failure. The symptoms are fairly straightforward: extreme muscle soreness and pain, nausea, flu like symptoms, confusion, dark urine, and reduced or no urine output. The causes of this disease aren’t as clear, especially when Rhabdo is contracted through sports related activity.  I am...Read more

The CrossFit Oakdale Fran-Off is this Saturday!  There will not be a Bring A Friend WOD, malady but please come out and cheer on the Athletes as they throw down.  We are excited to see the teamwork and the great performances we know you have in you!  If you are interested in helping out, please contact Alison. If you are competing, I would be thinking now about having a good week of nutrition, sleep, hydration and mobility work.  I would still workout hard Monday and Tuesday, but I would use Wednesday to Friday to work on movement, making sure I am rested and ready.  Tomorrow, I will be posting an excellent write up by Jen Cadmus on her experiences following the Merced Throwdown.  I don’t want to steal her thunder, but I would heed her warnings. We’ll shifting focus in the strength training for the next month.  Weekly, we will...Read more