We’ve got a bunch of stuff on the calendar, sale so much that it will take a couple of days to cover what’s going on at CFO. Keep your eyes on the website, and we’ll keep you in the loop.
Wednesday’s benchmark WOD is “Angie” – 100 pullups, 100 pushups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats. In a row. Without jumping around. Sound like fun? If so, then you are a CrossFitter.
GHD Challenge
We’ll start a new challenge tomorrow – the GHD challenge. This is a no frills challenge. Here are the ground rules – start Monday with 2 GHD sit ups. The next time you come to the gym, do 4. The next time, do 6. Go up by 2 each time you visit the gym. The end goal is 60 unbroken GHD sit-ups in 30 visits to the gym. You can’t do this one at home (well, I guess you can, if you have a GHD machine). I’ll put a sign up list by the GHD – sign in and do some GHD sit-ups. Remember, these are powerful juju – build slowly, be smart, and ask a coach if this is for you. And you don’t need to screw or unscrew the settings. Just pull up on the black knobs.
Saturday at 10am will be a “Challenge” Day. Think of this as an in-house competition. We’ll do 3 short WODs back to back to back. If you want to compete on the Caffeine and Kilo’s team, we’ll need to see you Saturday at 10am. I will post the WODs, one a day, starting Monday night. The Challenge won’t take more than 2 hours in total.
Fight Gone Bad Re-Cap
Team CFO travelled to CrossFit Parabellum in Turlock on Saturday to tackle Fight Gone Bad. It was a fun event, with several area gyms in attendance, working hard and cheering each other on.
FGB was an excellent entry level event – simple movements, reasonable loading and a chance to get judged in a somewhat stressful environment. This was Ned and Todd’s first CrossFit competition. The event was well run and organized. Across the board Team CFO moved well, with sound efficient movement. In the end, Team CFO did great.
Jen took home first place in the women’s division with a score of 299 – Jen left CrossFit Parabellum $150 richer. Great job Jen! Alison took 4th place (275).
On the men’s side, I took second, losing out on the podium by 1 rep (Ross Tate got 358, I got 357). Bill took 3rd with 350 and Justin took 4th with 330.
CFO had 5 of the top 8 athletes, with nearly 100 CrossFitters throwing down. Great job folks!
Winning is cool, but as we know very well, it’s the moments and the camaraderie that make rolling with Team CFO so much fun. We got to cheer on Ned and Todd in their first competition, talk trash about Justin taking his shirt off and have a good time with each other.
My favorite Moments
Watching Finn and Brodie do a WOD with 53# Cleans, pullups and 14# wall ball shots in the warm up room as the event was winding down. 2 10 year old boys lifting hard, moving WELL, and cheering each other on was awesome.
I did FGB next to Robin. There was a 10 foot standard on the WB shot, and Robin had to shoot a 14# ball. Robin is a Master’s athlete, and the height of the shot and the weight of the ball was greater than what is normally asked of her in competition. Robin never complained, and I know she took some “no reps” early. Sometime in the second round, she hit the target and I heard in a cheerful voice, “Well, I got one!”
Learning Points
On Saturday, all our ladies had to shoot to a 10 foot target, the Open generally calls for a 9 foot target. The walls at CFO are painted to 8 feet, but there is some tape at 9 feet. I will put up 9 foot targets – if you are competing, you must shoot to 9 feet, and be prepared to shoot for 10 (girls at Regionals shot to 10 feet, too).
For the second time this year (Fresno was the other one), we have taken some no reps when the event called for the Push Press over the Jerk or the more simplified Shoulder to Overhead.
I was no repped once or twice for Jerking the bar when a Push Press was called for. My opinion: this is a silly distinction, especially in competition. In Fresno, in my flu-ridden state, I complained about this out loud. I can tell the difference between a Push Press and Jerk. Can I tell when the weight is light and the athlete is moving fast? It gets pretty tough. In almost any situation, it is more efficient to Jerk the bar, DB, KB, whatever, even slightly. I would never program or demand a Push Press in a competition setting, it’s just too tough to judge. It, and does, lead to nit picky judging. Nit picking the Push Press over a Jerk is like arguing over pass interference in football. It happens on every play, it’s just how egregious is the “offense.” Again, it’s my opinion, but these type of distinctions – mandating how movements are to be completed – can make events less fun when the judging gets…judgmental. The Push Press is excellent to train, as it demands a lot of power. Expect Shoulder to Overhead in the Open, and nearly every other reasonable CrossFit competition. If you took some no reps on a Push Press to Shoulder to Overhead, don’t sweat it.
That being said, it was a great day of hard work and good times. After FGB, we took over the patio at the Dust Bowl and had a great time.
Team CFO at FGB
Workout of the Day
Conditioning
3 RFT
10 Hang Squat Clean 155/105
35 Situps
On the sit-ups, anchor your feet with DB hook them on the edge of the gymnastics mat.
FOR ADVANCED ATHLETES
If you are able to climb a rope, consider this addition – perform 3 rope climbs at any time during the WOD. You may do all 3 at the beginning, the end, or after every round. Shooter’s choice. Just don’t be a rope hog.
15 minute cap.
Strength/Skill
Hang Squat Clean
In the remaining time, build to a heaviest possible Hang Squat Clean.