"You must wear socks or workout pants on the Dead Lifts. We don't want your DNA on the barbell." - Mark Rippetoe

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Compare to 9/22/09

And in honor of Julie's 36th birthday:

37 Burpeesfor time. (One for good luck!)

Happy Birthday Julie!

Remember that awful rowing warm-up?

You know, when I made you row 100% balls to the walls for one minute straight and I stood behind you with my clipboard?? Contrary to popular belief, I do not make you do crazy things just because I feel like it. Well, most of the time…

Anyway, for those of you who made it to do “Tommy V” yesterday you will see below your average amount of calories burned in just one minute of rowing.  Why am I posting this online for everyone to see?  Because we are getting closer and closer to the holidays and closer and closer to cakes and pies, mashed potatoes, mini Snickers bars, and gingerbread cookies.  Let’s stop and consider for a moment how much effort we are putting into our WODs on a daily basis. You sweat, you bleed, and you cry, you scream, you push, you pull, and you come back for more.  Why go home and eat your face off, only to undo all that hard work?  

Halloween is this weekend. Let’s consider my favorite mini-treat: The Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup. There are 85 calories in ONE peanut butter cup.  How many are you going to eat this weekend? How many minutes on the rower at 100% max effort will it take you to cancel out that peanut-buttery-goodness? I’m perfectly Ok with ruining your weekend with this little tidbit of information, as long as it helps you get that body that you want, dead lift that max weight, run those 800 meters repeats faster than everyone else, and finish Fran in record time.  Put the candy away and reach for some raw almonds instead!

Average calories burned in one minute of hard a** rowing:

Amy D- 13

Patrice- 12

Edwina- 11

Michele- 13

Jennifer- 16

Amy M- 14

Heather- 11

Julie- 15

Justin- 23

Becky- 14

Glenn- 23

Frankie- 17

Kerri- 13

Karen J- 12

Evelyn- 9

Ralph- 18

Alex- 20

Caleb- 9

Still want to shove your face with candy? Post your thoughts to comments below….

"There isn't much I like about CrossFit. Besides the videos, of course."    - "Coach" Ray

“Tommy V”

For time:
115 pound Thruster, 21 reps
15 ft Rope Climb, 12 ascents
115 pound Thruster, 15 reps
15 ft Rope Climb, 9 ascents
115 pound Thruster, 9 reps
15 ft Rope Climb, 6 ascents

If you cannot do a rope climb than you will sub towel pullups or jumping towel pullups.  So please bring a spare hand towel.  The sub is 15 towel pullups to one rope climb. There will be plenty of scaling, no worries.

Mason took first place on the whiteboard yesterday.

Is this normal?

I have been approached several times by my fellow CrossFitters with questions that begin with an honest concern and end with “Is this normal?”  Well, let’s clear the air, shall we?

Please excuse my bluntness in the following text, but we are addressing serious questions here!

Q: I have a big bruise on the top of my butt-crack, it’s red, it hurts, and it’s rubbed raw. I think it’s from sit-ups. Is this normal?

A: Yes! It happens to the best of us. One day you do 200 AbMat sit-ups and the next day you’re showering and it feels like you are being attacked by pins and needles on the top of your bum. You check the mirror and you see a nice fresh “raspberry” down where the sun doesn’t shine. Yes, it’s normal.  Put some Neosporin on it and hope that sit-ups aren’t prescribed for the rest of the week.

Q: Sometimes when I jump rope I feel like I’m going to pee my pants. Is this normal?

A: Yes, for those of you who have gone through the unimaginable (to some of us) grief of childbirth, you may from time to time experience a slight urge to wet yourself during jumping or running movements…Or so I am told by those of you who have had children and threaten me with the same consequences every time I tell you to “Keep Jumping!” Yes, it’s normal.  But keep jumping anyway and always bring a change of clothes.

Q: Sometimes when we row a lot I get little bumps or a rash on the bottom of my butt-cheeks. Is this normal?

A: Yes, when we have our bum on that little seat and set our monitors for 2000+ meters we tend to end up with a rash on our moonpie. Rowing is a continuous and repetitive motion. You can try baby-powdering your bum or using a chafe-resistance cream such as “Chamois Butter” that cyclists use prior to your workout. Or you can suck it up like the rest of us and be proud of your wounds instead of embarrassed. It’s October now, who sees your backside anyway?

Q: When I do back or hip extensions my “twig and berries” gets smashed. Is this normal?

A: Yes, if you are a male. I ordered our particular style of GHDs because I believed them to be the most comfortable for your male bits and pieces due to the space cut out in between the pads. I have been told sometimes it is still uncomfortable. In this case, if I am yelling at you to “REST LATER” while you are trying to “adjust” you can simply shout back at me a safe word such as “marriage tackle” or “bits and pieces” and I will leave you alone. Otherwise, ignore me. But yes, it’s normal. However, if you are a woman and you are having the above issues with the GHD…we can address these privately.

Q: Sometimes when I do sit-ups I let one rip. Is this normal?

A: Yes. We have all done it. The music is loud enough that most of the time no one can even hear it. So, no worries. Unless it’s a stinker...but heck, I’ve even witnessed someone wet their pants while doing sit-ups. So yes, it’s normal.

If you have any other embarrassing questions are serious concerns, please don’t be afraid to ask me. More than likely there is someone out there who has had the same issue.  If you have any questions that once addressed would benefit the rest of the members please use our comments section below…Who’s going to be the first brave soul?

Please view our Schedule and Fees page and note the rules for Team memberships. Also be advised that if you or a friend wishes to join as a team then it is up to that person to form the team by finding 4 non-members, not me.  Thanks!

Don't wish that it was easier, wish that you were better.

Four rounds for time of:
Walking lunge 50 meters
Sit-ups, 50 reps

Karen & Kevin on the French Broad River- Asheville, NC.

 When we arrived at the Blue Heron Whitewater outpost our tour guide, Matt, greeted us with enthusiasm. Matt was excited that Kevin and I were “athletic”. He said we would have no problem going down the river in our own duckies (a Duck is a one person inflateable kayak). At the drop point on the French Broad River Matt gave us a quick safety briefing and the next thing I knew I was in my little rubber duckie and following the guys towards some rocks in the middle of the river. Wait, that can’t be right? That’s it? Just get in the boat and go? I thought to myself, “I guess I’ll just figure out what to do when I get to the first rapid….You’re not going to die. Matt told us non-athletic people do this all the time.”  And that’s what I did…I approached each rapid (whether it was Class I, II, or III) like I would approach a WOD.  I chipped away at each rapid like I would an excruciating set of pull-ups during “Murph”, thrusters during “Fran”, or wall ball during “Fight Gone Bad”.  And even after I fell out of my boat (TWICE) I kept calm and used my strength (physically and mentally) to keep my head above the water, to not let go of my paddle, to watch out for giant rocks, to pull myself back into my boat, and to not panic and drown…Just as I would keep my elbows locked during a bodyweight overhead squat, keep my chest up, stay focused, abs tight, and not drop the bar on my head. Maybe it’s not the best comparison, but you get what I mean? I know that 6 years ago I never would have had the courage to go whitewater rafting, let alone in an inflatable boat in which the chances of falling into the river are great and the chances of accidental drowning are even greater (my biggest fear!). This whole adventure has me thinking: Can I attribute CrossFit for my “courage”, my “athleticism”, or both? 

I say it all the time: What we do when we CrossFit transcends into our daily lives. How has this happened for you? Post your responses to comments below.

I got 99 problems but my squat ain't one.

"Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

Post total reps from all 32 intervals from your team.

CFOIB will be closed for the day on Friday, Oct 23rd. We will have the normally scheduled Saturday 9am WOD.

Julie Kesterson (of the Real Housewives of Bent Tree) is having a Halloween Party!!

Friday October 30th, 2009

Bent Tree Clubhouse

Gate Code *1970

7m to 12 pm

BYOB

Come dressed in your best costume! And bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Call Julie if you have any questions. Her # and flyer is posted at the gym.

CFOIB will be closed for the day on Friday, Oct 23rd. We will have the normally scheduled Saturday 9am WOD.

Julie Kesterson (of the Real Housewives of Bent Tree) is having a Halloween Party!!

Friday October 30th, 2009

Bent Tree Clubhouse

Gate Code *1970

7m to 12 pm

BYOB

Come dressed in your best costume! And bring an appetizer or dessert to share. Call Julie if you have any questions. Her # and flyer is posted at the gym.

You come here to chew bubblegum and kick ***, and you're all out of bubblegum.

Weighted pull-ups 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

If you can do a pull up do the above workout. Even if you can only add 5 pounds it will be good for you.

If you cannot do any (unassisted) pull ups do 5 rounds of 5 assisted pull ups using as little resistance as possible.

Then:

Run or Row- 4x5 min intervals w/3min recovery between rounds.

Hold maximal distance possible on each of the 5 min rounds.

CFOIB has collectively lost over 20 pounds in one month. But the holidays are coming...Are you prepared to battle the pumpkin pies, cookies, and mashed potatoes? Maybe you need to stop by my office and get started on a meal plan...before the holiday feasting downward spiral sucks you in. Let's get those healthy eating habits in check so all of our blood, sweat, and tears we shed during our WODs doesn't go to waste.

CFOIB: Less talk, more chalk.

"Tyler"

Five rounds for time of:
7 Muscle-ups
95m/65f pound Sumo-deadlift high-pull, 21 reps

Who is Tyler? 1LT Tyler E. Parten, 24, of Arkansas, died Sept. 10 in Konar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado.

Howard-knocking out his warmup during the 10am CrossFit Silver Class.

CFOIB will be closed this Friday, October 23rd. All classes are canceled for that day.

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."    -Aristotle

For time:
21 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
18 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
15 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
12 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
9 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
6 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters
3 Hip-Back Extensions
Run 400 meters

*We will stagger our starting times...first come, first dibs on the GHD.

CFOIB welcomes our newest member- Frank!

  Bob, our resident USA Weightlifting Coach, gives the 9am class a course on the Hang Squat Clean. Thanks Bob!

And in the back of the picture is Michele, who has lost 4lbs and almost three inches since making the plunge from the Zone Diet to strict Paleo within the Zone -in less than two weeks! I am very proud of you Michele!  Post your thoughts to comments below.

Leave nothing in the tank.

Five rounds for time of:
135/95 pound Hang Squat Clean, 15 reps
30 Push-ups

How much had Michele lost since going Paleo? We will find out this week...