Douglas Park Hill Runs

Tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 7:30 I will be at Douglas Park doing hill runs with and without the sandbag. Come join me! 

-Darci

Tutorial on the Kipping Pull-Up

Here is a decent, but brief video that explains the kipping pull-up.  

flux in the park

More classic gym photos

The 'bowling pins' on the floor in the photo on the left are actually Indian Clubs. The British imported them from India and introduced them to the UK, Europe and North America. It was during the colonial occupation of India that the British were first introduced to the Indian Clubs.  Impressed with the physical fitness of the Indian men who were fighting in the British army, the British soldiers integrated the clubs into their regime. Much like the kettlebell, the clubs are meant to be used in a swinging, dynamic motion. They range from 5 lb to probably well over 100 lb. I tried them out at one of my kettlebell certifications and I could barely manage 20 lb.  

Darci

Brendan, Traci, Jane and Fran Lock into the Overhead Squat

For many athletes the overhead squat is a frustrating movement, but yesterday some of you exceeded your expectations. 

The overhead squat has been Traci's nemesis; however, she has been working hard at it and yesterday it payed off. With excellent form Traci completed all 5 sets of 3 reps at 35lb. Traci kept the bar under her center of gravity and with full control she executed the movement. Look how far back she gets her butt to engage the hips.  Take a look at her knees. They are tracked out in line with the feet. Beautiful.

Fran 3 x 90lb A dancer and a powerlifter. Does it get any better than that? 

Brendan 3 x 135lb  solid and humble as ever. 

Jane 3 x 135 What can I say? The OHS is Jane's move.  Thanks to Courtney and Darren for cheering Jane on. 

A Brief History of the Gymnasium

It was Greg Glassman, co-founder and head coach of CrossFit, who first brought my attention to the radical de-evolution of the architecture and hence meaning of the concept of the gymnasium.  The word gymnasium is rooted in two greek words: gymnos - meaning naked and gymnazein - meaning to do physical exercise.  The Greeks, always lovers of the male aesthetic, exercised in the nude as a way to show off the physical prowess of the male body.

It it worth noting that for the Greeks, the purpose of the gymnasium extended beyond physical activity. The gymnasium also was a space of scholarly study and rumination. But the nakedness and scholarly pursuits of the gymnasium are really just a side note for this blog.  What I really want to examine is just how radically different the gymnasiums of the early 20th century were compared to the big box gyms of today. Take a look at the photo on the left that Ryan came across. This is a photo from the New York Sports Club in 1927. There is a total simplicity to this gym. Notice the kettlebells? The focus at these gyms was pretty much the same as at flux CrossFit - Bodyweight exercises or gymnastics and strength training through multi-joint, compound exercises. Gyms were equipped with rings, parallel bars and pull-up bars, kettlebells, barbells and plates. How is it that the Western world and more specifically North America went from this sort of architecture and social space, with its focus on kinesthetic awareness and real functional strength, to a space where the body is butchered and compartmentalized into distinct and unrelated units? Nothing about the New York Sports Club as it existed in 1927  lends itself to thinking of the body in terms of biceps, triceps and quads. What the space does promote is a focus on agility, balance, coordination, strength, etc. 

-Darci

Caitie takes flux to Hungary

Here's Caitie in Budapest.  

I wonder how snatch translates into Hungarian? 

-Darci

AC/DC and flux

Monday's Workout

I love this workout. 

I hope you will too. 

-Darci

Thursday park workout

This Thursday we will be meeting in Victoria park at the cenotaph at 12 noon. It will be a kb workout and a few other surprises. Make sure you have water. 

Darci

The Back Squat

flux CrossFit Kids in Regina

Just a reminder to all our flux CrossFit Kids (and their parents, siblings, peeps) - tomorrow we'll be learning how to 'clean' (pick up) our school bags. Bring your school bags filled with stuff.

See you tomorrow!

Charity

Knee to Elbows

Check out the fearless Annie Sakamoto.

Now, no more requests to do more sit-ups to target the abs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uPZHyEsARM

HSPU Progression

Check out this video of Nicole Carroll performing variations on the hspu. 

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_HSPUVariations.wmv

 There are 5 athletes from flux attending the gymnastics certification in Vancouver: Ryan, Rochelle, Jane, Charity and me.  

Have you made any goals in the area of gymnastics? Ring dips, hspu, kipping pull-ups, L-Sit Pull-ups? 

flux CrossFit Kids take over Regina's Alleys

Last Saturday the flux CrossFit Kids W.O.D. included 3 rounds of:

20 squats
15 presses
10 box jumps
5 deadlifts
3 kettle bell swings

Once everyone was warmed up and had practiced all of the movements, we were ready to go. Here are some of the pics from the skill warm-up and the workout.

Kelly Starrett of CrossFit San Francisco on Intensity and Ego

http://sanfranciscocrossfit.blogspot.com/2009/08/sometimes-you-just-gotta-do-it.html

Give this blog a quick read. Here Kelly discusses the importance of leaving the ego at the door in order to progress in a given movement. Basically Kelly is telling his athletes that time isn't everything. Yes intensity is important, but so to is actually executing the movement. 

The first time I did Fran as prescribed it took me 20 minutes BUT I did all the pull-ups at full extension. By the end I was doing the pull-ups one rep at a time. Yes my time suffered but my pull-ups improved. 

So check the ego at the door and persevere. You will be a better athlete for it. 

-Darci

Box Jump Ladder Coming Soon

Check out Helen and Theresa doing the box jump ladder. Both athletes attack the boxes with great gusto. This video was taken in early July when Helen was still quite new to flux. This time around she is going to open her hips on the box jumps.  She will also be thrusting at 65lb. 

Notice that Theresa locks out fully on the thrusters. Beautiful. 

Joan Works on her L-Sits

Way to go Joan!

Negotiating the Bear

"The Bear Complex" is a grueling workout and many of you found that it puts a lot of pressure on the wrists and forearms.  

GI JANE

Here is what is in store for tomorrow.

100 Burpee Pull-ups for time.

It sounds way worse than it is...

Darci

Post "Chrissy" Workout

The Bear Complex

For Monday: The Bear Complex

7 sets of the following sequence:

1 power clean

1 front squat

1 push press

1 back squat

1 push press

5 rounds

Rest as needed between each round. 

Hand Care

Brendan found a great video for hand care and taping. 

http://vimeo.com/4895278

Some Ethical Considerations for Eating Meat

Since beginning CrossFit, most of you have probably had to increase the amount of meat protein you consume. This is not surprising. Meat is calorie dense and therefore supplies the body with energy. As for muscular development, animal meat is the ideal building block for human meat. The brain also thrives on the fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 which are found in animal fats and tissue. Unfortunately, eating meat, as with most of our daily consumption practices, comes with ecological consequences. 

Modern meat production in the western world is based on a model of rationalization. This means that the animal is treated not as a living, sentient creature that feels pain, but as a thing. This rationalizing process is about creating as much meat as possible at the lowest possible price.  Efficiency and uniformity are key with modern meat production. Under the rationalizing logic of capitalism it makes much more sense to switch from small-scale animal husbandry to the large-scale models of efficiency offered by large corporations.  Concentrated animal feeding operations CAFOs, (as opposed to traditional livestock operations, where animals were given the time to forage for food and most importantly, the time to grow), are now firmly rooted in the western psyche as the natural way to produce meat and to treat animals. I don't want to go into the gruesome details of modern meat production, but it is really quite horrific. 

So what is an omnivore to do? Research and ask questions! Take the time to inquire about the history of the meat you are eating. BUY LOCAL. Visit the farm that you are purchasing your meat from.  Find out how the animals are being treated. Are the chickens provided with the opportunity to be chickens? To root and forage for grubs and weeds, under the sunlight? Are the cows able to be cows and graze on pasture?  

Charity and I have bought an elk tag for the coming hunting season and we are going to give elk meat a go.  Also, some of you have been asking about bison meat and we will be making another purchase soon. Let me know if you are interested.  

You might also want to check out the following book: The Compassionate Carnivore (2008) by Catherine Friend.

I realize that I have not even touched on the global dimensions of meat production and consumption but I will save that for later! 

Here is Theresa at her brother's farm in Ontario. He has a small, organic mixed farm.  Theresa is showcasing the roaming chicken coop, a wonderful invention that enables the farmer to move the chicken coop daily to a new patch of grass. 

darci

flux CrossFit Kids learning how to deadlift

The flux CrossFit Kids Saturday skill development and W.O.D. included deadlifts. After warming up we watched the video of Duncan (from Brand X CrossFit Kids) deadlifting. Then we set up to learn the important 5 steps involved in performing a proper deadlift.

1. Stance

2. Gripping the Bar 

3. Shins to the Bar

4. Chest Up, Chest Up, Chest Up 

5. Lift

Once we really started feeling the movements well in our bodies, we moved from the pvc pipe to a weighted bar (not too heavy though). 

Both Julia (age 6) and Mason (age 8) concentrated hard on having good form and getting the technique down. They performed deadlifts for the first time and they did it well. 

We also worked on L-Sits, box jumps, and sprints.

Way to go Mason and Julia. We're all very proud of you!

Charity

flux CrossFit volunteers for the Folk Festival in Regina

Flux was assigned to the site crew at the Regina Folk Festival this year. This means that we had to lift a lot of heavy stuff, including 3 600lb bike racks. Thanks to the Folk Festival for the wonderful breakfast and lunch.  Good luck to flux crew #2 today as they continue with the set up.

Thank you flux CrossFit!

flux CrossFit Kids will be working on deadlifts this week

Take a look at the following video of Duncan from CrossFit Kids Headquarters:

http://www.brandxmartialarts.com/videos/DuncansDL.mov

Notice that Duncan follows the 5 steps: stance, grip, shins, chest, pull. 

Jeff, Duncan's coach, is telling Duncan to squeeze his back. Duncan is a little slack in the upper back.  

Saturday Morning with the flux CrossFit Kids

Deadlifts

We had a lot of PRs on deadlifts last week:

Gwen 3 x 95

Traci 3 x 155

Charity 3 x 230

Brendan 3 x 300

Jane 3 x 205

Debbi 3 x 155

Ted 3 X 270p