CrossFit Challenge Preparation

There are a few things to prepare in advance of the CrossFit Challenge this weekend. 

Food: I don't know what the food situation is going to be around City Park or even how much time you will have in between events so it would be a good idea to pack a cooler with food.  Make sure you have snacks- apples, bananas, nuts and seeds, cheese, cooked chicken, tuna, vegetables. 

Tape: be sure to bring tape for your hands and wrists if you need it. 

Clothing: Bring layers. We might be outdoors and we will probably have a minimal amount of time to warm-up.  Bring your flux shirt!

If anyone needs a ride please respond to this blog. I think we have everyone covered but just in case. 

-Darci 

CrossFit Challenge in Saskatoon

Our merry band of anxious fluxers will be off to Saskatoon for the Saskatchewan CrossFit Challenge this Saturday. Yikes! I want to congratulate all of you for your bold decision. It takes some serious courage to take part in a CrossFit event such as this. I am so pleased to have members signed up in all 3 levels.  A big thanks for those of you making the trip to Saskatoon to cheers us on. I know I will be fueled by your cheerful support. 

-Darci

Friday, Oct. 2 and Saturday, Oct. 3 class schedule

This weekend is the Saskatchewan CrossFit Challenge. This means that a lot of folks will be heading down to compete or to cheer.  It also means the schedule will be changed slightly.

The following schedule will be in effect for this Friday and Saturday.

Friday, Oct. 2nd

6-7am W.O.D.

7-8am W.O.D.

8-9am W.O.D.

12-1pm W.O.D.

6:15-7pm W.O.D.

7-8pm Stretching with Fran

***No classes at 4 or 5:15 on Friday. Note the 6pm will begin at 6:15pm.***

Saturday, Oct. 3rd

9-10am W.O.D.

10-11am W.O.D.

***No flux CrossFit Kids class on Saturday***

ANOTHER FREE CLASS

Our first free class was such a success we are having another one this Saturday at 11am. Please invite your friends and family to this class. 

-Darci

Paleolithic Nutrition

What is the paleo way of eating all about? Basically it is about eating like our ancestors did, hunter-gatherer style, prior to the agrarian revolution.  Professor Loren Cordain has written numerous publications on the paleo diet.  Here is a link to the basic principles of this way of eating.    http://www.thepaleodiet.com/ 

Note that there is a special link on the paleo diet for athletes.

Many athletes, including CrossFitters follow the paleolithic diet. I have played around with it a bit, and certainly find that my energy levels are best when I follow a diet that is high in lean meats, good quality fat, nuts and seeds and vast amounts of colourful vegetables. I do still eat porridge in the morning and I haven't cut out dairy. 

Here is a paper written by Dr. Cordain on the paleo diet. 

http://www.thepaleodiet.com/articles/JANA%20final.pdf

And finally, check out this blog if you are looking for good paleo recipes. Lot's of yummy stuff. 

http://mypaleokitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Recipes

-Darci

Hill Runs Tonight at 7pm at Douglas Park

I am doing hill runs tonight at Douglas Park. Please join me!

-Darci

flux CrossFit Kids Outdoors in Regina's Back Alleys

For the last few weeks our flux CrossFit Kids have been taken advantage of the incredible summer-like weather. All of our workouts have been outdoors in the fresh air.

Here are some images from last night (there are more pics from August and September on the photos page and on the flux CrossFit Kids facebook page):

Oh Those Russians!!!

The history of the kettlebell goes back about two hundred years to Russia. The Russians still use the kettlebell in military training and kettlebells are considered a competitive sport there. A 'girivik' is a person who uses kettlebells.  The Russian standard for the kettlebell swing is to bring the kettlebell to just above the shoulders. Cold war politics--which always influence culture and sport--generated the emergence of the 'American' style swing. With the American swing the kettlebell goes all the way above the head. What a dilemma!! Do we follow the stern, post-communist Russians or the free-wheeling, democratic Americans?  Recognizing that all athletic techniques have a history beyond the present, we shall follow the CrossFit standard, which is above the head. 

Elizabeth on Friday

http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFitLA_ElizabethFinals.mov

The Saskatchewan CrossFit Challenge

Hello,

The time has finally come to put the fittest of Saskatchewan to the test in the Saskatchewan CrossFit Challenge (SCFC).  The SCFC will be held in Saskatoon at CrossFit Saskatoon on October 03, 2009.  It will be full day of workouts testing fitness levels of CrossFitters from all across Saskatchewan. 

The goal of the SCFC is to have Saskatchewan CrossFitters gather and compete in the sport we love (CrossFit), in a positive and welcoming atmosphere.  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to compete at the CrossFit Games or other competitive event, then this is your chance to put your skills to the test.  The workouts will put all elite CrossFitters to the test, but will also be scaled to allow the beginner CrossFitter to challenge their skills as well.  Just like CrossFit, this challenge is for everyone.  There will be four workouts throughout the day which will be completed by all level 1 athletes, three of the four workouts will be considered scaled level 2 and 3 workouts.  Everyone will be guaranteed 3 workouts in the day and the final workout will be for all the top level 1 athletes to determine the top challenge winners.

Elite CrossFitters will all be considered Level 1 and must be able to complete all CrossFit movements without scaling.  Level 2 athletes are those that have been CrossFitting for a while and have the ability to do most movements with small amounts of scaling - typically anyone who has been dong CrossFit for 6-12 months will fit in this category.  Level 3 athletes will be considered those who are new to CrossFit and are still learning the movements and are still progressing in leaps and bounds during the daily WOD's.

The challenge will have individual prizes in each of the three categories (level 1, 2, and 3).  There will also be a spirit of CrossFit award, and a top affiliate award, which will be judged based on affiliate attendance, community pride, and athletes performance in WOD's.  So not only are the athletes put to the test but the spectators and the spirit of your club will be as well.

The entry fee is $50, which will be reduced to $40 if you register early (until the end of day Sep 14th).  Your entry fee will include a spot in the competition and a SCFC t-shirt.  To register please i) go to www.crossfitsaskatoon.ca, ii) click on Class Schedule, iii) go to the Workshops tab and iv) register in the workshop titled "Saskatchewan CrossFit Challenge Competitors".  If you are a member of CrossFit Saskatoon, payment will be handled via your auto-pay.  If you are not a member of CrossFit Saskatoon, payment will be via Paypal at www.crossfitsaskatoon.ca/challenge.  Payment must be received at time of registration.  We would like everyone to sign up as soon as possible to allow us to organize for the day properly, as we are unsure of how many people to expect.

The day will end in a social event that will be open to all (location to be determined).

To ensure that the event is a success we are asking all Saskatchewan's CrossFitters to compete, volunteer or come as a spectator and cheer on your affiliate so we can all share this special day together.  Feel free to bring friends or family to cheer you on and see how great CrossFit is!  CrossFit is all about community growth as well as personal growth, let's push CrossFit's community growth Saskatchewan wide with the CFSC.  We hope that this event will become an annual event and we look forward to future growth.

We are excited to challenge Saskatchewan CrossFitters in an attempt to grow a larger, stronger, and fitter community province wide.

All questions or concerns can be sent to info@crossfitsaskatoon.ca.

We hope to see you soon,

Thanks
Chad and Ian

The Lieutenant Governor's Arts Awards

Congratulations to Charity Marsh and Chris Beingessner on winning the Lieutenant Governor's Arts Award for Arts and Learning. It is exciting that flux will be involved in the next segment of the Scot Collegiate/ IMP LABS Hip Hop project in January.

Darci

Friday Night

Helen and the Queen City Marathon

Also best of luck to Helen who is running the 1/2 marathon this weekend. In fact,  our very own Helen is a pace bunny! 

Good Luck Helen!

Darci

Lucy and Brendan

Good Luck to Brendan and Lucy this weekend at the Level 1 CrossFit Certification in Vancouver. 

I know they will be great ambassadors of flux CrossFit. 

Darci

Where's the bison?

You can blame global capitalism for the bison delay. Bison prices are up right now and Saskatchewan bison farmers have sent their bison to the feeding lots to speed up the growing process. Of course, this is a perfectly rational decision as pasture raised and finished bison take a much longer time to come to maturity. At the feedlot the bison will be fed grain and probably corn and all the benefits of bison over beef will be lost - bring in the saturated fat! Now this I find completely irrational. Here you have a beautiful creature with a  naturally low fat content that has been eating grass for centuries but the market will sway farmers to send their bison to the feed lot where all of the benefits of bison meat will be lost.  

But don't worry. The butcher and my dad are on the lookout for grass finished bison and I am sure they will come through. 

-Darci

Big Jumps

This workout is from CrossFit Underground

7 Rounds

3 deadlifts 315lb

5 chest to bar pull-ups

7 box jumps 30"

100m run

Reminder - stretching class with Fran Tuesday at 7pm

Just a quick reminder about tomorrow night's stretching class with Fran. The class begins at 7pm.

The Back Squat

More from Rippetoe

In this video Rippetoe instructs on the function of the elasticity of the hamstring in the back squat.  Note also his orders to push the knees out. 

Rippetoe pontificates on women, muscles and athleticism.  I love that he refers to women's gyms as 'figure salons.' 

"There is no such thing as firming or toning. There is only stronger and weaker" Mark Rippetoe

"The interesting thing is that everybody really already knows this, because there are few examples in life that don't follow the basic rules of the universe, the ones that dictate the behavior of everything. One of the most basic of those rules is that, with the exception of the occasional lottery winner, you pretty much get out of an effort what you put into it. We're all quite familiar with this reality, although we are often willing to believe people who tell us otherwise, about exercise and about life. The sooner everybody, both halves of the population, accepts the fact that effective exercise is more like training for athletics and less like lying around on the floor, more about performance and less about appearance, the sooner it will be understood that women really don't need their own figure salon" Mark Rippetoe 

The Distinguishing Traits of CrossFit

I love this tongue in cheek promotion of the CrossFit principles.  

http://valleycrossfit.typepad.com/blog/2009/09/10-reasons-not-to-train-at-hyperfit-usa.html

Charity deadlifts 240 for 3 reps

Preparing for the lift. 

Way to go Charity! 

Cindy and Mary

Here are some fluxers taking on Cindy (5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats) and Mary (5 HSPU, 10 pistols, 15 pull-ups). 

Fran Gilboy's Stretching Class

Fran Gilboy of FadaDance will be offering the following stretching classes at flux CrossFit:

Tuesday Sept 8th at 7pm

Friday Sept 18th at 7pm

Friday Oct 2nd at 7pm

Friday Oct 16th at 7pm

I highly encourage you to come out for these classes. If there is one thing fluxers need to be reminded of it is stretching!  

-Darci

Change of Dates: flux CrossFit free class on Saturday, Sept 12th

There will be a free class next Saturday at 11am for flux CrossFit friends and family. This is a great opportunity for the curious to come out to flux and give it a try.  The workout will be designed for beginners and will not be too technical.  

-Darci