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When you look at Crystal McReynolds at the 2009 CrossFit Games what do you see?

Do you see missed days of training?  Do you see excuses? Do you see cheat meals?  Do you see 100 reasons why she cant press, dead, run, row, climb, crawl, do a muscle-up, or even lift heavy?

I don’t…

This picture tells a story of a years worth of hard work, dedication, focus, determination, and diligence…

What will a picture of YOU look like in 1 year?

The Academy’s Training:

Angie Or Lynne
Followed By:
Back Squat 80% x2×5

The USAW Team, The Rouge, And The CFE Crew:

They All Have A Recovery Day In Preparation For A Weekend Of Competition…

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“Chronic long, slow, distance training, however, can actually decrease testosterone levels in males and estrogen levels in females. This fact may be an additional reason for the effectiveness of CrossFit’s directive to train hard and smart, not just long and longer. It is certainly part of the reason CrossFit has had such good results training endurance athletes with much less mileage than traditional endurance programs prescribe. Tough metcon workouts can be as short as two minutes and as long as 50+ minutes, but none will have you pounding the pavement for hours upon hours.” -Leyland

The Academy’s Training:

SP/PP/BP:  Pick One
70% x3×5
Followed By:
For Time:
24 HSPU
16 Double Unders
20 HSPU
20 Double Unders
16 HSPU
24 Double Unders

The USAW Team’s Training:

Snatch 70% x1×4
Clean/Jerk 70% x1×3
Planks 80% Of Monday’s Time

The Rouge:

8×400m Sprints

Location: AHS

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

4×5 min intervals w/3min recovery between rounds.
Hold maximal distance possible on each of the 5 min rounds.

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“When we squat, the standard range of motion criterion for the exercise is “below parallel,” defined as the hip joint identified at the apex of the hip angle (the “corner” in your shorts over the hip) as it drops below the knee (the top of the patella). Most people that have trouble with the squat are having trouble getting good depth while keeping their low back from rounding. Pretty much anybody can get deep if they allow the lumbar spine to relax into flexion, a phenomenon known in some circles as “butt wink.” But I have found that almost every single human being on this planet can squat below parallel with pretty good back position if their stance is correct and if they simply shove their knees out to the sides at the bottom. This is because a type of impingement occurs at the bottom of the squat that is relieved by shoving out the knees, and at the same time an improvement occurs in the way the hips work.” -Rip

The Academy’s Training:

Deadlift 85% x2×3
Followed By:
3RFTO:
200m Farmers Walk
M-75% BW, W-50% BW
200m Sprint
20 Burpees

The USAW Team’s Training:

Snatch 80% x1×3
Clean /Jerk 80% x1×2
Knees To Elbows x20×3

For Time:
500m Row, 1 Min. Rest
350m Row, 45 Sec. Rest
200m Row

The Rouge Racers:

Rest Day

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

Swim: SC: 8min- LC: 12min- U: 20min
Bike: SC: 30min- LC: 50min- U: 70min
Run: SC: 15min- LC: 30min- U: 60min
C2: SC: 10 min- LC: 15min- U: 20min

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February 21st 2010 Is The Scheduled Date For The Next Rouge Battle…Choose The Full, Half, or Even The 5k.

Interested In Registering: CLICK HERE…

The Rouge Racers Will Be Tackling This Course With A Few Select Individuals That Will Be Attacking The Full Course For The First Time…

Great Luck To You All…

The Academy Training:

Burgener Warm-up
Skill Transfers
Clean and Jerk 80% x2×3

The USAW Team’s Training:

Muscle Snatch + 2 Snatch Balance 45% x 3
Snatch 88% x1
Front Squat 88% x1

Followed By:
3RFTO:
200m Row
20 Kipping Pull-ups

The Rouge Racers:

3 @ Short Tempo.  Make It Hurt…

Time: 6:30pm

Location: TBA, Check Taskforce Rouge

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

Swim: 10 x 100m/y wearing a t-shirt or board shorts, holding fastest possible pace without deviating more than 5 sec… 15 sec recoveries
Bike: 4 x 2 mile hill repeats, holding fastest possible pace and not deviating more than 1 min per repeat. Recoveries are, how long it takes you to come down the hill. If you do not have a hill then use tension on a trainer or ergometer with steady/ heavy tension.
Run: 2 x 3/4 – 1 mile hill repeats holding fastest possible pace without deviating more then 1 minute and recovering 1 min before descending hill easy. Repeat after 1 min recovery at bottom of hill… treadmill use 7% grade, recover 2 min and repeat
C2: 3 x 1k repeats not deviating more then 10 seconds. 2 min recoveries.

Foul: If you deviate more than the specified time.
Foul: 75 alternating “aka Random hand” push ups

Post It All To Comments Including Announcing Your Registration For Pasadena…

The Academy’s Training:

Front Squat: Test For Max
Followed By:
Max Ht. Box Jumps
Straight Leg Raises

The USAW Team’s Training:

Snatch 94% x1
Clean and Jerk 94% x1
Front Squat – Heavy Single, Then 80% Of That x1×2
Planks (front, side) – 3 x max

The Rouge Racers:

Rest Day

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

Rest Day

I believe CrossFit is about people and relationships. Fitness comes as a result of having great people and solid relationships in a place where the right tools are available.  A gym without great people is simply a room full of weights.

I believe CrossFit  selects for great people. A co-worker once wondered how a guy he knew got a ride to a distant city overnight. He said he didn’t think any of his friends would do that for him. Our response: we have a gym full of friends who wouldn’t hesitate AND they’d even buy coffee for the trip

I believe you can tell a lot about a person by how they approach the bar. Confident. Questioning. Unsure. Determined. Reckless. Cautious.

I believe you can tell even more about that person when they leave the bar. Exuberant. Angry. Self depreciating. Impressed. Proud. Contemplative.

I believe burpees were designed by the same guy who invented pantyhose.

I believe getting your diet nailed down is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. And you’ll have to do it everyday. Somedays it will be easy to make good food choices, other days it will seem impossible. It comes down to how important it is to you.  If its important enough, you’ll do it and the benefits will pay in spades.

I believe we have a duty to our kids. I have a responsibility to raise them in an environment where food is fuel and not celebration, a cure for the pity pool, or something to turn to in boredom. In other words, I have to know that my view of food is all screwed up and I have to instill in my kids something different.

On the topic of kids, I believe they need to grow up knowing exercise if fun, rewarding, and its an enjoyable pursuit for life. Luckily, they get to grow up in a CrossFit gym where they are surrounded by great people, heavy weights, PR’s and all of the makings of a positive, welcoming, healthy environment.

The best gift we’ve ever received was a card that simply said “Thank You for saving my life”

(NOTE: Read EMT Mike’s Card To Coach LeClair)

Lastly, I believe in family. My family is just a little bigger these days.

(much thanks to affiliate blog mistress Lis Darsh of CF Watertown for the challenge to write “10 things I believe”)

As For Training:

Here Are The 2 Choices…

1. Greek And Latin Origin Meaning “Foreign Women”

2. Short Nickname For A Women’s Name Of Miranda

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If You CrossFitters Don’t Know The Above Folks…YOU OWE Burpees, AND You Need To Get Into Class More Often!

For All Training…

SHOW UP And PUT UP…

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What An Excellent Meeting Last Night…Not Only Did The Rouge Racers Develop A Clear Avenue For Training Into 2010, They Also Celebrated Carmen’s Birthday…

Happy Birthday Carmen…You Are A Great Part Of Our Racing Family…

About 20 Members Of The Rouge Racers Met To Discuss All Things Training…Look Forward To Great Things From This Group Of Dedicated Racers…

The Academy’s Training:

SP/PP/BP:  Pick One
85% x2×3
Followed By:
AMRAP In 15:
400m Sprint
5 Handstands
10 Hang Power Cleans @ 75% BW

The USAW Team’s Training:

Snatch 90% x1×2
Clean/Jerk 95% x1
Front Squat 90% x2×2

Followed By:
3RFTO:
10 1-Arm DB PS @ 20% BW
25 Sb-Mat Sit-ups

The Rouge Racers:

Rest Day

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

Follow The Academy’s Training

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So…on multiple occasions I have had the privilege of hearing CrossFit Coach Jeff Martin speak (CrossFit Brand X) about what his responsibilities are and what his purpose as a Coach is.  His question was…”What do I do for my clients?”  He proceeded to list a bunch of do-I questions:

Do I make them stronger?  Do I get them faster?  Do I burn body fat?  Do I improve their work capacity across broad time, modal domains, and age?

His answer to the very first question was indeed none of the above questions nor the obvious answers.  There is actually something that comes BEFORE all of the above can happen.  His answer…

“I improve human movement.”

It was that simple…now you all can understand why I (we) care so much about your squat, press, deadlift, running technique, and so on.  If we can improve your simple movement patterns EVERYTHING else will fall into place…of course with the proper level of intensity.

Speaking of Intensity…

The Academy’s Training:
Deadlift 80% x2×5
Followed By:
5 RFTO:
20 Double-Unders
10 Burpees

The USAW Team’s Training:

Muscle Snatch 75% x3×3
Snatch 80% x1×4
Clean/Jerk 80% x1×3
Followed By:
3RFTO:
15 Kipping Pull-ups
15 Push-Press @ 55% BW

The Rouge Racers:

Team Meeting At Coach LeClair’s House @ 6:30pm

The CrossFit Endurance Team:

Follow The Academy’s Training Today

First Place Swamp Lilies…Camp Pendleton Mud Run

Joanne’s Crew, 2nd Place Camp Pendleton Mud Run

Team Lady Boots…1st Mud Run Ever!!! (Ummm, Ignore Keith, He Isn’t A Lady Boot)

CrossFit Endurance Racer Summer Wesson Receiving Her 1st Place 5k Medal At The Randy Simmons 5k Race From Randy’s Own Brother…

Talk about purpose…I have 16 reasons above to do what I do…My job is not a job, it truly is a passion.  I see the success of my actions in every step our Team Members take…and it will only get better every year.  As we close out 2009, we head into our 8th year of Training.  8 years of Bootcamp with almost 5 of those years layered with CrossFit and 2 of those years layered with the Academy.  As Coach Glassman has stated many times, “We have been clumsy at times, excellent at times, but damn proud of what we do.”

Know that 2010 will bring new challenges, new Programs, new faces, new instructors, and new goals…and we will, as always, be standing there victorious with our Team surrounding us, supporting us, and growing together.

What WILL ensure our growth into the next few years?

Our CrossFit Kids Program…

Excellent Student-Athletes Like “Racer Sr.” Oppliger Who Trains With The Heart, Spirit, And The Determination Of A Champion Every Day Will Flourish Under Our Guidance.  “Racer Sr.” is in his 1st Cross Country season and running well on his way to new PRs all the time.

We are all impressed by his teamwork, determination, and of course his excellent work ethic.

Oppliger Is Just The Beginning…

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