- Tuesday, March 1st, 2011
- by Jesse
"Wait, so what's the Burgener Warm-up?" Yep, that's the question that I was asked by one of our more experienced athletes during yesterday's pre-WOD festivities. After a few audible reminders coupled with a visual demonstration by said individual's peers, it became more clear the movements we were about to go through. This sequence of events only reaffirmed my belief that last weeks blog post "A Better Warm-up" (outlining the Official CrossFit Wam-up), was an appropriate refresher. Over the next few weeks we will review some of the fundamentals of CrossFit in an effort to help convey these basic, yet very important, tenants of the CrossFit methodology. Without further ado I give you The Burgener Warm-up: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/53_06_Burgener_Warmup.pdf
- Monday, February 28th, 2011
- by Jesse
As you may or may not know, there are yoga classes being offered at Crossfit Blacksburg. I’ve been practicing yoga much longer than Crossfit, but ironically it was a yoga instructor who first introduced me to Crossfit, and that helped me realize how doing both can truly be complimentary. The first thing that comes to mind for many people when thinking of yoga tends to be flexibility, and if you’re looking for better mobility in your hips, shoulders, or back, then yoga will definitely help, but don’t think that’s where the benefits stop. Physically yoga will help core strength/stability, balance, and of course flexibility. In addition to those benefits yoga is an integrated mind-body practice that can help you be more mentally aware of your body, and perhaps most importantly it can help you release stress and relax. Yoga is fantastic for recovery days or post workout to help with soreness. 2010 Crossfit Games winner Graham Holmberg recognized improvements in flexibility after starting a regular yoga practice, specifically citing increased hip and wrist mobility.
Classes at CFBB are small enough that I’m able to give individual attention to each participant. If there’s a joint or area in the body you’d like to work then I can definitely work it in and if there’s a movement like arm balances, hand/head stands we can do that as well. I’m trained in Vinyasa and Ashtanga yoga, and if you’re interested feel free to ask me anything or drop for a class. Your first class is free and classes are open to non-members.
Times- Tuesday: 11:15am Thursday: 7:30pm Sunday: 4:30pm
-Bryce Abbott
- Friday, February 25th, 2011
- by Carol
Join us next Wednesday, March 2nd for Happy Hour at Cabo Fish Taco! This date marks the end of the Whole 30 Challenge - hopefully many of you are feeling great! Our last happy hour was outstanding and our paleo palettes were well-accommodated! There will be no 6:30 pm adult class that evening. Hope everyone can make it! Festivities begin at 6:30 pm in the sunroom at Cabo...see you all there!
Mashed Cauliflower:
We whipped up a batch of these the other night...so simple and a great replacement for regular mashed potatoes. Take a huge head of cauliflower, chop it and steam it for 8 to 10 minutes until it is fork-tender. Then, puree it for several minutes in the food processor with ~1 cup of clean chicken stock and ~1/2 cup of coconut milk. (Adding a few tablespoons of butter is optional.) Salt and pepper to taste. To get the consistency of real mashed potatoes, you should let the processor run for a few minutes - check the mixture for the right texture for you - we like ours without lumps. We served it up with some slow-cooked beef and pork. Good stuff!
- Thursday, February 24th, 2011
- by Jesse
Most classes at the box start with some form of a “warm-up”. Depending on the nature of the training for the day, the movements, intensity, duration, and overall focus of the warm-up will vary. Most days we bias the warm-up towards getting the blood flowing, practicing important movement patterns, incorporating new drills and skills, etc. Some days when we’re feeling especially generous, say if the Coach’s newborn son kept him up all night, we might throw in a nice Burpee/Wall Ball couplet to help spread the love. Regardless of the specific intention of the warm-up it is important that our athletes use this time to help improve their overall performance. Seemingly mundane movements such as air squats and hollow rocks can be practiced and fine-tuned during this time. Dialing in your focus on the Burgener warm-up might just help you hit that all elusive “Squat Snatch” PR you’ve been looking for.
Coach Classman wrote this early Journal entry on warming up: http://library.crossfit.com/free/pdf/08_03_Better_warmup.pdf Take a look at it and let’s see if we can’t optimize our entire training time these next few weeks.
- Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
- by neil
One of the best things about coaching classes at CrossFit Blacksburg is watching different generations work with, compete against, and cheer each other on durings a WOD. On Saturday at the Open House, Sean and Andrew did Grace side by side. Sean said afterwards it was like a father/son workout...the young blood won out by a few seconds! I have had some young guys look at me after I finished before them, and have heard them say, "but you're old enough to be my father!"
The communtiy is what makes our little sweat box such a special place. The early morning crew may have never met the evening folks - but they each know their names...and their scores! Keep up the support and the competition - it makes coaching and working out much more enjoyable!
Andrew showing the next generation how to get up there...and setting a new gym record.
- Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
- by amy
This is the first installment of some member bios/testimonials.
Meet Marsha. Everyone wants to be Marsha when they grow up, including me! She is not only our oldest athlete (in age), but she's also been with us the longest. She's my role model, and you're lucky, regardless of age, if you have half of Marsha's grit, determination, and enthusiasm! Thanks for all you bring to CrossFit Blacksburg, and thanks for seeing us through so many changes and growing pains!!
OLD IS ONLY IN ‘YOUR MIND’
CrossFit … sounds like something everyone needs!! Who wouldn’t want to be “crossfit.” My son sent me to the CrossFit HQ website and told me I could “scale” my workouts to meet my needs … whatever that meant, I had no idea and the workouts looked like sheer agony. Then Brian told me to call Amy Crawford at “CrossFit NRV,” now CrossFit Blacksburg. That was two years ago, and I have never looked back. I remember my first box jump – a 10lb. plate and my single unders.I think I did about 25 and got such a severe headache that Amy named a workout after me!!! Well now…I can jump on a 16” box and am still doing single unders, but can do 3 rounds of 200 and still be on my feet and no headache.
For 20 years my fitness goal was to pass the Army PT test … sit-ups, push-ups and the 2 mile run; first in combat boots and then in running shoes (you know that when in battle you will have time to change into your running shoes to chase the enemy!) I tried the “gym” thing, Curves, jazzercise, self motivated exercise – ha! - And none of it was exciting or long lasting. So I just vegged out for a couple years! Then I found CrossFit.
In two years I have lost 18lbs., my cholesterol and triglycerides are significantly lower, no osteoporosis and I feel about 40 – when in reality I am 62. Oh sure, I do have some arthritis and my recovery time is not that of a 40 year old, but I have only once in two years not finished a workout and almost without fail make my three workouts a week.
I have always been a competitive person; played softball, field hockey, basketball, golf...and table tennis (don’t laugh…it takes focus and remember Forrest Gump!)…so I have had to struggle with setting realistic goals. I would love to do what all the young men and women at CrossFit Blacksburg do, but the truth is that I can’t and now realize I don’t need to. My goal is to maintain my functional movements and strength for the remainder of my life and to be independent. No way will you see me use a “catapult” chair ... I’m working on those hamstrings Jesse!
And THE PEOPLE! My only experiences with CrossFit have been CrossFit Blacksburg, CrossFit Rammstein, and attending the 2009 CrossFit Games to watch my son compete. There is such a strong sense of community everywhere. Everyone cares about each other, has fun together, and never ever denigrates anyone’s efforts in a workout. Where else can you go that there are people cheering for you till the bitter end and helping you make it through the WOD? There is nothing better than having someone cheer for your efforts…we all need cheerleaders in this life.
Thank you CrossFit Blacksburg…the coaches who are usually at my 9AM class…Amy, Jesse, and Neil…and to every athlete who comes in that door…you all make my life brighter!!!
Marsha Bowen
Marsha adapting a WOD to work around an injury.
- Monday, February 21st, 2011
- by amy
Thanks so much to everyone who showed up on Saturday for our open house! There were numerous workouts done, including many, many Baselines, and quite a few folks performed Grace and a couplet of 21-15-9 of wall ball and burpees.
Our community is very unique in the realm of fitness. Where else can you go where you're competing with folks, trying to eek out that 4-5 seconds, yet you cheer that person on to finish strong with good reps? It reminds me a lot of my mountain bike racing days ... hard, but really fun!!
Keep spreading the CrossFit love! Our business model is based on providing evidence- and results-based fitness, and to let the good word spread from there. Your enthusiasm is contagious!
Waiting their turn for The Baseline at the Open House
- Friday, February 18th, 2011
- by neil
Yesterday we talked about scaling workouts to maximize results. Today, we're all about adapting, specifically recipes, to make them work for how we eat. There are a lot of really good recipes out there, that with a little bit of "scaling", can be made to fit into our definition of clean. Like Beef Stroganof? Substitute coconut milk milk for the cream and away you go. That's just the tip of the iceberg, don't be afraid to experiment. Here's a recipe I made on Tuesday that required a little tweaking, a little' what do I have to work with?', and the results were great!
Sausage Stuffed Chicken
2 packs boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 6 in all
1 lb ground pork or sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion and celery. Enough to mix with the pork
Seasoning. I used ground pork and seasoned it with Penzy's Bavarian Seasoning. Itallian would work as well.
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chiken broth
Lay each breast out between layers plastic wrap or parchment paper. Take out your favorite wood mallet, and pound them to @ 1/4 thick and set aside.
Cook pork, adding onions and celery part way through. Add seasoning as needed.
When pork is cooked , add wine and simmer until liquisd is mostly absorbed.
Lay out one breast at a time, fill 1/2 with pork mixture to 1/2" from edge. Fold over the other side and pin with tooth picks. Repeat.
Heat lard in a cast iron skillet, and cook breasts 4 min per side. Add chicken broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes,
Remove breasts from skillet and scrape up the good bits on the bottom.
Enjoy! We served it on top of roasted kale.
- Thursday, February 17th, 2011
- by neil
The WOD's over the last two days are great examples of the importance of proper scaling. Tuesday was "Fractured Fran", and was meant to be a workout that you pushed hard all the way through. For some, that meant that they even though they could do the weight as Rx, they probably should have scaled down to move through quicker, and get used to the feeling of not resting and keep pushing through.
Wednesday was DT, a hero WOD that was meant to be heavy. A number of people said afterwards that they should have gone heavier, and their times reflected that. No, you don't want it too heavy so you have to rest after each rep, but it should stil be hard in the later rounds.
If you have been coming in for a while you should have a pretty good idea of where you should be for most workouts. Some people (mostly ladies) err on the side of going too light, and some (mostly guys) tend to go too heavy, and the times reflect it. So talk to your coaches before and after the workouts, and make notes in your journal! Proper scaling of the WOD will result in maximal power output!
Everybody loves weighted pushups!
- Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
- by amy
While on a conference call today, both Neil & I were reminded of virtuosity. Virtuosity is defined as great technical skill, or great skill and technique demonstrated by someone who excels at doing something. Figher Bruce Lee once said, "I fear not the man who has practice 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times."
Sometimes it is best to hone a skill you already have. While challenging yourself with new movements or skills is definitely worthwhile, there is no need to spread yourself too thin. Think of the phrase, "Jack of all trades, master of none."
I want you to think of a specific skill in your CrossFit repertoire, and focus on improving it 10% over the next month. Overhead squat needing some work? Then spend ten minutes before or after class working on it, even with a PVC pipe. Feeling the weakness of your core in some lifts? Hang out by the GHD machine and concentrate on engaging your core. Not just cranking out some sit ups, but feeling the difference in moves when you are contracting every muscle to clamp down on your spinal column. Think of a movement and work it. It needn't be your goat, although that would be good too!
Think about it. Work on gaining virtuosity and reap the rewards. Check out this letter from Coach Glassman regarding virtuosity.
On a different note, does anyone know of anyone who deals with commercial real estate in Boston? A CrossFit affiliate friend is in dire need of a new space, pretty much immediately. Please let us know if you have a friend who has a friend ...
Stephanie locking it out
