Many of us ended a major event, like the 45 Days in the Cave or the Crossfit Games events. Did you "reward" your self at the end? Was it everything you hope for?
I had my first "bad food" weekend in months. Over the Crossfit Games Opens and Regionals season, I would "cheat", but I can't remember one occasion when I had 2 bad meals in a row on Saturday (Wingstop for lunch and pizza at a poker game that night). We'll see how that plays out over the week.
On a side note, I jumped in with Erika, Alison, Michelle and began posting nearly everything do (eat, WODs, side work, rest/recovery) in a Google Docs spreadsheet. Super easy. Wish I started this in January...
Post your "post challenge" dalliances to the comments section.
I Love Crossfit Modesto. Alison's take on the "I Love Crossfit______" Video contest
The Crossfit Modesto Cave Dwellers are out of their cave! Congrats to all that participated! I was on the sidelines, but Alison was a dedicated Cave Dweller. Even watching, it was easy to see the changes going on. And when your spouse is a great cook, you eat what is prepared. I also used the nutrition plan in my preparations for Regionals, and my desires to eat "dirty" were curbed by my desire to do well. In the end, I was pretty close to being a Cave Dweller. Needless to say, I'm a huge supporter of the Paleo lifestyle now.
A common thought I have heard among the Cave Dweller's is "I'm going to continue this". As the the challenge progressed, it seemed to get easier. I was rarely hungry, my energy levels were consistent. Because my energy levels were pretty good, I found I was drinking less coffee (my biggest vice).
Dwellers, please post thoughts and experiences to comments.
The new USDA "Food Plate". I will need time to let this sink in. Initial thoughts: This is an improvement. The Zone Diet also uses a plate to describe what portions we need to eat in. BUT, the fingerprints of the Industrial food lobbies are all over this. Do we even need "Grains"? Does it even matter if they are :whole grains" or not? And most importantly, where are the Fats?
REMINDER TO CAVE DWELLERS: Please sign up to complete the Cindy Challenge/BW Measurement. The times are: Friday, 6:30 & 9a, and all evening classes. Saturday at 12p.
A quick note on movement standards. The Crossfit Games offer a definitive version of what a "rep" is. Crossfit HQ spends time deciding what a "rep" is, then pushes the standards to the judges. Some movements are easy to define, like the clean or the snatch. Some movements, like burpees, have standards that seem to change every year. This year, burpees were done both "bar-facing" style and to an object, like a mini-box jump. For both burpee standards, the overhead hand clap was removed.
The kettlebell swing (KBS), in my mind, is one of the more difficult movements to judge. I think this is because, at the top of the swing, the weight is likely moving back to the starting position.
Last year, for the 2010 sectionals, Nor Cal was looking for a KB that was "bottoms up", with arms fully extended overhead, at the 12 O'Clock position (directly over head, bi-secting the frontal plane). Many people hated this standard. Many were athletes unfamiliar with it, as kettlebell purists don't call for this standard. But it sure is easy to judge. The KB is either upside down, or it isn't.
This Nor Cal standard was used for the Crossfit Games (in "Hell-in") last year, and again this year (the 100s). As far a Games competition goes, the "bottoms up" standard is likely here to stay.
Crossfit is universally scalable, and so is the KBS. For beginner athletes, we may have you swing to eye level (often known as the Russian Swing). As you develop capacity and confidence, we generally recommend swinging the bell to 11 O'Clock.
In the KBS to 11, we do see athletes relying on their arm pull over their hip drive. This results in a KBS where the bell "droops" to the ground, and never "turns over" at the apex of the swing.
If you have been doing this stuff for a while, I recommend trying KBS to the Games standard. It just requires the most work, and forces you to really turn the bell over and focus on hip drive over arm pull.
Fighting to achieve the standard.
Workout Of The Day
Strength
Shoulder Press
9 sets of 3, 60% of 1RM.
Metcon
150 Kettlebell Swings
Everytime you put the bell down, do 5 burpees.
Notice I have not posted a weight. Use the heaviest KB possible, based on your abilities and equipment available. Post time to complete and KB weight used to comments.
Hand Care. Again.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
Once again...hand care, this time from Crossfit Oahu. Over the weekend, I saw some hand tears. Just being back in the gym on Monday (Wallball/Pullups), I saw some nasty hand tears. I know people are doing hand care. CF Oahu makes a good point; the strength of your hand skin "is what it is". Sometimes your hands can only take so much. If you are a bigger athlete, just your weight on the bar may cause that tension to build in your hands, and rips will occur. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be diligent about your hand care.
As Rip demonstrates in the video, knowing how to hold the bar helps. This is something that is learned over hundreds and thousands of reps.
There is a simple solution to help: get stronger. Tears generally occur on kips (especially pullups and toes to bar). A large, dynamic kip causes more "rub" in the hands. If you can generate more power with a smaller kip, your hands will thank you. Also, stronger grip can help.
Getting stronger takes time. You will have to continue to manage your hands, and develop your skills to mastery levels. The quest continues...
These are my hands after Regionals. Nothing major to report. After hundreds of pullups, toes to bars, muscleups and barbell work, nothing. Why? I have no idea, other than my grip is pretty good, and I know "how" to hold onto the bar.
Alison's hands after Wallball/Pullups. Some tearing here. But she's learning...
Workout Of The Day
Strength
Deadlift
In 15 minutes, establish a 1rep max.
Metcon
12 Minute AMRAP
Begin with an 800m run. Once the run is complete, in the remaining time, complete as many rounds/reps of the triplet:
4 Deadlift 225/155
8 Alternating Pistols
12 Hand Release Pushups
_thumb.JPG "CrossFit Modesto image")
