Victor, Leah, Teddy, Matija J, and Kathy G just hanging out

We’ll be doing a lot of focused hanging work for the month of October. Benefits of hanging work, via Ido Portal:

1. Shoulder/elbow/wrist health and the recovery of the lost ‘overhead reach’ range – promoting optimal range and making use of the upper body as it was designed to be used. By simply allowing gravity to ‘do its thing’ in the passive work or “fighting it” in the active work – one can send a very intense adaptation producing signal into one’s structure. I wonder if we implement hanging work throughout our lives, from young age and into old age and without taking too large of a break what would be the results over the now lost ‘overhead reach’ range and shoulder injury rates.I suspect we would have little need to ‘stretch our shoulders’ any further. Of course shoulder integrity, elbow and wrist/hand/finger health can benefit tremendously from daily hanging as well. (See added section below on the subject)

2. Lead up to pulling work, climbing and more advanced patterns. Hanging sits at the base of those patterns, just like standing does for walking. A deficiency in hanging work will become evident at a certain stage – some get stuck early unable to develop even a single chin up. (very common female problem)

3. Active hang work is especially important tool in certain advanced phases and scenarios – as a plateau breaker for advanced pullers approaching the One Arm Chin Up for example.

4. Grip Strength and Grip Endurance. If you cant grip it – you cant manipulate it/yourself. We have grown weaker all over due to the lack in physical demands in our daily lives. Grip is no different.

5. Creating ‘Terminology’ for future complexity. Hanging work creates awareness and a language of positions that can be later used to put together sophisticated pieces of movement in a variety of scenarios from gymnastics to parkour to tree climbing to rock climbing and more. It is a tool for improvisation and play.

ARTICLES

+ The Foundation is Nutrition – FCF

CrossFit WOD for Tuesday 10/3

in teams of two, for time:
100 calorie row
100 toes-to-bar

muscle-up development

Post time to whiteboard!

HellaFit WOD

Our take on bootcamp workouts, this class challenges you for the entire hour with a blend of strength and conditioning that works all the major muscle groups and focuses on functional movement. HellaFit will get you #hellasweaty while having #hellafun!

CompEx WOD

team sled work

in teams, for time:
40 rope climbs
80 sandbag situps
120 ring dips
160 pistols

Two people working at a time. Perform in any order.

special exercises

Gymnastics Strength WOD

crawling, gatherings, foam rolling, back conditioning, posterior chain stretching, handstands, bodybuilding

Starting next week we will start our Fall Nutrition Challenge where #1 goal is consistency. Can you be accountable to us and track each meal using a good ol’ journal pen + paper, electronic, or otherwise, social media, pictures, etc. Can you have integrity with yourself and treat your body to a new level of respect?

Our plan is simple and it follows the simple guideline written out by author Michael Pollan:

 

Tired of not making progress in your times and lifts? Are you dependent on your morning coffee because of grogginess, lack of sleep (recovery!), and lack of clarity? You’ve already become a more-enlightened mover by taking the time to learn and perform CrossFit. Now we apply it to eating!

Clean nutrition is as simple as something like this:

We want a focus on quality first, quantity second, and then the rest of the rulesets of many popular nutrition plans can come into play. If this is new to you, or your relationship with food is complicated, then let’s keep it simple.

Read more

KB demonstrates sitting on a box near Vicky B, but this is not a box squat.

This first week of October we start off with some heavily-influenced-by-the-course-I-attended-this-weekend strength work, two classic CrossFit benchmarks, two of the Team Series events, a deadlift max, and rowing workout.

Also we will be sharing a lot of information about our Fall Nutritional Challenge which begins next week! Some of our experienced athletes are starting on some of their nutrition plans now, but we’ll help out all those who are new to the foundation that is nutrition!

CrossFit WOD for Monday 10/2

box squat 10×1

+ special exercises for the hamstrings/glutes, and abs!

Post heaviest squat to whiteboard!

Olympic Weightlifting WOD – Week 4 of 7, Day 1 of 3

snatch complex, pause squats

Kettlebell WOD

Primal mobility

Getup and single arm swing focus

Simple and sinister related finisher

October is just around the corner and there has been some buzz around the gym about our upcoming nutrition challenge. So here it is.. you’re invited!

WHO: YOU!
WHAT: NUTRITION CHALLENGE: “Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”
WHEN: OCTOBER 1-8 education week, OCTOBER 9 – NOVEMBER 13.
KICK OFF: Saturday, OCTOBER 7th at 11am
Andrew will have a presentation followed by Q&A and discussion together over snacks!

THE DETAILS:
You have two ways to approach the challenge.
Keep It Simple: just honestly follow along the entire time.
Performance: record your work/progress by submitting in a daily self-scoring sheet. Sheena will keep track of these sheets! You will note your: nutrition (what/when/how much), sleep hours, and exercise (intensity).

I WANNA DO IT! What do I do?
-Declare what you will be doing. Our mantra this year, “Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” Or is it Paleo? Whole30? RP? Not sure? During the first week of October, we will explain what our mantra is as well as other viable options.
-Commit to 5 weeks of it.
-Decide which path to take on: Keep It Simple or Performance
-OPTIONAL: Take before/after photos for your personal reference.

We plan to make this interactive as much as possible, to stay motivated and inspired. We’ll start by having sign-ups on Tuesdays for meal-exchange every Thursday where we’ll meet-up for quick check-ins and some fun!

We’re excited to gather everyone together over food and healthier choices to supplement the hard work you put into the gym. Questions? Ask a coach, leave a comment, or send Coach Sheena an e-mail at sheena@foundationcrossfit.com.

Sarah M coaching up some modified HSPU with the morning crew

ARTICLES

+ Wodapalooza Fitness Festival, Week 3/Workout 6 Details – WZA

CrossFit WOD for Friday 9/29

WODAPALOOZA Week 3, Workout 6

for time:
90 double unders
70 wall ball, 20/14 lbs to 10/9′
50 deadlifts,
30 muscle-ups
50 deadlifts
70 wall ball, 20/14 lbs to 10/9′
90 double unders

30:00 time cap. Post time to whiteboard!

Olympic Weightlifting WOD

snatch complex, clean complex

Gymnastics Strength WOD

line drills, compression conditioning, legs SMR, pistols

Kettlebell WOD

Abridged Primal Movement Warmup and Mobility

Rack and OH work

Shoulder and hip mobility

Swings, presses and squats.

Big thanks to everyone who came out Tuesday evening for the Freestyle Connection Seminar

“The 1¼ squat is used to strengthen the bottommost part of the squat to aid in proper recovery position in the squat, clean or snatch. It can also be used specifically to train VMO and glute activation and strength.” – Greg Everett

ARTICLES

+ The 1-1/4 Squat: How, When, and Why It Should Be In Your Training – BarBend

CrossFit WOD for Thursday 9/28

4 rounds for time:
100m lunge
7 muscle-ups

then 1-1/4 front squats 7×3

Post times to whiteboard!

Dave H

Did you know: deadlifts used to be called Healthlifts for all of the benefits this exercise produces.

ARTICLES

+ Entire Seattle High School Football Team Kneels During National Anthem Before Game – Q13 Fox

CrossFit WOD for Wednesday 9/27

sumo deadlift 7×4

tabata burpee
tabata plank
tabata toes-to-bar
tabata L-hang
tabata HSPU
inverse tabata handstand

Post max deadlift weight to whiteboard.

Olympic Weightlifting WOD

clean & jerk complex, pause front squats

Kettlebell WOD

Primal mobility (extended)

Banded rotatory stability exercises

Getup and single arm swing focus

Simple and sinister