Triangle CrossFit

Pain in the Abs

It is CrossFit's contention that the primary job of the abdominal muscles is trunk stabilization.  This statement is enough to make any conventional fitness professional turn their head faster than someone yelling "Free soy and seaweed shakes!"  The conventional wisdom says that the job of the abs is primarily trunk flexion.  They obviously have never done any overhead squats.  But think about it.  Other than sitting up in bed, or some similar motion, how many times in a day do you actually flex your trunk where ONLY the abs are flexing, especially under any kind of load?  Conversely, every time you sit down, stand up, pick something up, twist, reach for something, etc., your trunk has to be stabilized.  The abs, obliques, and lower back muscles are always at work. 

We do, occasionally, do some hip flexion exercises in CrossFit, but it's always combining the abs with the hip flexors, which is how they're used in real life.  We don't specialize in anything, except not specializing.  Our body parts were created to work together, not independently.  That's why no individual muscle can produce as much force as many together.  Here's something to flex and stabilze you for the weekend:

Workout of the Day

3 rounds for time of:

run 400m

15 GHD Sit-ups

15 Knees to Elbows 

15 Overhead Squats (guys 95#, girls 65#)

Check out the demos from CrossFit if you don't know how or what to do.  If you can't do GHD situps, then: 1)you should join us at TCF where you can, and 2)you can sub 50 sit-ups per round.  Scale the OHS weight as needed.  3,2,1...GO!

If you're still wondering whether you should join us or not, we're wondering why you wouldn't!  Here's a little article someone made me aware of recently on MSN that might help you out.

QUOTE:"We are not trying to entertain the critics.  I'll take my chances with the public." - Walt Disney 

Strength and Finesse

These two can be difficult on their own.  Try putting them together.  Much more difficult.  Add in the element of trying to do them both as fast as you can, and it's on.  There's only one thing to do, get it done.

Workout of the Day

"Elizabeth-like"

Do 3 rounds of 21, 15, and 9 reps each of the following exercises for time:

Deadlift (guys 225#, girls 155#)

Ring Dips

Scale the weight as needed, and if you can't do ring dips or don't have rings, do regular dips instead at 3 times the reps.

QUOTE:"He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still." - Lao Tzu

Agility

Exercisers don't usually think of agility as being part of their training regimen.  In a world that seems to be concerned with how skinny women can become (even if they're still soft), or how much weight one can bench press (even though it translates the least of all power lifts to daily life), most people just aren't concerned with agility, balance, coordination, etc. in their fitness routines.  Not only does CrossFit train these attributes, but we train them under stress, working on these things while your muscles are fatigued, and your heart is racing.  Try to keep up.

Workout of the Day

4 rounds for time of:

40 Double Unders

10 Push Jerks(guys 135#, girls 95#)

10 Pull-ups

Click on the links to see CrossFit video demos of these exercises, and scale the weight according to your ability to blast through this workout.  If you can't do double unders, do tuck jumps, or do single rope skips at 3x the prescribed number of double unders.

DUE TO CALLS INQUIRING ABOUT OUR GRAND OPENING, WE'RE FINDING THAT MANY PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE NOW OPEN AND RUNNING "WORKOUT OF THE DAY" CLASSES IN OUR NEW FACILITY.  CHECK OUT OUR SCHEDULE AND COME SEE WHAT WE'RE ABOUT OR CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION.

QUOTE:"Discipline yourself so that somebody else doesn't have to." - John Wooden 

Like the wind

It's time to test some limits.  We are constantly measuring our workouts in CrossFit to make sure what we're doing is working.  Today is simple.  Not necassarily easy, but simple.

Keep in mind that the "Workout in the Park" this Saturday will actually be held in our new place.  We'll start at 9:00 AM sharp, and look forward to seeing you and any friends you want to bring with you, at that time.  It's free and all are invited.

 

Workout of the Day

Run 5k for time.

Just go!

QUOTE:"Know thyself." - Thales

Where do I start?

We had a very educational time this weekend at the CrossFit Barbell Cert.  Everyone had the same sentiment: It's amazing how much you think you know until someone shows you how much you don't know.  Coach Rip was easy to listen to and as charming as you've heard he is.  Anyway, we've got a lot of things to teach you (and continue learning ourselves), so let's get to it....

Workout of the Day

Back Squat 5,5,5,5,5

Work up to as much weight as you can handle, with proper form, of course.

 

Josh from GSX Athletics, Coach Rippetoe, and yours truly at the Barbell Cert.

QUOTE:"Loyalty to petrified opinion never broke a chain or freed a human soul." - Mark Twain. 

One last time...

A little business before we get on with it.  We will have no evening classes on Friday, and no Saturday morning classes due to the fact that we will be down at CrossFit Cherry Point for the Basic Barbell Cert with Coach Rippetoe and Coach Kilgore.  I can't wait!  I hope to come back with a boatload of information that will help you guys lift stronger and better.

Cora loves burpees!

Workout of the Day

"Tabata This!"

Do 8 rounds each of the following exercises where one round is 20 seconds of as many reps as you can push out, followed by 10 seconds of rest.  Do all 8 rounds of one exercise before going on to the next one in the order:

Pull ups

Push ups

Sit ups

Squats

Your "Tabata This!" score is the total of all reps for all rounds in all exercises.  Go hard!  In less than 16 minutes you're done.

QUOTE:"Pain is temporary.  It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place.  If I quit, however, it lasts forever." - Lance Armstrong

Mix It Up

Simple but effective.  This strategy is another way of saying the CrossFit mantra: "We specialize in not specializing."  We don't know what tomorrow will hold, so we should be ready for anything.  All games are not the same.  All fire calls are not the same.  All wrestling matches are not the same.  All battles are not the same.  Be ready for anything.

Workout of the Day

For time:

Row 1000m

10 Wall Ball Shots (guys 20#, girls 12#)

10 Sit Ups

Row 750m

20 Wall Ball Shots

20 Sit Ups

Row 500m

30 Wall Ball Shots

30 Sit Ups

Row 250m

40 Wall Ball Shots

40 Sit Ups

Scale the ball weight to your ability, and storm through.

QUOTE:"Discipline is not a nasty word." - Pat Riley

Jump!

Get your legs moving for this one.  For real.

Workout of the Day

4 rounds for time:

40 Double Unders

30 Squats

20 Walking Lunges (10 per leg)

10 Box Jumps (guys 24", girls 20")

5 Hand Stand Push Ups

Run 400m

Persevere and work through the burn.

QUOTE:"It hurts up to a point and then it doesn't get any worse." - Ann Trason

Get Under It!

I've found with myself and with training others, that one of the biggest barriers to cleans is making yourself get under the weight with speed.  There could be several mental blocks to this, not the least of which is the feeling that all that weight will be landing on you.  This, however, is not the way it should be.  The point at which you are the highest, and at which your hips are open the most, should be the approximate same point that you would have the weight in a rack position at the bottom of a front squat, give or take an inch or two.  So forget the feeling that all that weight is coming down on you from great heights.  And remember, if you get in trouble, you can always dump them, right?  At least you can at our TCF.

Monday night with Helen.

Workout of the Day

Cleans 3,3,3,3,3

Work up to as much weight as you can handle.  Open those hips!

QUOTE:"You can't command people to do their best, they can only command that of themselves." - Bob Nelson

Come check it out!

We're in our new place and ready for this new phase to begin.  We've got more equipment and more space to accommodate more athletes, and will be open more days.  Elements classes will be scheduled on an "as needed" basis, and may not show up on our posted schedule, so contact us to sign up.  Stop by to check out the place and get started on forging your elite fitness.

Converted CrossFitter Dennis at Raleigh Fire Station 1.

Workout of the Day

"Helen"

3 rounds for time:

400m run

21 DB swings (guys 55#, girls 35#)

12 Pull-ups

Scale the weight as needed and own this workout!

QUOTE:"Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve." - Tom Landry