Bottoms Up

The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press (BUP) is a fun, challenging kettlebell motion; You hold an inverted kettlebell by the handle - balancing and pressing up at the same time. Let's motivate people to try it:

* It requires a combination of grip and pressing strength along with focus and coordination to press the kettlebell while maintaining the weight straight above the handle.
* It's a good assistance exercise for the bench press.
* It's a great way to work your weak side.
* Even small weight increases make a BIG difference,so it highlights the advantages and sturdiness of the Kettlestack.
* You can get better with practice, so it's a fun way to psych out your bigger friends (within limits).
* Done well, it looks very cool! (we're always willing to post other videos if you've got them ) . . . .

Read the rest here

WoD:

Kettlebell Box Jumps

Weighted Pull Ups

Rest 5 minutes then

3 Minutes Max Squats

Rest 1 Minute

3 Minutes Max Double Unders

Rest 1 Minute

3 Minutes Max Ring Dips

Score is total of all reps completed

Post loads and times to comments.

Carb Curve

I've posted this before, but I really like this post from MDA.

Yesterday, low-carb blogger Dr. Michael Eades (he of Protein Power) posted a message from his friend and fellow low-carb guru Richard Feinman as sort of a call-to-action in public policy-making for upcoming 2010 USDA guidelines. Dr. Eades and Dr. Feinman have suggested that we ought to quickly find a way to help the USDA arrive at a sensible recommendation for carbohydrate consumption. Feinman asked:

“how can the benefits of carbohydrate restriction that you have experienced personally or in your immediate environment be translated into reasonable recommendations that the USDA could put out?”

In conjunction with my forthcoming book “The Primal Blueprint”, I have been working on an easy-to-understand explanation of how carbohydrates impact the human body and the degree to which we need them (or not) in our diet. I have also developed a chart (not the one above) that is intended to assist those who want to go “Primal” in visualizing the impact of carbs consumed within certain ranges. I was going to hold off on releasing this information until my book is published, but decided to introduce it here in response to Dr. Eades’ post. Since the choice of how many and what types of carbs in one’s diet depends on the context of one’s life (current weight, disease condition, activity levels, etc), I see carb intake as a “curve” ranging from “allowable” to “desirable” to “unhealthy”.

Read the rest here

Blame the dents in my yard on this, at least 80# falling fast. A suck-fest of a WoD, but a lot of fun.

WoD:
Depth Jumps

Box Squats

Rest 5 minutes then
21-15-9
Kettlebell Swings (Men use 24kg/Women use 16kg)
Clapping Push Ups (Rx+ is clapping behind the head)

Post loads and times to comments

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is among the oldest healing practices in the world. As part of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), acupuncture aims to restore and maintain health through the stimulation of specific points on the body. In the United States, where practitioners incorporate healing traditions from China, Japan, Korea, and other countries, acupuncture is considered part of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).

Read more about Acupuncture here



Fighting through those Koji Squats

WoD:

Practice Goblet Squats

Squat Snatch

Get a good 1 Rep, not maxing out however.

Rest 5 minutes then:

For time

50m Prowler Sprint

3 Rounds

5 Bucket Throws

50 Squats

then

Row 150m

Post loads and times to comments

"Valhalla, I Am Coming!"

Just to give everyone an update, I have started to figured out CafePress.com and hopefully will have the shirts ready to be ordered by the end of the week. I'm not quite sure they'll turn out how I would like them to since I have limited computer editing experience and I'm doing this by myself. Nevertheless, I feel they will still be worn as badges of honor. With the new equipment I'm going to start with even more "non-conventional" workouts that I would like to think would make Thor happy. So in an effort to get in the right mindset I present to you Led Zepplin's "Immigrant Song".

Working through the Long Cycles

WoD:

One Leg Box Jumps

Weighted Dips 3x5

Rest 5 minutes then:

3 Rounds for time:

10 Deadlifts (Men use 275#/Women use 185#)

10 Muscle Ups

Post loads and times to comments

Michelle finally get her rest

CrossFit Challenges

Check out these challenges here and post to the comments if you would like to give some of them a go.


Intense!


David learning the Snatch

WoD:
Lateral Hops

Koji Front Squats 3x3

Rest 5 minutes then

4 Rounds
400m Med Ball Run
5 Long Cycles (Men use 24kg/Women use 16kg)
10 Pull Ups

Post loads and times to comments


Harder than it looks

Linking Carbohydrates To Diseases

WoD:
Knee Jumps and Rope Pull

Shoulder Press
1-1-1-1

Rest 5 minutes then

4 Rounds
7 Hang Squat Snatches (Men use 95#/Women use 63#)
50 Double Unders

Post loads and times to comments

Start Shooting Your Olive Oil

Olive oil's health benefits

The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.

The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.

Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Read the rest of this article here.

David getting some on the Rolling Burpees. He also got his first Handstand today.

WoD:

Farmer's Walk

Deadlifts

Rest 5 minutes then

6 Rounds

10 Push Presses (Men use 75#/Women use 48#)

10 Alternating Pistols

Post loads and times to comments

Russian Swings

From now on, all we will do as far as Kettlebell Swings goes is the Russian Swing. There are several reasons for this. One being that that "American" Swing causes shoulder impingement and throws the grivek off-balance. Secondly, the Russian swing projects energy forward which translates better to real world applications. Thirdly, if we're going to go overhead, we may as well Snatch the weight (don't worry, we will ;)). And last, but not least, it actually is a better and more effective exercise, even with the ROM severely cut short.

Take notes, that's what it looks like to PR on "Helen".

Practice the Russian Swing

Handstand Push Ups

3 Max sets

Rest 5 minutes then

5-2 Minute Rounds

Sprint 100m

5 Rolling Box Jump Burpees (Men use 24"/Women use 18")

Kettlebell Swing for the remainder of the 2 minutes (Men use 32Kg/Women use 24kg)

Score is total of Kettlebell Swings

Post loads and scores to comments.

Koji Squats

Post thoughts on this to comments. I'm all for it, yet another tool

HKC in Davie, FL this past Saturday with Master RKC Instructor Andrea Du Cane (Center of the front row).

Weighted Box Jumps

Overhead Squats

5x3

Rest 5 minutes then

5 Rounds

10 Clean and Jerks (Men use 135#/Women use 88#)

10 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups

Post thoughts, loads, and times to comments.

Lucky's Lake Swim

Saturday, April 3rd we are planning a trip to swim at Lucky's Lake just north of Universal Studios. Check out their website and let me know if you're interested. I believe it starts at 7:30.

WoD:

Sled Drag

Turkish Get Ups

21-15-9

Power Snatches (Men use 95#/Women use 65#)

Jumping Squats (Men use 45#/Women use 33#)

Post loads and times to comments

Private

I found this on the Gym Jones website, I concur with their sentiments:

The outcome of both sports competition and actual combat are decided largely by one's mental attitude. To be sure, superior firepower, whether physical or technical is a determining factor but the "heart" governs the application of resources, which makes spirit the most powerful force on the field. Acquiring the spirit necessary to win, which includes a positive acceptance of pain is difficult in a society where comfort is more highly regarded than capacity, where genuine physical fitness is the norm for less than 15% of the population. A visit to any normal gym that is open to the public offers an idea of what modern society thinks it means to be fit; magazines are read while "running" or "biking," discomfort is proscribed, intensity is lacking. Modern fitness is defined by appearance rather than actual horsepower. A training environment contaminated by this attitude cannot produce the results we seek, physical or mental.

Read the rest here

That is what Full Extension looks like

WoD:

3 Max L-Sits

Front Squat 2x2

Rest 5 minutes then

3 Rounds for time

Run 400m

21 Kettlebell Swings (Men use 1.5 pood/Women use 1 pood)

12 Pull Ups

Post loads and times to comments

To Eat Or Not To Eat...

Dear Mark,

I’m a little confused. I get the animal fat, the meat, the veggies, and the lowish sugar fruit recommendations, but what about nuts? I love nuts, don’t get me wrong… I’m just a bit paranoid about the Omega 6 content. You recommend nuts in the book. If you (and pretty much all other Primal bloggers) tell us to avoid Omega 6 fats, should we still be eating them? I’m having trouble reconciling the two bits of advice and there seem to be mixed messages out there. Thanks.

Is there a place for nuts in the Primal Blueprint diet? Let’s take a closer look.

Keep reading…

Fighting for that first Pull Up

WoD:

Practice Windmills and Knee Jumps

Clean and Jerk 2x2

Rest 5 minutes then

Row 500m (This is an all out pace)

Bonus: 200 Double Unders for time

Post loads and times to comments

Vices For Hands

Ask a local gym rat, athlete or body builder how strong they are and you usually get a response about how much they can bench press. When was the last time you ever heard them talk about grip strength? Grip strength plays a huge role in the success of many sports but yet is highly neglected in most strength and conditioning programs.

Grip strength is the limiting factor of how much weight can be lifted, for example in the pull up. Most people fail at pull-ups not because of back strength, but because their grip strength is insufficient. To compensate, many athletes use wrist wraps.

Taken from Dragon Door, read the rest here


2 Pood Kettlebell Swings..."It's all in the hips. It's all in the hips."

WoD:

Slosh Pipe hold

Pull Ups

1-1-1-1

Rest 5 minutes then

4 Rounds for time
10 Tire Flips
10 Chest Slap Push Ups
10 Wall Ball Shots (Men use 20#/Women use 10#)

Post loads and times to comments

Keeping It Interesting

Just a few words about keeping it interesting and improving yourself in the gym. Once you have mastered the standard warm up start taking it to new levels. As your body improves you'll be able to handle a "tougher" warm up. Throw in Clapping Push Ups, try to clap your chest or behind your ears. Use some of the tools lying around the floor (Perfect Push Up, Ab Wheel), swing the Kettlebells around, work on Pistols, Run/Row, Wall Balls, Powermetric Pull Ups, One Arm Push Ups, etc. Use that time to work on any weaknesses you may have. The Burgener Warm Up is great for working on O-lifting technique I can promise you that this will all transfer over in the WoDs.


We are going to take better advantage of the tires this time around.

WoD:

Conditioning Rope/Hurdle Circuit

Zurcher Squats 3x2

3 Rounds for time of
Row 500m

10 Kettlebell Clean and Presses (Men use 1.5 pood/Women use 1 pood) Alternate arms, these are strict presses.

15 Overhead Squats (Men use 95#/Women use 63#)

Post loads and times to comments

Hidden Gluten

It’s no secret that living the gluten free lifestyle takes a fair amount of research and a huge amount of diligence. If you’re new on the learning curve, don’t get overwhelmed – it does become second nature after a while. The payoff is big for you or your gluten free family member and I speak from experience, it will definitely get easier. Here are 4 tips for successfully avoiding hidden gluten at the grocery store.

1. Identify your allergy/intolerance/sensitivity

Know the foods that trigger a reaction and study the names they may hide under. Many ingredients go by multiple names, so if you think you may forget all the things you are looking for, bring a list to the store until you feel confident that you’ve got it. There is conflicting information on some gluten ingredients, so do your homework. You can purchase a listing of known gluten free brands as a reference in the form of an iphone app, or in book form (I have Cecilia’s Gluten Free Shopping Guide, by Matison and Matison.)

Read the rest of this article here

8 Rounds for total time
Sprint 400m
10 Push Ups
Rest 90 seconds

Post total time to comments

The 10 Commandments

Taken from Dan John's website

The Ten Commandments of Recovery

Sleep! You probably won’t even consider this one, but it is the single best weight loss tool, muscle gain tool, training tool, life tool, I have ever encountered. Read about my short term study of more sleep in this section. The Cuban lifters sleep nine hours every night, PLUS a three hour nap! Turn off the TV and go to bed!

The body is one piece! Don’t think you have an upper body and a lower body. Stick a fork in someone’s thigh while they are benching and it will stop the lift, even though some think that bench presses are for the upper body. If you play three hours of pickup basketball games, it will hurt your training. If you slam tequila shooters with the cute girl just back from the Mexico trip, it will hurt your training. Staying up all night with sick children will hurt your training. An infected toe will hurt your training. You are one magnificent piece, keep that in mind. The first line of defense against injury and overtraining is monitoring your life as well as your training.

Read the rest of this article here.


Prowler = FML

"Band Assisted Box Jumps"

Shoulder Press 5x2

Rest 5 minutes then

3 Rounds for time
50 Squats
14 Ring Dips
7 Kettlebell Swings (Men use 2 Pood/Women use 1.5 Pood)

Post loads and times to comments

You Call That Fitness?

Looking for a good laugh?? Head over to Youcallthatfitness.blogspot.com to get your fix.



5 minutes of One Arm Snatches. Relax...It'll all be over soon.

Prowler Push 100m Sprint

Rest 5 minutes then

Run 800m

10 Pull Ups

20 Alternating Pistols

30 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (Men use 95#/Women use 58#)

40 Burpees

50 Double Unders

Run 800m

50 Double Unders

40 Burpees

30 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

20 Alternating Pistols

10 Pull Ups

Run 800m

Post times to comments

400m Med Ball Run

Thrusters 2x1

Rest 5 minutes then

How many One Arm Kettlebell Snatches can you do in 5 minutes?
RKC rules apply:

The girevik picks up the kettlebell, swings it back between the legs, and snatches it overhead in one uninterrupted movement to a straight-arm lockout. If you have a medical restriction that prevents you from fully locking out your elbow you must notify your team leader in the beginning of the course. Poor flexibility does NOT qualify as a medical restriction.

After fixing the kettlebell in the top position until the kettlebell and the student are visibly motionless, the girevik lowers the kettlebell between the legs in one uninterrupted motionwithout touching the chest or shoulder.

The snatch may be performed with or without a knee dip at the overhead lockout. The girevik is allowed to place the free hand on the hip or waist (but not on the thigh) and move the feet. However, the student must stop all movement when fixing the weight in the top position.

On each attempt, the judge will announce the repetition number or "No count." A repetition is not registered if the student has failed to lock out his elbow, pressed out the kettlebell to the finish, or touched the platform with a knee or free hand.

You will be given 5min to complete the test.

You are allowed to make as many hand switches as you wish. The sum of both arms is scored.

You are allowed to set the kettlebell down and rest. If you have let go of the kettlebell before it has touched the ground (dropped it rather than set it down), your attempt will be disqualified. This applies to the last repetition as well.

You are allowed to make multiple back swings.

Chalk is allowed; belts, gloves, wrist wraps and other supportive equipment are not.

Kettlebell Snatch Test Requirements

An RKC candidate is required to do 100 repetitions regardless of bodyweight.

Kettlebell Sizes

Men Open Class	24kg
Men Masters (50 and Older)	20kg
Women Open Class over 56kg/123.5lbs bodyweight	16kg
Women Open Class up to 56kg/123.5lbs bodyweight	12kg
Women Masters (50 and Older)	12kg

Taken from Dragon Door
Post times, loads, and reps completed to comments

Hydration

With temperatures starting to warm up it's important to discuss hydration

Drinking water is so important for good health. When you were a kid in school, you learned that each molecule of water is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. You may also have learned that it was great fun to fill up your squirt guns with water, at least until the principal caught you. What you may not have learned, however, was how much water you needed in order to be a healthy human being.

Why You Need to Drink Water

Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

Read the rest of this article here


Hurdle Hopping isn't quite as simple as it looks.

200m Sled Pull

Overhead Squat 3x2

Rest 5 minutes then

3 Rounds
Row 3 minutes for distance
Rest 90 seconds

Post loads and distances to comments

Putting The Hurdles To Good Use

How do you spend your Friday night?

Hurdles

Weighted Dips 5x3

4 Rounds
Run 400m
25 Goblet Squats (Men use 24k/Women use 16k)
10 Rings Dips

Post loads and times to comments

"Lights Out!"

If you have not read "Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival" do so. It is hard to follow at times, but may be the link you're missing in your rise to fitness dominance (not to mention the damn thing only costs $10). You can find it on the Amazon link to the right. In the mean time, check out this article from Mark's Daily Apple on sleep and what you can do to improve it. You may be surprised.



David's so happy he has to clap when doing his Push Ups

Work on Knee Jumps and try adding a load to it

Hang Power Cleans 2x2

Rest 5 minutes then
5 Rounds
10 Burpee Box Jumps (Men use 24"/Women use 18")
5 Deadlifts (Men use 225#/Women use 148#)
Post loads and times to comment


Joel defying gravity

Box Squats

Weighted Box Jumps

Box Squat 5x3 3x3

Rest 5 Minutes then

3 Rounds
10 L-Sit Pull Ups
15 Clapping Push Ups
20 Double Unders

Post loads and times to comments

"Comrade"

Skill: Depth Jumps and One Legged Barbell Jumps

Rest 5 minutes then

3 Rounds for time

50 Foot Sled Pull

15 Push Presses (Men use 75#/Women use 53#)

10 Power Snatches (Men use 75#/Women use 53#)

Post times to comments

Insert funny comment here ___________________

Callus Care

I've had several people ask me about removing calluses from the hands. If you're doing a lot of gymnastics, weightlifting, grip training, or hand balancing (my 4 favorite hobbies) then calluses are an inevitability. They raise up and start to get pinched and can eventually rip off. This is a bit painful and a pain to deal with during training. Let me show you what to do to take care of things before you're leaving quarter size chunks of skin on the gym floor.

Taken from Beast Skills, read the rest here.

Walking has never been so hard


WoD

1) Run 400m or Row 500m

2) Max Pull Ups

3) Max Push Ups

4)Max Sit Ups in 60 seconds

5) Tabata Squats

Post scores to comments

Michelle making that Farmer's Walk seem easy with 53# Kettlebells