I heart snatch

Snatch 2-27 from Full Circle on Vimeo.

Sorry Big Mark;

Big Tex has taken that spot on the leaderboard.
You're gonna have to better than 185lbs if you want to stay on top!


Overhead Squat - BW and PR from Full Circle on Vimeo.

Gymnastics Certified...

Just got back from the Gymnastics Cert in DC.

All the things that I might normally complain about in a Crossfit event like this were almost entirely alleviated here;
Wasn't rushed
Wasn't lacking in detail
Really answered questions
Learned how to do, coach and spot
There was NO WOD
There WAS lots of applied practice
The depth was much greater than the breadth
EVERYONE was cool

Jeff Tucker knows his stuff, but more importantly he has a meaningful, uncomplicated way of conveying what you need to know. He's realistic about expectations, both for the seminar and for the participants in the short and long run. He cares about how well other affiliates are doing, both in applying his lessons and simply generally. Short; Hell of a Coach.

I was totally impressed with how totally awesome the entire crew of Potomac Crossfit was. They all seemed to be pretty competent people, but I was more impressed by the fact that they definitely made me feel welcome and where everything that NoVa assholes typically are not.

Byers... Talked through the entire seminar. It never got so bad that I really needed to say anything. I guess if this were one of my 'How to identify a Nurse' classes in school, I'd probably be at the back of the class laughing it up with Melissa (this is not a knock on you either Melissa, as I mean it; we'd probably have a lot of fun at the back of class, and you were not the only one that wouldn't shut up, you're just the one whose name I know/remember, and being taller than EVERYONE else means that you and Dallas' voices carry the farthest). But I felt bad for Tucker this weekend; he's already got to talk himself hoarse, why accelerate that to screaming himself coarse? I guess it's not everyday I feel like I have access to a coach where if I do hear every word versus every other word it's really going to make a difference. There just aren't that many coaches out their that I have access to that can make that kind of impact on my own training, but more importantly how I teach others. I have some new projects for the circus show too.

Finally, I would definitely applaud Tucker for saying (repeatedly... on a daily basis?) "I am not going to make a gymnast out of you in weekend". Amen sister. I have got a lot to digest, even though you could argue that we only covered the most rudimentary basics... I feel like I need to know it inside and out in order to convey it to my clients. I am always looking for ways to help people understand that mastery of any part of what we do would take a lifetime, but competency is achievable in a relatively short time frame. That's the beauty of Crossfit; it milks the Pareto Principle for all it's worth. Why kill yourself progressing from advanced to elite, when the journey from beginner to advanced in some other discipline takes less time? Broaden the base of that pyramid, and the peak can go higher and higher.

And remember... really? Are you really any kind of specialist? If you're paychecks aren't signed by the sport, you need to seriously re-evaluate your emphasis on it in training. If you're killing yourself training for a marathon, with no hopes of getting paid for doing so, it's time you re-evaluated your sophmoric unrequited love. Date a few other girls, and be happier. Ironically, it takes less time to go out on a few dates with several women than it does to be married to one, and trust me; you're gonna have more fun.

WOD Challenge!!!

I tried to have Mark tape me doing our own benchmark workout,
"One Gross WOD"
It's a great workout that looks simple enough, 15-12-9 of push ups, med ball cleans, pull ups and the kettlebell swing (24kg/16kg). The first time I tried it I hit 7:13 and that record stayed up until one Mark Maddux came to visit the gym and knocked it out in 6:30 or so. His pushups were like rapid fire pistons. I was sure no one would beat that time.

Then my client Matt Bahen goes at it for his second time, and I tell him: "Just don't stop. Never quit mid set, just keep moving."
He hits 5:56, and now I am sure that without maybe butterfly kips or something like that, there's no way that this can be done any faster.

My goal was to hit 5:55. I told myself the same thing; 'Don't stop'. I paused in the rack up top in two or three of my med ball cleans. That was about it.

Here's the vid:
well... here's my last five swings and me sucking air...

Aftermath: One Gross WOD from Full Circle on Vimeo.

Please give this a try at your own box, and post your results to comments. If you hit under 7 minutes, post a video link. I'd love to show it!

Thanks

Off to Gymnastics Cert

I will be heading up to DC at about 6am tomorrow morning, hoping to arrive with my shit together by 8am.
We will be learning a whole mess load of stuff on the HandStand, basic bar progressions (pull up, knees to elbows, skin the cat, etc), parrallette fun and more.

There may also be Thai food involved.

Tell you all about it when I get back. Looking forward to some quality time with two of my favorite Crossfit peeps: Tucker and Byers.