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Saturday, October 31, 2009







25 squats



25 pushups



25 pullups



25 situps



50 squats



50 pushups



50 pullups



50 situps



75 squats



75 pushups



75 pullups



75 situps

Friday, October 30, 2009

Russ, working through Cherry.
There's just something about fall. Chace and his roommate's annual holiday card. They're close.

CFHQ
Rest Day
-or-
CFSS
150m Row
5 Knees to Elbows
10 Burpees
5 rounds for time
We've gained seven new people in the past couple of days, and we're hoping to gain a lot more. As we get busier we'd like y'alls help in making sure this place runs efficiently.
  • If you see a new face go ahead and say Hi, introduce yourself and talk about Crossfit, you've got a built in conversation starter right there. It's all about community in here.
  • Make sure to wipe down your Abmat's, mats, bars, parallettes, pull up bars and anything else you sweat, sneeze or bleed on. We love to share in here, but not H1N1 or MRSA.
  • On that note, we'll assist you but make sure you're racking up all your weights, putting up dumbbells and putting away stuff were it goes. It's not a problem right now but make sure to get in the habit.
  • As we get more people in make sure to show up on time and start the warm up on time, it becomes more disruptive to classes when we have to wait for someone who's late. If you have a time restriction make sure to let one of your trainers know so we can help you out.

Tomorrow is Halloween, we'll all be in Costume. You are more than welcome to come in costume as well. In fact it almost guarantees a spot on the blog.

Your Friday Video of the week is this one coming to you from MadTv. Which has been cracking Nate and myself up all week. May not be Work and Family Safe for all office environments. Opens in Youtube with sound.

Thursday, October 29, 2009




"Annie"


50-40-30-20-10 reps of:


double unders


situps

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Mariana recently completed the on-ramp. Look for her in our normal classes.
Bart breaking the 6 minute barrier on "Cherry" with a 5:42 after his on-ramp, good to have you with us.

A well spotted back squat has two spotters each moving with the lifter and ready to respond at any down ward movement. Pay attention!


Nate's a tough workout, no question, but it's pretty short. Becky, Jarrett and A.J. getting after the pain.

Back Squat
5-5-5-5-5


This morning we're going to talk about heavy days and squat days. A subject particularly close to my heart. Let's start with today:

What today is is called "A progressively loaded 5 rep max". Which means that with each set I'm going to try and add weight until I can do no more weight. This day calls for 5 others may call for 3 or 1. Either way the work is the same. Sets for a projected max of 315 will look like:

235x5, 265x5, 285x5, 305x5, 315x5

In this case the old 5rm would have been either 285 or 305. We're looking at a total poundage of 7025 lbs. moved today before adding in body weight. With an assumed body weight of 210 it's 12275. Notice that in this working set, I've prescribed larger jumps earlier in the set. This holds true for any heavy day were you know your maxes already. For a workout were I don't know your maxes we'll prescribe ten pounds jumps till a degradation in form.
The other way a heavy day can be done is "Sets Across". What this means is that I'll have a weight beneath a 5 rep max and will do all the sets at this weight. For this workout with a 5rm of 305 I'd be looking at 295 or 285 to do my sets at. This means that my sets would look this:
285x5, 285x5, 285x5, 285x5, 285x5 or 285x5x5
Even with 285 the total poundage before body weight is 7125 already 100 lbs more than the progressively loaded one. With 295 its 7375. A good question is why progressive loaded is prescribed instead of sets across. I believe that what HQ is looking for is 5 heavy sets of 5. Ultimately working for that new 5rm whether we reach it or not is going to be better a workout than sets across. With this we're going to be creating peak power for the prescribed amount of work, Crossfit is about intensity in this example weight equals intensity. If we're specifically in a strength training program than sets across is going to allow more accumulated poundage and more gains for this goal, namely strength. Remember Power= Intensity=Results
Here's an interesting thought experiment: My total weight with progressively loaded 5rm squats is 12275, this divided by my body weight of 210 is equal to 60 body weight squats, for arguments sake we'll say in the same amount of time it took me to do the reps of 5 without rest. Does the more weight I lift on heavy days equate to better performance on body weight movements? In other words: Does strength trickle down?
High Bar Back Squat (HBBS) vs. Low Bar Back Squat (LBBS): Everyone knows the high bar, it sits on your traps and requires a more upright posture to go deep enough. The low bar sits on the spine of the scapulae and recruits more prime movers, mainly the hamstrings and adductors. We've seen that people can move more weight with the LBBS, it is rather uncomfortable, but ultimately More Weight=More Power=More Intensity=More Results.
I've practiced both, and the difference in movements is extreme. In a HBBS, to go A** to Grass requires a lot of flexibility and core strength as well as good reserve of low back strength, olympic lifting shoes helps as well. It is a much more skill based squat than most people realize. For Crossfit, were the transference of a High Bar Back Squat to Olympic lifting is negligible, we will probably use the Low Bar Back Squat. Feel free to discuss.
Expect to see more about all this in the future.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009







"Nate"



(20 min. AMRAP)



2 muscle ups



4 handstand pushups



8 kettle swings (70lbs.)



Monday, October 26, 2009

Becky loves her burpees. Here she is mid "Dilemma".
The Browns
CFHQ
Rest Day
-or-
TEAM WOD
50 Thrusters @ 95 lbs
50 Pullups
10 Box Jump penalty for every time the bar hits the ground
All reps to be shared among two partners
-or-
"Jackie"
1000m Row
50 Thrusters 45lbs
30 Pullups

This weekend I went to watch the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra perform Strauss's "Also Sprach Zarathustra", you may ask yourself what that has to do with Crossfit.
It made me think of Virtuosity. A professional orchestra is if anything a collection of virtuosity. Each player must play in tune and in concert with the others in the orchestra. One discordant note instantly ruins the effect. Let us say that the orchestra represents your body, if your muscles aren't working correctly your entire body is affected. Which is why we've started to strongly recommend stretching, foam rolling and other soft tissue work. We're looking for a glorious harmony of muscle and sinew. Which sounds a little weird, but I think it make senses.
A symphony is really only as good as it's conductor. We can think of the conductor as the brain. If your brain is unduly fatigued (from stress or lack of sleep), unsure of the movement or confused than we will see a lose of virtuosity in the movements. It's important than you guys know what we're looking for in these movements and try to emulate them, that may mean studying them, working on them at home with a broom stick. We're asking that in practice you try to come as close to the movements' ideal as possible.
It may seem a little strange to take lesson from Strauss and apply it to Crossfit, and it is. But these lessons are global. Take what you learn in here and apply it to the outside world, take what you know from the outside world and apply it in here.
-Paul Siegel

Friday, October 23, 2009




Double Unders from Patrick Cummings on Vimeo.


"Tommy V"

115 lbs. Thruster 21 reps
15 ft. Rope Climb 12 ascents
115 lbs. Thruster 15 reps
15 ft. Rope Climb 9 ascents
115 lbs. Thruster 9 reps
15 ft. Rope Climb 6 ascents
-or-
"Becky's Dilemma"
21-15-9
Front Squat (95 lbs./75 lbs.)
Pullups
Burpee's
Rainier Crossfit has "10 things I believe in" :
"I believe CrossFit is about people and relationships. Fitness comes as a result of having great people and solid relationships in a place where the right tools are available. A gym without great people is simply a room full of weights.

I believe CrossFit selects for great people. A co-worker once wondered how a guy he knew got a ride to a distant city overnight. He said he didn’t think any of his friends would do that for him. Our response: we have a gym full of friends who wouldn’t hesitate AND they’d even buy coffee for the trip

I believe you can tell a lot about a person by how they approach the bar. Confident. Questioning. Unsure. Determined. Reckless. Cautious.

I believe you can tell even more about that person when they leave the bar. Exuberant. Angry. Self depreciating. Impressed. Proud. Contemplative.

I believe burpees were designed by the same guy who invented pantyhose.*

I believe getting your diet nailed down is the hardest thing you’ll ever do. And you’ll have to do it everyday. Somedays it will be easy to make good food choices, other days it will seem impossible. It comes down to how important it is to you. If its important enough, you’ll do it and the benefits will pay in spades.

I believe we have a duty to our kids. I have a responsibility to raise them in an environment where food is fuel and not celebration, a cure for the pity pool, or something to turn to in boredom. In other words, I have to know that my view of food is all screwed up and I have to instill in my kids something different.

On the topic of kids, I believe they need to grow up knowing exercise if fun, rewarding, and its an enjoyable pursuit for life. Luckily, they get to grow up in a CrossFit gym where they are surrounded by great people, heavy weights, PR’s and all of the makings of a positive, welcoming, healthy environment.

The best gift we’ve ever received was a card that simply said “Thank You for saving my life”

Lastly, I believe in family. My family is just a little bigger these days."
What are your "Ten Things I believe"? Or give me one thing you believe about Crossfit. Or life. Or whatever.

Sunday class is at 11:00

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Rest Day

Early morning stroll
plus some double unders

CFHQ
Rest Day
or
CFSS
5 Rounds:
30 DUs
200m DB Carry

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Andy should have been foam rolling...see what happens when you don't stretch? Once again Andy's mouth writing checks he can't cash.
Jarrett and Chad lunging it out in the pre-dawn cold.




4 rounds for time of:


Walking Lunge 50m


50 Situps




A few thoughts I've been ruminating on:



  • Physiological markers of endurance decrease in 3 days, where as absolute strength (1Rm's) show signs of decrease in 3 weeks. The converse of this is true as well. You'll see signs of improvement in endurance in as little as 3 days, where as strength will take longer approaching 3 weeks to see improvements in lifts. What does this all mean? If you've been taking some time off it is especially important to hit the strength days. Strength is one of the hardest, but longest lasting, attributes to develop and will carry over better to everything else. For most of us in here it is nearly impossible to be "Strong enough". Endurance comes relatively quickly. This is also important for those of you who don't come every day. If you haven't picked something heavy up in awhile let us know and we'll try and make it happen.


  • Buddhist's have a state called "child mind". Everything is simple and transparent to a child. There is no future, the past is but a dim memory and there is only the present. Where does this state apply in the gym? When you're in the middle of a WOD try and focus on only the present. Don't think 10 reps down the line or even 10 feet ahead of you. Focus on making each rep as perfect as possible and then quickly move on to the next.


  • We recognize that life gets in the way of fitness every now and then. We respect the need to take time off, deal with family, work and whatever. However it is important to remember that you've made an investment of money and sweat equity in yourself. Don't let that equity go to waste on the couch. If you haven't been in awhile, drop us a line. Let us now how you're doing, what's up and when you expect on getting back in here. Otherwise, Nate will stalk you and his is very good at what he does.


  • If you have been stressed out, not coming to the gym, etc. the best thing you can do is perform a sort of triage on your life. Their are only so many things you can eliminate that are stressful, what you can do is make sure you are eating as well as possible and getting more than enough sleep. This alone is enough to get you back on the path to pursuing your goals in here. Speaking personally this step makes a huge difference in how you feel and how you approach the world.

-Paul Siegel

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Saturday Morning Muscle-Ups

The Browns Are Back
"Tabata Something Else"
8 Rounds each of 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest of:
Pull Ups
Push Ups
Sit Ups
Squats
Goal Setting
What are your fitness/CrossFit goals? I know we all joined CrossFit to look better naked, but seriously, you may train for health, weight management, or to get really friggin' huge, but these are the reasons for your training, and not goals per se. Goals need targets. Goals need to be SMART:
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely
It is important to have general goals or reasons for training to give you a framework for setting your specific goals and to give you focus, but SMART goals are what will keep you on track to continuously improving. So what are your SMART goals? Even if something seems unattainable, or unrealistic let us know what that goal is and we can work to break it down into a series of shorter, realistic goals that work upon each other to move towards completeing that task.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Friday, October 16, 2009

Becky getting after some back mobility drills
Foam rollin': it will make a Man out of you

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Hip-Back Extensions
400 Meter Run

This Cold and Flu season help us to keep our gym and y'all as healthy as possible. We've distributed Clorox wipes around the gym. Please make sure to wipe down any surface you touch and any equipment you've used as your putting it away. This along with vigilant hand washing will help to cut down on germs using our gym as a breeding ground for contagion. Not to mention it's just good gym manners. Remember if you're feeling sick, it's best to stay home and not workout through the sickness. Help us keep this place as tidy and as clean as possible. Thanks!
-Paul Siegel


There will be no Sunday class.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

A big 4 o'clock crew getting Frannish yesterday

5 Rounds for Time:
15 Hang Squat Cleans, 135 lb.
30 Push Ups

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

CFHQ
Rest Day
-or-
CFSS
"FRAN"
(Did you really think you were going to miss this?)
"The only time LSD (long slow distance) is necessary is if your going to compete in a sport that requires it. It is far inferior to CrossFit-type metcon for producing an increase in VO2 max, it interferes with power and strength production, it can be quite catabolic and immune-suppressive in high doses, it destroys muscle mass, and the people that do it usually wear silly clothes."
-Mark Rippetoe
If you get a chance go to yesterday's comments and check out what Ryan had to say about Fran.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009







"Total"



back squat, 1 rep



shoulder press, 1 rep



deadlift, 1 rep

Monday, October 12, 2009

"Elizabeth"
21-15-9 of:
135 lb. Cleans
Ring Dips
Many of you missed "Fran", and by many I mean everyone except Vilas. Fran's one of those weird workouts that has taken on a quasi-mystical status within the crossfit community. A fast Fran is seen as the true hallmark of athletic ability, endurance and pain tolerance in the Crossfit world. And fast is a not a relative term here. The world record is 1:53 and Mikko Salo, the 2009 Crossfit games champions, does it in 2:16. To be anything close to elite you have to be approaching this time, sub 3:00 is ideal. There's no special combination of movements or reps here, just brutally effective functional compound movements done at incredibly high intensity. When you meet a crossfitter in the airport or traveling (like if you'er repping your CFSS shirt), the first thing they'll often ask you is "What's your Fran time?" in this way the shared suffering of Fran is the bond that holds Crossfit across state lines and international borders. What that questions is meant imply is "How much have you suffered?" and "How hard have you worked?". What do you want to be able to answer? You might see this come up on the rest day, just a warning.

Friday, October 9, 2009


"Nate, Crossfit has improved my jiu jitsu in several ways. I feel much stronger and I've greatly improved my cardiovascular endurance. Most importantly, my mental toughness has allowed me to break down my opponents and drain them of their fighting spirit. This enables me to build momentum, and win matches by out-working my opponents. I can't thank you guys enough for all the support and encouragement you've provided me with."

-Jordan Schultz


Run 5k


Jure Robic, one of the worlds best ultra endurance cyclist, literally goes insane during a race from the pain and suffering. But he also pushes himself to unheard of levels of success. Read his story here.
In here, there will always be a time when your muscle's will seem to give up, you won't be able to push through the pain. Know then that your body has more to give, that you've only begun to sample "The Suck" and you can keep pushing. Do we expect you to go insane? No, not really. But there is a deep dark place that on the best days you can go to were the pain doesn't really matter as much. And that's where increased work capacity comes from.

Sunday class will be at 11:00

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Congrats to Jordan for winning his weight class and ranking at Brazilian Ju Jitsu Pan Ams!
20 Minutes as Many Rounds as Possible of:
250m Row
21 Sumo Dead Lift High Pull 95 lbs.
15 Pullups
Be warned for the larger classes the row will be a run.
"The best athletes seem to know their bodies the best, which makes them very aware of the little nicks and dings that come with training. Often, these really good athletes let these nicks and dings get the best of them mentally. Stuff I would just shrug off and train through, they obsess upon, and it forces them out of the gym. You could be one of these guys. I expect my athletes to train when they are hurt, but not when they are injured. The difference? Training hurt won't make things worse. Training injured will. " -Rob Shaul MountainAthlete.com

Are you more likely not to train if your excessively sore? Or do you find that a little bit of movement won't make things worse, it may even help you be a little less sore? Post your thoughts to comments.
-Paul Siegel

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Carol and Kay-Bird taking on Slippery When Wet


Thrusters
1-1-1-1-1-1-1


Crossfits is a sport of generalist. We are generalist in that we specialize in nothing. Through constant variety and change we seek to elicit a continuous series of adaptations across all time and modal domains. The areas in which we are the most developed are the ones which are hardest to have adaptations in. The areas we are the least developed see the most improvement and adaptations. It is important not to think of this adaptations as compartmentalized. Strength bleed over into endurance, double unders bleed over into cleans, ring dips into pushing strength and pull ups, running into snatches. We never build strength in vacuum, nor do we build endurance in a vacuum either; there is carryover everywhere. In the sport of crossfit these various adaptations cause increased power output over broad time and modal domains which is the name of the game.

What does this mean to those of you who aren't interested in sport? Simply put it means you suck less at life. Picking up odd objects transfer to picking up dog food, running lets you get upstairs without sucking wind and a good squat fixes so many damn things in everyday life I can't even list all of them here. Remember why you're in here and work towards that goal.
I know there are some of you out there who avoid heavy lifting for a variety of reasons and there are just as many who turn the other way when a 5k comes up, I'm just as guilty of this as anyone else. Tackle your goats head on, challenge yourself for virtuosity. You'll see greater improvements in life and crossfit by tackling this barnyard of goats than you will by simply staying in your comfort zone. Get out of your comfort zone, become comfortable with discomfort.
-Paul Siegel

Tuesday, October 6, 2009


Congrats to Diego and Don on their first muscle ups'!

CFHQ
Rest Day
-or-
"Slippery When Wet"
10 Tire Flip and Jump Through*
400m run
4 rounds for time
*Flip the tire over once and then jump into and then out of the tire.


"Training is a process, not the events of one day."


-Mark Rippetoe

Monday, October 5, 2009

"Pistols at Dawn" claims some of its victims
30 Muscle Ups for time
If you can't do muscle ups do 120 Pull ups and 120 Dips.
Ohio Crossfitter beats the pulp out of an intruder in her home, see the video here. Thanks to Curtis for pointing this video out.

Saturday, October 3, 2009


A special shout out to Todd form Crossfit Gainesville for hitting it with the 8 a.m. class. Thanks for joining us!
"Pistols at Dawn"
800m Run (Hill)
15 Pistols Left
15 Pistols Right
25 Situps
12 Pistols Left
12 Pistols Right
25 Situps
9 Pistols Left
9 Pistols Right
25 Situps
800m Run (Hill)

"There are lots of things to see, unwrapped gifts and free surprises. The world is fairly studded and strewn with pennies cast broadside from a generous hand. But-and this is the point- who gets excited by a mere penny? (...) It is dire poverty indeed when a man is so malnourished and fatigued that he won't stoop to pick up a penny. But if you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted in pennies, you have with your poverty bough a lifetime of days. It is that simple. What you see is what you get." -Annie Dillard Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

Sunday class will start at 11:00

Friday, October 2, 2009

Jeff, A little loopy after Helen.

CFHQ
Rest Day

-or-

CFSS
200m Run
21 SDLHP 75/55 lbs
21 Alternating DB Push Press 30/20

200m run
15 SDLHP
15 Alt. DB Push Press

200m run
9 SDLHP
9 Alt. DB Push Press


There has been some confusion of late as to what constitutes a back extension and what is a hip extension. A hip extension takes your back locked in extension and hinges it at the hip. The GHD is set so that your Iliac crest (the pointy part of your hip near the same level as your belly button) is well past the end of the pad. A back extension traps the hip against the pad and then we deliberately uncurl the back from extension. Start by tucking the head and unhinging at each vertebrae. This will be one of the only times we'll ask you to take your back out of extension. This is also one of the reasons we do it so rarely. Any time you see back extension in a workout take it to mean a hip extension. If this is unclear take a look at this page.

Thursday, October 1, 2009




25 Walking Lunge
20 Pull-ups
50 Box Jumps, 20"
20 Double Unders
25 Ring Dips
20 Knees to Elbow
30 DB Swings, 70 lbs.
30 Sit-ups
20 DB Hang Squat Clean, 35 lbs.
25 Back Extensions
30 Wall Ball (20/14 lbs)
500m Row
Once through for time.

Take note of the new membership deal. For every new member it's $15 off for as long as that new member is part of the gym. Technically speaking if you bring in ten people you only have to pay $5. We're gonna be starting a big membership push in the coming weeks, but nothing is as good as y'all talking it up to your friends, family and co-workers. You've all seen changes in your body and changes in outlook, mood, etc. Try and share that with someone else.