Albany CrossFit - CrossFit Clifton Park, NY | Fitness & Paleo Nutrition

Addicted Again! I Thought I Was OK With Days Off! ACF-a-holic!

Lenora — Thu, 17 May 2012 01:40:17 +0000

I’ve been doing well taking more days off. It had gotten discouraging to be sore and constantly injured from under-recovering. It’s been great getting stronger, but, something went wrong yesterday. It was too good a WOD to not be addicted again. It must have been the perfect combination of a heavy lift, and a short AMRAP metcon. Ironically, my low back was tight and sore from it, but, it was a great high, and my body felt like it just got a hit of the good stuff. “Fran” might hook me. “Grace” has a shot at reeling me in, but, yesterday, something was just perfect. Maybe I was ripe for a WOD after having missed two weeks of metcons, relying on Strongman and strength and skills to get me through. I do tend to get irritable on non-gym days, but, I didn’t see it clearly like today. One perfect WOD, and I’m on ACF-row, drinking Progenex More Muscle in a paper bag.

Thursday 051712

Caleb — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:38:34 +0000

Link of the Day

Warm-Up:

Junkyard Dog Warm-Up

WOD:

I. Establish a 20 Rep Max Back Squat

II. For Time:

21 – 18 – 15 – 12 – 9 – 6

Lunges (Total)

Pullups

AbMat Situps

*15 Minute Time Limit

III. 2 Rounds:

200m Sprint

Rest 30 seconds between rounds

Scaling options for all ability levels will be provided for by your coach

Steps to Success

Caleb — Thu, 17 May 2012 00:16:41 +0000

Theresa gives some advice on steps to winning the battle on nutrition:

We all have the internal battle when choosing between healthy options and the “other stuff.” I know I do…well… I used to. I’m not saying I am perfect in the way I eat or that I am 100% satisfied with how I look, but for the last 6 years, I have been living what I would consider a pretty healthy lifestyle. This lifestyle has evolved even more in the last 3 years since starting CrossFit and the Paleo/Zone diet. It certainly was not easy and it definitely took some major changes, but I have gotten to a point where I am satisfied and I figured I would share a few things that worked for me.

1) Go all in, no excuses. Clean out your fridge and pantry by hiding or throwing out of all the processed foods, alcohol, starches, bread, and dairy, leaving you with all fresh meats, fruits, vegetables and nuts. Get yourself an accountability partner to call, text, or email anytime you feel the urge to stray to the unhealthy options, and make a list of those cravings.

2) Schedule a cheat day or 3 cheat meals throughout the week. This is one of the biggest things that helped me in the beginning. It was a day to look forward to and allow myself to eat everything I wanted from my list of cravings. As time went on, the “need” for cheat days lessened, and I began to realize that my body functioned better when I was eating a clean, healthy diet.

3) Make a goal. It can be weight loss, strength/endurance based, a healthy check-up with your doctor, or just personal gratification. Use this goal as motivation anytime you feel like giving up, and remind yourself that these food choices will ultimately get you to your goal. Think about your previous eating habits and remember that what you were doing in the past was not working for you, and in order to achieve the results you desire, you need to stick with your plan and make the right decision.

4) Mind over matter. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. As a CrossFitter we pride ourselves in our physical strength, but it is just as important to have the mental strength to overcome the struggle and choose healthy over unhealthy.

Nutrition is the foundation of fitness, and if it is not dialed in, then your conditioning, gymnastics, weightlifting, and overall athleticism will suffer.

A little quote that I heard at my Level 1 Certification and still rings in my ear:

“You cannot out train a shitty diet.”

“Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves come when life seems most challenging.” –Joseph Campbell

Get the best in CrossFit performance gear at the CrossFit Store.

The “Hope” Wing Challenge

Caleb — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:15:35 +0000

Attention: This Friday (May 18th), the 7pm WOD Classes will be cancelled at Albany CrossFit and CrossFit Clifton Park. We would love to see everyone at CrossFit in the Club Fundraiser at Jillian’s. Donations will be made to CrossFit for Hope benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” –Joshua J. Marine

Get the best in CrossFit performance gear at the CrossFit Store.

You Never Know What Part of Kevin’s Virtuosity Video Sticks

Lenora — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:44:16 +0000

I love today’s WOD! My deadlifts are getting better, though, I didn’t PR today. I should not have tried to raise from 185 to 205 on the last of a 5 x 2. It was too fatigued, and insufficient sleep was not a help. I scaled the WOD, using 55 lbs in an 8 minute AMRAP of 10 deadlifts, 8 hang power cleans, and 6 push-press. My back felt fatigued, but, kept the deadlifts unbroken. When my grip felt tired, I remembered Kevin showing a hook grip on deadlifts to be used that can help train the cleans. I didn’t try the switch grip; I use that one in axle work. The hook grip came in handy when my grip felt tired in hang power cleans. When I noticed this in the first round, I remembered the video, and tried this out. Yup! Do the deadlifts with the hook grip, and it’s already in place for the hang power cleans. The only hitch is that my forearms were just as fried as if I used a normal grip, but, in a different place. The middle movement was the hardest part of the AMRAP. Something’s strange if the push-press is the easiest. What if I hadn’t scaled? 65 lbs would have been even harder on the grip, and I don’t know if my back would have been more sore by the end of the workout than it was already. Shoulders liked having easy push-presses, especially after I did heavy strict press yesterday. CrossFit is constantly variable, so, I take what I get, fitting in a WOD or two amid my strength days. The take-home is(not in a white cardboard box) watch the virtuosity videos, and watch them often. You never know what part of the instruction sticks.

Wednesday 051612

Caleb — Wed, 16 May 2012 00:30:56 +0000

Link of the Day

Warm-Up:

3 Rounds:

10 Clapping Pushups

15 Jumping Squats

WOD:

I. Push Jerk

3 – 3 – 3

II. 3 Rounds for Time:

30 Kettlebell Swings (53/35)

20 Toes-To-Bar

10 Handstand Pushups

*20 Minute Time Limit

Scaling options for all ability levels will be provided for by your coach

So, Too Late for Noon Class and Avoiding Snatches? Remain Calm

Lenora — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:07:22 +0000

I’m keeping my strength work going no matter what happens with my schedule. I was bogged down(yeah, weighted “life”) with bustiness paperwork at home, and was too late for the noon class. The strength work for the class involved power snatch, which I have not done since the shoulder bone spur issue, the lunges were scalable, and, I like ring dips or ring push-ups, however I would have scaled it. The first piece of business after my home obligations was to get in the car and head to ACF. Without waiting for motivation, decide on a strength lift that would help my shoulder issues, and relate somewhat to today’s work. Ah! Strict Press! I ducked those last week, and it would be wise to do some of those today. I used a different rep scheme, and a longer rest between working sets. 7 x 35, 5 x 55, 3 x 65, 3 x 75, 1 x 80, 1 x 85. It was great to have a solid 85 lb 1 RM again. It had been missing the past two press days, and I was getting “de-pressed” about it. I need a good strict press for my strongman work. Shoulders like chin-ups, but, I didn’t feel like doing volume work today. Ah! How about a 3 x 3? Yes! Sounds great! The first two sets were easy, and the third was an effort, but, it felt good to have those comfortable again. I admit I haven’t lost any weight. Fact is, I haven’t gotten the diet dialed in yet, and would do well to get back in the saddle on that. Now, why haven’t I done lunges yet? 30 intimidating to my knee and hip? How about 15? OK! 3 sets of 15 walking lunges to go! Perfect amount, though, my other hip bothered me later. Ring dips can be done another day. They don’t have to be done with presses. There is always something to do at ACF, so, it’s worth it to get there, calm down, and work strength and skill. Perhaps remaining calm belongs on my suck list.

The Longview

Caleb — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:07:09 +0000

Eric provides perspective:

The phrase “It’s about the journey, not the destination” is a cliché, especially so for CrossFit. Yes, we want to enjoy this journey of health and fitness, but the destination—achieving our goals—that’s why we’re here. So should we discard the advice of ages?

Yes. And No.

Yes

Everyone wants to reach his or her destination. No one goes on vacation and says, “Let’s just see where we end up.” No, there are agendas to keep, schedules to check and a laundry list of “to do” items along the way. It’s the same with CrossFit. It’s near impossible to feel as if you are doing well by merely showing up to class and giving it your best. Instead, you must learn and practice and look at your strengths and weaknesses and attack them. It’s the same as adhering to that vacation itinerary. You will arrive at your destination if you put in the effort. Ah, but what about that journey?

The difficult part about arriving at a destination is that once you’re there, the inevitable feeling of “Is this it?” always sets in. The reality is a little more drab than the pictures online, the hotel room not nearly as bright and beautiful. It’s the same with us. Once we get that pull-up or Snatch technique or Squat PR, we look for more. We say, “Enh, now what?” And therein lies the truth of our situation, we must embrace both the journey and the destination.

How

Enjoy this ride. It’s your life by the way. Make destinations (goals), arrive at them, enjoy, and then strive for something new. That’s what makes the trip worth the while, enjoying the experience and then planning the vacation for next year. Improving on what you’ve already achieved.

So mark your calendar, set a date for this and that, and then get to it. Enjoy the fact that you won’t be alone on this journey. Quite the opposite. This trip is packed with friends, and we’re just getting started.

“Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.” –Greg Anderson

Get the best in CrossFit performance gear at the CrossFit Store.

Tuesday 051512

Caleb — Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:37 +0000

Link of the Day

Warm-Up:

Practice Pistols for 10 Minutes

WOD:

I. Deadlift

2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2

II. AMRAP in 8 Minutes:

10 Deadlifts (95/65)

8 Hang Power Cleans

6 Push Presses

Scaling options for all ability levels will be provided for by your coach

Strongman and Sunday Stunts

Lenora — Mon, 14 May 2012 02:13:44 +0000

Don’t anybody listen to any “event” that has been invented by Yitzi! Cat and Cean are only too glad to accept a challenge, and will ”send in the clowns” in a heartbeat. Before you think I did anything crazy, know that I didn’t jump on the bandwagon. I didn’t even do Zercher Yoke carries at the end, since that was part of the “extra credit” run amok. The WOD was a lovely two rounds of one minute AMRAP stones over bar, a conventional event, indeed. I was too lazy to look for the 70lb stone that I used last time in this WOD, so, I used 60, for both rounds, and got 6 instead of 5 reps. Yeah, I should have gone in for the 70 lb stone. It would have been practically the same effort. Cat helped me fine-tune my form, and stayed on me about it so I’d develop good habits for next time. Yitzi thought it would be fun to do one arm stone over bar, which he, and a couple of lunatics tried. Yours truly skipped that one. When it came time for Zercher yoke carries, we were out of official class time, and nobody wanted to run in to get weights, so – yet another stunt emerged: Yoke carries with people! This may have been another “Yitzi special”, though, I understand it’s been done by Rob Orlando. I didn’t feel like doing anything that crazy, and I was, once again, too lazy to run in for plates, so, I skipped the Zerchers. My reasoning was that I did them two weeks ago. Yeah, what’s with the excuse? This was official stunt sunday at Strongman. We were supposed to do farmer carries, but the kettlebell class did them with kb’s, and we didn’t want to be redundant. I think next Sunday may be another fun day with stunts, but, that’s probably a fair-weather idea. There’s no telling what might happen next week, and adding Yitzi to the Strongman class has brought a creative twist that’s only too tempting for Cat and Cean. I will remain conservative, especially since Zerchers are relative stunts to me since they are so difficult. I think Cean had a moment of delirium from lack of oxygen when he did a Zercher carry with two people standing on the Yoke base. Barbell plates may be a thing of the past, for some of these guys. If you think normal CrossFit is always unknowable, try this out. It’s always mysterious.