Post-CrossFit Games WOD

Christy Phillips and Danielle Dionne meet up after the 2009 CrossFit Games to do another Primal workout together. Christy finished in 6th place while Danielle finished 37th. Both are eagerly anticipating next year’s event. The workout was… Row 500m 45 Squat Cleans (65#) 10 Handstand Push-ups 100 Double-unders 30 Push Press (65#) 20 Chest-to-bar pull-ups Run 400m 15 Back Squats (135#) 30 Box Jumps

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Rantings of A Heavy Metal Blogger #1

Just a list of some things I’ve been thinking about or bitching about. Lets rock it:

- Why is Bon Jovi and Poison subbing in Bass Players? I didn’t even know that they had bass players.

- I think I’ve had enough outdoor concerts to last a lifetime. If one more stinky smelly dude that knows nothing about music slams into me I’m going to snap. Don’t worry I say this every year.

- I’m actually border line excited to be media at the GWAR/Lamb of God concert, but as Heavy Metal Momma said, “What do we protect the camera with from the blood.”

- Rumor had it Heaven & Hell were breaking up! Why would they do that, they finally got to tour without Ozzy or Bill Ward. Things are good now.

- Speaking of Ozzy, he had a nine year old play on stage with him at Blizzcon. Ozzy is dead to me now.

- Was Dragon Force famous before Guitar Hero? I think I just answered my own question.

- How in the hell am I going to get Morgan to a Metallica concert when they’re in the area. Might have to pull a Mr. T and knock her out before the show.

- Does Kip Winger realize how terrible the name Kip is?

- Garage Days was just awful, I mean awful.

- 3 Inches of Blood is coming to Halifax. That would be great if I had a sweet clue what was in their catalogue. Since my brain is obviously full with shit I can’t take the time to look it up either.

- Does Mick Mars take the same injections as Ozzy does to play on stage. If they do they might want to switch to the shit that Dio is taking.

- Dee Snider and Sebastian Bach are country boys now. WOW, next we’ll have Odeus in opera.

- The site is expanding like crazy, hard to keep up. If you like this article format let me know. It was fun to just bitch.

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High Intensity Interval Training

This is a high intensity interval circuit done using five exercises.

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http://www.GutCheckCert.com Active Hit the Surf

It’s that time of year again when we all flock to the beaches. There’s nothing better than hanging out by the ocean, enjoying the sun, the surf and just taking it easy. Believe it or not, this place we generally look to for a little relaxation can also be great place for a fun, calorie burning and heart-pumping workout.

I’ve been teaching Boot Camp classes for 15 years now and love to take my clients at least once a month for an enjoyable little Gut Check “Hit the Surf” Workout. It breaks it up for me and makes it interesting and exciting for them. You may be asking yourself, “How can a Boot Camp style workout be fun?” Well just sit right back and let me tell ya. First, a few things you want to do before you get started. If you are going to go into the water, make sure you know how to swim and I would highly recommend bringing a friend or two just in case. You never know when you’ll get a cramp or get stuck in a riptide. There’s safety in numbers. Be sure to use sunscreen. The rays are powerful at the beach. We wear regular workout gear with running shoes, shorts, shirt and cap. Bring plenty of drinking water and possibly a towel to rinse off with afterwards. Lastly, I would recommend getting there early to avoid the noon rush.

The Workout. Even though it’s warm at the beach it’s still important to properly warm-up your muscles and your body. We generally start off with a half mile run, followed by some shuffles, lunges and calisthenics. Now it’s time to have some fun. If you’ve ever watched the movie Chariots of Fire you saw the young men running parallel to the beach at the water’s edge. I loved the movie and enjoy doing the same thing. Go out into the water until it’s a little less than knee deep. Now you’re going to try to stay at about this depth and run parallel to the beach while in the water. I would recommend beginning with 40yd to 100meter dashes. The added resistance from the water really challenges your muscles and your lungs while giving a great workout. Try 4 – 6 repeats at various distances or shoot for 30-60 seconds.

Really try to get a friend to join and you can have fun with piggy back races. My clients love this. Jump up on your partners back and you’re off. Try to make it as far out into the waves as you can. When a wave knocks you off your feet, you’re turn is done. Head back to shore and switch positions with your partner. The goal is to see who can make it the farthest without getting knocked over. This one is truly fun but challenging too. Of course you’ve got to get a little sandy too. Here’s what you do;
• Drop down for 60 sec. timed regular push-ups
• Flip over for 60 sec. sit-ups
• 45 sec. wide push-ups
• 45 sec. elbows to knees crunches
• 30 sec. diamond push-ups
• 30 sec. fingers to toes crunches (legs bent up at 90 degrees)
• Finish it off with a couple sets of 25 3-count arm haulers and flutters kick. You should look like the Sand Man at about this point.

Now for the grand finale. Many times during our hour and half workout, I yell “Hit the Surf” and everyone runs into the water and plops down until their head is under, then immediately springs back onto their feet and runs to shore. You will be amazed how exhausting this is, real leg and lung burner. So here’s the deal;

• Put your water bottle about 20-30 feet away from the waves. This is your staring and transition point. Ready? Now “Hit the Surf!”
• Back out to your water bottle/marker – 30 mountain climbers
• Hit the Surf
• 25 push-ups
• Hit the Surf
• 20 speed skaters
• Hit the surf
• 15 starbursts
• Hit the Surf
• 10 burpees – DONE!
• 5-10 min. cool down
• 5-10 min. stretching

Now that you’ve got a great workout in, it’s time to kick back and really enjoy the sun, sand and surf but this time on your back. Have fun!

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CrossFit Oldtown: Muscle-Up Medley

www.crossfitoldtown CrossFit training in Alexandria, VA Core Strength and Conditioning. Personal Training, Elite Fitness, Athletic Performance, Gymnastic Strength, Speed, and Agility

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Jeannies Beach CrossFit – Adrenaline

Jeannies Beach CrossFit, Virginia Beach, Va Behind the doors of Beach CrossFIt

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www.GutCheckFitness.com Battling the Holiday Bulge

It’s that wonderful time of the year again. A time for friends and family to get together to eat, drink and make merry. Now there’s nothing wrong with this, just be careful that you don’t over do it or you’ll start off the New Year looking like the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man! Here’s a couple of my favorite tips that might help you out during the next couple weeks.

Exercise in the morning. We all know how easy it is to avoid exercising during the holidays. It’s easy to make the excuse, “Oh, I want to spend more time with my family and friends.” Who doesn’t? When I’m home, I try getting up a little earlier than everyone else and go for a jog or hit the gym. Get it out of the way. That you won’t put it off during the day. You really feel so much better the rest of the day after a little morning sweat. It’s also a good way of cleansing the system from the over indulging the day before.

Bring a back-up supply of healthy options. How do we avoid over-eating and filling up on all those goodies? This is very difficult. I grew up on a farm and my mother can cook. Unfortunately most dishes are made with old-fashioned Crisco. The good stuff. To avoid over-indulging as much as I possible, I go shopping for myself even before I get home. I like to stop by the store and buy fruits, veggies and lean meats. I know I will not find a lot of this at my parents. When I’m sitting at home and the urge strikes to munch, it’s nice to know that I have some healthy alternatives. It’s not a 100% guaranteed, but hey, every little bit helps in the battle of the bulge.

I hope that everyone has a very Healthy and Happy Holiday Season!

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www.GutCheckFitness.com Strength training at any level

When most people think of strength training they tend to primarily think of huge muscled shaven men all oiled up in their underwear standing on a stage. This of course is incorrect. The above mentioned, bodybuilding, does utilize strength training but itself is a sport not a form of the exercise. Some other popular sports that incorporate primarily strength training are weightlifting, power lifting & strongman competitions but all sports can benefit from it for instance, football, swimming to even running.

Well, then what exactly is strength training and can I benefit from it? Strength training by definition is the use of contraction to muscular resistance to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles. There are many different methods of strength training, the most common being the use of gravity (through weight stacks, plates or dumbbells) or elastic/hydraulic resistance respectively to oppose muscle contraction. Some of the benefits of strength training include increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, bone density, flexibility, tone, metabolic rate and postural support. Can you benefit? Of course, anyone can benefit from positive of effects of strength training if performed properly in a safe environment.

I have been strength training since the age of 14 and continue to today at 39. It’s like an old friend to me. It was there at age 14 to give me self confidence, to help my football performance and to become one of the strongest teenage power lifters in the state of IL at that time. It’s still with me today to help keep me healthy while running 100 mile ultras and to compete in national Strongman competitions. Trust me, it is just as important as eating right, doing cardio and will help you maintain great health. Here are just a few suggestions for beginners, intermediates or even the advanced that I’ve learned over the past 25 years.

Beginners – I strongly recommend that if you’ve never lifted weights that you get professional help to get you on your way safely and correctly. I do not mean just some big guy in the gym, but an actual fitness professional that holds a degree in the field or has a reputable certification. Don’t be afraid to experiment with the various forms of strength training. For instance, I still switch it up from using my own bodyweight, to dumbbells, machines, free weights and to even atlas stones and tires. Don’t be intimidated by anyone or anything. This is your chance to get to know your body and have fun with it.

Intermediates- You’ve been lifting for awhile, possibly hit a plateau or just looking for a change. You’ve got the base now really experiment. You may currently incorporate machines and free weights into your workout so now start playing with sets and reps. For instance, some workouts I’ll do the old school workout of 3 sets x 10 reps, the next might be 2 sets x 15 reps and then to really add some flavor, I’ll do my Millennium Workout which utilizes 1 set of 25 – 50 reps to equal 1000 total reps. Also, look into the sports of weightlifting, power lifting or strongman. They can be a lot of fun and help keep you motivated and driven.

Advanced – Ok, you are the guys and girls that have been hitting it for years. Probably played a sport in high school or college and still like to get after it. Hey, I’m right there with ya. I love it too, but even we get bored or hit plateaus. Try really mixing it up with db’s, free weights, machines and especially try some strongman toys, like atlas stones, tires and even sandbags. Its loads of fun and a great workout. Also, if you’ve never put your strength to the test, give it a try; you have nothing to lose and only a good time to gain. You can find Strongman competitions at http://www.nastrongmaninc.com/index.asp and Power lifting events at http://wvuspf.com/ I still compete in both and love it. Oh, and my 135lb wife even joins me. It’s great family fun.

Strength training should be an important part of your fitness program. Anyone of just about any age can benefit from the positive effects of lifting weights. It’s also important to help keep our bodies, joints and bones strong as we age. The most important thing to remember is to have fun with it. Don’t’ be afraid to experiment with during modes of strength training or to attempt the various sports that utilize it. Like Arnold said, “I’m here to pump – you up!

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CrossFit Games 2010 LA Sectionals

Team Crossfit Hollywood compete at the 2010 Crossfit Games Los Angeles Sectionals

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Mikko Salo Crossfit Games 2009 champion

“We asked Mikko Salo about his training. Here is his response: Hello! I have done functional training with high intensity my entire life (which is like15 years now). Nowadays, I train 4 to 6 days in a row, and then I take a rest day. My basic training day starts with running or rowing 30-45 min with high intensity (interval training) in the mornings. In the evenings, I do some kind of strength training (different squats, cleans, snatches, deadlifts, all major lifts), with sets of 5×3, 5×5, or 5×10. After the strength training, I usually do two different metcon workouts with 5-10 minute rest in between. For these, I use broad time domains from 1 minute to 30 minutes. I also try to use big weights and my body mass in the metcons. I always hammer the metcons with full intensity. I believe that my ability to train so much and with so hard intensity is because I have created a careful foundation of physical capacity starting at very young age. When I started doing CrossFit, I followed the main site workouts strictly. But nowadays I want more volume than the main site provides. So I do a bit more for training days. There has been some kind of talk about me gaining muscle mass after the European Qualifers, but that is not true. I have had same body mass now for a few years (80kg). Also, I don’t have access all the equipment that is needed for all the main site workouts, so occasionally I have to modify some of the movements.”

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