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Wednesday 090121


No, we are not asleep. Yesterday's workout was not kind to Kelin and me...
Workout
Strength

Front Squat or Back Squats
80% of 1RM - 5 sets 0f 5 reps

Press
80% of 1 RM - 5 sets of 5 reps

For your reading pleasure, we have pasted a recently penned article written by Delia Cabe, of Prevention Magazine. see below:

Sweat Yourself Smart
Exercise makes you sharper, happier, and healthier. Get ready to transform your life!
By Delia Cabe, Prevention

Have you ever vowed to ring in a new year by starting to exercise—only to end up too busy, tired, or achy? The right motivation can make you 70 percent more likely to keep it up for the long haul, reports the American College of Sports Medicine. But focusing only on weight loss can cut your odds of success by over half, say researchers. A better inspiration: the amazing health rewards you get by being active. A stronger heart and lower cancer risk are two well-known benefits. Here, more that are guaranteed to motivate.

1. Improve your language skills

A single treadmill session can make you brainier. Exercisers who ran just two three-minute sprints, with a two-minute break in between, learned new words 20 percent faster than those who rested, in study at the University of Muenster in Germany. Getting your heart pumping increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen to your noggin. It also spurs new growth in the areas of the brain that control multitasking, planning, and memory.

2. Get all-natural pain relief

It may seem counterintuitive, but rest isn't necessarily best for reducing pain and stiffness in the knees, shoulders, back, or neck. Healthy adults who did aerobic activity consistently had 25 percent less musculoskeletal pain than their couch-bound peers, says Stanford senior research scientist Bonnie Bruce, Dr.P.H., M.P.H., R.D. Exercise releases endorphins, the body's natural pain reliever, and may make you less vulnerable to tiny tears in muscles and tendons. Staying active can also provide relief for chronic conditions such as arthritis: In a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study, arthritis sufferers experienced 25 percent less pain and 16 percent less stiffness after 6 months of low-impact exercise like balance and strengthening moves. Most people start to feel improvement within a few weeks, says study author Leigh Callahan, Ph.D., an associate professor of medicine at UNC.

3. Be happier at work

An active lifestyle may help you check off extra items on your to-do list, says a study from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom. On days staffers participated in on-site fitness activities, they reported thinking more clearly, getting more done, and interacting more effectively with colleagues. You'll be less likely to miss work due to illness, too. Research shows that people who participate in vigorous leisure-time physical activity (such as jogging or bicycling) just once or twice a week take about half the sick time of those who are more sedentary.

4. Feel sexy at any size

A good workout practically ensures a better body image. A Pennsylvania State University study found that women ages 42 to 58 felt more attractive after four months of walking or yoga even if they didn't lose weight. Exercise can also put you in the mood for love by increasing blood flow to the genitals. University of Washington research found that just one 20-minute cycling workout enhanced sexual arousal up to 169 percent in women. And the benefits stand the test of time: A Harvard study of swimmers found that those over age 60 were as satisfied sexually as those decades younger.

5. Lower your dental bills

Flossing and brushing, it turns out, are not the only keys to a healthy smile, says Mohammad Al-Zahrani, D.D.S., Ph.D., a former associate professor at Case Western Reserve University. Exercise plays an important role, too. In his recent study, Al-Zahrani discovered that adults who did 30 minutes of moderate activity five or more times a week were 42 percent less likely to suffer from periodontitis, a gum disease that's more common as you get older. Working out may thwart periodontitis the same way it does heart disease—by lowering levels of inflammation-causing C-reactive protein in the blood.

6. Slash cold risk 33 percent

Moderate exercise doesn't just rev your metabolism—it boosts your immune system, too, helping your body fight off cold bugs and other germs. Women ages 50 to 75 who did 45 minutes of cardio, five days a week, had a third as many colds as those who did once-weekly stretching sessions, a University of Washington study found.

7. Reach the deep-sleep zone

Say good night to poor sleep. Women age 60 and older who walked or danced for at least an hour, four times a week, woke up half as often and slept an average 48 minutes more a night than sedentary women, according to a study in the journal Sleep Medicine. That is good news for the many women who toss and turn more as they get older. As you age, sleep patterns start shifting, so you spend more of the night in lighter sleep phases, says Shawn Youngstedt, Ph.D., an assistant professor of exercise science at the University of South Carolina.

8. Beat bloating

The next time you feel puffy around the middle, resist the urge to stay put. A study from Spain's Autonomous University of Barcelona suggests that mild physical activity clears gas and alleviates bloating. That's because increasing your heart rate and breathing stimulates the natural contractions of the intestinal muscles, helping to prevent constipation and gas buildup by expediting digestion.

9. See clearly

What's good for your heart is good for your eyes. An active lifestyle can cut your risk of age-related macular degeneration by up to 70 percent, according to a British Journal of Ophthalmology study of 4,000 adults. This incurable disease makes reading, driving, and seeing fine details difficult, and it's the most common cause of blindness after age 60.

10. Enjoy instant energy

If you're among the 50 percent of adults who report feeling tired at least one day a week, skip the java and go for a walk. University of Georgia researchers who analyzed 70 different studies concluded that moving your body increases energy and reduces fatigue. Regular exercise boosts certain fatigue-fighting brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine, which pep you up, and serotonin, a mood enhancer.

Tuesday 090120

Check out "The Silvers", from Freedom CrossFit - video [wmv]
One is never too old.

Workout
For time:

50 - Squats
40 - Sit-ups
30 - Pull-ups
20 - 95 lbs Thrusters
10 - KTE
20 - 53 lbs KB Swings
30 - Push-ups
40 - Sit-ups
50 - Squats

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Wednesday 080305

Monday 090119


Candace Hamilton, CrossFit Oakland

REST!

JB writes, on the TitanFit Trainers Blog http://titanfittrainers.blogspot.com/ that we all should consider participating in a new sport/activity, to enhance, give reason for our CrossFit work outs.

The rest days are a great time to shoot baskets, work on your weaknesses, have fun. Just cause it is a rest day, don't sit on the couch eating. get up and do something you really enjoy (as long as your hobbies are not related to Budweiser).

What new thing will you try today?

Sunday 090118


TitanFit's new home starting to take shape...

Workout:
Hang Power Clean (HPCL) + 1 Front Squat
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Work up to 90% of your Squat Clean 1RM

Saturday 090117

Workout

"Helen"
For time 3 rounds of:
Run 400 M/Row 500M
21 - 24k KB or 55 lbs dumbbell swings M/ 16k KB or 35 lbs dumbbells swings F
12 - Pull-ups

You know the drill...scale to your fitness level. Those that can not do 50 or 35 lbs+ lbs KB swings need to use less weight. If you are unable to complete an un-assisted pull-up, jumping pull-ups (at a 2 to 1 sub) are allowed.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Tuesday 081021

Friday 090116

Workout

Power Snatch + 1-OHS
Work up to 90% of your 1RM.
Not sure of your 1RM? By the end of today, we will have a pretty good idea.

So you are thinking about, considering, pondering the Regional for the CrossFit Games. Based on last year's standings, those that are able to complete the prescribed Thruster/Pull up WOD, the Deadlift/Burpee WOD and the Clean and Jerk WOD from the 2008 CrossFit Games finishing with excellent form (e.g. chest touching bar for pull-ups, fully over head for thrusters and Burpees, full squat for cleans) around the following time slots should consider attending.

APPROXIMATE times to match for those events are:
Thruster/Pull Up WOD - Men 6:30 -Women 10:30
Deadlift/Burpee WOD -- Men 5:00 -Women 6:00
Clean and Jerk WOD - --Men 7:30 -Women 9:30

CrossFit Game Prep Classes

CrossFit Games Widget

Are you thinking about competing in the regional for the CrossFit Games? Need to step up the intensity of your workouts. Want to get together with other "Fire Breathers" to test your metal?

TitanFit is proud to announce the CF Games Class. Starting Saturday, January 31st., 2009, once a week, we will conduct a full out, no holds bared, CF Games Workout. The workouts are designed to get you ready for the intense competition. trust me, if you have not amp'ed up the intensity, competition will definitely do it for you.

Contact us for more information. GET READY FOR THE SWEAT ANGELS AND A POSSIBLE VISIT FROM PUKIE!

Thursday 090115

REST!

Yes, I know it is snowing and cold. I need you to come in on this rest day to learn some Olympic lifting. Today, we will teach the Snatch. We will also provide hot chocolate as an incentive to come and get better on your Olympic lifting.

No, we will not provide marshmallows!

NEWS
TiatnFit is growing. The growth is prompting us to move from the garage. Exciting? Yes! Change is always for the good! Stay tuned for additional updates!

MORE NEWS
DJ has entered the Indianapolis Indoor Rowing Championships. Check out the TitanFit Trainer's blog (link on the left) to get additional information on DJ and the other TitanFit trainers.

The Championship is:

Presented by FITNESS CONCEPTS
Hosted by the Indianapolis Rowing Center
January 24, 2009
International School of Indianapolis

WHAT : A 2000 meter race on indoor rowing machines. A race takes about 8 minutes and is a sprint. Competitors compete side-by-side in heats of 10 people. The machines are electronically linked. Their progress is depicted by video game boats racing down a course, so the spectators and competitors can watch the race on a big screen.

There are categories for all levels including age groups and skill levels. The oldest competitor is 90 and the youngest is 13. Most competitors are from Indianapolis, though teams also come from Bloomington, Lafayette, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, as well as Kentucky and Ohio.

WHO: Anyone can enter. No experience necessary, though if you’d like to train, we will help you!

WHAT CAN YOU WIN?? The winners of relay race* win their very own erg! Individuals who meet a time standard also win a free trip to Boston to compete at the International Indoor Rowing Championships. Last year, two competitors at this race won trips!

What does CRASH-B SATALITTE MEAN? It means if you meet the time standards for your age group — you can win a free trip to Boston to compete at the World Championships on Sunday, February 22, 2009. View the qualifying times on the concept 2 website http://www.concept2.com/us/racing/crashb/crashb_qual.asp

HOST: The Indianapolis Rowing Center (IRC). IRC has workouts posted on its website www.indyrowing.org and can help coach you through a training plan!

SIGN UP: Sign up online at www.regattacentral.com. Search “Regattas” for the Indianapolis Indoor Rowing Championships. Email Eric Stoll <estoll@sbcglobal.net> if you have any questions about registration.

COST: $25 per person. Enter as many categories as you like! Entry fee includes a T-shirt and helps to fund our outreach rowing program for urban teenage girls.

Wednesday 090114

Workout
Back Squats
85%-90% of your 1RM x1, x2, x3 - x3 sets

Weighted Pull-ups
Perform Pull-ups between each round of Squats. Find a max weight.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080204

Tuesday 090113


Look what I found while shearing the archives....the TitanFit trainers doing HSPU. Let's see how they do today!
WOW, it has been a year (almost) to the day!

Workout
"Diane"
For Time - 21, 15, 9 reps of:
225 lbs Deadlift
Handstand push-ups

Those that, like me, are unable to do handstand push-ups can sub strict shoulder press. For that sub, pick a weight that is about 50% of your BWT. As for the 225 lbs DL, ideally use a weight that is 25% greater than your BWT.

Compare to:

Monday 090112

Workout
"Elizabeth"
For time 21-15-9 reps of:
135 lbs Cleans
Ring dips

As always, SCALE if and when necessary. For some of us that are new to Olympic lifting, high pulls and FS will be good enough. The sub for ring dips is 4/1 bench dips, 3/1 bar dips or 2/1 jumping ring dips.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 080726

RANT!

RANT!

Ok, we are all at fault! I know I have "dumped" my fair share of Thrusters from over head.

With that said we MUST change our behavior. For member safety, your safety and so TitanFit is not buying new equipment daily, let’s take better care of the equipment we have.

As examples, no one needs to:
Drop a High Pull from chin high
Drop a Kettlebell from over head
Release the handle on the rowing machine versus placing it back in the cradle

YES, I understand there are times to dump the weights (e.g. failed personal record attempts). In fact I encourage you to do so, for your own safety, during Olympic lifting. It is not necessary, however, to dump a 45 lbs or 65 lbs Thruster from over head. When possible, which is most of the time by the way, lower the weight to hip level before you release. Doing so will prevent the loaded bar/Kettelbell/Dumbell from injuring you, the member working next to you and will allow us all to continue to utilize/enjoy the equipment we all use to get better.

We continually describe TitanFit and its members as family. As such treat the equipment as if it were your own. It is after all.

Sunday 090111

REST!

If you plan to visit TitanFit today, think TABATA!

Conquering Your Fear of the Box Jump

At 64" tall, with a 28" inseam, you might think that I would be scared of a 20" box jump: that's a big height for a small gal. But I'm not. I have no fear of the box jump. Never have. I don't know why. Maybe it was all those years of basketball practice and those jumping drills, when they tried desperately to improve my vertical leap but, it seemed at the time, to no avail. I remained a power forward's heart in a point guard's body: the story of my life. Still.

Anyway, I may not have a fear of the box jump but I know that most of my clients do. Usually, they tell me outright but, with a few, I can see it in their faces as they stand, hesitating, before the box, looking, edging forward, backing away a bit, seemingly waiting for courage to stand up and take their hands.

I can understand. Most of us don't jump as adults.

We did as kids, but somewhere we put jumping to the side. It wasn't very practical, I guess. Think about it. Outside of CrossFit, when was the last time you jumped as high as you could into the air? Maybe if you play basketball or you're in the military, but for everybody else (particularly for women) the need to jump just doesn't seem to come up that often. The last time you jumped as high as you could might have been at an age that ended in the word "teen" and so you might have some apprehension when the WOD calls for box jumps. So here are some tips for successful box jumping:

  1. Start small. It doesn't matter if the WOD is "Fight Gone Bad" and the standard is a 20" box jump. If you're not a comfortable, experienced jumper, then use the 12" box and nail it repeatedly. Then move to the 16", then the 20", and beyond. Progress slowly if you have to -- but continue to repeatedly challenge yourself and your limits.

  2. Focus on the top of the box at first. Stare at it and visualize your feet planted firmly in the middle of the top. Do this for every jump. As you progress, you can move your gaze forward until you're jumping with the box in your peripheral vision but don't worry about that at first. Just worry about planting your feet in the middle of the top.

  3. Get mad at the box. It's a stupid piece of lumber and, if you're scared to do it, that means the box is conquering you. It owns you. How pathetic is that? In my house, we have a saying: "Today, I will not be defeated by inanimate objects." It sounds really stupid but, the next time you're struggling with a stubborn jar lid, repeat this saying to yourself and you'll find yourself twisting off that lid like you're Superman.

  4. When you're really tired, deep in the WOD, and you still have to box jump, revert to #2, even if you think you've licked this box jump fear. Fatigue can do funny things to your mind, as we all know. Focus and refocus and you'll get through it.

  5. Add the box jump to your warm-up at least once a week, preferably twice. It doesn't have to be a lot of jumps: just 10 at a time. Repeated exposure at low levels will help.

  6. If you fall, do it again right away. Jump immediately. Really. The more you postpone the activity, or avoid it, the worse the fear will become. It doesn't matter if your shin has a bruise 3" wide and you've left skin on the floor, jump again right away. Don't wait.

Fear is a funny thing. Not "ha-ha" funny but you know what I mean. Last summer, I was speaking with Robyn, an old college chum (who now happens to be a psychologist) and I mentioned my anxiety over the swim portion of triathlons. "The more fear I have, the more compelled I am to do it," I told her, expecting a very concerned look and perhaps a step backward. (I was confessing to being a whack job, after all.) Instead, she reached out and touched my arm. "Oh, Lis, that's actually really healthy," she said, "Expose yourself to your fears at manageable levels and eventually you will take away the power of your fears and give that power to yourself." Okay, so maybe Robyn's nuts too. (Which is very possible, she did go to Vassar with me.) But her point was that when you fear something you should do it again and again in a controlled manner, instead of avoiding it. Then, it won't own you but you'll own it.

Once you've mastered your fear of the box jump, it becomes addictive. You'll want to jump more, and higher, and you'll find that you no longer want to limit your jumping to the inside of a CrossFit gym. That bench at the park? Jump it. That chair in your dining room? Nail it. Climbing into bed at night? So much more fun than sitting down and swinging those legs over.

This obsession can, however, put you in an odd predicament as a jumping grown-up among those who no longer jump. People will look at you oddly so resist the urge to jump in public places. Really. Don't be like me. Or else you'll find yourself in a school gymnasium, right under the backboard, waiting to pick up your 8-year-old son after school, in a sea of non-jumping grown-ups, none of whom seem to have the urge that you do -- that urge to jump up and touch the bottom of the net. The net is right over your head, after all, the threads hanging down so temptingly. But you are in a pair of dress pants and a shirt with French cuffs, looking to all the world like a serious English professor, and yet your internal dialogue goes something like this: Don't do it. Don't jump. Be normal. Nobody else is jumping in their business suit and their grown-up shoes. Really. Just blend in. Stop it. You're only 5'4" for God's sake, you can't reach the bottom of the net anyhow. Be normal. Be normal. BE NORMAL!

Oh, what the hell. Might as well jump!

(Text and photograph by Lisbeth Darsh/CrossFit Watertown in Connecticut.)

http://crossfitwatertown.typepad.com/index/2008/03/might-as-well-j.html

Saturday 090110

Workout

Work on your weakness!

For me, today is Cleans. My squatting, pressing and MetCons have improved. My Olympic lifting has not. As such they will become a focus over the next few weeks to months.

What is your weakness? Today's session will be tailored to help you improve. YES, you. We all know TitanFit's brand of CrossFit is small group personalized training. Today it IS personalized training.

The fine folks of NPR have published a podcast with Mark Rippetoe (URL below). He discusses New years resolution workouts and what he feels are the best ways to get fit. Give it a listen. it is good for all to hear especially those that a new to "real" fitness as he refutes some of the commonly-held fitness myths people hear and take as "gospel" [e.g. ellipticals and LSD (long slow distance) training are great ways to get fit].

Thanks JB for the link.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/wwrd/2009/01/what_would_rob_do_to_lose_10_p.html

Friday 090109


Mary pressing

Workout
5 sets of 8-10 reps of:
60% of BWT OHS or Front Squats (for those that did not FS last week)

After

"Mini" MetCon
7 rounds for time of :
7 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls - 95 lbs (M), 65 lbs (F)
7 Box Jumps - 24 inches (M), 18 inches (F)

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 081122

Thursday 090108

Workout
"Lynne"
5x max reps of:
Body weight bench press
Pull-ups

For Lynne as rx'd, each "round" is 5 minutes long.

Start your BP on the minute, complete as many as possible without racking the weight. Once you have completed the BP, start your Pull-ups. Complete as many Pull-ups as possible (your set is complete once you release the bar). Now rest for what remains of the original 5 minutes (e.g. if it takes you 2 minutes to BP and do the Pull-ups, rest 3 minutes). Repeat 4 more time. Got it? (As an aside...do the exercise that you are weakest in first. E.g. for me, that of course means I do pull-ups before bench pressing)

Post reps for both exercises in all rounds

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 081103

NEW YEAR Changes (for the better) are coming!

REST!

Man I need it, I bet you do too.

OK there are a few things that we need to cover.

  1. FULL RANGE OF MOTION - TitanFit will be a stickler for full range of motion as we start the new year. Let us be the Indiana example of how to do it right!
  2. Class schedule coming soon - Starting in February, we are instituting classes. Currently we are thinking of 5:30, 6:00, 7:00 and 8:00 for the times. We will continue to offer "open gym during our ope hours. The class times are to ensure we all get a proper warm-up before starting the WOD. Those time don't look good? Let us know what schedule might work better for you.
  3. Price increase - in an effort to ensure we continue to offer the best training experience, we are raising the non-contracted monthly rates starting the first week of February (current members are "grand-fathered" and will not experience an increase.) If you want to save a few bucks, now is the time to join or get your family/friends to do so.
  4. February will also start "The save dollars by losing weight/being consistent" program. More details are available so come in and ask...

Tuesday 090106

Workout
For time:
5 rounds of
500M row
20 - Thrusters (M45/F33)
20 - AB Mat Sit-ups

OK we have a few new folks. As such, we need to ensure reinforce proper form. It is a MUST that we get full range of motion during our exercises. For today, for example, during your Thrusters, bar fully overhead and arms locked out at the top of the exercise.

Monday 090105


Lance Armstrong during workout in his home gym as he prepares to resume career.



Fouts got new shoes and Berg says he wants to Oly lift today...so

Workout:
Hang Power Clean (HPCL) OR Hang Power Snatch
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Compare to:

Sunday 090104

Workout
CrossFit Total (CFT)
1RM for:
Squat
Press
Dead Lift

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 081129

Saturday 090103

Rest!

Each do:
700M row
33 - Squats
20 - Ring Dips
33 - 53 lbs KB swings
20 - Body Rows

Friday 090102

Workout
Nice easy 3 Mile run/5 K row.

CFT set for Sunday January 4th! Get your mind right.

Thursday 090101

Workout
Front Squats
85% of your 1RM x1, x2, x3, x3 sets

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080421

It is official. Below please find the regional qualifier information for this year's CrossFit Games

May 16-17, 2009
Midwest
Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee

12 Spots:
6 men & 6 women
845 Claycraft Rd
Gahanna, OH 43230

Wednesday 081231

Nice way to finish off the year...

Workout
"Fight Gone Bad" - AKA FGB

Three rounds of 1:00 of effort for:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 8 ft target (Reps)
Sumo Dead lift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20" box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 080927

Tuesday 081230

REST!

Monday 081229

A few more days of following the main page solely. They have posted:

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps
Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

If that's not your speed today, we will work on a weakness.

Sunday 081228

Remember we are closed today!

Saturday 081227

Workout

Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:
5 - 95 pound Thruster
7 - 95 pound Hang Powercleans
10 -95 pound Sumo Deadlift High-pull

95 lbs for the strongest among us, 65 lbs for most and 35 lbs for a few. The idea is to keep moving. Pick a weight that will allow you to move for most of the 20 minutes. If you need to break any of the exercises during the first 5 rounds or so, it is too heavy!

Friday 081226

REST!

OK, year end 2008 is rapidly approaching. It, therefore, is time to reflect. I have a few questions:

  1. Did you have 2008 goals?
  2. Did TitanFit help you meet those 2008 goals?
  3. What are your 2009 goals?
  4. What can we do to ensure you meet those goals?
  5. What was the hardest WOD for 2008
  6. Easiest?
  7. What keeps you coming back?

2009 is an opportunity for all of us to make changes...be they diet, number of workouts, types of workouts, treating other better or being the best you that you can be. We are here to help. Stop in and let us know what we can do better and let us know how we can help you get better.

Thursday 081225

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ok, are you back at home, or maybe you are having others to your home? Is your brother in-law there, your cousin, that high school friend you have not seen in a while, maybe even your parents (for a scaled version)...tell them one of your presents is a CrossFit workout. It is a gift of fitness that will last a lifetime, after all.

Let them do Angie with you. No special equipment necessary and it will take less than 30 minutes. Then you have the rest of the day to spend with family and maybe you can get another convert.

Workout
"Angie"
For time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats

Partition the exercises as needed...scale for beginners.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080303

Wednesday 081224

Workout

Back Squat
5 sets of 5 reps @ 80%-85% of your 1RM
DJ, Josh, Sharon and Herb, I see EVA in your NEAR future!

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 081110

Tuesday 081223

We are following the main page this week. If the rest of the week ends up like today, we're in trouble!

Workout
"Eva"
for time:
5x
800M run or 1000M row
30 - 2 pood KB Swings
30 - Pull-ups
This, like Murph, is likely to be an hour workout for most. SCALE this to you current abilities. Please use a smaller KB, do fewer reps and or do fewer than 5 rounds.
If this is your first attempt, it might be a good idea to give yourself a time target. Work as hard as you can for a predetermined amount of time. Try 40:00 as a cutoff, for example. It will repeat so you will get another chance...
Eva with 2 pood swings
Eva (r)

Monday 081222

Rest!

Sunday 081221


Workout
Power/Strength
Jerk
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1
Dead Lift
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1
Compare to:

Saturday 081220


KM during 12 days of Christmas

Workout
Team Cindy

Friday 081219


Workout

Snatch Balance + OHS (complete one of each before re-racking the bar)
Work to 110% of your SN 1RM

Compare to:

Thursday 081218

REST!

Wednesday 081217

As tomorrow is a rest day, it's time to break out a Christmas time favorite...

Workout
For time:
1 – Burpees
2 - 95 lbs PP
3 - 95 lbs FS
4 - 95 lbs PCLS
5 - 95 lbs DL
6 - Box Jumps
7 - Pull-ups
8 - Push-ups
9 - Ab Mat sit-ups
10 - Air Squats
11 - 53 lbs KB Swings
12 - A 500M Row

So the workout is:
1 Burpee
then 2 Push Press and 1 Burpee
then 3 Front Squats, 2 Push Press and 1 Burpee etc...

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 080703

Tuesday 081216

Workout

Weighted Pull-ups
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Split Jerk
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 081117

Monday 081215

Workout
5 rounds for time of:
5 - 275 pound Deadlifts (185 pounds for women) OR 60% of 1RM for those that cannot do 275 lbs
10 - Burpees yea Burpees! (with clap overhead while airborne)

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 080705

Sunday 081213

REST!



One of the things I like best about CrossFit is the ability to scale. People of different strength and fitness levels can do the same workout. How cool is that? Kelin and Mary, pictured above, did the same workout yesterday. Not only that, the finished within: 30 of one another. I bet there isn’t another sport that the two can be compete in at the same time.



As you rest this Sunday, knowing you are likely to make the New Year's resolution to get in shape...What Is Your Excuse To Wait!

Saturday 081213

Please note:
Sorry for the late notice…For Saturday December 13, 2008 TitanFit’s hours are:11:00 AM – 1:00 PM ONLY

Workout

10 rounds of:
125M Row with :40 rest

Friday 081212

Warm-up

Band shoulder work is a MUST before this workout!

Workout
For time
4 rounds of:

20 - 1-Arm DB Snatch* (10 each arm)
20 - Wall Ball Shots (M20/F12)

*Newbies: 10%-15% of Body Weight
*Middle of the road crowd: 15%-20% of Body Weight
*Advanced: 20%-25% of Body Weight

Thursday 081211

Workout
Front Squat – 80% of your 1RM x5 x5

THEN

"Mini" MetCon
4 - rounds of Tabata
Push-ups
Pull-ups

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 081101

Wednesday 081210

REST!

Tuesday 081209

Workout
for time:
5 rounds of
5 - Push Jerk 80% - 85% of your 1RM
10 - Burpees (yea Burpees!)

That 2nd round of push jerk is surprisingly hard. Be prepared.

Monday 081208

Workout

Clean and Jerk:
Work up to 80% x1, 70% x1, 83% x1, 73% x1, 85% x1, 75% x1, 88% x1, 75% x1 notice the wave?

Compose to:
TITANFIT: Sunday 080907

Row Your Way to Health
Air date: November 23, 2008

OK, so here’s a question for all you fitness enthusiasts out there: "Which athletes have the biggest hearts, the densest bones, the biggest muscles?"

And, the answer? "It’s rowers."

The voice you’re hearing belongs to Benjamin Levin. He’s a cardiologist at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. And he’s interested in exercise that does the most to strengthen the heart. So what’s so special about rowing?

"Rowing is a very unique exercise. It’s kind of like a combination of weight training and endurance training. And the blood pressure goes up really high with each stroke, so it’s a good, solid workout for the heart."

Rowing is such good exercise, in fact, that rowers tend to have the biggest muscles, the densest bones and the biggest hearts. It’s also low impact, which makes rowing a good choice if you have creaky knees or you’re recovering from an injury.

"There’s no pounding; people don’t get injured rowing. So it’s a great exercise for a lot of reasons."

And if you’re looking to lose weight, rowing for thirty minutes burns calories faster than riding a stationary bike for the same amount of time.

So is there any downside to rowing? You do need a rowing machine or access to a large body of water. But most gyms have rowing machines. And you can get a decent home machine for under $200 dollars.

So if you want to get in great shape, or strengthen your heart, or both, rowing just may be the way to go.

I’m Jeremy Shere

This Sound Medicine Checkup is underwritten by IUPUI, where impact is made on our students, our community, our health, and our economy. More information at http://www.iupui.edu/.

Additional Resources:
Read more about the benefits of interval training for building strength and cardio-vascular rehabilitation.

Sunday 081207

Workout

"Jackie" x 2

For time:
1k Row
50 - 45 lbs Thrusters
30 - Pull-ups

Yes, that's right do it TWICE!

Saturday 081206

Rest!

12 days of Christmas workout rapidly approaching!
Check out Sharon! She participated in a Colts camp and with her new fit bod, was a star. Next time you see her, make sure you congratulate her for representing well.

Friday 081205

Workout

For time:
1K row
Then
21, 15 and 9 of:
DL - 50% of 1 RM
18 inch Box Jumps
Push Press - 50% of 1RM

Thursday 081204

Workout
For time:
Five rounds for time of:
KB walking lunge, 10 alternating steps
KB swing, 15 reps

53 lbs for the very fit, 35 lbs for most of us and 20 lbs for the new folks.

Wednesday 081203

Workout
For time:
"Fran"
Thruster - 95pounds
Pull-ups

Scale this one if necessary. 95 lbs for the strongest, 65 lbs for many and 45 lbs or fewer for those that are new.



Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080915

Tuesday 081202

Happy Birthday Bay! We miss you.

REST!

Often I just smile as I read the "latest" fitness research. Recently the Chicago Tribune published an article that first appeared in the Washington Post. It got more than just a smile...

Here's the URL. I have posted the article below.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-wire-workout-tv-1130nov30,0,617704.story

Body works out, brain zones out
New study says TV can diminish quality of exercise
By Vicky Hallett The Washington Post November 30, 2008

I'll admit it: The first thought on my mind when I walk into the gym in the morning isn't a game plan for the day's workout. It's how can I snag a treadmill or elliptical near the television tuned to the "Today" show.

My legs are content to stride away as long as my brain is occupied with exclusive interviews and snappy segments. And if Matt Lauer promises something irresistible in the next half-hour, I may go the extra mile—or miles—to stick around and see it.

Habits like mine are why health clubs have gotten into show biz in the past 15 years. Although once upon a time a single TV in a gym would have been a luxury, now it's odd not to find several sets and frequently a bunch of machines with their own personal TVs. Gold's Gym has recently introduced the idea of the "Cardio Cinema," where movies play on a large screen in a darkened room set up like a theater, only with bikes, treadmills and ellipticals instead of cushy seats. Increasingly, gyms are also offering equipment like Expresso Bikes, which have screens that riders can use to watch regular television programming or take a virtual-reality ride through a choice of environments (including outer space!).

If that's what it takes to get the general population moving, Pete McCall, an exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise, is all for it. "The perception is exercise is work; it makes me sweat," he says. "So if we have to use TVs as a puppy dog, it's a necessary evil."

Diane Whaley, a sports psychologist at the University of Virginia, says there are two goals for exercise: to be enjoyable and effective. And while getting engrossed in television seems to help with the former, it can take away from the latter. "You have to find out what will result in a good workout, not just going through the motions," she says.

Although Costas Karageorghis, a sports psychologist at Brunel University in London, firmly believes that distractions reduce pain during exercise, his groundbreaking investigations of the effect of visual stimulus have him worried that television can be too great a diversion.

"Watching TV while you exercise is such a distraction that it diminishes the quality of exercise. When you combine video with audio, it requires more from your brain," he says.

However, Karageorghis—who orchestrated the live soundtrack of this month's "Run to the Beat" half-marathon in London, where musicians performed along the course—has found that upbeat programming that requires little mental energy could have an "additive effect." He favors comedies, music videos or cartoons over plot-heavy shows that demand extra attention.

"The very best thing would be edited highlights of athletes to inspiring music," he says, offering as an example "I Feel Good" by James Brown coupled with carefully selected Olympic moments. "Highlights are better than a game because you get timeouts or injuries, and those aren't motivational."

The timeouts clearly didn't bother Gwydion Suilebhan, a 40-year-old playwright who was burning up an elliptical at the D.C. location of Results, the Gym, on a recent Saturday while watching the Clemson-Georgia Tech football game.

When he's exercising, he'll seek out any form of athletic competition. He said he got what he calls "the greatest workout of my life" when the U.S. women's soccer team won the World Cup.

"I got on the elliptical partway through the match," Suilebhan recalled. "It was the first soccer game I'd ever watched on television, and I would not get off the machine until the end. At an hour and 15 minutes, I should have been exhausted, but they were running around the field wildly and I was cheering and going.

"Experiences like that happen because TV allows us to disassociate, says Jesse Pittsley, program coordinator of the exercise science program at Winston-Salem State University. He knew a guy who used to set his treadmill to a 7-minute-mile pace while watching football games. Several times a season, he'd cover marathon-length distances.

McCall advises harnessing the rhythms of TV to your advantage. When the commercial comes on, that's when you pick up the speed. "It's the old Chuck Woolery 'two and two,' and then you go easy for five to eight minutes," he says. "That's a good recovery interval.

"Using a large screen also avoids one of the problems of combining TV and exercise: bad biomechanics. Karageorghis fears people watching television lower or raise their chin for a better view of a screen, and McCall reports seeing neck-craning—especially when the TVs were smaller—by exercisers who weren't wearing their glasses.

That's why Equinox, the super-high-end health club chain, avoids personal TV screens in favor of a large bank of plasmas. "We felt that was the wrong posture. You shouldn't be looking down; you should be focused straight ahead," says Chris Carnecchia, general manager of a Virginia location. Besides, adds David Harris, Equinox's national director for training, beyond the postural concerns, personal TVs disrupt what he calls the right "staging" of an exercise environment. "The energy is different. People aren't looking around and learning from other things going on.

"So there are some concerns blocking television's total dominance in gyms. And even though experts believe the trend toward more screens will continue, especially using new interactive technologies to give exercisers more game-like experiences, there's one part of the gym that everyone agrees should stay TV-free: the weight room. Form is crucial when you're lifting, and it takes focus and concentration. Distraction there doesn't mask pain; it creates it.

Monday 081201

Warm-up
using 45 lbs bar
Pressing Snatch Balance x3 x3
Heaving Snatch Balance x3 x3
Snatch Balance + OHS x3 x3
Sotts Press x3 x3

Workout
Snatch
Reps are started on the minute
66%* x1 x5
71% x1 x5
76% x1 x5
Rest as needed between these sets
80%* x1
85% x1
88% x1
90% x1
92% x1
*Of 1RM

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 081009



They both set PRs. One seems happy, the other, not so much!

Sunday 081130


Getting hip below knee

Word on the streets is the 2009 the Crossfit Games will be held in Aromas California July 11-12. New for 2009, one must compete in a regional qualifying events to advance to the Finals.

There are 12 regions in the U.S. and 6 international regions. Each region will send the top 5 men and top 5 women to the CrossFit Games (there is no qualifier for the Affiliate Cup) Our Regional Qualifier will include 61 Affiliates in the following states:

Colorado
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Wyoming

The Regional event will be held at Front Range CrossFit in Denver Colorado. We will keep everyone posted as new information is available.

Workout
TABATA!
Perform the following exercises for 8 rounds of 20 seconds work (in any order), 10 seconds rest:
Rowing*
Air squat
Push-ups
Pull-ups
Sit-ups

After the 8th round of each exercise, rest 1 minute before proceeding to the next. The lowest number of reps achieved in any of the 8 rounds is the score for that particular exercise (calories burned in place of reps are used for rowing). The sum of the scores for all of the exercises gives the score for the entire workout.

*Those without access to a rower, do SDHP with a 45 lbs barbell for each 20 second segment.
Compare to:
TITANFIT: Wednesday 080702

Saturday 081129

Workout

CrossFit Total (CFT)1RM for:
Squat
Press
Dead Lift

OK, this is the last one for 2008. The following is the first one we did this year...TITANFIT: Wednesday 080402


Compare today to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 081004

Friday 081128

REST!

Thursday 081127

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Workout
For time:
3 mile run w/ 50 air squats after each mile

Post splits for each mile

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Tuesday 080520

Wednesday 081126

Workout:
Hang Power Clean (HPCL)
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Sunday 081012

I named yesterday's workout "Cold Sore". Here's the story, we have a new member that did Burpees (yea Burpees) for the first time yesterday. At the end of the workout, wanting to say, Herb, I hate Burpees, she said, "I hate Herpes".

I said that's a personal issue, but now we have a name for the workout. I thought "Cold Sore" was more family friendly.

Tuesday 081125

Warm-up
Work on rack position and high hang cleans...for tomorrow's workout is Cleans!

Workout
For time:
"Cold Sore"
5x
10 - Burpees
10 – 65 lbs Thrusters
Then
50 - Double Unders

Unable to perform double unders? Sub Butt Kickers, Tuck Jumps or 3 to 1 Single unders

Here's the story behind the name. We had a new member that did Burpees (yea Burpees) for the first time. At the end of the workout, wanting to say, Herb, I hate Burpees, she said, "I hate Herpes". Cold Sore seems a bit more PC, so there you have it.

Monday 081124

Rest!

Click picture to enlarge

Middle picture...2nd row from the bottom...RR 3rd from the left (Blue TitanFit T-Shirt) . KTF 3rd from the right (White TitanFit T-Shirt) DJ 4th from the right...I guess we gotta get him a TitanFit T-Shirt too!

TitanFit continues to invest in you! Let's congratulate OUR 3 newly CrossFit Certified, TitanFit Trainers!

DJ

KTF

Dr. Rick
Stay tuned! Indianapolis' Best Trained, Best Staffed, Most Experienced, CrossFit Affiliate has more in store.

Sunday 081123

Workout
Dead Lift - 90% of your 1 RM x2 x3

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Sunday 081109

After

"Mini" MetCon
For time:
50 - Wall Ball Shots

Saturday 081122

Workout
5 sets of 8-10 reps of:
60% of BWT OHS

After
"Mini" MetCon
7 rounds for time of :
7 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls - 95 lbs (M), 65 lbs (F)
7 Box Jumps - 24 inches (M), 18 inches (F)

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080825

Friday 081121

Workout
Press
Find your 3 rep max

After

"Mini" MetCon
5x
250M row
10 - (1-Push-up+4-Mountain climbers)
10 -KB Swings


See...dead lifting makes one smile!

Thursday 081120

REST!

Interesting...here's the link and I have pasted the article below. Now I'm off to sleep!

http://www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20081117/activity-sleep-may-cut-cancer-risk

Study: Active Women May Need at Least 7 Hours of Nightly Sleep for Lower Cancer Risk
By Miranda HittiWebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Nov. 17, 2008 -- Physical activity may cut cancer risk, and sleeping at least seven hours per night may maximize that benefit.

That's according to new research presented today in Washington, D.C. at an international meeting on cancer prevention hosted by the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).

The researchers, who included James McClain, PhD, MPH, a cancer prevention fellow at the National Cancer Institute, reviewed data on nearly 6,000 Maryland women.

In 1998, the women completed surveys about how much physical activity and sleep they typically get. Over the next nine years, the group had 604 new cases of cancer.

As expected, physical activity was linked to lower cancer rates. But sleep also mattered.

Among the most physically active women younger than 65 -- women who reported getting about an hour a day of moderate physical activity -- cancer was 47% rarer for those who got at least seven hours of nightly sleep. Those findings held regardless of other cancer risk factors.

"What that suggests to us is among younger and middle-aged women, both physical activity and sleep habits might play an important role in reducing cancer risk," McClain tells WebMD.

For perspective, McClain notes that "overall cancer risk among younger women is relatively modest. It's not a highly likely event by any means." McClain also points out that no one in the study got cancer prevention benefits just by sleeping. "It's not as though you got the benefit, the reduction in cancer risk, if you weren't active," McClain says.

In short, be active and get enough sleep, too.

McClain says he wants to check the findings in larger groups of people. "This is an initial look at a very complex question," he says.

Meanwhile, he suggests that overall lifestyle, not just one or two habits, might be more important for reducing cancer risk.

"You might want to think about your lifestyle as a whole," McClain says. "Think about multiple lifestyle behaviors [such as sleep and physical activity] in more of a holistic perspective."

Wednesday 081119

Workout
For Time:
1000M row
50 - Wallball*

750M row
35 - Wallball

500M row
20 - Wallball

* The strongest of us should use the 20 lbs ball. Most should use the 12 lbs ball. Me, I'm using the 8 lbs ball.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 080327

Tuesday 081118

Workout
2 position snatch:
work up to 75% x2 x6 (floor and high hang)

Snatch pulls:
95% x3, 100%x3, +5 10 more lbs x3

Snatch shrugs:
100% + 20 lbs x5, + 20 lbs x5, + 20 lbs x5

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080818

Monday 081117


Workout

Weighted Pull-ups
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Rack Jerk
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Compare to:

Sunday 081116

Rest!

Saturday 081115


Saturday Team Workout

Workout
AMRAP in 20:20
10 - WallBall Shots
10 - Ab Mat Sit-ups
10 - Push-ups
10 - 53 lbs KB Swings
125M Row

The 10:00 AM crowd was broken into 2 teams of 3. KTF, MM and DJ were Team Bad News and Jay, JB and I were the Also Ran's. They beat us by 10 - swings and 125M row...about :45 - 1:00.

The 1:00 PM crowd was 1 team of 3. It was SS, LH and CHS. They finished nearly 4 rounds in 20:0 and did 5 rounds each in 29:00.

Friday 081114

Workout
For time:

"Jackie"
1000M Row or 800M Run
50 - 45 lbs Thrusters
30 - Pull-ups

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Friday 081010

Thursday 081113

I thought we were going to do OHS today, but they had different plans for me...that being the case, here you go!

Newbies
Workout
Snatch assistance exercises (Pressing Snatch Balance, Heaving Snatch Balance and SN Balance)

Then
Rowing Tabata

Old Timers
Workout
For time:
5 x
20 - OHS (M 95#, F 65#)
20 - KTEs

Wednesday 081112

REST!

Tuesday 081111

Workout
For time:
3x
10 - Burpees (Yea Burpees!)
20 - Box Jumps
30 - Pull-ups
40 - Air Squats
100M run/125M row

This is the ANTI Herb workout for those that are interested...

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 080410

Monday 081110




Workout

Back Squat
5 sets of 5 reps @ 80%-85% of your 1RM

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 080918

Sunday 081109

Workout

Dead Lift
90% of your 1 RM x2 x3

AFTER
"Mini Metcon"

Tabata Row!

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 081020

Saturday 081108

Rest!


Fouts tried to kill me...

Friday 081107

As you know, it is now November and it is getting a colder outside. That being the case, we are likely to row a bit more often than run for the next few months.

Rowing properly will improve your times and make you workouts more enjoyable. As such, I thought it is a good time to re-post the following video. It shows some of the common flaws on the Concept II (C2) rower.


Workout

For time:
50 - Medicine ball cleans/Wall Balls Shots M20 lbs/W14 lbs

So here's the drill...Perform a Medicine Ball clean, then from the catch position, perform a Wall Ball shot. Each reps starts from the deck, so drop the ball between each reps.

No Medicine Ball, try M53 lbs/F 35 lbs squat cleans with a thruster.

JSYK, this idea came from the KTF. There are 100 squats in this workout, so it will burn...

Thursday 081106

Warm-up
using 45 lbs bar
Clean Drops x3 x3
Over Head Lunges x3 x3

Workout
Clean and Jerk
All reps are started on the minute (meaning complete the prescribed percentage x1 rest remaining of 1 minute and repeat for required reps)
66%* x1 x5
71% x1 x5
76% x1 x5

Rest as needed between these sets
80%* x1
85% x1
88% x1
90% x1
92% x1

*Of 1RM

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Tuesday 080311

Wednesday 081105

Workout

For time:
3x
25 - Push Press (M 75 lbs/F 45 lbs)
20 - KB Swings (M53/F35)
15 - Wall Ball (M 20 lbs/F 12 lbs)
10 - KTEs

I think this one will repeat. Let us give it a name. Post to comments.

Tuesday 081104

VOTE!

Monday 081103

Workout
"Lynne" - Five rounds for max reps of:
Body weight bench press
Pull-ups

For Lynne as rx'd, each "round" is 5 minutes long.

Start your BP on the minute, complete as many as possible without racking the weight. Once you have completed the BP, start your Pull-ups. Complete as many Pull-ups as possible (your set is complete once you release the bar). Now rest for what remains of the original 5 minutes (e.g. if it takes you 2 minutes to BP and do the Pull-ups, rest 3 minutes). Repeat 4 more time. Got it? (As an aside...do the exercise that you are weakest in first. E.g. for me, that of course means I do pull-ups before bench pressing)Post reps for both exercises in all rounds

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Wednesday 080813

Sunday 081102

Workout
Snatch Balance + OHS (complete one of each before re-racking the bar)
Work to 110% of your SN 1RM

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Monday 080721

Saturday 081101

Workout

Front Squat – 80% of your 1RM x5 x5

Then

"Mini" MetCon
5 - rounds for time of:
10- 53 lbs KB Swings
10 - Pull-ups

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Saturday 081018

Friday 081031

Rest!

Happy Halloween! Be safe and watch for kids this evening.

Thursday 081030

Dress warmly, we're running outside!

Workout
For time:
4x
400M run or 500M row
15 - 20 inch box jumps
15 - Push-ups
15 - Wall Ball

Wednesday 081029

Workout
Weighted Pull-ups
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1
Rack Jerk
5, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Tuesday 080826

Have you seen the following?

CrossFit: The Fast, Furious Workout Craze
By Sally Wadyka for MSN Health & Fitness
MSN Health & Fitness Exclusive

http://health.msn.com/fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100217215&Gt1=31037

If your gym suddenly looks like a cross between a gymnastics studio and a Marine Corps boot camp, chances are it's offering CrossFit classes. This fitness craze that's swept the nation in recent years was developed by a former gymnast in Santa Cruz, California, named Greg Glassman. The grassroots movement started with Glassman's rudimentary Web site on which he posted a daily workout routine (officially known as the "workout of the day" or simply the "WOD"). A dedicated following of police officers, firefighters and military types soon discovered the workouts, and from there, the wave just kept growing. Now, CrossFitters (as devotees are called) number in the thousands, and gyms across the country are offering this intense workout program.

"The workouts include elements of Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, and track and field done in combinations that increase core strength and conditioning," explains Jake Platt, owner of Northwest CrossFit in Seattle. There are about 50 basic exercises that are mixed and matched to create the "WOD," and every day is different. "Routine is the enemy," says Platt, an N.A.S.M. Certified Personal Trainer. "We want to keep your body guessing and make sure that no adaption is happening that will lead you to plateau and stop seeing progress.

"That variety is one of the biggest selling points of the program. "I had been going to the gym for about six months, and I was just bored with it," says Roger Parks, a software engineer in Seattle who discovered CrossFit four months ago. He has now traded his hour of treadmill time for a high-intensity CrossFit session four to five days a week. "Now I crank through my workout in 20 minutes and then I'm done for the day," says Parks. He also supplements his workouts with biking and running, and has seen his flag football and soccer playing improve thanks to the strength and stamina he's gained doing CrossFit.

Efficiency, intensity—and safety concerns
CrossFit workouts are modeled on full-body functional movements—like lifting, pulling, twisting, running, crawling and pushing. And because every move is designed to incorporate the entire body, a full workout can be accomplished in an efficient 15- to 20-minute session. The other trademark of the sessions is their intensity. "We're looking to get people to move as quickly as they possibly can through the entire workout," says Platt.

Critics of the workouts (and even some CrossFitters themselves) worry about the high intensity of the moves. "You're doing things fast with a bunch a weight, and I can see how that could be dangerous if it's done wrong," admits Parks. To avoid any potential risk, Parks started slowly. At the CrossFit gym he attends, the "WOD" comes in two versions—the prescribed routine and a modified version of it. Trainer Jake Platt agrees that there could be potential for injury if the moves aren't done perfectly. "Safety is our number-one concern, so in the beginning we work on very basic exercises and make sure people are learning perfect form and movement," he says. That's especially important considering the weights that are used in the exercises (for example, a 20-pound "wall ball" for men and a 12-pound one for women, or a 75-pound Olympic bar for men and 50-pound one for women).

Don't jump in too quickly
But not all CrossFitters or instructors are such sticklers about technique. "There's a very macho, 'be all you can be' attitude that surrounds this program," says Ralph LaForge, M.S., a physiologist at Duke University. He's bothered by the risk of musculoskeletal injuries—especially when older or relatively unfit people jump too quickly into the fast-paced, hardcore workout. Participants often brag about their soreness after a session, but LaForge worries that the competitive atmosphere can push people beyond their abilities. "When you have really debilitating soreness, you've actually ruptured muscle fibers," he explains. "And if you go back and do it again before you've fully recovered, you are more prone to injury.

"That "no pain, no gain" mentality has been a cornerstone of CrossFit, but there's also a push to make it more palatable to the masses. Stories abound of CrossFitters boasting about workouts that made them throw up (some even sport T-shirts declaring "I met Pukey"), and others have ended up in the emergency room with life-threatening cases of rhabdomyolysis, a condition caused when muscle fibers break down, release into the bloodstream and may poison the kidneys."There are a lot of unqualified coaches teaching this, and anyone can go on the Web site, get the workout, and push themselves too hard," says Platt. "I'm trying to change that concept and show that CrossFit can be a program that everyone can benefit from, and that they don't have to be pushed to the brink of throwing up in order to see results."

Measuring the results
Potential pitfalls aside, CrossFit is generating results for its thousands of followers. "I like the measurability of it," says Parks, who felt like he had plateaued at his regular gym routine before turning to CrossFit. Not only has he replaced an extra 30 pounds with a new set of totally toned, 6-pack abs, but he can look back at his records to see exactly how much faster he can perform certain sequences, how much more weight he can hoist, and how many more pull ups he can do now compared to when he first started CrossFit. "Being able to measure results is a big deal for me, and for the other people I work out with at the gym," he says.

To find a CrossFit trainer who will push you to achieve results—but do so safely—Platt recommends visiting a club to watch a class, perhaps participate in a free session, and to speak with the trainer about his or her CrossFit and overall fitness philosophies. Ideally, you want to see a mix of people participating in the sessions—young, old, male, female, athletes and fitness newcomers. And you want a trainer who understands the different ability levels of these different populations and tailors the prescribed workouts to suit individual needs.

First Person: A CrossFit Skeptic Becomes a Convert

Tuesday 081028

Workout
OHS - find your 1RM

THEN

"Mini" MetCon
7 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls - 95 lbs (M), 65 lbs (F)
Box Jumps - 24 inches (M), 18 inches (F)

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Thursday 080814

Strength training can ease aging's effects on women -...
Strength training can ease aging's effects on women
In a study of women of all ages, muscle strength was increased following a regular exercise program. Experts recommend older women use more resistance.
By Jeannine Stein October 27, 2008


Strength training -- it's not just for muscle-heads anymore. A study published last month in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that although older women gained muscle strength after an eight-week strength-training program, they showed little improvement in muscle power, or how much force is generated in a given amount of time. The latter is indicative of having fewer fast-twitch muscle fibers -- engaged during sprinting, kicking a ball or getting up and down from a chair.


The study included 49 inactive women, half younger (18 to 33 years old) and half older (65 to 84 years old). A few from each group served as a control, not altering their normal routine. The training groups engaged in an eight-week strength-training program consisting of knee-extension exercises that concentrated on quadricep muscles. The women did the exercise at a normal speed to increase muscle strength, then again faster, to increase muscle power.

The younger and older women showed about a 12% increase in muscle strength, which Dain LaRoche, lead author and assistant professor of exercise science at the University of New Hampshire, calls "a huge benefit.


"But when it came to muscle power, the young women logged a 35% increase, while the older women had only a 9% increase. Part of that, according to the study, could be that the strength-training program didn't provide enough stimulus.

But LaRoche believes other factors are in play as well: "With aging," he says, "you tend to lose the fast-twitch muscle fibers. And if you have less of them to begin with, you might get less adaptation. . . . The lack of physical activity with aging plays a big role too. If you think of activities older people tend to do, it's walking, gardening -- things that tend to be low-intensity that don't use the fast-twitch muscle fibers."

LaRoche notes that what some people think is adequate strength training might not be intense enough. For example, lifting lightweight dumbbells that don't stress the muscles enough won't do the trick. "People need to use resistance heavy enough to cause them to fatigue in eight to 12 repetitions," he says.Having more powerful upper- and lower-body muscles, he adds, could prevent falls that can have serious consequences in older people.

Monday 081027

REST!

Sunday 081026

Workout
For time:

Back squat* 21 reps
9 - Ring Dips
Row 500 meters

Back squat 15 reps
15 - Ring Dips
Row 750 meters

Back squat 9 reps
21 - Ring Dips
Row 1000 meters

*Use 50% of your 1RM. Post times to comments.
Compare to:
TITANFIT: Friday 080328

Saturday 081025





TEAM WORKOUT

22:45!

Both teams finished with exactly the same time!

Workout
teams of 2
500M row - each
75 - 1.5 pood swings
75 - Push-ups
75 - Sit-ups
1000M row - each
75 - Sit-ups
75 - Push-ups
75 - 1.5 pood swings

Friday 081024







Workout
For time:
"Grindy"
10 - 135 lbs Clean and Jerk
5 - Rounds of "Cindy"( 5-Pull-ups - 10-Push-ups - 15-Air squats)
10 - 135 lbs Clean and Jerk
5 - rounds of "Cindy"
10 - 135 lbs Clean and Jerk

Compare to:
Tomorrow, Ring Push-ups!

Thursday 081023

REST!

Wednesday 081022

Workout
For time:
3-5 Mile run...have fun run on a trail if possible...YES THAT MEANS YOU KTF!

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Sunday 080831

Tuesday 081021

Workout
"Helen"
For time 3 rounds of:
Run 400 M/Row 500M
21 - 24k KB or 55 lbs dumbbell swings M/ 16k KB or 35 lbs dumbbells swings F
12 - Pull-ups

You know the drill...scale to your fitness level. Those that can not do 50 or 35 lbs+ lbs KB swings need to use less weight. If you are unable to complete an un-assisted pull-up, jumping pull-ups (at a 2 to 1 sub) are allowed.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Sunday 080817

Monday 081020


Workout

Dead Lift
90% of your 1 RM x2 x3

AFTER
Tabata Row!

Sunday 081019

REST!

Here's an interesting finding...it seems that as little as 10:00 a day of exercise is better than nothing!

http://www.revolutionhealth.com/articles/a-little-exercise-goes-along-way-for-severely-obese/reut-20081008elin011

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to exercise and physical activity, people who are severely obese often feel defeated and think -- why bother. But a new study shows why they should bother, according to the study team.

Even a little bit of exercise - as little as 1 hour a week - can boost their quality of life and ability to complete everyday tasks like getting dressed, tying shoes and simply moving around, the study found.

"This study speaks to the importance of people who are overweight, even severely overweight, paying attention to the fact that increasing their activity even a little bit can make their day to day life better," Dr. Martin Binks told Reuters Health.

Binks is research director of the Duke Diet and Fitness Center, a residential weight loss program at Duke University Medical Center. He and colleagues examined the relationship between current activity levels and quality of life in roughly 1,200 severely obese men and women entering the Duke weight loss program. On average, these individuals were 100 pounds overweight.

In a pre-program assessment, it was noted that patients who reported being physically active for just under 60 minutes a week, on average, had a better overall quality of life and had an easier time performing daily tasks.

"These folks were not reporting high levels of activity yet they still felt better," Binks said. "This supports what we've been teaching for years - no amount of exercise is too little to have an impact. And it's beneficial no matter what you weigh."

"The benefits of exercise," he added, "are not just limited to appearance and muscle tone. Exercise makes people feel better about themselves and function better."

Binks presented his research at the Obesity Society's 2008 annual scientific meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.

Saturday 081018


Workout:

Front Squat – 80% of your 1RM x5 x5

Compare to:

THEN
"Mini" MetCon
5 - rounds for time of:
250M Row
5 Burpees

Friday 081017

Workout
For time:
5 Rounds

5 Rep Barbell Power Clean
(load equals 75% of body weight)

1st round - 10 Reps Get ups (5 right/5 left - load equals 25% of body weight)
2nd round - 8 Reps
3rd round - 6 Reps
4th round - 4 Reps
5th round - 2 Reps

Yes 25% of BWT is a lot. I am not sure I can do 70 lbs for that many reps. Scale this one to your current fitness level.

Thursday 081016

Workout

"LINDA"

For time 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of the triplet:
Deadlift: 1 1/2 body weight
Bench press: body weight
Clean: 3/4 body weight

Set up three bars and storm through for time - Linda is a daunting workout.

My first attempt took over an hour. SCALE this baby especially if it is your first attempt. There are several ways to scale this workout. One can do just the even reps and or lower the percentages of your body weight used for each lift.

One of the tricks I use is to remind myself that after I complete the round of 8, I am almost half way done.

Post time and weights used to the comments section.

Compare to:
TITANFIT: Friday 080530