Friday, December 29, 2006

New Year's Day Workout (Monday)


Hey Crew,
We will be moving our Monday workout to 7pm. This should eliminate any reasons why you can't get your year started off right!

And, be thinking about what you want to accomplish physically this year. We are going to have an informal sit down and make those goals public!

Happy New Year Monsters!

Kelly and Adrian

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Holiday Workout

We will be hosting a bay area crossfit workout tomorrow morning (Dec. 24th) at 9am. We're expecting some folks from the East Bay and Peninsula, so come on out and get one last burn in before Christmas!

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Wine And Cheese For Time

Hey Gang,
Just a reminder that everyone is welcome to a very informal gathering at our house Friday (Today the 15th!) for a little wine and cheese!

The address:
640 3rd. Ave.
Intersection of third and balboa (the Inner Richmond)

Hope you all can make it.

Coach K, A

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Barbara--For two minutes, everything is ok.

Two minutes. This is the rest period between five ferocious rounds of classic body-weight movments. This is also the interval of time the heroic Crossfitters (The Tuesday Twelve?) had to contemplate the next round of fun. But why Barbara?

Barb is a workout designed around a heavy volume of movments that can be performed without any equipment, besides your person. More importantly though, Barbara is a lesson in programming. We consistently find that this workout has a far more horrific effect on the athlete precisely because we rest two minutes between sets. It turns out that intensity is maintained as the athlete has had time to recover. Thus the athlete isn't ultimately overwhelmed by the muscle fatigue associated with simple, unbroken, high volume body-weight pieces like pull-ups.

But, Barbara is also a lesson in making simple programming more complex by manipulating work-rest intervals. So, if you find yourself trapped in a bathroom (airport, hanger, hotel), you can develop programming that is more sophisticated than simply "more of everything."

Most importantly though, last night demonstrated that our athletes are capable of performing massive volume without training for massive volume. Big volume workouts ultimately have less utility to us in the long run. But, seeing a woman who a year ago could not perform a single pull-up, bang out a hundred is a sight to behold. Nice job Pam Lauper.

Barbara is a ego check. But, it can teach us the value of two minutes.

Great Job Gang!

Coach K

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Thanksgiving Schedule

Hey Crew!
Here is the schedule for this holiday:
Wednesday 7pm
Thursday (Turkey/Pie/Wine Day) 8am
Friday 8am
Saturday 8am

Please come join us on Thursday for a Pre-postprandial-narcoleptic Turkey Chipper. It has been scientifically proven that if you train crossfit on the day of thanksgiving you can eat more pie.

Big love to our SF Family. We are grateful to get to train with you all!

Coach K and A

Friday, November 17, 2006

Zed's Dead Baby, Zed's Dead

Imagine the scene. The golden gate bridge is lit, holding back the foggy night. Friends, gathered together, huddled in small groups, nervous laughter. Then...
Deadlift Party.

Amazing. We believe that teaching people to correctly pick heavy things up off the ground is as functional as breathing. There are many that believe that one of the absolute fastest ways to add ability and capacity to any athlete is to get them to start deadlifting. Never mind that the research shows that deadlifting has a fantastic neuro-endocrine effect on the body. Never mind that deadlift practice means strong, stable spine and hips. Lifting as much as you can off the ground is simply athletic as it gets.

Ask any of the Thursday crew. They will probably say that their deadlift has increased proportionally to their overall fitness. And it is impressive to see category ranked cyclists lift 2x their body weight. It is impressive to see marathon runners lift over their body weight. It is impressive to see men over 6'5" pull 375 off the ground.

Deadlifting your bodyweight is a base competency. 1.5x is getting strong. 2x is on your way. 2.5 - 3x bodyweight is a strong and stable human being, er, I meant crossfit.

Nice work gang.

coach K

Sunday, November 12, 2006

A Word About Heavy Lifting

Hey Gang,

From time to time, Coach A and I are approached by an athlete who has questions about why we are spending class time lifting heavy weights. As it usually turns out, the athlete feels like performing heavy squats for example, isn't very "Crossfit". Typically, the athlete is referring to the fact that while traditional powerlifting and olympic lifting exercises are challenging, since their heart rate didn't hit 200 during the session--they must not really be crossfitting. It is true that Crossfit programming typically blends strength training and metabolic conditioning. It is also true that because we usually "unweight" the athlete in "typical Crossfit" workouts and thus train the athlete for power, we are able to increase speed, some strength, and the components of aerobic and metabolic fitness. However, we believe that solely performing these kinds of workouts will leave the athlete with potentially gaping holes in their "general phyical preparedness", and will ulitmately not advance the athletic capacities of that athlete. But, what we believe the athlete is really saying is that; "The workout didn't feel hard and so it must not be that effective", and that "I feel like I can squat on my own". If Adrian and I have failed to make the case for heavy lifting clear, the fault is our own. We will try to explain ourselves here:

1)As we have now been training with most of our athletes for longer than a few months, it is clear to us that as a group we are most limited by our peak strength.
Many of you are incredibly fit, metabolically that is. But without changes in absolute strength, we will begin to spin our wheels and loose the potential to increase our total work capacities. We must continue to push our strength totals higher so that we can begin to train at lower total percentages of these movements. For example, if we have two runners moving at the same speed, one moving at 90% capacity, and one at 50% of their capacity, which one will be able to increase speed, time, distance, etc? Clearly the athlete with the bigger capacity working at a smaller percentage of their total capacity wins. Many of you are beginning to approach the limits of your strength capacities. So, in order to take the next quantum leap in performance, YOU MUST GET STRONGER. Why do we want to develop a high poundage Clean and Jerk in our atheltes? Because we know that this will increase their capacity to perform a high poundage-HIGH rep Clean and Jerk. And now we are really back talking about "Crossfit" again. If anything, Adrian and I believe we sometimes fail our athletes because we don't lift heavy enough, OFTEN enough! We are never going to be able to deadlift 225 pounds for reps, unless we can deadlift 400lbs! Strength is the next frontier for the athlete looking to improve all of their capacities. For example, it is not an accident that as Pam Lauper's front squat got stronger, her Fran timed dropped. It is also not an accident that the fastest athletes on the planet are also some of the strongest. Most importantly though, we believe that this strength frontier is the most effective way we know to ensure that our athletes are the safest, most injury proof people we can create.

2)The problem with dropping in. We strive to create an atmosphere at the training house that is free from the guilt ladden pressures to attend. We want our athletes to come train with us because they choose to, freely. We believe that our athletes live complex, dynamic lives and can't always train with us when they would like. So if an athlete happens to attend class on days when we are working on the strength aspects of developing our total physical prepardeness, this is quirk of attendance. In the near future will will be addressing this need when we are able to grow and expand. We love that many of our athletes drop in on us only once a week. We believe that we are still able to help them with their training. This is especially true because we believe that our athletes need more strength training than we, or they typically program for.

3)Human athletes tend to reinforce their strengths and put off the training of their weaknesses. One of the reasons our programming works so well, develops the absolute monsters it does, and reduces injury and dysfunction in our athletes so well, is that our athletes are not in absolute charge of their programming. Crossfit works because our programming methodically forces our athletes to address their weaknesses head on, be they issues of flexibility, aerobic capacity, anaerobic capacity, power, and so on. Coaching works because your coach is keeping an eye what they believe you need to exceed you own physical and mental capacities. Specifically, if it were up to you soley, you would tend to do the things you are great at more often than you'd do the things you weren't great at (like squatting).

4) Finally, Strength is one of our ten components of fitness. To neglect it is like saying I don't need "Cardio". Strength, times speed is power. Training for power is one of the biggest assets we have in our training tool box. To neglect half of the equation is to neglect our potentials as athletes.

Finally, we also believe in the concept of try it to believe it. You are your own best experiment. If you have been lifting heavy (really have been-with us) and you don't feel like it is improving the other aspects of your fitness, talk with your coach.

coach K

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Picture Proof of Flying Monsters

Gang!
After much computer horror, we are back!
Try this link for some photos of the circus adventure.
http://circusschool.shutterfly.com

Incredible!

Coach K

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Circus Sunday

Hey Gang!
For those of you going to circus school, we'll be meeting at the location (see directions below) at about 2:15 on Sunday. Directions (map) can be found at www.circuscenter.org. Bring something you can hang upside down in. Long tight fitting clothing is best for protection (and modesty Pam). See you kids there! Bring a few extra dollars to cover your balance and to tip our instructors. Call Kelly with any other questions 415-350-9761
Circus Center is located at:
755 Frederick Street
in the Haight/Ashbury District of San Francisco.
It is south of Kezar Stadium near the Corner of Frederick/Lincoln Way and Arguello
A white post outside has "755" painted on it.

Coach K

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Hard Work and Proverbs Remembered

The Tuesday-Night Crew found themselves suddenly confronted with an ugly workout.
Terrific effort all around.
When I got home I was reminded of something I'd once read.

It is not the same to talk of Bulls,
as to be in the Bullring.

--spanish proverb.

It is most impressive to see 14 athletes on a Tuesday night, stand in the Bullring.

coachK

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Who Knows Squat?

We do. Everyday we know squat in some form or another.

The overhead squat is certainly one of the most challenging movements we do, but rarely is leg strength a limiting factor. The problem is transferring the power of the hip and leg into an object so far removed from that 'drive'. The answer? Un-yielding core integrity (and a healthy dose of shoulder girdle flexibility). Oh and of course a rock solid free-squat...clean up your free standing squat and your overhead squat will follow...it all starts at the ground up. Know Squat.




The closer you can get your free-standing squat to the diagram (hip and spine neutral, hip crease low, vertical travel path) the easier and more powerful all of your squatting will become.








Have fun and make sure you introduce yourselves to all the great new people that have been coming out lately.
-Bozman

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Circus Sunday Oct. 29th!

Hey Kids!
We have been invited to come and train trapeze and high rope at the local circus arts center on Oct.29th. at 2:30pm. We only have about 12 spots so let us know if you are interested. A deposit will hold your place. Should be fun watching Coach A doing his monkey thing!



Friday, October 06, 2006

Contact

Hey all,

I just got an email from Piera Damonte, one of the team 6 old guard, that I thought you guys might enjoy:

"In early September, I went for a short backpacking trip and decided to put my legs to the test by loading my pack as heavy as I could, even to the point of carrying almost exclusively canned foods - enough to feed myself and my 2 packmates for 3 days and more. Even though none of us could hardly lift the pack, once I got it on, we marched over New Army Pass (at 12,000+ft.) confidently, passing 2 groups en route. Was I sore the next day? Or at all, ever, over those 4 days? No. After I got back from that, I had 1 day's rest and I then got on a plane bound for Colorado and was the #5 runner for the Penguins running team for the Outward Bound Relay (trans-Rockies relay race)- brutal runs, again, at elevation, with some substantial elevation gains and losses. I ran a total of 3 legs for 18+ miles even though I hadn't been running hardly at all since June. Was I ever sore? No. Stiff? No. Normally I would be! On my last 6 mile leg I even busted out some pushups before taking off (see pic) and sprinted the first and last 1/4 miles. Insane. It really is astounding. More and (much) bigger adventures to come. Thanks for all of your help..."




Nice work Piera! Hope to see you back soon.

Stay Strong,
-Bozman

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

Sweat Angel




The residues of great effort are sometimes not immediately obvious. The implications and resonations of difficult training leave imprints on everything we do.

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Tons of Fun

A little strength work tonight to round out the metabolic burn from last night...

Points to remember when working towards great strength:

1)Holding your breath is a very natural way to stabilize your spine.

2)Work your grip. Everybody can benefit from stronger hands.

3)Move deliberately and focus on technique. Heavier weights demand heavier concentration.

4)Use your new-found strength for only good ends, never evil!

That's it for tonight. And remeber the words of Olympic lifting Guru Jim Schmitz, "Weightlifting is fun. Lifting more weight is more fun!".

-Bozman







Bingo helping Christy get it done.

Monday, September 25, 2006

New Toys, Fresh Meat

As promised, the daily update! Kelly and I have made a renewed commitment to keep this blog wheel turning.

Big Thanks to Aaron for spying some tires for us. We broke 'em in this morning and followed up with a quick Fran.







Ghost B during the 'christening'







Aneel, Franin' it up










We've also had a few fresh bodies stop by the AM crew lately, Barb on Friday and Steven today. Welcome both of you!!

Also wanted to introduce a not-so-new-comer to our SFCF family. Marty (pictured below after a slightly modified Helen) has been working with Adrian for about 7 weeks now...he keeps threatening to make it out to a class someday soon, so keep an eye out for him. That's it for now, see you all later in the week.




-Bozman

Friday, September 22, 2006

Marin Rowing and Important Wall Ball Variation




Hey Gang!


San Francisco Crossfit is very pleased to announce that we are the Strength and Conditioning Program for the Marin Rowing Association Women's Varsity Crew!



Georgia and coach K are working on a top secret new version of Wall Ball.



REMINDER! Wednesday morning class has been replaced with a wednesday evening 7pm. class!

coach K

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Labor Day Monday

Hey Gang,

We decided on moving Monday's workout to 8am due to the holiday weekend. Spread the word and see you there!

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

The Voices in My Head!


Find Your Heels

I was just past 11,000 feet on Mount Rainier, having just got past “The Flats” and about to go into “Disappointment Cleaver,” when the words I have heard so many times started running through my head like a bad Jessica Simpson song. “Find your heels.” It is what we all hear Kelly and Adrian say every workout. Now those words were starting to make sense outside of the usual barrage of wall balls and squats.

My original team had gone from 12 on the first day to seven on the second day and then six on the third day. We were joined with two other rope teams bringing us back up to four rope teams of three. The weather was good and the freezing level was low enough that the snowfields were holding up well. I was feeling good except my calves were starting to cramp. I thought it might have been the altitude when I realized that I was climbing on the balls of my feet instead of walking up correctly by keeping my heels down. That was when those three words started ringing in my head: “Find your heels.” After I kept my heels down and drove up the mountain with my quads and glutes it got much easier. Those three words running through my head reminded me every step what I needed to do to get up the last 3,500 feet.

After five and a half hours of climbing with those three words ringing in my head I made the 14,410-foot summit. My calves weren’t bothering me and I felt great. Ten of the twelve made the top of the crater and three of us made the trip up to the Columbia Crest to sign the summit log. I have climbed mountains over 12,000 feet before and it has never been easy. This was the first time I incorporated Crossfit into my training before a climb.

Crossfit was key in my preparations for the Mount Rainier summit climb. It balanced my workouts by helping me develop the strength and power that allowed me to put myself in a position to make the summit. I want to thank Kelly, Adrian and all the athletes I have the privilege of working out with on Tuesday and Thursday nights. All of you push me to achieve more than I would normally be satisfied with. Thank you and keep your damn heels down.


Josh Cunningham

Friday, August 04, 2006

Fun with Deadlifting!



Geeze Mom, Deadlifting can be fun!

Coach K and A playing around with the one of the "odd" lifts.

Product testing 735lbs squeezed onto a 700lb rated bar.

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Why Crossfit Matter II



The lessons learned through physical training are unavoidable. The character traits required and developed through physical training are universally applicable to all endeavors. Perserverance, industry, sacrifice, self-control, integrity, honesty and commitment are best and most easily learned in the gym. Even clients who have found spectacular success in business, sport, war, or love find their most important values buttressed, refined and nourished in rigorous training"
- Greg Classman

Keep it up gang, it matters.

Coach K

Thursday, July 20, 2006

Franken-Chipper

Take all the little pieces of the standard workouts that you hate, line them up end to end, and run the gauntlet for time. Here the gang discovers their inner monsters, Franken-Chipper Style.




Monday, July 17, 2006

I will Destroy you.




The G-Unit is not afraid of destruction (see how she embraces the emissary of pain.) Look for a new rower to join the team soon.

Coach K

Friday, July 14, 2006

The Elusive KP

Years of assuming I’ll never be able to do a pull-up. Months of thinking maybe, just maybe I’ll get one. Then, weeks of hoping for more than one. Two? Check. Five? Not happening. A lifetime of jumping and negatives stretched infinitely into the distance.

But then there’s this thing called kipping. Kelly and Adrian make it look so easy. Then Pam and Kim make it look easy. I want to be able to do that. For weeks, I hang from the bar, trying to swing and get the arc right to launch myself up upward. But as a kid I was a ballerina, not a gymnast, and tragically this technique is beyond me. I’m weak. I’m a girl. I’m not athletic. The calluses on my hands are getting bigger and uglier, and they hurt all the time. I’m stuck. I can do two dead hangs, or I can swing back and forth like a fish hooked on a line flopping its way to nowhere.

Then suddenly, I do it. Last night I walk up to the bar and just go. Only for five, but that’s three more than ever before, and it’s fun. I don’t know why it clicked, and I don’t know if it will click again (I hope so because dead hangs really suck), but it was good to see that practice (and lots of encouragement) can have an effect once in while. In December, I set a New Year’s resolution for 2006 to get one pull-up. Considering it’s only July… I guess this stuff works.

--Gretchen

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Grace (and Harmony)

Giant Tuesday night at the center! Here's the Recap:
Pam White get's multiple pullups.
Hellenor (Ell Leary) sticks her first kipping pullup.
All of our Women Super Jocks realize they need to go heavier.
Bernard and Tom get on the board with an unmodifed Grace.


Our Athlete Pam full of Grace, givn'er!


K Graves, application of technique and power!


Incredible crew, it's almost like this stuff works.

30 Clean and Jerks for time? That's crossfit.


Coach K

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Holiday Weekend Classes

Just a quick note:
Monday's 6am class is still on.
Tuesday we will have a 5pm class instead of the regular 7pm.
See you there!

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

First SFCF Seminar!

That's right, if you missed it, SFCF officially kicked off our seminar series. This month we spent some quality time talking about the squat and deadlift, and we added a little kipping practice. Some of our athletes even set personal deadlift records! Nice going gang. And, if you missed out on the unveiling of the first CFSF T-shirt, talk to Adrian or Kelly about getting yours. Thanks to everyone who made the day pretty cool. Look for more "strength bar-b-q's" in the near future.

Coach K


Bozman Speaks (we listen)



PVC mmmm, PVC



Effortless Effort. Adam pulling on his way to 315!

Friday, June 16, 2006

Wednesday, June 14, 2006

No Class This Friday Morning. Spread the Word

Crew,
No Class this Friday. We will be having a StrongMan/Woman contest on Saturaday.

As a reminder, BarbQue, Lifting, T-shirts a week from sunday at Noon.

Coach K

Sometimes will is enough

Five pullups
Ten Push ups
Fifteen squats

On the minute for 30 min.

This is a task for which there is no easy out. It simply takes guts,verve, and will.
Here are the poet-warriors of SFCF testing theirs.


Lactic early, lactic often!

Motley....

The Twin Towers of Power. All rounds completed. Aneel and Adam move to 1+! Nice lads.

Friday, June 09, 2006

Built for Speed

Ahh, the old sleds of dread! It turns out that using these sleds right after a heavy squat allows us to activate our speedier selves. Here is the crew getting in touch with their inner speed demons.



Form follow function. Proof? See Tom's quads.


Pam Black, activation phase.



Aneel at the end of his speed run



Pam Black trying out her newly potentiated acceleration



The sled chariots of leg fire always wait

Sunday, June 04, 2006

Update

Hey gang, just a bit of information...

1) The gymnastics day-trip that was happening this Sunday (June 11th) in Novato is a no-go. Instead, we're going to go ahead with our own in-house technique workshop, but due to the unexpected circumstances, it will be bumped back to Sunday June 25th at noon. We'll have a BBQ and make an afternoon of it, so get ready! The first ever Crossfit San Francisco T-shirts will be unveiled as well...

2) Now that summer's here (or about as close as it gets...this is San Francisco), be sure to stay hydrated and bring your water. Saturday's class had everybody sweatin' and it was only 8am! Say no to heatstroke and dehydration!
















That's it for now. See you all during the week,

Coaches K & A

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

G Unit in the Hizzy for Shizzle


That is, Georgia has started walking. Not just that "hey, those cute guys are watching I'm gonna pull out my party trick walking" walking. No, this is the real deal. It's on now for sure. Nice G!


Daddy K

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

3-Peat


Pull Ups. They are difficult, elusive, hard work to come by and, avoided by many as the territory of the unicorn. That is, for many, to do a pullup when you can do none falls into the realm of magical thinking.

Tonight witnessed Pam Lauper ripping off three of the pulling juggernauts in a row. Last time we checked, that's a 300% increase.

Remember Gang. Results are not linear.

Nice work Pam Black. (aka. the Lauper)

Coach K, Coach A

Jackie

Team 6 on Monday did Jackie and managed to get a few people on the score board. Congratulations to Kim and Geoff, the first CF SF record holders! Remember, the workout has to be done as written on the board for the time to be considered. Great job!!


Marisa and Katherine off to a strong start.


Scott nearly there.



See some of you Wednesday bright and early!

-Bozman

Saturday, May 27, 2006

Play Hard This Weekend!


Hey Gang!
Just wanted to wish everyone a great Holiday weekend and to let you know about a couple of things.
1) We will have class on 6am this monday (Hey Bring your hangover too!)
2) Thanks to the hard of work of Coach A, we now have a record board hanging in the back of the canopy. So, start looking for upcoming workouts that are going to fill that thing up! The only rule is, the record has to be witnessed, and there can be no weight substitutions. The prescribed weight is the one that makes it on the board.




See everyone Monday!

Coach K

Friday, May 26, 2006

Mutants Among Us

This Thursday brought an epic battle of athletes against the original source of All Evil in the universe...Fight Gone Bad. FGB, the Dark Lord of Workouts nearly vanquished our stalwart Heros. But, with Scores tallied, it was proven once again. There are MUTANTS among us.


Helly Boy aka. Elinor



Wonder Twins "I may be a WonderTwin, but it is no wonder you have been elimidated!"



Pam Black aka. The Lauper



Super Nova aka. Tom, going Nuclear on the Rower. Coach K watches in Horror and Awe
(Note the spontaneous lactic Fusion Ring Aura around his head)