THE WORD OF GOD
Deuteronomy 10:12
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.
GYM NEWS
Happy Birthday Krissie, we pray that the Lord blesses you with a very succesful and prosperous year. Have a great weekend and enjoy your special day.
MOBILITY
THE WORD OF GOD
Nahum 1:7
The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him
GYM NEWS
MOBILITY
THE WORD OF GOD
1 Corinthians 3:11
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have-Jesus Christ.
GYM NEWS
“You can’t finish a lift perfectly if you don’t start a lift perfectly”
-Brandon Lilly, Team Juggernaut
Most new CrossFitters or lifters are in such a rush to do the lift, that the set up is done all in a hurry. You all resist being removed from under the bar and asked to reset up. You are in such a desperate hurry to take the bar out of the rack that your set up is neglected. Set up is critical, and in the back squat you need to know what type of squat you are doing and match your set up to the lift. You also will benefit from a bit of comprehension about the basic physics/anatomical geometry of the lift so that you can understand why your coach is asking you to do a particular thing or why you eventually plateau in your squat goals.
There are two common placements for the bar in a back squat:
– the high bar position, used for narrow stance squatting, with a more upright torso, favored for front squatting and squat programs for Olympic Lifters. Typically, the hand position is close.
– the low bar position, favored by powerlifters, and posterior chain (glutes and hamstrings) dominant strength work. Feet will be a bit wider, hand position a bit wider.
There are two other common bar placement positions. We’ll call them
– “Wherever the bar happens to be when you take it out of the rack”-favored by new lifters, CrossFitters and those of you with no patience.
– “I think this is what the big strong guys do” – favored by self-taught gym guys who take the “low bar” idea a little too far.
The last two will be completely removed from the discussion!!
The high bar position is simply on top of the traps. It is quite easy to achieve and does not require a stable back or tight torso to maintain this during the lift. For this reason, it is quite common in new lifters and with new coaches. With the high bar position you never have that feeling of the bar sliding down off your back because you don’t have to do any work to keep it in place. In appearance a high bar squat will look more like a front squat-nice tall, upright torso, hard working quads, and a very good, long range of motion (getting deep).
High bar position. Narrow hand position, top of traps.
High bar position. Fingers are on the exact spot on her shoulder where she is going to put the bar for her low bar position.
The low bar position is at the base of the traps. Depending on the size of your traps, there is only an inch or two difference between a high bar and a low bar position, but the difference in effect is huge. As you can see from the pictures, since Chris has pretty well developed traps the difference in bar position is fairly dramatic. On our other model Kelly, the difference is more subtle because her traps, while pretty impressive, are not as long as Chris’ so the difference in the bar position is less.
Chris with a low bar position. Note his wider hand position, and that he has the bar settled into the groove below his traps.
Low bar position.
This article is courtesy of http://www.crossfitworks.com/archives/4865
MOBILITY
THE WORD OF GOD
Proverbs 12:25
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.
GYM NEWS
For those of you that were here on Saturday, you got to do a fun WOD with a deck of Cards. Most of you are pretty familiar with different card games, such as poker, 21 and a variety of other games. But, have you ever seen the deck of cards used in this format? Pretty awesome.. Enjoy this video.
THE WORD OF GOD
Psalm 51:2-3
Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
GYM NEW
Holiday Schedule for Monday Labor Day. We will have one class for those of you who want to come in and get your workout in at 8 am. This will be followed by open gym, so if you want to come in and work on lifts, or any other weaknesses, you are welcome to come in and practice on your goats.
Feel free to invite any family members that are visiting, or if you want to have a friend join you, to try CrossFit bring them in.
8 am WOD
9 am Open Gym
MOBILITY
THE WORD OF GOD
Proverbs 4:26
Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. Don’t get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil.
GYM NEWS
MOBILITY
THE WORD OF GOD
Isaiah 55:2
Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.
GYM NEWS
MOBILITY
The Word of God
John 8:12
Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”
Gym News
It is not always that we recognize someone for doing a great job in academics, and If you know of anyone that deserves recognition. Please let us know. Everyone should be recognized when they do an outstanding and positive accomplishment in life. We give a lot of props to people for their PR’s and for over coming fears. Academic accomplishments are also a huge in life. We like to keep a positive environment that will impact both in and out of the gym. So this being said, we wanted to recognize our son. We couldn’t be happier and very proud of our son Felix Llamas. Felix was awarded the Hazelton award at school yesterday. The Hazelton award is given to outstanding Stockton Unified School District students in the third, sixth, eighth and 12th grade. They are named in honor of Dr. William T. Hazelton, who taught in Stockton during the 1890s. In his will, Hazelton set aside funds to create awards for students.
Workout of the Day
STRENGTH
Overhead Squat
3-3-3-3-3
CONDITIONING
15 Min AMRAP
50 Double Unders
25 HLPU
25 Hollow Rock
50 OHWL (45/25)
Here is a great article on preparing your body for Oly-Lifts. Take some time to read through the article and see what new tips you can use to help you increase your flexibility and get ready to set some new PR’s.
Prepping for the O Lifts
by Justin Thacker
Now, more than ever, guys are flocking in droves to the Olympic lifts. That’s fantastic, but it never ceases to make me cringe.
So, what’s the problem? The fact that they didn’t start as a teenager, or better yet while they were still potty training. In fact, most of these new comers are past their thirties.
Why is this a recipe for disaster?
They’ve lost their youthful flexibility, resilience, and ability to hold the correct positions for the demands of the Olympic lifts. As a youth, gravity hasn’t taken it’s toll from the hours spent sitting down and slouching forward, leading to poor upper thoracic posture and ridiculously tight hamstrings.
At this point, they’ve lost the ability to adequately bend at the ankles, knees, and hips correctly to get in the correct pulling position, much less get under the bar correctly in a full squat position. Simply bending down to pick up the bar has become a near impossible task.
Add these poor positions and faulty mechanics to receiving positions that look like the profile of a humpback whale, and voilà, you have anything from a herniated disc to a blown shoulder. And depending on where the bar lands, you’re looking at potentially fractured wrists, femurs, or further spine damage.
But all of this can be remedied with some select prep drills. That is unless you want to continue doing power cleans from the high hang position for your whole life, and really, what fun is that? You know you want the full snatch!
Flexibility, It’s for You Too
While many people see the grace and power demonstrated in the Olympic lifts, many seem to overlook the extreme flexibility required to perform them adequately.
While the best in the world make the snatch and clean and jerk look flawless and easy, don’t misunderstand. Years have been spent working basic positions in order to violently heave weight into a beautiful ass-to-grass position and rebound gracefully to the overhead finish. Think of these movements much like gymnastics and golf. Positions and precision first, and then you can jump headfirst into a nice, fat snatch.
And I’m not even talking about simply doing the classic, or squat, versions of the lifts.
For both the classic (catching the bar ass-to-grass) and the power versions (catching the bar above parallel with the femurs), the first thing any trainee must focus on is proper positions, which in fact is nearly equal parts strength and flexibility. The inability to get into these positions will expose muscle imbalances, overly tight or weak muscles, and force you to pull incorrectly with the wrong biomechanics, and therefore, the wrong muscles and pull sequences.
On the other hand, if due diligence is given to training the positions required for each lift, your learning curve to mastery is greatly shortened. Likewise, your relative strength in each position will determine how much of a load will be possible. Then, it’s very easy to pinpoint your weak spots, train them, and continue on with more personal records.
The Prep Before the Prep
Each lift has their special position requirements and corresponding flexibility exercise. However, before we get to them, go no further without first having had a healthy diet of the following exercises. These are the mandatory, full range of motion movements required before you ever plan to do a snatch or clean and jerk.
If you have no strength in these basic moves, you’ll ultimately get crushed when your limit strength is achieved.
Front squat
Back squat
Overhead squat
Clean-grip deadlifts
Snatch-grip deadlifts
Lunges
Military presses
Once you’ve worked the kinks out of these movements and are strong, stable, and flexible, then it’s reasonable to consider jumping violently into these positions with not only a barbell but also some weight, instead of attempting the former and hoping for the best.
Unique Stretches for the Olympic Lifts
But that isn’t all that’s required to really prepare you for the Olympic lifts. There are a few key positions and stretches. And don’t get scared by the word “stretch;” these are isometric strength moves in disguise, which are actually stretching their tight antagonistic counterparts.
The Snatch
Snatch-Grip Squatting Quad Stretch
Goal: To prepare for the optimal pulling center of gravity from the floor. It’s also a great stretch for the ankles, knees, and hips for the receiving positions (or ass-to-grass squat positions).
Execution: With a snatch grip, place the bar on your mid thigh and squat as low as your anatomy will allow while maintaining an erect torso, properly arched back, and weight on the ball of your feet and heels. Push the bar into your thighs to increase the stretch and keep the proper balance.
Snatch-Grip Overhead Lockout
Goal: To prepare the body for the feeling of the finish position overhead, and to prepare for the descent into a squatting position with the barbell overhead. Also it’s used to achieve the optimal center of gravity over the balls of the feet, hips, shoulder blades, and ears.
Execution: With a snatch grip and your feet in your normal squat stance, press the bar overhead, locking it out over your ears and shoulder blades. Shrug your shoulders and traps to your ears, as well as your whole body as if you’re trying to support 500 pounds over head.
Overhead Squat
Goal: To prepare the bottom position at which you’ll receive, settle, and stabilize the barbell after violently propelling it into vertical space. The final portion of the lift is to jump under the barbell as it continues to fly vertically and your body drops down under the bar. The faster and lower you can get there the better your lift will be.
Execution: With the barbell still overhead, descend into a full-range squat (or hips below knees and/or to where the hams are touching the calves) with the bar remaining over the optimal center of gravity over the balls of your feet and heels, hips, shoulder blades, and ears. This is where you may find most of your problems, and you’ll know if and when you should try some classic full-squat snatches.
A sample drill with these movements before a snatch session would be to go from one position to the next without stopping. After each position is held for the designated time, move to the next and repeat for as many sets as necessary.
A1) Snatch-grip squatting quad for 10 seconds
A2) Snatch-grip overhead lockout for 10 seconds
A3) Overhead squat for 10 seconds
The Clean
Clean-Grip Squatting Quad Stretch
Goal: To prepare for the optimal pulling center of gravity from the floor and as a great stretch for the ankles, knees, and hips for the receiving positions (or ass-to-grass squat positions).
Execution: With a clean grip, place the bar on your mid thigh and squat as low as your anatomy will allow while maintaining an erect torso, properly arched back, and weight on the balls of the feet and heels. Push the bar into your thighs to increase the stretch and keep the proper balance.
Clean-Grip Front Squat Rack Position
Goal: To prepare your receiving position for the clean. It stretches the wrists, elbows, and shoulders to allow for proper receiving and front squatting positions so you don’t slump forward, putting the weight on your back, or risk dumping it forward onto your legs.
Execution: With a clean grip, place the bar on your clavicles and push your shoulders up and forward to build a rack for the barbell. Once the bar is securely placed, grip the bar tightly with your whole hand and drive your elbows upward to the sky. Note: On the rack position in the clean, you will not hold the bar tightly like this; the tight grip is merely for stretching purposes.
Front Squat
Goal: To prepare the bottom position at which you’ll receive, settle, and stabilize the barbell after violently propelling it into vertical space. Just as in the snatch, the final portion of the lift is to jump under the barbell as it continues to fly vertically and your body drops down under the bar. The faster and lower you can get there the better your lift will be.
Execution: With the barbell in the racked position on your shoulders, descend into a full-range squat (or hips below knees and/or to where the hams are touching the calves) with the bar remaining over the optimal center of gravity over the balls of the feet and heels, hips, and rack position. Just as in the snatch, this is where you may find most of your problems, and you’ll know if and when you should try some classic, full-squat cleans.
While adhering to the same rules previously mentioned for the snatch drills, a sample drill with these movements before a clean session would look like this:
A1) Clean-grip squatting quad for 10 seconds
A2) Clean-grip front squat rack position for 10 seconds
A3) Front squat for 10 seconds
The Jerk
Jerk Rack Position 1 and 2
Goal: To prepare the rack position to drive energy into the bar without letting the arms take over, robbing the energy transfer from the legs. There are two basic styles of jerk positions utilized: elbows either up or down.
Execution: Very much like the clean-grip rack position, the bar will be on your collarbones. With your elbows down, the key is to get the shoulders popped out enough so that the arms aren’t supporting the weight of the barbell. However, hands (or finger tips) are on the bar in order to lock the bar out overhead. If you want the elbows up, this is the same as the front squat rack position stretch.
Overhead Lockout
Goal: To prepare the body for the feeling of the finish position overhead, and to prepare for the descent into a split squatting position with the barbell locked out overhead. It’s also used to achieve the optimal center of gravity.
Execution: With a jerk grip, press the bar overhead, locking the bar over the shoulder blades, hips, and balls of feet and heels. Shrug your shoulders and traps to your ears, as well as your whole body as if you’re trying to support 500 pounds over head.
Overhead Lockout with Split Stance (or Squat Jerk)
Goal: To prepare the bottom position at which you’ll receive, settle, and stabilize the barbell overhead in a split or squat stance after violently propelling it into vertical space.
Execution: Just as in the snatch and clean, the final portion of the jerk lift is to jump under the barbell as it continues to fly vertically and your body drops down under the bar into a split or squat stance. The faster and lower you can get there the better your lift will be.
Clean-Grip Overhead Squat
Goal: If you plan to squat jerk instead of the split stance, this move is to prepare the jerk receiving position with the squat stance.
Execution: Everything here is the same as in the split stance overhead lockout drill except the foot positions. This movement is also a great full body flexibility exercise.
Just like with the snatch and jerk, a sample drill with these movements before a clean session would be:
A1) Jerk rack position 1 or 2 for 10 seconds
A2) Overhead lockout for 10 seconds
A3) Overhead lockout with split stance or overhead squat for 10 seconds
Additional Prep Drills
For those ready to podium in the clean and jerk, or for those just wanting to improve overall, there are two more prep drills to improve upon.
The Clean and Jerk Prep
A1) Clean-grip squatting quad for 10 seconds
A2) Clean-grip front squat rack position for 10 seconds
A3) Front squat for 10 seconds
A4) Overhead lockout for 10 seconds
A5) Overhead lockout with split stance or overhead squat for 10 seconds
Miscellaneous Basic Olympic Style Prep
A1) Clean-grip squatting quad for 10 seconds
A2) Clean-grip front squat rack position for 10 seconds
A3) Overhead lockout for 10 seconds
A3) Back squat for 10 seconds
A4) Snatch-grip overhead lockout for 10 seconds
A5) Snatch-grip overhead squat for 10 seconds
A6) Front squat for 10 seconds
A7) Overhead lockout with split stance for 10 seconds
Over (Your Head) and Out
Work these special barbell positions either daily or every time you perform the specific lift to loosen, lubricate, and prepare the area for war.
There will be substantial adjustments to these positions by all of the joints and connective tissues while you improve, but it won’t come without some time and a few growing pains, especially after the age of thirty.
On the bright side, I’ve had several people over the age of fifty successfully perform the full versions of the lifts with this exact approach. Many of them hadn’t even weight trained until after the age of fifty, but now they’ve fully implemented the Olympic lifts into their training arsenal.
With enough preparatory strength work and position stretches, you’ll soon be able to snatch, clean, and jerk with authority.
Courtesy of http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/prepping_for_the_o_lifts
Verse of the Day
Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.
Workout of the Day
17 Min AMRAP
40 Burpees
75/45 pound Snatch, 30 reps
30 Burpees
135/75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
20 Burpees
165/100 pound Snatch, 30 reps
10 Burpees
210/120 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible
I was browsing the Stockton Record’s web site checking up on the weather and I found this picture which was pretty awesome. This past weekend’s storm was some pretty intense rain, wind and powerful. All of Norcal was soaked, flood warnings and cold. I hope the rain can stop for a while, and let the water levels go down again.
Verse of the Day
Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Workout of the Day
STRENGTH
Overhead Squat
3/3/3/3/3
CONDITIONING
10-8-6-4-2
Muscle Ups
(or 25-20-15-10-5 Pull ups)
50-40-30-20-10
Wall ball
CrossFit My Heart 