Sorry guys, I just couldn't resist on this one...

Warm-up: Spend 10 min. in the bottom of a squat (rest as needed), 10 arm circles in all directions, 3 narrow, wide, & regular push-ups; 3 wide, narrow, & regular pull-ups

Weighted Pull-Ups: 3×5

Good Mornings: 3×10 (30% of 1RM Squat)

MetCon – 4 Rounds Not for Time:

30 seconds in a Handstand

10 GHD Sit-ups

10 GHD Reverse Hypers

Finisher: Bulgarian split squat stretch 1 min. each leg x’s 2

-Today resumes our second week of addressing/discussing the 10 physical skills and why we work on improving them. The subject for this post is often categorized with that of last week’s, and I hope to distinguish the differences throughout the text provided.

2. Stamina

Definition – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.

-If you take a look back at the definition of cardiovascular/respiratory endurance from last Wednesday you’ll notice quite a similar definition to that of stamina. So this begs the question, “what’s the difference, CBo?!?!” Without getting to “sciency” I will try to approach this topic and break it down to terms that we can all understand. Let’s not think that stamina and cardiovascular/respiratory endurance are two complete and separate entities, for they do work in sync on a regular basis. However, they are NOT one and the same.

A good way to pinpoint what stamina really means to all of us is by posing a question. Have you ever been mid MetCon and the limiting factor isn’t necessarily the fact that you’re out of breath, but that your muscles have hit a wall and they have fatigued to the point where you must stop and rest? There lies your answer to what stamina is – the combination of strength with endurance (simply put enough, that is). When you have a high degree of stamina, which is obviously what we encourage through CrossFit, you can sustain a high level of work over a long period of time. While most MetCons provide the opportunity to tax both cardiovascular/respiratory endurance AND stamina, not all activities give us this chance.

If you’re still having a hard time of understanding what stamina is, then I ask you to promptly drop on the floor and do a Tabata interval of push-ups (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 8 times). To those of you who have done this before, it’s easy to understand what the limiting factor in achieving more repetitions is. For those of you who have never attempted this before, and haven’t been compelled by my words to do so now, the limiting factor is not that I am out of breath, but more so that my strength can no longer continue to do more reps without sufficient rest! That, my friends, is stamina! Tadah!

So why should we work on increasing our stamina? If stamina is the ability to sustain “x” amount of work for “x” amount of time using “x” amount of strength, then we can see the obvious benefit of increasing this skill or capacity (this is a very generic formula). Any CrossFitter at Ktown, and hopefully in the world, can tell you we’re about doing a lot of work in a short amount of time. Suddenly chopping that wood or moving those cinder blocks underneath the deck doesn’t seem so fatiguing after we’ve been CrossFitting for some time; and in fact it gives us an opportunity to show off and impress the Mrs. or Mr., or the potential Mr. or Mrs.

Speaking of which, I wonder how many PP’s I could crank out holding 2 cinder blocks in a minute…time to find out!

-Coach CBo

Last Saturday's free class looking good.

Warm-up: CFWUx2, Lat Stretch (30 seconds), Hip Opener Stretch (30 seconds)

Deadlift: 85% of 5RM for 5

MetCon – Fight Gone Wild:
3 Rounds – 1 minute at each station
Kettlebell Swings (70/50lbs)
KB Sumo-DL-High-Pull (70/50lbs)
Split Jumps
KB 2-Handed Push Press (70/50lbs)
Double-Unders
(Rest 1 minute between Rounds. Score total reps.)

Living in East Tennessee, practically right by UT campus, it’s impossible not to know there is a football game tomorrow, but don’t fret we are still having our regularly scheduled FREE workout! This one is going to be one of the most fun days ever, so come out with a friend ready to work hard, and wear something orange and white! We may or may not have a football-esque WOD planned.

Guess you’ll have to come to find out,
<3 Coach Miss J

P.S. Remember we are closed on Monday!

Travis is quite viscious.

The boys and Jeanie!

Joe presses the big weights!

Lynsay racks her weight after a new PR press.

Warm-up: 20 Push-Ups, Rotator Cuff Stretch (30 seconds), Hip Opener Stretch (30 seconds), 10 Shoulder Extensions

Bench Press: 5×3

Dumbbell Bench Press: 2×15

MetCon – For Time:
8 – 400m Interval Runs
Rest 1 minute between runs.
(Score the slowest time. If the runs aren’t completed in a 30 minute time cap then multiply the # of runs remaining by 20 burpees.)

The question is how do I follow such a good post yesterday by CBo? Frankly, it is too hard to do so I’m not even going to try (good CF attitude, right?) Instead, I’m going to let someone else do it! That’s right…tonight’s post is a blurb about CrossFit that I came about while roaming around that new-fangled intra-web thing. It’s from T-Nation, a typical body-building style website/forum. I thoroughly enjoyed what they had to say about CrossFit, especially from a group of people that have potential to be very prejudiced towards the way we (the CrossFit community) exercise.

Enjoy…
<3 Coach Miss J

The Truth About CrossFit
by Chris Shugart

“Was I in the right place?” I asked myself for the second time that day.

The little street near Southern Methodist University in Dallas was an incongruous blend of old houses and new bars teeming with college kids. It was 9 p.m. and the sun had set, making it impossible for me to read the street numbers. Finally I pulled over next to a bar called The Green Elephant to look at my directions again.

And that’s when I saw them, a handful of men and women lunging down a long corridor holding Olympic bars over their heads. A well-built young man held a timer and appeared to be either encouraging them or yelling at them.

I’d finally found CrossFit Dallas Central, one of 650 CrossFit affiliate gyms.

Later I learned that the athletes — which included members of the SMU lacrosse team — were performing what the owner of the facility called a “single-movement mindfuck.” This group was on their 28th minute of overhead walking lunges, the only exercise in that day’s workout. The record was 400 meters in 20 minutes flat. The sweat poured.

Earlier that day, at 6:45 a.m., I’d had the same experience, driving around an industrial-warehouse district in Plano looking for building numbers in the dark. That time, instead of lunging lacrosse players, I was clued in by a man running by my truck wearing a weighted vest. I followed.

Ripping the vest off, he walked through a door with me close behind. CrossFit Plano was small but well-equipped with the standard markers of the “CF” gym: bumper plates, Olympic bars, kettlebells, dumbbells, gymnastic rings, climbing ropes, tractor tires, bands, Concept II rowers, medicine balls, pull-up bars.

The runner dashed into the next room and began to do kipping pull-ups. I learned later he was doing “Murph”: a one-mile run in a vest followed by 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 body-weight squats, and another one-mile run, all done against the clock.

This “WOD,” or Workout of the Day, was named after a Navy Lieutenant and CrossFit enthusiast killed in Afghanistan. Most other WODs are given girl names, like they used to do with hurricanes.

I was there to learn the truth about CrossFit, the training phenomenon dubbed “one of the fastest-growing fitness movements on the planet” by the Business News Network. Later, I’d do interviews with CF fans and critics, make phone calls, and read everything I could find online. But I’d start by driving to Dallas and doing CrossFit … twice in one day.

This is what I learned. This, as I see it, is the truth about some of the most controversial aspects of CrossFit.

The Truth About CrossFit’s Training Goals

“CrossFit is not a specialized fitness program, but a deliberate attempt to optimize physical competence in each of 10 recognized fitness domains,” says founder Greg Glassman in the Foundations document. Those domains are: cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy.

CrossFit coaches like to point out that even champions in certain sports have huge gaps in their fitness, as defined by the above 10 domains. Ironman competitors score high in some areas, low in others. The marathoner dominates cardio endurance but he isn’t strong. The powerlifter is strong, but often has very low endurance and can’t do a single pull-up.

If your goal is to specialize and compete in one sport, then CrossFit isn’t for you. Instead, the goal of the CrossFitter is to become “competent” in all 10 domains. He may never be a top gymnast but he will develop great body control. He may never win a marathon, but he can enter a 5K without training for it and finish near the top.

Troy Dodson, owner of CrossFit Plano, says that for the CrossFitter, fitness itself is the sport. Indeed, CrossFit draws a lot of ex-athletes, and the CrossFit Games are growing in popularity and pulling big-time sponsors. If it sticks, CrossFit competition will join a distinguished list of training methods that eventually became competitive sports, including Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and strongman.

The CF goal of overall fitness, “functional” strength, and all-around preparedness has attracted many law-enforcement agencies, military and firefighting units, and martial artists who like the “train for the unknown and unknowable” philosophy.

According to the CrossFit website, “Our specialty is not specializing. Combat, survival, many sports, and life reward this kind of fitness and, on average, punish the specialist.”

Experienced CrossFitters aren’t the strongest athletes out there, but they’re stronger than most. They’re not the fastest either, but they’re fast. Their claim to fame is their completeness.

And it’s easy to see the appeal: Why be big if you’re not functional? Why have great endurance if you have no strength and power? Why not be competent in all of those things?

Critics point out that being “competent” at everything makes you great at nothing. It’s a valid criticism, but it doesn’t bother the CrossFit community. They revel in their versatility and believe strongly that being skilled in every aspect of fitness makes them, as their T-shirts proclaim, “unfuckwithable.”

The truth? If you’re not competing in a specific sport that measures only a few athletic qualities, then why not become fully rounded? Why be the guy with the big bench who can’t run up a flight of stairs? Why be the guy who can run 10 miles on the treadmill but who can’t help someone move a couch?

Perhaps CrossFitter Richard Doughty summed it up best when he wrote on a CF forum, “Does CrossFit make sense for an NFL linebacker? No. Does an NFL linebacker’s program make sense for regular people who want to be able to do everything well? No.”

If you have a specific goal in your training — top-level competitive mountain biking, bodybuilding, a 600-pound deadlift — then CrossFit isn’t for you. You need to specialize. If you want to be good, but not great, at a variety of athletic qualities, then CrossFit is a good option. And that’s the truth.

Brandon Bergin on strength cycle say "what!?!?!"

Cardio!

Warm-Up: 10 Deep Lunges (45/25lbs) 12”, 10 Serratus Push ups, 10 Arm circles (all directions) x’s 3

FS: 5RM

MetCon – Fran:

21-15-9 For Time

Thrusters (95/65lbs)

Pull-Ups

Finisher: Rise from your own ashes

-You may have heard myself (CBo), G, or Miss J preach in the past about the 10 General physical skills which we are working on improving when we meet in what we know as our home, CrossFit Ktown. The 10 general physical skills are as follows, and in no particular order:

Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance

Stamina

Strength

Flexibility

Power

Speed

Coordination

Agility

Balance

Accuracy

-While we specialize in NOT specializing, the next 10 weeks I’ll be investigating each one of these and hopefully you’ll all come away with a little better idea of why we should work on increasing this skill.

1. Cardiovascular/Respiratory Endurance

Definition – The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.

-Today, I’ll begin with a skill that obviously lends itself well to our overall fitness level. Too often we see new clients coming in, or potential clients, who ask the question, “Where’s the cardio in CrossFit?” To this person I could easily tell them to walk up to any one of you who has been here for more than a month and ask them the same question, and you could probably provide an equally good explanation to this question as I. Of course, our cardiovascular/respiratory endurance training comes by means of our MetCon, or metabolic conditioner. To even the most fitness-ignorant person, the advantage to increasing our capacity in this arena seems obvious (so I won’t provide explanation). But what is the best way to do this? The traditional answer lies in…..RUNNING! I don’t EVER want to take away from the advantages of running, but traditional thought patterns usually prescribe a regimen with a lot of volume. When I say volume, I mean a lot of miles. Thoughts on this, anyone?

-How does this MetCon tax our body different from a run? In order to provide an accurate answer we need to explain the way the body works metabolically. After all, this is a “metabolic conditioner” we’re trying to break down. Metabolic training refers to conditioning exercises intended to increase the storage and delivery of energy for any activity. The key word to explaining why we should work on increasing this capacity lies in the word “any.” There are three distinct biochemical means by which energy is provided for us to work with while we’re doing work. Although Miss J is our resident bio-specialist, I’ll do my best to explain. The way our body determines which “metabolic engine” we use is time we spend doing them and intensity level.

1. Phosphagen pathway

• Provides the bulk of energy used in highest-powered activities. Most activities that last less than 10 seconds.

2. Glycolytic pathway

• Moderate intensity is the name of the game, and under this “engine” activities last up to several minutes.

3. Oxidative pathway

• Provides energy for low-powered activities that occur over several minutes.

-The first two pathways deliver energy for high and moderate powered activities. These activities can be known as “anaerobic activities.” The oxidative pathway is the only way that can be considered “aerobic.” So there you have it, 3 different ways explained in layman’s terms (not Taylor’s). In order to increase our cardiovascular/respiratory endurance we need to tax all of these. If we are able to utilize them simultaneously then we’re killing 3 birds with one stone. Many of you have seen the carry-over from MetCon to long run or long, moderate-intensity movement. It’s extremely gratifying to not run over 400 meters for months, then run a 5k and set a PR by minutes. I know….because I’ve done it. We’re increasing that VO2 max without you even knowing it. What’s VO2 max CBo? That’s another post, but for now you can just look it up. So as you see, and as you probably knew, we’re using all three of these pathways in these MetCons to increase our cardiovascular endurance which enables us with the capacity to do more work in ALL domains of time. Tadah!!!

Coach CBo

Joe reps out some V-ups like a pro.

Warm-up: 25 Double-Unders, 15 Jumping Pull-Ups, Row 500m x2

Press: 1-1-1-1-1

Push Press: 1 Minute AMRAP (75/55lbs)

MetCon – For Time:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Lunges
V-Ups

Finisher: Side Plank (1 minute each side)

PR’s aka “Personal Records” – They are awesome. Don’t they just make you feel like jumping for joy, high-fiving someone, and dancing a jig! Since adding several new members and a new PR board there have been a lot of new additions to the white board. I know you guys are interested in who… so here we go!

Kirsten with her first PR board numbers.

Will hops on top of the board with his massive bench press!

Kellie proves to be nasty with her first PR board arrival on max height box jump.

Joe poses with his first gym record at 15RM OHS.

Rachel got on the board in two spots in two days...impressive!

Some other notable names who haven’t had their pics taken yet: Samantha DeMange and Ethan Fox taking the respective number 1 spots on Max Height Box Jump, Whitney Simpson on the 1RM Snatch, Bryan Ware aka B.Ware (yeah I know, awesome nickname) and Miranda deFlutier on the 1RM Bench Press, and Noel Scruggs for Max DU’s. More spots will be filled soon!

Happy Hunting,
<3 Coach Miss J

Momma Boaz reserves the fan.

Warm-up: Burgerner Warm-Up

Deadlift: 5-3-1 (Use Power Clean to Warm-Up)

MetCon – Fight Gone Bad (but not):
Wall Balls (20/12lbs)
SDHP (75/45lbs)
Box Jump (24/18”)
Push Press (75/45lbs)
Row (Calories)
(3Rounds – 1 minute max reps @ each station, 5 minutes rest between rounds)

Tomorrow, as you all know, (but that won’t stop me from saying it anyway), is our free class at 10AM. We hope you can all make it out as it is our last Saturday class in August. Next week is the first UT game, so I’m sure attendance will be lacking. Bringing me to my next point… September is on the way so remember your payment next week. We really hate chasing people for mula.

Before I go enjoy my Friday night I want to remind everybody to sign up for the Race for the Cure CrossFit Ktown team, headed by Jeffafa. Coach G and myself have already done it. Also sign-up for the Marine Mud Run on September 11^th; we are signed up for that too!

Have a great weekend,
<3 Coach Miss J

Whitney's magnifique air squats.

They called each other about what to wear.

Warm-up: Group Shoulder Mobility, 500m Row, 3 Attempts @ Max Double-Unders

Bench Press: 1RM

Plyometric Bench Press: 50%x3x10 (3 reps, 10 sets – 30 seconds to 1 minute rest between sets)

Finisher: 25 GHD Sit-Ups, 25 Weighted Sit-Ups (50/25lbs), 25 Knees-2-Elbows

Due to internet malfunctions, I am making this post from my home computer and thus do not have access to new pictures. Sorry about that. I do have good news though…so many of you got your first double-under/s today! Way to go people!

I also have good news about the Post Paleo lecture. It went great and we had an awesome turn-out. For those of you who missed it I have been informed by Coach G that we will hold another fairly soon so you absentees have a chance to learn more about living Paleo too. But please bring questions with you because Samantha won’t be there this time to ask a ton. Just kidding Sam, we are glad you care enough to ask!

Tomorrow should be fun,
<3 Coach Miss J

P.S. I mentioned to a few of you about Buddy Lee this morning. Here is one of his many videos of craziness.

G's pup Avi curls up to her favorite barbell.

Jerepops post Filthy Fifty. Somehow still smiling.

Warm-up: 20 Leg Swings (all directions), Tricep Stretch (30 seconds each arm), Lat Stretch (30 seconds each)

Front Squat: 3×3 (Heavy)

MetCon – For Reps:
Alternating Tabata Air Squats/ Sit-Ups

Finisher: 3 Minutes Light Rowing

I was glancing back through pictures the other day and came across several that made me laugh, which gave me the idea for tonight’s post. It’s another of my famous picture posts, but the theme this time is post-MetCon poses. What’s yours?

P.S. Doug should have his own collage because there is that many of him…
<3 Coach Miss J

Forrest practices the prayer pose.

It's not often we get Coach G on his back.

Blacked out.

One of Doug's many.

This picture makes its reapparance on the site.

Cesar wiped out after Garage Games 5K.

CBo after Oktoberfest.

Brandon's always happy after workouts.

Two-timin it!

Perry's almost getting up...

At least they aren't laying down.

Breathe Samantha!

Adam strips post MetCon. It's crazy.

Cute CrossFit couples crash together!

Is he dead? I can't tell.

He looks so miserable!

This doesn't happen often.

She sleeps like this too.

The half-up, half-down.

The Jeffrey.

Warm-up: 500m Row, 10 Pull-ups, 10 Dips, 10 Good Mornings (45/25lbs), Samson Stretch, Hip Opener

Press: 3×5

Push Press: 1 max set @ 75/55lbs

Box Jump: Spend 10 minutes finding your max height box jump

Double Unders: AMRAP 5 minutes

When The Jeffrey speaks, people listen.  I urge you all to not only listen but to take action.  Without further ado…Jeph:

What’s up Ktown?

You might know me as The Jeffrey, Jeph, Jeffafa, Jeff, or you might not know me at all as silly as that might seem. I have been coming to Crossfit Ktown for about a year now and I’m finally taking the plunge that is writing a guest post.

One of the reasons that I haven’t yet written a guest post is because I wasn’t sure what to write about (another would be my profound fear of portmanteaus, but that’s neither here nor there). I could have written about the amazing coaching and awesome programming that we get on a daily basis as members. I could have written about the physical progress that we all make. I could have written about the mental strength and confidence that is forged by overcoming the adversity of tough workouts. I could have written about Brendan Fraser’s hall of fame acting career. To me, however, the thing that makes Crossfit Ktown stand out is its community and that merits a blog post.

Whether it’s due to the self-selective nature of people seeking out Crossfit or the shared experience of overcoming the adversity presented to us by our workouts Crossfitters seem to be a cut above. I can safely say I count many of the people I have met through Crossfit as being some of my best friends in this world. When I first came to the gym I didn’t know anyone, but now I feel like I’m truly part of a family. You aren’t going to get that feeling at “Fort 180 Court Rush Snap Curves Center Fitness Complex.”

One of my first “community” experiences I had took place at last year’s Race for the Cure. I couldn’t have been going to Ktown for any more than a month at that point. After finishing the race I waited at the finishing area for one of my coworkers. While waiting I ran into none other than Crossfit Ktown’s very own diva, Rachel Oberman. We talked about running and various events we both did and how much fun it would be to have a Crossfit team do a race. We also talked about Coach G’s diminutive stature (irrelevant and false but payback was due).

Here we are a year later and not only are we going to have a team, but I have somehow been put in charge of it. Amazing what a difference a year makes. Enough with the reminiscing and mushiness let’s get on to the details:

What: 14th Annual Komen Knoxville Race for the Cure® 5K Run

Where: World’s Fair Park - Clinch Avenue Viaduct to World’s Fair Park Fountain

When: October 30^th at 8:30 AM

Who: All of you. No excuses.

Why: Help the fight against breast cancer, get some exercise, and be with friends.

Cost: $35 for a timed adult through September 6^th and $40 dollars afterward

How to sign up: Go to the following link: http://komenknoxville.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=cms.page&id=1020 and sign up. When prompted to choose a team choose Crossfit Ktown.

Donations: After you sign up you will get a link to personal page. There is also a link to the Crossfit Ktown page. Send one of those links to everyone you know who might be interesting in donating to the cause. Should we raise enough money we can be eligible for prizes, but more importantly we will be helping more people.

T-Shirts: It is a tradition at the Race for the Cure for teams to design their own t-shirts to wear at the race. This year there is a contest for best team shirt. The only rules are that the shirt cannot be pink and cannot feature any Komen logos. With the enormity of our collective creativeness we should win this going away. My only recommendation in this area is that Crossfit Ktown is on the back of our shirts because that’s all anyone is going to see. Baby!!!

I think I covered most everything, but I’m sure I left out a lot. Post any questions to the comments. Also post your t-shirt ideas as well.

I consider myself blessed to be a part of this community and to be given the opportunity to take the lead on this. Hopefully we can take this opportunity to further strengthen our bodies, strengthen our community, and contribute towards the effort to end breast cancer.

Editor’s note: I was planning on writing this today even before I got called out on the blog by one Coach G.

Jeph Jumps.

Lee and Miranda getting their split jerk on!

Warm-up: 25 of each – Sit-ups, Push-ups, Walking Lunge, Wallball (20/12lbs), Push Press (45/25lbs)

Squat: 3×5

Snatch: 1-1-1

MetCon – For Time:
21-15-9
Toes-to-bar
Kettlebell Swings (50/35lbs)

Finisher: Max set of parallette push-ups in 1 minute

There are two upcoming events CrossFit Ktown will be doing for charity.  The first is Fight Gone Bad V and supports, among other things, Livestrong, Wounded Warrior Project, and CrossFit Foundation.  How fortuitous that we are on a FGB cycle right now, eh?  FGB V goes down on Saturday September 25^th.  Any individual who raises $150 or more receives a t-shirt.  There are a bunch of other individual and affiliate awards.  Check the site for more details, and we will update you as the day draws nigh.

The second event is a 72 mile trail run in our very own Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Adam, Caleb, and myself will be doing the whole Appalachian Trail through the Park in October.  We will be trying to set a new speed record for the 72 miles (~18 hours) as well as raise a bunch of money for the Cheryl Beckett Memorial Fund.  We will need plenty of volunteers to help us with resupply along the way.  So if you want to grab a beautiful day hike and look upon the bedraggled forms that will be Adam, Caleb, and myself, then talk to us about resupply options.

What better way to get your sweat on than do it for charity?
Coach G

REMINDER! Marine Mud Run is this September 11^th.  There will be a Ktown contingent.

REMINDER! Paleolithic Diet lecture this Wednesday evening at 7:45PM.

REMINDER! Jeff Salerno is supposed to be getting a team of Ktowners together for a 5k. (This reminder is mainly for Jeff.)

This past weekend's FREE Saturday class.