The Competitors class that started in January has been working hard, preparing for the CrossFit Open.

Special shout out to our Competitors Class
I want to give props to the athletes that have been attending the Competitors class…no, I don’t love competitors any more than I love anyone else. But, what I do love is the hard work that these guys and girls have been putting in. They meet at 7pm every Monday and Wednesday, sometimes doing multiple workouts a day, then again on Saturday for 90-minutes sessions. They have worked their asses off the past 2 months and have been supporting each other each step of the way. Many of them have sacrificed life and work obligations to make these training sessions with the team. It is going to be exciting to watch them lead our gym through the Open.

Speaking of the Open…

The biggest “thing” that happens at MBS every year is the CrossFit Open. We have more MBS athletes doing the CrossFit Open workouts than any other event we hold all year. It is an exciting time.This year we will have two teams competing in the Open. We thought it would be a great way to add competition experience to more athletes. One team

I want to tell you why you should consider doing the open.

As an athlete:
As an athlete, I have come to realize that a VERY large part of my training’s effectiveness lies in the environment I put myself in. For example, I like training with people that are positive and motivate me to push harder. I also like to train seriously and have a bit of fun as well. Under those conditions, I train pretty good. But, my very best workouts are when I’m under the lights…when I have tons of people pushing me, screaming at me to give my best. One workout in those conditions is equal to 5 regular workouts. During the Open there is going to be so much positive energy filling the gym that you will have no choice but to give your best. By the way, giving your best is the best you can do, and that will make you a happy athlete every day of the week.

As a MBS member:
Not only is the Open about competition, but it’s about community and camaraderie. It is about teamwork and cheering until the last person finishes the workout. Teams are not formed on paper, they are formed by going through hell together and coming out the other side. The Open will be a time to work hard, but also to get to know other athletes in our community and become tighter with them. After you lay every ounce of effort into a workout and drop to the floor, you will get up and smack everyone a high five that just went through hell with you…then you will talk about it the rest of the week. It will be fun.

From your coach’s perspective:
Some of you have no idea what you are capable of. We have watched people stand before a weight they have never lifted before and, on 3,2,1-GO, picked it up and did it for multiple reps. We have seen people go into the Open with mere curiosity and come out with fire and a new competitive drive that takes them into a new level of PR’s and achievement. Just trust me, it will be good for you.

As a CrossFitter:
I love CrossFit. I have ever since I did my first workout. But, I can understand if you all aren’t on the same page with me on this one. The CrossFit Games (Open, Regionals, and World Games) are the legitimizing factor that brings “the sport of fitness” together. It is the reason I call you all “athletes” versus “clients” or “members”. The Games are to CrossFit what the Superbowl is to the NFL. Can you imagine the NFL with 16 regular season games and no Superbowl? As a member of this new and growing community, I believe CrossFit has a place, not only as a great way to get in shape, but as a true sport. Paying my $20 supports the CrossFit Games and casts my vote that I support competitive exercising!

Workout of the Day
A. Pick 4 Warm up

B. Push Jerk skill practice. Do 5 sets of 5 reps going up in weight but working on technique.

C. 7 Rounds for time of:
7 Push Jerk 155/105 lb.
7 C2B Pullups (use jumping pullups to get chest to bar, but do 12 instead)
7 Burpees

BY THE WAY, chest to bar pullups means that we are asking you to touch, yes physically touch, you chest to the bar. Just in case you didn’t get that memo.

Fish Oil!

How much fish oil should I take?

This question comes up often and the answer has evolved a bit over the past few years. The short answer? The Whole 9 says you should take 2-4 grams of EPA/DHA per day. Unless you eat lots of wild caught salmon, grass fed beef and other natural sources of omega-3 fatty acids, then you may need little to no fish oil at all. The Whole 9 has a great FAQ about why to supplement fish oil here.

Robb Wolf agrees with the Whole 9’s dose prescription for fish oil. If you want to geek out and get all SCIENCE on the subject, his article goes way more in depth. Wolf gives a brief description about the history of the fish oil industry, but quickly goes into depth about taking fish oil with regard to “inflammation.” Why is “inflammation” a problem in your body? What are free radicals doing to fight off bacteria, viruses, and parasites? Why eating inflammatory foods like bread, pasta, and sugar releases free radicals (not otherwise needed) and how they contribute to an elevated level of oxidative stress? Why is that bad and how can supplementing fish oil to your already clean diet help? Its a read worth taking five minutes to get through. The link one more time is here.

Workout of the Day
A. Barbell warm up

B. Power Clean 3-3-3-3-3 up to 185/125

C. Complete as many rounds and reps in 20 minutes of:
5 Power clean 155/105 lb.
10 Toes to bar
15 Wall ball shots 20/14 lb.

Sweet Tooth

Magic Brownie Bars from Juli Bauer and her blog PaleoOMG

I have a sweet tooth. Let me amend that… all my teeth are sweet teeth. I have been addicted to sugar for a loooooong time, but I’m better today about my sugar intake than I ever have been. I’ve made gradual changes, and with the help of Juli Bauer and PaleoOMG, I can stay on track and still have the occasional sweet treat. Check out this amaze-balls recipe. It’s my new favorite.

Magic Brownie Bars
Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 25 min Serves 4-6 normal people or 1 Shirley

Ingredients:
For the brownie layer:

Congratulations Zach Stodden for taking 1st place at the State wrestling championship this weekend!

CrossFit Evangelism

Evangelism:
1. To preach the good word of the Bible.
2. Zealous advocacy of a cause.
3. When you rave to your girlfriends about a great new shampoo.
4. To tell all your friends, family, co-workers, guy who works at the gas station, people you sit with on the ski-lift, and your hairdresser about CrossFit.

When we find something awesome we want to shout it from the mountain tops. It’s natural; we want everyone to be able to experience the same happiness that we just did. And if you’re selling something, that kind of word of mouth advertising is priceless. CrossFit Headquarters has sponsored tens of thousands of individual affiliate gyms all across the world with little else than word of mouth. CrossFit sells itself with indisputable results, no coupons or advertising needed.

So go ahead and spread the good word. Once your friends and family get sick of hearing you go on about it, they’ll finally get their butts into a box and begin to shout it out themselves.

Workout of the Day
A. Pick 4 Warm up

B. Back Squat 10 RM (You will work up in smaller sets. Ex. your sets will look like 5-5-3-3-1-10RM)

C. 100 Single-arm KB Thruster 53/35 lb. (we will do this 7 minutes after the 10RM attempt)

*5 Burpee penalty at the top of each minute (includes zero).

D. 50 GHD situps

Kane on the snatch ladder. What do you guys think about setting up a squat ladder? That would be sweet!

Weather Updates
As of Sunday at 6:30 pm, the roads and gym parking lot are pretty much clear. The roads will be icy, but we will be open at 5:30am for all normal classes.

2013 CrossFit Games Team
As of Sunday, we have 56 of our athletes signed up for the Open qualifiers. It all starts next week with the first workout announcement on Wednesday, March 6th. We will be doing the Open workouts on Thursday and Saturday. Anyone can do these workouts. If you want to join our team and then be able to compare your rankings with people across the world, you can sign up HERE.

Workout of the Day
A. Barbell warm up

B. Power Snatch + Hang power snatch 2-2-2-2-2 up to 185/125

C. 21-18-15-12-9 reps for time:
Power snatch 95/65 lb.
V-ups

D. 5 minutes double/triple under practice

Weather Updates

Gymnastics and Merge classes are cancelled today (Sunday) due to the weather. Thanks!

Coleigh has a nice snatch!

Ibuprofen before exercise?

Ever get sore muscles? Of course CrossFitters experience delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) from time to time. Or what about an acute injury? The answer to the problem (prior to WOD) is NOT non steroidal anti-inflammatorys (NSAIDs) or pain relievers according to the articles cited below. Ph.D., FACSM Exercise Physiologist Dr. Bob Murray says NSAIDs have more potential downsides than benefits when taken prior to exercise. The downsides include increased risk of the following: “bleeding in the stomach and small intestine, heart attack and stroke, kidney failure, and may delay healing of ligament, muscle, and tendon injuries.”

If you already have DOMS, you already have small muscle tears that our body is focused on healing. According to these articles, taking NSAIDs will delay that healing process. This means increased duration of your DOMS :(. So what should you do to manage your DOMS or acute injuries? Post workout stretching, rolling, and icing is very effective!

When is it OK to take NSAIDs? According to Murray, if you are injured, they are best used during rehabilitation to control pain. Along with physical therapy and rest of course! This is when you are too hurt to get your WOD on. The gist is to stay away from NSAIDs for your minor DOMS and tweaks.

References:

NSAIDs And Athletes by Dr. Bob Murray

Tip 324: Avoid Pain Killers and NSAIDs For Joint Pain and Tendon Injuries by Charles Poliquin

Phys Ed: Does Ibuprofen Help or Hurt During Exercise? by Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times

Workout of the Day
“Barbara”
5 rounds, time each round:
20 Pull-ups
30 Push-ups
40 Sit-ups
50 Squats
*Rest precisely three minutes between each round.

**Don’t forget gymnastics class tomorrow at noon! It is free for MBS members**

Emily D. finishing the snatch ladder with everyone cheering her on!

Bring a Friend on SaturdaysJust a reminder that we always welcome you guys bringing a friend to our FREE CrossFit classes on Saturday at 10:00am. Our 9am class time is reserved for members only please. Thanks!

Workout of the Day
Gymnastic strength
Today is a 45-minute mix up of gymnastic movements. It will be something new and a ton of fun!

Congratulations to an MBS member, Zach Stodden, a Junior at Broomfield High, for taking FIRST in Regionals wrestling at 170 lb. He will be competing at State this weekend and is seeded 2nd with a 2013 record of 32-7.

Our Final 2012 Games Workout today
For the newer athletes, the WOD today has shown up in both the 2011 AND the 2012 worldwide open. It was tough in 2011 for sure, but we couldn’t believe it came up again in 2012. You may have noticed we have been preparing you over the past several weeks for the upcoming 2013 open by using some past open WODs. Hopefully, this has shown you that you CAN do it. Will this WOD be in the 2013 open? If it is, you’ll be glad you got to practice at least once. I found the workout description from last year’s games site here (you’ll have to navigate to the ‘week 5′ tab). Not only does it give you an overview of the standards for the WOD, but Jason Khalipa and Kristan Clever give you some coaching points throughout the video. It is definitely worth watching if you have never done this WOD. Even if you have done it for the past two years, this video is a great refresher. Just navigating around last years games site is getting me pumped for this year’s open! If you’re still on the fence about signing up, check out the games site and WODs from last year. It is a blast! Oh, if you want to geek out a little bit more about some strategies for this WOD, here are Carl Paoli’s. Happy 11/12.5!

Pumped enough to sign up for the open? Join the MBS Team here.

Workout of the Day
A. Warmup: 1000m row, 40 light KB snatch, Basic BB warmup

B. Thruster 3-3-3-3-3 up to 135/95

C. WOD:
Games Open Workout 2011.6/2012.5/maybe 2013?
Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes following the rep scheme below:

100/65 pound Thruster, 3 reps
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100/65 pound Thruster, 6 reps
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100/65 pound Thruster, 9 reps
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
100/65 pound Thruster, 12 reps
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 12, go on to 15. If you complete 15, go on to 18, etc.

*MOD with banded C2B

D. Roll Quads and/or lats

MBS Master’s Class Wednesdays at 6pm

A recent study in The Physician and Sports Medicine Journal poses the question… “Is physical frailty inevitable as we grow older?” Until recently the evidence was disheartening. But a growing body of newer science suggests that such a decline may not necessarily be everyone’s fate. Many studies in the past few years showed that after the age of 40, people typically lose eight per cent or more of their muscle mass each decade, a process that accelerates significantly after age 70. Less muscle mass generally means less strength and mobility. Moreover, less muscle is also linked with premature mortality. And while we already know the following holds true in younger populations, newer evidence shows that exercise, even in the older athlete, has the potential to change muscle tone and body composition for the better, noting that older athletes not only have the ability to halt the loss of muscle but actively build new muscle fibers.

MBS recognizes that we have an exceptional population of older athletes. And to serve their needs, we’ve developed a specific Masters class. The MBS masters class works under Coach Glassman’s observation that the needs of the aging athlete vary in degree, not kind. MBS provides the 40+ athlete an opportunity to increase their strength and conditioning through a program that will focus on extended warm-ups and extra focus on mobility and injury prevention. We understand that the mature athlete may have different needs based on a number of things including longer recovery times, pre-existing injuries (sports and non-sports related), health issues, etc. The classes will be as intense and challenging as the regular MBS workouts of the day and can be scalable to your particular strength, skill level, or limitations.

Workout of the Day
Warm up: Stairs x 5
Barbell Basic with fat bar

then
4 rounds:
Min 1: 1 cargo net climb
Min 2: 12 KB snatch 53/35
Min 3: 3 fat bar deadlifts @85% of 1RM
Min 4: 10 toes to bar
Min 5: (6) 10 yd shuttle run
Min 6: 30 KB swing 53/35

You will start at either the cargo net or the toes to bar and complete 4 rounds. We will modify each athlete to the appropriate weight and reps to finish in the allotted time.

Why haven’t you signed up for the Open?

As of today, only 37 of MBS’ estimated 250 active members have signed up for the Reebok CrossFit open. Allow us to take away your excuses…

You: It’s too expensive.
Us: It’s $20 for FIVE weeks of competition, entertainment, and seeing how you rank against others in your age group, region and world wide.

You: I can’t do all movements prescribed.
Us: As with all CrossFit WODs scaling will be allowed.

You: I will be out of town for one of the 5 weeks.
Us: You can perform an open WOD at any affiliate. Simply make contact with the gym you will attend and make sure they will be able host you and officially verify your scores. Or, you can videotape your workout and send it in.

You: I’m scared. I’ve never participated in any competition.
Us: The Reebok CrossFit Open is open to athletes of all abilities. Participating will give you a glimpse into the thrill of competition. You will push yourself. You will work hard. You will have fun.

You: I don’t know anything about it.
Us: Sign up here. Open WODs at MBS will be facilitated Thursdays and Saturdays. Your workouts will judged. Your judge ensures correct movement and will keep tally of your score. After your workout you will log into the Games website and enter your score. MBS will validate your score. All this happens the same way for all 5 weeks.

We encourage everyone to participate! If you have questions, see any of the coaches at MBS.

Workout of the Day
A. med ball basic warmup

B. Power Clean 1.1.1.1.1.1 up to 225/155

C. 2 Rounds for max reps
4 min Power Cleans 80% of 1RM (this should be heavy)
3 min Wall Balls 20-14
2 min Box Jumps 24/20
1 min Hand Release pushups

D. Foam Roller calves and IT band

Workout of the Day
A. 5 rounds of:
Beaded rope singles
1 Round of Basic 5 warm up

B. 5×5 pistols

C. 15 min AMRAP:
7 Knees to Elbows
21 Double Unders
7 Pistols (each leg)

D. hip mobility x2 min/leg

Gymnastics class is at noon today**

GSOD: Cartwheels

Workout of the Day
GWOD

2 rounds for time:
20 handstand wall walk ups
40 jumping air squats
20 ring dips

CrossFit for ski conditioning?

Is CrossFit a good program for ski (or snowboard) conditioning? Is it ‘specific’ enough? This question comes up pre-ski season and during. The short answer is yes! But of course I will elaborate slightly CrossFit is a general physical preparation program, so in that regard, it prepares you for anything life might throw at you. It is perfect for skiing because of its constant variance with regard to movement and time domains. No run is created equal in skiing. You might be jumping, tucking, turning fast, holding, grabbing tree branches, snatching other skiers, eating on the lift, who knows? The other necessity to add is strength! If you ski aggressively or competitively, you will need some mass to withstand the crashes (knock wood). Basically skiers need to be quick AND strong. We could easily add a ski conditioning class once a week like some globo gyms do…but the MBS version would look and feel just like a WOD. If skiing/snowboarding is your main athletic focus in the winter, the MBS CrossFit prescription for you would be: strength class 2x per week, WOD 3x per week and ski as much as humanly possible during the season! Guess what? You still get all the benefits of CrossFit while “sport specific” training. What is your CO summer sport?

Workout of the Day
9:00 am – Snatch ladder
10:00am – In 12 minutes, Run 800 and find a 1RM in the Clean and jerk
11:00 am – Heavy, chest to bar, row, Helen

*Good luck to all of the competitors today at MBS team tryouts! Remember, all are welcome to join in the fun!!

**Don’t forget about gymnastics class tomorrow at noon!

In case you didn’t see Monday’s post, we are doing a little mini-competition tomorrow. The workouts will be a little different. Here’s what to expect:

9:00 am - Snatch ladder
10:00am - In 12 minutes, Run 800 and find a 1RM in the Clean and jerk
11:00 am - Heavy, chest to bar, row, Helen

All are invited to any of the workouts or all 3! Scaling and modifications will be allowed as needed.

Workout of the Day

A. Barbell complex warm up

B. Bear complex
3-3-3-3-3 up to 185/125 lb.

C. 4 rounds for time of:
7 Bear Crawl
7 Bear Complex - 95#/65#

The distance for each bear crawl is 2 mats on the long side, or 12 feet. Total bc is 94 ft. each round.

D. Cash out with 30 toes to bar