Congrats to Pat and Andrea for killing it at regionals!

Gymnastics Workout of the Day
For time:
21-15-9-6-3
bar kips (arch to hollow)
hollow rocks
superman rocks

Start ‘em early!

Stay tuned for our next CrossFit Kids session.

Day 2 of the CrossFit Southwest Regionals.
Pat’s Saturday heat times:
Event 4- 2:58-3:22
Event 5- 5:45-6:00

Andrea’s Saturday heat times:
Event 4- 1:12-1:36
Event 5- 4:45-5:00

Watch live streaming here.

Workout of the Day
For time:
Run 400 M
50 thrusters
Run 400 M
50 hang power clean
Run 400

L3: 135/95
L2: 115/75
L1 95/65

Post your scores to the Whiteboard.

Good luck to Pat and Andrea!

Wishing the best of luck (but they’re so awesome they won’t need it!) to our own Pat Burke and Andrea Ager who are competing in the CrossFit Southwest Regional Games this weekend.
You can watch live streaming here.
Pat’s Friday heat times:
Events 1 & 2 -12:15-12:30
Event 3- 3:05-3:25
Andrea’s Friday heat times:
Events 1 & 2- 1:45-2:00
Event 3- 4:45-5:15

Workout of the Day
Complete each for max:
Front squat 1RM
Box jump for height
200M run

Extra Credit:
1 mile sled push (2 plates/1 plate) Partner up as needed to get it done.
Post your scores to the whiteboard

Keeping a Log Book

You know you should… but do you? Do you have one at all? Do you keep it up to date? Keeping a log of your workouts and numbers is not just the best way to track your progress, but might help you answer some questions if you are regress, find yourself not improving or get injured. It will also help you figure percentages of your 1RM on lifts and give you an idea for a starting place if you have just returned after taking some time away from the gym. There are apps that act as log books, but it doesn’t even need to be anything as fancy as that…. a plain notebook will do. Using the Whiteboard feature on the website will help too. If you need suggestions about how to start a log book, ask one of the coaches.

Workout of the Day
Complete each for max:
Shoulder press 3RM
Strict Pullups
500M row

Extra Credit:
Pullup/Dip complex

Post your scores to the Whiteboard.

Boot Camp at 5:30pm is cancelled tonight. See ya next week!

Workout of the Day
“McGhee”
As many rounds as possible in 30 minutes of:
5 Deadlift
13 Push-ups
9 Box jumps 24/20″

L3 - 275/185 lb.
L2 - 225/145 lb.
L1 - 185/120 lb.

Extra credit:
On the minute for 10 minute:
10 Wall balls, heavy
5 Pullups

Post your scores to the Whiteboard.

Summer Vegetable recipes

Broccoli is one of the easiest vegetables to grow. It requires only a moderate amount of watering and will grow in almost any soil. Here in Colorado it also stands a good chance of re-sprouting next year if you cut it back well at the end of it’s growing season.

Rich in vitamin C (a great antioxidant and supports collagen growth) and vitamin K, (supports blood clotting and is now thought to lower risk factors for osteoporosis) broccoli is also loaded with fiber. Your colon with thank you.

There’s no better way to serve vegetables than with bacon! Roasting the broccoli lends it a nutty flavor that’s a grand departure from what you would expect. If you’ve never had broccoli this way, get your taste buds ready for a savory adventure!

Recipe adapted from Nom Nom Paleo

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of broccoli
• 5 peeled cloves of garlic
• 4 slices of bacon (I added more bacon because you can never have too much bacon.) cut into bite-size pieces
• macadamia nut oil, avocado oil, melted ghee, or melted lard
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Cut up my broccoli into florets.
Toss all ingredients together, adding the oil last.
Pour onto a baking sheet, making sure it’s only one layer deep or it won’t cook evenly.
Cook for 30-35 minutes, tossing once or twice through the cooking process to ensure all pieces are browned evenly.

If you want a little extra zip, before serving top with crushed red pepper, grated parmesan cheese or a squeeze of lemon.

Workout of the Day
50 Hang Power Clean
then
Run 800

L3 185/120
L2 155/105
L1 125/85

Extra Credit:
Tabata mashup of
Front rack hold*
Toes to bar

*Add 50% to your hang power clean bar and put it on the rack. On each 20 second interval remove from the rack into the front rack position (like you were doing a front squat) and hold for 20 seconds. (with no squat).

Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Memorial Day Schedule

Open gym: 8-11am

Murph Workout: 11am. Guests are invited to participate in the workout as well. Please arrive early to fill out a waiver.

All other classes are cancelled. Please enjoy the weekend and remember those who have served and those who continue to serve and protect our country.

Workout of the Day
“Murph”
For time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run
*Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed. Start and finish with a mile run. If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.

Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Free beginner i99 Gymnastics for Weightlifters class. Gymnastics basics and handstand work.

Workout of the Day

10-1
chin ups
v ups

Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Memorial Day Weekend Schedule

Saturday - Normal classes at 8, 9, and 10am. You’re welcome and encouraged to bring a friend in at 10am!

Sunday - Gymnastics WOD at 10am. i99 Gymnastics for Weightlifters workshop, 12:00-2:30pm. There is a $25 cost for the G4W workshop, but I HIGHLY recommend it!

Memorial Day, Monday - Open gym, 8-11am. Murph workout 11:00-12:30am.

Tuesday - resume normal schedule.

Workout of the Day
“Angie”
For Time:
100 Pull-ups
100 Push-ups
100 Sit-ups
100 Squats
*Complete all reps of each exercise before moving to the next.

Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Memorial Day Murph

We will be holding one workout on Memorial Day Monday, May 26th at 11am. The workout will be “Murph”. MBS’ers are welcome to bring a friend or family member to join in the workout. We will have open gym time from 8-11am for those of you that would still like to do Murph, but can’t do the class time.

Dips

The dip is an excellent movement to build strength in the shoulders, arms, and core. Dips can be done from rings, bars, or benches depending on your ability level.

Ring dips - This is your standard dip. When “dip” is posted in a WOD, we are usually referring to the ring dip. Ring dips are much more difficult than bar or bench dips as they require you to stabilize during the movement.

Bar dips - Most people have experience with bar dips and they offer all the same benefits of ring dips with the exception of the stabilization at the shoulder. If you don’t quite have the ability to hold the rings stable, you should master bar dips first.

Box or bench dips - This is a great place to start when doing dips for your first time. You will be able to modify by straightening or bending your legs to 90 degrees to do more or less of your own body-weight.

Movement requirements: For all dips, you will begin with elbows locked out above the rings, bar, or bench, and lower yourself to where your shoulder dips below the top of your elbow (less than 90 degree bend at elbow), and return to the top.

Some pointers for improving your dips:

- Work on your ring support every chance you get - the better your support, the easier it will be to get a ring dip

- Keep the rings close to your body throughout the movement.

- Push your chest forward and elbows back as you lower into the dip

Workouts this week have been inspired by the Strongman WOD by Rob Orlando. He posts great daily strength workouts at www.strongmanwod.com.

Workout of the Day
AMRAP 16:
15 Calories on the rower
7 Strict dips
5 Double KB Weighted step ups each leg 53/35 lb. 20/16″ box

Extra credit:
Reverse hyper, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Post your scores to the Whiteboard.

When to Round your Back?

The other day we had a deadlift single posted as the WOD. I had this scenerio come up in my class, and it’s a pretty common occurance, so I want to talk about it.

As the class was working up the weight in the deadlift, I noticed a couple athletes beginning to round their backs as they approached their 70%+ 1RM weights. Meaning, it was beginning to get heavy and their form changed from having tight, flat backs throughout the movement, to allowing a curve as they lifted.

Naturally, I gave them the cue to “tighten up” and to “flatten their back” while lifting. Unfortunately, they were already at a weight (70-80%) that they couldn’t keep their back tight while lifting. I had them each try a couple times before we realized that the weight was already outside the comfort range for them to keep the back flat while lifting.

Wait! Let’s make sure we get this right…they were only at roughly 80% of their 1RM and they couldn’t lift anymore weight doing it the right way. However, if they continued to do it the WRONG WAY (rounding their backs), they could lift more weight.

Yes, that is exactly the way it is. Sometimes, depending on the lift, a person can manage to lift more weight the wrong way, than the right way. Does that make it right though???

It depends on the situation.

If you are in a serious competition or a life or death sort of situation, depending on how you feel about the risk vs. reward, it may be OK to round your back and get the lift done. However, if we are talking about a Tuesday afternoon WOD at MBS CrossFit, the situation most likely isn’t calling for you to round your back and get the lift done incorrectly. It is much smarter to use the WOD class as a “training” session to do the lift correctly - with a flat back and potentially a lighter weight.

Here’s why.

You’ll notice the lifter in this snatch has a flat back throughout the entire lift. There is no point where he can afford to round his back, as that would either reduce the amount of force he can put on the bar vertically, or put him in a shitty position to catch the weight over his head. The amount of force on the back is not only the weight on the bar, but it is also the speed at which the lifter is trying to pull the bar against gravity. So, if (for example) there are 200 lbs. on the bar, the lifter’s back is actually recognizing it as 600 lbs. because he not only has to lift it, but he needs to lift it quickly enough to throw it a couple feet above his head.

If you continue to train a deadlift with a rounded back, you are limiting your potential. Not only will your deadlift suffer, but your clean, snatch, vertical jump, and pullups will all fall victim to this nasty shortcut. Nearly every movement we do as humans, especially the fast and explosive ones, requires a strong midline (core), or at least the ability to hold itself in a neutral position, and the deadlift is one of the best exercises to train it. Don’t do the deadlift just to get a big number on the whiteboard, do the deadlift to improve 90% of the movements you do!

So, I hope this point has been made clear. Yeah, getting a 500 lb. or 300 lb. deadlift is pretty awesome. There is a time and place to go big and get that big number…it’s probably going to be at a competition. But, when you are in the gym training…just trying to get better, try to do this lift with the highest degree of perfection that you can. Your hamstrings, glutes, back, and lats will be very happy. Also, your clean, snatch, vertical jump, pullups, and KB swings will all see improvements as well.

Happy lifting. PB

Workout of the Day
Bench Press
2-2-2-2-2 (AHAP)*

Within 20-seconds following each set of bench, do a 50-yard sprint. Take 2-3 minutes after the sprint before beginning next bench set.

*AHAP means As Heavy As Possible. Which means you want to do all 5 work sets with the heaviest load you can muster. If you need to adjust up or down during the course of the 5 sets, do so in order to get all five sets of two reps.

Then,

For time:
10-1 Strict pullups (Chest to bar if you can)
1-10 Pushups on low paralette

Extra credit:
Reverse hyper, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Post your scores to the Whiteboard.

Memorial Day Murph

We will be holding one workout on Memorial Day Monday, May 26th at 11am. The workout will be “Murph”, which is the following:

For time:
Run 1 mile
100 Pullups
200 Pushups
300 Air squats
Run 1 mile

You may partition the pullups, pushups, and squats (ie, 20 rounds of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, and 15 air squats), but you must start and finish with a 1 mile run.

MBS’ers are welcome to bring a friend or family member to join in the workout. We will allow and recommend scaling the workout down for those that aren’t conditioned to the high reps.

We will have open gym time from 8-11am for those of you that would still like to do Murph, but can’t do the class time.

Workout of the Day
Skill practice - KB swing variations (Russian, American, one-handed, H2H, double KB, backwards flip), do 3 rounds of 10 of each on lighter weights practicing technique.

Tabata intervals, 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for 8 intervals of each with a minute of rest between.
Kettlebell swings
Burpees

L3 - 72/53 lb.
L2 - 68/44 lb.
L1 - 53/35 lb.

Extra credit:
Reverse hyper, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Box Jump Injuries

Sometimes even the most graceful athlete gets the timing or approach angle of his box jump a little off, resulting in a war wound of sorts. Proud as we may be to display out battle wounds, if not treated properly, box jump injuries can fester into nasty lengthy infections sometimes requiring a course of oral antibiotics. Here are 3 photos of Steve M.’s recent box jump injury. This wound looks like it was well taken care of, it’s just an illustration of how long these injuries can take to heal.

On the left is the initial injury. Middle is 2 weeks later. Right is 2 months later. Note the white stuff in the middle picture isn’t necessarily pus. As new tissue fills in it can look like this. Signs of infection can include: weeping milky white fluid, large red ring around the wound accompanied by swelling and the skin feeling warm to the touch, and red streaks going up the leg.

How to care for your box jump injury:
Act quickly! As much as we keep MBS as clean as possible, gyms are filthy places. If you do nothing else to treat your wound, the best thing you can do is give it a good cleaning right away.

• Use soap and water and scrub that puppy out! Yes, it will hurt. And bleed. Now is not the time to wimp out. Use a wash cloth and go to town. You’re trying to remove any debris like pieces of dirt and wood.
• Allow to air dry, cover with a thin layer of antibiotic ointment and bandage.
• Repeat these steps for about a week.
• If you note any of the above signs of infection see your doctor.

These same principles apply to rope burns as well. Oh, and please be courteous and clean the box, especially if you’ve left any blood or skin on it.

Workout of the Day
Thrusters from the rack 3-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1
then
Deadlift 3-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1

Extra Credit:
Reverse Hypers 4 sets of 10-12 reps.
Post your scores to the whiteboard.

Welcoming a New Coach to MBS!

We would like to welcome a new coach here at MBS CrossFit. Meriah McLeish is no new-comer to CrossFit, as she was a co-owner and coach of Bridger CrossFit in Bozeman Montana since 2008. She recently moved to Denver and we are excited to have her here at our gym. You’ll likely see her in the weightroom in the mornings, as she is training for the National weightlifting championships, which will be held in Salt Lake City in July.

Workout of the Day
For 30 minutes alternating movements each minute:
First minute - 50′ stone front carry (AHAP as heavy as possible)
Second minute - 7-10 GHD situps/10-12 weighted situps 20/14 lb.
Third minute - 3-4 tire flips (AHAP)

Consider this a skill/play day to get your hands on some new equipment or some stuff that you haven’t done too often in a workout. It will be 10 sets of each movement and we want you to be CHALLENGED…failure is ok. Too often I see people working with TOO LIGHT of odd objects because they are afraid of failing…Understand that if you are always doing what you can do, you won’t ever be able to do what you can’t. Do additional reps as needed if you are doing a lighter version of the movement and need to get a comparable amount of work. Working with partners is a great idea on this workout.

Extra credit:
Reverse hyper, 4 sets of 10-12 reps

Post your scores to the whiteboard.