For max load:

Zercher squat 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 – 1 reps

Post max load to comments.

 
The rowing clinic was full of fun suprises. 

99% Is a Bitch; 100% Is a Breeze by Jack Canfield

“Successful people adhere to the “no exceptions rule”when it comes to their daily disciplines. Once you make a 100% commitment to something, there are no exceptions. It’s a done deal. Nonnegotiable. Case closed! Over and out.” ~ Jack Canfield from The Success Principles

This has been, by far, one of the most powerful Ideas I’ve ever seen integrated into daily life.  What are you committed to in your life? Waking up with the sun? Exercising daily? Eating real foods? Keeping a Paleo diet? Whatever it is, check in and see how committed you REALLY are.  And, know this: 99% is a bitch. 100% is a breeze.  Let’s say you decide that eating Paleo EVERY day will be your new ritual. You’ve done the research, see the benefits and decide to go for it. (Good decision, btw.) Now, if you have to think about whether or not you’re going to honor that commitment every day, there’s NO way you’re going to honor it. IM-POSS-UH-BLE.

You’re gonna have that little whiney voice pop in that says something along the lines of: “Oh! You deserve a little more variety than that caveman diet. Plus, it’s just a day. You deserve a day off. And those peeps who are so committed are way too rigid anyway. Relax. Be flexible.” 

So, figure out what daily practices define your destiny and then make your commitments to those rituals NON-NEGOTIABLE. Period. (Make that an exclamation point. Seriously. Try it out. It may sound harsh but it’s REALLY liberating. Frees up so much energy when you don’t need to think about whether today’s the day you’ll break.

-Thanks Monique for this great post, she adapted it to fit our Paleo Challenge from here.

As a team of two, complete the following:

50 – 40 – 30 – 20 – 10 reps for time of:

Plate squats, 45#/25#

Med ball pull-overs

Each person completes all the reps listed. 

Post team and time to comments.

Justin, broken but unstoppable.  Earlier this week he rowed the 5k one-handed.

10 – 9 – 8 – 7 – 6 – 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1 reps of for time of:

Push press, 115# (75#)

Burpees

60M Bear crawl (bear crawl is done only once per round)

Post time to comments.

Robyn is on fire… 

*Those of you signed up, don't forget today at 3pm, rowing with our friendly tax lawyer James.

*Nutrition Lecture Sunday at 1:30pm, free and open to the public.

Five rounds for time:

15 Hang power snatches 65# (45#)

30 Double unders

Rest exactly five minutes then

Post time to comments.

 
Josh flying high, not sure which is cooler the jump or the attentive spotters. 

We are fixated on food.  What can I say it's 30 days of Paleo.  How are we all holding up?  Today is the day to turn in your logs.  This can be done via e-mail or brought to the gym, but must be done by Sunday.  If you bring it to the gym have a coach check it for "paleoness"and take it back with you for more journaling. Congrats!

Here is a sample log of mine, kinda boring I know.  I block out my meals, that's the numbers and I totaled the day at 9, 2 blocks shy of my goal for the day.  The "Turkey Stuff"  is a recipe similar to the one below with protein and a ton of veggies in it. FS means how many fish oil I took and the pill, I'm taking one for my torn disc for a few days.   I had a ton more water but only logged the minimum, as water is a serious issue for me.

A few more tips:

Are you eating at least every five hours, or five times a day?  I'm not talking five big meals, but five meals and two snacks.  Think of it as tending to the fire, don't let the fire that is your metabolism burn out.  This is super important, especially if you are the hungry, binging type, like me.  Today I got busy and at about the six hour mark, I found myself thinking only of food.  The neighbors kid looked tasty.  I ran to the kitchen and made a batch of "Chicken Soup the Way your Trainer Makes it".  It helps to have quick go-to recipes when you need them and eat every five hours.

If you are the hungry type try taking your fish oil when you know it's your hungry time.  For me that is at night.  Though we don't "count" fish oil as food in our diets it is a fat and will make you more satisfied from your meals.  If you can remember to, try splitting up your dose and take some with all three major meals.

Soda and candy are ADDICTIONS.  It suck to ween off of of them, but you must in order to take care of your health.  If you are a soda drinker, Matt suggests replacing it with coffee, he was a diet coke addict and may know better then I.  I suggest making small achievable goals.  Cut down by a soda or candy bar a week if that's what it takes to make you successful.  If you have a goal to go off cold turkey and fail everyday, that is doing you more harm then good.  Make your goals achievable, be truthful to yourself, and celebrate your successes.  You will be a new person!

The only way I'm able to stay on track is easy recipes that make multiple meals.  I enjoy cooking, however I do not enjoy cooking when it is an everyday chore.  So here is one of my old stand-bys.

-Chicken Soup the Way My Trainer Makes it

Ingredients:

30 oz Chicken breast (about 6 breasts), 30P
16 oz Spinach, frozen 1C
9 cups Broccoli, frozen 5C  
2 Peppers, bell variety 2C
1.3 cups Onion chopped, 1C
4 cups Chicken stock, no salt
3 cups Marinara (I use Classico because there is no added sugar) 6C

Preparation:

Put all veggies in a pot and cook on medium.  Add chicken to a pan or grill.  Stir veggies until tender, add stock and marinara. Continue to cook on low.  When Chicken is done, chop and add to the pot.  DONE! All this can be made with frozen veggie to make it super easy and quick.

Zone Exchange:

0.5 cup is equal to 1P and 0.5C. For instance to make a complete 4 block meal have 2 cups (4P and 2C), and orange (2C) and 12 almonds (4F).  Or add olive oil or olives to the soup if you are sick of almonds.  This will make 10, 3 block meals.

With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute… continuing as long as you are able.  Once complete if under 15, immediately start the push-up ladder.

Use as many sets each minute as needed.

When completed test for max height box jump.

Compare to 10.12.09 and 03.28.09

Post rounds to comments.

 
Amanda charging the weighted box jumps. 

Rowing Seminar this Saturday.

Don't forget guys we have a rowing seminar this Saturday, February 27th at 3-5pm.  This should be a blast and James is donating him time away from his family to teach you crazies for FREE.  So take advantage of this opportunity to improve your stroke?  You must sign-up to attend, sign-up by e-mailing info@crossFitVerve.com with the words I'm a rowing fool in the subject line.  IF YOU SIGN-UP YOU MUST SHOW UP!  Don't be "that guy", that signs up and steals someones spot by not showing up.

Jamie Oliver "The Naked Chef", speaks out about nutrition and how to make changes on a large scale. Folks it's worth the 20 minutes, finally something inspirational about food.

Three rounds, 21 – 15 – 9 reps for time of:

Deadlift, 225#/155# (45% of 1RM)

Overhead squat, 135#/85# (45% of 1RM)

Post time to comments.

Tiffany fashioned some homemade shin guards for yesterday's "scary" box jumps workout. 

Day Three of the Paleo Challenge.  Have you used your two hour window already?  We've had a ton of questions and are here to motivate the day with some tricks, hints and guidelines.

Alcoholic beverages:  Biggest issue with athletes sticking to the paleo or zone is this one.  For the next 27 days we ask that you lock the stash.  It's 27 days of detox people, you can do it.  This means no Red Bridge and no wine.  If you feel the urge to drink, try cultivating some other habit or addiction like shopping or gambling.

Sugar:  This is an evil substance created by the devil in order to fatten up his disciples.  Seriously; no sugar, no honey and no substitutes = no excess insulin dumps.  Save your pancreas and reset your insulin receptors, whoot whoot. 

Dairy:  Imagine yourself running in a Paleolithic era meadow, peaceful and naked with the club your sweetheart got you at last full moon.  It's spring and the bison are expecting calves soon.  You hide behind a bush and watch them graze.  As they relax and settle in to their chomping, you dash athletically and with determination you target the milky tit.  How does this story conclude in your imagination? Something sound wrong other then the fact that I used the word tit in this post?

Zone:  The Zone is not a requirement for this challenge.  However, if you are already doing Zone we recommend keeping it up for OPTIMAL RESULTS.

Entering:  If you haven't already, get your pictures taken, get measured, turn in your commitment sheet, log your food (send or turn this in on Friday) and have an anti-inflammed month.

Eat your veggies at every meal and drink water.  It will make you hate food and feel amazing!

For time:

45 Weighted box jumps, 20#/14#

45 Dumbell thrusters, 40#/25#

45 Pull-ups

45 Box jumps

Unscaled box jump height is 20" for men and women.  Weighted box jumps are to be completed with a 20#/14# medicine ball. 

Post time to comments.

Jared, the most flexible man in the west! 

Much like Facebook, air is essential to mankind's survival.  When lifting heavy loads, air management to aid torso rigidity is even more essential (umm.. arguable).  In order to maintain the structural integrity of your spine while lifting heavy, a positive pressure in the thoracic cavity must be established and maintained during the meat of the lift. 

To establish this air pressure, set-up your lift by addressing the bar and assuming an appropriate starting position.  When ready, fill your lungs to capacity by breathing as deep as possible and then locking the air away for the duration of the lift.  With positive pressure in the lungs, the diaphram will push your guts down, thereby tightening the abdominals and securing the structural integrity of the spine.  Its important to note, tightening the abdominals does not refer to showing off your six (eight?) pack.  Rather, think about pressing your abdominals down and out.  Voila' … go and lift safely my friends.  Practice makes perfect!

Day number two, how we doin' team?

For time:

Row 5K

Post time to comments.

A wonderful resource for paleo recipes was shared by Verve's own Catherine, where we came across this yummy new delight, especially after a little tweaking for zone blocks–now it can be paleo-zoned for your eating pleasure.  The website to check out is Feed Me Paleo.

At first we were a little nervous about kale, it's leafy greens with their mild, earthy flavor looked kind of "angry."  But it's really quite delicious, and can help make a filling, healthy meal.  

So, what do you know about kale?  After trying this "bomb-diggity" recipe (Mas's words), I did some further research, and now I like it even more!  Kale is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and vitamins A, C, and K.  Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli, and ten times the lutein.  The best season for kale is between mid-winter and early spring–NOW!!!  It's even often planted in gardens for decoration, comes in green and red–amazing!

Ingredients:

• 12 cups chopped kale (9C)
• 1 bell pepper, chopped (1C)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion (1C)
• 8 oz dried cranberries (18C) 
• 1/3 cup olive oil (15F)
• 1 cup slivered almonds (30F)
• 1 lemon, juiced
• dash of fresh ginger, or garlic–your preference 

Preparation:

After you've washed and chopped your kale, bell pepper, and red onion–throw it in a bowl with the cranberries and slivered almonds.  Then mix your yummy dressing which consists of the olive oil, the lemon juice, and spice.  This is a good way to use those protein shakers, throw in your dressing mix and shake it!  Then add your dressing to your salad mix, throw a lid on it, and shake it all together to your favorite workout song–which you should also be bringing to share at Verve with all of us!  

This recipe makes 10 servings total.  1.33 cup salad = 3C, 4.5F.  

Add some grilled salmon (1.5oz=1P) or some easy roasted chicken (1oz=1P) for a complete, easy fresh meal on the go.  This salad keeps great in the fridge for a couple days.  Enjoy the health benefits of our new favorite veggie, and try to keep yourself from picking it out of your neighbors front yard.  Let us know what you think! 

Find this and more yum yum goodies on the fuel page to help you survive the next 30 Days! Game on…

As many rounds as possible in 3 minutes of:

3 Deadlifts, 75% 1RM

6 Jumping lunges

9 Weighted sit-ups

Rest 1 minute and repeat the interval four times.

Post rounds and fractions for each interval to comments.

Westside Barbell is all about constantly varied movements… expect to see more.

For time:

50 Ring dips 

500m Row

40 Parallette push-ups 

500m Row 

30 Handstand push-ups

500m Row

Post time to comments.

Shelby's up for the 30 day challenge, just in time for her wedding?