CrossFit Works » On-Ramp

All Right Here on January 10

Jen — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:36:13 +0000

This Monday, January 10th, is the beginning of wonderful things. We have a M, W and F On-Ramp beginning at 6am. You can read more about our On-Ramp program here. It meets three times per week and will last for four weeks. During this program you have a chance to slowly build up your conditioning and learn some of the skills we use in our crossfit classes, all in the company of other beginners. You can register and sign up without getting up from your chair!

This Monday also begins our Ladies Only BootCamp Series with your coach (yup, that is her above), Jennifer Schaeffer. You know what is cool about Jennifer? She never ever forgets her sense of humor in the gym. Training with her is funny and also, inspiring. Give it a try. You have a choice of 7:15-8:15am, 2:30-3:30pm or the very exciting 4:00-5:00pm class which overlaps with our 4:00 – 5:00pm CrossFit Kids class, taught by Kevin Nichols. You can also register for the Ladies Only BootCamp through our On-Line registration service. To register month-by-month click here. To register for the full four month session (and get a pretty sweet discount!) click here.

Finally, don’t forget that this Saturday is our Fundraiser for Border Patrol Agent Terry. Let’s all get together and do this. I’ll give you a hint about how fun it will be… it involves three couplets, each designed separately by a pair of your very own CrossFit Works’ staff and then melded into one joyous workout at our coaches’ meeting. These are some very ingenious minds that when combined form the sort of mind belonging to the Creature that takes over the world in a Japanese monster movie. You guys have to be the heroes who overtake the Creature.

The Wily Ways of the Works’ Women

Jen — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 17:01:14 +0000

Our next morning On-Ramp starts tomorrow, Feb 8th at 6am. There is still room.

The Women’s Get-Some Challenge benchmark was yesterday. It was wildly wonderful. 26 women came in yesterday (8 bench marked on Tuesday) to see how many squats, situps, strict pushups, pushups for time, strict pullups and jumping pullups they could get done. Carl and I noticed many things about the bench mark: Firstly, an all women crew has mad skills when it comes to building energy and motivating someone to get one more pushup. This I LOVED!

Secondly, I think almost every single woman surprised herself with how much she could actually get done. This I DID NOT LOVE! Come on Sisters!!-imagine if you could surprise yourself like that at every workout. We all gotta get better at looking at each other and knowing there is one more rep within and just telling each other-you have it, you must do it.

Dave, has the worst life doesn’t he?

Thirdly, it was so shockingly bad a** how many pushups some of our Goddesses can do that Carl suggested we might want to have a men’s challenge so they don’t get left behind (or was that “feel left out”?).

Fourthly, at dinner later that day, Carl and I observed that so many of the women we watched walk by us downtown did not have the vibe of the CrossFit Works’ women. We basically decided that all the women we saw yesterday morning at the benchmark had a certain ”je ne sais quoi” (Shannon, is that right?). You all have a certain beauty that comes from being strong and authentic. Solid in your own skin. You could genuinely offer support to each other and dig deep because you know yourselves and you have that to give to each other. When my ship goes down and I’m stranded on a desert island I’m gonna hope it is with you guys!

Fifthly, I know what I am talking about. Betty F. knocked out 9 dead hang pullups and although it might have a little to do with how hard she works and how strong she is, it mostly had to do with the fact that she DRESSED PROPERLY. Pink pirate shirt and pink leg warmers. I wonder if pullups are genetic?

Check out some of the top stats:

Heather: 14 strict pushups, 12 kipping pullups

Aimee: 28 strict pushups, 9 kipping pullups

Karen: 21 strict pushups, 7 kipping pullups

Danielle: 43 strict pushups!!, 5 kipping/deadhang pullups

Betty: 35 strict pushups, 9 deadhang pullups

I cannot wait to see what happens on April 10!! $340 in prize money will be at stake.

Winter Open is Closed! and field identification of a future CrossFitter

Jen — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:24:08 +0000

Registration for the Winter Open is closed. We are full. We have 55 athletes registered to compete. Just thinking about seeing you all do your thing is exciting. Your workouts will be announced on Jan 19th and you will receive emails and instructions from us soon. Ummm, I still really need judges.

I love running the On Ramp. I love to talk about CrossFit so it is like a dream come true to have a group of new people every couple weeks that I get to talk CrossFit to. I also love, deeply, seeing someone transition form being tentative or nervous or really deconditioned or all three to being confident and strong and excited about the possibilities. This work I do, this job I have, is immensely gratifying. I like to test myself with all the new folks. I try to decide right away who will take to CrossFit like a lizard to a hot rock, who will need tons of coaxing like getting a chickadee to land in your hand for sunflower seeds, and who will give me the polite “tried your thing and it ain’t for me you nutty girl”. So, you all should look for Rosa in the AM On-Ramp. She is kinda quiet and we’ll have to be giving her a send off pretty soon because she is headed out to Basic Training, but Girl has got the marks of a future CrossFitter. Matt T. and I taught the box jump on Wed. I asked if anyone wanted to try the tall plyo box. No takers. Until Rosa volunteered. She jumped right up, landed on top, and fell off backwards, landing on her a**. Slightly terrifying and probably a little embarrassing. Alright, we carried on with our workout and I asked her at the end of class if she wanted to try again. All her fellow On-Rampers held their breath and Rosa jumped. She made it of course. No problem. Cool. Welcome to CrossFit Rosa.

New Schedule and On-Ramp

Jen — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 21:27:04 +0000

HAS ANYONE SEEN THIS GIRL? SEND HER IN.

Tomorrow we begin training in our new schedule format. If you have been missing for the last 3 weeks you may have missed this change, so heads up! Call us ASAP to discuss things if you have not chosen a Home Class yet.

I have been anxiously awaiting this new schedule ever since we decided to do it. Literally, I cannot wait for it to begin. You will reap the following benefits more strongly than before:

1. Greater, more timely accountability in your training schedule. The first element of successful Crossfitting is “consistency”. It is not “intensity” done once one week, twice the next week and 5 times the following week!

2. Increased opportunity for more focused coordination of training for those of you with other athletic committments.

3. The ability to train as a Group rather than as a room full of individuals. More on this in an upcoming post.

4. Increased monitoring of your progress and on-going goal setting.

5. Predictable and controlled workout programming. No more will poor Tony come only to do deadlifts.

6. Deeper, more rewarding connection with your Trainer.

7. Better monitoring of injuries and range of motion issues.

8. Heightened accuracy in scaling due to the ongoing connection between athlete and trainer.

9. Ridiculously streamlined business management. Oh, wait, that is a completely selfish one. Hmmm, maybe not really. The better systems we have in place, the more we can do for you!!!

Tomorrow at 6am begins our first On-Ramp class of the year!! There are a couple openings if you have a last minute surge of motivation. Show up. Otherwise think about joining our next evening session which will begin on January 18.