Blog Archive

Great video about last year’s Nutts Cup. Lots of happy sweaty people.

Nutts Cup 2014 Registration is NOW Open!

22 spots are up for grab. First to email Emily at [email protected] with their team name and members, as well as pay their registration fee below, will be competing at this year’s Nutts Cup on August 16th. After those 22 spots are filled, the Cup is full!

Warm up:

coaches choice

barbell flow

Tech: 

3 position clean + jerk
3 times

ground-hang-high hang-split jerk

Workout: 18 reps to freedom

Rx’d 

3 min on 1 min off 5 rounds
3 power cleans 135/95
6 front squats
9 bar over burpees 

Comp Team

3 min on 1 min off 5 rounds
3 power cleans 165/115
6 front squats
9 bar over burpees 

Coaching points: 

Move steady. When rest is called stop moving, take long slow deep breaths. Once go is called begin exactly where you left off. Stand up tall after your third power clean and then show a front squat. A squat clean is not permitted. If the weight is heavy do your first two power cleans as single and then use the third to set up for the front squat. Two foot take off and two foot landing on each burpee is ideal but not a standard. 

I attended a very interesting info session (oddly enough at work) this week titled “Managing the Impact of Caring for Aging Family”.  The session delivered a powerful message and put a lot of things in perspective for me.  The presenter began with a very heart-felt story on her relationship with an older family member (in this case her father) and the transition that it made as aging took its toll on the mind.  The presentation was fantastic and it hit many people in attendance quite hard, including myself.  Today’s elderly population is living longer now than in any other previous time in history.  This comes, however, with the added risk of mental illness.  

She made reference to Dementia, and how it isn’t a disease, but rather a group of symptoms that accompany disease such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, MS, or Stroke to our aging loved ones.  Not to scare you but she also mentioned that these diseases often come in pairs.

Ali_Fox

At the end she provided ways of tackling some of the very hard, yet very real discussions we are forced to have with our parents about aging, prevention, illness, and eventual passing. As depressing as this might sound, the presentation was in fact a real eye opener and made me realize that these real discussions have to happen with family.

To help, she provided reference to a few books such as  “I Only Say This Because I Love You” and a wealth of information on the AARP (formerly the American Association of Retired Persons) website. 

I took a quick glance at the information on the AARP website and found a few articles that dive into some of the topics/issues that she touched on:

• Help for Alzheimer’s Caregivers
• Easing Aged-Based Sibling Rivalry in Caregiving
• Caring for the Greatest, Muhammad Ali
• And mention of local, Margot Bentley

I’m no expert in family matters, and by no means a councillor, but I thought this was a very real and very probable issue that is going to touch all of us at one stage of our life or another.

Maybe some of our resident Health Care guru’s could also comment on any additional resources  

Thoughtfully,
Richy

Friday

Warm-up: Andy’s Choice at 6 am

Strength: Cleans (2, 2, 2)

You can either touch-and-go or take one quick pause (no more than 5 seconds between the two lifts). How heavy can you go for a double?

THEN

Every 30 seconds for 7 minutes: 1 clean (Go heavier than you did Grace earlier this month)

Workout: Quake Bar Sprints! (Budget 20 minutes)

East Van Barbell Club dabbles with quake bar bench press a lot. It’s great for both muscular endurance and stability.

5 rounds:

15 unbroken Quake Bar Bench Press (16 kg for men, 12 kg for women)
200 meter sprint

**Share benches. Rest as needed (1 to 2 minutes between rounds). The idea is to do the bench press unbroken and hit the 200 meter hill sprints hard.

Here’s a video of how to set up with Quake Bar with bands attached to the KBs.

 Saturday

Warm-up:

5 minutes dynamic warm-up lengths
20 band pull aparts
10 Dislocates
10 ring rows
10 pull-ups
5 minutes to warm up squat clean

Workout:

Badger

3 rounds of:

30 squat cleans (95 lbs/65 lbs)
30 pull-ups
800 m run

40 minute time cap

If you’ve been here for less than 6 months, do a smaller version:

3 rounds:

20 Squat Cleans
20 Pull-ups
600 meter run

Sunday

Make up day, but prioritize CrossFit Total!

Three things to talk about today:

1). If anyone is interested in doing CrossFit HQ’s Weightlifing Trainer Course this weekend, there are still spots available. It’s at Studeo55 downtown and runs from 9 am until 3 pm on both Saturday and Sunday. Details can be found HERE.

2). Check out this dude: He broke the Guinness World Record for the longest plank hold. 4 hours plus!! INSANITY. Read more here.

3). As the morning people know, my pet peeve is people who have NO clue how much they can lift. These folks never seem to bother counting up the plates on their bars so they waste time every class figuring out what kind of weight to lift during both the strength and workout sessions. TODAY is your chance!! CrossFit Total will allow you to establish a one rep deadlift, back squat and shoulder press. LOG THESE SCORES IN THE RECORDS SECTION OF THE POCKET COACH BITCHES! So even if you forget, you’ll have it logged FOREVER!!

That is all.

Thursday

Warm-up: (10 minutes)

10/10 Bowler Squats
10/10 T-Spine Bridges
10 Yoga Push-ups

Then with an empty bar:

20 Good Mornings
10 Back Squats
10 Front Squats
10 Shoulder Press

Workout:

CF Total

Back squat – 1 rep max (15 minutes)
Shoulder Press – 1 rep max (10 minutes)
Deadlift – 1 rep max (15 minutes)

Score is total poundage

Finisher

50 Unbroken Wall Balls (if 50 is easy, use a heavier ball than you normally do or use a 12 foot target!)

**If you cannot do 50 in a row, see how many you can do in one max attempt!

10 months ago I was in the hospital recovering for a ruptured appendix and was given a Special Edition of Maclean’s magazine titled ‘100 Ideas, Inventions & Discoveries that will Change the World’.

The Food section of the magazine was pretty scary as there were articles with a positive tone on genetically modified salmon, chemical fertilizers and in-vitro meat.  The chapter on transportation on the other hand was pretty cool.  I was especially intrigued by the article on Cooking-Oil-Powered Planes.

In 2009, KLM airlines completed the first passenger flight that was powered by 25% cooking oil.  The refined cooking oil comes from restaurants in Louisiana (famous for its fried chicken) and in its new state the fuel is indistinguishable, on the molecular level, from regular jet fuel.  In 2012 and funded by the Canada’s National Research Council, the first civilian jet powered by 100% unblended biofuel (made from an oilseed crop) flew over Ottawa.  Next year KLM aims to have 1% of its flights powered by sustainable biofuel!  Ah, science…you are cool!

-CFP

Warm-up:

10/10 KB arm bars
Go over single-armed KB complex movements with a light KB (2 rounds of the workout with a light KB)
6/6 Light Turkish Get-ups

Strength: Turkish Get-ups (2, 2, 2, 2) – Two PER side

Workout: Part 1 is immediately followed by Part 2

Part 1: KB Complex

5 rounds per side: One KB each!

10 1-armed Russian KB swings (each arm) (24 kg/16 kg)
5 squats with KB racked (each side)
3 KB push press (each side)

See this video for KB push press tips:

Part 2: Swings and Snaps

5 Rounds:

10 Russian Swings (2 arms like normal)
10 V-snaps

Time Cap: 16 minutes

Just a reminder that this Friday we will be running our Monthly Match for June. The workout will be announced at 6:15 on Friday.

With that in mind folks, please be aware that there will be a workout at 6:15, but there will be no 6:00 pm class. The workout will be a partner workout and will be doable and completely scaleable if need be.

Everyone is welcome to attend, think of it as a regular class. The only difference is we encourage you to stay after the workout for a drink or two. A cooler will be at the gym to keep your stuff cold but just like last time guys, it is byob.

It will be a partner workout and this time around we are going to make teams by pulling names from a hat. Men will be with men and women will be with women. Numbers depending of course.

Last months Match was an awesome workout and a pretty good time all in all.

So if you have the urge to do a cool workout and have a drink afterward this Friday, then come on out and sweat, bleed and have a drink.

Tom

Tuesday

Warm-up:

2 Rounds:

10/10 Deadbugs
10 Barbell Roll outs
15 Handcuff Press
10 Scapula Push-ups
10 Scapula Pull-ups
10/10 Elbow Circles with a band

Skill:

1). HSPU or Handstand Holds (see week 1 for different progressions)

7-minute EMOM – choose your own number

2). Muscle-ups or Ring Dips

7-minute EMOM – choose your own number

Workout:

Shoulder Press (2, 2, 2, 2)

* Between shoulder press sets, hit a hard 350 meter row (for a total of four 350 meter rows)

LEADERBOARD IS FASTEST 350 meter ROW

Happy Birthday DASHIE!!!

-CFP

Monday

Coaches, be STRICT on the time here!

Warm-up: (10 minutes)

Warm-up those glutes and hamstrings, as well as the workout movements by doing the following:

20 Good mornings (empty bar)
15 Glute Bridges
15 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
15 Push Press
15 Glute Bridges
20 Good Mornings

Strength: Week 4 Dimmel Deadlifts (15 minutes)

1). 2 x 30 Dimmel Deadlift (notice only 2 sets this week)

2). 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off Glute Bridge Holds (1 set only this week)
.
Make sure this is wrapped up at half past the hour!

Workout: Partner Fight Gone Bad (One person working at a time)

**In a big class, do teams of 3. Have teams start on different stations.

1 minute per station:

1. Wall-ball (20/14/ lb)
2. Sumo deadlift high-pull (75/55 lb)
3. Box jump (20 inches)
4. Push-press (75/55 lb)
5. Row (Calories)
6. Rest

Repeat 3 cycles

Score is total number of reps as a team!

Every morning I listen to the radio, and I don’t even know what to believe about this pipeline anymore.

I tend to sympathize with the side that says, “Why are we so scared of a pipe? This is one of the safest ways to transport liquids. We’ve been transporting liquids in pipes for centuries. We all have pipes in our homes!”

I’ve also heard that half the Native Band Chiefs who are speaking up against the pipeline have been hired by companies based in cities like San Francisco to basically work as actors advocating against Enbridge.

What do you think?

Is there reason to fear the pipe?

Something tells me Wendy and possibly the Woodchuck will disagree with me. And something else tells me Drywall Aristotle might ring in with some wisdom.

Saturday

**Get there early and go through the pre-warm-up on your own!

Warm-up: With an Empty Bar

10 Front Squats
10 Tall Cleans
10 Hang Squat Cleans
10 OH Lunges

Set up your stations, add some more weight and get to it!

Workout: Hidalgo (Start at quarter after the hour)

Run 2 miles
Rest 2 minutes
20 squat cleans (135 lbs/95 lbs)
20 box jumps (24″ box)
20 overhead walking lunges (45 lbs/25 lbs)
20 box jumps (24″ box)
20 squat cleans (135 lbs/95 lbs)
Rest 2 minutes
Run 2 miles

If you’re not getting this one done in the class time, then substitute 2 miles for 1 mile at the start and finish of the workout.

This Canada Day – July 1st – Madlab School of Fitness is taking part in a nation-wide fundraiser to help support Canadian athletes who will be representing Canada at this summer’s CrossFit Games.

https://www.facebook.com/events/743718435670878/

For you guys, all this means is that at our classes on Canada Day – 10 am and 5 pm – we’ll be doing the same workout as possibly 100 other affiliates or more across the country. The workout won’t be released until June 30th, so it will be a surprise to us all!!

The Fittest MAN in Canada!

Friday:

We’re doing things a bit differently today.

Yes, we’re doing Fran. And what I find on Fran days is that normally people are very unfocussed during the strength portion of the hour because they’re thinking about Fran. So, were going to let you get Fran over with at the start of the hour, and then do our back squats after we catch our breath.

Warm-up: (15-20 minutes)

2-4 Dynamic Warm-up lengths
Shoulder Prep of coaches choice

2 Rounds of: (empty bar)

7 Front Squats
7 Shoulder Press
7 Thrusters
5 Ring Rows
5 pull-ups

Take your time on the first round, and once you’re warm speed up a bit on the second. Make sure you get your heart rate up before you hit Fran.

Workout: Fran (Start Fran at 25 after the hour)

21-15-9

Thrusters (95/65 lb.)
Pull ups

**Scale this in a way that you will complete this workout in less than 9 minutes.

REST 5-10 minutes

Strength: Back Squats (2, 2, 2, 2)

CrossFit critics love to point out that it can be dangerous.

There’s no doubt, people get injured doing high intensity training. They also get injured doing gymnastics, playing basketball, skiing, and playing rugby.

If you’ve done sports, be it hockey or hiking, you’ve probably sustained an injury. Heck, you’ve probably injured yourself doing even silly things like moving a couch or reaching for something in the backseat as you drive.

The point: Sports are dangerous. Life is dangerous.

And when you join a sport, part of the reason you get coached is to keep you safe. You’d never join a gymnastics class and attempt back flips without proper instruction. And if you started with us, you didn’t start doing Olympic lifting and handstands and rope climbs and pull-ups without proper one-on-one care coaching.

At Madlab School of Fitness, we believe it’s our job to help you gain strength, speed, power, mobility, stability, as well as ingrain proper movement patterns for life, to prepare you for whatever life throws at you. The idea has always been that the movements you learn in personal training will prepare you for life, whether you’re an aspiring Games athlete or a grandma looking to stand up off a public toilet until she’s 100 years old.

Our job isn’t to watch you in an on-ramp group class along with 20 other athletes throwing weight around that’s too heavy for you at a high intensity, over and over – which is why all of you have been through one-on-one personal training.

Getting to the critics:

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research published an article in 2014 about CrossFit and injuries. Link to article here.

The authors of the article followed 132 CrossFit athletes and concluded that injury prevalence during CrossFit training is similar to sports like gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting, and lower than contact sports like rugby. Shoulder and spine injuries were reported the most often.

The study took into consideration many different variables:

“The questionnaire included patient and health demographics including age, sex, smoking status and alcohol consumption. And performance enhancing drug use,” stated the authors of the study.

But what the study didn’t report—which is arguably more important than age, sex and smoking status—was whether or not the athletes getting injured were being coached individually, or if they were simply hitting high intense, random workouts day after day without due care for their own personal physical limitations. It didn’t take into consideration whether they were being coached at all, for that matter.

At Madlab, we believe that while injuries can, and will inevitably happen, it is the people, not the training itself, that tends to be the biggest cause of these injuries.


For example, if you’re an athlete with limited shoulder mobility and scapular stability and you try to lift 135-lb. over your head for 30 reps in a row, there’s a higher chance of getting injured than someone who has been properly trained, and who has the strength, power, technical ability, as well as mobility and stability to handle the volume and load.

So while the article can be seen as threatening to CrossFit affiliates worldwide because it accuses the training as being dangerous, we do not see it this way.

Instead, the article presents real data about injuries among 132 of its study subjects. And it provides Madlab School of fitness data that will help steer new athletes to coaches who will help them avoid injuries.

The article goes on to list certain aspects of CrossFit movements that make people particularly susceptible to injury. The kipping motion is one of these movements.

“This may lead to the unusually high prevalence of shoulder injury…,” the article stated.

This once again comes down to personal responsibility in terms of selecting appropriate movements for each individual.

There are many athletes at Madlab School of Fitness who are not clear to kip. One of they key concepts of the CrossFit methodology is that each movement and workout is universally scalable. So while some athletes may have adapted to and have the fitness to complete 100 reps of kipping chest to bar pull-ups safety, others practice ring rows or strict pull-ups in bands that assist them in order to protect their shoulders, or simply to build strength before introducing the kip safely.

Figuring out what movements are right for you is crucial to your training. And by the time you all reached group classes, you should all have been familiar with your own “Rosetta Stone,” so to speak. Your Rosetta Stone helps you translate how to scale movements to meet your current limitations. So, for example, if you have shoulder stability or mobility deficiencies, you know that when squat snatch come up, you’re working on overhead lunges or strict presses. And, of course, as you improve, your Rosetta Stone will change.

If you don’t think you know your “Rosetta Stone” today, are often unclear about how much weight you should be lifting, or how to properly scale movements, or even if you just want to sharpen your skills, contact your coach and do some more one-on-one sessions.

Even if you’re a top athlete, one-on-one training is going to help you. It will help you improve physically. It will keep you safe. It will ensure you’re here for the long haul.

Thursday

Warm-up:

20 Bowler Squats/20 Cassak Squats
Light 250 meter row
2-minute Goblet Squat
Harder 250 m row
5-minutes of empty barbell work

Tech: Hang Cleans (5, 5, 5)

*Last month we did 3 rep hang cleans. What can you do for 5 reps?

Workout: 3 minutes on, 3 minutes off times 3

3 minute AMRAP:

3 Hang Cleans (165/115 lb)
25 Double Unders (or 50 single skips or 50 high knee skips)
Rest 3 minutes

Repeat 3 times

*Scale accordingly. Choose a weight where you can do 3-reps in a row. That being said, this should be heavy.

Many of you remember Ana ‘Fancypants,’ the beautiful Brazilian coach who unanimously gets the vote for “The Hottest Female Coach’ we’ve ever had.

A year and a half ago now, she moved back to Brazil and opened a CrossFit facility there. Here she is still rocking her famous FANCYPANTS over there.

Although nobody can ever replace Ana, as of recently we’ve discovered the opportunity to keep her FANCYPANT legacy alive. You might have noticed more and more girls running around in Fancypants lately?

Myself (Emily), Simona, Shelley, Baby Nat, Emily Christian, Leslie, Bianca, among others, have all fallen in love with Dona Jo’s. Here’s a blog I wrote about them.

Simona added this: “I love my Dona Jos! They fit so well, they don’t ride up when you are jumping and running around during a wod, and they are also perfect for lounging in. The fabric is super comfy and soft.”

So getting to the point: Dona Jo is making us some CROSSFIT VANCOUVER FANCYPANTS! Cost depends on how many we get, but they won’t be more than $69 (a fraction of Lululemon price). They’re going to be blue and black.

I’m putting a sign-up sheet in the women’s washroom this week. If you want a pair, jot your name down, as well as your email.

Wednesday

Warm-up: Budget 15 minutes

Start out with some band work: 10 Dislocates, 20 Pull Aparts and 15 Elbow Circles in each direction

Then do:

10/10 Arm Bars with KB (see video last week)
10 Prone Snow Angels (2.5 lb. to 5 lb. plates maximum)
10 Push Ups
5 Strict pull-ups or ring rows
20 Seated Muscle-ups (with rings 8 inches from the ground) – Focus on doing the fastest sit-up of your life
5 Strict chin-ups or ring rows

Skill: Two 7-minute EMOMs

1). EMOM x 7 minutes of HSPU -Choose your own number

Progression: Negative HSPU or Handstand Hold (30 second hold each minute)

*I don’t want you doing DB shoulder press today since we went overhead a lot yesterday and are going overhead again on Friday.

2). EMOM x 7 minutes of Muscle Ups – Choose your own number

Progression: Ring Dips (choose your own number)

*Try to choose a number that you can hold for all 7 minutes.

Finisher: 8-minute Tabata Core Mash-up

Russian Twists (with a medicine ball)
Weighted Sit-ups (with a medicine ball) – finish with arms straight and ball overhead
Supermans (progression is plank hold)

**Again, choose numbers your can hold for the duration of the intervals. You don’t need to use the full 20 seconds.

NO LEADERBOARD TODAY – FOCUS ON QUALITY REPS