"Hey guys, it's me, Team Saturday! Remember me? I'm the most fun day of the whole week at the Fort! Did you miss me?"

It's not that we didn't love the CrossFit Open...it's just that we all have a sweet spot in our hearts for Oly classes and Team Saturday. yesterday was our first regular Saturday in about a month and a half. Unfortunately, there was a large group of our Saturday regulars who were anxiously awaiting a surprise Cubs game trip for Hannah's Birthday, so our attendance was a little light.

Either way, it was a total blast to have our regular Saturdays back!

In teams of 3/4, complete as many rounds as possible in 20:00 of:
20 wall ball shots (20/14lb)
20 burpees
20 calorie row

Our winning team was Hero Mike, Heather, Bob and Dave! Great job you guys!

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It's always good to get a little sunshine on your body AND your barbell, and yesterday we did both. With such nice weather, it was a welcome escape to carry your equipment outside and WOD in the parking lot. The good news is that the nice weather give us an instant 10,000 sq ft addition to the Fort!

The WOD yesterday was:
100 double unders
21-15-9
Power cleans (70/45kg)
box jumps(24/20")
100 double unders

Yep, thems were some HEAVY power cleans! Even worse, was the feeling of complete exhaustion when you picked up your jump rope to do double unders again.

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I wish I remembered what was going on in this picture, because it totally made me laugh out loud. I'm pretty sure this is a picture of Nicole and Andy getting ready to start Running WOD #2 for this week. They were probably just getting themselves mentally prepared for those 800m runs!

The workout yesterday was:

40-30-20-10
kettlebell swings (24/16kg)
sit-ups (anchored)

Yep, you read that right. Anchored sit-ups were not only allowed in yesterday's WOD, they were encouraged. Anchoring your feet allows you to move much faster through the sit-ups, and that's precisely what the WODFather wanted. I was really impressed with Tommy Mo and Ryan Z who called time at EXACTLY the same moment. Not half a second apart...not just really close to one another....100% synchronized. It's almost like they should be on a team together or something...

I want to bring up something that might hurt your feelings. I'm not trying to be mean, but sometimes you kids stink at following directions. Particularly the strength portion of the WOD. I know you believe in Bill's programming, otherwise you wouldn't be coming to the Fort. What I need you to do, is to stick to the rep scheme that's on the board. Tempting as it may be to try a new single rep max on a 3-3-3-3-3 day, you MUST adhere to what's on the board. This bit Dan B in the butt a couple weeks ago, when he had to do almost back to back single rep max attempts on his front squat. This was not due to the programming, but due to the fact that he was feeling "squatty" one day, and decided to PR. I'm guilty of this as well, so let's all try and overcome our PR addiction together.

Your CrossFit Fire Softball Team will be playing tonight at Cook's Park in Wauconda at 6:45PM. If you wanted to head out and cheer for your team, please do so! Feel free to bring along foam fingers, noise makers, and thunder sticks. Your team will be looking SHARP in their matching CFF softball t-shirts!

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I am super impressed with how well everyone ran yesterday! I'm also impressed with how many people are taking the time to do the additional running WODs listed on the whiteboard. Turns out running is a "goat" for a lot of us! George TORE.IT.UP, and took first place on the men's side of the board with his 20:45 5K time!

The WOD yesterday was:
4 rounds for time
400m run
20 wall ball shots (20/14lb)

Most everyone went unbroken on their wall ball shots, and that's exactly what the WODFather wanted. Great, great job!

I know you're all dying to know who will be representing the Fort at Regionals, but Bill and I are still deciding. I promise that as soon as we have the 3 men and 3 ladies chosen, we'll let you know.

Last night was our May installment of Warrior Women Wednesday, and we worked on some running drills. If you've never spent any time working with a running coach, these drills feel funny. We have a lot of people at the Fort who have been running for YEARS, so trying to change your mechanics will take time. The idea behind the running drills is to improve your efficiency, and your comfort while running. We discussed "heel striking", and "figure 4 position". You ladies were all looking MUCH better by the end of only one hour! Keep practicing the drills!

Is anyone out there looking to participate in a national version of our Better Body Challenge, and maybe win $10,000? Dan Vargas works at CDW, and they have a team weight loss competition that lasts 90 days. He's looking for 3 people to join his team. He's wants 3 people with a good amount of weight to lose who are incredibly motivated. To join this 90 day team event, you need to email Dan ASAP. Registration deadline is 5/13, and you'll have to "pay to play"; the entry fee is $60 per person.

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So far, I'm digging the WODFather's new strength programming. In his usual manner, he spent a couple weeks buried in some new strength programming books and now he's ready to experiment on all of us! The strength work yesterday was pretty fun! We did 1 clean every minute for 10 minutes at 85%+ of our single rep max. I thought 85% felt light, so I had a few people go slightly heavier. Give this new programming a couple weeks, and let's see where your PR's end up!

The WOD yesterday had some people (like Tommy) doubting whether or not they wanted to do it. I think it reminded everyone of a little WOD we did a while back that was awful. Fortunately, yesterday's WOD was WAY less awful.

5 rounds for max burpees:

With 1:30 on the clock row 200m's, and complete as many burpees as possible. Rest 1:30

You will notice that Bill is once again including an optional "cash out" on the whiteboard. If you're looking to get in some extra skill work, take advantage of these little nuggets of awesomeness.

There WILL be Warrior Women Wednesday this evening - sorry for the short notice. I'll be covering a couple basic running drills, nothing too in depth, and then we'll get in a great WOD. Hopefully Hannah will be there to play DJ. Come listen to some tunes, learn better foot striking position, and enjoy some girl time at the Fort!

You will notice that Kirsten and Steph have started leading a couple group classes with Bill or me as their assistant. As you can imagine, Bill and I are going to need some help once baby Brady arrives. Fortunately, we are only 4-1/2ish weeks from meeting Brady! As much as I'd like to give birth (for time) at the Fort while setting a new OHS PR, and then resume coaching, the truth is that I'm going to need to take 2 weeks off. Minimum. Kirsten and Steph have been working hard to make it through our coaches development program. We have tested them on their knowledge of the barbell movements, and now it's time to mold them into amazing coaches for our group classes. Please feel free to email me feedback on their performance, as this will only help make them better.

Speaking of Baby Brady, Lisa Colson has so kindly started a list on the whiteboard to help out with some paleo meals after Brady arrives. The idea is that CrossForters would volunteer to prepare a paleo friendly meal and drop it off at the Fort so that Bill and I don't starve while adjusting to our new life with a newborn. If you have time in your busy schedule to help out, it would be greatly appreciated! Just get your name on the whiteboard, and Lisa will coordinate from there.

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I know it's hard to imagine, but not everything we do at the Fort is "sexy". I realize that the clean & jerk or the snatch might be a complex ballet of human movement that inspires gasps of amazement when completed with impecible form. Believe me, I get it. Occasionally though, we have to do things that AREN'T so sexy....like the press. Yep, just the plain old press.

Believe it or not, the press used to be one of the most sexy movements around. Back in the first half of the 1900's when strongmen roamed the boardwalks, the press was DEFINITELY sexy. The standard among most men was that you should at least be able to press your body weight. I mean, look at this guy. He's pressing huge weights, and people are watching him. AMAZING for something that's sooooo un-sexy. And actually, would you believe that from 1924 - 1973, the press was actually one of the Olympic lifts? Mmmmhmmm....it's true.

The press carries over to every other movement you do at the Fort where you need to get weight over your head. The range of motion from hands starting at shoulders, to pressing over your head is incredibly functional, and can't be replaced by movements that include any kind of hip drive. Yes, those movements are important too....but naturally if you get stronger at your press, your other overhead movements will also improve.

Occasionally you'll hear me tell people that handstand push-ups and press transfer over to each other, and this is true to some extent. The range of motion for press is FAR superior to the handstand push-up, as is the hand placement and body position.

Bottom line is, if you want to get more raw pressing strength and power going overhead, don't neglect your press. Capiche?

The workout yesterday was:

3 rounds for time
400m run
12 sumo deadlift high pulls(50/35kg)
12 handstand push-ups

We had some BIG classes yesterday! Is it just me, or are you guys glad to be back to our regularly scheduled programming? I know I am!

Reminder - Oly classes and Team Saturday will be back to our normal schedule as of this Saturday, the 7th.

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6 weeks. With the CrossFit Open now complete, let's reflect on these last 6 weeks. These last few weeks were not just about WODs, and they were not just about getting the best score. These last 6 weeks were the ultimate test of who you are as a CrossFitter. You completed the same WODs as Iceland Annie, Rob Orlando, and Jason Khalipa. Essentially, you got to compare your scores against the top competitors in the world.

Be Proud. Know what? You probably didn't even come CLOSE to their scores, but you should still be proud. Be proud that you threw your hat in the ring and gave it everything you had. I watched my CrossForters clean & jerk PR weights for multiple reps. I was there to witness some of you getting your first EVER chest to bar pull-up. You box jump'd, deadlifted, double-undered, and snatched with every ounce of effort you had in your bodies, and I'm so very, very proud.

Time to Learn. What did you learn about yourself during the CrossFit Open? I hope you learned more than just "I need to work chest to bar more often".....I hope you learned something more profound. This intangible profund lesson will be different for all of us. For me, I learned that no matter how much I think you are capable of, you can always prove me wrong and give just a little bit more. I learned that sometimes the quiet girl not making much fuss turns out to be a complete badass. I learned that even when faced with an insurmountable task, a positive attitude can make the impossible, possible.

What did YOU learn from the CrossFit Open?

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