Jon Coyle getting work done!

Protein Shakes: Yes or No?

No carbs PWO, not till one is LEAN. For men that is below 10%, for women below 15% and in both cases, no sign of insulin resistance (high insulin readings at the love handles).

Fasting produces a different effect from both low carb and high carb PWO meals.  People get pretty spun out about which way is “right” but it’s really just a spectrum of options. In this situation the PWO meal of whey protein + coconut milk is providing quickly digested protein which will reverse catabolic actions of training, with just a bit of fat to suppress the normal glucose release of a large protein meal via glucagon. This would not be the end of the world but part of what we want with this PWO meal is the MAINTENANCE of insulin sensitivity. If we totally top off our glycogen stores PWO we impair insulin sensitivity and make it damn tough to lean out. So, one way to look at this is the a LC-PWO meal is focusing on muscular recovery and growth, while minimizing or limiting the effects of insulin or carbohydrate.

Read more about it on the link before.

http://robbwolf.com/2009/07/01/post-workout-nutrition-high-or-low-carb/

Announcements:

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. The event starts at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.  We will meet at Newport Beach off 46th ST.  See you all there!

Workout of the day:

A. 12min Build to a 3RM Back Squat

B. Bulgarian Split Squat 6-6-6-6 (R & L)

C. 21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Row (Calories)

Wall ball (20/14)

Rabe looking fierce on his box jumps!

Dan looking strong and determined on his squats!

Taking an after exercise plunge in an ice water bath (a tub of 12 to 15 degrees Celsius ice water) is a common practice among many elite athletes as a way to recover faster, and reduce muscle pain and soreness after intense training sessions or competitions.

In addition to the ice bath, some athletes use contrast water therapy (alternating between cold water and warmer water) to get the same effect.

So, what’s behind the ice bath and does it really work?

The Scientific Theory

The theory behind ice baths is related the fact that intense exercise actually causes microtrauma, or tiny tears in muscle fibers. This muscle damage not only stimulates muscle cell activity and helps repair the damage and strengthen the muscles ( muscle hypertrophy), but it is also linked with delayed onset muscle pain and soreness (DOMS) , which occurs between 24 and 72 hours after exercise.

The ice bath is thought to:

• Constrict blood vessels and flush waste products, like lactic acid, out of the affected tissues
• Decrease metabolic activity and slow down physiological processes

• Reduce swelling and tissue breakdown

Then, with rewarming, the increased blood flow speeds circulation, and in turn, improves the healing process. Although there is no current protocol regarding the ideal time and temperature for cold immersion routines, most athletes or trainers who use them recommend a water temperature between 12 to 15 degrees Celsius and immersion times of 5 to 10 and sometimes up to 20 minutes.

Announcements:

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. The event starts at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.  We will meet at Newport Beach off 46th ST.  See you all there!

Kenneth Leverich Games Bound Party!

This Thursday at 7:30pm come celebrate Kenneth Leverich’s 2nd place finish at the 2012 Southern California CrossFit Regionals which earned him a ticket to the CrossFit Games in July! We’re hosting a huge party to congratulate Kenny on an amazing performance this past weekend and we’d like to have everyone, and I mean everyone, come out to show their support for this highly talented local athlete. It’s a celebration for all the hard work Kenny has dedicated to this goal, a celebration for his home box Orange Coast CrossFit [OCCF] and its membership, and a celebration for all friends/family/fans who would like to show support for Kenny’s continued journey on his “Road to the Games”. Bring a friend, grab your neighbor, and call your workout buddy to come join OCCF in toasting this amazing and humble athlete! Free beer and paleo cocktails, snacks, music, and photo ops with Kenneth Leverich himself – this is a great opportunity to meet everyone else who has supported Kenny and give a personal congrats to the man himself as he enjoys an evening of relaxation with his community, fans, and friends!

Workout of the day:

Run 800m

3 Rounds:

20 x KB swing (blue/green)

40 x Double Unders

20 x Burpees

Run 800m after 3 rounds are completed.

Intermediate: (yellow/white)

Novice: (green/18lb.) 120 x singles

When it comes to fats, it’s hard to keep it too simple.  You need to have a basic understanding of a few terms:

Lipids – fats and oils.  If it’s solid at room temperature, it’s a fat.  If it’s liquid at room temperature, it’s oil.  Lipids are a collection of molecules called triglycerides.

Triglycerides – a molecule comprised of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol.

Fatty Acid – carboxylic acids (COOH for you chemistry junkies) with carbon chains running 2-24 carbons long.  The most abundant fatty acids in food are 16-18 carbons long.

Saturated Fatty Acid – a fatty acid in which all the links between carbons on the chain are single bonds, leaving no free electrons to potentially share with something else.  This is the most stable form of a fatty acid and is generally solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid – fatty acids with one or more double bond between carbons.  If there is only one double bond, it is a monounsaturated fatty acid; two or more and it is a polyunsaturated fatty acids.  The fatty acids in the families of omega-3, omega-6, omega-7, and omega-9 fall into this category.  These are not as stable as saturated fatty acids, which is why they are liquids at room temperature.

Trans Fatty Acid – an unsaturated fatty acid that has undergone the process of hydrogenation or partial hydrogenation.  The fatty acid is bombarded with hydrogen atoms until those double bonds are broken up and the resulting free electron is shared with a hydrogen.  These are really weird fats that look saturated, but the body generally doesn’t know how to work with them.  There are some naturally occurring trans fats in ruminant animal fats, but these are different than the redheaded stepchildren coming from the hydrogenation process.

Melting Point-  the temperature at which a lipid goes from solid to liquid.

Smoke Point – the temperature at which a lipid begins to break down to glycerol and free fatty acids.  This is a bad place for fats as they can potentially turn into very toxic substances from here.

When picking a fat or oil for cooking, you want to choose it based on a few considerations: temperature you’re cooking at, fatty acid composition, and taste (my favorite).

The temperature plays a role because the fat shouldn’t be pushed to perform beyond its smoke point.  My general rule of thumb is that if I’m cooking at a higher heat, I want to use a more saturated fat like coconut oil.  When lightly sautéing something (knob on the stove is in the middle), I’ll use olive oil, avocado oil, or even sesame oil (sesame oil has really good oxidative stability, possible because its high content of sesamin – an antioxidant). When dressing a salad, I usually stick with olive oil, and we occasionally pick up a specialty oil like walnut or hazelnut.  Here’s a link to a table of smoke points for various fats and oils: http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/oilchart.html.

As for fatty acid composition, the body needs all types of fatty acids (except trans fats) in order to function optimally.  There’s no one-size-fits-all formula, but generally 2-3% of caloric intake should come from omega-6 fatty acids, and 1-1.5% should come from omega-3 fatty acids (trying to achieve a balance of 2:1 or 3:1 omega-6:omega-3).  The rest of your dietary fat is going to be a combination of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, and the majority should be saturated fat.

My favorite consideration is taste!  Coconut oil and cocoa butter also leave their mark with soft, sweet hint of their fruits.  I also love the taste of olive oil, and find that if I cook at too high a heat with it, the flavor goes away.  If you’re feeling extra bold, try a mix of 1/3 coconut oil, 1/3 extra virgin olive oil, and 1/3 sesame oil.  The coconut oil will have to be brought its melting point first, but it should easily mix with the other oils from there.

Announcements:

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. The event starts at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.  We will meet at Newport Beach off 46th ST.  See you all there!

Kenneth Leverich Games Bound Party!

This Thursday at 7:30pm come celebrate Kenneth Leverich’s 2nd place finish at the 2012 Southern California CrossFit Regionals which earned him a ticket to the CrossFit Games in July! We’re hosting a huge party to congratulate Kenny on an amazing performance this past weekend and we’d like to have everyone, and I mean everyone, come out to show their support for this highly talented local athlete. It’s a celebration for all the hard work Kenny has dedicated to this goal, a celebration for his home box Orange Coast CrossFit [OCCF] and its membership, and a celebration for all friends/family/fans who would like to show support for Kenny’s continued journey on his “Road to the Games”. Bring a friend, grab your neighbor, and call your workout buddy to come join OCCF in toasting this amazing and humble athlete! Free beer and paleo cocktails, snacks, music, and photo ops with Kenneth Leverich himself – this is a great opportunity to meet everyone else who has supported Kenny and give a personal congrats to the man himself as he enjoys an evening of relaxation with his community, fans, and friends!

Workout of the Day

A. Weighted Push Up 5-5-5-5-5

B.  5 RFT:

3 Man Makers (45/30)

6 Box Jumps (36/30)

12 Toes to Bar

Intermediate: (35/25), (30/24), KTE

Novice: (30/20), (24/20), Hanging Knee Raise

This Thursday at 7:30pm come celebrate Kenneth Leverich’s 2nd place finish at the 2012 Southern California CrossFit Regionals which earned him a ticket to the CrossFit Games in July! We’re hosting a huge party to congratulate Kenny on an amazing performance this past weekend and we’d like to have everyone, and I mean everyone, come out to show their support for this highly talented local athlete. It’s a celebration for all the hard work Kenny has dedicated to this goal, a celebration for his home box Orange Coast CrossFit [OCCF] and its membership, and a celebration for all friends/family/fans who would like to show support for Kenny’s continued journey on his “Road to the Games”. Bring a friend, grab your neighbor, and call your workout buddy to come join OCCF in toasting this amazing and humble athlete! Free beer and paleo cocktails, snacks, music, and photo ops with Kenneth Leverich himself – this is a great opportunity to meet everyone else who has supported Kenny and give a personal congrats to the man himself as he enjoys an evening of relaxation with his community, fans, and friends!

Announcements:

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. The event starts at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.  We will meet at Newport Beach off 46th ST.  See you all there!

Workout of the Day

5 Rounds:

AMRAP 3:00

7 Deadlifts (135/95)

5 Hang Power Cleans

3 Push Jerks

Rest 3:00 b/w Rounds

Intermediate: (115/75)

Novice: (95/55)

Vince and Lauren after destroying workout 3 this weekend

Team OCCF beginning Workout #2

Kenny in the heat of Workout 4

Kenny at the end of the last workout thanking those that got him there.

Kenneth Leverich, 2nd in Southern Cal but 1st in our hearts!

A HUGE thanks goes out to everyone that came out to support Kenny and Team OCCF as they continued their assault on the 2012 CrossFit Games. Over the course of 3 days and 6 tough workouts, these athletes endured not only challenging WODs but grueling outdoor heat and “questionable” judging. In the end the team finished 10th in the So Cal region (#1 in Orange County) and Kenny finished 2nd overall and earned his berth into the CrossFit GAMES this July! Next time you see Kenny, Vince, Matt, Andrew, Marly, Lauren, Kristen, Stacey or Charles in the box give them a huge congrats on a job well done!

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. The event starts at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.  We will meet at Newport Beach off 46th ST.  See you all there!

Workout of the Day

Cindy

AMRAP 20

5 Pull ups

10 Pushups

15 Air Squats

The HUNKS of Team PHENOM!

The little PHENOM Mars reppn' out some back squats!

Buckle your seat belts and grab your chalk because competition season has arrived! Stronger, and more competitive than ever, these 2012 athletes have made it clear that they’re coming for blood. We have seen other regions throw down within the last 2weeks, and now it is Southern California’s turn to show the world why we are one of the most competitive, and fiercest regions to battle. SoCal is home to  2010 CrossFit Games Champion Kristan Clever, and Games competitors; Rebecca Voigt, Lindsey Valenzuela, Katie Hogan, Josh Bridges, Jon Pera, Jeremy Kinnick, and many more top athletes.

If CrossFit is something you are interested in, and debating about, there is no better time to see the CrossFit community come together, by watching some of the top CrossFitter’s perform multiple Wod’s over the course of 3days. These Elite competitions are inspiring, and motivational to the novice and veteran CrossFitter’s who come out and cheer for their fellow athlete’s. Use this up coming weekend as a chance to experience more of what the community, and family of CrossFit has to offer. If competing is something that intrigues you, this is the time to watch first hand the level of competition there is, and what it takes to get there. Buy your 3-day pass and get ready for a life changing weekend! Let’s get it Team OCCF!

Announcements:

REGIONALS

The Box will be closed this May 11-13 for the 2012 Reebok CF Games SoCal Regionals. Make your way to Pomona and support your OCCF brothers and sisters as the best of the best in the Southern California Region go head to head for a spot in the Reebok CrossFit Games this July. Come watch Kenny Leverich and Vanessa Reyes take on the rest of the Region individually while Matt, VKong, AKong, Stacey, Lauren, Marly, Kristen and Charles (with big calves) represent OCCF and go H.A.M. in the team competition. Tickets are $10 for a day and $25 for all three. A lot of us plan on being there for all 3 days and we will have a few spots set up in tent city. So bring your sunscreen, your voices and that OCCF energy that everyone’s been talking about, its gonna be E.P.I.C.!!!

Pomona Fairplex 1101 West Mckinley Avenue, Pomona CA

ATTENTION:

Due to the increase of “no shows” in class the following scheduling/cancellation procedure will be implemented:

1st offense: A warning
2nd offense: Phone call/email stating that you have had 2 recent no shows and the next will result in a $25 fee charged to your account.
3rd offense: $25 fine charged to your account.

Come on now people, its not that hard to press a button and cancel your appointment.

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. Heats start at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.  Afterwards, community and food/beverages.

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.

Workout of the Day

For Time:

20 Thrusters (135/95)

30 Pull Ups

40 Alternating DB Snatch (45/30)

50 Wall Balls (20/14)

40 Bar Facing Burpees

30 Toes to Bar

20 Overhead Squats (135/95)

Intermediate: (95/65)

Novice (65/35)

Come support Rich and his wrestling team at OCCF on Saturday, May 19th!

Announcements:

REGIONALS

The Box will be closed this May 11-13 for the 2012 Reebok CF Games SoCal Regionals. Make your way to Pomona and support your OCCF brothers and sisters as the best of the best in the Southern California Region go head to head for a spot in the Reebok CrossFit Games this July. Come watch Kenny Leverich and Vanessa Reyes take on the rest of the Region individually while Matt, VKong, AKong, Stacey, Lauren, Marly, Kristen and Charles (with big calves) represent OCCF and go H.A.M. in the team competition. Tickets are $10 for a day and $25 for all three. A lot of us plan on being there for all 3 days and we will have a few spots set up in tent city. So bring your sunscreen, your voices and that OCCF energy that everyone’s been talking about, its gonna be E.P.I.C.!!!

Pomona Fairplex 1101 West Mckinley Avenue, Pomona CA

ATTENTION:

Due to the increase of “no shows” in class the following scheduling/cancellation procedure will be implemented:

1st offense: A warning
2nd offense: Phone call/email stating that you have had 2 recent no shows and the next will result in a $25 fee charged to your account.
3rd offense: $25 fine charged to your account.

Come on now people, its not that hard to press a button and cancel your appointment.

LOST AND FOUND:

Please take any belongings in the lost and found bin, we will be donating anything left by Wednesday, May 9th.

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. Heats start at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.  Afterwards, community and food/beverages. 

Sign up under the “Class/Register” page and click on the “Special Events” tab.

Workout of the Day

A.  5 Rounds:

AMRAP :30 SDLHP (95/65)

AMRAP :30 Ring Dip

AMRAP :30 Push Press (95/65)

AMRAP :30 Burpees

Rest 3:00 b/w Rounds

Score by total reps

Int: (75/55), HR Push Ups

Nov: (65/35), HR Push Ups

B.  100 Strict Sit Ups (hand on temples, feet flat on the ground)

Have you ever wondered, why can’t I get into that pesky overhead position? While I was surfing the internet, I stumbled on to this little article about the overhead position that I found in Catalyst Athletics. Take a gander at it and see if it could help you out.

When an athlete has difficulty supporting the bar overhead in the snatch, it’s natural to immediately assume there is insufficient strength and to address the problem with strength work. While this may often be the problem, or at least one part of it, there are other elements to consider that may be preventing the athlete from properly using what may be adequate strength. In some cases, these problems can be corrected very quickly and save everyone a lot of headaches.

When it comes to supporting weight overhead, proper structure is the most important element. Strength is required to reinforce that structure, but we’re not relying on muscular strength directly. The ability to lockout the elbows in the snatch or jerk is extremely important, and this can be easily demonstrated. Press a weight overhead and stop just short of elbow lock; when you begin to fail, lock the elbows completely and you’ll find you can suddenly continue holding the weight. This is why individuals without the ability to completely lock the elbows are at a huge disadvantage in the sport, although there have been world records set by lifters with very poor elbow extension.

By creating the proper structure to support the bar, we maximize the potential of our strength. In the snatch, we can look at a few things. First, we need to create a solid foundation, which is the shoulders and upper back in this case. The shoulder is an extremely mobile joint, which has its advantages clearly, but also means there is a lot of potential for unwanted movement and instability. In order to create a solid foundation at the base of our structure, the shoulder blades must be fixed tightly in a position that prevents movement, allows the arms to rise as needed to the bar, and allows positioning of the weight and body to maintain balance over the feet. This can be achieved by completely retracting the shoulder blades and allowing them to upwardly rotate enough to open space for the humerus. I find the easiest way to accomplish this position is to imagine pinching the top inside edges of the shoulder blades together. This is not a shrug, although the upper traps will contract and bunch up.
The elbows must be locked out; in other words, they will be extended to the end of their range, which will normally be slight hyperextension. This creates the bone lock described previously and allows the muscles of the arm to support much more weight than they could directly. The elbows should be squeezed into extension directly rather than finding some indirect cue to encourage their extension. For example, many athletes have been told to pull the bar apart or something similar; I don’t like these kinds of cues for a couple reasons. First, in order to pull the bar apart, you have to grip it tightly; a tight grip on the bar will limit how well you can extend the elbows. Second, I find this attempt makes it more difficult to secure the proper scapular position, and without this, the rest falls apart. That being said, if an athlete thinks of this cue and does what he or she is supposed to do, I won’t argue about it.

This brings us to the hands. The bar should be in the palm slightly behind the centerline of the forearm. The hand and wrist should be allowed to settle in so the wrist is extended; do not try to hold the wrist in a neutral position. Again, if the bar is in the proper place in the hand, this will not place undue strain on the wrist, because it’s not way behind the wrist as some mistakenly hold it. However, the proper hand and wrist position does require a good deal of mobility, which should be worked for diligently to allow the athlete to hold the proper positions as quickly as possible. If the athlete is flexible enough, the hook grip can be maintained overhead, but the grip must be relaxed to allow the hand and wrist to settle in properly.
The bar should be positioned over the back of the neck or the top of the traps with the head push forward through the arms somewhat. If the head is straight up or tucked back as some try to hold it, the shoulder blades cannot be held in the proper position and the arms cannot be oriented well to support the weight.

The width of the grip is another factor to consider. Ideally the grip can be such that the bar contacts the body in the crease of the hips. However, due to variations in body proportions, this can occasionally create problems elsewhere. The wider the grip, the more likely a lifter is to over rotate and drop the bar behind during the turnover of the snatch. Additionally, as the grip gets wider, it becomes more difficult to extend the elbows forcefully. A balance needs to be found between proper bar positioning during the pull and the ability to support and stabilize the bar overhead.
Finally, overhead instability can arise from the lower body entirely at times. Most commonly this is due to inflexibility, but can also be due simply to improper positioning. Most obviously, if an athlete has insufficient range of motion in the ankles and hips (or thoracic spine), he or she will not be able to establish a sound, upright squat, and as a consequence, he or she will not be able to establish the ideal overhead structure described previously. This may be because the trunk is forced to incline forward too much, the weight of the entire system is out of balance forward, or likely a combination of the two. Adequate flexibility throughout the body must be a priority for all lifters.

Spend some time investigating your or your athlete’s overhead problems with the above information and see if you discover anything unexpected. The better you can diagnose the problem, the more quickly and easily you’ll be able to correct it.
Here is a mobility WOD that could help and good luck.

Announcements:

REGIONALS

The Box will be closed this May 11-13 for the 2012 Reebok CF Games SoCal Regionals.  Make your way to Pomona and support your OCCF brothers and sisters as the best of the best in the Southern California Region go head to head for a spot in the Reebok CrossFit Games this July. Come watch Kenny Leverich and Vanessa Reyes take on the rest of the Region individually while Matt, VKong, AKong, Stacey, Lauren, Marly, Kristen and Charles (with big calves) represent OCCF and go H.A.M. in the team competition. Tickets are $10 for a day and $25 for all three. A lot of us plan on being there for all 3 days and we will have a few spots set up in tent city. So bring your sunscreen, your voices and that OCCF energy that everyone’s been talking about, its gonna be E.P.I.C.!!!

Pomona Fairplex 1101 West Mckinley Avenue, Pomona CA

ATTENTION:

Due to the increase of “no shows” in class the following scheduling/cancellation procedure will be implemented:

1st offense: A warning
2nd offense: Phone call/email stating that you have had 2 recent no shows and the next will result in a $25 fee charged to your account.
3rd offense: $25 fine charged to your account.

Come on now people, its not that hard to press a button and cancel your appointment.

LOST AND FOUND:

Please take any belongings in the lost and found bin, we will be donating anything left by Wednesday, May 9th.

FUNDRAISER:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weigh troom, one of their perennial needs is funds for CrossFit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do CrossFit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weight room with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like CrossFit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

CrossFit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. Heats start at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.  Afterwards, community and food/beverages.  See you there!

Workout of the Day

A. Perform the following BB Complex unbroken x 3 Rounds:

3 Power Cleans

3 Push Jerks

15 Back Squats

Rest 3:00 B/W rounds (Go Heavy!)

B.  3 RFT:

Run 400m

20 Box Jumps (24/20)

20 KB Swings (Blue/Green)

Pyrros Dimas, the man, the myth, the legend.

Natalie Burgener, at 63kg (139 lbs), can clean and jerk almost TWICE her bodyweight

Pyrros Dimas is arguably one of the greatest weightlifters, pound for pound, of all time. Natalie Burgener is representing the USA as a Weightlifter in the 2012 Olympcs.  Did these guys get “bulky” from too much weightlifting?

Somehow the aerobics, yoga and Pilate’s community have convinced us that when we perform bodyweight exercises or light resistance training at ridiculously high reps, our muscles magically take on a beautiful shape without growing or bulging. On the other hand, if you challenge yourself with moderately heavy weights, your body will take on a bulky, unflattering appearance. If you believe this, you probably still believe in the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus, sorry to break it to you Stauff.

Here are the facts. The main difference between a “lean and toned” physique and a “bulky” physique is the amount of body fat that surrounds your muscles. In other words, the reason you cant see your abs is NOT because you need to do endless sets of ab exercises, its because you need to burn off that layer of adipose covering it! And what better way to do it than right beside the rest of your OCCF family! Basically, the “lean and toned” look that most people desire is a result of having muscle that isn’t hidden under layers of fat. And let’s not forget that the best way to build muscle is through strength training. Lets step into the 21st century people! Stop “performing” redundant cyclical motions (treadmill, eliptical, spin classes) and start lifting heavy $h!t FAST!

Bottom line…train hard, eat clean, and results will follow! Just Remember…

Announcements:
REGIONALS

Come out this May 11-13 and support your OCCF brothers and sisters as the best of the best in the Southern California Region go head to head for a spot in the Reebok CrossFit Games this July. Come watch Kenny Leverich and Vanessa Reyes take on the rest of the Region individually while Matt, VKong, AKong, Stacey, Lauren, Marly, Kristen and Charles (with big calves) represent OCCF and go H.A.M. in the team competition. Tickets are $10 for a day and $25 for all three. A lot of us plan on being there for all 3 days and we will have a few spots set up in tent city. So bring your sunscreen, your voices and that OCCF energy that everyone’s been talking about, its gonna be E.P.I.C.!!!

Pomona Fairplex 1101 West Mckinley Avenue, Pomona CA

ATTENTION:

Due to the increase of “no shows” in class the following scheduling/cancellation procedure will be implemented:

1st offense: A warning
2nd offense: Phone call/email stating that you have had 2 recent no shows and the next will result in a $25 fee charged to your account.
3rd offense: $25 fine charged to your account.

Come on now people, its not that hard to press a button and cancel your appointment.

Lost and Found:
Please take any belongings in the lost and found bin, we will be donating anything left by wednesday, May 9th.

Fundraiser:

On Saturday, May 19, OCCF will be hosting a fundraiser for the Capistrano Valley High School wrestling team.  One of our very own, Rich Bordner, is head coach of that team, and every now and then you might catch the team training at our box.  Anyone who knows him knows of his passion for coaching wrestling.  Strength and conditioning is absolutely crucial to wrestling success, so it is a priority of their program.  Since it can be difficult for them to get slots in the weightroom, one of their perennial needs is funds for Crossfit equipment.  With their own equipment on hand, they can do Crossfit anytime without having to worry about fitting themselves in the weightroom with football and all the other sports.  In a day of frequent budget cuts for schools, the team itself must raise the lion’s share of funds for their program; the school funds very little for them.  Wrestling, much like Crossfit, is an awesome crucible of character building for young men, so this cause is worth getting behind.  OCCF nation, time to come out in strength to support Rich and his team!

Crossfit, community, and giving towards a good cause–that’s a great combination. Heats start at 9am.  The cost for this event will be a $20 donation to the team.  Donations will be collected during the event.  The team will gladly accept any extra donations as well!  There’s always a need.  Afterwards, community and food/beverages.  See you there!

WORKOUT OF THE DAY:

3 Rounds

A1. AMRAP Bench Press @ Bodyweight
Rest 1:00

A2. AMRAP strict C2B Pull Ups
Rest 1:00

B. For Time:

100 Double Unders
250M Row
75 Double Unders
500M Row
50 Double Unders
1000M Row

Blake killing it day in and day out

Many times on workouts we try to go all out from beginning to end. But, how often does that go as planned. When you go fast certain techniques may be more efficient in terms of speed. You can see it in competitions, in order to go fast often times proper form is sacrificed. But is that ideal in training? No. Efficiency doesn’t necessarily translate into safe. You can see it in the kipping pull up. If you do not develop your shoulders enough, you can risk injury as kipping puts a lot of stress on the shoulder compared to regular pull ups where you activate more muscle groups and are in much more control on the descent. You need to consistently reinforce proper technique in order to become stronger and develop your capacity to eventually go faster. As you apply proper technique and cultivate more muscles in your movements, it may not seem fast but you will be able to do more repetitions in the long haul. There are numerous resources out on the web that teach proper technique, below are some of the few that many look to. Apply proper technique in everyday classes, doesn’t matter if you come in first or last. You’re here to become stronger, faster and most importantly healthier.

www.techniquewod.com
www.gymnasticswod.com
www.mobilitywod.com

Announcements:
REGIONALS

Come out this May 11-13 and support your OCCF brothers and sisters as the best of the best in the Southern California Region go head to head for a spot in the Reebok CrossFit Games this July. Come watch Kenny Leverich and Vanessa Reyes take on the rest of the Region individually while Matt, VKong, AKong, Stacey, Lauren, Marly, Kristen and Charles (with big calves) represent OCCF and go H.A.M. in the team competition. Tickets are $10 for a day and $25 for all three. A lot of us plan on being there for all 3 days and we will have a few spots set up in tent city. So bring your sunscreen, your voices and that OCCF energy that everyone’s been talking about, its gonna be E.P.I.C.!!!

Pomona Fairplex 1101 West Mckinley Avenue, Pomona CA

ATTENTION:

Due to the increase of “no shows” in class the following scheduling/cancellation procedure will be implemented:

1st offense: A warning
2nd offense: Phone call/email stating that you have had 2 recent no shows and the next will result in a $25 fee charged to your account.
3rd offense: $25 fine charged to your account.

Come on now people, its not that hard to press a button and cancel your appointment.

Lost and Found:
Please take any belongings in the lost and found bin, we will be donating anything left by wednesday, May 9th.

Workout of the Day:

For Time:
3 Rounds:
Run 400m
10 HSPU
10 Box Jumps (30/24)

Rest 3:00

3 Rounds:
200m Run
5 Muscle Ups
15 KBS (Red/Blue)

Rest 3:00

3 Rounds:
100m Run
40 Double Unders
20 Burpees

Intermediate: Negative HSPU/ 10 Pull ups, 10 Ring Dips
Novice: 20 Hand Release Push ups/ 7 Pull ups, 7 Ring Dips