Author Archive

What Going On at CrossFit Spokane

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Uncategorized

I just wanted to give an update to everyone out there with regards to what is going on at CrossFit Spokane over the next 6 weeks.

If you haven’t heard Angela and I are headed to New Jersey for the Amped/Power Seminar with Joe Defranco and Jim Smith.  These two guys are some of the best Strength coaches in the country and we are supper excited to have the opportunity to learn from them.  We will also be working with some of NFL’s top hopefuls as they are preparing for the NFL combine. It’s going to be SICK.

February is going to be a HUGE month for the gym, we have a ton of things going on for the members.

1. We are getting a bunch of new equipment. Bars, Bumpers, Medballs, Pullup System.  Basically the main room will have the Rouge Pullup system from one end to the other and the turf room will have about 24ft of the same system as well as a few squat cages. This is all so you can have a better service and experience when you train.

Similar to this

2. Sometime in February we will begin a 5pm training time as well, so the schedule will be 430pm,5pm,530pm and 6pm. which is partly why we will be putting in the extra equipment.

3. February 4th we are headed to CrossFit Bellevue for the second annual CrossFit Bellevue/Interbay Throw Down. We will have a few individual competitors and one team entering the contest.  Angela and I will also be assisting with the judging as well.  This will be awesome, so if you can make it out to support we would love to have you.  We can arrange for car pool and group hotel if needed, that would keep the cost down for everyone.

4.  February 11th will be our next fundamentals class.  (Because of our Seminar and the contest)

5. February 11th we will also be having a Nutrition Seminar for any of our members.  Nutrition is the foundation af any training program, so YOU NEED THIS! We will be covering the basics of nutrition (fats, protein, carbs and  calories).  We will also talk about the “Zone” diet and it’s proportions and the “Paleo” diet for the food choices.  There will be a few vendors to showcase their services and products as well as samples of “Good” food that can be made quickly and easily.

6. February 11th after the Nutrition Seminar we will be kicking our fist “Paleo Transformation Challenge“. This will be a 90day challenge and it will be the kick in the pants you need to get on track with your nutrition.  We will have prizes for the winners and you will be ready for the Summer Bikini season.  This contest will have an entrance fee (TBD) because there will be prizes for the winners and MORE Importantly we want only people who will take this seriously and follow through (NO HALF ASS EFFORT).  If I’m going to put my time and energy into your success I would expect the same from you.  We will have a body composition category and a performance category.  The week prior we will do the baseline events and we will take the before pictures the day of.  More to info to come SOON.

7. February 25th and 26th we will be offering a Women only sudden violence and restraint seminar.  This is for Women only and Members only.  It will be about a 4-5hrs each day (Sat/Sun) and will be a huge eye opener for the ladies.  Home invasions, carjackings, rape attempts and muggings happen everyday, don’t let yourself, wife, child be unprepared.  This is FREE and could safe your life.  Limited to 25 participants

CT Home invasion

Phoenix Home Invasion

Rape Attempt 

Which One Are You

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Motivation

Why does person one whom appears to the same thing as person two, but person two gets better results?  Let’s take a closer look at that and ask a few questions.

 

Subject 1

  • Knows quality food is important, but doesn’t always choose wisely
  • Goes to the gym
  • Does the group warm up
  • Goes through the skill practice
  • Does the workout
  • Seems to work hard
  • Finishes workout
  • Drinks water
  • Maybe puts their time/weight on the board
  • Gets belongings and leaves
  • Doesn’t think about food for a few hours
  • Total time per day committed to their fitness 50-60 min (workout dependent)
  • Achieves desired results; Possibly

Subject 2

  • Knows food is the foundation of their efforts and makes wise choices at least 80% of the time
  • Goes to the gym
  • Spends 10 min on corrective exercise/personal warm up
  • Does group warm up
  • Tries to get every rep perfect during the skill practice
  • Does the workout
  • Tries to do better than last time
  • Finishes workout
  • Drinks water
  • Puts their time/weight on the board
  • Put their time/weight in workout log
  • Begins to drink their post workout shake
  • Spends an extra 10min stretching and foam rolling
  • Realizes the next meal is important
  • Total time committed to their fitness 1hr 10min
  • Achieves desired results; YES

 

It should be obvious who will have the better outcome.

Subject 2 spent 30min more a week, but has a better chance of desired results.

Just being here is better than 80% of america, but there’s more to it and more that can be done.

Just showing up and going through the motions doesn’t cut it; no matter what program you are doing or whom you train with.

First you have to give crap then you have to do the work and put out the effort.

If any one tells you or promises different they are full of Crap. There are no short cuts.

There are faster ways than others and ways to tip the scale in your favor, but in the end it’s you.

 

Questions for yourself

What are your health, fitness and performance goals?

What are doing to reach them?

Which subject best describes you?

 

Some of our folks who put in the extra time and have made tremendous progress.

 

Christina lost 50lbs in about 5-6 months

 

Chris doing lacrosse ball pull ups. Great for training the grip.

Why Strongman Training?

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Strongman

Why should you train with Strongman movements?

  • Life isn’t perfectly balanced (Barbell, DB, KB, medball…)
  • Become comfortable moving large loads, long distance, quickly
  • It’s “Functional”  

Amy on the Yoke

  • Improves regular lifts, WOD’s, Performance…
  • Builds mental toughness.
  • Builds camaraderie and teamwork.
  • Builds resilience to injury (joints, bones, ligaments).
  • A great foundation of strength for the novice athlete/lifter.
  • Movements can be applied to real world right now!!!
  • No more, “What muscle does this work”? It works all of them!!!
  • Lifting heavy things makes you strong if you’re weak, good looking if you’re ugly, smart if you’re dumb, cool if you’re a nerd, but if you’re an ass; sorry can’t help with that.

 

Look at Sam walking with 525lbs; He is Strong, Smart and Good looking.

  • Lifting heavy things is tough and builds character and work ethic, both lacking today.
  • Lifting heavy things doesn’t just make you “look good” It makes you look good and become useful.
  • Lifting heavy things is what this country was built upon. Don’t be a PUSS and contribute.
  • You’ll have coolest story to talk about at the water cooler tomorrow and you’ll be the most “JACKED”.

 

  • When you walk into a room there will be a greater chance of you being physically the most powerful, strongest, smartest and best looking person.  People respect strength and unfortunately good looks too. (I’ve meet plenty of good looking people whom were WEAK, DUMB and USELESS.)

 

Matt knows all the above is true for him because he can walk with 600lbs in his hands. 

  • How many people do you know that can lift their own body weight over head? How many people do you know that can type their age in words per minute? 50yrs ago things were different. People were stronger healthier, thinner and had fewer diseases. Type fast, but please be STRONG and HEALTHY, don’t pass on weak genes into the pool.
  • Lifting heavy objects will fight osteoporosis. (Sunshine, milk, calcium and vitamin D will help as well.)
  • Stuck at a weight for Clean and Jerk, Press, Bench Press or Deadlift. Lift Stones in the same movement pattern and blast through your plateaus.
  • “Strong people are hard to kill”.
  • Did I say It’s just COOL.

 

 

Come and join us Friday’s at 530pm for Strongman Training.

Don’t be a “Dick”

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Injury Prevention

Last summer we had a very successful Sports Conditioning Program for middle school highschool and college athletes.  All of our athletes performed very well (which was definitely noticed by their coaches).  Most of the players moved up from JV to varsity or nonstarter to starting positions, but the most important thing was that everyone remained injury free all season. 

I recently had found out about a female soccer player who wanted to come with her friend and train with us this past Summer, but her father did not want to pay for the training for his daughter because he neglected t see the value in quality professional strength coaching.  As a result his daughter was unprepared and she tore her ACL which needed surgery. unfortunately she missed her entire highschool senior season and she lost any hope of a scholarship to play at the college level.  We could have helped her be stronger, faster, more conditioned and most importantly more resilient to injury! What a “Dick”, don’t be that dude.

This could have been a baseball player, football player, basketball player or any other sport for that matter. Don’t start the season unprepared.

The Spring sports season is about here and it’s not too late to get some conditioning and prep work done.  If you’re an athlete get in here and get going. Going to the “Gym” and messing around on the bench or jogging on a  treadmill is not going to prepare you for potentially your best season ever. 

If you’re the parent of an athlete give your young athlete the best possible chance of having a successful season and remaining injury free.  Want your athlete to be a scholarship athlete in college?  What parent wouldn’t, with the tuition rates skyrocketing you should want them to have even a partial scholarship and .  If you think about it every game, every practice, everything they do will potentially increase that athletes chance of becoming a scholarship athlete.

  

 

Did you know that women are almost three times more likely to have ACL injuries than men and a few statistics show that female soccer players are eight times more likely to injury their ACL than a male soccer player.

 

ACL injuries are most common in sports that involve sudden changes of direction, such as football, soccer and basketball.  The majority are non-contact injuries that occur during change of direction, a sudden twisting motion or when landing from a jump.

Fortunately an athlete can prepare themselves to more resilient to this type of injury. Athletes can reduce their risk of ACL injuries by performing various types of drills that require speed (acceleration and deceleration) agility, balance and power. Adding exercises that target these areas will help improve neuromuscular conditioning and muscular reactions as well as speed and quickness.  A well prepared and conditioned athlete will ultimately have reduced risk of ACL injury. 

If you have any questions regarding some ideas and programs you can implement yourself or for information about our Sports Conditioning Program feel free to contact us by phone or email.

cfspokane@gmail.com

509-209-7217

Rules to live by

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Motivation, Uncategorized

  80 Ideas, thoughts and rules to live by.

For those who want to be strong, healthy, fit and get the most out of life.  

—————————————————————————————————————————

  • Do something memorable with family, kids, wife/husband, parents
  • Train 3-5 days a week
  • Play with your kids as often and as long as possible

  • Enjoy a good wine on a summer day with someone
  • Try something new. Snow shoeing, climbing, instrument…
  • Don’t procrastinate
  • Figure out what you want to do when you grow up and work towards it
  • Eat clean. Start looking here for good recipes
  • Don’t be an A$$ H#$%

 

  • Bless a stranger with something unexpected
  • Do something very hard/challenging (mental/physical)
  • Stop doing endless amounts of aerobics and lift weights to lose fat 

( ladies don’t worry about getting too bulky or big, you have a better chance of getting eaten by a shark in Spokane) 

  • Like to run and lose fat and gain muscle, sprinting is the ticket
  • Read a book to better yourself; nonfiction
  • Get plenty of sleep 

 

  • The glass is half FULL
  • Stop doing crunches for 6pack
  • Make at least one person laugh or a least smile everyday
  • Tuck your children in every night and make sure they know how much you love them
  • Get JACKED. For the guys who want to have rugged strength

 

  • Eat more protein
  • Drink more water
  • Enjoy a cold beer with great friends watching a sporting event
  • Want strength and size LIFT HEAVY OBJECTS!!!

  

  • Say your prayers; you never know when your time is up
  • Visit an old friend
  • SLOW DOWN; Life isn’t a race it’s a journey and its short one
  • “I want it now” will be the death of America; you earn it and work for it.

 Occupy this

 

 

  • Be honest
  • Live with integrity
  • Belly Laugh everyday
  • Fail fast and learn from your mistakes
  •  Your freedom isn’t free someone sacrificed a lot for it, so don’t take it lightly.

 

 

  • Do mobility work everyday
  • Don’t care about what people think of you
  • Push, pull and carry heavy objects often

  • Train smart; you can’t train how you did 15, 20, 30yrs ago
  • As you change, priorities change also and that is OK
  • You are entitled to what your worth and contribute to the world

 

  • Sometimes more is less; take time off/deload, you will be stronger and healthier
  • Affliction T-shirts don’t mean you are tough

 

  • Take care of your shoulders; do band work
  • Have a lot of tools in your training tool box; CrossFit is one tool (a multi tool, but one tool)
  • Eat breakfast every day; 30gm of protein within 30min of waking (no matter what)
  • Use your fitness outside; what’s the point if you don’t apply it to life

 

  • Hug and kiss your wife/husband and kids every morning
  • Grip and neck need to be worked too
  • Have your kids watch: Goonies, Indiana Jones, ET, Farris Bueller’s Day Off.  Maybe it will inspire  them to get outside, be active and use their imaginations

 

  • Foam roll daily
  • Carbs in the morning and post workout
  • Top 3 supplements to take: Glucosamine/Chondroitin, Fish oil, Multi vitamin
  • Top 3 sports Supplements:  quality Whey protein, Glutamine, Creatine

 

http://crossfitspokane.getprograde.com/

  • Don’t stop trying to be better at anything
  • Simplify your life; more isn’t always better
  • Every movement has a full optimal range of motion; strive to reach it every rep
  • “Give Finkle some Dinkle” “Do it, Do it”

 

  • WARM UP.  Not a few arm circles then go bench ; Think General Physical Preparedness
  • Test yourself weekly or monthly
  • Your kids should see you exercise and being active; make it a part of your life and theirs
  • Take Action!
  • Fat bar deadlift and towel pullups = strong grip and big forearms

 

  • If you’re a coach/trainer; attend at least one cert/seminar/course per year and one online or ebook every 6 months minimum.
  • If you’re at a desk a lot do scapula pushups and pass-throughs a few times a day

 

 

  • Strong core = strength, Power and Speed; you can’t have any of them with out it
  • Use a training journal
  • Who gives a crap about what people think of you; be yourself and do what you love (as long as; refer to earlier post)
  • I you’re out of shape or over weight, it’s no accident or anyone’s fault but your own; it’s up to you to fix it and you can

  • When you get knocked down (you should and you will), you get back up and try again
  • Take naps when possible

 

  • Being weak SUCKS
  • Strong people are more useful
  • Functional fitness isn’t standing on a BOSU ball with 10lb DB’s

  • Functional fitness is using you fitness powers for good
  • Watch “300” 10 times

  • Good Squats are good for the knees 
  • Bad squats are bad for the knees
  • Women can be strong and feminine 

 

 

  • It’s kind of fun to do the impossible – Walt Disney
  • Go to church and get right with God
  • What will you be remembered for when you’re gone?

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This by no means is the end of the list, but a good place to start.

Please post any questions comments or other USEFUL ideas.

Christmas Party December 3rd

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Uncategorized

Our annual Christmas party is almost here. Make sure you save the date for December 3rd at 6pm. Bring a side to share and a gift for secret santa(limit is $20) There will be some wine provided, but if you have a favorite you would like to bring and share, feel free! Attire is anything but sweaty gym clothes:) Dan and Sheri will be hosting at their house. There is a flyer at the gym with directions and details.

A Good Trainer?

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Uncategorized

What makes a good coach or training facility?



The market is flooded with gyms, personal trainers, and fitness and nutrition products. So how is one to know what they are getting when they begin training with a coach, trainer or at a gym? Basically, it comes down to the experience of the coach or trainer which will more often than not dictate the quality.


Not so good
  
Experience come from many contact hours with a lot of people, in various settings, using a variety of movements and equipment over the course of many years. You could find a trainer or coach with every certification and/or degree under the sun, but they may not know their ass from their elbow when it comes to instructing movements, being personable to the client, effectively coaching a group of people or even knowing the “why” of the exercises you are doing. Here is a test, ask them why they are having you do a certain movement, why is it done in this particular way and how it can be modified? “Because” is not a good answer.
UUHHH, not so good

While I was attending a Strength and Conditioning mentorship with Mike Boyle 2 years ago, I was introduced to the idea of “10,000 hours of practice”. There is a book written by Malcolm Gladwell called Outliers. In his book Malcolm says that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to achieve mastery in a field. Just so you have some reference to the volume of experience and training that is, one would have to dedicate 15hrs a week for 12yrs, 20hrs a week for 9 ½ years, 30hrs a week for 6 years or 40hrs a week for 4.8yrs. In the fitness or strength and conditioning field a trainer may have a certification or even better a 4 year degree. How many hours of experience is that? A 2 day weekend certification 12-16hrs, a 4 year degree 120 classroom hour, 240 internship hours; we are up to 376hrs of experience; that leaves 9,624 hour left.

 HOLLY CRAP, that’s a big stone
 
So what is the point? The point is, are you getting what you paid for, hopefully experience and not just the shinny equipment. A great coach or trainer should have several “certs” but more importantly to you, experience.
  
Something to remember, a shinny new gym doesn’t correlate with good training, experience, knowledge or practice.
A perfect example of “Functional Stupidity”, but a shinny gym.
If you like the post please leave a comment below

40lbs in 6 months

Written by crossfitmike. Posted in Uncategorized

Jeff first week
Jeff second month
I reluctantly joined Crossfit Spokane, “Crossfat” as I call it, after being encouraged by a co-worker who is sold on your program.  I joined to get in better shape for water skiing.  The results were evident; I had the best water ski season in 25 years.  So why didn’t I stop participating in Crossfit once the water ski season began?  That is the question I ask myself every night when I leave your gym exhausted and wringing wet.  The answer is complicated, but lies in some combination of the results and the environment you have cultivated.  It is almost addictive.  I didn’t really think I was in that bad of shape when I joined, but before the first WOD was complete I knew otherwise.  You guys have addressed my special needs and seem to really know how to balance between pushing to success without pushing someone overboard.  Thank you, your staff and family for the knowledge and dedication.  I have been working out at your gym now for six or seven months and have lost over 40 pounds.  Now that we have worked off that weight I look forward to putting some of it back on in the form of muscle.
Thanks again, Jeff Van Leuven
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Jeff 40lbs lighter after 6 months

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