WOD:12AUGUST2011

Well, the time has come.. I need a Vacation. It saddens me to step away for even two weeks. I feel like a parent who's letting his kids go to school all by themselves. So as I wave goodbye to you all as you hop onto the school bus, you can rest assured, I packed you a lunch...ok I'll stop speaking in analogies....

Basically what I mean, is that while I am gone, you will be WELL taken care of.

How its going to work:

For the Lunchtime Class, Sally will be leading along with Tyson if he returns. They are both Level 1 CrossFit Certified Instructors. They will post the workouts either the night before or the morning of the workout and your Schedule will be a bit different. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. As you noticed, some people have decided that CrossFit isnt for them, and that's perfectly fine, like I said last class: Its not for everyone. But stick with it and you will see changes and results. Not just on a physcial level, but a mental level. You will form bonds within the community that are stronger than you will ever become. Stay motivated!

For Today: I will be gone, I have an airport run to make, sadly. So Sally will be there today for you. The workout is:

5 Rounds For time:
Run 400 Meters
15 Overhead Squats

If you cant run for medical reasons, wheel out the rower and do that for 500 meters. If youre rowing for meters its a bit different than rowing for calories. Set the damper somewhat low (4) and keep the pulls strong and the returns quick for a high turnover. Basically keep that wheel spinning. Best of luck to you all! See you when I get back!


Evening Class: I should be back in time for the evening class: In the VERY RARE case that I am not the workout is 100 Burpees for time. (Lets Hope I am there)

Today is my last day with Chelsea, so in honor of the occasion, there is an Actualy workout named "Chelsea" Its Every minute on the minute perform 5 Pull Ups, 10 Pushups 15 Squats....for 30 minutes. Well, because of time constraints and the fact that that much squats this early may cause EXTREME discomfort and honestly its a little unsafe, we will only be doing 15 minutes.

"Half-Pint Chelsea"
E.M.O.T.M
5 Jumping Pullups- Work on kipping if you want
10 Pushups
15 Squats
Rest about 10 minutes
then 3 sets of 10 burpees as fast as possible. Rest 2 minutes between each.

Then Handstand Practice.

How's It going to work for you all when I am gone? You will follow the same regimen that the Lunch class has. They will be posted the night before or day off. You guys may be left without a trainer, but the workouts are straightforward and basic, I am relying on you all to form up and meet for this...When I get back, be ready. A new group of people will be rolling in on the first of September! If anyone has any questions, give me a call at 327-301-1346. I am on call 24-7! See you all very soon, Ill be posting pictures!

WOD: 11August2011

Back to the Grindstone. I hope everyone enjoyed their mid-week rest day, I also hope that you all took advantage of the great weather. If not, no worries, today we will.

Lunch Class, Youll be looking at what is called a "Chipper". Definition: A series of exercise preformed once. Basically in one end, out the other. Just like a wood chipper. They are meant to be tough and testing. Certainly not a walk in the park.

For time:
40 Calorie Row
40 Pushups with hand release
40 Sumo Deadlift Highpulls
40 Squats
40 KB Swings
40 Steps walking lunges
40 Box Jumps

We will also be throwing a little competition aspect into it. There should be 4 lanes set up (depending on how many rowers the gym lets me snag) Groups of four will go, the others cheering them on and watching how they attack the workout. Start talking amongst yourselves as to who you'd like to "compete" against. I use the word competion lightly, its not about winning or losing, its about pushing youself to be the best YOU can be, and its also about encouraging others to be the best they can be. Don't cheat yourself, go through the full range of motion on the movements, proper depth, full lockout etc. Rock this workout!

Evening Class
Awwww, it's that time again, time to hit the ground running. Literally.

3x 400 meter sprints (Bring Sneakers Linnea) 2 minute rest between runs. We did this on the 19th of July, so pull out your log books and get ready to see some improvement!

Afterwards we will meet up back by the pull-up bars for this "little" smoker.

21-15-9
Squat Cleans (I will make sure everyone grasps the concept. Its been a while since we've done this.)
Tire Flips/Log Flips


Looking forward to seeing everyone. Bring an attitude.

and water.


-Cam

WOD: 09AUG2011

Too often, we give up before we even try. Too often we seem to set our goals to the sky and become discouraged my the seemingly unobtainable task that we have put before us. But how do you know your goal is impossible if you dont try it?




Records are broken every years, history changes every day and new technology floods the market, not because its just "the way things work", but because people try. They set out with the best of intentions and the highest of hopes, unsure if they will succeed or fail. It is that unknown that keeps them going. You can bet, if they fail, they will continue to try. If they succeed, they will do everything to stay on top.




Try something today, you may surprise yourself.


11:45:

As Many Rounds As Possible(AMRAP) in 20 Minutes of:
Suicide Spint on Basketball Court
5 Cleans
7 Thrusters
9 Situps

I am expected a couple new faces, lets give them a warm welcome!


4:30:
Play day. Ultimate Frisbee, Skill development (Handstands, Forward rolls, Pullups, etc) We will work though, You can count on that. This is not laziness on my part. This is just a friendly reminder that you need to have FUN when training. Also, its Angelo's last week with us, so its "Athlete's Choice"

A little motivation for you all!

The Importance of Having Fun

Take a minute and thing about all the things you face on a typical day:

Alarm Clocks
Making breakfast
Dirty Diapers
Paperwork
Office Politics
Facebook Drama
Annoying people
Potty Training
Work
A messy husband or wife
Spilling your coffee
Etc...

Then you turn on your computer to check the news:
"US Credit Downgrade"
"Shooting Spree in Ohio"
You are starting to get the idea right? Its a high stress world that we live in nowadays. And during the 24 hours, well during the 16 hours that we are awake, it seems to be full of bad news and burdens. I know, I know, Its not ALL bad...but it seems that way on paper, Huh? Well the point of this post is to remind you that it is INCREDIBLY important to have fun every once in a while and forget the stress of everyday life.

CrossFit Vicenza should be that escape. Too often, going to the gym becomes just another task that you must get dressed for, a task that requires you to mentally prepare for the visit. Think of CrossFit Vicenza as a playground, and for that hour each day, you are a child. Remember what that felt like...How often do you wish you could be a kid again? No bills, no work, no expectations. You could just PLAY!

Run, Jump, Lift, Swing. For some strange reason, there comes a point in our lives when these movements start being a chore as opposed to a natural instinct. WRONG!

Lets get back to basics.


LUNCH WOD:

5 Rounds:
10 Burpees
10 Push Press
10 Box Jumps

Today we learn the Press Series of Movements: Shoulder Press, Push Press, and Push Jerk. Also the burpee and proper form on the box jumps.

EVENING:

We have a long week ahead of us, thats for sure. Here we go!

60 Seconds of wallballs
60 seconds of rest
60 seconds Power cleans
60 seconds of rest
60 seconds of box jumps
60 seconds of rest
60 seconds of push press
60 seconds of rest
60 seconds of burpees
120 seconds of rest
Then Tabata squats

Score is TOTAL number of reps.


Everyone:
Lets have some fun today!

WOD: 05August2011

A big day indeed. Today is the first lunchtime class! A big "WELCOME" to all the newcomers! I am looking forward to working with the new people AND seeing some improvement in the evening class, as we will be repeating a workout from about a month ago!

Lunchtime Class: Bring: Water
A workout log book/Journal/diary etc.
Pen/Pencil

What to expect: The first half of the class will be introductions and cover what exactly CrossFit is and what its all about, what to expect and then we will move into the instruction portion where you will learn the proper form for both the squat and deadlift. This will move fast, so lets get right to business. I want to make the most of our hour together so keep the side conversations to a minumum. After we are comfortable with everyones movements we will then move into the workout. Which is:

Run 400m
then 21-15-9 Reps of:
Squat
Pushup
Deadlift
Finish with 400 meter run

If you see something that you can't do, don't worry. We can scale it down to your skill level. Today will be nice and easy, dont try to get too intense. We want you to become familiar with the movements. Today we will meet at the basketball court in front of the gym.

Evening Class:
You guys ready? Big night! We will be repeating the workout:

5 Rounds:
7 Push Press
14 Pushups
21 KB swings

Then:
Tabata Situps

Bring an attitude. I want faster times across the board! Lets get after it. I wont bring the music this time. Sarah, you got my back?

See you all in a bit!

Throw it in the Bag: Tools of the Trade

The Gym Bag. A smelly, musty and significant part of the gym scene. A useful tool in developing a sound body and mind. It is our toolkit, necessary in recovery and repair. With literally hundreds of thousands of products on the market, we need to sift through the unnecessary and figure out what works for us.

These are the essentials.

1. First and Foremost, Water. Without it, performance diminishes significantly. I shouldn't have to go anymore into it.

2. A correctly sized jump rope. This is crucial for a decent warm up. It trains cardiovascular/respitory endurance and hand eye coordination. Make sure when you're finished you wrap it neatly, because a tangled jump rope can totally throw off your game.

3. A tennis ball, lacrosse ball or foam roller. I'll go more into self massage in a later post, but rolling out your tight spots and knots can significantly improve your range of motion and recovery time. Use it to roll out quads, lats, calfs etc.

4. Chalk. When you're lifting heavy shit, you gotta have a good grip. 'Nuff said. Just don't be the guy that prances around with a cloud of chalk behind him.

5. Proper footwear. Olympic Lifting? Pack some oly shoes. Running? Bring the vibrams. Basic metabolic condtioning? Standard athletic shoes will do. This one is pretty much personal preferance.

6. Post workout food. More often than not, this will be a blend of protein and carbs. The longer the workout, typically the more carbs you'll need. More strength based will require a more protein-centric meal. Keep it simple. Don't bring a microwavable meal to the gym. Cold chicken breasts and a ziploc with some blueberries is good. Chocolate milk is also a great post workout meal.

7. Stopwatch. Especially if most of the workouts require some sort of timing. This can go for strength too. Rest cycles are often 2-3 minutes. Wristwatches work well, and I am a huge fan of the G-Shock series from Casio, but any old watch will do.

8.Athletic tape. When you're busting out a sub 15 Angie (100 pullups, 100 squats, 100 pushups, 100 situps) your hands are literally going to fall apart. A quality athletic tape can help out your grip and provide a barrier between your open sores and the bar.

9. Journal. Record everything you do. Tracking progress is essential in becoming a better athlete.

10. A calculator. Highly recommended for strength days when you need to calculate your one rep max on the fly. Im old school, I bring my abacus, but a simple dollar store calculator will do.

11. Socks. I don't know how many times I had to work out barefoot, not by choice, but because I wore sandals to the gym and completely forgot that socks existed. It's nice to throw an old pair in the bag just in case.

12. Extra shorts. Hell, a whole extra outfit. Again, Just in case.

13. Ipod. Motivation is tough to come by when working out by yourself. I always work out on a different level when Styx is playing in my ear. FInd your songs and crank the tunage.

That is the basic gym bag. It allows for some customization. Advanced or more specialized athletes may need other things like wrist wraps, cleats or boxing gloves, but again, its all personal.

Notice, I didn't mention a few things that we always see in gyms. I didn't say them because they shouldn't be allowed.

1. Gloves: A phsycological crutch. Be a man or woman and develop some calluses so you can slap the shit out of someone when they say your hands are too rough.

2. Books: If you can read while working out you have a serious issue.

3. Protein, Shakers, supplements of any kind: I don't want to be distracted by the sound of a shaking bottle or you gagging on a handful of pills. Save it for home, better yet, stick to fish oil and amino acids. That's it.

A well packed gym bag is a tool chest for the elite athletes and everyday gym goers. Knowing what you have on hand can allow for a more efficient workout. So get packing and hit the weights, buttercup!

Workout:
Sprint 30m x 5 (Barefoot if possible)

ANGIE In honor of our 100th "like" on Facebook. Lets hope we NEVER reach 1000! haha
100 Pullups
100 Pushups
100 Situps
100 Squats

WOD: 01August2011

Awww, it feels great to be back. It won't for you guys, but I know that we have all been slacking this past week, so we are doing another benchmark workout to get back in the swing of things. This one isnt named after a girl, but its still dirty.

"Filthy 50"
For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

The only thing scaled is the weights and Double unders. I will discuss that later this evening. See you there, normal time 4:30! Be there!

WOD:27July2011

I want to personally thank everyone who has CONSISTENTLY shown up day in and day out while I have been absent. For your dedication, I reward you with a brutally hard work out. I know...I am too nice!

4 Rounds for time.
10 Jumping Pullups. Strict as possible. Lower SLOWLY and CONTROLLED
20 Burpees
30 Kettle bell swings
40 Situps
50 Squats

Keep up the great work! The highlight of my day is coming home and seeing a picture of the group and seeing all the chatter! So keep ME motivated and post some pics afterwards!

-Cam

WOD:20July2011

We need it to get through a rough morning, we need it as an afternoon pick-me-up. Its benefits are amazing and 56 percent of people take in the benefits everyday. Coffee is by far the the most popular beverage in the world, besides water. For those of you drinking it just for the pick-me-up may be surprised to know that coffee is actually a very healthy drink. That doesn't mean go crazy and get a venti, vanilla soy, double shot, decaf, no foam, extra hot, peppermint white chocolate mocha with light whip and extra syrup. Part of dieting is sensibility. Keep is simple, stick with black coffee. Coffee has unfortunately evolved to this sugar laden, fat contaminated caloric monster of a drink. At most, honey or whip cream should be all you put in your cup to really help you enjoy the positives without canceling them out with crappy additives. Its health benefits include lowering the risk of diabetes, parkinson's disease and colon cancer. In fact at least six studies show that people who drink coffee regularly are up to 80 percent less likely to develop Parkinson's.
Where do the benefits come from? Caffeine. New batches of Parkinson's medications now include doses of caffeine related substances due to this research.
Caffeine is also a very useful tool for boosting athletic performance. Caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system and tells them to do things differently, telling your body to ignore fatigue and recruit extra muscles.
Coffee sounds perfect, but its not for everybody. In some people it can cause nervousness, hand trembling and rapid heart rate. Pregnant woman, heart patients and people at risk for osteoporosis should stay away or limit their coffee intake.
So, drink up and enjoy the healthy benefits of a fresh cup of coffee as well as the morning pick-me-up.

WOD:
Deadlift 5x2
Then:
21-15-9
Deadlift
Jumping Pull-Ups
GHD sithups, Toes to bar, knees to elbows etc...

-Cam

WOD: 19July2011

Life is tough. Especially as the work place becomes more fast-paced. We are
expected to physically and mentally be prepared to keep up with the demands
at work as well as at home. It sucks. Stress in small amounts is good. It
keeps us on edge, sharpens our mind and trains us to occasionally perform
well under pressure. But c'mon! I have bills to pay, work to do, dinner to
make, clothes to wash, dog to feed and I have blog to finish. If only there
were a way to make it easier.

There is. Just effin' relax.

Stress in large amounts can be extremely detrimental to your health. Stress
has been linked to obesity, sleeplessness, depression, heart disease,
digestive problems and autoimmune deficiencies. Sometimes people have to
take a minute a prioritize what's on their plate. Eat your meal, then if
you have time, make dessert. That simply means, take on the most important
tasks, then if you have it in you, take care of the smaller tasks. If your
overwhelmed give it the ol' surfer boy attitude and say "whatever, it can
wait until tomorrow, bro."

Too often, I personally find myself stressing about things that aren't
exactly life threatening issues. If I'm late paying my cable bill, will the
world collapse in upon itself? No, at the worst, I will be forced to get up
and go outside. Oh! The humanity!

Another example. Would you rather your kids be 15 minutes late for school,
or would you rather them go to school hungry?
But, hey! At least there on time. Opinions may differ on this, but I don't
think missing 15 minutes of American school amounts to anything more than
what they could learn on Spongebob Squarepants in 5 minutes (did you pay the
cable bill?)
Feed your kids, they learn better with a full stomach
anyway.(http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/85094.php)

With all this being said, there is some stress that cannot be avoided or
disguised with laughter. Divorce, death, injury, illness retirement, and
being fired are huge examples that really do effect our livelihood. For
these, I recommend seeking professional help, talking to family and friends,
or join a group or gym. Vent these frustrations, talk about your feeling.
Don't be ashamed. Everyone has gone through the same thing that you are
going through.

A lot of things in life that we worry about aren't really that serious. We
have to understand the trivial tasks can be pushed aside temporarily, while
bigger priorities are dealt with. As Elbert Hubbard said, "Don't take life
too seriously, you'll never get out alive."

-Cam

WOD:
3x400 Meter Run: Rest 2:00 After each run.
Then:
5 Rounds:
30 Box Jumps
20 KB Swings
10 Burpees

WOD: 18July2011

I used a picture of Zach Morris and Alyson Hannigan because the REAL Zach and Alyson don't have a Facebook, Sooooo I did what I could with what I had.


Today, we have the sad duty of saying goodbye to two of our knowledgable coaches. Zach and Alyson have been helping out from the get go and over the past month they have made coaching a lot easier and they will be missed!

In honor of the help they have selflessly provided to the group, I saw it fitting that we do a workout out custom built by them. Here it is, blame them, not me!

As Many REPS as possible in 12 minutes. (Its a two man team workout)

One team memmber does Wall-Balls while the other does overhead walking lunges for 20 meters. Switch positions when team-mate returns. Every minute on the minute, its 5 burpees.

The score is the number of wall-balls completed. If you are confused, we will cover it more in depth this evening. Make sure ou all thank Zach and Alyson BEFORE you start this workout, because afterwards, you will not be able to formulate clear thoughts or sentences.

WOD: 15July2011

Top: Before Picture Bottom: 6 weeks later. Courtesy of Orange Coast CrossFit. Read the whole story at http://orangecoastcrossfit.com/crossfit-for-women/

Sit down, we need to have a little chat. See, when you step up, take fitness seriously and dedicate yourself, your body, well, it...ummm goes through changes. Sure they may seem new and weird, but its just part of becoming an healthy adult.

You are hitting a new type of puberty, for brevity's sake, I will call it "New-berty"

What does that mean? Well, Think back to your old daily workout routine. Think how it made you feel. Now, think of how you felt the day after "Fran" or "Cameron's Jacked G-Ma". You are sore in places you didnt even know had muscles Not even that, you are probably going to bed earlier, eating more, and if you are in the later stages of "New-berty" you are probably doing normal household chores "for time".

This is a verbatim conversation I had with myself while baking a meal:

"Mmmm, combine all ingredients and bake at 350 Degrees for 25 minutes....F*ck that, If I jack the tempurature up to 450 degrees, I can finish it in 15 minutes! 3-2-1...GO!"

While you are going through "New-berty" it is VERY important to "Listen" to your body. You are eating more for a reason, so make sure its high quality, paleo-esque foods. (Lean meats, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds.)

You are sleeping more because you are working more. We should all be getting 8-9 hours of sleep in a cool, blacked out room. So pull down those massive "panic room" Italian shutters and put the cell phone/computer/TV away!

If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong. ~Thomas Jefferson

WOD:
Strength
3 sets of 5 reps: Shoulder press

Rest~10 Minutes

100 Pushups
100 Situps

Go to failure on each exercise: if you make it to 25 on the pushups and fail, switch to situps until failure, back and forth until you finish all reps. Focus on PERFECT form!

WOD 14July2011

Today, Forrest Gump would be proud. (I know its an old reference, but there hasnet been a decent movie about running since "Forrest Gump")

In best Forrest Gump voice: "Today, I just feel like running."

WOD:
Run 1 minute, rest 1 minute, run 1 minute, rest 50 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 40 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 30 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 20 seconds, run 1 minute rest 10 seconds, Run 1 minute, rest 20 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 30 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 40 seconds, run 1 minute, rest 50 seconds run 1 minute and thats it.

It will be tough, but its necessary. This week we have had some strength (yesterday), explosiveness (Fran) and this workout will test another dimension. Endurance. Lets get after it. We will meet up in the same spot for a light warmup and then we will be moving to the track. The runs should be tough (about 75-90 percent effort.) I would like to see everyone run for the entire minute, on ALL the minutes, and if that means by the 8th or 9th minute you end up doing the shuffle, so be it.

See you there!

Cam

WOD: 13July2011

It's someones BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday to Melissa Payne, dedicated client and an overall INTENSE person! Haha, We will include the mandatory singing of "Happy Birthday tonight in out warm up!

WOD:
5 Rounds for time:
7 Push Press(HEAVY)
14 Pushups
21 KB swings

Everyone is doing a great job so far, let's keep it up for the next month!


Cam

WOD:12July2011

Fran-Tastic! Today, you have the pleasure (or misfortune) of meeting one of my favorite CrossFit "Girls" Her name is Fran and she is, quite possibly the worst woman you will ever meet. I have had several encounters with her, the last of which was 2 minutes and 30 seconds of absolute agony and misery. After we exchanged greeting, she left me in a sweaty heap in the corner of the gym.

It looks very simple on paper. 21-15-9 reps of this couplet: Thrusters and pullups. Hell even the word "Couplet" is kinda cute. But looks can be deceiving. This workout is meant to be an all out gasser that should make the lungs feel as if they are on fire. Zac, Alyson and I will be there to make sure that with the intensity being up so high, the form stay within the 80 percent acceptable range. We dont want any injuries. Pullups will be regular, jumping or kipping. What ever way you can get your chin over the bar.

This workout will definitely test your mental strength, but in order for that to happen, you MUST push yourself to your absolute limits.

WOD: Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters
Pullups

Rx'd weight for men is 95lbs, women 65lbs. We will scale as necessary.

WOD: 11July2011

Reminder: This week we will work out Monday-Friday. Who's excited?

Today we will be doing handstands. Intimidated yet? It's common, but thats fine. Gymnastics can be frustrating, humbling, challenging and all of the above. With CrossFit it is important that we all remember that stepping outside of our comfot zones should become the normal thing to do. Become comfortable with the uncomfortable.

Gymnastics is a crucial skill that helps with just about all of the 10 Physical skills:


1. cardiovascular/respiratory endurance
2. stamina
3. strength
4. flexibility
5. power
6. speed
7. agility
8. balance
9. coordination
10. accuracy

As time goes on, the workouts may seem to become more and more "uncomfortable" but remember, fitness isn't easy. Its called WORKing out for a reason.

WOD:
10 minutes of skill building: HANDSTAND
then:
5 Rounds for time:
20 Backsquats
20 Meter handstand walk

*Today I will begin collected money for T-shirts! The cost is 27 bucks. (I am not making any profit! They are printed on HIGH QUALITY American Apparel T-Shirts.) I figure if you are going to put your brand on something, you might as well make it as high of quality as you can!

-Cam

WOD: Friday 08July2011

Learn this pose, perfect deadlift setup. Practice it. Seriously, stand up. Do it. "ANGRY GORILLA!"

Happy Friday to everyone! There is only one good way I can think of to go into the weekend: With Hamstrings "smoked" more than the salmon I buy at Emisfero!

Deadlifts
3 sets of 5 reps (3x5)
The way this will work is we will warm everyone up to a weight they are comfortable to start out with for 5 reps, then add weight accordingly. Ideally, on the last set you should be just about to failure on the last one, and chances are, you will lose form on the last rep or two. This weight that you finish with will be your 5 rep max. Write it down!

After this we will all rest up for about 5 to 10 minutes, and "jump" into the next workout, which ironically enough has "box jumps".

I will dub this workout "tendine del ginocchio affumicato" Translated: Smoked Hamstrings

4 Rounds
100m SPRINT (That means all out effort, you can rest when you get to the tire.)
25 Box/Tire Jumps

Looking forward to seeing you all out there this evening. I could not be more pleased with everyones enthusiasm and energy! Keep it up. You are all part of a communtiy here on Vicenza, lets all work together to change the way people think about fitness!

WOD: 06July2011

Image courtesy of: CrossFit.com

CrossFit Vicenza, this is "Helen". Helen, this is CrossFit Vicenza. Play nice!

"Helen"
3 Rounds for Time
Run 400 Meters
21 KB swings
12 Pullups

This is another one of the benchmark workouts for CrossFit, so be sure to record your times and any "Scaling" that you do.

This video will give you an idea of how to attack "Helen"

WOD for Tuesday 05July2011

First off, I want to say Happy 4th of July! It may be a day late, but the meaning is still there. Lets take a moment to be thankful for the freedoms we have as Americans.....



Ok, Let's get down to business. I know a lot of you may have indulged this past weekend. Am I mad? Hell no! Why? Because, I did the exact same thing. I celebrated American Pride by eating an ass-load of food, a lot of it being of the "junk" variety. I am paying for it today...and so will you.

Face it, we live in a fast paced world and we demand fast results. What if I told you that in as little as 4 minutes a day you could get a six pack, complete your masters degree and raise your kids? Surprised? Yea, me too because thats all false.

But in as little as four minutes a day you can improve your fitness, making it easier to acheive that six-pack, clear your head so you can hit the books and give you more energy to chase after the kids. Sounds interesting, eh?

The Tabata Protocol is an intense (we LOVE intense) workout regimen that can be done with just about any exercise. Tabata is the last name of the researcher that developed this interesting method for training that increases anaerobic and aerobic pathways at the same time. It basically means that you can increase strength, power and speed at the same time you are increasing you VO2 Max. How does it work?

You work for 20 seconds and rest for 10. COntinue this until four minutes has passed. Sounds simple? Well, tonight we will find out for sure.

Tabata Intervals:

Burpees
Squats
Situps
Pushups

Your "score" for each exercise is the total number of reps.

This will be a total of 16 minutes of work, as we will do each exercise for four minutes with no breaks in between exercise. Example: On the last set of burpees, we will rest until clock hits 00:04:00 then start the Squats. I ask that everyone brings a piece of scratch paper and a pencil. We will record reps.

30June2011 W.O.D

Mmmm...its that time again! Today, I'll give the legs a break. The workout is

As Many Rounds as Possible in 12 Minutes:
5 Clean and jerk
10 GHD Situps/Situps/toes to bar/knees to elbow...

Dont worry, I will explain it all this evening!

Its not over yet: Theres more tonight! That's right, a TWO PART workout!

Death By 10 Meters!
Every minute on the minute, you sprint 10 meters, when a minute passes you add 10 meters, and you continue to run back and forth until you can no longer run the 10 meters in the allowed minute. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

WOD: Wednesday 29June2011:

This will be every ones first real "BenchMark" Workout. What does that mean? Well, It means, first and foremost, WRITE IT DOWN. I cannot stress it enough. The times, weights, distances etc are all tangible results and you WILL see times improve and weight increase. Period. Today, you meet "Nancy" and she is a witch:

5 Rounds
400 Meter Run
95lb Overhead Squat x15 reps

Our warmup will be a little bit shorter this time because this is a longer workout, with plenty of running throughout. Much of the warm up will focus on opening up the shoulders and hips. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Workout: 20 June 2011

Run 400m
21-15-9
Squat
Pushups
Deadlift
Run 400m

Great work guys!

CrossFit Vicenza: Read All About It

So you have been hearing all about “CrossFit Vicenza” and may be asking yourself “What up with that?” Well, as the head trainer I can say that I have been wondering the same thing. We are still very much in the beginning stages of growth and development, but there are a few things I know for sure:

Who Am I?:
My name is Cameron Currie, I know this because its what my birth certificate says. My Mom may argue otherwise as she has called me several names that I cannot mention here. All joking aside, I take fitness VERY seriously. In high school I joined the football team to meet chicks, but stayed for the fitness. That was when I first realized what working out could do for your body and mind. That was 7 years ago. Now at 23, I continue to grow and learn as much as I can about fitness and the positive impacts it has on people. I have done all types of training throughout my 7 years but now rely solely on the CrossFit method.

What is This CrossFit Business?
I could give you the textbook answer of “CrossFit is a strength and conditioning fitness methodology used in nearly 1,700 gyms worldwide and by many fire departments, law enforcement agencies and military units.” but it is so much more than that. It combines everything from gymnastics to sprinting to Olympic weightlifting. CrossFit is different things to different people, you will have your own definition as time goes one. For me, it is a constant challenge to test what I am truly made of, I think you may agree as the weeks go by. I will give a more in depth lesson as to what CrossFit is during the first class.

When is it?
The inaugural class will start on Monday June 20th, 2011 at 4:30pm. Mark the calendars. I also HIGHLY encourage everyone to bring a notebook to take notes and write down their workouts. Also, water, food and a positive attitude. We all work with and for the military, so I also ask for your patience if a class is cancelled on short notice as I will have patience if something comes up where you cant make a class. Military schedules and hours can be tough, that is no surprise to me, so lets work together.

Where is it?
Due to it being during peak hours, we will be outside on the basketball court for some classes, indoors for others and even in the pool for some. I will post schedules a week in advance so that you can plan accordingly.

Why do this?
Well, I am certainly not in it for the money. (It is part of contractual agreements with CrossFit Head Quarters, I cant charge for my services) I do it because I love fitness, I want to help others on their path to fitness. My goal is to help others accomplish their goal.

How is it going to work?
Well, when you remove money from the equation, a business is run differently. Just like a charity organization is managed differently than a fortune 500 company. Now, because the mission is to NOT make profits, but to get people fit, I have to misfortune of telling you that after 2 months of hands on training, coaching and teaching I will have given you enough knowledge for your own practical application of CrossFit. You wont need a coach, but should you ever have any questions, comments or concerns, I will be available on Facebook, email, blog, phone, hell, you can even page me! Now doing the 2 months of training and releasing you “into the wild” comes with a downside. “I can lead a horse to water, but I cant make it drink.” Sound familiar? Well, I am giving you the tools over the next two months, whether you use them or not is in your hands. I can only cross my fingers and hope for the best! After your two months has passed, I take the next group of 15 and move them through the program so on and so forth. I will also most daily workouts on this blog and facebook, so will have some guidance after our time is up.

Summary: June 20th at 4:30 is your chance to get fit, informed and coached for free for two months. I look forward to working with all of you and helping you on the path to your fitness goals.


In Fitness,
-Cam