CrossFit Ocean City

"GO PLAY!"

Can't you just hear your mom telling you to get out of the house and "go play!" ? If you haven't done so in awhile, today's your day. Go have some fun! 

Yesterday, we stopped by the playground at Bayside, just beyond Harris Tetter in Selbyville, DE.  We climbed, swung, and pulled. We shimmied up the cargo net, slid down the fire pole and turned around and climbed back up.  We did knees to elbows, swung across the swinging rings like monkeys on the vine, did a few random pullups, and much, much more. We had a blast! Stop by a park today and go play!  You'll be glad you did and so will your kids!

 

   
 
  
 

JAMELLE NAILS HER OVERHEAD SQUAT

 
Jamelle nails her overhead squat during today's workout.

Jamelle has trained with us for over eight months.  During this time, she's gotten a lot stronger than she ever imagined.  She never lifted weights before she came to CrossFit and, quite honestly, is a little afraid to push and really explore weightlifting.  Today we worked on squats:  front squats, overhead squats, and back squats.  After dialing in her lifting form the past few weeks, Jamelle felt comfortable enough to put a little load on and go for it.  I was especially impressed with her form on the overhead squat, which most CrossFitters find challenging.  All of our skill work has paid off!

What's your greatest fear as a CrossFitter and what do you plan to do to improve and overcome that fear?

TRACK YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE

 
Journal keeping after a good, hard workout.

How can you judge where you're going if you don't know where you've been?  How can you track improved performance, or determine areas that need attention, without keeping a log or journal?  How do you effectively set goals for your fitness if you don't write them down?   CrossFit Ocean City students are provided with the tools for health and fitness success.  One such tool is our Success Journal, which is given to every new CrossFitter with tracking sheets for daily workouts, food intake, benchmark workouts, lifting loads, personal records, and guides for goal setting.  There's no requirement to keep a journal, but those that care enough to keep one have measurable, observable, and repeatable data to use each and every day - and it shows.  Where else can you go to get that kind of tool to use?  Did you have one at work, at home, or at whatever else you do?  Probably not but probably should. 

Motto for the day:  If you're not tracking, you're slacking. 

DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING WILL KILL OUR KIDS

How is it that cereal companies can claim that Froot Loops (they don't even spell it right), Cocoa Pebbles, and Lucky Charms are healthy?  What about McDonald's claim that Happy Meals are good for you too?  The answer is deceptive advertising and the power of the might dollar.  Let's face it, most people just don't read up on the nutritional data for the foods they eat and advertisers capitalize on loose rules for food labels.  Behind this is the manufacturer's profits, which are quite large due to a focus on children under 18.  There's a push by Congress to toughen the standards on food advertising, but the advertising and food industries are fighting back hard.  Check out this latest report from the New York Times - click HERE.

SUMMER CHALLENGE TEAMS

Our Summer Challenge 2010 Teams assignments are in!  Reminder, the Challenge Event will take place at Ann Hasting's property on Goody Hill Road on Sunday, August 8th beginning at 11:00 am.  We'll run three events. 

The first event begins at 11.  Second event at 12:30.  Third event at 2.  This is a pot luck and BYOB event.  Families are invited to come and watch and enjoy the pool.

Here are the teams:

Lora/Van
Lynne/Doug
Colleen/Sara N
Linda/Louise
Tara/Cameron
Caleb/Liz S.
Kristin E/Amber
Karen C/Betsy M
Adam/Sarahann
Kristi G/Dayna
Hal/Lorie C
Mike/Bethann
Jill/Zia
Duane/Shelley
Peg/Greg
Erick/Christine B

If you or your teammate will not be able to attend, please let us know now and not at the last minute!  Those not signed up are invited to come down.  I'm sure we'll have some last minute substitutions and wildcard teams.

COLBY GETS THE KNIFE

 
Colby finishes a clean.

Starting at the end of next week, you won't see Colby around the gym for about a month or so.  It isn't that she doesn't like us anymore, it's just that she's going to get her gallbladder taken out and won't be able to train for awhile.  And guess who's doing the surgery?  None other than our resident CrossFitter and general surgeon, Thuan Dang. 

Best of luck to you Colby.  I'll go easy on Thuan the morning before the surgery.

YES, IT'S HOT. BUT YOU STILL NEED TO TRAIN.

 
West OC Starbucks parking lot - Jan 2010 Winter Snowstorm

I've heard it so much lately, I'm beginning to turn a deaf ear.  What am I hearing?  It's hot.  I can't work out.  I'm sweating too much.  I'm so tired.  The workouts are so hard.  Yup!  It's hot.  Damn hot.  But you still need to train.  The training's no different than before, it's just that the heat is putting additional stress on your body as you approach hyperthermia.  The heart can't pump blood fast enough to the extremities to keep you cool, your brain starts to cook a bit like you have a slight fever, and so your muscles slow down to compensate.  It's normal.  You're no different than anyone else.  The only difference is that each of us functions a bit differently at different temps - usually due to your body fat percentage.  So, if you happen to suck working out in the heat, then slow down a bit in the WODs and don't push as hard.  Your turn will come when you see cooler temps in the fall and winter.  Just think how much better shape you'll be in by pushing through this heatwave and continuing to train.  At the very least, you can be thankful that Erick can now take off his sweats when he trains!

So, take a look at the pic above.  Remember when it was 9 degrees with 2+ feet of snow on the ground and all you could think about was how much you couldn't wait until July?  Well, July is here and we've gone from extreme cold to extreme hot. 

Man, I love global warming! 

WAITING TO BE MOVED

 
The bars await the return of their athletes.

Ever wonder what the box looks like after everyone lines up for a WOD that has a run at the start and the coach says, "3 -2-1 Go!"?  Well, this is it.  Just a bunch of empty bars awaiting the return of their athletes.  Yes, the music is blaring and the fans are pumping out the airflow, but there's no magic in the box until the first CrossFitter blazes back in the door.  Then, slowly, the energy picks up until everyone begins moving their bars and doing whatever else the WOD calls for.  It's just as exciting and fun for the coaches as it is for the CrossFitters!

What gets you excited about CrossFit?  Is it is the anticipation of the WOD?  Is it the camaraderie between CrossFitters?  Is it the intensity of the workout itself? 

For me, it's first and foremost about my fellow CrossFitters and the great community we have.  Next, the excitement of pushing hard through tough workouts no matter how hard always ignites the flame.  And the rest is just plain fun!

  

SUMMER CHALLENGE INFORMATION

The workouts are posted and the teams have yet to be finalized.  The venue is the Hasting's farm on Goody Hill Rd.  The first event will begin at 11 am with about an hour between events.  The last event should be complete by 2 pm with a cookout to follow.  Families are welcome to come and spend the entire day cheering on the teams and enjoying just hanging out by the pool.

We'll post the final teams on Wednesday.  If you haven't signed up yet, please do so by Tuesday.

DON'T MISS THE END OF THE CROSSFIT GAMES WEBCAST

For those of you interested in catching the end of the CrossFit Games, click HERE to go to the Games Live Feed website.  Finals for the Team events begins at 2:15 EST with the men's and women's individual finals to follow shortly thereafter!