Pull-ups 7x3xM.E.

Rest 5 minutes.

"Karen"

For time:

150 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball

Post loads and time to comments.

Coach Mark’s Notes:

When you're doing weighted pull-ups, eventually you'll get to a weight where the pull-up will lose its fluidity. Build to a heavy weight, but make sure it's still manageable. Try and keep the motion smooth and strong. If your weighted pull-up takes 30 seconds to complete and you had to kip about 18 times, maybe you should drop the weight a bit. 

If you're new to pull-ups in the quantity that we do them at CFM, by now I'm sure you have ripped your hands. Don't lose motivation or take it too hard, this is a necessary thing. That skin that you lost, it was weak skin, and now it's gone. You body will naturally replace it with newer, tougher skin. Let it happen and be proud of your haggard palms, you earned them! And don't wear gloves, your grip is weakened and you look like... it doesn't matter what you look like, just don't wear them.

"Trail Running" with Brian MacKenzie by Again Faster Equipment, CrossFit Journal preview video [wmv] [mov]

Back Squat 5x5xM.E.

Rest 5 minutes.

100 Pistols for time alternating legs.

Post loads and time to comments.

Coach Mark’s Notes:

Pistols are a one-legged squat.  All the same rules still apply as with a two-legged squat, except for the two-legged part. Pistols are a very useful lift in training your squat stability and balance. Plus they look cool.

So you want to look a bit tougher while you're hammering out your WOD?  Impress the ladies? Make up for a shitty time?  Here are a few tips:

- Train with a knife in your teeth, especially if you're doing rope climbs.  

- Cut your forehead a little bit when no one is looking.  It made Hulk Hogan and Jake the Snake look tougher, why not you?

- Don't take off your shirt, rip it off in a fit of rage.

- Get visibly frustrated and kick your water bottle across the room.

- Smoke a cigar.  That's just common sense.  Have you ever watched "A-Team"?  I have!  One word: TOUGH!

- Wear pants, only sissies wear shorts.

- Lastly, if all else fails: loop the theme to Rocky.

WOD Demo from the Richest 5k Run - video [wmv] [mov]

Rest Day

Coach Mark’s Notes:

I recently watched a video on YouTube that was emailed to me.  It was about a guy named Zach Miller.  This guy is a hard-core CrossFitter who got into a car accident and is now in a coma: he has been for months.  The video link is below my comment.  The video is very sad and it ends with a statement saying, "His doctors have said that without his level of fitness, he would not have survived."  Zach's story reminded me of a guy I used to train with years ago who was stabbed in his stomach.  His surgeon told him after he recovered that his fitness saved his life.  Anyway, watch the video, it will definitely inspire you to train a bit harder if nothing else.  I hope that Zach pulls through.  It would be a shame to lose him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=403vZtACjKQ

"Kelly" WOD Demo with Josh Everett - video [wmv] [mov]

Please join us on Friday January 20^th at 6pm to cheer on Mark as he takes on the “Bear Fran”.  You will not want to miss this spectacular display of athleticism.

Clean and Jerk 8x2xM.E.

Rest 5 minutes.

Five rounds for time of:

135 pound Push Jerk, 15 reps

1.5 pood Kettlebell Swing, 15 reps

Post loads and time to comments.

Coach Mark’s Notes:

Clean it, jerk it, dump it, and repeat.  Two rep Olympic lifts are a great way to train heavy when ones may be getting a bit stale.  That second lift is very difficult after an already heavy first.

This past Sunday, rather than read the Holy Bible (as I do every Sunday), I decided instead to read the New England Journal of Medicine.  An article that I found immediately took me aback.  Apparently, many workout enthusiasts (almost exclusively those who CrossFit) are contracting a newly discovered ocular disease.  Doctors are naming this disease "Inter-Workout Rep Blindness", IWRB for short.  In very basic terms, this disease will cause a normal person to become completely oblivious to the fact that their reps are horrendous during workouts.  Researchers are saying that IWRB is very easy to spot since the affected person's reps are so shitty that you as a spectator may become nauseated and/or suicidal.  Luckily, there are several available cures that may be administered singularly or in combination.  They are as follows:

Opening your eyes, wearing prescription eye glasses, listening to instruction, following instruction, not being so dense, recording your workouts for later review, reading a book for once, or just paying attention to what you're actually doing.

Doctors have also suggested treating an IWRB victim as though you would a sleepwalker.  Don't stop them during their workout as it may cause injury, let them finish and calm down.  Once they are settled approach them cautiously, and as tactfully as possible, let them know that they are afflicted with IWRB.  They may react aggressively or illogically at first, but it's your responsibility make it known to them that they have some of the worst reps that you have ever seen.  Doctors also suggest showing them a video of their workout so that they can see what they are actually doing.  This method though, in very few instances, may lead to the discovery of "Post-Workout Rep Blindness", which is an escalated case of IWRB.  PWRB is basically described as severe denial.  PWRB is nearly always irrecoverable.  Only one patient on record has ever recovered from PWRB.  He now lives a very happy and normal life.  

"Different Grips for Benching" with Shane Sweatt - video [wmv] [mov]

CROSSFIT MISSISSAUGA PALEO DIET CHALLENGE 2012

The challenge will run for 6 weeks beginning Monday February 6 and ending on Sunday March 18.

There will be a mandatory information session at CrossFit Mississauga on Tuesday January 31 at 7pm.  Please note there will not be a workout at 7pm on the 31st.  Please do not show up unless you are participating in the challenge.

There will be a presentation on the Paleo Diet and how the challenge works followed by a question and answer period.  

If you decide to participate you will receive the following:

- Paleo diet guidebook with a plethora of information

- List of paleo diet resources

- Diet log

- Shopping lists

- Meal plans

- Recipes

If you’d like to participate (and be eligible for the prize) you’ll need the following:

- Completed diet log using point system

- Before and after pictures

- Before and after measurements

- Before and after blood work (optional)

- Scores from complete benchmark workouts (before and after)

- Written testimonial about your results upon completion

The benchmark workouts will be:

1 rep max deadlift

2000m row for time

50 Burpees for time

You must complete all three benchmark workouts once before Monday Feb. 6 and again between March 8 and 18.  

The cost to register is $100 per person.  

If you’d like to participate please let us know (and provide payment) before January 27 so we can make sure we have an adequate number of guidebooks printed.

During the challenge, all questions will be answered using the website comments section.

The winners will be chosen by an unbiased third party based on your performance improvements, body composition changes from before and after photos and measurements.  Blood work is not required but preference will be given to people with significant blood work improvements.

75 pound Snatch, 100 reps for time.

Post time to comments.

Coach Mark’s Notes:

Yep, you did this one, but you did it slightly lighter.  Now it's slightly heavier and slightly tougher, but you'll get slightly fitter.  Slightly.

I'm sure everyone saw this on the news yesterday, but in case you didn't I have a clip of it here from YouTube.  Chuck Norris got into a scrap with a Grizzly bear.  It was a tie.  Since this was a Grizzly Bear, and there is constant dispute as to whether or not the Grizzly Bear is tougher than the Polar Bear, here's the question; if this was a tie, then is a Polar Bear capable of killing Chuck Norris?  We may never know, but I like to think so.  Here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2XUgE6g7XU

WOD Demo (Back Squat 3-3-3-3-3 reps) with Rob Orlando - video [wmv] [mov]