Tuesday 03.12.13

Kelly: Workin' on gettin' that unassisted muscle-up!

It is just link-o-licious over on our Facebook/Twitter feeds. Monday brought the jam with all the CrossFit Games Open Week 1 action. Our own Doug Dawson is ranked 9th overall in our region for the Master's Division! I think he might be glad he didn't have to do the Open WOD with a broken foot, like elite CF'er Jenny Labaw. On Wednesday, the second WOD of the CF Open will be announced. We'll see how Ryan, Kyle, Doug, and Coach Jacob advance through that one.

Our 1st Annual MuscaVegas St. Paddy's Day Throwdown is THIS SUNDAY. Please come to compete, help out, or watch the action! If you are competing, keep working on those performance points this week during your WODs: full-depth squats (i.e., below parallel) and full lockout position overhead (i.e., elbows, hips, and knees fully extended and straight with the bar over the middle of your body). You do not want a "no rep" situation to develop during competition!

Our online schwag shop offers free shipping through March 22. Use the coupon code EASTER2013 at checkout for savings!

Here's a great (profanity-laden) free download read from The CrossFit Journal about how that "special" gear won't do shit for you unless you practice and get your head in the game. Oh, I would add: do your mobility work ;)

Today we've got everyone's favorite lift: the overhead squat. I don't know what to tell you about this lift other than it is THE great humbler of men and women. This lift magnifies every mobility issue you ever had and then some. If you have tightness or limited range of motion in any of your major joints (ankles, knees, hips, or shoulders), then you are going to have issues with this lift.

ERGO, mash out your shit today and every day - before and after a WOD, while you watch TV, and during a 15 minute break from your day job. And don't just do it for the lift, do it for a pain-freaking-FREE LIFE. Slumped shoulders, tight hips, inflexible ankles, and "ouchy" wrists never did anyone any favors when sitting in an office chair for hours, typing all day, walking a festival or a trail all day, or just plain doing housework. Treat your body nice, folks.

Things to think about while you are attempting your 1 rep max:

- load the bar on your back from the squat rack
- get that grip WIDE (think about where your hands grip the bar during shoulder pass-throughs)
- push those shoulders up into your ears and show the wall your armpits (think of holding a waiter tray and each hand)
- pinch your shoulderblades together
- stick your booty out as you descend (like you're searching for a chair that you know is "just" behind you)
- push your knees out at the bottom of the squat

WOD

Strength:

1 RM OHS

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5 Rounds

Run/Row 400 m

15 OHS (AHAP) - 10 burpee penalty for every time you put the bar down

***Complete 7 TOTAL rope climbs at any time during the 5 rounds***