Wednesday 28 December 2011

Its Simple...Why CrossFit?


With 2011 almost behind us its the time of year when everyone turns their attention to working off the chocolates and mince pies they ate over Christmas. Its a very typical theme in the fitness industry and big chain gyms rub their hands together in anticipation for an onslaught of new customers who vow that 'this year' is the year that they will get in shape.

The trouble is the average time that a new gym user lasts at a regular gym after signing up in the new year is 3 months. That's it. By March the enthusiasm has gone, the boredom sets in, the results aren't being seen and the 12-month gym membership that the slick sales guy or gal got you to sign up for will be flying out of your account with nothing you can do about it. Oh.... apart from trying to ask for it back. Or suspending it. And yeah, good luck with that.



I worked in big chain gyms for over 5 years and saw it all the time. The gym offers a thinly veiled incentive of  'free' personal training sessions, a 'free' health check or some other such offer that entices you to join. They make you feel all important by booking in a couple of sessions with you, filling out a health questionnaire and 'goals' form and promise that every three months they will be right back over to check on you and see how you are progressing with your programme (which i bet will be based around a bit of running on a treadmill and five or six weights machines where you are sat down for the entire time.) Sound familiar? Right, so how many of you actually had that follow up appointment and got called and asked about how you were getting on and if coming to the gym was actually achieving what you are paying out your hard earned money for? I'm guessing not many.

The staff in charge of doing these 'free to members' services are more often than not fitness instructors who are trained but not quite ready to go into the personal training business properly. The fitness industry is notoriously badly paid and unfortunately these people aren't going to keep tabs on every new joiner in the gym for £6 an hour. They simply have too many people to do this for and not enough incentive. Show an interest in their personal training services (if they are qualified) and then yes, you bet they will show you more care and attention. But hang on, aren't you already paying out £60-£100 for your monthly gym membership? Add another £40 an hour on for personal training once a week and we're talking up to £260 a month on going to the gym!

This is where CrossFit is different. And this is why i now run my own CrossFit box.

I was fed up with this kind of attitude at the gym and felt that people really were wasting their money. I would see the same people turn up at the gym, for years sometimes, and they wouldn't change in their shape or fitness levels in the slightest. I wanted people to actually see a change and not have to pay extortionate prices to achieve it. Not everyone can afford personal training after all.

At CrossFit Connect your non-contract monthly membership of £55 gets you unlimited use of the facilities and classes and professional, personal coaching every single time you step foot through our door. You will find this at every other CrossFit box around the world too and its this level of attention that sets CrossFit apart from anything else. As coaches we have over 12 years of training experience behind us and we learn about your movement patterns, we teach you how to lift things in the most effective way, we build your strength and cardio fitness, we know your goals and most of all we get to know you. We track your progress and encourage you to push yourselves and improve at every possible opportunity. Yes you have to work hard too but you don't get much without hard work and effort these days, despite what the 'Have a six-pack in 2 minutes a day' routine it tells you about on the cover of Mens Health.

Yes, we could be making more money by personal training in a big globo gym and seeing a handful of clients once or twice a week but that's not why we do it. We do it because we live, breath and eat CrossFit. We do it because seeing someone lift 60kg over their heads when they could only do 20kg when they joined or watching someone as they get their first few unassisted pull ups is what drives us. That's what gives us ultimate job satisfaction and its a feeling you just cant beat (apart from perhaps knocking 30 seconds off your 'Fran' time!!)

Our box has been open for 10 months now and is going from strength to strength. CrossFit is going from strength to strength too and 2012 is really going to see a global explosion of both the brand and its awareness. This is helped by the fact that Reebok have gone into partnership with CrossFit HQ and the advertising revenue is now many times what it once was.

However CrossFit would grow and has been growing despite this for the past ten or so years. Its growing because it works. Because the spirit and camaraderie of a CrossFit box is unmatched. Because the results that people see by CrossFitting regularly surpasses any other form of fitness training i have seen in the last 15 years. And because the coaches in CrossFit do it because they love it. I'm not going to be able to confirm this one but I'm sure that 99.9% of CrossFit coaches would still be CrossFit coaches if there was no monetary reward at all. This is how you know CrossFit is going to work. Because we live it ourselves.



* Get in touch to arrange a time to come down to meet us and check the place out. Take a  free taster class whenever suits you and meet some of our members. Read more about CrossFit and whats involved on our website at www.crossfitconnect.co.uk. CrossFit is completely scalable to all fitness levels and we have a whole range of members from students to grandparents so there is no need to feel nervous or intimidated. You will make great friends at the box who will only spur you on further to keep achieving your goals.

So its simple. Why CrossFit? 


Why not?



New Year, New Leaf, New You!

Yep, whilst you still have all the enthusiasm in the world its time to decide the best place to go and get yourself into shape. Where is it going to be this year? Do you still even go to the gym you signed up for this time 12 months ago? Or more importantly can you really still the results of all your hard work stacking up in your favour? Are you getting stronger? Are you losing body fat? Can you honestly say you are on the path to where you want to be in three, six or twelve months time?

If so then congratulations! Its a nice feeling isnt it! :)
If not then perhaps its time for a change. Time to try something new.

Time then to get down to CrossFit Connect or one of the many CrossFit boxes popping up near you. CrossFit is growing rapidly and there are now over 75 CrossFit gyms or 'boxes' in the UK. Not to mention somewhere in the region of another 2500 worldwide.

The first few months of this year are going to be a busy time for our guys and gals at the box.  First up is our January paleo challenge which you can read about below, then we've got to get training for the UK CrossFit Throwdown Games happening in February at Brunel University and then towards the end of February registration opens for the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. This year is bound to be bigger than ever with live broadcasting on ESPN and the general awareness of CrossFit growing massively last year thanks to Reeboks involvement.

So what can you get by coming down and checking out CrossFit Connect?

Do you want to drop body fat? Check.
Do you want to drop inches off your waist? Check
Do you want to drop your weight by as much as 5kgs? Check
Do you want to improve your strength, fitness and speed? Check
Do you want to make friends and actually enjoy coming to the gym? Check

Do you want all of this in just 30-days with a simple eating plan and some good old fashioned hard work? You bet you do!

Okay, so I'm not telling you its going to be easy or that we do all of this for you. You have to WANT to make the change and you have to actually WANT to make this happen.
We as coaches are here to guide you, motivate you and teach you how to become fitter, faster and stronger. CrossFit changes peoples lives. You just have to make that decision to try it and you wont look back.



Results from our recent challenges amazed the people who took part. Here's a section of an earlier post from the first challenge:

Ten of our members completed the challenge and i have to say they are very happy with the outcome. Plan P included a detailed meal plan drawn up by our 3 AA rosette winning chef, a food diary, a carefully structured training programme of lifting and WODs (workout of the day) and full support via email and phone. We didn't allow them any cheat days so that they could feel the true benefits of being 100% 'clean' and most of them trained at least three times a week down at the box.

The measurements we took were:
Weight (Kgs)
Body Fat % (as a total)
Body Fat % (as a score in four areas of the body; biceps, triceps, hips and shoulder)
Waist in Inches
Hips in Inches

So what happened and how did they feel?

Between them they lost:

27.8kg in weight (approx 4.4 stone)
19.4% body fat
15 inches around their waists!
(I dont want to give out individual results and names over the internet but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box. Also, the 15in waist measurement total was only between 7 people not 10!)


Not bad eh? And this includes a few people who weren't looking to actually lose much weight but to just lean up around the mid-section. The before and after photos we took showed great differences and we kept having to remind ourselves that this was in fact only a 30-day challenge and not longer. Imagine 30 days from now being over half a stone lighter and having 5% less body fat around your mid-section? You'd take that wouldn't you?

I should also tell you that we saw some amazing increases in strength during that time as well proving that you can indeed get stronger and lose weight at the same time. One Deadlift went from 140kg to 170kg and one Shoulder Press from 32.5kg to 50kg.

CrossFit and Paleo are a potent combination.



We have packages for existing members and new members alike.
Members entry is £15.


For new members the package is outlined below:
~30-day Plan P guide including detailed meal plans, food diary, shopping lists and exercise guide.
~Personal two hour Intro course at CrossFit Connect.
~One months membership at CrossFit Connect that includes unlimited classes.
~Full health check and measurement assessment at beginning and end.

Cost = £125 (a 15% saving on individual costs)

If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to get you into the best shape of your life. 



The challenge starts on Monday January 16th and will run for 30 days. We will be holding a talk from our resident paleo chef Barney on Saturday January 14th at which time we will also take your starting measurements and photos if you wish. You will also be able to collect your paleo books at this time for those that need them.


If you have any other questions don't hesitate to drop us an email. I would wish you good luck but you dont need it! If you sign up, follow what we say and train hard the results will speak for themselves. 
Come and find out about the buzz thats being generated by one of the best gyms in Brighton and Hove . We produce results. Full stop.


Take care

Wednesday 21 December 2011

Christmas Opening Times


Yes, we must all rest at some point so when better to close the box than when we have stack loads of turkey, vegetables and chocolates to dig into!! Yep, Christmas is almost here!

Christmas Opening Times:

Sat 24th - Christmas Eve - A special one-off xmas WOD class at 11am. Its going to be spicy!! Let us know at the box or by text if you want to come along)
Sun 25th - Christams Day - Closed
Mon 26th - Boxing Day - Closed
Tues 27th - No 7am Class but afternoon/evening is on as normal.
Wed, Thur, Fri - Classes as normal
Sat 31st - New Years Eve (possible WOD if anyone is keen?)
Sun 1st - New Years Day - Definitely closed!
Mon 2nd - Back to normal

The changes are reflected on the online booking system.

Have a good few rest days, you guys deserve it for working so hard this year.

Merry Christmas

From Dave, Holly and Barney

Tuesday 13 December 2011

The London Throwdown Qualifiers


Phew! Well that was a crazy week! With the CrossFit London Throwdown happening on February 11th/12th next year it was time to decide who was going to actually get to compete!

The organisers (Jack from In2CrossFit Clapham and Tom from CrossFit Bold) released 3 WODs the Sunday before last and everyone then had a week to give them a go and register their scores, being officiated by myself, Holly or Barney.

There was a slight twist to proceedings as you could give the WODs a go in any order, as many times as you liked and the first two with slightly different rep ranges depending on your preference! It definitely made things interesting!

The WODs were:

WOD 1
75 x Thrusters (25kg women/35kg men)
75 x Burpees Bar hops (both feet together)
75 x Pull ups

These numbers could be done in any order and with any rep range you preferred. More on that below.

WOD 2
Output - 800kg women / 1200kg men Power Clean


5 x rounds of:
5 x Shoulder to overhead (40kg women / 60kg men)
7 x Front Squat (same weight)
9 x Toes to bar


Output - 800kg / 1200kg Power Clean

The output meant your weight choice and reps were of your own doing.
So for a man going for 1200kg, he could do 20 reps @ 60kg or 30 reps @40kg for example.

WOD 3
100 x Double unders
30 x Knee to Elbow Pull ups
30 Hang Squat Snatch (25kg women / 35kg men)
100 x Double unders


It was some really good programming on Jack and Toms part as WOD 1 was definitely a massive lung buster, WOD 2 was more about strength and WOD 3 was definitely the technical one which i bet caught a lot of people out.

As far as WOD 1 goes there was a lot of talk on the FaceBook posts about how best to tackle those numbers. A few people went for 3 lots of 25 reps. Some were swearing by 7.5 rounds of 10 but perhaps the most popular one seemed to be 12,11,10,9 etc down to 3.

I myself did WOD 1 three times (yes, i know im mental!!) and tried three different variations. My first time with 20,20,15,10,10 was 16.44. My second attempt with the 12,11,10,9 etc was 14.50 but the last time i did it with 15 rounds of 5s and managed 13.45. For me that was definitely the best option. Small sets that you didnt have to rest in and you got your breather between the exercises if needed.

The key to WOD 2 seemed to be not dropping the bar between the presses and the front squats as picking it up again cost you lots of time. And WOD 3 was all about the double unders and if your grip strength held out!

It has been awesome at the box this week and we are very proud of everyone who gave these WODs a crack, be it if you were registered to compete or just did one or two of them to see how you fared! It became a real eye opener for people to see what scores they clocked up and then just how good the scores were coming in on the constantly updated league table (nice touch guys, that was cool!). You might see yourself climb up ten places only for the end of the day to come and you dropped back down again! It definitely made you want to repeat the WODs to try and hold your position. I tell you though....im never doing WOD 1 again!

Also, it must be remembered that the guys and gals who are posting the top scores have been CrossFitting for a good few years now. We as a box have only been open since March this year so are in our infancy when it comes to getting our athletes competing. Its been great to see just how far everyone has come in such a short amount of time as there are so many different skills you have to learn to be a truly rounded CrossFitter. And yes, some of those posted times do really seem superhuman!! There are some beasts out there!

I hope this will only drive everyone on to become better and push yourself towards an even higher standard. I know my own training has really ramped up over the last month in preparation for these games and despite the fact of being way off the pace of the top guys i have definitely improved my own times and scores because of it. Thats what it is all about at the end of the day. Bettering yourself. Dont feel dejected that you couldnt possibly compete with the top scores. Train hard, practice, keep motivated and who knows what the next 6-12 months may bring? Take a look back through your training diary and see where you were 6 months ago if you dont believe me! Are you better now? Of course you are.

Lets take a look at our whiteboard this week:

We had 8 athletes register to take part in the actual qualifiers although this came down to 7 due to a badly timed torn callous infection for poor old Lina! :( We are proud to have also seen so many others at the box want to take part in these WODs for, ahem, 'fun'!

So how did we get on?

Holly Gehlcken - 15.49 / 19.11 / 15.35 = Total of: 50.35 (40 out of 110)
Barney Gehlcken - 16.04 / 18.31 / 14.15 = Total of: 48.50 (211 out of 378)
Dave Draper - 13.45 / 9.58 / 9.49 = Total of: 33.32 (66 out of 378)
George Carlo - 18.42 / 18.46 / 17.16 = Total of: 54.44 (243 out of 378)
Simon Welling - 18.04 / 14.46 / 23.38 = Total of: 56.28 (250 out of 378)
Ami Ruff - 23.08 / 18.54 / 23.35 = Total of: 65.37 (64 out of 110)
Matt Evans - 18.23 / 19.44 / Did not do = Total of: 38.07 for two events. (332 out of 378)


It was only the top 60 male and female competitors that would proceed to the finals at Brunel University in February and with 488 registered athletes this was going to be no easy task! Im pleased to say though that Holly did an amazing job to finish in 40th place. And this was despite the fact she didnt get to repeat one of her WODs due to a pesky cold!

We also now have the opportunity to enter a team into the competition made up of two women and three guys. This is to be decided over the next few days.

Back to some regular training now this week. The buzz it created at the box was fantastic and dont forget we still have the UK Series Competition on the cards for those of you still keen to log your scores against others.

Again, a massive congratulations to all those who shed blood, sweat and (perhaps) a few tears over these WODs. Just wait until February when the weekend will go off with a bang and show you just how much CrossFit is exploding in the UK! I for one cant wait.............

Dave

http://www.londonthrowdown.com/

Tuesday 6 December 2011

Last Intro Course of the Year!

We are holding the last CrossFit Intro course of the year this Sunday at 12.30pm - 3.00pm. 


The CrossFit Connect Intro course allows us to explain in detail everything you need to know about CrossFit from its origins to its theories, to its diet recommendations and to its main exercises. You will be coached in a small group setting on the 9 foundational movements that CrossFit regularly use along with a handful of other exercises that you will see up on the whiteboard. Functional movement at its best.

The purpose of the Intro course is to ensure you have a basic level of understanding that will carry over into the WOD (Workout of the Day) class settings and make you feel more relaxed when we start using CrossFit jargon! You will not be expected to perform every exercise expertly or even remember everything we tell you but you will find that upon joining in with the classes this information will come back to you quickly allowing a good synchronisation with the rest of the class. You will have time to perfect these movements over the following few months as we gradually ramp up the intensity and enhance your skill levels.

With lots of CrossFit competitions coming up next year and with Reeboks new involvement in CrossFit bound to get people talking, now is the perfect time to start your CrossFit journey.

Give us a call or drop us an email if you would like to book a spot on the course. There are only 6 places remaining so don't wait around. The next Intro course wont be held until January.

CrossFit Connect Intro Course
Sunday 11th December
CrossFit Connect
12.30pm - 3.00pm (approx)
Cost = £80


For more information please see our website CrossFit Connect

Wednesday 23 November 2011

Olympic Lifting Series - Part 2 - The Clean & Jerk

This is Part 2 of our Olympic Lifting series; The Clean & Jerk.






The Clean & Jerk is a strong and powerful lift and is great for developing explosive strength.
This video is intended for our members to recap what they have learnt in class and to watch in their own time to see just exactly what it is they are aiming for.


It is by no means a full instructional video of every teaching point but should be used as a reference guide after we have taught you at the box.


We encourage our members to learn the fundamentals of weightlifting before moving onto the more advanced lifts such as The Clean & Jerk and The Snatch. With these lifts you will see massive gains in strength, explosiveness, speed, balance and coordination. Plus, they are a lot more fun than seated bicep curls!! :)

For more information see: www.crossfitconnect.co.uk


Dont hesitate to get in touch and see what CrossFit can do for you!

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Firebreathers and CrossFit Games Training Sessions


With the 2012 Crossfit Games qualifying WODs starting in 3 short months and the new London Games being held in February 2012, with their qualifying WODs starting mid-December, its time to start some serious training!

Some of you have now been training long enough to enter these competitions and we want to coach you to get there and represent CrossFit Connect!

As we are a fairly new box most of you havent yet had the chance to check out just what it means to CrossFit amongst 100's of other people and feel the electricity created by so many people throwing down WODs as hard as they can. Its what CrossFit is all about; the cameraderie, the spirit, the guts and the determination. It will push your own training to a whole new level as you strive to compete with the best there is. If you feel you need a focus to your training and something to work towards then this is it. Lets step it up!

Starting next week (the 23rd November) we will be running two classes a week for people who are interested in taking their training to the next level and competing at the CrossFit events next year. We believe we have a great standard of athlete at the box and some of you could do really well at these competitions if we put the time in now and train you correctly.

So, we are holding two competition standard or 'Firebreather' classes per week. They will be:

Wednesday @ 7pm - 8pm
Sunday @ 11am-12pm

These sessions will mean doing the WODs Rx'd and to strict competition form...no excuses! Yes, no reps will be called. :) We will be focussing mainly on WODs with some skill work thrown in when needed. Lifting will be done at the regular classes. Our focus will be on getting you to complete the WODs at the Rx'd weights/reps so no scaling will be done. If it takes you 30 minutes to complete Fran Rx'd then so be it. This will encourage you to lift heavier weights than perhaps you would in regular classes and get you used to training at the intensity needed.

Please talk to us about coming to these classes beforehand. Yes, they will be intense. Yes, you will need to be at a certain fitness level to get the most out of them. But, if you have the desire to compete we will do all we can to get you there.

We know this will provide a whole new reason for our members to train hard and have something to look forward to in the process. Its going to be a busy year next year in terms of competitions as CrossFit continues to grow and we look forward to being part of it with a strong team of athletes.

Let us know if you are keen and lets get this thing rolling. Its only about 4 weeks until the first of the qualifiers for the London Games so we have to get on it!

Also, if you know any friends who are already good level athletes and would be interested in training for the CrossFit competitions then send them our way or direct them to the blog.

Timetable Changes

Please note that some adjustments will be made to the timetable to reflect these new classes. Starting Wednesday 23rd November.

Wednesday evenings will now look like this:
6-7pm - WOD class
7-8pm - Firebreathers Class
8-9pm - WOD class

and Sundays will look like this:
10-11am - WOD class
11-12pm - Firebreathers class

As usual, any feedback you have for us over this is always much appreciated. Its hopefully going to be an exciting few months ahead!

Monday 7 November 2011

CrossFit and Rest Days - How Much Do You Need?



We have been open a good few months now and some of our early members have had a while to really get their teeth into CrossFit. It is about now that an interesting question arises.

If you train at this intensity, how much rest do you need?

Of course this is an impossible question to answer in one fell swoop as everyone is built differently and will have different needs when it comes to rest and recovery.

CrossFit HQ programme their training and recommend a 3 day on / 1 day off split. They have found that this training frequency and rest produces the best results and the recovery needed to be able to go at each WOD hard. Now i think personally for your average person this is a little too much. We work hard at the box and you will feel drained and achy afterwards. Trying to maintain the intensity over 3 days will be too hard for most people. Its fine if you have a very athletic background or are used to training a lot but for a large majority of our members at Connect this isn't the case.



For years i stuck to the very popular Mon, Wed and Fri training days with perhaps a lighter session on weekends and this worked really well for me. I found i got the recovery i needed as every training day was followed by a rest day and as well as the physical side of things i didn't get burnt out mentally either.

With CrossFit and now owning and being at the box everyday i find a 2 day on / 1 day off split much better. I can work really hard in the WODs or lifts for two days knowing that i have a rest day to look forward too on the 3rd. I then come back on the 4th raring to go again (well mostly!).

Rest days shouldn't be underestimated. You actually get stronger and fitter when you are NOT at the box. You do all the breaking down of muscle cells and raise your metabolism whilst you train but the muscles actually repair stronger and you carry on burning calories when you are resting. Get plenty of sleep and eat well on those rest days and your results will improve. Continuing to train wont get you any improvement if what you really need to do is repair.

CrossFit is tough. You will be lifting weights you never have before and asking your body to do work that you previously thought impossible. You need to be nice to your body and give it its rest. Reward it for squatting a new PB of 100kg or deadlifting 150kg! Overtraining can lead to injury and we all definitely want to avoid this.

As i mentioned a couple of paragraphs up, maintaining your mental intensity is just as important. Have a think about where you are right now with your training. Do you walk into the box and groan when you look at the whiteboard as just thinking about all that work makes you tired? Or do you walk in ready to take on the world and smash your previous records? Its definitely the latter that you want to be feeling and if its not, then perhaps you need to take a rest day or two. I can guarantee you that in two days or so you will be itching to get back to Connect and bang out a WOD! If you have been CrossFitting a while remember the enthusiasm you had when you first started CrossFit? How you wanted to try all the benchmark WODs, set all the scores, compare yourself to everyone else. This is what you have to maintain. And that can be very tough. We aren't just another place to pass an hour of your free time. We are a strength and conditioning facility that wants to see you get stronger, fitter and faster and become the best you can be. And that needs focus and determination. If you are tired and actually hurting (as opposed to a little ache!) those two things are going to be very hard to achieve.

So do a little planning. Play around with different frequencies, different days and different amounts of work/rest ratios. See what works for you. If you continue to improve in your lifts and your times then you are probably on the right track. If you find that you have gone stale, your lifts aren't improving and you have lost your enthusiasm then take a few days off. Three to four days off will really recharge the batteries. Of course, if you cant bear the thought of doing nothing then you can always come down to the Open Gym sessions and just play around with a few skills, practice things that you cant do yet or just stretch out. If you can only make the WOD class times due to work or such then just tell us you want to do your own thing when you turn up. 

I hope this helps and makes you think a little more about what works for you. We have a whole year of competitions to prepare you guys for next year (see the DWF section above!) and there is a hell of a lot of promise being shown at the box at the moment. Its this that we want to build on.

MB..If you would like to sign up for our newsletters and more articles like the above then please click below. We send out a regular monthly newsletter at the beginning of each month with news of our box and CrossFit in general.  SIGN UP HERE!

Friday 28 October 2011

The 100 Push Up Challenge


Thanks to one of our members Lorna and i believe the guys from Thames CrossFit a handful of us have entered into the 100 push up challenge.

This means 100 push ups to be completed every day for the next 100 days! Strating on Monday 24th October and ending on January 31st 2012. A total of, if my maths is correct.....10,000 push ups.

Why, you may ask? Well, why not? Its just that the more you get into CrossFit the more you realise that you keep agreeing to take on silly challenges just because they are presented to you and because you can! Are you going to be better for it? Well im sure you arent going to be any worse!

The push ups can be completed in any number across the day, just as long as you get 100 done at some point in the 24hrs. WODs count too.

We have a nice number of us starting off now:
Lorna, Dave, Holly, Nero, Steve, Matt, Oli, Jan, Rick , Purv, George and Adam so far. Any more takers????

If you start now you only have 500 to catch up on. Haha! It can be done.

Cant wait for the xmas day, boxing day and new years day ones!

Bring it on!

Wednesday 12 October 2011

September Paleo Challenge Results!



So our second 30-day paleo challenge in association with Plan P has come to an end and everybody has been weighed in and measured up!

And just like in June the results have been fantastic! A big well done to everyone that completed the 30-days. I think there may have been a few wobbles this time round if the talk in the box is to be listened too but the results are still plain to see!

A paleo diet and CrossFit training is a potent combination to melt away fat, increase muscle and leave you feeling faster, fitter, stronger and leaner.

Its been fantastic to watch our guys and girls improving so much with their lifts, their skills and their fitness over the last few months and to see the newcomers to the paleo diet taking to it and learning its principles is great. Myself and Holly are in this business to change peoples lives and i think the feeling you get when you complete the 30-day challenge is enough to convince you that what we keep blabbering on about is the truth! :)

Eating paleo is not an easy concept to get your head around initially as it cuts out a lot of things that most people have considered a staple part of their diet for all of their lives; potatoes, rice, pasta and bread. Just what are you meant to have with your meat and vegetables at dinner time? Or lunch without sandwiches? Are you crazy?!

However, it takes perhaps a week to 10 days for you to realise that you can live without those items and not long after that to fully feel the benefits of not having them in your diet. You have more energy and your energy levels are more balanced across the whole day without having the highs and lows associated with big sugar spikes. This is not to mention the longer term health benefits that a wheat and sugar free diet brings.


Okay so lets get down to it!

This time around we had 10 people complete the new Plan P guide. And here are the results:

Total weight lost:                   22.4kg
Total body fat % lost:            12% (on 6 participants)
Total waist inches reduced:    15.25
Total hip inches reduced:       10.75

(I dont want to give out individual results and names on the blog but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box.)

Another amazing result and a new batch of members feeling all the better because of it!

Averaging that out comes to 2.2kg and 2% body fat lost per person in 30 days which, if continued like that until Christmas, would mean a drop of 9kg and 8% body fat! Imagine how good you would be feeling about yourselves then! Of course, not everyone wants to lose that much weight. The remarkable thing about paleo is that you only lose the excess fat that you are carrying. The stuff you don't want. If you are eating adequate amounts of protein and calories you wont start losing precious muscle. That's not how it works. And I'm sure the vast majority of people could do with a 5-8% drop in body fat!


This was achieved at the same time of course that everyone saw good increases in their strength and fitness levels, a fact that is recorded in a personal diary of achievement that every member keeps and fills in after every session. We can see the exact progress you are making and importantly for you it acts as a great motivational tool. 

If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to really make a difference to your life.


http://www.crossfitconnect.co.uk
http://www.planp.co.uk
http://www.cavemansnacks.co.uk




Tuesday 11 October 2011

Olympic Lifting Series - Part 1 - The Snatch

The Snatch is probably the hardest lift to learn in all of CrossFit and indeed weight lifting. Its fast, explosive and needs a hell of a lot of cordination, balance and midline stability in order to keep that bar in the correct position overhead.

Sometimes when people come to the box they have no experience of the Olympic lifts and perhaps dont even know what they are. This video is intended for our members to recap what they have learnt in class and to watch in their own time to see just exactly what it is they are aiming for.


It is by no means a full instructional video of every teaching point but should be used as a reference guide after we have taught you at the box.


Always seek professional guidance when learning complicated movements such as the Olympic lifts. It will save you time in the long run and keep you from developing bad habits!



Part 1 - The Snatch



Thursday 29 September 2011

UK: Strength and Power Series Final 2011


This weekend is the UK: Strength and Power Series Final being held at the Beaverfit yard in Shropshire.Athletes from all over the country have been competing in a series of events over the year all leading up to this final event. Throughout the series there have been some amazing demonstrations of strength and determination from both the women and men.

Our very own Caveman Snacks will be at the event providing hot and tasty paleo food. We are very excited to be invited along to be part of the day!

CrossFit Reading are looking for one female competitor to join their team, so if you feel up to the challenge and you want a fun day out, get in contact with them a.s.a.p!!
Or come along and be part of, whats going to be a great day.

Wednesday 28 September 2011

Zen and CrossFit.

I came across a great passage of work the other day whilst reading and felt that while originally describing a dojo the script also perfectly and ingeniously captures the spirit of a CrossFit box in a better way than anything else I have ever read.

I have replaced the words 'dojo' or 'martial arts' for 'CrossFit' or 'box' four times. See if you agree with the relevance.

Adapted from the book 'Zen in the Martial Arts' by Joe Hyams.

'A CrossFit box is a miniature cosmos where we make contact with ourselves - our fears, anxieties, reactions and habits. It is an arena of confined conflict where we confront an opponent who is not an opponent but rather a partner engaged in helping us understand ourselves more fully. It is a place where we can learn a great deal in a short time about who we are and how we react in the world. The conflicts that take place inside a CrossFit box help us handle conflicts that take place outside. The total concentration and discipline required to study CrossFit carries over to daily life. The activity in the box calls on us to constantly attempt new things, so it is also a source of learning - in Zen terminology, a source of self-enlightenment.'






Monday 26 September 2011

Online Class Booking

I'm pleased to announce that we now have an online class booking system, live from today, for our members to book their classes up to 14 days in advance.



Using the popular MindBody software you now no longer need to text or call us to get booked in. Simply visit the CrossFit Connect class booking schedule and click away! We hope that this will make things easier for you to organise your training during the week.

Here are a few steps to get you started:


How to book in online:  Click HERE to visit our site.

1) Create a username and password for the site. After you have entered your first and last names under the 'New To Our Site' section you will be presented with a screen that says 'Find Account'. Click on the 'This Is Me' next to your name. If you are already a member of CrossFit Connect your name will appear here. By confirming your name, your log in details will be linked with your information already on our database and you will have the ability to book online. Not clicking on your name will result in a duplicate entry and you wont be allowed to book online.
2) Once logged in, browse to the  WOD Class or Open Gym you would like to book using the tabs at the top of the page.
3) Click on the 'Sign Up Now' button next to the class you would like to book.
4) A page will appear confirming the details of the class.
5) If you are a Monthly member click on 'Single Reservation' or 'Recurring Reservation' depending on your choice. (You can book up to 14 days in advance)
6) If you are a Drop-In member click on 'Register as Unpaid' to pay when you arrive.
7) A confirmation page will appear and an email will be sent to you to confirm the booking.
8) You can also confirm your schedule, attendance history and account settings under the 'My Info' tab.

Please visit the site, bookmark it and register now so you are able to book your classes for this week. We will still be using the book at the box this week as well to allow you time to get used to the new system. If you need any advice or want to be shown how to use the service please just let us know.

Here are a few more things to note:

 * Class sizes are limited to 10 people during the week and 12 at weekends.
 * The cut off time for booking into day/evening classes is 30 minutes prior to the start of the class and 10pm the previous evening for 7am classes.
 * If you do wish to book in after these times please text David & Holly to ensure space is available.
 * Please remember to cancel your booking if you no longer wish to attend the class as this will free up space for others.
 * Only members of CrossFit Connect can book in online. If you would like to become a member or book a  taster class with us then please get in touch using the 'Contact Us' tab at the top of the page or give us a call.
 * Open gym sessions can only be booked by those designated as advanced athletes. To qualify as an advanced athlete you should be comfortable and confident in your lifts and have the knowledge to train on your own. A coach will still be present to offer advice when needed.
 * Our retail shop and online membership payment options are in development and are coming soon.

You also have the option of booking your classes through our Facebook page using the 'Book Classes' link on the left hand menu bar.

We are also in the process of developing an online shop which will sell retail items such as t-shirts and hoodies and also allow you to set up membership payments. I'm hoping this side of the site will be up and running by November.

We would love to have your feedback on these new developments and hope that the new system proves easy to use.

Thanks

Team CFC

If any affiliates would like more information on the MindBody software and how it is helping drive many CrossFit boxes forward please drop us a line.



Sugar, Sugar, Sugar!

Hey all.

We are into the last week of our September Paleo Challenge and i hope you are all by now feeling fantastic and energised.

We've heard from a few of you that it took a bit of getting used to changing your diet in this way but this is completely normal. I'm also glad to say that those of you that were wobbling stuck with it after our advice and are now feeling the true benefits of a clean diet.

The challenge officially finishes next Sunday 2nd October so have a great week of super nutritious, clean eating and then we'll see what a change can be made in just 30-days when we take all your measurements again next week!

Make sure your food diaries are being filled in so you can see exactly how good you have been over the last four weeks (and so can we!!)

At the end of the challenge we will then follow up with a 'what to do next' post concerning how to go about maintaining your new diet and not slipping back into your old ways. Yes you can start introducing a few of the things you have really missed, but in moderation and not everyday! In fact, going back to eating how you were before will more than likely make you feel quite sick.

As a little bit of encouragement i thought you may find this of interest! When you see the sugar laid out like it is next to the products it truly is stunning how much sugar we ingest without thinking about it. Imagine your disgust (I would hope!! haha!) if someone asked you to eat 10 sugar cubes instead of having a can of Coke!! Crazy isn't it!


(The pictures can be found on the internet but i got the one below from here:
http://fitter-faster-stronger.blogspot.com/)


Have a good week and see you at the box.


Tuesday 20 September 2011

Welcome to Fran!

We put our guys and gals through what is perhaps the most famous CrossFit workout of all yesterday:

FRAN
21-15-9
Thrusters (42.5kg/30kg)
Pull ups

In fact, scrap that. Its definitely the most famous CrossFit workout there is! If you are a CrossFitter and meet a fellow CrossFitter before long the question will be asked, "Whats your Fran time?" Its like a badge of honour, a quick test. Exactly how fit are you?!

Fran, despite being one of the shorter benchmark workouts in the CrossFit repertoire, is just brutal. It takes you through some of the biggest range of motions the human body can go through in the Thrusters before making you shift your own bodyweight up over a bar a beautiful 45 times! It takes it out of you like nothing else and leaves you feeling completely worked over despite taking less than 10 minutes (and often less than 5 mins).

Of course you may have to scale it accordingly first if you cant quite manage the Rx'd weight or havent quite got that many pull ups yet. Even still, to be able to complete Fran Rx'd (or As Prescribed) should be a good goal of most every CrossFitter. Just to see what it feels like. Oh, and in the process you might just become very fit.

It is the workout that got me addicted to CrossFit as my goal was to keep lowering my time as much as i could. In fact that still is one of my goals! I started at 7mins 30s am now down to 3mins 54s and would like to get sub-3 mins if im honest. We'll see. Oh and just so that you all have hope, thats taken me 18 months to improve that time. These things dont happen overnight!

For a brief history of Fran i'll leave it to Greg Glassman, CrossFit co-founder to explain how and why it came about:



So yesterday was the second time since CrossFit Connect has been open that we programmed in Fran. A few had done it before but for most it was the first experience.
We scaled it to suit everybody including ring rows and sand filled pipes for those very new to CrossFit and held back on the weights even for those who have been coming a while. To do Fran with 42.5kg Thrusters takes a hell of a lot of practice, midline strength and flexibility.

We saw some great results with those repeating it knocking good chunks of time off their previous best and a few managing to do it rx'd whereas previously they had used scaled weights or pull up bands. It was great to see.

We'll give the good lady a rest for a while now but she'll be back soon to see how everyone is progressing.



Until next time.......


Thursday 8 September 2011

6 Common CrossFit Questions

Check out this great post from CrossFit Pittsburgh about 6 common CrossFit myths.

Click below for a link to their blog:
http://if-fit.com/crossfit-blog/6-myths-of-crossfit/



Or I've re-posted it below:
(Written by Jim Crowell of Integrated Fitness)


6 Myths of Crossfit Explained
Crossfit is an evolving fitness idea that is beginning to catch fire across the world.  For those of you who haven’t heard of Crossfit it is an intense type of fitness regimen that has affiliate gyms all across the world.  The program is designed to get you in the best overall shape possible.
You will see different workouts everyday and you will challenge yourself greatly, but the prize is weight loss, fat loss, muscle gain, and confidence through achievement.  Of course with an idea that is somewhat extreme like Crossfit there are plenty of naysayers and myths about it that are out there.
Here are 6 “myths” that I hear all of the time about Crossfit.  I will be objective and present very real facts and unbiased opinions.  I also want to be clear that I am speaking about the experiences that I have had in our gym.  I always recommend that you do your research and feel comfortable with the gym that you go to.  It is important that your coaches have your short and long term interests in mind with their training program.  Here are the myths:
1. Crossfit isn’t for beginning athletes or people who haven’t worked out beforeFALSE:
We have people who have come in with zero workout experience that have turned into wonderful additions to our gym.
Some people with no experience have tried it and either didn’t like it or weren’t willing to work hard so they didn’t last.  But, those people who want to change their life and are willing to work hard can try Crossfit and end up loving it
2. Crossfit isn’t designed for womenFALSE :
We have more women in our Crossfit program than we do men.
While the workouts are hard and we use free weights I have found that many women embrace the training because they feel stronger, more confident, and they understand that it is necessary to use resistance to change their body’s makeup for the better.
I have also found that women love being on the clock in a competitive setting.  While it doesn’t matter who wins a workout, the environment is wonderful to push yourself and our women love it
3. Crossfit is going to make me too muscular (typically from a female perspective)FALSE: 
There has been a great deal of research done on what types of workout programs do what to your body.
There is a very good reason why many bodybuilders do slow sets of about 12-15 reps of a lift and then take time in between.  That type of lifting is designed to “hypertrophy” the muscles.  In other words, it is designed to make muscles bigger and more defined.  Crossfit lifting regimens are designed to be very high intensity and very diverse.
This type of training is great for weight loss and toning.  If you decide that Crossfit is a sport that you want to compete in then you may decide to increase your training, your lifting weights, and your set counts, but until then there are no ladies in our program that are overly muscular
4. Crossfit will make you tight and inflexible: FALSE: 
Speaking from my own personal perspective, I am more flexible today than I was before I did Crossfit.  The reason that people get more flexible is because we always do a dynamic warm up which gets your blood flowing and sends your muscles through ranges of motion.
A great deal of research has been done regarding flexibility and it has been shown that dynamic stretching is far superior to static stretching for most athletes.
At the end of a workout we will do a bit of static stretching, but the dynamic warm up coupled with exercises that force you to become more flexible help make our athletes more flexible, not less
5. Crossfit can’t help you with your other sports such as marathon running:FALSE: 
I have had many 5k, 10k, ½ marathoners, full marathoners come into the gym looking to run better.
Most of them come in because their bodies can’t handle the extreme mileage that they are putting their bodies through.  In every case thus far we have been able to cut time off of their runs, typically cutting a great deal of time off.  Now, in fairness, I have done a great deal of research into the biomechanics of proper running form and I work with some of my runners on their technique.  But, Crossfit is a wonderful way to supplement your training runs.
Not only do you train your aerobic threshold with challenging workouts, you train all of your important running muscles.  We train every piece of your core (low abs, obliques, low back, glutes, thighs), we train smaller muscles such as your calves and shoulders (front and back), and we train your explosiveness.
Many runners simply go out and run because they believe that that will make them faster.  In the beginning that works but then to increase intensity you have to run farther and farther and faster and faster.  It is very difficult on your body to run that far.  A far better strategy is to train all of the muscles in your body, train your technique, and train your speed (not by running) so that when you go out and run you can be more efficient and more comfortable.  It works
6. All CrossFits Are The Same: FALSE: 
Because CrossFit is such a broad way of working out there major differences from box to box. For example some gyms focus more on running and CrossFit Endurance.
Other CrossFit gyms may focus more on powerlifting and West Side Barbell Techniques. Most CrossFit Boxes are somewhat in the middle and focus primarily on Workouts Of the Day (also known as WODS).
The best thing you can do is find a box where you feel you fit in and get a great workout.
Of course I hear other questions about Crossfit all of the time but I hear these questions all of the time and I wanted to address them specifically.  If properly structured Crossfit is an excellent tool to get you fit.
By Jim Crowell


With 2012 almost upon us now is a great time to discover what CrossFit is all about. Come down to Connect for a friendly chat or a taster class and see why everyone is going to be talking about CrossFit in 2012. Seriously, the UK CrossFit scene is about to get huge!


Our first Intro Course of the year is on Sunday 8th January 12-3pm. Get in touch and book your place now.


info@crossfitconnect.co.uk

Class Changes This Weekend.

Hey all

Due to the very imminent wedding of CrossFit Connect co-owners Holly and Barney tomorrow we have changed the class schedule just a little bit to accommodate the sure-to-be-partying!!

There will be:

No Friday lunchtime class 9th Sept
One WOD class on at 11am Saturday 10th - No Oly/Gymnastics class
One WOD class on at 11am on Sunday 11th.

Hope to see some of you at the party/picnic/knees up on Saturday!

Thanks

Sunday 28 August 2011

September Paleo Challenge

So there are 5 days to go to sign up for our September Paleo challenge. We have a whole stack of people on board this time to try to 'go Paleo' for 30-days and see what great results they can achieve.

Do you want to drop body fat? Check.
Do you want to drop inches off your waist? Check
Do you want to drop your weight by as much as 5kgs? Check
Do you want to improve your strength, fitness and speed? Check

Do you want all of this in just 30-days with a simple eating plan and some good old fashioned hard work at CrossFit Connect? You bet you do!

Okay, so I'm not telling you its going to be easy or that we do all of this for you. You have to WANT to make the change and you have to actually WANT to make this happen.
We as coaches are here to guide you, motivate you and teach you how to become fitter, faster and stronger. CrossFit changes peoples lives. You just have to make that decision to try it and you wont look back.



Results from our June challenge amazed the people who took part. Here's a section of an earlier post from the first challenge:

Ten of our members completed the challenge and i have to say they are very happy with the outcome. Plan P included a detailed meal plan drawn up by our 3 AA rosette winning chef, a food diary, a carefully structured training programme of lifting and WODs (workout of the day) and full support via email and phone. We didn't allow them any cheat days so that they could feel the true benefits of being 100% 'clean' and most of them trained at least three times a week down at the box.

The measurements we took were:
Weight (Kgs)
Body Fat % (as a total)
Body Fat % (as a score in four areas of the body; biceps, triceps, hips and shoulder)
Waist in Inches
Hips in Inches

So what happened and how did they feel?

Between them they lost 27.8kg in weight (approx 4.4 stone), 19.4% body fat and 15 inches around their waists!
(I dont want to give out individual results and names over the internet but if you would like more exact details then they will be available down at the box. Also, the 15in waist measurement total was only between 7 people not 10!)


Not bad eh? And this includes a few people who weren't looking to actually lose much weight but to just lean up around the mid-section. The before and after photos we took showed great differences and we kept having to remind ourselves that this was in fact only a 30-day challenge and not longer. Imagine 30 days from now being over half a stone lighter and having 5% less body fat around your mid-section? You'd take that wouldn't you?

I should also tell you that we saw some amazing increases in strength during that time as well proving that you can indeed get stronger and lose weight at the same time. One Deadlift went from 140kg to 170kg and one Shoulder Press from 32.5kg to 50kg.

CrossFit and Paleo are a potent combination.



We have packages for existing members and new members alike.


Members entry is £15.


For new members the package is outlined below:
~30-day Plan P guide including detailed meal plans, food diary, shopping lists and exercise guide.
~Personal two hour Intro course at CrossFit Connect.
~One months membership at CrossFit Connect.
~Full health check and measurement assessment at beginning and end.

Cost = £150


If you would like to know more about the next Plan P challenge, CrossFit or simply want to see the place where our members are seeing so much success then give us a call, drop us a line or come down to the box and say 'hi'. We are a friendly, community driven gym where top quality coaching and nutrition advice are combined to get you into the best shape of your life. 



We will be taking starting measurements from this Wednesday 31st August until Saturday 3rd September when the challenge starts. Paleo books with food guide, menu plans and food diaries will be available from Saturday 3rd from the box.


If you have any other questions don't hesitate to drop us an email. Also see our facebook page at:
http://tinyurl.com/3rk5x39 for updates.


I would wish you good luck but you dont need it!
If you sign up, follow what we say and train hard the results will speak for themselves. 
Come and find out about the buzz thats being generated by one of the best gyms in Brighton and Hove . We produce results. Full stop.


Take care