Weekly Challenges

Down here at CrossFit Connect we post up a weekly challenge that everyone can attempt at some point during the week in order to post a score. You are allowed as many attempts as possible in order to post your best score.

There are no prizes involved, just the pure excitement of beating your fellow CrossFitters to the top spot!!

Here are the first couple of of challenges (see our Facebook page for updates):

Quickest 1 mile run

Maximum number of traverses of our Monkey Bars

And up this week we have:

The Kettlebell Crucifix! The name alone should have you wanting to try  it!

This challenge runs out on Sunday 26th June so come on down to the box and post your score.

Check out www.crossfitconnect.co.uk for more info on us, CrossFit and what we do that makes us different down at Connect. :)

Why the Olympic lifts?

So what's the difference between going to the gym and doing your standard resistance training session of bicep curls and tricep extensions for arms, pec flyes and lateral raises for chest and back or using the leg press machine and calf raises for the leg, compared with perfecting the technique and becoming strong in the two major olympic lifts, the clean and jerk and the snatch?

Well here are five major benefits to O lifting that resistance training will not give you.

1. The risk of injury is low in O lifting compared to resistance training.

2. The lifts involve every muscle in the human body including the small stabilizer muscles, so it's not only an effective training method but also cuts down on the amount of time needed for training.

3. The movement patterns and the effect they have on the body helps greatly to develop athletic ability and transfers to numerous other sports as they develop speed and explosive power.

4. They help to develop strong healthy bones that are resistant to fracture as well as helping to prevent Osteoporosis.

5. Finally, lifting can be an enjoyable experience especially as you achieve new personal bests and your technique improves.

http://www.owresource.com/lifts/benefits.php

My own experience of lifting has been a very interesting and rewarding journey so far. I have achieved things I never thought possible. Standing on a podium wearing a gold medal, holding up my country's flag whilst the national anthem played was a proud moment for me!!

To be honest, being able to pass these skills on to other people is the best part of my experience. Everybody has the ability to learn and benefit from Olympic lifting. Every lifter is an individual, learning and developing in different ways, what works for one lifter doesn't always work for another. Whatever level you are at, beginner to elite, finding the most efficient way to get a barbell from ground to overhead is your goal and the benefits speak for themselves.Helping someone achieve that goal is the most rewarding thing of all!

WOD Class at the Beach

Saturday 11th June 2011

Making the most of our waterside location and the beautiful sunshine this morning we took the class to the beach for an outing!

On the agenda was:

10 x 20m beach sprints up hill.
(First five with rest, second five as fast as possible)

Then 10 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of:
10 x fence bounds
2 x 10m shuttle runs
10 x press ups

 

It was great to get outside and play around on the beach. Gotta make the most of the sun when it appears!

We have an Intro course running tomorrow at the box from 10am - 1pm (Sunday 12th June). Get in touch if you want to join in the fun or just want to know more.

Great CrossFit/Paleo blog

Take a look at this blog for a great read on what it means to do CrossFit and follow a 30-day Paleo challenge.

Joe is one of our members who has been CrossFitting for a while now and he talks about what differences he has seen and how it has made him feel. There are some great photos in there too.

He also is going to cover the next 30-days of his Paleo challenge and there is lots of good information about what to eat, what not to eat and why.

http://jodyblogs.blogspot.com/


Thanks Joe! :)

New Class on Tuesdays at 7pm

Hey all

We are putting a new class on the timetable.
Tuesdays @ 7-8pm - Skill development class


This is going to be geared towards achieving the 'goals' that you have written up on the whiteboard. Its not always possible during a WOD class to work on your own important and specific skill sets and so we feel this will help all of you get to those all important goals quicker.

It doesnt matter if everyones goal is different, we will give you all specific drills and exercises to perform at your own pace through the course of the session. You can train and practice in the safe knowledge that there will not be a gut busting WOD to come!

Individual attention will be given by the coaches but it will be more of a relaxed affair for you to play around with the things you think need the most work.

We want to see all of you achieve your goals and will do anything we can to help you get there.

Have a great weekend!

Busy Weekend! - 4/5th June

So we have lots going on at the box this weekend and i think its going to be beautifully hot to go with it so all is good!

Saturday
8am-10am - Intro course
10am -11am - WOD class
11am - 12pm - Gymnastics / Olympic Lifting Class
12.30pm - 1.30pm - 30 Day Paleo Challenge talk / sign up (for more info on this see the posts below)

Sunday
10am - 11am - FREE taster class for those interested in seeing what it is we do at the box, how CrossFit varies from other types of training and an opportunity to see the facilities and ask us questions. Please drop us a line if you or anyone you know would like to attend.

Enjoy the sunshine!

30-Day Paleo Challenge...more info

Hey all. Here is some more info for the challenge which starts on Monday 6th June:

* There will be a nutrition talk from Barnaby our resident Paleo chef this coming Saturday 4th June after classes at approx 12.30pm. This should last around one hour and we will be able to answer any questions you may have about what to eat and what not to eat. We might even rustle up a few tasty treats for you to try! Attendence at this is not required for you to enter the challenge but it will give you a good idea of what to expect, why its so beneficial and the right and wrong foods to go shopping for!

* You will need to take before and after photos to be eligible for the prizes. For men this will require shirts off and for ladies bikini tops. We can take these for you at the box or submit a suitable one yourself. We will keep these confidential unless you agree otherwise and want people to see the remarkable transformation that has happened to you! :) You can by all means still enter the challenge even if you dont submit a photo, its just that you will not be eligible to win any prizes.

* You will receive a PlanP guide to Paleo nutrition which will include a two-week full meal plan devised by Barney (did we mention he's a 3 AA Rosette winning chef?!), a comprehensive shopping list of things to look out for and things to avoid and a food diary in which to record your progress. We will encourage all of you to keep this food diary properly as an incomplete diary = no prizes!!

* You will get your weight, blood pressure and measurements taken on entry and at the end of the challenge for comparison and so everyone is using the same set of devices.

* The three coaches (Dave, Holly and Barney) will be at your beck and call day and night (okay, so thats going a bit far...just day!) to help you with any questions you have about what to eat and what not to eat. Just drop us an email or question us at the box. We will keep you on track.

* The prizes will be awarded to the male and female that we feel has made the biggest transformation over the 30-day period. This will include things such as the photo, the measurements, how detailed your diary is, how often you have trained and how much your strength and fitness levels have progressed (so training diary essential too!). It isnt just about the look of the photo its about attitude and dedication to the challenge at hand. Our decision is final and we will not accept any bribes........ ;)

* Entry is for friends and family too so even if they are not members of the box they can still enter. Feel free to tell anyone you know about it, post it on facebook etc. The more the merrier!

* Entry fee is £10 and you need to be signed up by  8pm on Thursday 2nd June. Please drop us an email at info@crossfitconnect.co.uk to register if you havent done so already. Payment can be made to us either in cash when you are at the box or as a bank transfer (details on request).

So good luck everyone, get in touch if you are ineterested and hopefully see most of you on Saturday.