Good showing for the Sunday class.  Everyone was amped up and got down with a great class that involved high skill movements and a highly draining, but still fun, WOD.

Skill

Pistols

WOD

12 minute AMRAP

7 kettlebell swings

7 toes to bar

14 squats

Post rounds to comments

Pistol progressions

Balance, flexibility, strength…we develop all of them.

Swingers

On to the toes to bar

“Ladies, please remain seated.  We’ll clean up.”

Already becoming a big part of our community, new members Phil and Ginger donated these new massage rolling sticks to the gym.  Be sure to give them a big thanks when you see them.

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The Saturday crew came out in full force, bringing friends and family to join in the fun.  And I use the word ‘fun’ because who doesn’t love burpee box jumps?

Skill

Windmills and Turkish Get-Ups

WOD

3 rounds of:

10 deadlifts (135#/95#)

10 burpee box jumps

then run 800 meters,

the 3 more rounds of:

10 deadlifts

10 burpee box jumps

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“Put the kettlebell down, place your hands on your head, squat down, and slowly walk toward me.”  Said Officer Fran.

Left to right, Phil, Paul, and Christian deadlifting.

Post workout.  The ladies look fine.  The fellas, not so much.

Another great workout with awesome people at CrossFit Merge.

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First off, read this great post from CrossFit Delaware Valley.  It’s terrific advice for those both new and old to CrossFit.

10 Tips for Success for the CrossFit Newbie

On Friday we spent a good amount of time improving the mechanics of the squat.  It was important to hammer home the fundamentals of the squat as we progressed to the more difficult front squat, and finally, the even more demanding overhead squat.

A small flaw in the squat will be brutally exposed in the overhead squat.  Crawl, walk, and then run.

Skill

Air squat review

Front squat

Overhead squat

WOD

3 rounds of:

Run to the corner

21 overhead squats (95#/65#)

21 clapping push-ups

Run to the corner

15 overhead squats

15 clapping push-ups

Run to the corner

9 overhead squats

9 clapping push-ups

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A little rage ball to warm-up.

Shants used to struggle overhead squatting the PVC pipe.  But his discipline and consistency is getting him fitter with every visit.

And to track our progress, we record it all.

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“There is plenty of time within an hour session to warm up, practice a basic movement or skill or pursue a new PR or max lift, discuss and critique the athletes efforts, and then pound out a tight little couplet or triplet utilizing these skills or just play.”

–Coach Greg Glassman, CrossFit Founder

No need to spend endless and mind-numbing hours in the gym or on an elliptical, we got in a full session with a little bit of strength training, some ketttlebell skills, and a “tight little triplet” to round it out.

Skill

Deadlift

5 – 5 – 3 – 3

WOD

5 rounds of:

Suicide run

10 ring dips

20 sit-ups

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Sal deadlifting as if it were a functional and natural movement for the body.  Who knew?

Paul with an easy 315# deadlift for a triple.

Outstanding!

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Check out the difference in the squat in the photo.  The top photo shows a squat with the knees caving in.  The bottom photo shows a much better squat with the knees shoved out in line with the toes.  The difference comes down to adductors.  Weak adductors will pull the knees inward during the squat.

How to fix it you ask?  Well it’s not with isolation exercises “targeting” your inner thighs.  The fix is more squats where you consciously and diligently shove the knees out on every single rep.  If you’re squatting with weight and the knees come in, lower the weight and try again to shove the knees out.  Get used to the position and the feel of that squat.  You will soon find it easier to get to the bottom.  So get your squats on!

Skill

Medicine ball clean

WOD

7 rounds of:

7 medicine ball cleans

10 jumping pull-ups

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Short but effective WOD to balance out yesterday’s longer and heavier WOD.  Constantly varied and never the same here at CrossFit Merge.

Sash pulling his body quickly under that weight.  Speed, power, agility…all are essential in CrossFit.

New members Ryan and Andie set a blistering pace and finished within 1 second of each other.  But no worries, there wasn’t any bitterness or anything.

Sash was either resting at the end of the WOD or looking for a lost contact lens.

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Here are a couple questions for you:

What’s running through your head the last few seconds before the start of the WOD?

What’s your first thought when you finish the WOD?

Skills

Jump rope and double under practice

Kettlebell swing

Sumo deadlift high pull (sdlhp)

WOD

15 minute AMRAP

6 sdlhp (95#)

9 kettlebell swings (53#)

12 box jumps (24″)

Post rounds to comments

The morning crew wasting no time.

Sash demonstrating picture perfect form on his swing.

Todd and his wife Cindy going rep for rep during the box jumps.

Post workout relief, daze, or whatever.

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Courtesy of CrossFit Lisbeth

5 Reasons I Should Be Doing P90X instead of CrossFit:

1.) It’s a cheaper program.

2.) I would do it all alone.

3.) When I fail, no one would know and I could just carry on like I was never really trying anyhow.

4.) I would be working out in my living room.

5.) It’s “risk-free for 90 days!”

5 Reasons Why I Should Not Be Doing P90X Instead of CrossFit

1.) It’s a cheaper program.

2.) I would do it all alone.

3.) When I fail, no one would know and I could just carry on like I was never really trying anyhow.

4.) I would be working out in my living room.

5.) It’s “risk-free for 90 days!”

Thoughts?

Skill

Push Press

5 – 3 – 1

WOD

Jackie (a CrossFit Benchmark girl workout)

Row 1000 meters

50 thrusters

30 pull-ups

Post times of comments

Paul getting full lockout on this thrusters as well gym’s fastest time.

Everyone working hard and finding that good stuff called intensity.

Can’t yet do pull-ups?  We have scaling options so everyone can jump in and workout at CrossFit Merge in Glendale.

Here’s an interesting little video about the sport of weightlifting.  Not lifting weights, which is what you see people doing in front of mirrors at most commercial gym, but rather weightlifting.  The sport evolved into the two lifts that make up the sport today, the snatch and clean and jerk.  These lifts are unmatched in their development of speed and power, and are very much a part of what we do in CrossFit.

Skill

Max height box jump

WOD

Run to the end of the block, then 5 rounds of:

20 wall ball shots

10 push-ups

finish with another run to the end of the block

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Kenny building up for a max height box jump.

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The CrossFit workout affectionately named Helen, 3 rounds of run 400 meters, 21 kettlebell swings, and 12 pull-ups, is pretty awful.

For me, I try to relax and “catch” my breath at least a little on the run portion because there isn’t much thinking involved.  You just run.  Well how about instead of running, you do double unders, two passes of the rope for every one jump.  This requires much more concentration and focus.

Skill

Press

5×1 (5 sets by 1 rep at the same weight)

WOD

3 rounds for time of:

50 double unders

21 kettlebell swings (53#/35#)

12 pull-ups

Post times to comments

Everyone dug deep and brought the intensity, that’s where the earned results are.  Outstanding effort!

If you’re looking for a new kind of workout, where routine is the enemy, then check out CrossFit Merge in Glendale!

Paul shows us his picture perfect kettlebell swing.

Shantanu getting full range of motion pull-ups with a little band assistance.

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