CrossFit Chicago

TODAY OPEN GYM ONLY 7am-12pm
TOMORROW OPEN GYM ONLY 11am-2pm

Remember when it was warm out?

3 Rounds of:
A1 – Back Squat bodyweight x 10 (60 second rest)
A2 – Strict Pull-up x 10 (60 second rest)
A3 – Push-up x 20 (60 second rest)

For time, 21-15-9 reps of: (8 min cap)
Pull-ups
Burpees

Post – 3 x 15 back extensions

My CrossFit Story… So Far
-Tom Windish

I began Crossfit in July 2008 after my sister harassed me for 6 months to try it out. It turned out to be the biggest and best lifestyle change of my life.

In high school, I played soccer and downhill skied competitively. I did neither of these very well. In college I did nothing, smoked cigarettes and ate terribly. I smoked for close to 7 years. I started going to the YMCA and used the elliptical machine. Then I met with a trainer and started to use “machines”. Thankfully I quit smoking when I realized the small gains I was seeing were useless if I was a smoker. Inspired, I started spinning classes and I was really passionate about them. For the next roughly ten years I took spinning and met with trainers once in a while. I didn’t eat “good” food and oddly what I ate was never mentioned in my meetings with trainers. Finally I discovered Crossfit.

I remember Rudy asking me to do as many pullups as possible and being very impressed with myself for doing seven. I remember the baseline and thinking it wasn’t that bad. Then I remember coming in to the box often and completed the wod’s as best as I could. My strength improved, my metcon improved, my body started changing. I had more energy, I felt good. Rudy told me about the Zone and I did this. My gains increased and I felt even better.

Fast forward two years to today. Crossfit has changed my life. Most importantly, it has given me a sense of strength and confidence that I never had in life before because I AM strong, I’m the strongest I’ve ever been. It has impacted all areas of my life. My mood is better, I sleep better, I am more focused.

I do have setbacks and they are something that people who have done Crossfit for a long time will have to address. For me it is harder to hit PR’s and to maintain that excitement that I originally had when I was hitting PR’s all the time. Gains are very small now and I have fallen back in some areas. I plan to change this. For me, travel throws a big wrench into my workout schedule, especially lifting. I was very inspired by Peter’s article about traveling and WODs, he had some very good ideas (though the TSA took my jump rope). I need to remind myself to be “constantly varied” too and to get out of the box more often and push myself without a WOD or a barbell in front of me. Being paleo for almost two years is interesting. Discipline is my biggest personal challenge and something I am focusing on more than ever.

For the next 4 months, I’ll be living in Los Angeles. I won’t be traveling much. I plan to Crossfit often, run, surf, etc. I plan to be strictly disciplined with my diet. I want to come back to Chicago in the late Spring ready to hit a lot of running races, hopefully more inter-box Crossfit workouts, and ideally some team adventure races too.

Rest Day or http://mobilitywod.blogspot.com/

Chorizo-Stuffed, Bacon-Wrapped Dates

Makes about 22 pieces

I thought this would be a good recipe for those looking for paleo-friendly appetizers this New Year’s Eve. Enjoy!

1 pound package medjool dates

4 ounces Spanish chorizo

11 slices bacon, cut in half
Preheat oven to 400F.
Remove casing from the chorizo and cut into bite-sized pieces. Slice open the dates and remove the pits. Stuff each date with a piece of chorizo. Wrap each stuffed date with ½ slice of bacon. Place bacon-wrapped dates on a baking sheet and bake until bacon is cooked through (approx. 20 minutes). You may want to turn dates halfway through baking to ensure even cooking of the bacon.

A whole lot of lulu going on.

BB Weighted Step-up 5-5-5/leg

4 x 1K Row (rest 5 min)
10 burpee penalty for every row more than 10 second deviation from fastest.

Post – 40 Ring Rows

My CrossFit Story
-Alison Jones

I always find it interesting to hear other member’s CrossFit stories. That is, how people got involved with CrossFit; how it has changed their lives; and the evolution of where they began to where they are today.

Here is my story. Growing up, I dabbled with many different sports and ended up finding my passion in swimming. I was a competitive swimmer for about 8 years and eventually quit when I decided I wanted a social life. After quitting swimming I would occasionally “workout” at a globo gym genreally using the elliptical for about 45 minutes and sometimes “strength training” with some 5 pound dumbbells. As many of you can relate, this bored me to death. This is when I decided that I needed some motivation. Enter into the picture: Rudy.

I was what some people call “skinny fat”. I looked healthy but had absolutely NO muscle. I could not squat to parallel. I could barely lift 20# above my head. And I could definitely not run a mile without stopping multiple times. To top it off, doing like 20 squats would make me so sore that I couldn’t work out for days at a time.

After a few sessions of squats, 5 pound weighted step-ups (on like a 12” inch box), and other movements for someone muscle challenged like myself, I joined Rudy’s boot camp. This was held outside 2x per week and incorporated body weight CrossFit-like workouts. I slowly began to gain metabolic conditioning. Around the same time that I “graduated” from bootcamp, Rudy was opening up CrossFit Chicago formerly known as Chicago Iron Sports. I asked him about it and he said it was “some hard core crazy type of workout stuff”. Well, of course, being the adventurous person I am, I decided to try it out.

A lot of people think I have a gymnastics background. I definitely do not. When I first started CrossFit I was doing jumping pull-ups, squats with a med ball (since I couldn’t squat to parallel), using the 20# bar for all Oly lifts (which I butchered in the technique department), and running a mile in around 12 minutes. I had no idea what a snatch, clean and jerk, thruster, or kipping pullup was, and I definitely had never lifted anything over 20# in my entire life.

CrossFit has changed my life. Period. As I reflect back upon my CrossFit journey I have so many amazing memories: my first kipping pullup, meeting so many amazing and inpiring people, the CrossFit Games in Aromas, CA, ice baths, falling off the pull-up bar, going from being a Vegan to a meat eater, CFC Socials, deadlifting 280#, the Oz Park WOD, the infamous Francy workout, competing at Sectionals, competing at Regionals, my first muscle-up, learning to take failures and turn them in successes, and meeting Randy at the CFC bowling social. That’s right, for those of you that don’t know, Randy and I met through CrossFit. That being said, I am in the best shape of my life. I am now physically and mentally stronger than ever. So that’s my story. The next time you’re at CrossFit. Ask someone their story. The great thing about CrossFit is the community. I like to tell people, it’s not just a place to workout, it’s a place to meet great friends (and perhaps your future husband :-) ).

What’s your story?

Chapstick a much needed accessory for the winter season.

Snatch Balance 3-3-2-2-1-1

“DT”
5 Rounds for time of: (15 min cap)
12 Deadlift (155/100 or 60% of 1RM Clean)
9 Hang Power Clean
6 Push Jerk

Compare to 12Sep09.

Post – 100 Sit-ups

Halloween Costume Winners!
-Jonny Vu

After nearly 2 months of rousing debates and posturing, we’re proud to announce our Halloween Costume Winners:

Most Original – Not only is Rae Rae our August Member of the Month, but she makes a great Kelly Kapowski. She went all out with the old school brick cellular phone, denim jacket, and rocking 90s hair. An honorable mention to another Member of the Month, Clark Kent aka JohnK.

Best CrossFit Inspired – This was probably the toughest category for the judges. Do we go with a woman dressed up as a man or a man dressed up as a woman? We we’re splitting hairs at the end of it, but ultimately decided that Skins > Libby. Congrats to winner Erin “Skins 2″ O for edging out Dave “Libby” B.

Best Group Costume – When you bring 7 girls dressed head to toe in yellow and are instantly recognizable from TV, you win the Best Group Costume award hands down. Congrats to SaraC aka “Tuesday” for impressing the judges as the NuvaRing girls. An honorable mention to CameyI and her friends for being characters from Alice in Wonderland.

Best Individual Costume – BenW impressed the judges with his costume. It was creative, original, and just a solid costume through and through. Runner up goes to BillyQ for his nostalgic and cheeseburger inspired Big Boy costume. It was quite impressive he carried around a cheeseburger on a silver platter.

To all of our winners, please email Jonny@CrossFitChicago.com for your prize.

ErinA on some pull-ups!

Press 5-5-5

For Time: (25 min cap)
20 Handstand Push-ups
40 Pull-ups
60 Wall Balls (20/14)
80 Double-unders
10 Handstand Push-ups
20 Pull-ups
30 Wall Balls
40 Double-Unders
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 Pull-ups
15 Wall Balls
20 Double-Unders

Post – Ring Push-up 4 x AMRAP (60 seconds rest)

Hey CFC guys and gals, We would love to update our testimonials page with new and current members testimonials. Please email them to me rudy@crossfitchicago.com

Emily Yates’ Testimonal.

Growing up and even through college I was always part of various athletic teams. I played field hockey, soccer, softball, basketball and tennis. Throughout those years I worked out hard on my own, with my teammates, and with many different personal trainers. However, it was not until Crossfit that I learned what pushing myself both physically and mentally truly meant. The workouts in Crossfit were short yet grueling and proved to me that my body was capable of doing so much more then I had ever imagined. The improvements I saw in my physical strength and my physique were impressive and motivating. After only a couple of months of training at Crossfit Chicago I was able to lift more weight than I had ever expected, and could complete exercises that I had never been able to do, even in elementary school. One of my proudest moments while being a part of Crossfit was when I completed my first EVER unassisted pull up! This was something that sense childhood I had always wanted to be able to do, but never had the upper body strength to pull myself up above the bar. After that pull the entire gym erupted with cheers and applauds.
It is not only the physical benefits of Crossfit that make me appreciate being part of Chicago Crossfit, but it is the community that I had become a part of that truly made the experience so special. Never before had I been supported and encouraged the way I am when I am working out at the box. The coaches and members help to push you to become the best you that you can be. Every person in the gym is invested in helping you to reach your goals. After completing a workout at Crossfit Chicago I always leave the box feeling like I have accomplished something great and that I am a champion!

Bryce coaching the crew.

Rest Day or 5 rounds of: 5 min on 2 min off of: Your choice of cardio.

Today OPEN GYM ONLY 2pm-4pm

(Picture Courtesy of CrossFit.com)

Rest Day or 30 min of cardio work of your choice
Find a piece of equipment and get moving!

Today OPEN GYM ONLY 10am-1pm
Tomorrow OPEN GYM ONLY 2pm-4pm

Melissa on some box jumps.

Rest Day or

20 min AMRAP of:
10 Push-ups
20 Squats
100 Single-unders

T’was the night before Christmas
-Eileen Craddock Richardson

T’was the night before Christmas

and all through the box,

not a member was moving

not even the clocks.

The jump ropes were hung

by the weight racks with care.

The wall balls all shelved

a scene which was rare.

The coaches were nestled

all snug in their beds,

while visions of non-paleo

danced in their heads.

The prints in the dust from the

new fallen chalk,

was hinting at mischief

from one who can’t talk.

The door had been locked up

the music turned off,

the silence was deafening

not even a Fran cough.

The moon light it shown through

the skylight so bright.

It lit up the room,

turning day from dark night.

All kettle bells were lined up

a sparkling scene,

the glimmer of shining

dumbbells like a dream.

No equipment to put away

no boxes to stack,

the barbells like soldiers

they stood in their rack.

When up on the carpet a yelping

was heard,

no way to describe it,

not a sound like a word.

It appeared from the shadows

four legs and a tail,

had been sleeping for hours

it must be a male.

Brown fur he was fluffy

a right good ole sort,

the chalk dust was flying

and soon he would snort.

It seems that his family

had left him to snooze

and forgot to awake him

wouldn’t be what he’d choose.

So down to the buckets

he stuck his nose in,

searching for treats

white dust on his chin.

Then suddenly rescue

the front door swung wide,

and in walked his master

with quickening stride.

The paw prints were many

the pattern not clear,

upon the black flooring

Eight tiny reindeer?

With plenty of chalk spill

upon rubber turf,

He knew in a moment it must be

his Murph.

So soon the reunion

of master and friend,

t’was time to go home

this evening must end.

And so it is written this tale

has been told,

of a dog’s wod in a dark box,

such magic is gold.

You may not believe it

but this story is true,

Merry Christmas to all,

Happy Holidays to you!

***Current Holiday Schedule!***
This may change!!! Check daily post for details.
Friday, Dec 24th 10am-1pm Open gym
Saturday, Dec 25th 2pm-4pm Open gym

A sad see-ya-later to Heather as she moves down to sunny skies down in Florida.

Back Squat 3×3

For Time: (14 min cap)
10 Jerks (165/115 or 65% of 1RM)
25 Pull-ups
10 Power Cleans
20 Pull-ups
5 Jerks
15 Pull-ups
5 Power Cleans
10 Pull-ups

Post – 3 min plank hold (partitiion as needed)

Fitness Potential
-Gina Pelehac

I’ve spent my entire life playing sports and being a “tomboy.” I was never the tallest, strongest, or fastest when it came to basketball, softball, or tennis but I had enough athletic ability to mask my areas of deficiency….even from myself. I ended up playing tennis in college and practice consisted mainly of technique/skill work and a lot of endurance and speed work. We would stroll into the weight room over the winter and do some VERY basic strength work, no more than 2 times a week. I distinctly remember looking at the women’s basketball and softball players throwing around some serious weight while I was completing my little tennis circuit. Talk about intimidated! I was actually pretty embarrassed to even do my workout with them around, let alone attempt to perform any of their “olympic lifts.”
Once my tennis career was over, I had no scheduled practices to make it to and no one, besides myself, to push me to be better. I had never been taught proper form or technique with a barbell, so there was no way I was going to touch that thing and look like an idiot. The easiest, least threatening, thing to do was run my little heart out on the treadmill and go to town on some weight machines. My focus turned more into an attempt to remain skinny rather than to build muscle and be healthy. I started spending up to 7 days a week running on the treadmill and skipping meals. Sure, I lost weight….and muscle…and any hint of an athletic physique. I was, at this point, a weenie.
Fast forward to the start of my Crossfit obsession, I had to scale EVERYTHING. I had difficulty completing a number of movements at a weight 40-50 pounds below Rx’d in some instances. It had crossed my mind numerous times to never go back into that box, in order to avoid embarrassment. I called myself an athlete yet I was unable to really do anything well when it came to Crossfit. Luckily for me, Crossfit is such a welcoming community. Before each workout, I would need someone to explain the movements to me again and again. I didn’t know the difference between a press, push press, and push jerk…it was actually all quite confusing and frustrating. Eventually, it all starts to click and it becomes easier to focus on the task at hand.

So the next time you see someone struggling with what movements are in the day’s WOD, help them out and let them know that we all had to start somewhere. No one comes out of the womb knowing how to snatch and clean & jerk (besides maybe Rudy). Each day is a learning experience for all of us and it is our job to make the new people feel comfortable and confident.
Now, over a year later, I weigh 10 lbs more and feel a sense of overall health and fitness. Note that 10 lbs and over a year of Crossfit 4-5 days/week did not make me into some rippling muscle, shirt tearing, deep voiced, bodybuilding woman. I am finally healthy and on the path to reaching a level of fitness that I am happy with. With this said, I would argue that unless you are some human anomaly, the statement, “I don’t want to get all big and muscular like those women on TV,” is just another excuse to avoid reaching one’s fitness potential.

The 9am’ers!

For time:
50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions (or good mornings 45 pounds)
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Compare to 12May10.

Post – Clean up your burpee sweat puddle

Getting Certified
-Alex Nettey

Back when I started at Crossfit Chicago (Chicago Iron Sports) in mid 2008 there were very few members who were Level 1 (or 2) Crossfit Certified. Now fast forward 2 years later, and I don’t know the exact number, but we probably have a few dozen or more people who have their Crossfit Level 1 certification. Those who have their certification almost unanimously say it was a positive experience and worth the investment (especially if one has aspirations of coaching at our or some other gym in the future). It’s great to get out of our box and surround yourself with other fitness/wellness enthusiasts who are learning the ropes of what Crossfit is all about. The instructors are usually world class (we actually have 1 of our coaches in house who is a part of the HQ coaching staff – guess who) and provide a ton of info in a weekend that you can take back with you and use right away. They cover the fundamental movements of crossfit, all in detail, and usually will allow you to do some coaching of your own by working with partners and small groups, go over lots of theory behind crossfit’s purpose, mission, and objectives, as well as going in depth about nutrition and of course getting in some “fun” wod action in a large group setting.

Other than the Level 1 & 2 certs there are plenty of other specialty certs that might be attractive to attend as well such as:gymnastics, olympic lifting, powerlifting, running/endurance, mobility, and crossfit football just to name a few. Similarly these certs feature great, experienced instructors/athletes who guide you through the specialized fields that crossfit taps into. You often learn drills and coaching cues that you can use right away with yourself as well as those you wod with day in and day out. Having gone to a few of the specialty certs myself I must recommend that if you have an area of crossift that you love or for that matter are especially weak at take a weekend and go to one of these. You’ll have a ton of fun and will get better as long as you pay attention to the instructors and ask questions.

Above all if you want to continually get better as an athlete and crossfitter going to certs is a great way to branch out, meet new people, learn new things, and have fun, so if you’re on the fence about it check out the certs link on crossfit.com and read up on them and of course ask those in our box who have been to a lot of these different certs about the experience and you’ll find that it’s well worth the time and money to do it.