CrossFit Chicago

WE WILL BE CLOSED FRI-SUN DUE TO REGIONALS!!! THE PROGRAMMING WILL GO M-TH WITH NO PLANNED REST DAY!
Women’s Only Members are welcome to come to any Co-ed classes this week.

A – No Hands No Feet Snatch

4 rounds of:
B1 – Max Weight Kneeling Jump x 1
B2 – Good Morning x 8 (65 – 75% of Best Snatch)

Calamari Romesco
-Erin O’Brien

2-3 servings
1 pound calamari (bodies only, sliced into ¼” strips)
1/3 cup raw almonds
3 roasted red peppers
2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt & pepper to taste

Place the almonds in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the roasted red peppers to the almonds and process until mixture forms a thick sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and process to combine the mixture. Taste for seasonings and adjust as necessary. Set romesco sauce aside.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in large pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and toast until fragrant (less than a minute). Add the calamari to the pan and stir while it cooks. When the calamari is starting to become opaque, add the romesco sauce and artichokes and stir to combine mixture. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until calamari is cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

WE WILL BE CLOSED FRI-SUN DUE TO REGIONALS!!! THE PROGRAMMING WILL GO M-TH WITH NO PLANNED REST DAY!
Women’s Only Members are welcome to come to any Co-ed classes this week.

For Time:
1 Mile Run
then,
5 Rounds of:
5 Burpees
10 Toes-To-Bar
15 Kettlebell Swings (1.5/1 pood)
then,
1 Mile Run
Post time to comments.

This time last year… Erin was rolling out Mondvol Catering!

Regional Training, Putting the Fun back in CrossFit
-Erin Cunningham

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to sum up my Regional training. It has taken me awhile to figure out a good place to even start. So, I thought I would start from the beginning. I´ve been doing CrossFit now for just about 3 years, even though it feels like so much longer. I came in wanting to find out what all the hype was. My good friend Karen had been raving about how fun and different it was. My first trip into the “box” took awhile too! 3 months after Karen joined CFC I decided to check it out. The rest is history!!! Ok just kidding. I went into each class in the beginning so clueless. I had no idea how to do a kipping pull up, power clean, wall ball, luckily I was pretty good at double unders. I would seriously look at the blog for the workout, then YouTube some of the movements so I had an idea what I was getting into. I began to pick things up pretty quickly and before I knew it, I was doing every workout Rx´d. I remember Rudy asking me about wanting to compete in Sectionals. I had no idea what he was talking about. Clearly he saw potential that I didn´t or didn´t know existed quite yet. I decided to sign up for Sectionals and take it from there.

Sectionals February 2010
I went into the weekend having no clue how it was going to go. I was eating super strict Paleo, working out 1-2 times per day. I felt like I was back in college again. I remember being pretty nervous but also excited to compete. I´ve never done any individual competitions in my life. It was so strange to prepare for a solo competition. I´ve always been part of a team or group sport. Yes, team sports have individual efforts that combine to produce wins and losses but CrossFit is completely solo. By competing in Sectionals, I realized how not only physically challenging CrossFit competitions are, but also how mentally draining they really can be. I ended up taking 18th and qualifying to go to Regionals in Denver! One of my favorite memories from that weekend was hearing Rudy on the first workout, screaming from behind the caution tape, “stay tough gal, stay tough.” It´s easy to start to fall apart and that literally kept me in that last set of Front Squats. Anyone that has done the Air Force wod knows exactly what I´m talking about.

Regionals April 2010
Denver was awesome! I didn´t really know what to expect so my plan was to again, have fun and give it my all. I had been training pretty hard leading up to the weekend making sure to give myself almost a full week of rest prior to heading out there. I had practiced one workout, the “triplet” before the weekend, which actually went better earlier in the week than there, but we won´t go there. As the weekend started, I realized I was actually doing really well! I went into the final workout in 8th still with a chance to qualify. The workout was designed well. Staggered start and the first 4 to finish were going to the games. I quickly realized I had lost some steam!! Looking back at videos of that workout, my snatch was awful!!! I still laugh at how bad it was. More work to be done. I finished in 7th, which I was still pretty proud of. For only doing CrossFit for 6 months or so, I learned a lot about myself through competition. It didn´t take very long after to get the itch again to compete. I was so close!!

The Open 2011
I took a lot of the summer working on Olympic Lifts and worked more on specific skills and strength. As we all know, there are always areas in CrossFit that you can improve upon. I had a list of weaknesses I had to work on and lots of time to do it. The format changed quite a bit with now having to compete in the “Open.” This was going to be a much different type of competition. At first I liked the layout. 5 workouts, the best of the best move on. Although, looking back now, I spent way too much time obsessing over 1 workout every week. I did each workout at least twice. I ended up placing 5th in the Open, which I was completely pumped about, however, my body was clearly peaking a bit too early. A week and a half out from Regionals, I came down with the worst sinus infection. My body had completely had it. I didn´t know it at the time, but I´m pretty sure I was over training. I was just so pumped for the Open, wanted to do well but it´s a hard balance. You really have to learn to pace yourself. Wait… Crossfit people pace themselves? I think not!! Ha!

By the time Regionals hit, I was ready to go mentally. My body was telling me otherwise, but either way I was ready to give this thing a shot. Going into Regionals in 5th put me in the best heat of women. These chicks came out guns blazing!! I struggled through the first couple of workouts which was actually a detriment to my weekend, but I figured out quickly that placing 5th in the Open really didn´t mean much. Weekend competitions with multiple workouts are much different than performing well at 1 workout per week. Whew, chalked last year up to a learning experience. With the weekend coming to a close and my CrossFit Chicago family supporting me till the very end, I finished the weekend in 10th with my body still in one piece. Huge learning experience!!!

The Open 2012
This year was much different as far as training was concerned. Towards the close of the summer last year, Rudy came to me and asked what my plan was and if I wanted to “train for the games.” At the time, he would also be programming E. Akinwale, former boxmate, which I thought would be a good thing. This would be a great challenge day in and day out, seeing as we pushed each other the previous year before Regionals and her trip to the games. It took a bit to decide though. I wasn´t really sure where I was mentally and how much time I could or wanted to devote to training. Right around the same time, I received a promotion at work, which meant more responsibility, more hours, and more travel. Good for my career, bad for training!! I decided I could do both, or at least give it a whirl. 3 months in, I began to drown. My body was exhausted all the time. Somewhere in the mix of working, coaching, and training, I lost ME. By no means am I looking for a pity party. I know other CrossFitters have the same, if not more on their plates on any given moment. But, I needed to make a decision for me. Am I going to devote all of my free time to training? By saying yes to that, I would´ve taken the FUN out of CrossFit.

For about 3 months I joined Windy City CrossFit and trained both at CFC and WCCF. Justin and his training crew were gracious enough to welcome me in. I explained to Justin what I was looking for and basically what my plan was in training. I needed to make it fun, but of course still challenging, and I wouldn´t be spending 3 hours in the gym every night. The WCCF crew was awesome and I learned a lot from the folks over there, but I still hadn´t found the right fit. I attended the Power Lifting cert with a few other CFC coaches and athletes and finally asked Bryce if he would program me out. I liked the idea of the Westside Barbell Method but needed some guidance. My own programming wasn´t really doing the trick so, why not have the master programmer for CFC who knows my schedule take a crack at it. He also knew how important it was for me to keep training fun, challenging and not keep me at the gym for hours on end. So far so good and I´m excited about the results I´ve seen over the past couple of months mixing it up. Throughout the Open this year, I did each workout once per week and it was usually in conjunction with other workouts that were planned for the day. The women in our region are legit to say the least. Placing 18th wasn´t where I necessarily wanted to end up, but I´m ok with it knowing that I was continually working on other weaknesses throughout the open.

I´m going into Regionals this year obviously to compete, but also remembering why I do this, for FUN! I can´t wait to give it my all this coming weekend and make the CFC and greater CrossFit community proud.

WE WILL BE CLOSED FRI-SUN DUE TO REGIONALS!!! THE PROGRAMMING WILL GO M-TH WITH NO PLANNED REST DAY!

A – 10 Rep Max Overhead Squat
B – 5 Rep Max Weighted Pull-up
Post loads to comments.

This time last year… was a rest day.

North Central Regionals!!!
-Jonny Vu

Remember a few months ago when we all did 5 workouts for the CrossFit Games Open? From 7 minutes of burpees to chest-to-bar Fran, we witnessed some amazing and inspirational performances at CrossFit Chicago. The next step on the road to the CrossFit Games happens this weekend at the McCook Exposition Center. From Friday through Sunday, eight CrossFit Chicago athletes will represent our affiliate at the CrossFit Games – North Central Regional. AlexN and ErinC will compete as individuals against some of the best athletes in a 13 state region. AnthonyD, BrettR, GlennC, GinaP, KellyJ, and MeghanMcN comprise our affiliate team and are also going against some of the top co-ed teams in the Region. They all have been working extremely hard and are ready to compete this weekend. After this weekend’s competition, 3 Male, 3 Female, and 3 Teams will have earned the right to compete against the best in the world at the 6th Reebok CrossFit Games.

As a CrossFit community, we need to show our support and cheer them on to the CrossFit Games. If you’ve never been to a Regional or the CrossFit Games, I highly encourage you to spend at least a day at the event and you’ll come away inspired by the performances and feeling empowered to make even more gains in your training. 3-Day and Single tickets can be purchased here or at the venue for a higher price. I highly recommend carpooling and we can use one of the whiteboards at the box to arrange rides. If you can’t make it this weekend, you can follow the CrossFit Games Leaderboard or us via Twitter or Facebook.

Finally, to show our solidarity for the athletes, we’re going to wear specific shirts for each day. Don’t worry if you don’t have one of the shirts, because any CrossFit Chicago shirt will do. If you don’t have one or want to pick up another, please ask a coach and they’ll be able to assist you.

Friday – Blue or Red “Be Better Than Yesterday” Shirts
Saturday – “Fitness in 100 Words” Shirt (this is also the day we’ll take a group pic for a chance to win a grill and grass fed meat, courtesy of Reebok)
Sunday – TBA

WE WILL BE CLOSED FRI-SUN DUE TO REGIONALS!!! THE PROGRAMMING WILL GO M-TH WITH NO PLANNED REST DAY!

20 minute AMRAP of:
5 Wall Walks
20 Steps of Overhead Lunges (45/25)
50 Double-Unders

Post reps to comments.

This time last year… We were starting a Fran/Paleo Challenge.

Training with, Around and Through Injuries
-Glenn Clarke

Injuries bite. They pull you off your normal schedule; they hurt, limit your progress and just generally get in the way. Unfortunately however, injuries are going to happen and some of them will be serious. Becoming injured however, doesn’t absolve you of the ability to train. You can get better, stronger and back to form faster if you follow some simple steps:

One: If you hurt, STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING. So many people get hurt halfway through a workout and then proceed to ‘tough’ it out, turning what may have been a minor injury into a major one. One workout isn’t going to change your life. If you finish one workout and it costs you the next 3 months then you’re on the wrong end of the balance sheet.

Two: If you’re injured go to the doctor. If you have insurance go ASAP. If you don’t it is a little trickier but you need to see a doctor. The coaches can guess what is wrong and frequently we are right, but we always outsource pain. Only a doctor armed with his medical training can perform the necessary tests and diagnostics we need to get you better. When you have a diagnosis, ask for as much detail as possible. If you can, get a print out and have the doctor be as explicit as possible. We need to know this because there are major differences between similar injuries, as far as rehab is concerned.

Three: Bring all the information that the doctor gave you to the box and work with one of the coaches to make a plan. The more information we have the better plan we can make. This will lead into the next couple of steps.

Four: Figure out why you got hurt. Sprained ankle? Probably a weakness in one of the glute muscles. Hurt knee? Probably a lack of ankle mobility. Hurt back? Likely improper firing of the glutes, lack of hamstring mobility, or weak abs. This is all essential, because if you get healthy again and don’t fix the underlying cause of your injury you will get hurt again. Once we know we can put remedial work into the plan to address these issues. Often we can work on the underlying issue while you’re injured so that when you get back you’re a lot further ahead than you would have been.

Five: Make a comprehensive list of what you CAN do. If knee flexion (curling your knee) hurts then squats are probably out, but box squats, deadlifts, rack pulls and kettle bell swings are all done with little or no knee flexion and still train hip extension. Therefore, if a workout calls for back squats/ front squats we have a ton of substitutions that we can use.

Six: Get strong and get rid of weaknesses. Injuries are going to kill your endurance, particularly lower body injuries. So if your endurance is going to be poor anyways, you might as well get strong. Hurt your ankle? Perfect time to work on pull-ups. Tweaked your knee? Work to get your press up to snuff. Shoulder broken? Break out the camber bar and get ready to squat. Injuries don’t mean we stop training. We need to look at them as an opportunity to train things we don’t normally train. Resting my knees doesn’t mean I have to rest my arms as well.

Seven: Get mobile. So few people are mobile enough and so many injuries are caused by poor mobility. Take the time you’ve been given and get better at what you can get better at.

Eight: Take it slow. The injury threshold is higher than the pain threshold. Basically, the pain will be gone before the injury is. Back to what I said before, if you rush back for one workout too early and reinjure yourself then you’re blown the next three months because you couldn’t be patient. Life is long, an extra couple of weeks of alternative training will not slow you down in the long run and you may even better for it in the long run.

Rest day/make ups

This time last year… Alex wrote on his Top 10 CrossFit Websites.

WE WILL BE CLOSED FRI-SUN DUE TO REGIONALS!!! THE PROGRAMMING WILL GO M-Th WITH NO PLANNED REST DAY!

A week in review:
Strength Cycle 1 Thoughts
Why HCl may be the Most Important Supplement your not Talking
Have You Noticed Your Neighbor?
CFC CrossFit Kids Program
Regionals – How the Game has Changed

Team Workout:
(2 Men/315, 2 Women/225)
20 Partner deadlifts 315
20 HSPUs
20 Partner deadlifts 225
20 HSPUs
20 Partner deadlifts 315
20 HSPUs
20 Partner deadlifts 225
20 HSPUs

Post teammates and times to comments.

This time last year… Bryce wrote on Intermittent Fasting.

Congratulations Dave, Christina, and Audra on your the newest addition, Blake!

3 Rounds for time of:
800m Run
8 Muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

This time last year… Gina wrote on Stacking Boxes.

Regionals – How the Game has Changed
-Alex Nettey

I’m blessed to have been a part of the Regional level of competition for the CrossFit Games season for the past 4 years, and I have been yet another example of how continuing to CrossFit over an extended period of time continues to get you fitter and fitter. I just wanted to reflect on how my experience leading up to Regionals/the Games has changed each year

2009 – Show & Go!
Back then only me & Bryce signed up to go to Regionals all the way out in Colorado. There were no “Sectionals” or “The Open,” so basically as long as you signed up on time you made it. We went, got destroyed by the WOD’s and altitude, and for me this was an eye opening experience which showed me that I had a LOT of work to do to get to the Games qualifying level I had hoped to reach some day. I still don’t remember exactly where I finished but it was around 50th place which was the middle of the pack – good motivation.
The good news was that we were able to get an Affiliate Cup team together consisting of myself, Bryce, Rudy, Alison Jones (now Santiago), Derek of CrossFit Construct, and Emily B who is an old schooler. The squad pictured here had a ton of fun going thru the WOD’s, and throwing down at “The Ranch” is an experience I’ll never forget. The A-Cup teams had it easy in comparison to what the individuals had to endure which was 9 WOD’s and probably the most difficult CrossFit Games to date. Due to the growth of the sport this would be the last Games held at the legendary Ranch so we are a part of CrossFit history. Sharing in that weekend with the team and the members of the community who made the trip was an experience I’m sure we’ll all treasure forever.

2010 – Sectionals/Regionals
The 2010 season brought a new layer of qualifying called Sectionals, and it was a great way to give more people the competitive venue to test themselves. We had a ton more people than just me & Bryce this time. Many of you can reflect with the fond memories of your first CrossFit competition as it surely motivated you to get better and keep competing in the future. We got the WOD’s a few days in advance and were the first ever sectional and we tore it up as a box. The energy was electric as we traveled down to Missouri and filled the bleachers with the CFC community. Another great experience that I was glad to see so many new faces from our box try.

We were fortunate enough to have a team compete at Regionals again as well as a few individuals vie for Games qualifying spots in Colorado once again. Training leading up to Regionals was intense and we found out the WOD’s basically the week of the event, maybe tested one or 2 of them out, and went to Colorado. Once again we got buried by the competition, WOD’s, altitude, and in the process had a great time. And again the moments I really remember are hanging out with the community eating dinners on the town, exploring Colorado, and reflecting on how the level of competition was getting better and better. As for me I did better this time around and got a 10th place finish. All my hard work in the year since ’09 paid off in a substantially better finish, but I wasn’t quite done yet and felt there was more to prove.

2011 – The Open/Regionals
The 2011 season saw the end of Sectionals and introduction of The Open which brought the whole world together for 6 WOD’s, and is the birth of the Reebok movement and involvement with CrossFit as a sport. We had unbelievable participation from members of our box who pushed themselves to the limit every week, and surprised themselves with what they were actually capable of. The Open served as a platform for motivation throughout the remainder of the year, as we all set goals pertaining to how well we wanted to do next year and in the coming year’s Opens.

Fast forward to Regionals and once again CFC’s presence was heard loud and clear in the stands and in the battlefield. We fielded a stacked affiliate team and had several individuals vying for precious Games qualifying spots. We had one athlete make it and a few others put up solid performances. For myself this Regionals year sparked my competitive fire even more than the previous years, as I was one spot away from qualifying for the Games despite being banged up health wise. I had tons of fun hearing the cheering section while performing the WOD’s. The community really and I mean REALLY helped me keep going rep after rep on all the WOD’s, when I otherwise may have stopped to take breaks. The energy they provided can’t be matched or described in words. It meant the world to myself as well as the other competitors we had who were getting punished by the WOD’s no doubt.

2012 – The Open/Regionals
The 2012 season brought the return of the Open and again mass participation by many of the new faces at CFC. Open Saturdays took on a life of their own and served as the proving grounds for the prior year’s worth of training. Many of us did well with respect to our individual goals yet noticed that we still have some holes in our game to address for next year. So, it was well worth it, and I personally was glad to see a lot of the people who were on the fence initially dive in and register for the Open as there really is nothing to lose by participating.

The regional chapter is about to be written and for me this year my training is pretty much a part time job as the time commitment to get to the regional and hopefully Games level has increased even more than what I already did in previous years. Things I do on a weekly basis are swimming, yoga, & additional mobility/accessory work all in addition to the usual CrossFit and strength style WOD’s day in and day out. I love doing it so it isn’t work to me. I know this is the level of commitment and sacrifice I need to sustain in order to reach the goals I have in place for myself. So, it’s a labor of love. I caution those wishing to reach regional/Games athlete status that it doesn’t come easy. Yet if you put in the time, effort, and quality of work, the results will come and you’ll get what you deserve come competition time if you are well rounded, but you can’t do it halfway and expect to cruise to the top.
For those of you who are new (or old) to CrossFit and the competitive side of the sport, I encourage you to come out May 18-20th to McCook to see what it’s all about. There will be some impressive performances by the men, women, and teams who have all sacrificed time, money, blood, sweat, and tears to get to the regional level and put on a show. There will be CFC athletes in all 3 categories to cheer on and knowing the strength of our community, as evidenced by our daily blog activity, popularity of our social events, and quality of people at our box I’m sure our presence will be seen and heard throughout the weekend. Game time….

Rest day/make ups

This time last year… Anthony wrote on A CrossFit Athlete’s Non-Scientific Take on Yoga.

CFC CrossFit Kids Program
-Eileen Craddock-Richardson

I have had numerous inquiries of late regarding our CrossFit Chicago Kid’s program. We meet every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. in the old gym and our class is open to member’s children only at this point. This class is for CF Kids ages 6-10 years. In the future we may be opening up another class for the Pre-K children ages 4-5 years.

Below is the letter I distribute to the parents who feel this might be a good fit for their child and for those who have been looking for a program that incorporates physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Dear Crossfit Chicago Parents:
So glad to be able to welcome you to our Crossfit Kids program here at Crossfit Chicago! I am thrilled your child has decided to participate and I will hopefully give your child or children the best experience I can while they are in my care.

First let me congratulate you on your decision to enroll your child or children into our once weekly program. Your children are the lucky ones who get to begin reaping the benefits of a modified and scaled down version much like your own crossfit workout. That is to say, it is possible that you will one day hear your daughter or son come home from their workout only to tell you that they did a workout of their own called “Fran”! Albeit a modified version, they will soon be extolling its virtues in much the same spirit and excitement that you yourself do. They will learn what a WOD is, we will have whiteboard time, they will warm up, learn a skill, perform a workout and play a game all in under an hour. What could be better than that? From the standpoint of giving your child the tools they need in order to live a physically “fit” and healthy lifestyle, there is no better foundation than the functional movements taught here at Crossfit Chicago Kids.

By way of introducing myself I wanted to give you some of my background and the details of how I was given this amazing opportunity. I was raised on the north shore born into a large family where I am the fourth oldest of nine children. I learned at a very early age about taking care of young children through my many years of babysitting for younger siblings. Couple that with being the number one aunt to 18 nieces and nephews and you have an individual who was naturally drawn toward working with children. In the mid 1980s, I spent my summers as a camp counselor and assistant day camp director at North Shore Country Day in Winnetka, Illinois. (I even drove a bus back then). My athletic background consists of many years of varsity sports in high school including volleyball, track and cross country as well as basketball and gymnastics. In college I was extremely active in intramural sports while I attended Marquette University where I obtained my BA in Journalism. Once I graduated, I played club sand volleyball for a number of years in L.A. and then again with the Chicago Social Club in both outdoor and indoor leagues.

Over the past four years I have obtained numerous certifications through CrossFit including the following: CrossFit Running and Endurance, CrossFit Nutrition, CrossFit Gymnastics, CrossFit Level 1 and most recently CrossFit Kids. As you can tell I am thrilled to be involved at our box in this capacity and will do everything in my power to make sure that your child has the best possible experience here.

It goes without saying that our number one concern is for the health and safety of your child while he or she attends our Crossfit Kids classes. We put great emphasis on this fact and with that in mind we would appreciate your help in making sure all our kids understand that there are a few rules and regulations we must enforce in regard to how we are choosing to run our facility. Listed below are a number of those which we would like to enumerate for your convenience:

• In following the lead of local schools in our state, we must insist that you walk your child inside the building and deliver them to the “kid’s area” at the beginning of each class (old space gym). Please introduce yourself and make sure you come inside the building when they are being picked up. Make sure to see me before you leave with your child after class so that I can be sure they are going home with the right person; Safety first!
• If you arrive early, prior to 4:00 p.m., please stay with your child in the designated area until the class begins. You are welcome to stay and watch if you so choose (up in the loft area of the gym). In fact, we encourage you to stay and observe the class however; please no coaching your child. (Parents of newly enrolled members are required to stay in the gym at all times during every class until and unless coach Eileen says differently);
• The time before class begins is not a free-for-all. Please make sure your child is not climbing on or using any equipment prior to the start of the kid’s class. There are many different pieces of equipment which are utilized by the adult members of our gym. Most of this equipment is hands off for kids. We do not want to sound difficult but in the interest of safety we ask you to please keep your children off the treadmill, rowers, lifting equipment, etc. There is a time and a place for them to be introduced to these things but now is not the time. Please refrain from letting your kids “try out” the equipment either before or after class hours. As you will see, we are lucky to have a designed space for our kid’s class and we try to restrict the children to areas which are free and clear of hazards. We must insist on your cooperation in helping us to enforce the rules and restrictions regarding our gym equipment and so we ask you and your kids to respect the rules we have set forth for our facility so that both the adult and kids community can continue to thrive within the same space;
• Feel free to work out with the adult class while your child is attending class if you are an active member, but be aware that you may be called on to attend to your child if certain circumstances arise. (See #2 above regarding newly enrolled members for clarification.);
• Make sure your child uses the restroom before the class begins. If they need to go in the middle of class you will be pulled out of your class and asked to take your child to the facilities at that time so please make sure they go before we start class. If they are having an issue on a particular day, please let me know;
• A waiver must be signed by the parent or guardian for each child before they will be allowed to participate in class;
• Make sure that your child is wearing the proper attire to class. It should be comfortable and appropriate for activities such as running, jumping, climbing, swinging, crawling, throwing and being upside down. Gym shoes should be worn with socks. Please no sandals, jewelry (including necklaces, earrings, and bracelets) or hats. Hair should be pulled back in a pony tail holder with a headband if needed;
• Ensure that your child has a plastic bottle of water or a water bottle that can be filled at the drinking fountain. Don’t forget to put their name on it. Please no muscle milk, chocolate milk or other beverages aside from water while your kids are in our gym;
• Regarding children with disciplinary problems: The first warning will be free of consequence. The second warning will result in sitting out for the first two minutes of the game portion of class. The third warning will send the child to the parent;
• No gum chewing or eating in the gym before or during class. Please refrain from dispensing food until you are in your own vehicle leaving the premises. The kids carpeted gym area is off limits to food;
• Immediately notify one of the Crossfit Chicago coaches if you notice any person or persons in the parking lot or gym area that do not belong there;
• Please make us aware of any special needs for your child that may need to be addressed including medications, illness, physical limitations, mental limitations, injuries, sports activities, etc.;
• Please make sure we have emergency contact information for your child on file;
• And finally, please be sure you arrive on time. It is unfair to your child when you arrive late. The kid’s classes are programmed and as such when your child arrives late they may miss out on an important warm up or skill which puts them at a disadvantage. Not to mention their feeling of embarrassment at coming in late and trying to catch up with the others. In addition, it can be a major interruption for the ongoing class so please do your child a favor and be on time. You wouldn’t want to have to do burpees for them as your penance for being late would you?!

I hope this letter is informative and self explanatory. If you have any further questions regarding our program, please feel free to contact me by email at eileen@crossfitchicago.com.

Please send me an email a day or two before you show up to enroll your child in class.

I swear I’m not stacking the 2030ish CrossFit Chicago Games team and NO, there is nothing in the water!!!

A1 3 Position snatch
B1 3RM Front squat

This time last year… we wrote about the Running Mechanics Seminar! Is there anyone interested in another?

Have You Noticed Your Neighbor?
-Sommer Mausher

When I walk into any class at CFC I always take a quick glance around. Who do I know? Who is new? Who do I need to introduce myself to – sometimes for the second or third time (sorry guys, I’m really bad with the names sometimes)? The next thing I usually do is to migrate towards someone I have a relationship with and see how they are doing. But what do I really know about this person? What do I know about their goals? Why do they CrossFit? To lose weight? To gain weight? To gain muscle definition? Whatever the case may be, something I have been trying to do lately is to not only focus on my own goals, but to also help motivate someone else towards theirs. Here are a few things I would recommend to help you do just that.

When you are done with your WOD, look around. Who is still working? If you don’t know their name, ask a coach, and cheer them on. Sometimes just the sound of your name with a “yeah” before can make you work just a little bit harder. Someone is watching now and holding you accountable for your movements…and for your rest. I always know that if Anthony, Abbey or JK walks in the box, that I’m going to get a little shout out, and trust me – I don’t want them to catch me slacking off!
If you are a seasoned CrossFitter and see a movement that someone is doing that can actually hurt them, ask if they mind if you give a recommendation. I am not a coach, but I know what I hear day in and day out from our coaches, and if you are rounding your back during a dead lift or squatting in your toes with your knees forward, you are going to hurt yourself. Sometimes it’s that one cue that can really click for someone. Most people are grateful for the little piece of advice and now you have made an impression on someone. They are no longer just another person in your class.
When you are waiting for your class to start, don’t just sit there – introduce yourself to someone. We have an amazing community! Get to know them …..’nuff said.

Congratulate people!!!!! We all are at CrossFit to work our butts off while we are at the box, and we all hold ourselves accountable for our own work, but everyone can appreciate a pat on the back when you really pushed yourself. I don’t need you to notice that I added 10 more pounds than I felt comfortable with, but when you do – it makes me feel really good about it. Give a high five or a pat on the shoulder, say nice work…..it’s a simple two second gesture that goes a very long way.
So long story short – we all CrossFit for our own reasons and goals, but CrossFit Chicago is one of the most amazing communities that most of us have ever been a part of. Be a part of that community! Don’t just finish your workout, clean up your weights and walk away – stay a few more minutes and push someone else to finish strong!

Congrats to Bob (as well as his wife Shannon, and son Jackson) on the new addition to their family, Cassidy Quinn!!!

3 Rounds:
30s of Max effort followed by a 30s rest/rotation

Rope climbs
Dumbbell snatch (alternating arms, heavy)
Rotational Medicine ball toss R
Rotational Medicine ball toss L
Russian KB swings (heavy)
Jumping lunges

This time last year… was a rest day.

Why HCl may be the Most Important Supplement You’re not Taking
-Bryce Wood

Let’s start off with what is HCl? Don’t let this scare you off, but it’s hydrochloric acid. Why would you want to put hydrochloric acid into your body? From my experience the vast majority of people who have done the HCl test have shown to have low production of stomach acid. Essentially, this means that you are not properly breaking down your food.

It’s true that if you do not properly break down your food, you are missing out on a lot of the gains that you should be getting! If you eat a perfect balance of protein, carbs, and fat and your have low production of stomach acid, you’re only getting a fraction of the benefits that you could be getting. When you actually provide your body with the opportunity to process everything you eat, you’ll also get all the vitamins and minerals from your food. What this means is that regardless of how hard you’re training in the gym, if you don’t get everything out of your food, you’ll never get the most out of your training.

What are some signs that you may be poor at producing stomach acid?

1. A lifetime of consuming fizzy drinks and a diet full of gluten
2. Bloated/gassines/belching after eating
3. Brittle fingernails
4. Stomach pain after eating

How do you test your HCl levels? Taken directly from www.charlespoliquin.com

Step 1 – Have a high-protein solid meal (no shakes). Let’s say for illustration purposes a 12-ounce steak and vegetables.
Step 2 – Eat half the protein, roughly 6 ounces of the steak.
Step 3 – Swallow a 200mg capsule of HCL.
Step 4 – Eat the other half of the steak and the vegetables.
Step 5 – Wait 15 minutes.
Step 6 – If your stomach acid is normal, you will feel like you just drank a hot cup of tea. If you feel nothing, you need HCl as a supplement. So what do you do next? At every meal repeat steps 1 to 6, upping the dose one capsule per meal until you feel the burning sensation. So if it takes five meals to get a burning sensation, you need on average four capsules per meal. If you get to seven capsules and you have no burning, stop the test – you are achloridic!

If you are interested in testing your HCl levels, please shoot me an email, or grab me at the gym sometime. I sell two different brands of Poliquin HCl at the gym.