Archive for April, 2011

4/29/11

Saturday Classes:

Normal Classes: 10 am and 11 am

Competition Class: 12 pm

- After the Competition Class everyone is welcome to stick around and have some beers to celebrate the opens being over.  Let’s hope we are also able to celebrate making it to regionals!

Jalapeno and Garlic Bison Burgers with Sun Dried Tomatoes

The Food Lovers Primal Palette

Bison, which tastes very similar to beef, is very lean. We read that it is even leaner than chicken. Bison is usually a top choice for those that want the flavor of beef, but are looking for less fat and calories (but who would want less fat right??). Being that bison is very lean, it cooks a lot faster than classic beef burgers, so it’s best to use a lower temperature and keep an eye on the burgers until you get the timing right. Here is some information we found on bison.

With this recipe, I wanted to take the classic burger and “spice” things up with some jalapeno peppers. This is a simple recipe, that packs tons of flavor. This may possibly be my all time favorite burger recipe, and Bill really enjoyed it as well. We seeded the jalapenos before cooking, so the burgers were not very spicy. The seeds are where all the heat is in the pepper, so be sure to wear gloves, or thoroughly wash your hands after seeding your jalapenos. If you prefer a more spicy burger you can broil the peppers for a few minutes to get those hot pepper oils going, or you can include some of the seeds into the burger patties. We topped these burgers off with organic sun dried tomatoes packed in olive oil from Whole Foods. The flavors were perfect together. The sun dried tomatoes brought a slightly sweet flavor to the dish, and complimented these garlic and spicy burgers beautifully.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground bison
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeds removed and minced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• Organic sun dried tomatoes, packed in olive oil for garnish.

*If you want a more spicy burger, roast your peppers prior to mincing. We would recommend roasting them under the broiler (high heat, about 500), bringing the oven rack to the top level, and broiling the peppers for 5 minutes.

Process:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground bison, garlic, jalapenos, salt, and pepper.
3. Form ground meat and spices into 4 ounce patties.
4. Place burger patties on grill and cook 4-5 minutes per side.
5. Remove from grill, top with sun dried tomatoes and serve

Joint Mobility and Warm Up

Part A:

Full Clean and Jerk

5-5-5-5-5

(this is not a maximal weight,  working on good form and seeing what weight you can string 5 unbroken together)

Part B:

21-15-9

Wall Balls (12 foot/10 foot target)

KB Snatch (this is reps per arm)

Game Competitors

Rest/Ice/Stretch

4/28/11

Intimidated by CrossFit Women? That’s a Good Thing.

CrossFit Charlottesville

Women of CrossFit Video

CrossFit levels the athletic playing field more than most mainstream sports: every gym-goer, regardless of gender or past athletic experience, has access to the same experience, the same weights, the same workouts. It’s how each gym-goer responds to that access that determines his or her outcome. But do women shy away from the bigger weights and the higher intensity more so than men? And if so, does that affect their potential to make greater gains and reach their full athletic potential? For some women, this is a big issue that prevents their ability to make continuous gains in the gym.

So why would women shy away from heavier weights or from pushing themselves to max intensity in workouts? It’s no secret that women in the United States are constantly bombarded with unhealthy ideas about beauty, and a lot of the time, those ideas are in direct conflict with good health. When eating disorders are practically a prerequisite for the modeling and entertainment industry, it doesn’t bode well for the body confidence of the general female population. The messages are bombarded: stomachs should be flat, boobs should be perky, and God forbid touching inner thighs! And never, and I mean, never, should a woman be able to open her own jar of pickles or take her own moving boxes down a flight of stairs. That’s what the menfolk are for!

Some women fear big shoulders. Some fear that leg muscles developed from heavy squats will cause us to go UP a size (now I’ll never fit into those Forever 21 leggings!). Some fear being hungrier, which means eating more and gaining weight. In short, we fear more because, as women, we think we should be less. Less big and less strong. Yet again, these ideas are in direct contrast with what we know about health. We KNOW that weight training improves bone density, weight management (you burn more calories at rest!), and cardiac health. Those three things alone (that could prevent osteoporosis, diabetes, and heart disease) should get you so jazzed about weights that you immediately pick up something heavy just for the hell of it. Seriously, pick up something heavy NOW. We also KNOW that women do not turn into Hulkish beasts because of heavy weights. Just see hot lady o-lifter #1 and hot lady o-lifter #2 if you need proof. Remember how much work went into making Forney “fat?” Well, it’s kind of the same for women. You’d have to work really hard and take drugs to look like this.

Strong is the new skinny, and pop culture be damned, because we will no longer be constrained with an impossible ideal. We should approach our fitness experience like any other gym-goer and not be afraid ofmore. Stepping up the intensity will give you results and can help you out of a training rut (stuck at the same shoulder press for the past eight months? I’ve been there!).

Weightlifting is a very new experience for so many women in our gym that I totally understand your hesitation and fear of doing it. No one in any important position is encouraging young female athletes to lift weights, but turn on ESPN or watch any dad with his son on the football team, and you will have evidence of  a totally different cultural upbringing. Weightlifting, CrossFit and strength training are essential parts of your program. They are equally important as your metcon and your marathon time.

Women are built to be athletes, just the same as any human, and that’s the fundamental starting point for empowering yourself and realizing your vision of why you came to CrossFit in the first place. Not everyone has the willpower to suffer through pain and eschew popular conceptions about fitness and beauty. It’s a tough culture out there, but we want to be here to make you comfortable and to see you make constant improvement in and out of the gym. And remember, it’s okay to drop a weight or to miss a PR. Just ask Kyle, he does it all the time.

So, for the women in our gym and at other real training centers, dig deep inside and know that you are capable of more. Don’t fear going up in weight, don’t fear the pain, don’t fear the skills you don’t know. And for the love of all things healthy, don’t fear your potential.

Joint Mobility and Warm Up

Part A:

10 min gymnastics skill practice

Who is getting their ring handstand?

Part B:

4x

5 Curtis P’s w/ Body Weight

10 Burpee Pull Ups