CrossFit Brea

Inspirational

2010-03-09T15:51:00.000-08:00

Inspiration comes in many forms. Here is the email that was sent to us by Cynthia Martinez.
"Hi guys... U always talk about motivation and mind over matter, this
is a perfect example. These guys work with my brother and tyler is an
engineer for his dept. None of these guys are runners but the reason
for their run overcame that!!! Just wanted to share this with you
guys!!!"

Running to Tyler from jgagne33@gmail.com on Vimeo.

Biggest loser

2010-03-08T20:59:00.000-08:00

March 13th and 14th are the CrossFit Games SoCal Sectionals at UCLA. Come support Ibby, Gilbert, and Matt. There is a new price for tickets! It is $50 for two people instead of the original $50 per person. You can get your tickets online http://games2010.crossfit.com/ or bring cash to the event.

We will be starting the biggest loser contest again. The official start date is on the Mon the 15th. You have 3 days to weigh in no exceptions. This contest will be 60 days. To participate please see Erik or Darlene.
For those of us the tore our hands today make sure you keep them clean and invest in some aloe vera plant or neosphorin. I prefer aloe vera due to it being all natural and it also makes a great shaving cream.
Great job on the dead lifts today. Here is a perfect example of great dead lift form on an object other than a barbell. Notice that the butt is lower than shoulders and most importantly the back is arched with the eyes up.

Quote of the day. "My joints are killing me...I need some of that emu piss." The "emu piss" is fish oil and it has been ordered. It should be here by friday.

S.O.S.

2010-03-07T11:53:00.000-08:00

The thruster is the longest range of motion you can move a barbell without dropping it. This is a taxing metabolic movement which also takes a great degree of strength. After the WOD many people told me how much the thruster sucks. If you are having trouble with thrusters or think you could more efficient here are some tips...

Always try to match your breathing to the movement. With the thruster, this means one breath one entire movement. Inhale on the way down and exhale at the top of the press.
After full lockout is reached at the top of the press, do not lower the bar to the racked position and then drop into the front squat. From the overhead lockout, immediately drop into the squat, so that the bar reaches your shoulders at the same time as the squat reaches its lowest depth.
Try to relax your grip during the squat. Grip and forearm fatigue can be quite severe during a thruster workout such as Fran, where the opposing movement, pullups, is also grip centric.
With the grip and wrists relaxed, try to snap the wrists forward and up at the top of the press, and then snap them back immediately to start the descent.
Really try to keep your weight firmly on the heels and off the toes as you perform the front squat. Pushing the knees out is also key, as is keeping the elbows up. All three of these keys work in unison. Not only is this proper squat form in general, but it will speed up your thruster by making it truly a vertical movement. Too many people bring their weight forward onto their toes when in the hole of the squat. In order to then rise, they need to rock back onto their heels and then drive up. This horizontal forward and backwards movement at the bottom of the thruster not only makes the movement much slower, but it also speeds up fatigue by wasting energy rocking back and forth.
Rest with the bar in the racked position, never overhead.

2010-03-06T11:47:00.000-08:00

Very interesting video below, and although it speaks of wrestling, you and I BOTH KNOW that what Dan Gable speaks of is applicable to anything in your life.

It’s quite amazing, that Dan Gable was about to finish his collegiate career undefeated and lost in his final match to Larry Owings, who was only a sophomore at the time and Gable was a Senior.

Owings was determined to beat Gable, it was imprinted in his mind and he dropped 2 weight classes to meet Gable!

Ironically, Owings never won another National Title, taking 2nd place his final 2 years in college.

It seems that beating Gable was MORE important then the national title, hence his runner up placing the next 2 years.

That loss is what MADE Gable into who and what he became from there after.

Not one point was scored on Gable during the Olympic games, he refused to give up 1 point!

Do you see the power of the mind, focusing like a demon and dedicating yourself to winning?

The same can be applied to your life and any goals you may have. Yet all too often I hear excuse after excuse as to why things can NOT be achieved.

The mind must be trained, just as you train the body.

The Russians called Dan Gable “The Machine”.

Are you a Machine?

How can you become a machine.

What will it take to achieve your goals, both physically and your life goals?

Drop a comment and share your thoughts, questions, success stories and stumbling blocks.

Let’s ALL come together and share how to kick ass!

The New Box

2010-03-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

7:30 class keeping it gangster

2010-03-05T01:08:00.000-08:00

We are entering a strength phase and that was apparent today. We had a bunch of people set new PR's while working up to a heavy front squat, great job. Then a short ass kicker at the end after a grinding strength workout. Strength and conditioning, thats what we do. A few tips during this strength cycle:

1. EAT!!! We can't stress enough how important your diet is. We are trying to add strength these next few weeks so we need to bump up our protein and overall calorie intake. I'm not saying that you should go out and eat a whole row of oreo's, but add a meal or two throughout the day consisting of 40% protein from lean meats (chicken, lean steak, or fish), 30% carbs from green vegi's and some fruit, and 30% fat from avocado's, olives, nuts and seeds. Eating a balanced diet is the key to making big gains and being able to recover quickly.

2. Invest in some fish oil and amino acids. Fish oil is going to help with reducing inflammation, this is key to a speedy recovery. Amino acids go hand in hand with your protein. We are breaking down your muscle everyday and you need protein and amino acids to build them back up bigger, stronger, and faster.

3. Go big!! Step out of your comfort zone. Along with pushing hard through the conditioning workouts and trying to beat your old time, we need to push hard through the strength workouts and try to lift more then we did last time within the scope of your ability. You should walk out of here feeling just as tired after a strength WOD as you do after a gnarly ass kicking conditioning WOD. I'm not saying to attempt to lift a load your not physically capable of moving, but I have noticed some stop increasing weight when they could have safely added 5 or 1o more lbs. That might not seem like a lot of weight right now but trying to increase by 5 lbs every time you squat or press will turn into 20 or 30 lbs over a few months and that is huge.

4. Don't over train. We know that working out can be somewhat addicting. But too much exercise can be dangerous. Over training can reverse all that hard work you're putting in and will eventually cause injury which will leave you out of commission and back at square one. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, stretching, rolling out on the foam roller, and following your diet. Also drinking enough water so that you're hydrated will help tremendously.

5. Set some goals. We are in the beginning of the cycle and in the beginning of the month. Set some strength goals for yourself and let us know what they are. We will help you get there.

2010-03-03T20:06:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the new box. Slowly but surely we are getting things rolling at our new location. Classes are back in full swing and we have more room then we know what to do with. We are working on transforming the loading dock into a platform, multiple pull up systems, a free standing ring station, and an isolated shower plus two separate bathrooms.

We would like to wish Amy M a happy B-day. There are new members joining every day so lets make sure to introduce yourself and give them a big CF Brea welcome.

I had to pick up a new la-z-boy chair a few nights ago and the only person at the store to help me load it was a gray haired 70 something year old lady. I told her I could get it obviously I was sure she would do more harm than good and just get in my way. She insisted on helping so I said "alright have it your way", totally expecting her to hurt herself. To my surprise she stepped up to the chair with her feet under her hips, bent over and took her grip just outside her knees, dropped her hips and set her back, then drove through her heels raising her hips and shoulders at the same time, executing a flawless dead lift. I was amazed and couldn't believe my eyes. She's not a member at CF Brea but she was a perfect example of functional training being executed in real life and that's what we are training for everyday.

Day 2

2010-03-02T21:35:00.000-08:00

Day 2 at the new box and things are coming together. We are fininshing up the office, kids room and our favorite pull-up system should be up tomorrow. We will also have internet access so we can post new pics. Great job on the cleans today guys. Not an easy lift but we made some great progress. I hope you all understand how excited we get when you execute these lifts. How about those ropes, no matter what physical condititon you are in they will kick your ass. Hope you all enjoyed them.

New building.

2010-03-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

We have now moved into our new building located at 4080 Palm st, Fullerton suite 802. We would like to thank everyone who helped with the move. I want to personally thank Scott who has been working on this project everyday for the past week. Some people go their whole lives without ever having the relationships that we do. We are truly blessed to have such great friends. To think that fitness bridged these new friendships is amazing.
We started off in a 2,000 sq ft box and now we train in a 6,500 sq ft box, and it is all because of you. The CrossFit Brea family has grown due to it members not because of advertising. We want to keep the comradery so if you see somone that you do not know please introduce yourself. Thank you for all your hard work and we look forward to training you for years to come. Thanks- CrossFit Brea Crew.

Brea 8K

2010-02-27T16:38:00.001-08:00

Thank you to everyone who helped move the gym. The new building looks great. We will have class as usual starting Mon @ 6:00 am. Unfortuantly due to lack of time Erik has not been able to find a 80's costume to fit him. Darlene and some of the other girls are still dressing up. We will meet at the event. Erik and Darlene will be arriving around 7:15. See you there.

CLOSED FRI, SAT & SUN

2010-02-25T20:13:00.000-08:00

The last class ever in the old box

We will no longer be having a 9:30am class tomorrow. This means no classes Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. No this doesn't mean you can't workout...run, tabata, hike, swim, jump rope, or help move and set up the new gym. We've got a lot of hard work ahead of us and appreciate any help.

Friday we'll start moving at 10am and go until ?? We'll be loading at the old gym and unloading at 4080 N. Palm St. Fullerton, Suite 802

On Saturday check the website for moving times.

Sunday is the 8k :)

See you at the box

Perseverance

2010-02-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

It is easy to quit with only one minute left in an AMRAP 20. It is easy to say "good enough". It takes heart to push yourself to get one more round. Never settle for less. Tonight the 7:30 class pushed their limits. When there were two minutes left in the WOD, every single one of them started to work even harder. They pushed their limits to the max.

You get what you put into it. If you give half effort, you will get half results. If you give everything you have every day you will see change. Note: We will have only one class on Friday @ 9:30am. We are closed Sat. and Sun. to move. If you want to help us just send an email.

8K is on Sunday! Be ready for an epic run.

2010-02-23T20:38:00.000-08:00

Good job on the heavy front squat and high box jumps today. We had a few people PR on front squats and a bunch of people PR on their box jumps. Chris Cooney jumped onto a 4 foot 5 inch box, Rosanne jumped onto a 2 foot 8 inch box, AJ jumped onto a 3 foot 10 inch box, and Jonathan in his first class jumped onto a 3 foot 8 inch box. It's great to see people push and commit themselves to jumping higher then they ever have before.

Many of us are struggling with the technique on the clean. The clean is as simple as a jump and a land, there are no arms involved in pulling the bar other than guiding it to its destination. I see time and time again athletes bending their arms and trying to muscle the bar up to their shoulders. This is wrong, you're working against yourself. "When the arms bend, the power ends." You have to jump the bar up and pull under the bar, tricking gravity before it can push the bar back down, and receive it on your shoulders with your elbows high. Think of it like when you're towing something with a rope, you have to pull the slack out of the rope before you start moving whatever object you're pulling right? Once the slack is pulled, the object starts moving. The same goes for the clean and snatch. Our arms stay straight throughout the pull and into the jump, the "shrug" is actually the start of you accelerating under the bar, then the arms bend as you aggressively pull yourself under the bar. There's a ton of technique involved in these lifts and it takes quite some time to learn. Stay focused, relaxed and have fun with them. I'm still constantly learning new tweeks to my technique, I believe there's always room for improvement, not just with the oly lifts, but with everything we do in here from air squats to push ups and everything in between.

Here is coach B giving a great analogy of jumping the bar up.

There will only be one class Friday at 9:30am. All other classes that day will be canceled along with Saturday and Sunday. We will re-open at our new location on Monday at 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton.

If you are available to help us move during these times, please let us know and we'll fill you in on the times we are moving.

The Brea 8k is this Sunday. The race starts at 8am sharp. Did you get your 80's outfit yet?

2010-02-22T20:42:00.000-08:00

25x OHS
10x TGU
25x DL
10x TGU
25xOHS
10x TGU
25x DL
10x TGU
50x Pullup
10x TGU
50x Parallet Push Up

We don't normally post our WOD's but today was worth posting for all the members who couldn't make it in. Today was a brutal test of strength endurance and mental toughness. Some finished today but many didn't. Some quietly chipped away while others screamed out in frustration and disbelief of the workout. Did you configure a game plan? Did you break up each movement into sets or did you go to failure. Having a game plan is a sign of mental toughness. You are going into it knowing it's going to suck but you are forming a plan to make it more efficient and easier on yourself. The last thing you should do is get frustrated and scream out. For one, you're wasting energy and air that could be put towards improving your WOD time. Two, by screaming out, you're actually raising your heart rate, working against yourself. Stay relaxed, breathe slow and breathe deep, and most importantly, keep on moving.

We will only have one class on Friday at 9:30am. The 12:30, 4:30, & 5:30 will be cancelled along with Sat & Sun. We will be moving into our new facility at 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton. If you would like to help us move feel free, we could use all the help we can get.

Barriers

2010-02-21T15:18:00.001-08:00

Choose your PR

It was fun to see people push their limits today and score huge improvements on previous personal records. Roseann did 51 push ups straight. I counted.

I know for a fact that some of you are stronger and more capable than you think you are. I saw some great lifts from some trainees and knew for a fact they could do more. Mental hurdles are an important thing to get over. But the only way to find out is to push yourself to the edge. You will never know until you try that big lift, do one more pull up or run just a bit faster. Push your limits and you will see what you are truly capable of. Mental barriers are in everyone. Whether or not you choose to overcome them is your choice.

"The mind always fails before the body"
-Mark Twight

kettlebell's in flight

2010-02-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

We definitely had a full house today and whether you were doing an intro, fundamentals, or the regular WoD everyone was dedicated to the task. Many from the 10:30 class added weight as they went...not because we asked them to but because they wanted to give it their all. Train hard, eat right, and get 'er done!

Some of you tried the fish oil today. Remember, it is fish oil, not a milk shake! We want to say thanks to Matthew Aporta for coming out and giving us a basic understanding of why we all need to take fish oil and why the grade of oil is so important. We want to place our order asap so please shoot Darlene an email and let her know what flavors we want. Chocolate, Mint, and Lemon are what we're hearing so let us know how much. They've also got awesome protein products so let us know if you are interested.

Hammer

2010-02-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

Whats up guys its Erik, Everytime I go away I constantly check the site for any kind of updates on you guys. I am always thinking about how each individual is doing. Things like, is Dave doing RX or is he trying to make the WOD harder, how is Melissa's shoulder, What kind of socks is Amy wearing, is Marcela keeping her back arched. I run down my mental check list and hope everyone is on point and training hard. My point is I miss all of you already and can't wait to get back with my family and start training again. See you all soon.- Erik

New Box

2010-02-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

Thank you all so much for your support! Thanks to you we have the privilege to move into a much larger facility. We are currently prepping the new box so we can open classes on March 1st. If you want to stop by and see the new place or help with painting, Darlene will be working there this Saturday from 12:30-5 and Sunday from 1-6. The new address is 4080 N. Palm St. Suite 802 Fullerton. Thanks again! We could not have done it without you.

Fish Oil...Do it!

2010-02-18T09:58:00.000-08:00

We train hard here at CrossFit Brea and are always striving for our best. Something as simple as a daily dose of fish oil can benefit our training and our lives in a major way. We’ve got a representative from Maine Natural Health coming this Saturday to give us the skinny on fish oil. They have an amazing all natural product that is one of the few true “wonder drugs”. It is the highest-grade fish oil available in North America without a prescription.

I’m really excited about this product! I started taking it a couple weeks back and I am happy to report my wrist feels the best it has in seven months and I only need to tape it every once in awhile. I also don’t get that crazy sore feeling anymore in my muscles…you know the one where you can’t walk right. Omega-3 is a natural anti-inflammatory agent. The importance of taking the correct dosage of Omega-3 oils cannot be overstated. Matthew Aporta will be there to go over dosage and their products, which include protein formulas. For those at the 9:30 class he will be there at 9am and will also go over the info after the 9:30 and 10:30 classes.

Research shows that omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids are highly concentrated in the brain and appear to be important for cognitive (brain memory and performance) and behavioral function. In fact, infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids from their mothers during pregnancy are at risk for developing vision and nerve problems. Symptoms of omega-3 fatty acid deficiency include fatigue, poor memory, dry skin, heart problems, mood swings or depression, and poor circulation.

Clinical evidence is strongest for heart disease and problems that contribute to heart disease, but omega-3 fatty acids may also be used for:
High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Heart disease
Diabetes
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
Osteoporosis
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Schizophrenia
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Skin disorders
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
Asthma
Macular Degeneration
Menstrual pain
Coloncancer
Breast cancer
Prostate cancer

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/omega-3-000316.htm

Maine Natural Health on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Warren-ME/Maine-Natural-Health/141851907960?ref=ts

"Isabel"

2010-02-17T12:36:00.000-08:00

Today was your first experience with Isabel. Here is Josh Everett doing Isabel with the fastest ever recorded time.

2010-02-16T20:38:00.000-08:00

During one of our recent evening beginners class discussions we had client ask about protein bars....and which one is the best one if you are trying to eat Paleo. Those of you that have been around for a while know the answer to that question. NONE. But what do you grab in the morning when you are trying to hustle the kids out the door, get to work on time, AND have more than coffee in your belly till lunch?

Eating REAL food--that has endured the least amount of processing before it reaches your mouth--is the goal. But it is a goal that takes some planning, practice, and a little bit of dedicated time.

Pre-cooking lean meats like chicken, steak, and fish two or three times a week will ensure that you always have something to eat when you have little time to prepare. From there you can take 5 min every night to put your food together for the next day. Shop for produce and nuts at stores like Henry's, Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Trader Joe's.

I've heard the excuse time and time again that following the Paleo is "too hard." Just remember you can't outwork a shitty diet. You bust your ass in here why waste it? Discipline yourself, hold yourself accountable. That piece of pizza, cookie, or beer will always be there to eat, I haven't heard of a cookie or chocolate cake ban in the news. Everything in moderation, save those things for a special occasion. Only eat food that spoils or dies, anything on the perimeter of the grocery store, avoid the isles.

If you ever have a question, please ask any of us, we will be more than happy to answer it for you.

Upcoming Run

2010-02-15T20:53:00.000-08:00

Courage is endurance for one moment more…
-Unknown Marine Second Lieutenant in Vietnam

We have the Brea 8k coming up. The last day to sign up and pay is this Wednesday! So if you still want to do it please come in and fill out a sheet and pay the $25. It will be a great experience and a cool way to show off all that hard work. An 8k run will not be bad. Fran would be worse. Sign up today!

S.O.S.

2010-02-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

Suffer On Sunday II

There was a plethora of work to do. A long WOD will do damage if you think too much about the next movement. A key to getting through any workout is breaking up the rounds, reps, and laps into manageable goals. If you have to do 50 burpees, count by 10's or 5's. Small reps schemes make the work easier mentally. Do not let large numbers beat you before you begin. If you have to run 3 laps, run to one point then the next. Small steps go a long way. One step at a time, one rep at a time, one workout at a time.

Breathe Slow, Work Fast

Move the gym.

2010-02-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

This was as "functional" as it gets. Heavy loads over distance= real world training. We simply had you train for a real world scenario. Crazy concept, training for a something that might be useful. When we put a little fire under our ass we all realized how hard this WOD actually was.

Evolution

2010-02-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

By: Jon Gilson

The contention, like most that endure, made perfect sense. Get too strong, and your endurance will suffer. Too much endurance, and your strength will drop. You can’t have everything.

Fortunately, perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution.

The fact that we missed: previous feats of athleticism will always be surpassed. Sprinters will sprint faster, lifters will lift more. Quarterbacks will throw more accurately, batters will hit more home runs. CrossFitters will get stronger and faster.

Perfect sense and reality do not always occupy the same space, their neat relationship thrown askew by the inexorable march of athletic evolution.

Once, we said that developing the capacity of a novice across a variety of physical disciplines would create the fittest men and women on the planet. Unavoidably, we’re being forced to remove the word “novice” from this definition; it no longer applies. Our fittest are not novices, but legitimate contenders in nearly every arena.

For the first time, we’re seeing the strong, the fast, the enduring, occupying the same space. The guy with the 5-minute mile is deadlifting 500 pounds. He’s putting out half a horsepower for ten straight minutes. He’s jumping four feet in the air. He’s running eighty miles. He is world class; his accomplishments are not a compromise.

Simultaneously, we are seeing adaption to imposed demand that does not follow traditional pathways. Now, the strongest are not the largest, the fastest not the most waiflike. Strength is achieved through increased neurological efficiency rather than mass. Speed is achieved by getting stronger, not running more. Athletes are borne from variety rather than specificity, exhibiting unheard of strength-to-bodyweight ratios.

We are throwing training on its ear, and this is just the beginning. This discipline is in its infancy, still far from widespread, still the province of few. There may come a day when our definition of fitness is not a compromise, when we no longer sacrifice mastery in one domain for competency in many, instead choosing mastery in all.

That day has started to dawn.