Skunkworks

Training for a sport can be boring and repetitive, and swimming is no different as the laps pile up. To spice things up a bit and hopefully increase performance, Pete Raykovich and Chris Michelmore have been using CrossFit with young athletes at De Anza Cupertino Aquatics.

Michelmore and Raykovich talk about how they’ve implemented CrossFit in their training program and how the athletes have responded to the intense dry-land workouts. Interestingly, athletes… Continue Reading

First things first: CrossFit Fort Vancouver, winner of the 2010 CrossFit Games Affiliate Cup, isn’t in Canada. After receiving congratulations for a Canadian win, owner Adam Neiffer has had to tell people his gym is in Vancouver, Wash., just across the river from Portland, Ore. Named after the historic fort down the road from the box, CrossFit Fort Vancouver has definitely made a name for itself in the community.

In this video, meet… Continue Reading

Have you ever seen kids scooting around in a CrossFit Kids class at your local affiliate? Those children could very well be the next face of USA’s national weightlifting team—or so is the hope of Coach Mike Burgener and the rest of Team CrossFit, a newly organized group of people interested in testing themselves in weightlifting competitions.

Coach B has been around weightlifting and athletics for a long time and has coached many… Continue Reading

In May 2010, the U.S. Army published a 69-page study evaluating the CrossFit program and its effects on combat fitness. This document summarizes the findings of a comprehensive evaluation of 14 military athletes over an eight-week period.

The purpose of this study is to test the efficacy of the CrossFit fitness program and methodology to increase the physical fitness of U.S. Army soldiers. Over the past several years, the CrossFit fitness program has gained… Continue Reading

On Episode 135 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Laurie Carver, who won the Masters Division at the 2010 CrossFit Games. Justin also interviewed CrossFit strongman Rob Orlando. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010.

9:45 CrossFit Games Masters champion Laurie Carver came on the show to share her thoughts on the weekend at the Home Depot Center. She talked about how she… Continue Reading

Pat Sherwood’s investigation continues: what’s the best thing to eat following a workout?

As he travels about the country, Sherwood works with many of CrossFit’s elite Level 1 trainers and takes the opportunity to pump these athletes and coaches for some info on their diet. In Part 3, Sherwood treats us to a conversation with Stephane Rochet, head strength and conditioning coach at San Diego State University and a man CrossFit HQ’s Rory McKernan says “can… Continue Reading

Here are the individual PDF articles published in August 2010, collected together in a single download.

The video and audio articles are not contained in the PDF.

The articles included here are:

Joulwan - CrossFit Lessons Outside the Box
Daigle - Fear and Loathing in L.A.
Joseph - Working out for Two
MacDonald - Truly Special Populations
Lopez - APFT A-OK
Needham - No Excuses
Barnett - Why’d You Miss?
Saliba - An Affiliation Journey—So Far
Ames - Great Intro. Now… Continue Reading

Competing at the upcoming CrossFit/USAW Open in Colorado Springs? You could really use a guy like Mike Burgener in your corner. Luckily, Coach B is here to tell you all about what to expect when you walk through the doors at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort for the first hybrid competition of its kind.

Take notes, CrossFitter.

In this two-part interview with Coach B at his home gym in California, he… Continue Reading

You just cleaned a huge weight—but can you get it overhead? Hall-of-fame Oly coach Bob Takano explains how to correct errors in your jerk.

In the CrossFit community (and in the weightlifting nation at large), most of the effort is being put into learning proper technique in the pull—and justifiably so. Correct pulling technique is absolutely necessary for the performance of the snatch and clean.

Within an Oly Cert, we focus… Continue Reading

Behind every good athlete is a long list of supporters and coaches who’ve helped along the way. Ask anyone who has ever stood atop a podium if he or she got there alone, and you’ll find the answer is likely, “No.”

CrossFit Games athletes are no different.

At this year’s event, Again Faster turned the lens on the men and women behind those competing for the title of World’s Fittest to get their take on the event and what it’s like watching the athlete… Continue Reading

After the 2010 CrossFit Games, Mikko Salo took a day off—but only one.

Shortly afterward, the 2009 champion stopped by to train at CrossFit Santa Cruz with Hollis Molloy. In between power cleans, Salo talks a little about his vices (he has none), his dog, his CrossFit certifications, and his thoughts while he struggled with the rope climb in the final event at the Home Depot Center.

Finally, Salo the athlete talks about… Continue Reading

Kettlebells aren’t just for swinging and snatching anymore. They’re for raising money, too.

When Mike Krivka of CrossFit Koncepts went looking for some way to raise money for the troops, it was obvious that a workshop could easily be set up as a fundraiser given his background with kettlebells and his love for CrossFit.

Jordan Gravatt offers a closer look at Krivka’s unique fundraising effort.

4min 51sec

Additional reading: Kettlebell Basics: Drills for… Continue Reading

In 2008-09, Sage Hopkins and Chris Michelmore led the San Jose State women’s swimming team to arguably the greatest season in Spartan history. Both happen to be avid CrossFitters and have implemented the CrossFit protocol throughout the swimming program—but getting there wasn’t easy.

“Your ass is on the line,” Hopkins was told when trying to implement CrossFit into the swimming program.

While correlation doesn’t imply cause, both coaches are sure that the… Continue Reading

Following up after a free intro session is critical to building a relationship with potential clients. Monique Ames explains how to do it.

During a great intro, you have shown the prospective member exactly what you’ve got and also where they stand in the grand scheme of CrossFit in your gym. Whether they join or not, there are things you should do to continue building the relationship you just… Continue Reading

Oh the burn!

At some point during Karen, your quads start to tingle with a certain familiar sensation that can only be described as “burning.” As you work your way toward your 150th toss of the Dynamax ball, the feeling gets worse and worse until you heave the final ball to the wall.

We all feel lactic acid building up during a workout. Or do we?

It turns out the burning sensation actually comes from the accumulation of potassium… Continue Reading

After the 2010 CrossFit Games, Mikko Salo took a day off—but only one.

The 2009 champion finished fifth on Sunday at the Home Depot Center, and by Tuesday he was back in the gym for two workouts. The Finn just isn’t satisfied with his performance and has dedicated himself to getting back to the top of the podium in 2011. That climb has already started.

At CrossFit Santa Cruz for a few workouts shortly after the… Continue Reading

Chris Saliba affiliated in March of 2009. Just over a year later he looks back on lessons learned and challenges overcome.

“Hi Chris: On behalf of CrossFit, we would like to offer our congratulations and to let you know that we would be honored to have you join the CrossFit family of affiliates.”

It was these few words read on March 25, 2009, that started the ball rolling, and as I sit here… Continue Reading

Chris Spealler is an HQ trainer, affiliate owner and CrossFit legend. After competing in all four CrossFit Games, Speal finally jumped on the podium with a third-place finish in 2010. At the awards ceremony, the dynamic athlete from Utah was given the Spirit of the Games Award for embodying the true character of CrossFit.

Back in his gym, CrossFit Park City, Speal reflects on this year’s event, including the final workouts of the… Continue Reading

Maybe you weren’t strong enough to make the lift, or maybe something else went wrong. Jeff Barnett offers a non-exhaustive list of reasons why the iron didn’t move.

A missed lift is a wonderful opportunity. It’s an opportunity to test your limits, to build character through willingness to fail, and to examine what went wrong.

Many proficient coaches have said that you should plan your lifts carefully such that you never miss. Perhaps… Continue Reading

Even if you finish in the top 10 at the CrossFit Games, you still have to earn a Level 1 certification—it just isn’t as hard to learn the movements when you’re one of the world’s top CrossFitters.

After an outstanding performance at the 2010 Games, always-smiling Camille Leblanc-Bazinet was invited to a Level 1 Cert at CrossFit Watertown, where Again Faster caught up the athlete from Richelieu, Quebec.

In between front squats, med-ball… Continue Reading