Yep it's that time again.. 50 what???

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
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

Split Jerk; 3, 3, 2, 2, 1; rest 120 sec

+

10 sets

10 Pull Ups

10 Ring Dips

30 sec rest b/w dips and pull ups

Back Squat 5 x 5 @ 20X0; rest 120 sec

+

10-8-6-4-2 Thrusters, 135/95#

50-40-30-20-10 Double Unders

+

GHD Sit Ups 3 sets of 15

My cousin, Brady Williamson, made it home safely from Iraq last week. Jason Odom has also arrived back in to the states. If you do not know these names, they're the 2 hero's that have been posted on the wall in the gym for a while now. Thanks for all your prayers for them.

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training…Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.” (1 Corinthians 9:25-27

Why do you train? why do you work? what is your purpose? What are your goals for this month/6 months/year/10 years? How are you going to attain those goals?

Pick Up your goals sheet starting wednesday and they will need to be turned in by next wednesday. In order for us to be able to better accomplish your goals, you and me both need to know what they are so we can know how to get there. Train hard and do the impossible.

Work day! Thanks to all who came out and help give the gym a make-over. It's looking a lot better but not done yet! Thanks everyone!

CrossFit Pain

CrossFit Pain

This is why I love CrossFit guys and why CrossFit is so much more than a fitness program but it is a lifestyle. This is a picture of me after the 5 x Run 400m/ 25 pullups event last saturday at the sectionals. My legs started to cramp on lap 3 or 4 and were completely cramped up on the 5th lap. I was literally dragging my right foot on the ground for about a quarter of the last lap. One of the most painful things I've experienced. Definitely a new level of CrossFit pain was reached that afternoon.

But I made it through it and performed pretty well on the final workout. This CrossFit pain teaches us that we CAN handle ANYTHING we put our mind to. I don't want people to look like this after every workout but there is a threshold that you need to be breaking down each and every time you train. Push your body physically and mentally and it will carry over to your every day life. I've seen so many examples of people who, after crossfitting for several months, are walking around with more confidence. They believe in themselves, the problems they face every day are not a big deal to them anymore, they are not scared to try new things or take risk.

I believe there is a direct correlation between crossfit training and this new positive, confident attitude that people have. After all, once you've done Fight Gone Bad, as anything else really that hard?

Train hard, push your limits, see what your made of and test what you can handle. Don't be afraid to take risk.

5 Rounds

Run 400m

25 Pullups for males/ 15 Pullups for females

Also, we'll be having a work day at the gym saturday. Probably from around noon til 5 or so. Building a new platform and maybe some other toys, maybe doing some painting so if you're available please come help out! Also we'll do a competition team workout as a break at 3 o'clock if enough people are there. Please let me know ahead of time so I can plan accordingly for the workout!

12-9-6-3 Dead Lift, 275/165#

40-30-20-10 Wall Ball, 20/14#

Tyler- 8:13 Mike 7:37

Men 1st- 5:26

Women 1st- 7:26

Final Recap on CF Games Sectionals

Well guys the weekend is over and I believe it was an overall success. Tyler and I both struggled through the final event on sunday which was the Run/Pull up WOD. We both had cramping problems (we think this is just a direct relation to not running enough in our training). But overall we both still felt very confident with our training and felt good going into the final wod. If you don't know today's final wod was:

15 minutes as many reps as possible

5 Hand Stand Push Ups

7 Squat Snatch, 95#

10 Box Jumps, 20"

Tyler felt good going in but a little concerned about his shoulders. Turns out he absolutely killed it, his shoulders were solid the whole way through and everyone was amazed and how solid his technique was throughout the whole workout. He performed 8 rounds and 4 hand stand push ups (locked out about 5 at the end but his feet fell off the wall before reaching lockout). This great performance (7th in this event) moved him from 24th to 18th overall.

I felt good also going into the last wod and knew what I needed to do to stay top 15 (I was 13 going into sunday) I finished 8 rounds + 5 HSPU's and 3 Snatches. This put me at 4th in this event and 10th overall at the end of the weekend.

I am very proud of the way Tyler and I represented. As you all know we are a team and we could never have performed this well without the motivation of each other as training partners.

Proverbs 27:17 "As iron shapens iron, so one man sharpens another"

Lastly, I want to say thank you for everyone's support. Most importantly, I want to first thank my parents, Thomas, Reagan, Mrs. Jerrye Tisdale (Reagan's mom), and Kenley (Tyler's wife). We definitely could not have done it without their hands on support. They were right in front of us on every workout and in between workouts to give us anything we could possibly need (mainly words of encouragement).

Next, I want to thank all of the supporters from Versus Strength and Conditioning from Hattiesburg and CrossFit Hattiesburg. You guys and girls were such a huge encouragement for Tyler and I.

Last but definitely not least, I want to thank all of my clients that were continually checking in and encouraging us. You have no idea what it means to me to have your support through out this journey. I was almost brought to tears after the final event with my fan base that was there just knowing how proud my clients would be and how thankful I am for Tyler and I representing CrossFit 27:17 so well. I can not thank you enough for your support.

Hopefully one night this week or next I will have a video put together we can watch at the gym and have a cookout and tell you all about the experience Tyler and I had.

Now I need your support as I continue my journey towards Regional Qualifiers. Please keep me in check on my diet, training, recovery, etc. It may seem like this is always easy for me but you guys are one of the biggest things that keep me motivated so keep up the great support!

Again thank you so much!

Day 2

Well guys and girls it's day to here in Huntsville. Some of you may have been getting up dates through other resources yesterday but a quick recap (I will give a detailed recap tonight or tomorrow). I (Michael McElroy) is standing in 13th after day 1 and Tyler Smith is in 24th. Both struggled through the 3rd workout with cramps.

Waking up this morning my quads are pretty tight but I feel like they will loosen up once I get out and moving. The final event today is 15 min amrap of 5 HSPU, 7 Squat Snatch (95#), 10 Box Jumps.

Please pray for safety and strength (physically and mentally) to push through today's final event. Thank you all for your support!

Night before the Games!

Well there's not much left to do. We have one good nights rest left before the kick off of the AL/MS/TN Games. Tyler and I have been communicating back and forth about how we're feeling. We both went to the site earlier today and got checked in and scoped out where everything is going down tomorrow. Both of us had a good dinner (I had a nice steak, sweet potato, and broccoli/ Tyler had some salmon), we both did some trigger point/myofascial release work and some stretching and about to hit the bed.

All of you know how hard we have been training for this and how much we want to represent CrossFit 27:17 well. I ask that you keep us in your prayers, pray that we have strength and courage, pray that we have good attitudes about all of the workouts no matter what the outcome is.

If you want to keep up, there is a live video feed or twitter updates on the games website.

Hebrews 12:11 is my verse for the weekend but Reagan just found another verse to help me get through the weekend.

Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

Thanks for all of your support and I will be keeping this blog and the facebook page updated.

Saturday workouts for us at the Games!

WOD 1
3 Rounds for time of:
25m Down-and-Back sprint (50m total)
10 Burpees
7 Ground-to-shoulder - 155/105lbs

WOD 2
For time:
12 Deadlifts - 275/165lbs
40 Wall balls - 20/10lbs
9 Deadlifts - 275/165lbs
30 Wall balls - 20/10lbs
6 Deadlifts - 275/165lbs
20 Wall balls - 20/10lbs
3 Deadlifts - 275/165lbs
10 Wall balls - 20/10lbs

WOD 3 - "The Corps"
MEN
Five rounds for time of:
400m run
25 Pull-ups

WOMEN
Five rounds for time of:
400m run
15 Pull-ups

3 sets:

10 KB Swings

Row 75 seconds

rest 2 minutes

+

3 sets:

10 DB Hang Squat Clean

High Knee Jump Rope 60 seconds

rest 2 minutes

+

5 fast rounds (not for time):

10 Box Jumps

10 Sit Ups

"Get Comfortable with Uncomfortable"

"Get Comfortable with Uncomfortable"-James FitzGerald

There is more to improvements in physical work capacity than meets the eye.
I first thought that exercise only made our muscles more able, our hearts sustain and our minds free. When I first started introducing people to a component of intensity, I would see changes and outcomes moreso at a psycho-social level than at the physical level.
I thought that there must have been something to the exercise that was causing this.
I have discovered over time that the point at which a person reaches a certain level of intensity is when exercise becomes a "spiritual" thing for them.
Their friends call it obsession, I call it discipline. An act in which they search out ways to get outside of the normal homeostasis a lot of folks seem to be comfortable with today.
When exercising, I have direct evidence that for those that get to limits that are safe but outside of their comfort zone, these individuals become "stronger, more confident" people on multiple levels.
Getting uncomfortable is different for everyone. For one it may mean stepping in our doors, for another it may be breathing hard for the first time since they were a child and for another it may mean teetering on the edge of performance and injury.
Whatever the case, it is important to get uncomfortable and over time create a comfort with this state of being. I can attest that it makes it all worthwhile in the end.
Recently a beginning client mentioned she was going to make the step to go to the local community gym and do her OPT workouts there as she felt confident enough after doing it in her basement.
Another example was an online client of mine who has agreed to change his life that required changes in his job in order to move forward.
And finally, one long time client had gotten to the point where she felt that it was time to compete at a fitness competition after her long journey with self perception challenges.
All of these examples are of folks that are stepping into another realm and making it happen; a realm that requires some discomfort, and that is OK.

James

A. Over Head Squats @ 32X1; 3 x 5 sets; rest 120 sec

B1. Wall Ball; 15 unbroken x 4; rest 10 sec

B2. Pull Ups; 10 unbroken x 4; rest 10 sec

B3. High Knee Jump Rope; 30 sec x 4; rest 120 sec

Athlete of the Month/CrossFit Pain and Intensity

Athlete of the Month: Matt Dennis- PR's set this month: 185 Split Jerk, 1st Muscle Up, 3:38-1000m Row TT

Great work Matt keep up the work!

Why does CrossFit work? Anyone who has experienced results from CrossFit or seen some of the top athletes perform CrossFit workouts should know most of the answer to this question. Yes, the magic is in the movements, functional movements will make anyone stronger and have a higher work capacity, but intensity is where you really see results.

If you have never pushed to the point of having to lay down after a workout you haven't experienced that "other level" of CrossFit Pain. Yesterday, the 1000m row time trial made several clients experience even a knew level of pain. At least 4 people in the afternoon group experienced cramping in the legs after this TT. This shows the importance of proper nutrition, take note of what you ate, how much you slept, and how stressful your day was when you experience this type of pain. Make adjustments and learn from it.

Next week we will be showing "Every Second Counts" the video of the 2008 CrossFit Games to help motivate Tyler and I for the next weekend. The games have progressed a lot from 2008 but this will give you all a taste of what we will be going through next weekend. Hope all of you can come to Huntsville, we would love the support.

A. Power Clean; 3 x 5 sets; rest 90 seconds

B1. Press Cluster; 1.1.1.1.1 x 4; rest 60 sec

B2. KB Swings; 21 x 4; rest 60 sec

C1. HSPU; amrap x 3; rest 20 sec

C2. GHD Raise; 8-12 x 3; rest 60 sec

A. Dead Lift @ 42X1; 5 x 5 sets; rest 120 sec

B1. KB Swings; 15 x 3 sets; rest 10 sec

B2. Box Jumps; 15 x 3 sets; rest 90 sec

C. Row Sprints @ 100% effort; 30 sec on 60 sec rest

Press 1-1-1-1

Push Press 3-3-3-3

Push Jerk 5-5-5-5

5 minutes practice Double Unders and High Knee Skipping

+

5 sets

7 C2B Pull Ups

12 Squat Jumps

rest 60 sec

+

Tabata Mash- only 6 of each

Lunge Jumps

Sit Ups

Tuesday's WOD

Pull Ups 3 x 5 sets, strict- weighted; rest 120 sec

+

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Sumo Dead Lift High Pull, 95/65#

Push Press, 95/65#

A.Front Squat @ 32X1; 3 x 5 sets; rest 90 seconds

B1. 15 unbroken wall ball; rest 10 seconds

B2. 15 Knees to Elbow; rest 10 seconds

B3. 10 Chest to deck push ups; rest 120 seconds

C. 100 sit ups for time

5 minutes amrap Double Unders

5 minutes rest

+

50 Pull Ups

50 Burpees

Very simple...

Row 2000meters... this is not a leisure row!

Why adversity?

*10 Purposes We Have Overcome Adversity:

1) To disciple us

-Hebrews 12:10

2) To bring about good in our lives

- “Your Love Never Fails” by: Chris Quilala

- Romans 8:28

3) To prove faith is genuine

-1 Peter 1:6-7; 4:12-13

4) To prune us to bear more fruit

-Pruning hurts but rids of all the “junk” so that we can get to what matters

-John 15:2

5) To produce increased dependence on God rather than ourselves

-“If dependence brings us TO God, then weakness is an ADVANTAGE.”

-2 Corinthians 1:8-9

6) To give us an increased ministry to others

-meet God in the midst of our adversity; minister to others as a result of what we’ve been through

-2 Corinthians 1:3-4

7) To help us long for Heaven and cling to Christ

-“Heaven Song” by Phil Wickham

-2 Corinthians 4:16-18

8) To produce within us Perseverance and lasting joy

-Sometimes the most loving thing that God does for us is let us walk through adversity so that in the end we develop perseverance!

-James 1:2-4

9) To give us the ability to embrace that God’s grace is sufficient

-What we think is relief of adversity is the embrace of His grace!

-2 Corinthians 12:1-10

10) To know that Christ would be glorified and treasured above ALL else

-In my weakness, your power is made PERFECT!

-John 16:33

Testing

Mitchell, paleo challenge winner, lifts 305# after losing a total of 25lbs!

This week we will be doing some bench mark testing.

First up is the CrossFit Total

Find 1 Rep Max on the following:

Back Squat

Shoulder Press

Dead Lift

-no more than 10 minutes on each lift

-perfect form, no rounded backs

Post comments about video...

Ring Pull Ups; amrap x 3; rest 90 sec

+

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Sumo Dead Lift High Pull, 75#/55#

KTE

+

Row 750m @ 80%

A1. Front Squat @ 30X0; 3, 2, 1, 1; rest 90 sec

A2. Ring Dips; amrap x 4; rest 90 sec

B1. HSPU; amrap x 3; rest 10 sec

B2. Double Unders; amrap in 30 sec x 3; rest 60 sec

C. GHD sit ups; 15 x 4 sets; rest 60 sec

Marty sporting the new shirts!

Patner WOD

3 Rounds

1 person Rows 500

other person does amrap hang squat snatch

then switch

No more height excuses!

A1. Split Squat @ 30X0; 5-7/leg x 3; rest 90 sec

A2. Ring Push Ups @ 30X0; amrap x 3; rest 90 sec

B1. KB Swings 20 x 3; rest 10 sec

B2. Box Jumps 15 x 3; rest 10 sec

B3. Push Ups amrap x 3; rest 10 sec

B4. Sit Ups 30 x 3; rest 180 sec

3 x 3 Ring Dips

+

"Jackie"

Row 1000m

50 Thrusters

30 Pull Ups

Coaches

Marchers:

3 sets:

10 thrusters – 120#/80#

Row 2 min @ 90% effort

Rest 2 min

+

3 sets:

10 front squat – 135#/95#

90 sec high knee skipping

rest 2 min

+

21,15,9 rep rounds for time;

Chin Ups

Burpees