“I didn’t really think he was taking me seriously,” Iliana told The Huffington Post. “Then he asked our photographer about it and she sounded excited so he said we should try it out. I was all for it – to just do something that was a little more ‘us.’”
You can check out the rest of the engagement photos here.
Via: The Huffington Post
CrossFit Culmination in Las Vegas created this parody of Taylor Swift’s hit song, “Shake it off.” The video features the box’s athletes busting a move to catchy lyrics poking fun at haters and gym rats. It’s something you might want to play during your next workout.
You can check out the full lyrics here:
My Pullups are all wrong
These movements don’t make me strong
That’s what lifters say, mmm-mmm
That’s what lifters say, mmm-mmm
Im losing all my gains
and I can’t make ‘em stay
At least that’s what lifters say, mmm-mmm
That’s what lifters say, mmm-mmm
But I keep woding
Can’t stop, won’t stop woding
It’s like I got this coach
In my mind
Saying, “It’s gonna be alright.”‘Cause the meat-heads gonna juice, juice, juice, juice, juice
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Gym-Rats gonna Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
we never miss a weight
with lifters on our feet
And that’s what they don’t see, mmm-mmm
that’s what they don’t see, mmm-mmm”
I’m lifting with my coach (lifting with my coach)
He watches as we go (Watches as we go)
And that’s what they don’t know, mmm-mmm
that’s what they don’t know, mmm-mmm
But I keep woding
Can’t stop, won’t stop woding
It’s like I got this coach
In my mindSaying, “It’s gonna be alright.”
‘Cause the meat-heads gonna juice, juice, juice, juice, juice
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Gym-Rats gonna Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
Hey, hey, hey
Just think while you’ve been getting down and out about the crossfitters and the dirty, dirty boxes of the world,
You could’ve been making gains to this sick wod.
My ex-man brought his new girlfriend
She’s like “Oh, my god look at those quads!” but I’m just gonna shake.
And to the fella over there with the hella good FRAN
Won’t you come on over, baby? We can thrust, thrust, thrust
Yeah ohhh‘Cause the meat-heads gonna juice, juice, juice, juice, juice
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate (haters gonna hate)
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Gym-Rats gonna Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex, Flex (mmmm)
And the fakers gonna fake, fake, fake, fake, fake (and fake, and fake, and fake)
Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off
Shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
Shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
Shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off (you’ve got to),
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off,
I, I, I shake it off, I shake it off
WWE athletes risk life and limb, day in and day out, pushing their bodies to the limit, whether it’s performing acrobatic stunts off the top of a cage or pummeling themselves onto a makeshift table. Ever wondered how these guys trained to prepare for such a job?
CrossFit and Progenex BLK coach Mike Vac would know. He’s spent time training WWE superstars Luke Harper and Seth Rollins, with the latter already on his 5th month of programming. Vac recalls his experience on the Progenex website:
We kept his [Seth Rollins] warm up and skills consistent with what we had programmed for him. Some rowing and basic, full body exercises and he was warm. The skills section included handstand walking to a wall followed directly by handstand push ups. This is where the athleticism of Seth Rollins is displayed. Chest to bar pull ups and weighted GHD sit ups round out his skill work. We change his lifting session for the day to account for the stress already put on his body in hopes to keep him fresh for his event just hours away. We program a lifting complex: Power Snatch + Snatch Push Press + Overhead Squat. The percentages are kept between 60% and 70% of his 1RM Snatch. Seth moves well. He is clearly a dedicated lifter who takes pride in his form and technique. From set-up, to speed, to foot-work, to his aggressiveness.
I decided to do the conditioning workout we programmed for Seth. Two AMRAP’s with a short rest in-between. The first included Power Cleans (135#), Burpee Box Jumps (24”), and a 200m Run. Seth went unbroken for 12 minutes. I tried to keep up, but he edged me out by a few reps. As impressive as he was during the first workout, it was the second AMRAP that really impressed me. A 10 minute AMRAP of Muscle Ups, Power Snatch (95#), and Toes To Bar. Seth went unbroken on this workout as well. His form from minute 1 was the same at minute 10. For someone who makes a living as a “fake wrestler”, he sure does have the strength, skill, and conditioning of a real athlete.
Amazing. Someone sign this guy up for the Games! You can read more of Coach Vac’s day with Seth Rollins over on the Progenex website.
Via: Progenex
In 2014, champions were crowned, PRs were broken, and limitations were overcome. What’s in store for us in 2015? Big things, that’s what.
1. A new CrossFit Games champion.
Since 2011, there’s been only one name atop the CrossFit Games podium: Rich Froning. But after last year’s edition, both Froning and Jason Khalipa announced they’d forego individual competition in favor of Team, leaving us without a defending champion. The question now is, “Who’s going to be crowned the new Fittest Man on Earth?”
Will it be tried-and-tested athletes like Scott Panchik, or Ben Smith? The former has placed top 5 in the last three years, while the latter garnered a bronze medal in 2013. Or will it be rookies Noah Ohlsen or Mathew Fraser? Both performed well in their first ever Games outing, with Fraser even finishing 1st runner-up. Who knows. From here, it’s an all-out brawl for the spot Froning left behind.
2. There’s going to be a cat fight in the women’s division
Plenty of questions arise when you think about this year’s women’s division. After taking a year off in 2013, Annie Thorisdottir and Julie Foucher proved that rust wasn’t a problem in last year’s Games, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. Would one of these two consistent ladies be able to overcome defending champion Camille Leblanc-Bazinet?
Speaking of champion, 2013 winner Sam Briggs disappointed last year, failing to get past the Europe Regionals. But after seeing her recent performances, it looks like someone’s out for redemption. Would she be able to banish the ghosts of 2014, or is she doomed to repeat it? And what about other athletes like Lauren Fisher? She’s a year older and a lot stronger, would she be able to rise up the ranks and win that glorious title of Fittest Woman on Earth?
3. 2015 will be the beginning of the shoe wars
Reebok has dominated the CrossFit market for the last few years, almost making their brand synonymous with the Sport of Fitness. Now, a new competitor has arrived, and it’s set to give Reebok a run for its money. With the highly-anticipated and much-awaited Nike MetCon 1 set to be released in February, CrossFitters can expect more choices when it comes to footwear as both brands battle it out for market dominance.
4. Super Regionals, teenage division, and state and country champions
New year, new rules. Alongside the reorganization of the 17 regions, there will also be new additions, like a scaled division. This allows us mere mortals to compete according to our abilities, making the Open more inclusive and less brutal.
There will also be a Teenage Division for athletes ages 14 to 17. Teens will do a different version of the Open workout, after which winners will be crowned after the fifth and final week of competition. With the introduction of a Teenage Division, expect aspiring CrossFit stars to be honed and tested at such a young age, putting the future of the sport in good hands.
State and country championships will also be up for grabs. You might not be the fittest on Earth, but at least you can try to be the fittest in your state or country!
5. More PRs to be PR-ed and more skills to be unlocked
We’re excited about a lot of things in CrossFit, but nothing excites us more than knowing how much potential this new year holds for you. Expect new challenges to overcome, new records to be broken, and new skills to be unlocked. Perhaps this is the year you’ll finally learn how to do unbroken double-unders, or nail those elusive muscle-ups, or maybe even beat your own Fran record. The next 12 months hold so much potential, and it’s up to you to make them count!
It’s already been a week since Thanksgiving, have you burned off all those excess calories yet? If not, we took the liberty of asking some affiliates and coaches what they did for a post-Thanksgiving workout. You might want to try one of these. Or not.
CrossFit H-Town
Overstuffed
In teams of 4, complete the following:
200 Calorie Row
200 Box Jumps (20”)
200 KB Swings (53/35lb)
200 Wall Balls
200 Knees-To-Elbow
200 Mt. Climbers (L+R=1)
150 Double Unders (3:1 singles)
150 Lunges
150 Situps
150 Burpees
*Teams are comprised of 2 men, 2 women
**Pair A will start on Row, Pair B will start on Box Jumps. If Pair A finishes, they move to the swings and so on.
You can find out more about CrossFit H-Town over on their website or Facebook page.
Elliott Bay CrossFit
“I’d start with some work with either back or front squats for load. I think nothing revs up the metabolism like squats, as they get every muscle in the body working together and really fire up the core. I’d follow that up with a MetCon that includes front squats and some other movements that are quick hitting. Off the top of my head, I like a 15 min AMRAP of 10 Front Squats, 20 Box Jumps, and 30 Double Unders. I could also sub in wall balls or squat cleans for the front squats and mess with the rep scheme a bit.” – Coach Rohan Joseph
You can find out more about Elliott Bay CrossFit over on their website or Facebook page.
CrossFit Jolt
Rowin’ Burpin’ Karen
2k Row
150 Wall Balls
100 Burpees
*30 min cap
You can find out more about CrossFit Jolt over on their website or Facebook page.
CrossFit Arlington
“I would highly recommend sleeping more, eating real foods, and staying hydrated. Unfortunately, your hour in the gym won’t do much for your total caloric expenditure. In the gym, I would recommend a challenging strength portion like heavy squats or deadlifts because building lean muscle mass through multi-joint movements will help you burn calories at a better rate. I would recommend a conditioning piece that doesn’t leave you sore for a week but rather something that lets you come back again regularly. Ultimately, the sleeping and eating you do outside the gym is more important than your hour in the gym.” – Coach Chris Malta
You can find out more about CrossFit Arlington over on their website or Facebook page.
AllSport CrossFit
Fried Turkey
The epicness of this WOD is incomprehensible. Just check out a photo of AllSport CrossFit’s whiteboard above to get an idea of what they did (you can see a bigger image here). We can’t even imagine how long this workout took!
You can find out more about AllSport CrossFit over on their website or Facebook page.
What did your box do for a post-Thanksgiving WOD? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo credit: Huffington Post
CrossFitter meet Medicine Ball. Medicine Ball meet CrossFitter.
1. Ancient Persians were the first to use medicine balls as a training tool
Based on ancient drawing and writings, the medicine ball dates back to around 3,000 years ago, when Persian wrestlers would train with animal bladders stuffed with sand.
2. Hippocrates was one of the earliest humans to use medicine balls as a form of therapy
Ever wondered why it’s called a medicine ball? Around 400 B.C., Greek physician and philosopher Hippocrates made his patients throw around sand-filled leather balls for rehabilitation purposes. He believed that strength training helped cure many health problems.
3. Medicine balls helped calm seasickness
In the navy, doctors advised their sailors to throw the balls around the ship’s deck. This supposedly helped the men get rid of boredom and avoid seasickness.
4. The Chinese have their own version of the medicine ball
China’s version of the medicine ball actually consists of two balls instead of one. Called “Baoding balls,” they are usually made of solid iron or steel, and are rotated repeatedly in the palm of one’s hand to improve dexterity and strength. It is thought that Baoding balls were invented during the Ming dynasty, anywhere from 1368-1644.
5. It’s one of the “Four Horsemen of Fitness”
Because it had the ability to hit a wide range of muscle groups an, it was seen as a crucial pinnacle of exercise. So along with the dumbbell, the wand, and the Indian club, the medicine ball became part of what is known as the “Four Horsemen of Fitness.”
6. President Herbert Hoover popularized the medicine ball
During his term in office, President Hoover became overweight and out of shape. To improve his health, he took up a game popular among sailors, albeit with a few iterations. Hoover’s version involved two teams throwing a medicine ball over a net (just like today’s volleyball, but heavier!) And thus in 1931, Hoover-ball was born and the medicine ball finally came into American consciousness.
7. The Wallball Shot is now 13 years old
The Wallball Shot was invented by CrossFit HQ and it first appeared on CrossFit.com back in March 8, 2001. That means one of our most hated CrossFit movements is now 13 years old! Oh how time flies!
Because looking at inspiring people who lost their gut makes burpees all the more bearable!
1. Brian Doll, lost 50 lbs in 6 months.
2. Joe Hancuff, went from this to THAT in 11 months. “I LOVE the way I look and unlike my last post, I’m almost always tearing my shirt off for the workout with pride and confidence. I’ve never been stronger, faster, more flexible than I am now and I’m only getting better. Asthma is gone. I have no pain in my body. I can sleep on my back without gasping for air. I can sleep on my stomach without vomiting in my sleep. I can run, jump, wrestle with my kids, swim the length of a swimming pool underwater in a single breath. I stand tall with good strong posture. I can now grow a proper beard.”
3. Coach Angelo Sisco of O’Hare CrossFit. “Fitness or should I say obesity has always been a major factor in my day to day life. I spent most of my life overweight,” he says. “I know what its like to be down and how to help motivate people to bounce back from any injury or mental block because I have done it. I understand what they feel because I have lost 100 pounds in my life and I am proud to say that I did it the right way through hard training and a good nutrition program.”
4. Tina Lutz of CrossFit MTL.
5. Rosemary from CrossFit DT1, 6 months of Paleo plus CrossFit 5x/week.
6. Ashley of CrossFit Hydro.
7. Josh Havelka of Orange Coast CrossFit, lost 23 lbs and 7% body fat in two months.
8. Jason Graves of CrossFit Bolt, lost over 100 lbs in 7 months!
9. Jennie Yundt of CrossFit Fire, went from a size 12 to a size 4 in only 11 months!
10. Josh and Heather Barley from Guerrilla CrossFit, shed all that in 12 months.
11. JR of CrossFit CDA, lost 10 lbs in 35 days.
12. Justin Kacic of O’Hare CrossFit, transformation after 1 year.
13. Reddit user nnorton00 of CrossFit Voltage, shredded 32 lbs and 14% body fat after 10 months.
14. Ryan Quinn of O’Hare CrossFit, lost 28 lbs in a little more than a year.
15. Sammi Miller of CrossFit Fire. “I remember walking in the first time thinking this would be a good experience, but that it probably wouldn’t lead to anything. I had so much fun in my Ramp-up that I decided to start going twice a week. Well, as I started getting stronger and loosing weight, I decided that over the summer I wanted to start going MORE! By summer, I was down 30 pounds and had set some lofty goals: unassited pull ups, double unders, RXd WODs, getting down to my goal weight, etc. By the end of summer, I was a size 4, achieved all those goals, and was SO close to my goal weight. I started the Better Body Challenge with the idea of honing in on my diet. Within the first week, I surpassed my goal weight (actually a pound lower)! And now, I think I’ve got another 10 pounds I can get off me. Plus, I’ve got some goals I’m working on to improve myself as an athlete.”
So you suck at CrossFit, what now? If your name doesn’t start with “Rich,” and doesn’t end in “Froning,” chances are you won’t always top the whiteboard scores at your box. Chances are, you’ll never win a medal at the Games, or even make Regionals. You’ll never have throngs of fans screaming your name, or have thousands of Twitter followers, or get a sponsorship from Reebok.
And that’s ok.
You’re a Crossfitter. Root word: CrossFit. Not: medal, trophy, or championship belt. You’re not good at getting all these awards or high praises. Big deal! You’re not here to get those things anyway. No one ever is. You’re here to do what you love, and that’s to work up a sweat, break your back (metaphorically, of course), and push your limits. Simply put: you’re here to be a better you. And that’s the greatest reward you can get from CrossFit.
Bragging rights? Have you ever thought that the very definition of success may not lie in whiteboard bragging rights but rather in just doing what you love? Don’t let the scores on the whiteboard dictate who you are. Don’t let the whiteboard become the validation for your being a Crossfitter.
Fame? Many elite athletes perform at an exceptionally high level in front of thousands of spectators cheering them on. They’ll haul ass, they’ll grind it out, they’ll do whatever it takes to win. But if you think their passion and dedication begins and ends under the bright lights of the arena, you’re wrong.
A US Olympic basketball team trainer once shared on Reddit that Kobe (ok, not a Crossfitter, but he’s really a good example to prove my point) called him up at 4:15 in the morning and asked him if he could help with some conditioning work. “It took me about twenty minutes to get my gear and out of the hotel,” recalled the anonymous trainer. “When I arrived and opened the room to the main practice floor I saw Kobe. Alone. He was drenched in sweat as if he had just taken a swim. It wasn’t even 5AM.”
They worked out for 75 minutes, before the trainer went back to the hotel to try and salvage some sleep for the 11AM scrimmage that same day. And then:
“This next part I remember very vividly. All the Team USA players were there, feeling good for the first scrimmage. LeBron was talking to Carmelo if I remember correctly and Coach Krzyzewski was trying to explain something to Kevin Durant. On the right side of the practice facility was Kobe by himself shooting jumpers. And this is how our next conversation went — I went over to him, patted him on the back and said, ‘Good work this morning.’”
‘Huh?’
‘Like, the conditioning. Good work.’
‘Oh. Yeah, thanks Rob. I really appreciate it.’
‘So when did you finish?’
‘Finish what?’
‘Getting your shots up. What time did you leave the facility?’
‘Oh just now. I wanted 800 makes so yeah, just now.’
Kobe doesn’t need fans or awards or Facebook likes to validate his greatness. Kobe doesn’t care about the whiteboard or the crowd that will applaud his score. And so should you. The fame, the glory, the bragging rights – all of those are not what CrossFit is about. Hit your PR even when no one is looking, reach for that final rep even when the cameras aren’t rolling, turn on your beast mode even if you’re not qualifying. Stop thinking about the competition on the whiteboard and simply compete with yourself. Validation comes from you, and not from an inanimate object tied to a wall.
