Catalyst Athletic and Crossfit

WOD 083109

5 rounds for time:
5 Power Cleans 155 lbs
20 Double Unders

WOD 083009

Weighted pull-ups

1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Catalyst Games 2009 Event #1!

OK...the cat has been let out of the bag!  The clues led to only one logical conclusion, so here it is:  Event #1 (or #2) of Catalyst Games 2009!

Catalyst Games 2009 Event #1 from Chris Cooper on Vimeo.

WOD 082909

Mike's running MiniClinic is at 10am!  Rain or shine!  Woo hoo!Five rounds for time of:
95 pound Power snatch, 15 reps
Run 400 meters

9AM GROUP:

200M RUN

10 FRONT SQUATS / 10 PUSH PRESS / 10 SITUPS

200M RUN - REPEAT WITH 9 REPS, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

ABOVE: Clint nails 17 overhead squats at bodyweight (190lbs.)

Below: Nicole Carroll goes ATG with her bodyweight.

WOD 082809

Overhead Squat 3-3-3-3-3 reps

Indoor Cycling Group Starts October 6!

Love your bike? Don't put it away all winter!

Coached by local legend John "Dr. Focus" Santana, this group focuses on training cyclists to go faster. Clients from last year's group noted significant improvement on their cycling times in races this year; hard work really does pay off!

A jovial, friendly hour of hard work on indoor Cyclops2 fluid trainers. Riders are free to bring their own quiet trainer(fluid or magnetic) and save $10!

Tuesday nights at 6pm.

$80 for Session I: October 6 through November 10

(plus gst.)

Please register early at 256-1344.

This class usually has a waiting list, so make sure your spot is reserved!

Limit: 12 riders.

WOD 082709

2 Tire Flips

20 Sledgehammers

30 Barrel Jumps

5 rounds for time.

Right: Nancy L., on the way back to ground after her first pullup ever!

Brent Fryia's keeping a blog of his travels and training in Korea.  Two near-fights before he boarded the plane!

Forcing Evolution

Monday's Murph was fantastic.  12 people, the majority first-timers, took upon Murph like he was delivering rice to their starving village.  They attacked like they had to; like he was solid enough to stand upon once they were done, and thereby reach some higher shelf.

If you believe the Theory of Evolution, then you must believe that your ancestors were the strongest, fittest, smartest among their peers.  Your family has survived, generations individually, where others did not. 

For the first time ever, the world in which we leave our children will not be easier than the world given us by our parents.  There will be hard problems that must be faced down without waffling.  The environment won't be as forgiving.  Even the air will be harder to breathe.  We've weighed them down with the baggage of low demand: they didn't grow up with the need to strive.  They didn't have to catch a chicken before the sun rose, or split wood under a hot sun, or even walk home in the dark.  We've given them helmets, soft landings, crutches; we're still surprised when they can't run.

Not all of this challenge will involve physical labour, of course.  A colleague mentioned attending a brainstorming session for the revitalization of his city's Downtown area.  The great thinkers were there: young and old, hip and practical, monetized and unfunded.  In the final few minutes, the moderator called for a no-holds-barred, no-wrong-answer throwdown: shout out your best idea. 
"They should build more cafes!"
"There should be more people walking around downtown!  They need to ban cars!"
"They should put up an artists' colony!"
"They should open up a bigger farmers' market!"

My friend stood up.  He asked, "Who are THEY?"  No one knew.

Our kids will have to be prepared to make decisions, not fake them, and deal with the consequences.  They must be able to handle adversity - heck, be willing to face adversity beyond the cancellation of Grey's Anatomy. 

In the gym, we're pushing, pushing, pushing not to escape these hard realities, but to prevent them escaping us.  It's too late to change the DNA we're going to pass along to our kids; maybe it's time we taught them by example.  Maybe it's the only gift left to give them.    Maybe we could tell them that a bit of competition is okay.  Maybe even that confrontation isn't so bad.  Maybe even that hard work is its own reward, that a penny saved..... or that cliches aren't good enough.

Maybe we have to set some kind of standard for them to reach.  Maybe even an example for them to live up to: Here it is.  Do this well, or do better.  

On that last mile of Murph, I was behind the clock.  Leaving at 30:00, I knew there was no chance of breaking my 34:42 PR.  My first run had been a quick 6:15, but I suffered on pushups all day, and felt drained.  I was about two minutes ahead of the kid, Wylie, I was racing; with no competition to push me, or clock to pull me, I was lagging.  Walking.  Suffering.
"Come on, finish." 
"Hurry up!  You've got to push through to the end."
"NO!  Don't walk.  Keep running."
"Lean into it.  You'll stumble forward faster than you're going now.  Can't get any slower."
"Are you walking AGAIN?"
None of those things worked.  And then, after the 1/2 mile turnaround, two little words that made me run:
"There's Wylie."
Wylie was the kid who was 2:00 behind me when I left.  Now he was less than a quarter mile from me, and he was jogging.  "I'm gonna puke!" he mumbled as I passed him, going the other direction.  I started to jog. 
I passed a dog.  I passed its walker.  I rounded the final corner.  I knew that if I kept jogging, he wouldn't catch me.
Then he caught me.
Sprinting.  "I'm gonna puke!" he yelled. 
He won by 00:06.  He didn't puke.  But he made me run.

In my head, during that final jog? "The human body just isn't meant to do this."  Words by a physician, written on a Runners' World blog, regarding CrossFit. 

Not yet, it isn't.  But it's getting there.

WOD 082609

"Nate"

Complete as many rounds in twenty minutes as you can of:
2 Muscle-ups
4 Handstand Push-ups
8 2-Pood Kettlebell swings

Post rounds completed to comments.

Above: teenagers do "Nate."

Catalyst Kids - Teens MidWeek Group Added!

Wednesday nights, starting September 16, we'll be running a new program for youth aged 12-15.

Teens will learn to lift weights, sprint, run, do basic gymnastics movements, and put them all together in a variety of fun ways.

Interest in Youth Fitness has never been higher, and it's never been such a touchy subject.

On one hand, there are still opponents to the concept of kids "lifting weights." On the other hand, kids of all ages are jumping, running, tumbling, falling... all activities requiring them to bear their own weight - plus inertia and gravity - at high speed. Do the math: a 12-year-old jumping off a 3-foot snowbank absorbs more than double their bodyweight at impact. If you're a 135lbs 12-year-old, that's the same as back squatting 297lbs safely!

While repetitive high-impact exercise can cause joint dominance issue, these are very different than acute stress injuries. The best way to avoid these kinds of problems? Build a well-balanced, strong, flexible kid.

Wayne Gretzky didn't skate in the summer; he was a baseball pitcher. Most high-level athletes started out doing several sports at once. We routinely ask high-level athletes which sports they participated in as kids; the answers are usually gymnastics (tumbling,) martial arts, or dance.

The best way to produce a good athlete: give them lots of variety at a young age. The best way to keep a person fit for life? Introduce them to fun exercise at a young age involving a wide variety. These form the backbone of our Catalyst Kids program.

Kids who know how to exercise properly from a young age are far less likely to suffer any athletic injury when they're older. They're less likely to do dumb stuff in a school weight room, or spend all their time obsessing about their "six-pack" when they're in a gym. Got a daughter? Start thinking about ways to avoid an eating disorder. They're becoming more popular, not less. Isn't it better to promote a lifestyle where fitness is based on achievement instead of aesthetic? We think so.

Teen (Age 12-15) CrossFit Group - Wednesdays at 7pm

Starts September 16! $60 for 6 weeks!

WOD 082509

Complete as many rounds as possible 20 minutes of:
95 pound Thruster, 5 reps
95 pound Hang Powercleans, 7 reps
95 pound Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 10 reps

Changin' Ain't Easy

In September's GO! Newsletter, I wrote about the Trap of Competence.  How it's easy to pigeonhole yourself into being "the one who's good at ....."  and staying there.  Defending that turf.  "But I'M the one who fixes the copier when it's jammed!"  "But I'M the bench press guy around here!"

Change - improvement - demands that you operate in the margins: in those areas where you're not comfortable.  By definition, exposure to the unfamiliar means stumbling, failing, and dropping the bar from awkward positions.  It means imperfect form for awhile.  Coaching helps.  But coaches can't carry you across the river; they've just seen the farther shore.

Interestingly, frequent exposure to change has its own training effect.  Changing regularly means you become more adept at handling change.  You become comfortable being uncomfortable.  

In 1996, I lucked into an Internship two years early.  I was a sophomore; the employer wanted a graduating Senior.  Somehow, I talked my way into the job.  Day One: Karaoke.  I, the Intern, was taken to a watering hole, and sent up on stage, solo.  No alcohol allowed.  Friends back home were jealous of my luck...until they heard about singing Randy Travis songs somewhere in the middle of the Illinois Cornbelt.  Thirteen years later, though, you can't shut me up in public (just ask my Saturday 9am group.)  

I was lucky to have parents who allowed me to take major jumps - first into the bush for half a year, then to Illinois, then Wisconsin - on little more than a whim, often on less than a week's notice, when I was still a teenager.  And I'm lucky now to have had shareholders who backed me up to the hilt, despite catastrophe-level risk.  I've become comfortable being uncomfortable.

Next time a heavy Snatch WOD rolls around, it would be easy to skip.  Few people ever list Snatch as their best lift, even people who do it for a living.  It's hard.  It hurts.  And you miss the lift a LOT.  But after the WOD, will it be easier to confront your boss about a bad decision?  Yes.  Will it be easier to tell your husband to put his damn dishes away?  Yes.  

If you want change, you've can't shy away from the margins.

WOD 082409

"Cindy"

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

OR

"Mary"
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
5 Handstand Push-ups
10 One legged squats, alternating
15 Pull-ups

Lunchtime: FREE 'MURPH' TODAY (Park Location only.)  Come say bye-bye to a few of our Summertime CrossFitters!

1 Mile Run

100 Pullups

200 Pushups

300 Squats

1 Mile Run

Partition the pullups, pushups and squats as preferred.

WOD 082309

For time, in any order:

50 Deadlifts (105lbs women, 185lbs men)

50 Pullups

Coach: Hayley!

5 weeks until Catalyst Games 2009!

One question from yesterday's awesome 9am group: why are we keeping the Games events a secret?  The answer: we're striving for a high level of fitness, well-rounded and complete.  Our specialty is not specializing.  We'd like you  to elevate your game in all areas, not specifically to match the challenges we've chosen. Thanks, Eddie!

WOD 082209

Hang power clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

9am Group: "Nancy's Big Sis"

Run 400m

15 Snatches (empty bar)

5 rounds for time.

Monday: Free Murph at the Park!  12 Noon!  Say 'bye-bye' to our summer students, visitors from the Middle East....

WOD 082109

Walking lunge 100 ft.
21 Pull-ups
21 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
18 Pull-ups
18 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
15 Pull-ups
15 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
12 Pull-ups
12 Sit-ups
Walking lunge 100 ft.
9 Pull-ups
9 Sit-ups
Walking Lunge 100 ft.
6 Pull-ups
6 Sit-ups

Whitney's Pullup Clinic will be at the Sault Gymnastics club on September 19, from 7-9am.  We'll also be coached by SSMGC staff for the Gymnastics MiniClinic at the same time!

Catalyst Go! Newsletter - September 2009

Our newsletter is 10 days early this month. There's a LOT going on in September!

September 26 is Catalyst Games 2009! We've been hosting MiniClinics, posting profiles of competitors, giving hints about the secret competitions..... and talking about training, prizes, and charities at the Catalyst Games 2009 Site. There are still 3 MiniClinics left: Running, Powerlifting, and Gymnastics (including Whitney's Kipping for Chicks Clinic!) $20 each is an absolute steal for the information gained!

If you haven't noticed, we're changing the way we introduce people to the CrossFit program. Instead of a 90-minute 'BootCamp' format, we'll now use a more progressive approach. Our new OnRamp program starts September 7, spans 21 days, and will take anyone from zero to hero. You'll learn how to exercise properly; how to make big gains; how to push yourself; how to eat for weight loss or performance; how to excel at CrossFit. This ain't your daddy's fitness!

Catalyst Kids starts September 12. This is an amazing program that will help kids achieve well-rounded athleticism, but also a love for exercise and play. It will help teach them how to do all kinds of things better. It's currently being studied for its long-term effects on improving learning, functionality, and attention outside of fitness. Its philosophy of applied simplicity and growing challenge is being implemented in mathematics classes in the States, as well as various sports all over the world. New - a Catalyst Teens Group too!

Personal Training - September figures to be our busiest month ever. With short workouts, (usually 30 minutes now,) a much wider variety of exercises than the norm, and free homework and food plans, it's easier for folks to achieve a very high level of fitness. Yes, people are working hard. Yes, people are doing things they never thought possible. The outcome is worth it. People throw the term 'addicted' around, but we prefer to think of it as embracing a different lifestyle. Frankly, 13 years in, I can't believe that most "personal trainers" still stick with the 1970s technology: machines, low-calorie diets, and bodybuilding splits ("legs day," "chest day", etc.) If you could do BETTER in less time, and ENJOY the process more, why wouldn't you? The only reason I can come up with is FEAR of change.

When a person becomes 'competent' at something, they're scared to change. They don't want to go back to being bad at something - which means no exposure to anything new. You'll perhaps recognize this phenomenon from your workplace, or the market at large. Doing the same old thing and hoping for a different result is foolhardy. Still, people become competent at one small thing, and then spend all their time protecting their "kingdom of competence" instead of exploring other things. It's rampant in the fitness world, but it also occurs in investment banking, healthcare, education..... folks learn something and then entrench, and you're not going to change their minds.

I've personally been fortunate enough to be bad at nearly everything...at first. But because I expect a long learning curve, I eventually succeed, and win mostly because others give up along the way. Not only is this true for learning Olympic Lifts and running, but also business, fatherhood, lawn care.... Luckily, I've loved all of those things right from the start, and it's been easy to stick with them.

September message: don't be scared to be bad at stuff. Try it, fail, and then get better.

-Chris

WOD 082009

"Karen"

For time:
150 Wallball shots, 20 pound ball

WOD 081909

Snatch - 75% x 1 x 5
Clean & Jerk - 75% x 1 x 4  

1km Run for time.

The Lockout

I learned the lockout from Abby Errington, and Abby's never done an Olympic lift in his life.  Maybe he's never lifted weights, even.

Abby (short for Al, Jr.) owns a wilderness lodge in the Chapleau Game Preserve.  You can't get there by car.  There's no electricity, no roads, and not much to distract a ragtag group of teenagers other than the fish.  I spent 5 months with Abby in 1996.  Two hundred miles from civilization, a million miles from a gym, and I learned how to lock out a weight.

My first week, Abby's wife asked me to move a bed from a cabin on this island to a cabin on that island.  There was a short bridge between the two, so I could thankfully pull this off without use of a boat.  

First, I drug the mattress to the door.  Then I stood and looked at it for a few minutes.  It was heavy.  Worse, if I drug it in the dirt, it would be destroyed.  I needed help, but there was none around; besides, I'd been asked with the assumption that I could do it alone, and alone it would be.

Eventually, I went back to the main lodge to ask for a hand truck.  Bosslady told me there weren't any.  So I returned to the mattress, picked it up, and half-lifted, half-slid it a quarter mile through the forest.  I'd lift it up a few inches, slide my foot forward a few inches, and set it back town on the bridge of my foot so it didn't touch the ground.  An hour later, I arrived, leaving a curious wake of dirt and leaves the width of a size-eleven Nike.

Abby followed soon after, carrying the bed frame over his head.  I thought he was Superman.  How the heck did he do that?  I asked.  "It's easier to carry heavy stuff if it's over your head," he said.

As soon as he was out of sight, I wrestled the mattress over my head.  NOT easier.  My back felt like it would snap in half.  I rested it on my head, feeling again the sheer mass of an old mattress, and thought maybe fear would give me the strength to move that sucker down the dock and back.  

I fought, shakily, my way to the end of the pier.  I rested the mattress on my head again while I opened a gate to the dock.  When I tried to move between two posts at the entrance, the mattress bumped against them.  Oh - oh: I'd have to lift it over.  And so I quarter-squatted, jumped up, and let the inertia pull the mattress into the air.  Its sheer springiness made me grip it tightly with my elbows fully locked out.  But then....

...it was easy.  At full lockout, you don't have to struggle to extend your elbows, or even hold them in a state of semi-extension.  At full lockout, your deltoids can rest while infraspinatus anchors your scapulae into a comfortable position.  At full lockout, your humerus is sucked deep into the shoulder, where it anchors and sets itself to stay awhile.  At full lockout, your pelvis is properly aligned to support your core musculature.  It's safer for your back, because the horizontal distance from point of rotation (base of your spine) to weight is virtually zero.  That means less rotational torque, and a spinal position that we're actually built to hold.

The technical details came later, of course.  All I knew was that I could carry a mattress to the end of the dock and back.  Watching Ty coach the Jerk this weekend, I thought of Abby Errington Jr., and how lessons learned the hard way are usually the ones that last.  

Highlights from Tyler's OLY course this weekend:

Download the clinic notes: Download OLY seminar

WOD 081809

Push Press 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps.

COMING TODAY: Video highlights of Tyler's awesome OLY MiniClinic from the weekend.  Check back soon.

In the meantime, Mike Burgener's got a new video called, "Receiving The Bar."  A must-see for those who can't bring their elbows up fast enough at the 'catch' portion of the Clean.

Right: Troy's back.  And he's training hard for Catalyst Games 2009.  You?

Client Stories: Melanie Rose

One of the greatest things about Catalyst: everybody's an individual.  Everyone's got a story.  There isn't a fashion show keeping the really interesting folks out; there are no mirrors to distract from personality and inner strengths.

Until now, we've been keeping these stories to ourselves; savouring them in private, or sharing after a particularly nefarious workout.  Most deserve to be heard by a wider audience, though.  This is one.

Ok, I'm in the mood for storytelling, so here goes the epic tale of Mel and Crossfit...

1. Playing rugby in Kuwait seems a little odd, yes, however I find it is almost necesary. Kuwait you ask? Yes, Kuwait. I moved to Kuwait last August to start teaching grade 11 and 12 Physical Education at an all-girls American private school. In school is pretty busy and continuously on-the-go, however I found I needed something outside of school. See, when you live so far from home, it's very easy to sit in your comfy little apartment (especially when it's about a billion degrees outside) and watch arabic television or chat with people back home. I was already playing ultimate frisbee once a week with a group of mainly teachers and other expats, when one of my friends from the group suggested coming out to play rugby on the women's team. There are both men's and women's rugby teams made up of mainly expats in Kuwait and they travel to other Gulf countries to play in tournaments and games. I knew about the team and had been to a couple mens' games to watch, but I was a little apprehensive about actually playing. I've never touched a rugby ball in my life. No big deal apparently. So, I showed up to a couple practices and before I could realize what was happening I was on a plane to a tournament in Abu Dhabi. I got my @ss kicked in that tournament and felt like I got hit by a bus. But, like Crossfit, you just go crawling back for more. I guess I'm a sucker for punishment. So after getting annihilated my first tournament (don't worry, nothing was broken), I figured it would be a good idea to hit the weightroom seriously before some joint fell apart. I'd been doing weighttraining randomly throughout the year, so I stepped it up a bit around January. It was ok, but it wasn't really that intense so come June when I returned for summer holidays (life of a teacher... sigh..) I decided it was time to REALLY do this. Enter, crossfit (and Chris' Worst Sales Pitch in the World.)

I had heard of some people doing Crossfit and read about it a little bit, but I never really GOT it. So, in search of a gym membership for the summer, I went into Catalyst and talked to Chris. He didn't really know what to tell me so I guess the best way of selling it to me was the invitation to come in and do a workout. Hmm ok. None of the other gyms offered me that in my search. Plus I felt like a completely under-dressed fool walking into a few of the other gyms around town. So back I went the next day to do this Crossfit thing. I'll never forget what Chris said to me, "You're going to hurt for 48 hours, and then come crawling back for more." That couldn't have been more accurate. 

What I like about Crossfit is that everyday is different. People might say I'm a little... ADHD. I can't sit still. I get bored very quickly. I slept in MOST of my university classes. So Crossfit keeps me busy and always guessing what will be next. It helped me realize that I won't die from working hard. If I can work and sweat like I do in some of those workouts and not die, I probably won't die while giving my all in any game or match anytime soon.

I have also developed a fondness for OLY lifting. I suck at it, but I like it and I think I will do wonders for my power in rugby (or lack thereof). And swinging on the rings. That never gets old. Ok I know the WOD usually doesn't say "swing on rings for 90seconds" but whatever, I do it anyways.

What do I dislike about Crossfit? That's a tough one. Squatting. I really don't like squatting. But I realize its kind of important so I do it anyways with a smile on my face. I'm just terrible at it. 

It will be pretty difficult to continue CF in Kuwait, but I'll try. The gym I work out at is tiny and jam packed with machines, so floor space is at a minimum. I'm going to try to do some sort of resemblance of CF because I'll get super lazy if I don't. Running outside will have to wait until temperatures get a little bit more bearable... around the end of October I'll probably be able to head outside for a run. 

Umm other interesting stuff.... I don't know? I like long walks on the beach... sipping wine and watching stars. Just kidding. Well, maybe. Oh, Chris's goal this summer has been to make me puke after a workout. In all my years as a competitive swimmer I never once puked after a workout. Apparently it is much more likely that I will cry after a workout. Case in point: pyramid Clean and Jerks. Cried. Like a baby. The challenge is still on to make me puke. I'm trying, really, I am.

WOD 081709

Double-under for 2 minutes
Sit-up for 2 minutes
Double-under for 90 seconds
Sit-up for 90 seconds
Double-under for 1-minute
Sit-up for 1-minute
Double-under for 30 seconds
Sit-up for 30 seconds

Report total reps to Catalyst Trainer.

Don't stop the clock!

Right: Tyler's OLY MiniClinic on Saturday was amazing  Missed it?  Download the rough point-by-point handout below.

Download OLY seminar

Video highlights to follow tomorrow.  Up next: Mike's Running MiniClinic!  

WOD 081609 "RYAN"

Five rounds for time of:
7 Muscle-ups
21 Burpees

Each burpee terminates with a jump one foot above max standing reach.

WOD 081509 -

"Techie Showdown" (don't worry, you can DO all this stuff - we'll show you!)

10 double-unders

3 muscle-ups

7 HSPU

AMRAP in 10:00

Above: Brent "The Professor" Fryia does HSPU - in rings at the gym on Thursday.  

In a week, Brent and Lisa Proctor are moving to Korea for a year.  We wish them the best. They'll join Brent's brother, Mitch, as teachers.  It's been great to have them here, and we'll welcome them back in 2010.  Thanks, both of you.  You've added an indelible mark to the Catalyst family (and some erasable records to our chalkboard.  Don't stop training.)

Today is also the grand opening of Driven Athletics and Huronia CrossFit, owned by Brent's former college roommate, Alex Jeffrey, and his wife, Joanne.  Great people, and they're sure to be successful. Whitney's there to represent the 705!

WOD 081409

Front squat 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Big weekend at the gym: our third-from-last "Introduction to CrossFit Bootcamp" at 7:30 (it changes to the OnRamp program in September!)

At 10am Saturday, our first pre-Catalyst Games MiniClinic will feature Tyler teaching the OLY lifts: Cleans, Jerks, and Snatches.  Critical for athletic development, critical for CrossFit.  There's not a single gym member who won't benefit from this program.  

WOD 081309

  With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.

Use as many sets each minute as needed.

Thursday at Cafe Natura (100 Mile Challenge Day!)Local Roast Beef served with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Local Beets and Steamed vegetable

Catalyst Kids Starts September 12!

Scene: Sault Ste. Marie Gymnastics Club. Early July 2009. 25 kids, aged 4 to 10, are crouched at one end of the big blue floor, carefully keeping themselves tucked behind the white starting line.

At that moment, the room is dead silent. All eyes are on 'Coach' - a lone figure in the middle of the floor. Tension builds. Little muscles coil like springs. Kids twitch, but stay behind that magical white line.

"3, 2, 1...GO!" yells 'Coach'. The room explodes. Kids sprint across the floor, and drop to their bellies. They spring upward as high as possible, then quickly return to the floor. "Yay, burpees!" they chant over and over, every time they do a burpee, as per the coach's instruction. The fastest flip over into a crab walk, and hustle back to the starting line. The smaller kids gut out the burpees and try not to stumble on their way back to the start.

40 seconds later, it's over. Kids are panting. Little girls compare sweat on their brows. Little boys argue over who finished first. All are ready for more. They quickly go silent, waiting for the next challenge.

Across the room, a small band of teachers, off for the summer and trying to get an extra teaching credit, are taking a five-day course in basic Gymnastics. They go still while they watch the kids, so rambunctious in school, calm, poised and ready here. Listening to 'Coach' while he explains the next challenge: squats, followed by a hard-labour wade in the foam pit, hands on heads. Anticipating.

After 45 minutes, a teacher comes over. "How did you DO that?" he asks me. Kids are scattered all over the floor, tired but glowing with achievement. I'm smiling too. It's just as much fun to be 'Coach.'

There's good research supporting the notion of keeping your kids active, not just healthy. For one, they'll always be better at sports if they learn basic skills as young kids. That will help in a large way later on: in social settings, for health reasons. But it will also help much later: Kids who play actively before they're age six suffer less depression as an adult. Girls who are active in sports at a young age are more likely to leave a man who abuses them. Boys who learn to interact in a competitive way through sports, gym, or martial arts are far less likely to be arrested when they're over 18.

Some skills, too, are better learned while young: if your sense of balance isn't developed by age 12, forget it.

Our philosophy: teach a wide variety of activities. Mix and match running, jumping, tumbling, gymnastics, plyometrics, climbing, and calisthenics. Combine exercises in a game-like format to keep them fun. Balance things out to keep them injury-free and better at ALL sports. Challenge kids and watch them excel!

We put our 45-minute Catalyst Kids sessions together in a fun, play-centred way. Yes, they're exercising. Yes, it's challenging stuff. But we play it like a game. Though big kids and little kids do the same basic workout, it's always scaled to ability level, just like the adults. We keep groups small (6 or less) and we do them in a private environment (our Queen Street location.) We hire only the absolute best Coaches. We keep it safe and fun. We let the kids become excited about exercise.

Registration for our first Fall session (10 weeks, from September 12 until November 14) opens September 1. Registration fee: $99 per child (plus gst.)

Groups and Times:

Age 10-12: Saturday at 8am - 8:45am

Age 7-9: Saturday at 9am-9:45am

Age 4-6: Saturday at 10am-10:45am

Note: group times are subject to change.

Call 253-0011 or 256-1344 to register!

WOD 081209

"Linda"

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps of the triplet:

Deadlift: 1 1/2 body weight
Bench press: body weight
Clean: 3/4 body weight

Set up three bars and storm through for time.

WOD 081109

"Tailpipe"

Row 250m for time

Hold a kettlebell in each hand in the 'upright row' position (elbows over ears, kettlebell at chest) for the same time taken to row 250m.

3 rounds without rest between. Pairs version: 1 rows, one holds.  Choose this option if you have a good rowing partner!

Then:

Clean 1-1-1-1-1

Tyler's Olympic Lifting for CrossFit miniclinic is this Saturday at 10am!  A few spots are still open.  Of all the physical skills we use in CrossFit, the one that requires the most coaching is definitely OLY lifting.  Tyler was taught to clean and jerk at Graceland (where he attended on a baseball scholarship) and continues to refine his technique.  Above: his first 250lbs clean.  Not only do you have to know how to succeed, but you have to know how to fail safely.  When operating in the margins of our skillset, we're going to miss the first few attempts.  That's okay.  It's mandatory.  Tyler's clinic isn't, but it should definitely figure into your weekend plans.

The MiniClinic list.  Watch for 1 more MiniClinic to be added today, starring Coach Whitney!

WOD 081009

800m x 4; 2:00 rest between rounds.

And/Or

Jerk (Split or Push) 1-1-1-1-1

Jerks may be done out of the rack; no clean necessary.

Above: some POSE Running drills.  Mike Watson will be teaching a mini-clinic on 'Running for CrossFit' August 29.  A new approach that will decrease training time, increase speed, and have you training smart, instead of long.  

On the 15th (this weekend!) is one of the most highly-anticipated Catalyst MiniClinics ever - Tyler Belanger's Olympic Lifting MiniClinic.  Who among us can't improve their Clean, Jerk, or Snatch?  Sign up quickly - 256-1344.

Here's the full list and details:  MiniClinics

Today at Cafe Natura - an unbelievable 100% local meal! 

Catalyst 100 Mile Challenge Menu Feature - Monday 

Valleyfield Mesculin Mix with Calendula Flowers and gooseberry dressing
Local Lamb Kebabs served with garden vegetable soup

080909 "Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

WOD 080809

Deadlift 5-5-5-5-5 reps

9am Group: 

"The Twins"

Done with a partner, each team must complete a total of:

200 Kettlebell Swings

100 Pullups

200 Pushups

400 Squats

For time.  Each team will be assigned a colour.As you count off reps, shout out, "Red Ten Pushups!" for the benefit of the scorekeeper. Exercises may be partitioned as necessary.

Today is Triathlon Day on St. Joe!  Don't miss this spectacular event in one of the greatest settings in Ontario!  make sure to make local merchants aware that you're there to watch - the event needs spectator help!  Click here for schedules!

WOD 080709

As many muscle-ups as possible in 10:00.

If you cannot perform a muscle-up, do 3 ring pullups and 3 ring dips for each muscle-up missed. 

Right: what does 1000 double-unders FEEL like?

Muscle-up and Jumping Muscle-up demo from crossfitoneworld on Vimeo.

WOD 080609

Three rounds for time of:
21 L-Pull-ups
15 ft. L-rope climb, 3 ascents

FROM CAFE NATURA:

Catalyst Fitness 100 mile Challenge Menu Feature August 6th 

Local Beverage - Sage or Spearmint Tea - Hot or Iced
Local Main - Garden Vegetable Soup, Roasted Potato and Carrot Salad and Mixed Greens with Raspberry Rhubarb Dressing 
Local Dessert - Cherries and Raspberries topped with spearmint

Right: new member Bryan gets his first 430 pull.  Nice!   No wonder this guy sells so many cars!

WOD 080509

Three rounds for time of:
Row 500 meters
21 Burpees
Run 400 meters

RIGHT: double-unders in progress.

WOD 080409

OK, so the guy in the middle is no stranger: it's Joe Scott.  The other two?  Christoph Frei and Martin Noisternig from Austria. 

"Fight Gone Bad!"

Three rounds of:
Wall-ball, 20 pound ball, 10 ft target (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 75 pounds (Reps)
Box Jump, 20" box (Reps)
Push-press, 75 pounds (Reps)
Row (Calories)

In this workout you move from each of five stations after a minute.The clock does not reset or stop between exercises. This is a five-minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating. On call of "rotate", the athletes must move to next station immediately for best score. One point is given for each rep, except on the rower where each calorie is one point.

Group times for FGB: 7am (Park,) 12 Noon (Park and Downtown,) 7pm (Park.)

The CrossFit OnRamp Program

"Whoa."  She said.  She stood there, a barbell at her shoulders.  The gym was absolutely silent; I was waiting to see what she'd do next.  Finally: "I never thought I could do that."
The world of fitness is huge.  At one end, there are the heroes we watch: maybe at the Olympics, maybe at soccer; maybe the exceptionally fit dude at the office; maybe our niece at the gymnastics club.  Then there are the activities we do: aerobics classes; Body Pump; workouts from Men's Health and Oxygen magazine.
In the words of Dan John: look at your goals.  Look at your behaviour.  Does your behaviour match your goals?
There's a huge gap between the upper echelons of athleticism and your neighbourhood 'fitness centre.'  But the gap isn't what you think: it's not an ability gap, it's a knowledge gap.  It's a fear gap.  And it's just an illusion.  You were born with the same gifts and weaknesses as the one wearing the gold medal.  You may never rise to that level - you may never want to - but you can do the same things.
The other - more serious - gap?  Look at the aesthetic of the athletes: they're exactly what most people are trying to attain.  And yet, most will never do the same exercises, eat the same way, or seek professional coaching to get that appearance.   It's not that they're scared; they've just been led to believe that it's impossible to DO the things necessary to look that way; to be athletic.  And that, ladies and gentlemen, is garbage.
You don't have to deadlift 550lbs to have a good-looking posterior.  But you do have to lift things from the floor.  You don't have to run a 4-minute mile to have great abs.  But you DO have to do activity with a high heart rate for short bursts.  You don't have to do 300 situps a day to have a strong, stable trunk; you do have to be able to lift things over your head.

It takes 21 days for an activity to become a habit.  In those 21 days, you can develop a toolkit - including the knowledge, strength, flexibility, practice, and skill - that will teach you how to exercise the right way for the rest of your life.  You'll know more than most Personal Trainers.  

Typical 'Boot Camps' beat you up for a couple of weeks.  THEN what happens?  Has a lifestyle change been triggered?  Usually not.  You're the same person, with the same knowledge, and the same dependance on a coach for instruction and motivation.  You're just more sore.

In our new OnRamp program, you'll be prepared for more than CrossFit: you'll be prepared for a lifetime of fitness.  Here's how it works:

Each day for 21 days, your coach will introduce you to a new, fundamental exercise.  Yes, there are thousands of exercises out there, but every other exercise is literally based off of these.  Learn these, and you can learn to perform anything, anywhere. 

After you practice, you'll do a quick CrossFit workout, starting with a quick little combination on day #1, and ending with a real, honest-to-goodness CrossFit WOD.  You'll be more than familiar: you'll be ready.  Ready for the CrossFit main site WOD.  Ready for life.

21 days.  You: an athlete, not just an exerciser.  

The coach: Whitney Pagnucco, 2nd place at the CrossFit Ontario Challenge, arguably one of the most fit women in Ontario.  Also, very nice. 

This is a group for beginners and those who have never done CrossFit - style workouts before.  It will put you on the path to a lifetime of success.  It will teach you everything you'll need to know about exercise, pushing yourself...and what you're truly capable of doing.

Fee: $199 (+plus gst.)

Start date: September 7, 2009

To enrol: 256-1344 or 253 -0011.

WOD 080309

Snatch - heavy single

Clean and Jerk - heavy single

Front Squat - heavy single

Go to near-max on all lifts.  This is a Central Nervous System (CNS) workout - take long rests between sets.  Technique and speed trump weight!

This is Sage Burgener doing the Snatch:

...and this is Coach Mike Burgener coaching the Clean and Jerk:

WOD 080209 "J.T."

21-15-9 reps of: Handstand push-ups Ring dips Push-ups

WOD 080109 and 100-MILE CHALLENGE MAP!

Back Squat 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Above: your map for the 100-Mile Challenge!  Anythi

Points system:

5 Points - Entire meal, including beverage and all ingredients involved in preparation and cooking, are grown and processed within 100 miles of Sault Ste. Marie (any direction.)

3 Points - Food is local, ingredients (like salt or olive oil) used in cooking or seasoning aren't local.  Beverage is local.

1 Point - a food item that forms a major part of the meal (meat like beef or bison, vegetables, wild rice, or fish) is local.  Beverages don't count in this category.

Blog your points and meals to our Tracking Software.ng within this area is fair game!