Rich Froning: March 2015

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

The Best-Laid Plans

A shareholders’ agreement can prevent problems, but few gyms have one. How can they help CrossFit affiliate owners?

New CrossFit affiliate owners sometimes consider taking a partner at startup. The burden of labor and risk can be lightened when spread across several broad shoulders, and pooling funds means avoiding the moneylender.

But sometimes the coach’s vision doesn’t match that of the investor, or circumstances change quickly. Other times, deals are struck with friends, and more than money is lost if the partnership breaks up.

When Derrick Sims partnered with his longtime friend to open ECFF CrossFit in Pensacola, Florida, he believed his relationship was stronger than any legal agreement could be. A year later, he’s been through a bitter battle for his gym, and he’s facing the future alone.

Good coaches want to coach for a living, and many see partnership with an investor or friend as a shortcut to the entrepreneurial dream. And partnerships can work out for everyone involved if they’re set up well. But if proper care isn’t taken at the beginning of the relationship, even the best coach could find himself unhappy.

A solid partnership agreement can save money, lawyers and friendships, and creating one isn’t difficult or expensive.

The Carnitine Question: What the Research Says

Whether your focus is aesthetics, fat loss, or performance, research indicates carnitine is a winner.

Although we know there is no quick fix, many of us still like to experiment with supplements to see what will give us that extra edge.

If your goal is aesthetics and fat loss, carnitine may be a useful supplement for you as it aids in fat metabolism. If your goal is performance-oriented, carnitine allows the body to efficiently use fat as an energy source, so it may also be valuable to you.

SS Weekly Report March 30, 2015

The Starting Strength Weekly Report 2015-03-30: Topics from the Forums: “New and need pointing in the right direction” and “Deadlift/Squat/Human evolution pondering” . This week Under the Bar: Squats and deads. View report in browser View report archive var addthis_config = {"data_track_addressbar":true};

How to Develop Iron Grip Strength for BJJ

A tight grip is crucial component of controlling your opponent, and there are several ways to train for stronger hands.

Why is specific grip training for BJJ so important? If your grips fail, all your technique goes out of the window. It becomes hard to execute anything.

This article will show you how to develop grip strength specifically for BJJ. I’ll break down grip training into five key areas based on BJJ hand movements. I’ll provide example exercises for each, as well as an explanation of their benefits.

Virtuosity 6: Every Rep a Victory

This edition of “Virtuosity” features the CrossFit Games Open, in which hundreds of thousands of people test their fitness every year.

The Open is a special time for CrossFit athletes, but it doesn’t come without some trepidation as people challenge themselves to beat previous records and achieve new levels of fitness.

In “Every Rep a Victory,” Jillian Sharp explains the fear she felt before Open Workout 15.2, as well as the sense of accomplishment she got after she put 6 reps on the scoresheet. Sharp talks about many of the elements that make the Open special: kind words from a coach, ardent support from friends and fellow box members, and pride that comes from being better than last year.

CrossFit Inc. is sending Sharp US$500 for sharing her story with us, and her affiliate, CrossFit Fayetteville in Arizona, will receive a $500 gift card from Rogue Fitness.

We’re looking for more great stories of achievement and community, and we encourage writers to explore new territory. To increase the chances of publication, read the submission guidelines at the end of the article and review the previous articles in this series. You can find them all by entering “virtuosity” in the search box above.

Write with skill and send your story to virtuosity@crossfit.com. We cannot respond to each submission due to the volume, but we read and appreciate them all.

Road to Conviction Episode 2: CrossFit’s a Rope

While incarcerated, Fletcher Tholin discovered CrossFit. Watch his rehabilitation in this eight-part series.

In this episode, Tholin completes the on-ramp classes at CrossFit Edwardsville in Glen Carbon, Illinois.

“(The on-ramp is) our foundational program for athletes who are new to the game or who are coming into CrossFit from a non-traditional background,” says affiliate owner Greg Skelly. “I make sure that we’re all on the same page about a lot of key points of performance and that the athletes know what we’re watching for on various lifts and body-weight moves.”

After spending six weeks in a halfway house, Tholin is hoping to obtain more freedom to do the things he wants to do. The halfway house works on a five-level system in which the higher levels permit more freedom.

“I got a job, and I was under the impression that you move up to Level 3 automatically when you get a job,” Tholin says. “It’s not like I’m trying to go to the bar. I’m not trying to go somewhere bad. I’m trying to go to a CrossFit gym.”

The positive environment of CrossFit Edwardsville is favorable over the negativity of the halfway house, Tholin says.

Coach Skelly agrees: “I think one of the greatest things we can offer (Tholin) here is having that positive kind of environment where everybody around is reinforcing good behaviors and healthy behaviors, which is something that he doesn’t have on a regular basis outside of the box.”

Video by Gary Roberts and Jordan Shalhoub.

10min 44sec

Additional reading: “Journey Behind Bars: Part 2” by Emily Beers, published Nov. 1, 2013.

12 Reps - The Breaking Muscle Digest - Vol. 1, Issue 7

Twelve reader favorites from the past week and from the archives, curated to save you time and bring you happiness.

Kalli Youngstrom

We're back with twelve more interesting, inspiring, and informative articles, training programs, and videos chosen with love just for you, our loyal reader.

Nick shares some valuable insights into training, recovery, and nutrition that will benefit anyone who likes to lift heavy.

Nick Weite (pronounced "white") is currently a world-class powerlifter and commissioned police officer with the St. Louis Missouri Metropolitan Police Department.

Discover how to identify if it's time to find a different coach for your child and what steps to take.

Spring sports have just started and many athletes will be returning to their local teams with the same teammates and same coaches. But what happens when your child has outgrown his or her coach?

This article will explore why youth athletes outgrow their coach, signs that a youth athlete needs to move on, and how to help that athlete transition to a new team.

The 5 Differences Between "Trainee" and "Athlete"

Take your athleticism to the next level by having rules and enforcing training standards.

What qualities decide whether you are or aren’t an athlete?

On Episode 374 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed CrossFit NorthRidge owner Chris Majors and Blue Star CrossFit owner James Wende. This episode was webcast on March 25, 2015.

2:35 Chris Majors’ affiliate is a bit different from most others: CrossFit NorthRidge in Northport, Alabama, is part of a 2,600-member fitness facility. As general manager of the larger facility and owner of the CrossFit affiliate inside, Majors explained how the two businesses coexist and how his affiliate benefits from the relationship. All synergy aside, Majors said he’s made the culture of his affiliate distinctive from that of the traditional gym that surrounds it.

14:40 James Wende explained how he approaches the subject of nutrition with athletes at Blue Star CrossFit in San Antonio, Texas. In the near future, he’ll take things further and offer nutrition classes for his members. The forward-thinking affiliate owner is also starting a new program called Metcon Membership. These classes will still feature intensity, constant variation and functional movements, but the emphasis will be on gymnastics movements, and barbells will be absent. Finally, Wende described a program he started to help wounded veterans and adaptive athletes achieve fitness.

Are the Benefits of Aerobic Exercise All in Your Head?

When it comes to aerobic exercise, believing isn't enough. You have to do the work.

If people expect a medical intervention - a drug, a diet, an exercise program - to help them, it often will. This is true even when the “drug” is just an inert sugar pill. Indeed, it’s true even when patients are told that they are only receiving sugar pills.¹

What are the best ways to get a little rest during a metcon, yet make sure your coach doesn’t yell at you?

It’s not often that most of us can get through our metcon without taking a break at some point. But what are the best ways to get that rest, yet make sure your coach doesn’t yell at you?

Below, I list the ways to take a break, from worst to best, so you can endear yourself to the coach (and potentially avoid penalty burpees.)

How to Grill, Roast, and Stew Meat Like a Pro

If you're armed with the basics, cooking is a breeze. Here's what you need to know about cooking meat.

In this fit-food, clean-eats, paleo/primal movement, I often come across great ideas (and some not so great) with either poor instruction or poor execution. Sometimes I fear I, too, have neglected my duties as a teacher.

You could be missing out on some effective cross-training by overlooking the kettlebell.

Learning kettlebells is no easy task. When I heard about this method of training over a decade ago, I was turned on by the notion of swinging giant orbs of iron. But at the same time, I was intimidated at the thought of injuring myself.

Be Your Own Roll Model, with Jill Miller, Ep 12

Jill discusses good pain versus bad pain, breaks myths about fascia, and explains how you can do too much rolling, plus much more.

Jill Miller is one of the world's leading experts on yoga, massage, and pain management. She is the industry's go-to person for everything from chronic pain, to mobility limitations, to improving performance.

Make sure you are fully recovered from injuries so you don’t cause more permanent damage.

Poor movement patterns have been shown to increase the risk of injury. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a validated measure used by many sports teams to test movement patterns and predict injury. Recent research indicates a low score possibly resulting from a previous injury might increase the likelihood of a future injury even more.

Working out gets tough as you get older. But it’s probably not for the reasons you’d think.

Working out gets tough as you get older. But it’s probably not for the reasons you’d think.

Science has shown us that as we pass 35 the body slows down production of hormones beneficial to working out. Building muscle and staying lean are much easier when you have good amounts of these hormones coursing through your veins, so it’s no surprise that performance tends to drop as you age.

A Work in Progress: Options From Top Half Guard

These are the top half guard techniques that have worked well for me, as well as ones I am working on.

In my Brazilian jiu jitsu training, I have spent a lot of time trying to pass half guard. One day, my teammate brown belt Chris White asked if I had ever thought about trying to submit from top half, rather than just trying to pass. That way, he said, the person on the bottom would be kept guessing. His attention would be split between trying to prevent a pass and defending attacks.

Every athletic pursuit comes with its dangers, but it is easy to balance risk with your current abilities.

Risk, in the context of how we humans move through the world, means the probability of injury, disease, or death under specific circumstances. “Acceptable risk” risk means the how much of said injury, disease, or death we as a society will tolerate in order to achieve whatever result we wish to achieve.

Find out what percentage of zone lifts provide the best conditioning for your goals.

I find it rather common that some weightlifters feel the need to consistently exercise with weights of higher and higher intensity. While there is some correlation between heavier training weights and competition results, the same can be said for lighter intensities and bar speed.

weightlifting, programming, training strategy

5 Tips for Running With a Jogging Stroller

Running with an extra fifty-plus pounds isn't easy. Here's how to fix some of the most common mistakes.

Every time I see a parent running with a stroller, I send them a mental high five. It takes willpower to work out with kids, and I commend anyone who chooses to push an extra fifty-some pounds while doing it.

It’s also easy to slip into bad form while running – let alone walking – with a stroller. So, here's a guide on how to run with a stroller in a way that maximizes efficiency and minimizes injury risk.

If you skipped the gardenia cambogia miracle pill phase, you were wise, and saved your money.

I can’t help but notice the continuing popularity of garcinia cambogia. The other week, I was in the checkout line at Whole Foods and the garcinia cambogia weight-loss supplements were right in front of me taking up prime marketing space.

garcinia cambogia, weightloss supplement, healthy diet

The first classes you take when starting jiu jitsu are crucial in laying your foundations for motivation and conditioning.

Everyone has a first day. And that first day you walk into a Brazilian jiu jitsu academy can be a life-changing experience. Some people are confident and cannot wait to get on the mat. Others are scared, nervous, and unsure of what to expect. Regardless of how you feel at first, your feelings will likely change both during and after your first class.

Corrective exercise is all the rage in fitness today, but how does it best apply to individual programming?

Corrective exercise programs. Motor patterning. Resetting and regaining natural movement. We’ve heard it all before. Where Tae Bo and step aerobics were all the rage twenty years ago, these days it’s all about the correctives.

SS Weekly Report March 23, 2015

The Starting Strength Weekly Report 2015-03-23: Topics from the Forums: “Looking for a deadlift program while I sort out a back injury” and “Brown Bros. Power Rack Review” . This week Under the Bar: April Prize Drawing. View report in browser View report archive var addthis_config = {"data_track_addressbar":true};

5 Skills You Need to Compete Effectively in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

There are a few key ways to prepare for your competition to maximize your enjoyment and results during the event.

Competition season is in full swing in Jiu-Jitsu Land, and many people taking the stage at all belt levels are already seasoned competitors. In addition to devoting a significant amount of time to sharpening their jiu jitsu skill, these practitioners have also become conversant with what it takes to compete well.

The landmine in your gym may be collecting dust, but these movements will add valuable variety to anyone's routine.

Believe it or not, the landmine was invented long before they came out with this:

12 Reps - The Breaking Muscle Digest - Vol. 1, Issue 6

Twelve reader favorites from the past week and from the archives, curated to save you time and bring you happiness.

We're back with twelve more interesting, inspiring, and informative articles, training programs, and videos chosen with love just for you, our loyal reader.

Thanks for your requests last week, we heard you loud and clear and are working on them!

While incarcerated, Fletcher Tholin discovered CrossFit. Watch his rehabilitation in this eight-part series.

In Episode 1, we meet Tholin, learn how he found CrossFit and see his first workout at a CrossFit affiliate.

While in prison serving three years of a five-year sentence, he saw the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games on ESPN. Intrigued, he started doing CrossFit and tried to research as much as possible. Though his resources were limited, he had some outside help from a friend’s sister.

“(She) would … occasionally write me letters and everything like that, and I told her about all my CrossFit things,” he says. “She was there whenever the bug first bit me. I’d write her and tell her my progress and how stoked I was about all this stuff.”

She helped him find resources and books, which led to Tholin’s accidentally purchasing a workout log book. Though disappointed it wasn’t a book about movement, he started logging all his workouts.

“When I got something like 120 days from the door, I started using it,” Tholin says.

He tracked workouts, mood and attitude. In the process, his attitude improved and he started having more good days than bad.

Watch as Tholin goes to his first affiliate—CrossFit Edwardsville in Glen Carbon, Illinois—gets his first coach, learns how to move properly and participates in the 2014 Open.

Video by Gary Roberts and Jordan Shalhoub.

11min 44sec

Additional reading: “Journey Behind Bars: Part 1” by Emily Beers, published Oct. 22, 2013.

Exercise Is Not a Final Destination: How to Enjoy the Journey

If you hate exercise and find it devoid of meaning and inspiration, I have some advice for you - stop.

What if a magic pill could replicate the effects of exercise? A way to get a healthy and toned physique without all of the blood, sweat, and tears. No more crowded gyms or grueling hours of road work, and the only weight you’d have to lift would be a cool drink at the end of the day.

CrossFitters: The 3 Letters You Need to Know in Supplements

Good nutrition always comes first, but these three supplements may be what you need to gain an extra edge in your performance.

“If you had to choose one supplement to take for performance, what it would be?” I’m often asked this question. Amid the myriad of information and bro-science out there it is hard to grasp which supplements can offer you the most bang for your buck.

On Episode 373 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Brennan Morton, owner of NEPA CrossFit in Plains, Pennsylvania. This episode was webcast on March 18, 2015.

1:52 Morton opened the show by explaining how his athletes are doing in the CrossFit Games Open, and he gave his thoughts on how the new “super regionals” have affected his team. Morton said attending the old Coach’s Prep Course (now officially known as the Level 2 Certificate Course) improved everything at his affiliate. The gym owner explained what he learned about programming and said the course made him realize he needs to avoid trying to fit too much into one training session. NEPA CrossFit offers a barbell club, and Morton explained how he coordinates that option with his regular CrossFit classes. He said he likes to provide choices for his athletes every day, and he believes offering many diverse programs is a good thing for the affiliate.

Teaching Youth to Enjoy the Art of Weightlifting

Don't let the weightlifting enthusiasm in your youth slip through your fingers, instead learn how to keep them engaged.

Weightlifting is becoming increasingly popular with both teens and school systems, but young minds can be hard to keep on track for great lengths of time. Weightlifting is a sport that requires fine detail and concentration. How can we make sure that kids can focus, develop, and most importantly enjoy weightlifting?

What I love about squats is their versatility. There's a squat for every almost occasion and purpose.

Squat. It's like a magic word. Add the word "squat" to any workout and you will feel an immediate sense of accomplishment, even before you actually do one.

It's one thing being able to do a few handstand push ups. It's another to be smooth and fast at them.

It's one thing being able to do a kipping handstand push up, or even a few of them. It's another thing being efficient at performing them.

Chris Spealler is a world-class CrossFit renowned for his efficiency of movement. Being smaller and lighter than most of his competition means he needs to move better to take advantage of every ounce of strength.

2 Sugar- and Dairy-Free Ketogenic Smoothie Recipes

Maintaining ketosis has been a lifesaver for me. Here are a few of my favorite smoothie recipes to get a dose of healthy fat.

I've been living a Paleo lifestyle 1,100+ days and recently began a ketogenic journey. I made the decision because I had a meniscus injury in December and wanted to decrease the inflammation.

Ketosis is achieved by consuming virtually no sugar, no dairy and, minimal-to-no carbs. The health benefits range from mood stabilization, to supporting the mitochondria in your cells, to building your immune system.

Starting Strength Coaches Association Series: Mechanics - Hands on Realities, Part I

Mechanics, Hands on Realities, Part I Steve Hill discusses mechanics, starting with the concepts and problems to solve and moving to hands on demonstrations. Lecture recorded at the Starting Strength Coaches Association Conference, October 2014. Discuss

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Food Companies and Dietitians: Who Should You Trust?

If you've struggled with where to find reliable nutrition information, you'll want to read this guide.

Recently, the Kraft Foods Company and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) teamed up to put a “Kids Eat Right” label on Kraft Singles packages. Stated another way, a food company paid a nutrition authority to endorse it.

This article will guide you through the decision-making process so you come out with the best bar for your needs.

Picking a barbell can be difficult. There are many options. This article will guide you through the decision-making process so you come out with the best bar for your needs and goals.

Fran is all about thrusters. Here's my advice for getting better at them so you can improve your times.

NOTE: WOD Mechanics is a series that reverse engineers popular CrossFit WODs. We teach athletes to perform more efficiently and achieve a better result. We take a holistic approach toward the body and the process of the WOD.

Don't give up on the paleo diet if your healing process has stalled - a couple tweaks may be all you need to get things on the right track.

The paleo diet has grown in popularity over the years due to its high success rates for weight loss and alleviating certain unwanted symptoms. But for every great testimonial we see, there is also someone out there who did not have the same success.

The Quest for a Better Protein Bar

Quest Nutrition has changed the protein game. Delicious and affordable, their bars leave you feeling satisfied.

Breaking Muscle receives no compensation in exchange for reviews. We received this product for free and did not experience typical customer service. The opinions expressed belong solely to the writer.

West Coast Impressions, a Random Journey, Pt IV

First, the Nutrition of the Sixties by Dr Ken Leistner “The type of obsessive/compulsive nature of those drawn to the repetitive and controlled activity of training made them ripe for, as Jan put it, giving a different paraphrase to what I wrote in an earlier installment: the consumption of ‘horse flop if they believed it would put another inch on their arms or 20 pounds more on their bench press.’” Read More var addthis_config = {"data_track_addressbar":true};

The CrossFit Open: Stop Whining About Muscle Ups

Athletes competing in the Open need to remember that the competition is a search for the "fittest on earth" - and it might not be you.

Do we really need to have the muscle up conversation again? When 15.3 was announced, the CrossFit world split into two camps:

“OH MY GOD, YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
“OH MY GOD, NO!!!!!!!!!!"

Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Friday, March 27, 2015

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Monday, March 23, 2015

Sunday, March 22, 2015

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Friday, March 20, 2015

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Wednesday, March 18, 2015