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Spirit of the THROWDOWN

Overhead Squat 5-5-3-3-20

For Time:
Run 800m
Then Immediately 2 Min Max Reps Each of the Following:
Hang Power Snatch 75/53
GHD Sit Ups
Burpees

*Used a continuously running clock, no rest between exercises.

Some new members, some old and even us affiliate owners still get shocked at how this community is growing.  I for one am still blown away at the difference between a GLOBO GYM COMMUNITY AND A CROSSFIT BOX COMMUNITY!  What makes me an expert?  As many of you may know, I OWN BOTH.  I own a globo gym and quite honestly have nothing but nice things to say about how amazing it is to come to work each and every day and see nice people, friendly faces and do something I love to do.  My gym, Lean On Me has been a dream of mine and has been a huge part of my life as well as successful for 10 years now. 

Why am I building this up?  I hope you read this loud and clear… If I had to do it again…. I would build a Crossfit Box over my other gym everyday and twice on Sunday if I had to choose.  Yes I am putting myself out on a limb… Yes my other business is successful and some of my members over there might be offended slightly.  Picking between 2 businesses is a lot like picking between 2 children… You simply shouldn't do it!  You should be fair and balanced.  Well guess what?  Crossfit isn't traditional, Crossfit East Sacramento isn't traditional and neither are our members.  You guys blow my mind with your hard work, dedication and effort to make a change in your life.  This isn't a knock on Lean On Me, not at all… over the past 2.5 years, I can say without a doubt, those that want Crossfit will find it and those that want nothing to do with it, will find a way to stay in there comfort zone.  So in honor of this NEWBIE THROWDOWN… Any of you who are still interested in competing and want a chance to challenge yourself in a way you never thought you would, watch this video and see if it inspires you.  If you want to make a team this will be the absolute last chance to do so until next year.

You may not be the next Chris Speller or Heather Bergeron, but you can certainly gain some insite as to how you might reach your maximum potential.  There abosolutely are some parallels in life if you watch this inspriring commercial.

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37 comments

  1. Awesome post Chris! Providing exercise for the community. People are better finding a place like CFES and or Lean On Me than sitting in a couch thinking about all the excuses why they should not to workout.

  2. Chris Lene

    Since I posted this Late Last night I decided to repost it. With all this talk of old balls, hero suits and whatnot, it is time I weigh in. Yesterday was amazing to see. Yes, it is cool to see justin bang out 33, Travis fucking throw more than his body weight around like I throw Aubriana, but the true inspiration came from seeing you guys who did what they never thought they could! Sunday it continued with Dave Mering getting 4-5 more than he expected, Roger gatting all analytical only to have me bully my way in as I saw he had a lot more than he thought and pretty much tell everyone counting his pace to scrap that plan. He banged out way more than he thought he would. Gia, good god, your technique improved as you got tired, you had to rely on what these guys have taught you once you realized strength won’t work when your that wasted. Liz, enough said! I can’t wait to see the next training session. Ruth, you rock and I hope you continue to trust in yourself. It was an amazing PR. The true exilleration came when I saw Ruth’s and liz’s face seriously look similar to a 5 yr old little girl who discovered what it was like to ride a bike for the first time. They both looked at me like… Look coach,” I did it, holy canoli I did it! “. Another amazing story was Loren coscelli, she got thrown in at the last second and didn’t even have time to think! 45 sec past and she was still pissed about the time. On the fly I yelled at her to calm down and control her anger and use it to her advantage, she did just that and crushed her goal like a machine. Crap! I could go on and on at all the inspiring tales of success. Thank you all for letting me yell at you if I missed your story, Sean V, Carol, Sabrina, seriously you guys all impressed me. I loved watching all of this the past 2 days

  3. Morning everybody 🙂
    I thought I’d share my Team’s “Fill The Bucket” Paleo Breakfast Recipe:
    Cut a couple of slices of BBQed Bear meat, finely chop and saute Superfreaks to top, squize over some Anal Pouch juice, stuff the Jerk Face with sucked out goat mush from Chupacabra’s stomach, add the Secret ingredient for Victorious flavor. Serve with other sTeamed Spanish vegetables on the side. Chew thoroughly, wash down with Tiger blood. It tastes Awesome!!! When finished Graciously Push Up a napkin against your Hot Lipps. Mmm-mm-mm.
    Bon appetite Angela, Matt and Josh.
    See y’all at the box!

  4. Creativity? 1 point. Nice Post Olga. Should be a friendly day of fired up NEWBIES bringing it!

  5. Lene – Own shmoan, doing WOD #3 under the influence makes you an expert in my book.
    Can we get the video up please?

  6. Hi all!! I’m new to Crossfit East Sac how can I join the NEWBIE THROWDOWN?
    gabev30@gmail.com

  7. Olga, you are a Genius!! I was laughing and getting fired up to compete all at the same time while reading your very witty, exceptionally well-written post. Intellectual trash talk is so much more fun! Kudos to you!
    Excellent post, Chris. I love that video, especially Heather’s portion. I like to think that in the other areas of my life, personally, professionally, etc., I push boundaries, say F*!k you to fear, seek to discover the unknown, and like to find out exactly what I’m made of. 2 babies born 353 days apart?? That’s scary and trying. Deposing crazy prisoners INSIDE a prison? That’ll show you what you’re made of. But getting fit and healthy, seeing what this body is capable of, now that is what really scares the crap out of me.
    But why? Why do I treat it so differently than my work? Why do I approach it with such caution and trepidation, when I don’t do that with other aspects of my life? Going each day to Crossfit takes tremendous courage for me, and I don’t know why. It’s fun. It makes me feel good. It makes me feel successful, like I’ve really achieved something. But I’ll be honest, the commitment to it is frightening….I wish I knew why!
    BTW–Happy 8th Anniversary, Matt P.!

  8. brother mike

    Spealler is a badass PERIOD. 139 pounds of unadulterated power. There is a video out there of his 100 butterfly pull ups, he just ticks them off one after another. If I start talking about Heather, things might just get HAWT up in here . . .
    There is always this fascination with athletic boundaries. Every barrier scientists, coaches and armchair quarterbacks look and wonder can someone ever . . . run under 4 minutes for the mile (originally they thought the person would die when he did and to date over 1600 people have done it with no deaths) . . . http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12933932 interesting article about a current topic in athletic speculation- the 2 hour marathon. What crossfit allows you to do is stop the academic crap and personalize it. What can I do today? What can I do long term? How hard can I push to get ever last second, pound, inch out of my body? For me apparently I can get about twice as many clean and jerks at 165# as I expected (including taking 3 attempts before finally willing the bar to lockout overhead on my final jerk).

  9. Ron Gates

    Thanks Chris for your insight, one huge advantage we have at CFES is the level of expierence you Justin and Travis have from the traditional gym world. I for one feel that we should always show respect to others who workout even if they do not see the Crossfit picture. Different strokes for different folks,we love what we do, and the best way to be ambassadors for Crossfit is to be positive and respectful to the whole fitness community. We are lucky to have you around to teach us.

  10. brother mike

    Oh, and next time you see a Superfreak, take a good look at the front, because come the throwdown all you will get is the view from behind. And Olga, there is no anal pouch back there so don’t get any ideas.

  11. Edgar

    Honey Badgers… great work this weekend! I am scheduled to travel down to LA tomorrow but I would be more than happy to move my flight back a little to get in WOD together at 6am. The afternoon options are going to be tough for me this week.

  12. scott charles

    Olga: sweet! All I can say is if you can take the Bear down and skin it, you’re welcome to the meat. Eat the heart raw, while still beating. Save the bones, they make excellent jewelery.
    Chris: thanks.
    Cheers.

  13. scott charles

    YO. Chris’s hint the other day is most likely a reference to Turkish Getup.
    “A horse has no utters and a cow can’t whinny, up is down and sideways is straight ahead!”

  14. Attention all Throwdown Teams!! There sure is a lot of trash talking going on this board, but NONE OF YOU accepted Team Tiger Blood;s challenge of a one on one workout challenge. I think all the other teams names should be changed to:
    Tiger Blood’s bitches
    Pussies
    Wanna Bees
    Pretenders
    All Talk, No Action

  15. Sean T.

    Harlan, Team Honey Badger pondered accepting your challenge yet decided not to waste our time or energy running laps around you and the rest of the tiger cubs.
    Edgar and the rest of the Honey Badgers, I’m down for an early morning workout tomorrow as well.

  16. Matt M.

    There was a time and a place where people would have been very impressed with my reverse bicep curl to overhead press… I will take the silence by the Sunday supporters as a thank you for the clinic on how not to perform the movements the coaches work so hard to teach us. My back would appreciate some technique and finesse though.
    I’ve never experienced a “gym” quite like CFES, and I’m a dude that has flexed in the mirrors of the majority of gyms in the area. This time in my life is by far the most stressful and challenging I’ve faced emotionally and professionally. It is simply amazing to walk into this “gym” and have a place where people, only moments after meeting, offer their support, encouragement, and friendship without hesitation. I’ve shied away from any competition that wasn’t solely with myself or academic since little league baseball. Here, though it’s a challenge for me, I feel confident to do so because of the support and belief in abilities that permeates through this community.
    So I guess the crux of this post is just a big thank you and computer hug to this community. I believe everything happens for a reason, both good and bad, and I’m starting to gain some insight into why I had to suffer through Justin’s initial diatribe against everything I thought I knew about fitness.
    On a final note, I canceled the membership I held at 24 for close to 13 years a couple weeks back. Probably needless to say, they didn’t give a crap when I did.

  17. Matt, I’m sure 24 will be busy with the rest of the social club, so they won’t have time to miss you. It’s ok, while they are bromancing their biceps in the mirrors, you’ll be busy becoming a badass. In all seriousness, it was a great and intense effort and performance by you yesterday. Worry not about your reverse curls, because once you get the form down on that clean, you’re gonna be able to pick up a shit ton more weight. It was inspiring hearing about the changes you’ve gone through already while at CFES. Keep it up!
    Lene, again, thanks for pushing me yesterday. Those 3 simple rounds taught me more about myself in 5 minutes than I could have ever imagined.
    Harlan, you mean one team against one team (i.e. Tiger Blood v. Los Chupacabras) or do you mean one-on-one call out challenges? I’m thinking of something like Rogue v. Again Faster. Do that shit Tahoe style!

  18. brother mike

    I feel so left out of the globo gym comparison. I ran, rode my bike and swam. Never belonged to one for more than a month or so (and that was just for the pool). Never really lifted weights other than a semester of conditioning class in college- which was nautilus equipment, but with the college wrestling coach as the teacher, which (when you have a wrestling coach with a masters degree) is about as opposite from a globo gym trainer as can be.

  19. Matt – Don’t worry, I reverse curl, shrug and bend-over-flye in spirit with you every day. I did WOD #3 on Thursday afternoon and made Justin want to kick my ass with my shitty power clean technique. Needless to say there is still a lot of “de-programming” I need to do.
    Props on cancelling the deuce-fo membership. I’m sure all of the dudes staring at your biceps in the mirror will miss you…

  20. I recorded Angela’s WOD on Saturday and Chris Lene was right there coaching her through it. I believe he put into these 5 minutes just as much energy as Angela did. Anyone wants to see it? I’ll pass it on to Justin. I get goose bumps from all the intensity that goes on at the box during this.

  21. Scott, Here’s a hint… NO TURKISH GET’UP I PROMISE! The zen saying was basically a space filler and a polite way of telling Matt P I have a plan. The clues are there, just have to think outside the BOX!

  22. Harlan

    Yea Sean, or anyone else, Team Tiger Blood vs any other Team for a WOD!
    Team chicken shits?

  23. Matt Brogan

    Olga- great post…you are officially the “scribe” of Team Fill The Bucket”

  24. Harlan – don’t you have money to make?

  25. I’ve workout every day for forty years and have never enjoyed it as much as I do CrossFit… totally addictive! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzD9BkXGJ1M

  26. Monica

    I completely agree with everyone’s posts about the CFES community and its unquestionable dominance over ordinary and some even not so ordinary gyms. I “dragged” two of my friends out for their first time ever crossfit experience this last weekend in San Diego. To give it a little perspective, we have all been runners, worked out at regular gyms, and frequented a local boxing gym for years together so nobody was new to fitness or variety in that regard. We went to Crossfit SoCal, which is totally worth checking out if you are ever in that area. Not only was everyone there super friendly but extremely encouraging as well. I, of course, walked in expecting nothing less based on my experience at CFES – but my friends, they were almost speechless after the experience and could not believe the support and positive encouragement provided not only to those who were there to do WOD 3 (that one of the coaches and several competing athletes took time to explain to them), but to those of us who were there to do the morning WOD and were merely visitors to the box (cheering us on to keep going when running by them . . . over and over again . . . for almost an entire hour). In the end, I think this experience was finally able convey to them what it has been so difficult to explain with words – that it is that supportive, encouraging, community environment which makes CrossFit so great for everyone!
    Honey Badgers – I too can make tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. work if that becomes the plan . . . let me know.

  27. Meg

    Is it me or do vegetarians always look kind of sick and pale?
    (Mike P you get an exemption here…sorta)
    Again, thank you to my CFES crew yesterday, I could not have done it without each and every one of you. Chris and Sabrina, you instilled confidence in me that I didn’t know I had.

  28. Liz

    Honey Badgers.. We are ON for 6am tomorrow..
    Nice working out with you Edgar at 12.. Sean T way to get in and get it done..
    Monica if your going tonight have fun. And big props for hitting a box on your vacation. Did you get a t-shirt?
    Harlan.. Honey Badgers don’t waste time on easy prey.. We save the anal pouch for when it counts..

  29. Gia, I’m hoping that by the end of this Games and Newbie Throwdown process, you’re not going to just “put up with” competing, but actually love it!

  30. Chris Lene

    Olga, I think you should just give a copy to Angela… She won’t ask for it and we all like to see ourselves kick a little ass once in a while. I’m sure Justin will be showing a little revenge on me soon enough for posting his American Idol Audition.

  31. Attention January 2011 On-Rampers….one of our buddies from our esteemed class is moving out of Sacramento, Justin,….so we are trying to hold a get together this Thursday at 6:30 at the Corner. Justin has yet to confirm if he can make it (he has just a few things gong on…like a wedding, new job, and move…well, lots). Scott, Bill, Kim and I all said yes, so Abi, James, and Sheridan, and of course Justin, we need you to confirm that the date and time will work.

  32. Chris, the copy to Angela has already been sent. I’ll make you one. There is nothing there to use for revenge only for “Glory, glory, hallelujah” kinda message. You’ll love it!

  33. Uh, by revenge I mean, wait until Justin posts the video of me doing wod 3 slightly impaired! Ok, a lot impaired. Thanks Olga for all your enthusiasm and support of others?

  34. FYI — Team Jerk Face is now Team WORK (Force x Distance) or F * d — yes, that is our official name. Jerk Face didn’t resonate w/ some team members so I hope this is more appropriate, because every time we step into the box it’s time to DO WORK!

  35. jsully

    team t-blood, super workout this evening! smash, jay and harlan, the blood of determination was dripping from your pores. i am proud to be tangled in the jungle with these animals! team tiger blood rules!!! jsully

  36. adam k

    Today, of all days, I just so happened to stumble on this article by Dan John Re: Overhead squats. Great stuff!
    http://danjohn.net/the-overhead-squat-article/
    Travis: Congrats on the OHS PR. That was savage! You’re finally getting your “Dad strength” (See article)

  37. Now we have a great walkway that goes to the beach and to the canals that came from the partnership of community with government