Leftover Easter Candy

What to do with all that leftover Easter candy?...besides eat it!  Make a table decoration for Spring.  Get the kids involved and let the creativity run loose.  Use jelly beans to fill plain glass jars and create a block of different colors.  You can create table runners using different size chocolate bunnies or peeps. Just use your imagination and be creative.  Have fun without the sugar hangover afterwards from eating it all!
What's the most creative thing you've ever done with Peeps?

Warm Up
Obstacle Course

Skill
Squats

WOD
10 Minute AMRAP
20 Jump Rope/ Tuck Jumps
10 Push Ups
2 Barn Runs
10 Squats 

13.4

It's week 4 of the Crossfit Games Open.  The workout will be announced shortly.  Tune in to games.crossfit.com to catch live announcement and demo of the workout.  The demo will be performed by 2 former Crossfit Games Champions.  Chris Spealler and Graham Holmberg.  Graham won the Games in 2010 and he started his crossfit career with us here at Crossfit New Albany. He started the rich tradition that we have building of athletes to make it to the games.  


Warm Up
5 Minutes
5 PVC Pass Throughs
5 Jumping Jacks 
5 Mountain Climbers (L+R=1)
5 Walking Lunges with PVC overhead
Broad Jump Down
Sprint Back

Skill
Overhead Squats

WOD
8 Minutes
7 DB Push Press
10 Broad Jumps

Philly Shroom Burger

Ingredients

10 large portabello mushroom caps
2 lbs. very thin sliced sirloin
2 Tbsp lard
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced

Instructions

1. Preheat grill or pan to medium heat
2. Grill mushroom caps until softened, about 8-10 minutes per side (mushrooms should be soft, but still have a bit of bite)
3. Preheat cast iron skillet or other frying pan over medium-high heat
4. Pepper each of the steak slices on both sides
5. Brown the steaks on each side, about 2-3 minutes total (they’re thin sliced and cook super quick!), in about a tablespoon of coconut oil
6. Remove meat from pan and set aside (cover to keep in heat and let meat rest)
7. Melt remaining oil over medium-high heat in same pan
8. Add veggies and saute until softened, about 8 minutes
9. To serve: pile up the sandwich steaks and veggies between two mushrooms!

Serves 5

Warm Up
10 Air Squats
10 Jumping Lunges
10 PVC Squatted Pass Throughs
10 Leg Kicks
10 Toe Touch To Back Bends
10 Toe Touch To Rollover
-Drink-

10 Stiff Leg Press (DB's, Medball)
10 Hollow Situps/ Hollow Rocks
10 Hollow Pushups (Box)
10 Ring Rows (Thumbs to armpits)
Max Pike Hold on box

Skill
KB Swings

WOD
Ten 1 Minute Rounds
*:30 rest between rounds

10 KB Swings
10 Medball Clean and Toss over Shoulder

Perspective

Sometimes I come to a workout (or anything for that matter) and think "this is going to hard." And guess what, it's usually hard. Sometimes I come to a workout with "this is going to be fun." And guess what, it's usually fun, even if it is hard.

What does that tell me? It tells me that what I bring with me usually determines how something goes. And while sometimes it's useful for me to try to bring "fun" into a situation, it doesn't necessarily work out that way if I'm just piling it on top of knowing deep down that it's not going to be fun at all. In those cases, it just helps to leave what I DID bring at the door, so that I'm not saying at all what it will be like, good or bad. If I can at least leave "this sucks" at the door and bring NOTHING in, there's room for something unexpected. It might still suck, but at least I won't have set it up that way for sure! If my bags are full of "this sucks" there's no room for souvenirs. I'll leave with a dirty bag of "this sucked."

Everyone brings their own bagfuls into tough situations. What do you think you could get by bringing nothing in with you?

Warm Up
:30/:30 Banded Hamstring
15 Banded Pass Throughs
15 Squatted Banded Pass Throughs
:30/:30 Pigeon


10 Stiff Leg Press (DB's, Medball)
10 Hollow Situps/ Hollow Rocks
10 Hollow Pushups (Box)
10 Ring Rows (Thumbs to armpits)
Max Pike Hold on box

Skill
3 Rounds
3 Medball Thrusters
Barn Sprint
:30/:30 Tricep Smash (On Dip Bars)


WOD
"Mental Toughness"
10 Rounds
5 Medball Thrusters
10 Ring Rows
2 Barn Runs

Mobility

As important and fun as it is to run around and work your hardest during our Crossfit Kids classes here at CFNA, it is equally important to make sure you are adequately warmed up and then cool down after the workout is over. It may not be fast paced and exciting, and may even be a little painful, but it is o so important.  As I've gotten older, wiser and stronger, I've started to experience soreness in new places that lasts longer than it used to.  I've adopted a new routine of doing more mobility.  So far it seems to be working, i'm less sore and not sore as long.  I'm getting more flexible and this makes certain movements a ton easier.  How many of you struggle to hold an object over your head and squat or lunge with it? We are going to start incorporating more mobility into the next few weeks of classes.  As with anything else, we will make it a blast and be ready to attack the workouts with reckless abandon like usual! :)

Warm Up
Mobility
Obstacle Course

Skill
Cleans
*Mobility between sets

WOD
Three 5 Minute AMRPAPs
*2 Minute Rest Between Sets
3 Cleans
6 KB Swings
9 Box Jumps

Mobility

13.3

Week 3 of the Crossfit Games Open is upon us! Again tonight at 8 will be a live announcement on games.crossfit.com with 2 female athletes from last years games doing a demo of the WOD (Kristan Clever and Talyana Fortunato). If you haven't checked we have some pretty rockstar athletes right here at CFNA.  Our team is 2nd in the region.  Ron Thomas, who represented us at the games last year in the Masters 45-49 division, is first in the world right now! Chris Sansbury, Danielle Koch, Rich James, Dane Youtz and Brandon Shriner are all in the top 50 in our region!  We have a 17 year old stud as well, Shawn "Cookie" Martin who you've probably seen running around the gym.  He is the model for how to work your tail off and benefit from the rewards.  Just ask him how much better of a baseball player he has become from crossfit. Tons of exciting stuff happening here at CFNA!

Warm Up
D&B of each
High Knees
Butt Kicks
Back Pedal
High Skip
Sprint
-Drink-

10 Stiff Leg Press (DB's, Medball)
10 Hollow Situps/ Hollow Rocks
10 Hollow Pushups (Box)
10 Ring Rows (Thumbs to armpits)
Max Pike Hold on box

Skill
OHS (PVC)


Skill WOD
5 Minute AMRAP
5 OHS
Max Hollow Hold

WOD
15 Ring Rows
30 Hollow Push Ups
45 Air Squats

Paleo Chili

Ingredients

• 2 lbs grass fed beef 
• 1 medium onion (or half a large one), diced
• 1 red, orange, or yellow pepper, diced
• 1 cup baby carrots, sliced into small discs
• 5 handfuls baby spinach (about 5 oz)
• 1 large can of crushed fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 large can of diced fire roasted tomatoes–drain out liquid
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes–drain out liquid
• 2 Tbsp of coconut oil  or ghee (fat)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 2 Tbsp cumin
• 2 Tbsp chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• avocado
• fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. In a large skillet on low to medium heat, melt the ghee and add the onion. Sauté until translucent. Add the grass fed beef and brown (grass fed beef is much better browned at a lower temp).
2. Meanwhile, melt the other 1 Tbsp of ghee or coconut oil in a large stockpot and add the peppers and carrots. Sauté over medium heat while the beef is browning.
3. Once the veggies are softened a bit (5-8 minutes or so), add the crushed tomatoes, and both cans of diced tomatoes.
4. Add spinach.
5. Drain meat (if you prefer a less oily chili). To the meat, add 1 Tbsp of cumin, 1 Tbsp chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, lightly salt and pepper.
6. Add the meat to the stockpot and stir to incorporate.
7. Put the remaining spices in the stockpot and bring the heat up until bubbling. Turn heat down and simmer 30-45 minutes.
8. Top with avocado and fresh cilantro.

Warm Up
10 Stiff Leg Press (DB's, Medball)
10 Hollow Situps/ Hollow Rocks
10 Hollow Pushups (Box)
10 Ring Rows (Thumbs to armpits)
Max Pike Hold on box

Skill #1
Knees To Elbows

Skill WOD #1
3 Rounds
6 Knees To Elbows
9 Goblet Squats
12 Jumping Jacks/ Double Unders

Skill #2
Double Unders/ Bar Dip Hold

WOD
5 Minute AMRAP
1 Barn Run
5 Box Jumps
5 Cal Row
5 Burpees

Little Agile, Mobile Machines

The goal of Crossfit Kids is NOT to try to make children into weight lifting machines, nor to baby-sit them. Like a lot of people, I came to CrossFit as a partially broken-down adult. I didn't know what being functional and mobile meant. I could run for miles and could do all the machines at the gym. Little did I know what I would become after just a few months of crossfit.  One of the main goals of  CrossFit Kids has to be helping children (and the adults they will grow into) to avoid going down this path. What if, rather than hitting their 30s, and wondering what they did wrong, they hit their thirties and just kept improving? What if, to play the sport of their dreams, or to do any activity they wanted, no extra work was needed, because it had already been done?  

Warm Up
2 Rounds
10 Burpees
Barn Run
10 Lunge Jumps
Handstand Attempt
10 Sit Ups
-Drink-
10 Stiff Leg Press (DB's, Medball)
10 Hollow Situps/ Hollow Rocks
10 Hollow Pushups (Box)
10 Ring Rows (Thumbs to armpits)
Max Pike Hold on box

*Start kids at different spots so 20 sets of DB's don't have to be out and just the rings in the barn can be used.

Skill #1
Handstand Kick Ups/ Tallbees


Skill WOD #1
3 Minute AMRAP
1 Push Up w/ Hand Release
1 Tallbee

Skill #2
Overhead Lunges D&B


WOD
4 Rounds
4 OH Lunges
6 Burpess
8 Sit Ups
10 Box Jumps

*Practice Jumping Rope if done first.

YOU

If you want to see more love, love.
If you want to see more hard work, work hard.
If you want to see more cooperation, cooperate.
If you want to see more patience, be patient.
If you want to see more tolerance, be tolerant -- especially of the "intolerant"
If you want to see more peace, be peaceful.

It starts with you. Nowhere else. Sorry.

Warm Up
Obstacle Course

Skill #1
Deadlift


WOD #1
5 Minute AMRAP
10 Deadlifts
2 Barn Runs


Skill #2
Back Squat

WOD #2
5 Minute AMRAP
10 Squats
2 Barn Runs

Game Time!

It's Wednesday night and it's almost 8pm.  Yep that's right Open workout 13.2 is about to be announced.  This week two of the top female athletes in the world will be demonstrating the workout live on the internet at games.crossfit.com. Lindsey Valenzuela and Annie Thorisdottir will be going head to head in what is sure to be a showdown. Annie has been the fittest woman in the world the last two years and Lindsey finished top 5 in the Crossfit Games last year, looking to improve upon that this year.  Again, we will be doing this workout as the class WOD on Friday.

Warm Up
Groups of 3
Around The World Jumps
2 Rounds each person
1 person sits on floor, legs out straight arms straight out
person 2 jumps over right arm, then over legs, then over left arm (1 rep)
3rd person does 15 air squats

Skill
Jump Rope
Double Unders
Dynamic Burpees

Skill WOD
:15 on/ :15 transition
Jump Rope/Burpees
Sit Ups
Calf Jumps
Air Squats

WOD
Max Distance OH Lunge competition
*kids choose the object and all lunge with it taking turns
*choose 3 objects and do 3 rounds

Honey Mustard Chicken Nuggets

For the paleo kids!

I've always been disappointed with the almond meal solution when it comes to chicken nuggets.  First of all, almond meal is very dry, often generating nuggets I feel like choking on.  Second, it does not coat evenly and they come out looking kind of scruffy. 

This recipe is for 1 lb of chicken. Quadruple and freeze after cooking for a perfect lunchbox option.

Step 1. The marinade.

1/2 water, 1/4 cup warm honey, 1/4 cup grey poupon mustard, 1 lb chicken. The marinade works very fast and you can leave them there for fifteen minutes. The liquid is reduced dramatically as it penetrates the chicken.

Step 2. The coating.

1 cup almond flour; 1/2 tsp dry mustard + optional spices to taste (I like garlic powder, ginger root, palm sugar). Coat the chicken, a few at a time - I saw a much more even coat than when using almond flour alone.

Step 3. The baking.

Line the sheet with foil to reduce cleanup. I did 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Check on them after fifteen minutes. You'll see brown circles forming around the nuggets. When that first happens, it's time for them to come out. Wait a few minutes more - and they are stuck to the bottom!

The nuggets have a vague hint of honey and mustard, barely noticeable. The chicken is sooth and tender, not too dry.  I loved them as much as the kids.  

Warm Up
1 Minute Stations
:30 Rest between each
Ring Row
Burpee
Sit Up
Medball Deadlift
Box Jump

Skill #1
DB Push Press

Skill WOD
EMOM 5 Minutes
5 DB Push Press
Squat Hold Rest of Minute

Skill #2 
KB Swing

Skill WOD
EMOM 5 Minutes
5 KB Swings
Plank Hold Rest of Minute

What is Crossfit?

CrossFit is a funny animal. Funny in that sometimes I wonder what actually makes CrossFit "CrossFit." Is it the clock? Is it the exercises? 'Cause here's the thing - my CrossFit and your CrossFit can look totally different. Maybe one student is doing front squats and the other is doing cleans. Maybe one is running and one is rowing. Maybe one is using a rubber band and one isn't. Maybe with a private client I don't even use a stopwatch. Are any one of those less or more CrossFit? If CrossFit isn't the clock, and it isn't Olympic lifting, and it can be done in private or in a group...well, then what IS CrossFit?

I guess it's kind of like saying, "What is 'reading'?" Is reading when you can get through "See Spot Run" or is reading when you can read "Moby Dick?" Is it practicing your spelling or is it flying through your favorite fiction novel without a thought to the act of reading? Or is "reading" all of those things and everything in-between - failed, succeeded, attempted, and dreamed. If that's the case, then it's all CrossFit. It's CrossFit when my mom does it and it's CrossFit when Kristan Clever does it. 

Crossfit is scalable and can be modified to any fitness or skill level.  To people who might have mobility issues or have an injury.  For beginners building strength and endurance to be able to do what the people who have been crossfitting for 2 or 3 years can do.  So remember this the next time you are using a band or a lighter weight than the person beside you.  Everyone started out at that level and the harder you work the faster you will improve and get up to that same level. 

What makes it CrossFit for you?


Warm Up
5 Rounds
5 Medball Squat Cleans
5 Burpee Broad Jumps
10 Medball Thrusters


Skill
Double Unders

Skill #2
Cleans (Pvc to unloaded bar)


WOD
EMOM 10 Minutes
3 Power Cleans
10 Box Jumps

1 Down 4 To Go

Awesome awesome weekend with the first Open WOD and the weather being just about perfect.  The CFNA community as always came together to push each person to their limit and achieve some pretty unbelievable results!  The weather has turned cold again, but we are getting closer to keeping the warmer weather around for good.  Last nights kids class was outside for the whole hour and got a little taste of just how awesome the back area is going to be!  
Keep talking about us and bringing your friends in to try it out.  Also don't forget about our new gym, Crossfit Olentangy which will be opening next month.  Memberships are good at both places or if you know someone on the other side of town.  Awesome deals going on now, check the main website for more details.

Warm Up
Obstacle Course

Skill
Rowing


WOD
2 Rounds
100m Row
10 Shoulder Taps
100m Row
10 Pistols

It's Here!

The first Crossfit Games Open workout is set to be released in less than 2 hours! I don't know about you but I can't wait.  On Friday we will have a chance to attack this workout, just like the top adults in the world! You can compare yourself to other kids and adults around the world. These workouts will give you a chance to find out strenghts and weaknesses.  It will give us as coaches the knowledge to help make you better in the next few months.  We will work as a group to help you do your best on each workout. Get ready and bring some extra energy as the fun begins this Friday!


Warm Up
8 Minutes
10 Burpees
10 Squats
10 Box Jumps
10 One legged side to side jumps (Right)
Broad Jump Down
10 One legged side to side jumps (Left)
10 Medball Push Press

Skill
Hang Power Snatch

WOD
6 Minute AMRAP
6 Hang Power Snatch
9 Front Squats (Medball)
12 Box Jumps

*Judged

Crossfit New Albany Kids

We work with kids in much the same way that we 

work with seniors and athletes, that is with an 

insistence on near perfect mechanics.  Our program is

designed to build self-confidence by encouraging and 

building a love in children for becoming and staying 

fit. We tailor the fitness routines to build muscle,

bone, strength and speed, at a level appropriate for

the growing body.  Whether your child is a budding 

athlete or just wants to have fun, CrossFit New Albany

 Kids is the answer!


Warm Up
10-1
Air Squats
Burpees
Pullups (Jumping ok)

Skill
KB Swings


WOD
Three 4 Minute AMRAPs
2 Minute Rest Between Rounds
2 Barn Sprints
5 Pullups
10 KB Swings

Spread The Word!

CrossFit Olentangy (future name)

We are proud to announce the opening of our second location!  It has been a long time coming!  We've been proud to see 4 CF gym's open from amazing former clients and we've decided that after 10 years of rocking one place that it was time to expand our amazing gym to the Olentangy district!

We will be opening our doors on April 15th (God willing) to what we hope will be a perfect day with full sunshine, no wind, rain and hopefully no snow!  If we're not that lucky it doesn't matter because we'll still be rocking it!

The facility is an amazing stand alone 12,000 square foot building with a ton of outside grassy area to have some amazing outside workouts!

The schedule is not currently set but our New Albany location currently has 16 classes a day (CF Kids class each day as well ages 6-12) and that is what we will shoot for in the future (as membership grows).

Our current pre-opening special memberships are only available for a limited time/numbers so get them while they're cheap because they will go UP!

The average CrossFit gym membership is higher than that of a normal gym because of what you get.  You have a trainer at each class with specifically programmed workouts and modifications for each member (if needed).  The family atmosphere and second to none results make the cost seem minimal.  

At the end of the day if you're in the best shape of your life, have an absolute blast working out, find amazing friends and go home happy (today and in the future) then the price is well worth it!

Our 50% off pre-opening price is guaranteed for at least one year (TBD on if or how long we'll extend that price beyond the year).  We work very hard to make all our members get the most of their CrossFit experience and our membership pricing reflects that.  

We will do our best to keep your prices down as long and as low as we possibly can.  Our first gym (CrossFit New Albany) easily has the best prices around when considering our track record, classes, facility, equipment and instruction.  We plan on being able to say the same thing for CrossFit Olentangy.

We will offer (just like CrossFit New Albany) CrossFit, Olympic lifting, Functional Fitness and CrossFit Kids classes.  

We will also have baseball/softball instruction at our facility to go along with athlete specific training.  We will offer personal training for those not wanting the group classes.

Stay tuned for updates and sign up before the prices go up!

Warm Up
8 Minutes
Teams of 4

Handstand Hold
Hollow Hold
Squat Hold
5 Burpees

*rotation happens when burpees are done

Skill
Box Squats (holding weight out in front)

WOD
10 Minutes
2 Barn Sprints
10 Goblet Squats
Max Hollow Push Ups

*Keep track of total push ups

Are You In?

So about the OPEN. It starts this week and will last 5 weeks with one workout released to complete each week. There is a question that I'm sure has gone through many of your heads, which is why I'm sharing it here. If we (at CFNA) are just going to do the workouts anyway on Fridays at the gym for classes, why should I pay $20 and sign up for the Open? Great question... And here's my answer.

When you register for the Open you are declaring to both yourself and the world, "I'm IN!" You become someone that isn't willing to sit on the sideline and just let life pass you by. You are a competitor, and you're actually in the competition. No excuses as to why you don't feel like coming on Friday. You're IN - and all things in your life will fall into place around you being in... sleep, water, food, mental preparation, recovery, how you spend your free time... everything. Can you come to the gym and just do the workouts? Sure. But are you really in? No way. 

Join us. The Open is for everyone! Don't wait... just get registered (games.crossfit.com) and select Crossfit New Albany as your team and affiliate. And if you have any questions, concerns, or trepidations, lets hear about them and we will ease your mind. We have all been in your shoes before and ended up being so happy we took the plunge!


Warm Up
Obstacle Course

Skill
Olympic Mash Up

WOD
7 Minute AMRAP
7 Thrusters
7 Box Jumps