11/4/11 The "John Clay"

-Written by KC

"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." - Bernard Meltzer

The "John Clay"

On the goal board here at AllStar next to John Clay's name he writes: 'To Behave'. I don't think he's reached this goal yet but were working on it. He tried to compare one of the warm up exercises this morning to a sexual act.....that's John Clay! Great guy, but likes to cause trouble, in a good way. John Clay is an athlete here at AllStar, been training with us for over a year, since we were coaching out of Hawaii Preparatory Academy facilities. John Clay had a run in with the box jump about a month ago and had to take a month off of training. He's back now, however we are modifying any shoulder movements for him during his recovery. Coach Don created a workout just for John Clay because it involves no load bearing movement with the shoulder, therfore no need to modify any movement. He calls it the "John Clay' and we all performed it as the Workout of the Day today. All of us, including John Clay, were able to train together in the same workout, without having to modify anything. It was super fun! Read more about the sequencing of this workout, as well as the day's results if you scroll to the end of this blog.

Judo Roll

Don teaches us the Judo Roll on his first day of coaching. Although not a gymnastics movement, this type of roll is entirely functional and useful as a safe way to roll while protecting the body, head and neck. Coming from a Martial Arts background Don brings new movements to AllStar that will help stay true to CrossFit's constantly varied philosophy, as well as keeping in line with CrossFit's Theoretical Hierarchy of Fitness goal of Sport.

Yoga

Using yoga as part of the warm up parallels CrossFit's gymnastic element. It promotes balance, agility, flexibility, mobility, and body awareness. It's also just plain good medicine for the body and sore, tight muscles.

Handstand

We perform a LOT of handstands here at AllStar. Partly because they are one of my favorite things to do, therefore one of my favorite things to teach. But also, because it is healthy for us to invert the body for many reasons: to get the heart above the head to flush blood out of the lower extremities, engaging core strength, and "According to the teachings of Iyengar Yoga, Handstand also offers a wide range of physical benefits. "Reversing gravity" is believed to give your vital organs a much-needed rest, improve circulation, respiration, along with elimination, and increase concentration and mental clarity. Handstand also provides the bone-strengthening benefits of weight-bearing exercise to the wrists, fingers, elbows, arms, and shoulders, which may help to prevent osteoporosis." (Retrieved from Yoga Journal Online http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/916)

Substitute for Handstand

L-Pose at the wall or on a box is a great substitute for handstand, if handstand is not available to you yet due to prerequisite strength issues. This Pose still allows for the heart to remain above the head, and strengthens the shoulders.

Protecting the wrists

Some of our athletes suffer from over use and Carpal Tunnel in the wrists. To take some of the pressure off the wrist, we suggest coming up onto the mounds of the knuckles occasionally if nessecarry. This postition of the hand can also be used in many other CrossFit movements including the push up.

'Ohana

Family time at AllStar! Pua'ala Ni'au(Right), has been training with me for almost two years. She is one tuff lady who knows what it takes to CrossFit. She ALWAYS gets the work done, without complaining, ever. She goes HARD, does her BEST, and enjoys to challenge. She is also one of the only women in this gym that does proper push ups, all the time, without fail. This mental 'tuffness' has earned her STRENGTH. She brought in her daughter today, as well as her grandchildren, and son-in-law who also trains with us.

Workout of the Day

Warm Up:

200m. Run

Samson Stretch 3x each side

10 'Super Slow' Squats

Hill Sprints 4-6 as a group

Skill:

Judo Roll

Balance

WOD:

"John Clay"

AMRAP 20min.

400m Run

50 Wall Ball Squats

200m Run

100m Walking Lunges

200m Run

2 minutes total, V-Sit

200m. Run

50 Sit Ups

200m Run

50 Box Jumps

400m Run

Score is number of repetitions of squats, sit ups, and box jumps.