Five Training Tips Used By The 2013 CrossFit Games Team Champs (and the baseline to find out if you’re good enough to consider using their training)

Rob MacDonald, the GymJones coach who designed the training used by Hack’s Pack (Ute CrossFit) to win the 2012 and 2013 CrossFit Games, just released the training template he created for the 2013 team. Although, the actual programming is behind the Gym Jones pay wall, the article describing the training was filled with info and tips for both the recreational and competitive CrossFit athlete as well as the baseline numbers an athlete is expected to have in order to use this programming. Here are the highlights: Read More

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Old School? CrossFit Games 2010 Pic 1 of a bunch

Digging through some old files on my computer I came across a heap of pics I snapped at the 2010 CrossFit Games. I’ll start digging through them and posting any worthwhile ones. To start: everyone’s favorite Canadian girl next door, Camille Leblanc Bazinett.

Want to download the full size hi-res version of the pic? Join our mailing list at the bottom of this page and we’ll forward a link to you!

 

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Top CrossFit Christmas Gifts (from $20 to $86)

Alright, boys and girls. Are looking for a special gift for that CrossFit fanatic in your life? As usual FuncThat (and Amazon) to the rescue! As of this writing all of the following items are in stock at Amazon and should arrive before Christmas with two day shipping.

And don’t worry: using any of the links below will let Amazon know FuncThat sent you so you’ll be contributing to our Merry Christmas too!

 

Skins Calf Compression Sleeves $35

skins crossfit gift
These things have multiple benefits:
1. Box jump protection
Towards the end of a WOD and when things start to get sloppy these things can save you from needing stitches in your shin.
2. High rep deadlift or o-lift shinguard
Ever dragged a barbell across your shin as you try to keep it close to your body? Ouch.
3. Performance enhancer?
There are a handful of studies coming out of the running world that seem to indicate calf sleeves can actually improve both your performance and endurance. The theory is the compression minimizes the vibration running through your lower leg with every foot strike.

Amazon: SKINS Compression MX Calf Tight

Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches $27

olympic weightlifting crossfit gift

Efficiency at the Olympic lifts is one of the biggest differentiators in CrossFit. Analysis of the CrossFit Games has repeatedly shown that the Olympic Lifts account for a disproportionate amount of the events. How good is this book? Well, it’s a book about weightlifting with 87 five star reviews. The fact a book about weightlifting can even garner more than a handful of reviews is amazing in itself. This one should be on every crossfitters book shelf.

Amazon: Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches

Rehband Knee Sleeve $86 ($43 for one)

crossfit knee sleeves
The Rehband knee sleeve was the breakout CrossFit item of 2013. They went from barely making an appearance in 2012 to becoming close to standard operating equipment for both recreational and competitive athletes alike. The reviews on Amazon claim these things have bionic like powers, particularly for anyone whose had knee issues in the past. Need more convincing? CrossFit Invictus coach Nick Hawkes has a nice post on the topic called “Invictus: The Benefits Of Knee Sleeves“. (That’s actually where this great pic came from.) The consensus seems to be to get a size smaller than you expect unless you’ve got some serious quads. Make sure and buy two! They are not sold as a pair!

Amazon: Rehband 7mm Knee Sleeve

Grid roller $38 – $65

grid roller crossfit gift
This year for Christmas I asked my wife to hire an in-home masseuse who can take care of my every need. Strangely, her response was to move my pillow to the couch. Perhaps I should have phrased that differently. Until she comes around the Grid foam roller will have to do. It’s just the thing for those mornings when you roll out of bed and realized that doing that second workout yesterday wasn’t really such a good idea…

Amazon: The Grid Foam Roller

Covert Mechanix Glove $20

spealler-gloves
There was a time that no self-respecting crossfitter would be caught dead wearing gloves. People were proud of their heavily calloused and “functional” hands. Turns out though, blistered and torn hands are pretty much the opposite of functional and some CrossFit workouts will shred even the toughest of paws (Mary comes to mind). Enter the black on black Mechanix glove. These mitts are favored by people who actually have to get real work done while gloved up (Special Ops for example) and worn during the 2012 CrossFit Games by the CrossFit Athletes. Rogue actually sells a version on their site for $27 but you can get them on Amazon for $20.

Amazon: Mechanix Wear Original Glove, Covert

So go ahead and make a CrossFitter’s Christmas extra special (and if you happen to buy a gift for yourself we won’t tell).

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Community.

WolfPack Community CrossFitMake no mistake. The community is what makes CrossFit what it is. The key to a successful affiliate is not having the most experienced coaches. It is not having a top of the line facility. These things help but they are not what creates the tight knit band of people who can overlook all of the issues which can plague an affiliate simply because they know they train better and harder when their people are at their side.

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