Mad Dawg Fitness

MDF is closed Friday, Sept. 3 and Monday, September 6.

HOWEVER, you can still join Tony at Sequoia H.S. Saturday at 9 AM!

Hope you have a safe and sane weekend!

As you can tell by the video that I posted and and the workouts at the gym we have incorporated something we call a Pockets Drill. The genesis of the drill is this video (and other coaching clinics by Coach Burgener and Greg Everett). This video requires a CrossFit Journal membership, it is only $25/year and is really worth it, but if you can’t find the budget, let me know and I have a copy.

The Burgener Files VI—The Pocket

About a month ago, Charleston Weightlifting Club visited MDF to get in one last training session before the 2010 School Age National Championships in Foster City. I guess it was the right coaching decision because they won 4 gold medals, 3 bronze medals, 2 best lifter awards, set 2 new national clean & jerk records, and placed second in the team standings!

It was really great to watch the workout. The kids were super focused and, as you can tell from the movies and images, were (are) pretty good lifters. One of the most important lessons I learned was the power of visualization. You can see in the videos some of the athletes were practicing the lifts without a bar when they weren’t lifting. We have experimented in the Power and Strength workouts with this and it really helps when lifting with weight.

Charleston Weightlifting Club at MDF images

There are so many events coming up, it is just crazy!

• First of all, we are knee deep in the push-up challenge. Today (Friday, July 23) is the LAST DAY TO BUY IN! We are currently on Day 16. Buy in like this:
  Friday – 46 push-ups
  Saturday – 47 push-ups
  Sunday – 48 push-ups
  Monday – 49 push-ups
  Tuesday you will be on schedule for Day 20. Easy, easy, lemon squeezy. If you haven’t done push-ups in a while don’t do them all at once, do them 5 at a time throughout the day. Remember 1 good rep is worth 20 skanky reps, raise your upper body until you can get the push-up correct. Schedule and rules

• Fight Gone Bad is happening both Thursday, September 23 and Saturday, September 25 (some people aren’t able to make Saturday and I would hate to deprive them of the FGB love). Please sign up and/or donate.
• We are hosting Amazing Grace, all day Thursday, October 28. Wearing pink is mandatory, but make it presentable cuz it’s going on the Internet. This is going to be a big party all day!
• Tough Mudder, in Bear Valley on October 9. I can’t believe the buzz about this event! I am not sure I can make this event, due to a previous engagement , but if you are interested, sign up before August 3rd and receive $10 off your entry to Tough Mudder Nor Cal, just use the code ActiveOffer when registering. There will be many, many other CrossFitters at this event so it should be fun. AND the post-event party sponsored by DogFish Head Brewery.
• We have been invited to participate in a CrossFit Weekend Warrior Series. This is sort of like a softball league but for CrossFit. The days of competition will be Saturdays: September 11 and 25, October 2 and 16. The playoffs will be on: October 30. Let me know if you are interested in forming a team, I think this will be super fun. UPDATE 7/25: Two people are on the team we need 4 more!
• Finally, after we have spent all summer building some physical capital, I was thinking about spending some on a trail run. There are four great ones coming up: Muir Beach (Nov 7), Stinson Beach (Nov 13), Woodside (Dec 4), and TNF Endurance Challenge (Dec 4 & 5). I don’t really care which one we do. I know Streeter has talked about doing the Muir Beach for training and then TNF Endurance Challenge. I don’t know that I am interested in doing a 50K but 33K would be fine (the 33K on the Muir Beach course is mostly on the TNF course so it would be good prep, or even a substitute, for the TNF EC).

We have had a busy few months with lots and lots of MDF Athletes doing many events.

Samantha and Yariv just finished another 50K in Tahoe two weeks after doing the
Double Dipsea. You will not believe what their next adventure is!

Streeter should be returning from Half Dome
as I type after a Tri For Fun last weekend.

Melinda volunteered at the CrossFit Games.

Tim just returned from a CRAZY adventure race in Norway.

The Salmon is called the River of No Return, but we hope that Jason returns from rafting in Idaho soon (even though he probably doesn’t want come back anytime soon).

Susan and I hiked to lower Young Lake in Tuolumne Meadows over Fourth of July. It was longish, but the views are worth it!

Oh yeah, Tom and Nancy are packing for the trip of a lifetime!

Did I miss anyone????

I recently found the Shoulder Problems: Reach for the Top through my subscription to UCSF’s Mini Medical School for the Public subscription in iTunes. It is a little long, 1.5 hours, but extremely worth the investment if you have or train people with shoulder issues.

Some interesting facts:
60% of patients age 40 – 55 in Dr. Feeley’s clinic presenting with shoulder pain are diagnosed with Impingement Syndrome, i.e. either pain sleeping on the side of the hurt shoulder or pain (but not weakness) moving overhead. (48:30)

Dr. Feeley, considers Impingement syndrome “along the spectrum of rotator cuff tear pathology.” (50:10) He explains later that just because you have impingement syndrome doesn’t mean you will get a rotator cuff tear, but about 60% do progress to a rotator cuff tear if the impingement issue is not treated, (52:15).

Most older people, I am guessing over 40 but he doesn’t specify, if they had an MRI, would show a partial thickness rotator cuff tear; however, you may be asymptomatic and don’t require surgery. (57:15) This is also stated in Optimal Shoulder Performance, by a strength coach, Eric Cressey, and a PT, Michael Reinhold, which has many references.

MRI is not usually first part of treatment, an X-Ray is, at least in his clinic. His first treatment strategy is, in order of his preference it appears, (58:30):

• Rest, avoid offending activities
• Physical therapy (6 – 12 weeks)
• Rotator cuff strengthening
• Active/Passive ROM
• Periscapular exercises (see below)
• Upper extremity proprioception
• NSAIDS
• Consider steroid injection
• Surgery

What are periscapular muscles? Very simply, according to the Steadman Clinic, they are the muscles “those around the scapula.” You don’t have to know much about anatomy to know that there are a bunch of those, so what are periscapular exercises? Most of what we do at MDF, but you can also try this video I found on Marks Daily Apple.

As many of you already know, The Games have moved from Aromas to Carson in L.A. For those of you who aren’t traveling to L.A., this Saturday (July 17) at 9 AM we are going to have a little CrossFit Games celebration. Starting at 9 AM we are going to do one (or possibly more) of the posted WODs. Yes, we will scale it or you can do it as prescribed. After the WOD we will have a little BBQ. If you want to bring something please try to make it semi-paleo (you know what I mean). I will supply meat, non-alcoholic drinks and plates/utensils.

Hope to see you this weekend.

One push-up day one, increasing one push-up each day. The fun culminates on Saturday, Oct. 16th with 101 push-ups for time (know as the “It Hurts So Good” WOD and a party (no need to be entered in the challenge to attend, but you have to do the WOD)!

We had a great time in 2008 with a burpee challenge, I think this will be even more fun.

The Rules:

• Sign up ends Friday, July 23
• Knee or toe push-ups allowed
• Start with arms perpendicular to the ground with straight elbows
• Chest-to-ground
• Elbow next to ribs until you can do 20 toe push-up in a row
• Full elbow extension
• Full hip and knee extension throughout rep
• Head neutral to spine
• Broken sets allowed and encouraged after day 20
• Spread make-up reps over 3 days

Schedule and rules

We are discontinuing the 10 AM class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday starting Monday, July 5. I think I have notified everyone that goes to the class. We are adding some other classes so the net amount of training we do is the same.

We are adding a Friday class at 12:30 PM so that every weekday we will have a class a lunch time class.

We are publicizing a class that has been going for a while, the Power and Strength class (A.K.A. Old Mans Workout) will be from 9:00 – 10:30 AM Tuesday and Thursday.

The Power and Strength class is different from most of our other classes. The programming will focus on Olympic lifting and basic strength training. The workouts are based on the intermediate program from Greg Everett’s Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches. However, this would also be a good class to attend of you have a goal you are working on or if you are “rehabing” from an injury. In addition, there is no WOD like in the other classes. Most of us do some other cardio workout(s) during the week, so this is a time to work on the basics. Finally, and most importantly, I use this class for my own workout so while I am available to answer questions and help, I will also try to get my own workout in. Overall, everyone in the class has been training for a while and we often give each other hints and tips (and a digital camera will always be available too) so I am sure everyone will have enough coaching.

Please post your questions, regarding the new schedule or email and I will get back to you ASAP.

See more

I really wish I could say that I taught Mayra to clean like this but I think she is just athletically gifted. This is Mayra mid-clean in good hang position.

Strength:
531 Back Squats (if you didn’t do them Monday) or 5×5 Good Mornings

Conditioning:
10, 8, 6, 4, 2 for time
Cleans
Dragon Flags Pointing toes greatly improves your success [video]
200 M Run after each round (i.e. Do 5 runs total)

2010 School Age National Championships
Crown Plaza Hotel, Foster City, CA
Friday, June 25 – Sunday, June 27

Come watch and cheer on the future stars of Olympic Weightlifting. It will be a two Platform Competition with non-stop action. Over 250 lifters will be flying in from all over the country. The Bay Area is well represented with almost 50 lifters from clubs like Hassle Free, FitBBC, TJ’s Gym, Catalyst Athletics, California Strength, The Sports Palace and Myles Ahead.

If you can’t attend in person, follow the competition LIVE ON-LINE!

The Bad Girls vs Bad Boys Open was really fun. The next local meet is the USAW National School Age Championships in Foster City on June 25-27. It is going to be really fun. Last year, Rob and Dave from the California Weightlifting Fund put on the Junior Nationals. This year the School Age Nationals are going to be twice as big. These “kids” lift heavy, so you won’t be disappointed. More information regarding volunteering will be at the gym.

As I learn more about training, I am becoming more convinced about the importance of hip and thoracic spine mobility to getting stronger. You can check out the CrossFit Journal for some of Kelly Starrett’s take on this subject. You can also check out Mark’s Daily Apple for some great tips on both thoracic spine mobility and hip mobility. You can also check out Greg Everett’s excellent article on increasing shoulder mobility. These are great resources; however, these are solutions that you can apply for a few minutes, possibly an hour, a day. A stand-up desk can put your spine in the position it is meant to be in for hours a day. My solution was a hack so that I could see if it worked. I am sure there are prettier solutions; although, not many cheaper.

We all work hard on our technique to gain strength, mobility and protect our backs in class; however, when we are sitting at our desks all day, it’s like we are taking one step forward and two steps back. “When you’re sitting, you’re bearing all that weight through the pelvis and spine, and it puts the highest pressure on your back discs. Looking at MRIs, even sitting with perfect posture causes serious pressure on your back” says Dr. Andrew C, Hecht, co-chief of spinal surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Give your back a break and make the most of your training, all you have to do is stand up!

Final note, as with anything, practice doesn’t make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. When standing at your new desk, very lightly tighten your abs and glutes to make sure your hips are neutral. Make sure that your knees are “soft locked,” Straight but not locked straight. This will be very similar to the top of the deadlift.

Day 1 Photos
Day 2 Photos
Results

As you hopefully know by now, we will be closed Friday all day and Monday only for the 10 AM class. I will be at the CrossFit Games Affiliate Cup at UC Irvine. An outstanding group of some of our best athletes will competing against 75 other teams in the southwest region. Team Mad Dawg members are :
Jason Feudale
Joan Greve
Sean Medina
Matt Miller
Samantha Pinney
Kris Zemlyak

You can follow the event here.