If you're happy and you know it, tell a friend!

Congratulations to our top referrer in 2009:

Heather Russell with 9 REFERRALS!

Shawn Smith came in second with 5.

And of course, I would be remiss to not recognize Angela Lorenzo who is responsible for introducing Heather Russell (see above) to us in the first place.

Special recognition to all of you who went out of your way to speak to friends and family about our services.  We can't tell you how much this means to us as 'word-of-mouth' referrals are our #1 source of new guests.

Here's to an awesome 2010!

   

Grandma 'Pat'

My Grandma recently passed away on Christmas Eve, but really, we're all very happy that she is not suffering and is in a much better place (um, hopefully). These are actually a few funny stories about Grandma Pat.
First of all, when she was younger, all of the kids thought her name was Patricia, instead of Lucricia, so most people called her 'Pat'. After years of making vain attempts to correct them, she finally decided that it wasn't worth the trouble and she was fighting a losing battle. "The hell with it." She thought. "Let them call me Pat, or Patricia." So, I always knew her as Grandma Pat.
She moved from Pennsylvania to Alaska with her husband Sam, who was one of the first U.S. Marshalls, Territorial Officers (before Alaska became a state) and Alaska State Troopers. They we're the unltimate of the "Greatest Generation". Truly, I think I would only listen about how to skin a goat from someone of this generation and stature. Let me explain.
10 years ago on a Friday night, I was at Grandma Pat's house in Wasilla, AK (no forever cursed at Palin Country) and one of her neighbors (when I say neighbors, I mean a crazy, back woods living, unshaved individual who deliverered his own children, packed in his own water and raised his own animals) brought her a goat to eat. Now, the goat had to be skinned, and I was volunteered by Grandma. She had me hang the goat on a hook from the ceiling by it's ankle, then explained is detail about how to properly hold the knife, where to cut and how hard to pull the skin.

I was slowly starting to get the hang of the process when a friend of mine, Mike Rich, called me on the phone (the kind with a cord that peole used to have) and asked if I was coming into town (Anchorage) that night. I said "Sorry dude, I'm in the middle of skinning the goat." "Uh, Chuck, I don't want to know." He said. So, from thenceforth, "skinning the goat", as it were, is now the new "metaphore".



Also, as the new year approaches, I always remember what Grandma Pat used to tell us about our first meal of the new year. "Never eat things that come from a chicken, becasue a chicken always scratches backwards, and you never backtrack or make the same mistakes you did last year." Instead, she told us "Eat the pig, because the pig always roots FORWARD!"
So, no eggwhites tomorrow for me. Only ham, sausage, hot dogs, pickled pigs feet, & split pea soup from Elaine's kitchen.
 
Grandma Pat lived a great life to the ripe old age of 87.  When everyone was together for Thanksgiving this year, there were 5 generations at the table.  Amazing. 

An Excerpt from my Application for CrossFit Beaverton Affiliation

With my 10+ years experience in the fitness industry as a nationally certified personal trainer and group exercise instructor with AFAA (Aerobics and Fitness Association of America), I find CrossFit to be a breath of fresh air.  In continually striving to improve myself as a fitness professional I came upon CrossFit a couple years ago.  I knew then that it would change the face of fitness.  I believe that the methodology which propels CrossFit is exactly what we need, to see significant changes in the rising pandemic of obesity and metabolic diseases around the world.  Because CrossFit is suitable for anyone, we have seen drastic changes in everyone from the deconditioned, brand new exerciser, to the “professional” CrossFitter.  It is very exciting to be part of a program that has the power to change so many lives. 

Since adopting CrossFit one year ago as my primary strength and conditioning program, I have replaced my 30-60 minute long ‘cardio’ sessions with total body conditioning that incorporates running (or rowing, or jumping rope) along with lifting heavier weight than I ever thought possible.  I’ve discovered that I love the Olympic lifts and kettlebells and am excited about teaching the virtues of ‘pumping iron’ to women.  I am thrilled with the changes I continue to see in my body by following the CrossFit protocol and my enthusiasm about CrossFit naturally encourages more women to want to try it for themselves.

I decided to become level 1 certified in December of ’09 when I realized that it was something I wanted to be a part of for the long run.  The concept of “constantly varied, functional exercises, executed at a high intensity” sums up the prescription for a perfect training program that will obtain the greatest response possible in the shortest amount of time, while preventing boredom and overuse injuries.  The icing on the cake is that all the while, we are building a community of friends with similar interests and struggles, triumphs and defeats.


-Shelly Gonzales

Snowdays suck

Well that just sucks:  Two classes off the schedule already this morning.  It's all fun an games until the studio has to close down. 

So what exactly happened to Shelly Gonzales last night?  Well..."It was a dark and stormy night."
Shelly and Gabriel were at the studio all day yesterday and after the snow started to fall, I asked her to take my truck home instead of her car.  My gas light in my truck had been on and I told her that she would need to put gas into it before she went home.  That was at 4:30 P.M..

At 6:07 P.M. our preschool calls my cell phone and asks when Shelly or I were going to pick up Gavin.  Closing time for the school is 6:00 P.M.  I immediately called Shelly, but her cell phone was dead.  I leave the studio and head onto Cornell to go pick up Gavin.  Big Mistake. 

Cornell was completely deadlocked.  I moved about 100' in 30 minutes.  It's now 6:30.  I was lucky though because I was able to get take a side road and avoid the rest of the traffic.  Shelly was not so lucky.  I get a call on my cell phone from a number I don't recognize.  I answer and it's Shelly.  She's calling me from the phone of a lady who stopped to help her when all of the men just kept driving.  She says she was stuck on Cornell for 90 minutes.  Then, the worst possible thing happened - the truck ran out of gas.  As she was talking to me, a police officer pulled up to help.  She ended up making it to the Costco gas station.

Because her phone was dead, I really had no idea where exactly she was.  After I went to pick up Gavin, we drove home, expecting Shelly and Gabe to be there, but no luck.  I drive back to Costco.  No where in sight.  We drive back home.  Still not there.  Gavin & I  wait for about 30 minutes (8:00 P.M.)  and finally I can see the truck pull around the corner. 

Safe and sound.  But in the long run, it's the husband who should have kept a full tank of gas in the truck.    

No cancellations tonight!

Yes, it's snowing, and yes, we are open!  We do completely understand if getting to class tonight will be hazardous to your health and safety, so please, just let us know.  Otherwise, maybe tonight's WOD will be to build a snowman- for time.  Who knows?

'Skunked'

'Skunked'

5 Thrusters

7 Hang Power Cleans

9 Sumo Dead High Pull

AMRoAP

20 min

We included a really fun and dynamic, total body, multi-plane warm up on the TRX with a few upper and lower body plyos.  Shelly also had another smoking class with the ladies this morning.

Tis the Season of Giving

We'd like to extend our sincere thanks on behalf of Shawn Smith for the generous donations you've all given to help out her foster kids.  Shawn and husband Phil have opened their home to 3 siblings in need for the next 6 months and without the support of others such as yourself, they would be without a lot of necessities for these little ones.  This is a big undertaking and they are sincerely grateful for all of your help and contributions.  
We'd also like to give a big "thank you" to those of you who have helped Cindy Hooper help others this holiday season by donating to the families she helps with.  We are so proud of the community of CrossFitters who have come together to support one another.  Thank you and happy new year!

Energy drinks risky for teens

Everyone has seen them on the isles of most grocery stores and at the checkout stands of 7-11, but what are some of the real risks associated with those "monster" sized energy drinks?  Professional athletes have been seen endorsing 5 hour energy & Rockstar, and some claim that it helps with physical & mental preparation.  However, these are loaded with caffeine, which can cause blood to become sticky and up the risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Mix these energy drinks with alcohol and the risk is exponentially greater, notes Jennie McCary, MS, RD, LD, the wellness coordinator of the Albuquerque Public School District and professor of nutrition at University of New Mexico.

A team of Australian medical researchers tested the cardiovascular response of 30 teenagers, 1 hour before and 1 hour ingesting a 250mg can of Red Bull.  The result:  The teens had abnormal bloodstream function, similar the blood stream in patients with CVD, according to Scott Willoughby, lead researcher at Royal Adelaide Hospital.  He also warned the Red Bull can be "deadly"when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing blood vessel functioning and upping the risk of blood clotting.

As a result, John Hopkins University issued a call stressing the importance to manufactures of proper warning labels on their beverages.

While Red Bull is banned in Norway, Uraguay and Denmark, the U.S. has some of the most lax regulatory requirements among industrialized nations.  Additionally, taurine comes from the bile of a bull or ox, and that's just gross.    

Beyond The Whiteboard

Good morning CrossfitHillsboritos,
This morning we had the pleasure to have a fellow crossfitter from CrossFit Initiative in Reno, NV join us for the WOD.  Aaron is in town for 3 days and will be joining us for for the AM workouts.  Great to have him.

He also highly recommended using the BeyondTheWhiteboard.com wedsite. I singed up and created an account a long time ago, however I have not dedicated the time to become familiar with it. Often times, it takes someone to pull a leader by the hand, sit us down like little kids and say "this is this, and that is that", because that's the only way it's ever going to get done.  I really liked the website and will be using it more to post our WODs and track my progress.

It has quite a few features that I like, such as:  tracking each Girl WOD, gymnastic moves (like muscle ups, dips, handstand push ups), hero WODs, and even gives you a rank in the gym.  Once a crossfitter creates an account, they can become a member of CrossFit Hillsboro and start entering in their numbers. 

Also, please let us know if you are available for another round of CrossFit Football on Christmas Eve.  If we have enough people, we'll meet at the same place at 6:45 AM with warm up starting at 7:00 and kick off at 7:15.  Let me know if that's too late or early. 

Adios, Burritos!

Well,

Shoot the Rod

Double under Andrea

Look at the next photo

That's amazing

about 3 pics down is the aftermath

4,000 down Rod.  Way to go!

Shorty get low, low, low, low...

I gotta paint that wall this weekend!

Andrea's DNA

Neck & Neck!

Finishing up tail pipes.  "Your not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe?"

It seems there was no Duck Fart or Car Bomb challenges last night for the AM crew, so I'm not sure where everyone was.  We will get to the bottom of this however.  
Mike did have a fun little WOD:
15 Front Squats 65/95
25 burpees
22 minutes

I hope that was it, because that's what I made my classes do.

They finished up with some Tailpipes too, which are:
250m Row
Isometric KB hold or alternating KB swing.

We would also REALLY like to send a big thank you to Andrea, Holly, Nancy, Cindy, Shelly, and everyone who brought in items to help the holiday families this week.  That means so much to us
and we cannot thank you enough from the bottom of our hearts, or the bottom of our butts!

Unilateral PVC V-up?