Category : The gym

I bet you were thinking “oh good, it’s hump day!”  Half way to the weekend can make anyone smile.  Then the WOD gets posted…FRAN…there goes the happy.

Yes kids, today is Fran Day…taking all the pep outta hump day for most!  Fran is probably the most revered and feared of CrossFit workouts.  Two movements, the thruster and pull up, that can reduce even the most badass of CrossFitters to a crumpled mess when the final nine pull ups are complete.

Fran is a bragging right.  Meet a fellow CrossFitter and it’s not uncommon to hear “yah, but what’s your Fran time?”  For some it’s a badge of honour and they boast about their crazy sub-whatever times.  For others, it’s a workout that they would rather forget, and quietly keep their time to themselves!

At CrossFit Quantum, this is our second run at Fran since we opened last month.  This week is all about benchmarks and progress.

When you take on Fran today, fight the discomfort and don’t give in.  Don’t worry about those around you and their times. This is about YOUR progress.  You are in competition with yourself.

So when the question arises…what’s your Fran time…you can boast with confidence “40 whooping seconds faster than my last Fran time!”

FRAN

21-15-9

• Thrusters (boys 95#/girls 65#)
• Pull Ups

It’s Benchmark week.  Remember all that data you have been meticulously recording in your log book.  It’s time to see how you fare!  This week is all about reflecting on your past performance, and recognizing your progress.

It’s also a week of recovery before we hit the next training cycle.  Use this week to foam roll, stretch, work those skill drills and accessory work,  eat well and get some good zzzzz’s in.  Also, highly recommend listening to a Rob-cast or two…or 22!

We want you all to be the best you can, so really use this week to treat your body well and be ready to hit it hard next week and keep the PR’s coming.

Metcon:

Cindy’ish
*Compare with March 9

Complete as Many Rounds as Possible in  15 minutes of:

• 5 Pull-ups
• 10 Push-ups
• 15 Squats

Alex this is for you….you will need to insert Leah, Lisa and I singing it!

Tomorrow we have our last workout with our fave military guy, Alex, for awhile.  While we are sad to say farewell, we are incredibly honoured to know Alex, and super proud of him.  Alex leaves for Afghanistan for an 8 month deployment later this week.  Anyone who knows Alex will know he parties as hard as he CrossFits, and has a big ole’ heart.  All of which we will miss dearly while he is away.

Alex has spent the past six months  training at the Canadian Forces Base in Petawawa and the Californian desert.  We were lucky enough to have Alex join us at CrossFit Quantum for the past month while he was home.

We have plenty of fond memories to tie us over until Alex returns, and a few not so great hangovers!  For those that want to stay in touch, and send a few “memories of home” packages to Alex while he is away, please ask us for his contact details and we will forward them to you.

Alex is coming in for the 5pm class tomorrow, so make sure to join us if you can.  We strongly encourage camo gear, war paint and aviators!

Alex, words can’t express how much we will miss you.  Be Safe.  Make us proud.  And for gosh-darn sake, stay outta trouble!

From all your family at CFQ…biggie hugs.

ps.  Your absence will give us ample time to prepare for the big welcome home party…our livers will thank us for the break!

Workout

Gymnastic Skill

Complete 3-4 Rounds

L1:

• 5 Kip Swings
• 5 sec L-Sit Progression  (tuck holds)

L2:

• 5 Ring Inverts
• 10 sec L-sit

L3:

• 5 Skin the Cats (tempo: 3/2/3/2)
• 15 sec L-sit on rings

OR

Work kipping pull-up mechanics

Metcon:

As Many Rounds as Possible in 10 minutes of:

• 8 Overhead Walking Lunges/per side
• 12 Knees to Elbows

Happy Easter to all those celebrating this weekend!  And Happy Passover to all those celebrating right now!

The gym will have holiday hours on Friday April 2.  Classes are scheduled for 9am, 5pm, and 6pm.  Get some sweating in before the choclate bunnies arrive!

Saturday and Monday hours are business as usual.

Enjoy your celebrations,

The Q’Crew

There is a key component of strength training that we often overlook.

Many of us go through the mental checklist of key posture cues before each lift.  For some this is a quick body check, for others it is a detailed inventory of all their limbs and positions.  I personally run through a gazillion items before each lift!

• Foot Position?  Check
• Grip?  Check
• Lumbar curve?  Check
• Chest up?  Ahem…way up!?  Check
• Shoulder blades engaged?  Check
• Head position?  Check

This list increases or decreases depending on the lift, and how challenging the movement is for me!  For example, a squat of any flavour has me doing a gazillion and one checks.

But there is one element we often forget.  Breathing!  Yes, that thing we do everyday without even thinking.  When lifting, especially when trying for a PR, this little unthought of element is crucial to the success of your lift, and the health of your spine!

Conscious Breathing during strength training actually makes you stronger.  People commonly think that they should breathe in or out during a lift.  Not so kids!  It is in fact the exact opposite.  The very act of holding your breath is what keeps your body in a safe stable state, leading to high fiving PR’s and healthy backs!

This breathing is refered to as Bracing.  Bracing is not a shallow chest breath.  It requires you to take a deep breath into the diaphragm, making your belly large, and locking it in there.  Girls, forget your vanity – deep belly breaths are hot!  This act of breathing in, and using that breathe to lock and stabilize the spine, is your ticket to safely lifting some crazy loads off the floor!

Check out CrossFit Invictus’ post on how to properly brace.  As they state, this is something you need to practice.  Start incorporating it into the Overhead Squat in your warm up and feel the difference between a “loose” squat and a “braced” squat.

Next time you see someone with a beautiful full belly making a strange face during their lift…chances are they have done the Brace Check!

We try to make sure we always introduce new members.  Our close knit community is one of our greatest strengths.  There is nothing more motivating than the support and encouragement of your fellow athlete.  Just when you think you can’t do another rep, an encouraging voice shouts out and you find that inner power to keep pushing.

This weekend is the CrossFit Sectionals.  This is the qualifier for the Regionals, which leads to the CrossFit Games this summer.  It’s the Olympics of CrossFit.  A gathering of the strongest, fastest, and most of all, dedicated athletes from the CrossFit Universe.

We are incredibly lucky to have Elanna representing CrossFit Quantum in this weekends sectionals.  For those that don’t know Elanna…let me take a minute to introduce her!

When I first asked Elanna if she would mind me doing a profile on her she asked “shouldn’t I accomplish something before you do a profile?” WHAT?!  First, I think each and every one of our members deserves a profile as they accomplish great feats everyday!  We are fortunate to have an incredibly diverse community, who each contribute in their own way.  Anyone who walks in the door and commits to CrossFit is extra special in my books!

Second, Elanna has accomplished more in under a year, than most will in a lifetime!  She is a phenomenal athlete and incredibly dedicated to her nutrition and training.  And you won’t find an ounce of ego in her!

So let me introduce you to Elanna!

Why did you start CrossFit?

I was a basketball player and always loved weightlifting and overall fitness training.  I started lifting when I was 17 and sports have always been a big part of my life.  When ball was over I kept fit but wanted something I could compete at again, that was a bit more edgy.  I wanted to be pushed.  I had heard of CrossFit and went to check it out.  I watched one workout and thought  ”this is awesome, sign me up!”

How has CrossFit affected your overall fitness?

I think I’m the fittest I’ve ever been. I wish I had done this when I was a bit younger so I still had young legs!

What got you hooked?

I love the community.  I love the people and their energy and their commitment.  I look forward to seeing them everyday. They inspire me and make me better.  I feel like CrossFit gives me a purpose to training, and I’m surrounded by like-minded people who get it.  Also, I love that there’s always room to take your skills and abilities to the next level; there isn’t an endpoint with CrossFit.  I have also learned how to eat properly for performance and how to encourage people around me and celebrate their successes.

How have you evolved in your Athletic Performance?

I’ve just become a more complete athlete.  Crossfit exposes your weaknesses big time;  you have to take those weaknesses on and I’ve started to do that. It’s more than just being athletic-it’s developing skills in a more complete and comprehensive way.

Benchmarks:

(I had to laugh when Elanna stated that she thought she should “accomplish” something before being profiled.  Check out her stats…I’d say she is good on the accomplishments!)

Fran time – 3:25
Grace-2:09
Jackie -6:58
Getting a Muscle Up – no kip required!

Back squat – 210 lbs
Clean and jerk – 150 lbs
Press -115 lbs
Deadlift – 260 lbs
Bench – 165 lbs
Dead hangs – 10

Fave Workout?

Annie
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
Sit Ups

Most dreaded Workout?

Anything with Overhead Squat

Best Skills?

Pull ups, box jumps, and vertical leap

Goats?

Overhead Squat

What you might not know about Elanna:

I used to play competitive ball – played in Texas.
I used to be able to touch the rim
Elanna is a math teacher.  (she used the term “math dork!”)

Fun Facts:

What do you miss most since switching to Paleo?

Baguettes and Cheesecake

Who is your CrossFit idol?

My CrossFit idol is Peter Roberts!

What’s the first thing you are going to do after the Sectionals this weekend?

Eat cheesecake. Maybe. It’s a slippery slope.  Also – give everyone who’s helped me a big hug!

Fave workout tune?

Anything Leah can dance to; especially if it’s the running man! (which pretty much means any tune, as Leah can, and has, done the running man to everything imaginable…sometimes not even needing music!)

We wish Elanna the best of luck this weekend.  She has worked incredibly hard in getting ready for the Sectionals and is a huge inspiration to all.

Some of you may not be aware that we have a celebrity among us!

Yes, CrossFit Quantum is lucky to have the lovely Summer (a.k.a. Cosmopolitan Primal Girl) as one of our awesome ladies.  Not only can she serve it up on the gym floor with heavy barbells and stunning pull ups…this gal is a killer in the kitchen!  If you think Paleo is dull, then you haven’t tried the Cosmo Primal way!

Check out her latest!  For all those toying with Paleo, it’s time to fall in love!  Don’t rush it…enjoy the game and FLIRT a little!

Intrigued?  Still a non-believer that Paleo is possible for life?  I dare you to come along on a World Tour of incredible food at Paleo Nights #3 …Cosmopolitan Primal Girl will make you a believer!

barely two weeks in and the CFQ box is overflowing with awesomeness!

welcome to all our new members, and a special welcome to our first foundations group!

we are overwhelmed by the dedication and support of everyone, and are excited to see our community grow.  we are also super proud of all the great stuff our members have going on.  everyday we are seeing huge improvements and impressive PR’s.  not to mention we’ve celebrated two special gals birthdays, which included birthday sprints and leotards!  really, what more could we ask for?  the q’crew is all smiles!

we’ve got some really exciting stuff coming up too.  endurance specific training protocols for you super-athletes!  another paleo nights later this month with the lovely cosmopolitan primal girl (details coming soon!)  the official grand opening party…to include some great tunes and non-paleo celebratory cocktails.  you can be certain lady G will be gracing us with her legendary dance moves on both these occasions – guaranteed to be bigger and better than her post-WOD robot and running man!  and if you haven’t noticed, peter has been busting out the moves lately and we’re sure he’s saving his big debut for the grand opening.

you are also going to see a lot of good stuff in the programming over the next few weeks.  our focus and goal is to see you “be better than yesterday.”  your performance improvements are markers of how well we are serving you, and that is key to us! stay tuned for specific strengthening, mobility and stretching programs to help each of you combat your individual “goats.”

the q’crew had a vision of an awesome space, filled with an incredible community working towards athletic excellence.  each of you are making that a reality.

as a huge thank you, we are extending a discounted  april/may membership to our march joiners! we are offering a 2 month membership (april and may) for $125 + tax/month, as a token of our gratitude for all the love we have seen from our members.

the fine print:  this is only available to our members that join in march.  payments can be made by cash or cheque and we ask that you commit to both april and may.

there aren’t enough high-fives in the universe to express how thankful we are to have such an awesome community, and how excited we are to see the awesomeness grow!

the q’crew

Well actually, they were knee socks!

The knee socks were laid out with great care, in hopes that CrossFitters would soon be there!

Weeks of scrubbing, painting, drilling, hammering, more drilling, more hammering, lifting, moving…did I mention drilling? All in preparation for the big day…the opening of CrossFit Quantum.

Saturday marked the official opening of our beloved CFQ box.  We opened the doors and in flowed awesomness!  We were overwhelmed with the amazing turnout and support from everyone.  A great day was had as we reunited with old friends, made new friends, snacked on delicious paleo goodies, and christened the newly laid mats with sweat angels!

It took a lot of hard work to get us here, and we couldn’t have done it without some incredible support.  Some very special thank yous are in order.

To the lovely Sara, there are no words to express our gratitude.  Her artistic skills were max’d out as she designed our killer t-shirts and knee socks, filled our space with incredible photography, laid out the AMAZING wall decal, and tirelessly made phone call after phone call.  In between these feats of greatness, she painted, scrubbed and prepped alongside us.  We truly couldn’t have accomplished all we did without you.

The Great Senior Weir who gave many many hours to Operation Pull Up Bars!  And a mission it was!  A big thank you for your guidance and patience…and for keeping the Q’Crew boys safe!

James and Craig for their expertise!

The Gals!  Lisa, Natalie, Summer and Katherine!  No job was too big for this crew!  Some even found new passions…exclamations of “Oh, I love painting” and “this is totally therapeutic” could be heard throughout the box!  Not to mention the bouts of laughter they brought!

Noah…our helper from afar.  We are so very thankful for your constant support and advice.

Cosmopolitan Primal Girl, who continues to wow us with her primal creations.  We look forward to many future paleo nights and good eats!  Thanks so much for all the opening goodies…delish.

Mini and Medium Weir (aka Madeline and Laura)!  Our unwavering cheerleaders who supported with coffee, errand runs, and daily smiles.

And of course, everyone who joined us Saturday in celebration.

We are excited to see our CrossFit Quantum community grow and achieve amazing feats!

Many, many thanks.

The Q’Crew

Check out all the fun that was had on our facebook fan page!

Please Join Us February 27th!