Women's Barbell Clinic at CrossFit Seattle

The purpose of this event is to let women learn about barbell exercises from each other: primarily the squat, press, and deadlift. Non-gym members who are inexperienced with barbells are especially welcome.

Women who haven't used barbells: come find out why barbell exercises are so great and why you should use them.
CrossFit women with limited barbell experience: Come and ask questions. Fill in some gaps in your knowledge in a friendly female setting.
Women who use and love barbells: please come help spread the enthusiasm, help beginners, show off your heavy lifts, and trade coaching tips.

Are you using the Paleo and/or Zone eating plans while training? Bring your favorite recipes to trade.

Class size is limited to 12 people. To sign up or ask questions, email fran at crossfitseattle.com
Date: Saturday, April 19, 2:00 to 4:00 PM or so
Price: $30.

After practicing, we will have an improvised CrossFit Total: three attempts at each of the three lifts. You can add weight and find out how much you can lift; or practice your form some more at a light weight; or watch and ask questions. An unofficial CFT is especially good for women who have wanted to participate in a CFT but had not figured out what weights they should attempt.

Additionally if time allows we'll look at the short video clips I'll make of people's lifts; I'll put them on CD for everyone afterward either way.

We're located right down the street from Hale's Ales, so sign up and let's plan to continue the party afterwards for people who are hungry after all that lifting.

Congrats to O-lifting participants!

Congratulations to Allison and Rachel, coached in the Olympic lifts under Scott Takenaga. They both took medals in the Troy Invitational Weightlifting Meet at Auburn High School last Saturday.

Allison got a PR of 35kg in the Snatch and a PR of 45kg in the Clean and Jerk. Nice going Allison!


Rachel got a PR of 43kg in the Snatch and a PR of 55kg in the Clean and Jerk. Nice going Rachel!

Great coaching Scott!!

CrossFit Seattle at the BIG Climb

Seven of us joined CrossFit Eastside today for the Big Climb up the Columbia Tower in support of research on leukemia. We climbed from floor 3 to 73 and loved it! Ha! Actually it wasn't too bad. We all made it between 9 minutes and 19.5 minutes. Jeff Sherwood beat everyone with a fabulous time of 9:43! A nice workout for a Sunday morning and for a good cause.

Fran finishing up.

Susan crosses the finish line with her bottle of water that she carried the whole way! Nice going Symerna!

Not only the squat, but also the push-up

CrossFit puts a lot of emphasis on the importance of the squat. The push-up is another thing that, like the squat, can help keep you out of the nursing home. The NYT article linked below notes that "People who can’t do a push-up may not be able to help themselves up if they do fall.

"Based on national averages, a 40-year-old woman should be able to do 16 push-ups and a man the same age should be able to do 27."

At CrossFit Seattle we love to show men and women who say they can't do any push-ups several ways to start doing them--and they succeed.

Jack LaLanne, reportedly still working out with push-ups, says he does them with hands and feet elevated so he can "go way down, even lower than if I was on the floor,” he said. “That’s really tough.” REALLY TOUGH, but he does them. A lot of exercises are never going to be easy, but that's irrelevant to their value. Do them anyway and you'll be glad you did.

"If the floor-based push-up is too difficult, start by leaning against a countertop at a 45-degree angle and pressing up and down. Eventually move to stairs and then the floor."

"An Enduring Measure of Fitness: The Simple Push-Up" in today's New York Times online blog "Well."

The BIG CLIMB

CrossFit Seattle is joining CrossFit Eastside's team to do The Big Climb this coming Sunday, March 16th. This involves climbing up the stairs of Columbia Tower for time! If you want to join us, register here and be sure to select CrossFit Eastside as your team. The Big Climb raises money for leukemia research.

New Events posted here.

No Olympic Weightlifting class on March 15

Scott will be taking a small crew to the Troy Invitational Weightlifting meet at Auburn High School on March 15th so there will be no Olympic Weightlifting class that day at CF Seattle. Feel free to come on down and cheer for our people and learn more about Olympic weightlifting.

Competition starts at 10:00am
Address: 800 4th Street NE
Auburn, WA 98002

CrossFit Total at Rainier CrossFit

The CrossFit Total event at Rainier CrossFit was tons of fun as tons of iron were lifted by tons of lifters. Thanks very much to Kurtis and Laurie for hosting.