Home of CrossFit ATM, the first CrossFit in the Brazos Valley

As the weather becomes brighter and as the days become longer, I encourage you to consider your time. Consider where the bulk of your energy goes. Consider who that energy goes towards. What you do and who you surround yourself with does have an effect on you and vise versa. You play a huge role in your family and friends’ lives. If you are a parent, you ultimately can determine if you play outside or if you watch TV, what you eat and when you sleep, you ultimately determine the “ways of your family”.

You have an effect on the people in your life whether you like it or not… people watch people. That is how humans learn. We learn by observing, mimicking, and replicating the actions of others (especially when we are young, but even at an older age this is true).  I am not suggesting that you need to be perfect or to watch your back, because someone maybe watching you….  I’m just suggesting that you take notice of where you are in life. It’s beneficial to reflect a little on your actions. It’s good to take notice of the company you keep and to ask yourself:

Are they encouraging me to live well?

And it’s good to look in the mirror and ask the same question. Do you encourage others to live well?

If you ask these questions and both or one of the answers is no, then that is a great place to start. Recognizing that there is a change that needs to take place somewhere is really step one. If you answered no to question number 2, begin to consider where you can start to make changes. You can change your own habits and actions by getting out and doing something. Commit to a program or a person for a month and then reassess your progress. Find something fun that you enjoy, if it is lifting weights find someone to hold you to a program. If it is just being outside with your family, then do just that: go for walks, play soccer, throw the baseball around.

If the people in your life do not encourage you to live well, then find a community that does. There are so many great programs in the BCS area that support healthy lifestyles. We at BlackBox have many programs for men, women, and kids of all areas in life to participate in. BlackBox is different than most places in the fact that you have a coach and a community throughout your journey in fitness. If you have any questions or even concerns with your own journey, email jordan@blackboxstrength.com

Just a few thoughts for today… This month is National Fitness Month, so it’s appropriate to talk about things of health and such

Jackie.

5 Sets (super set the below)

5 Weighted Pull Ups or 2 negatives (10 second holds, one pronated/one supinated grip)

12 One arm Snatches (6/6 each arm)

Rest 2 min

Followed by,

Tabata: Row or Airdyne

Pick your Poison

Back Squat

3-4 x 10 reps

Followed by,

5 Rounds

2 TGU (each side)

10 Box Jumps

Then,

Power Ball

6-8x 15 seconds on ~30 seconds rest

Just a reminder for the Team Challenge, these are the ways you may earn points:

1. Eat Well – Based off of the whole 30 challenge.  (1 point/day, for a total of 7/week)

2.  Sleep Well – 10pm -6am, Aim for good sleep, be in bed by 10. If you attend the 6am class you can move that time closer to 9:30 or 9:00pm. (1 point/day, for a total of 7/week)

3. Recover well - These are the same as from the Recovery Challenge. Great examples of recovering are: pvc/foam rolling each muscle group 1 min each, mobility class, yoga class, 10 minutes of active de-stressing (NOT involving electronics or TV), fish/cod oil, epsom salt bath, ice baths, ice compress, hot/cold shower, massage… Other forms are welcome, just talk with your coach first. (1 point/day, for a total 7/week)

4. Exercise – Attend the box and workout! If you are unable to attend you may do an at home workout, this will also count for your point. (only 5 points are available for this section).

Also, we will be recording your test days and will re-test you in a month. You have opportunities to earn points on these days for gains made.

Front Squat Max

Rest ~ 5min

Complete as many reps at 85% of your one rep max from today

Followed by,

“Helen” 

3 Rounds

400m Run

21 KB Swings

12 Pull Ups

Okay guys! The Team Challenge will start today! We are setting up teams and pulling in the stragglers. This is your last day to register for the challenge. The Teams will be set by tomorrow morning. Thanks for being patient with us, if you know of anyone that hasn’t registered, get them in!

In order to register for the Team Challengeclick on the link below, click the EVENTS button, and complete the instructions given! Pretty simple! Have fun today!

Register Here: https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ASP/home.asp?studioid=10769

Group Classes:

Snatch Heavy one rep (power snatch is fine here too): We will log your weight/times, but we also encourage you to take this opportunity to begin a training log. There are folders and calendars provided for you at the gym or you can use something more fancy like a notebook. Keep it simple, but start logging your information!

Followed by,

75 Burpees for time

Weightlifting:

Snatch Heavy one rep

If you are in the challenge, do the 75 burpees. If not Push Press 3×5.

Come to the gym today (Saturday) for a FREE WORKOUT!! 

And Sign up for the TEAM Challenge! 

• Remember tomorrow (Saturday) is our Free Community Workout at BlackBox! Bring your family/friends, spread the word!!

• AND Sign up for the TEAM CHALLENGE, by emailing  jordan@blackboxstrength.com This will begin on Monday!!! GET EXCITED!

Easy Day for Ali

Back Squat 5×3

Followed by,

50 DU

3 RDS

3 Push Press

6 Front Squat

9 Burpees

50 DU

Then,

3×1:00 min weighted planks

By Jack Gaines

You may have noticed the letters RDL in our current cycle.  It is shortened deadlift following the same bar path as your clean.  It STARTS AT THE TOP of the thigh/hip with your hands in a clean grip position.  Your knees are going to be slightly bent and they will keep the same angle through the entire range of motion.  Your shoulders will be slightly over the bar.  This will be the same position you “jump” from in the clean.  You will begin lowering the bar down your thigh to just below your knee by pushing your hips back and maintaining your knee angle.  You will come back up to your jumping position by using your hamstrings and glutes.  These 2 muscle groups should be tense the entire time and it should be eerily similar to the tightness you feel when you do a good morning.  You will maintain a flat back through the entire range of motion, NO ROUNDING should occur.  When you come to the top, your hips will not fully open.  This will keep your shoulders over the bar and maintain tension on your posterior chain (hamstrings/glutes).  On your final RDL of each set you can do a clean pull, if and only if you’re able to keep perfect form for the set.

I enjoy incorporating this movement in my training because it gets me used to moving heavier weight through my clean range of motion and it’s not as hard to recover from compared to standard deadlifts.  Don’t get me wrong though, if done with a decent amount of weight for your abilities, it is taxing on the body and will still leave you sore.

Addison, Lauren, and Susan from the women’s only class.

If you can’t tell, Addison even dressed up for the Retro Day!

3×3 RDL

3×3 Press

Followed by,

10,9,…2,1

Box Jumps

KB Swings

Push Ups

Brazilian Chicken Curry from 

• 1.5-2 lbs chicken, throw in a mixture of boneless, skinless thighs AND breasts
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 4-6 tablespoons curry powder (hell, throw in the whole jar!! kidding)
• 2 bell peppers, chopped into 1 cubes (i used yellow and red)
• 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup chicken broth

Julie

Pull Ups 5×5 weighted or 5×3 negatives

+ Tall Box Jumps 5×3

Followed by,

20 Pistols each leg

Then,

3 min handstand hold w/ Thompson touches (shoulder touches)

Remember to sign up for the team challenge! 

Deadlift 5×3

Followed by,

4 RDS

6 TGU (total)

12 Weighted Lunges (total)

30 DU

This week we will be putting everyone who signs up for the challenge into teams! So, consider participating and sign up! You may email me at jordan@blackboxstrength.com to register for the challenge! Registration and payment will be due by Sunday, May 13th!

Also, this Saturday, May 12th we will be hosting our monthly Free Workout at the Box!! Spread the word and bring your friends and family!!!

AND this week is Marshall’s last week at the box! Make sure to give him some love before he heads out on his new adventure!!!

 Dale and his BlackBox bumper sticker.

Send, us photos of yourself with your BB attire on and we will make you famous!

Or at least famous at the box

Max Back Squat

Followed by,

3 RDS with a partner

200m Sprint

max  ring Dips

200m Sprint

max ring rows

Then,

3 min total L-Sit

Enjoy your weekend! There are no classes today at the box. If you are feeling frisky you may complete

“Griff”

2 rounds

800 m run

400m run backwards

 Donny, That Guy Who Gets Beat by His Wife, What ever Zach feels like calling me, and Jack’s Test Dummy

Occupation:

 Inside Sales Rep

Words to live by:

Appreciate things more before you lose them rather than after.

What is your favorite Workout or Lift? NOT the Inch Worm!!!  I would probably say that I enjoy anything with a long row. (I am pretty sure I wrote that so there could be no “that’s what she said”)

What is your favorite sport or hobby? Golf / Watching Movies

What’s your next adventure in life? Probably getting my wife pregnant.

Group Classes:

Hang Snatch 6×1 @90%

8 min AMRAP

200 m sprint

4 KB Snatch each arm

10 Ball-on-a-rope (aka Power Ball) each side

Reminder: This Saturday’s Classes are canceled. We will be posting a body weight workout you may do on your own. Friend Day has been moved to the 12th! 

This May there are some pretty exciting things going on at the gym.

One thing to mention, that you need to being considering, we will have a Team Challenge coming up starting May 14th!

Carisse and Arlina in their cute 80′s attire.

RDL 3×3 (aim to go heavier than the last few weeks)

Press 3×3

Followed by,

4 RDS

5 Deadlift

15 Hand Release Push Ups

9 KB Swings

Then,

3×90 sec Prone Cobra

Well we have heard one view of why a weight belt maybe a useful tool in training. I think it is safe to say, that everything you choose to do is really dependent on your current situation and what your long term/short term goals are for training. Are you a competitive athlete whose goal is to win a weightlifting competition? In these competitions would you be able to wear a belt? Or are you a competitive non-weightlifting athlete, meaning you train with weight to get stronger, but weightlifting is not your sport? Or are you just training to look good naked and be healthier? Your goals and your lifestyle should determine the proper usage of a weight belt.

Let’s look at a little anatomy for a bit. Above, is a picture of what Paul Chek calls the “inner unit”, if you were to cut your trunk in half separating it from top (head) and bottom (foot), this is what you would be looking at. If you notice, our abdominal muscles are more than just the abs you see from the front (you know, those “look good naked”, 6 packs that everyone loves to have). They surround our entire trunk. Everything in your body is very much connected and when in proper alignment, it functions together to move. The muscles of our inner unit include the transverses abdominis (TVA), the posterior fibers of the obliques, the diaphragm, the multifidus, and the pelvic floor. All of these are inclosed in the thoracolumbar fascia. Fascia is a connective tissue that essentially encloses our muscles.

In a normal, functioning human being, you activate your TVA in order to lift an object (this is initiated by taking a big, diaphragmatic breath). When this happens, your belly button will be drawn in towards the spine, the internal organs in your gut become compressed by the pressure of the diaphragm and the pelvic floor. This is called intra-abdominal pressure. Activation of the TVA also creates something in the spine called “hoop tension”. This hoop tension occurs when the TVA is drawn in towards the spine (when the TVA is contracting) and the thoracolumbar fascia is expanded, this hoop tension plays a huge role in stabilizing the spinal column at each segment. Which will aid in protecting your back when lifting. This activation of your inner unit is your god given “natural weight belt”.

Also, notice how your natural weight belt is associated closely with the diaphragm. When you exert yourself to any extent, such as heavy lifting or throwing a ball, you have a natural tendency to hold your breath. The diaphragm is attached to a few lower lumber vertebras (L2/L3, to be specific). When you lift properly by taking a deep diaphragmatic breath and activating your TVA these two vertebras will also decompress and aid in reducing lower lumbar spinal compression by as much as 40%. Which also aids in protecting your spine and protecting your joint/segments.

So, with all of this in mind, think about what happens when you are wearing a weight belt (if you have never worn one, just imagine it). When you have something tight around your core your body’s response is to press out against it. Yes, this increases intra-abdominal pressure, which helps you lift more. BUT when you expand against the weight belt, you are now doing the opposite of what your body normally does when it lifts weight.

The problem here is that our body reacts and responds to environmental cues well and it easily picks up habits, even if they are bad habits. You now have the high risk of teaching your abdominal muscles to actually do the reverse of what is intended to be normal and protective to your body when you lift a weight.

So, yes, you maybe safe when lifting heavy with your weight belt, but once you take off the belt you may now have problems and are at a greater risk for injury.

So, for those of you who are currently lifting with a weight belt. This is not a recommendation to just stop using, but if you are challenged to do so, it is a recommendation to pull back and in a sense wean yourself from your crutch. Begin to only use the weight belt at loads greater than 80% for a few weeks (that is, if you have been using it with loads less than that, just use your common sense here) and progress from there, as the weeks progress (anywhere from 2-6weeks at a time, so that you can retrain your body to operate properly without a belt) gradually use the belt less on lighter percentages (2-5% at a time), until you begin to only use the belt with your maximal efforts. If you have only been using it with light loads begin with your warm up sets being without the belt… it really depends on your dependency to the belt (if you look through Back Strong and Beltless part 3, Chek touches on the subject of the weaning process).

For those of you not using a weight belt, this is just something to consider if you are told you need one (I know of a few of jobs that may actually require the use of one). Think for yourself and consider all the benefits, consequences, and consider what your short term/long term goals are. You still have those goals set right?

If you would like to read more, here are a few links for you to peruse:

Paul Chek and the Pelvic Floor

Back Strong and Beltless, part 2, and part 3

Group Classes:

Back Squat

5×3 @90%

Then,

Deck of Cards

Hearts=Tire Flips

Diamonds= Hammer swings

Clubs=TTB/GHD

Spades=Broad jumps

Weightlifting:

Snatch Heavy

Clean/Jerk Heavy