Holiday Pictures!

Did you know that Roots has a Flickr account with many photos from the past few years?!

You can visit it here.

Also! – Nicole has made her 2011 year end project to upload ALL of the photos from Roots’ history.  Stay tuned!

Moment of Weightlessness

Yesterday we did DB Squat Cleans in the workout.  One of the most important aspects of a proficient clean, of any kind, is the ability of the athlete to get their hip to full extension prior to getting under the object to receive it.  Full hip extension means the athlete is harnessing the power and full potential of the hips to move the object.  A lack of full hip extension leaves power in the tank.  In addition, full hip extension passed off to a powerful shrug of the shoulders then marks the moment of weightlessness where the bar hangs in the air for a split second allowing the athlete to quickly retreat under the bar and receive it.

Check out this video that our very own Keane sent over to us.  It shows full hip extension as well as the moment of weightlessness of the bar.  Enjoy and thanks for sending Keane!

Have you felt the moment of weightlessness in your lifts?  Post to comments.

Have you met Stef? Stef not only rocks the house at CrossFit but she just accepted a full-time position at Roots as the Business Operations Manager. We love you Stef!

Welcome Free Class Participants

Today is the October Free Class and Intro Session.  If you signed up for the course please plan to arrive a few minutes before 10:00AM to fill out a waiver and get situated.  The class is currently sold out.  Our next Free Class and Intro Session is scheduled for Sunday, November 20th at 10:00AM.  We will post sign-up one week prior to the class.

See you at 10:00AM!

Shout Out Friday!

Here’s your chance.  Give props, big-ups, and kuddos to the folks you workout next to everyday.  Did you see someone make a break through, do something great, or something nice?  Here’s your chance to give them the credit they deserve, it’s shout out Friday!

What exactly is a shout out?  See below.

shout-out (n.) Slang. A public expression of thanks or gratitude.  A kind mention of a homey.

Examples include:

“I’d like to give a shout out to Eric for managing and keeping on schedule one super awesome new Roots home build-out.”
“I’d like to give a shout-out to Stef for designing such super fly t-shirts”
“I’d like to give a shout-out to Chad for rocking a new one rep max deadlift like it was a feather!”

Post to comments your shout-outs.

New Shop Update

Here comes the new shop!  We’re rounding the bend on the bathroom and shower construction and wanted to take a moment to update everyone on the progress.  The bathrooms/showers are a week out.  Flooring arrived earlier this week and will be laid down this weekend.  The glass doors for the roll top garage doors are on order and Eric is building the front desk.  And don’t worry, we’ve got sound!  A big thanks to Sampo for making sure CrossFit Roots can knock your stereo socks off.

We still do not have an exact move date but it will be soon!

Quite the contrast to a few years ago!  Here’s the original build-out.

There is no rest between OHSs and pull-ups.  Rest as needed between rounds.

Charlie Gets a Muscle-Up from CrossFit Roots on Vimeo.

Lift Heavy Shit Night

Lift Heavy Shit Night returns to Roots this Friday at 6pm.  The lift: deadlift.  How many reps?  One.  How many sets?  As many as you need to take yourself to a heavy single for the day.  Eat, sleep, and prepare for a fun evening packed with live video streams of powerlifting videos, heavy metal, and heavy shit!

Who’s coming?  Post to comments.

Your effort stops exactly on the minute.  Every KB rep short of 20 = 2 mountain climbers before your rest begins.

Record time for each round.

Fight Gone Bad Fight Gone Bad Fight Gone Bad.

Did you sign-up for the Fight Gone Bad Fundraiser next Saturday?  Go on MBO to reserve a space.  It’s going to be AWESOME!

A big congratulations to Mari and Ted (both Roots athletes) who will say “I do” and tie the knot this Saturday.

As Roots gears up for its one year anniversary we’ll take the next 3 days to look at its beginnings.  As a heads up, we’re totally going out of order.  First up, the 8th Street Build-out.

CrossFit Roots Build-out Part 2: Oops we need more space from Nicole Gibson on Vimeo.

Spring in to Action
Do you plan out your week to make sure you get in your time at Roots?  Planning ahead lays the groundwork for a productive and successful week.  A lot can happen in a week – kids get sick, business trip comes up, you’re invited to an evening event – and it’s only with a well mapped-out plan that you can absorb these life events in stride rather than wiping out.

Not a planner?  No excuse, start trying.  On Sundays, grab a pen and paper, your calendar, maybe your partner if they play a hand in when you are able to go to CrossFit, and your computer.  Map out your week.  Jay-Z concert Monday night?  A 5:45am class on Monday morning gets you your workout and a worry-free evening in an Empire State of Mind.  And, after a late night on Monday, you’re not going to want to go to CrossFit on Tuesday morning. Work meeting on Wednesday at 12:00?  Even the most hopeful of circumstances makes it highly unlikely that you’ll make the 12:30 class.  Decrease your stress levels and plan from the get go for a 5pm class that day.

Learn from your experiences as well.  If you know that you repeatedly have to cancel out of the 6pm class on Thursdays because work always keeps you late that day, get in for the 7am class and get it out of the way.  Picture what it feels like driving home after a long day of work and not being able to make it in for your daily fix.  Grrrr.

Nicole on her way to winning the Mountain Sectionals. Fun stuff!

Day 2 Highlights from the 2010 CrossFit Games Mountain Regionals.

Want to see a clip of the sparkliest shoes at the mountain sectionals, a shot of the greatest cheering section, or a wide-eyed smiling athlete? Check out the video!