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CrossFit Austin will be hosting Murph Day Saturday (7/2/2016) honoring the memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy and all fallen veterans. Liutenant Murphy was killed in Afghanistan on June 28th, 2005. This workout was one of Mike’s favorites and he named it “Body Armor”. We will honor a focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

“Murph”

For time:
1 mile run
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 squats
1 mile run

*Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats as needed.
**Teams of 2, 3, or 4 are welcome.
***All movements can be scaled.
****Be sure to wear your twenty pound vest or body armor if you have it.

EVENT SPECIFICS:

Event Registration + Shirt 

• $40 for participating athletes
• Athlete entry fee includes registration & t-shirt costs and donations

Event Registration without Shirt

• $25 for participating athletes
• Athlete entry fee includes registration costs and donations

***T-Shirt ONLY (non-participant) 

• This event is open to all – members and non-members
• Athletes must arrive at 7:00am to warm-up, sign-in, and pick up shirts
• Heats times start at 8 am, 9 am, and 10am
• Spectators are welcome
• Donations are welcome and can be made through eventbrite, Navy SEAL Foundation, Team RWB, or on site during the event.
• You may choose whether you’d like your donation to go toward the Navy SEAL Foundation or Team RWB

In the past, our annual MURPH Day has benefited the Navy SEAL Foundation. Last year, we decided to band together and help out a member of our own community. This year, we’d like to continue strengthening our community by opening donations to Team Red, White, & Blue

Team RWB – 

Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity.

Enrichment is defined as creating quality relationships and experiences that contribute to life satisfaction and overall wellbeing. The concept of enrichment consists of three core components—health, people, and purpose—that define a rich life.

Enrichment Equation: Enrichment = Health + People + Purpose

People: Creating authentic connections (defined as genuine, quality, supportive relationships that generate mutual trust and accountability), reflected in an increased number of close relationships and improvements in teammates’ sense of belonging, purpose, and community engagement.

Health: Creating frequent opportunities for team members to connect through fitness, sports, and recreation to improve physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Purpose: Engaging members in meaningful team and community-based experiences such as leadership and service that, beyond physical and social activities, renew self-identity and purpose in life.

We accomplish our mission via our two core programs: our Chapter and Community Program (CCP) and our Leadership Development Program (LDP).

Read more here: https://www.teamrwb.org/

Upon registration you may specify which cause you would like your donation to go to. We will also be taking donatons on site for both charities. In addition, you may donate directly to either foundation through Navy SEAL Foundation or Team RWB

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” – Vince Lombardi

Cook-out/potluck will take place directly after the event!

Athletes come in all different shapes and sizes, and with a complex balance of strengths and limitations. Taking a look at the set-up in our lifts, our anthropometric measures (body proportions) come into play and are a big factor in dictating position. The front rack position is no different. We use the front rack for a variety of lifts, so the rack position may also vary slightly depending on the lift itself. While we cannot paint a black and white picture with one broad stroke, we can structure a basic framework from which we can meet and/or improve our points of performance. To illustrate; an athlete with a long humerus (upper arm) and shorter radius and ulna (lower arm), will have a slightly different looking rack position than someone with opposite measurements. Similarly, someone with longer arms and shorter legs would have a slightly different set-up in the snatch than someone with longer legs and shorter arms. Again, not black and white.

Please, do me a favor. Before reading any further, close your eyes and complete a few mental reps of your front squat. Next, try the same with your strict press. If the position of your elbows during both movements was/is the same, you’re kidding yourself….Or one of your movements is st-ruggling! Can you imagine letting the bar sit in your fingertips and trying to drive your elbows high before performing the strict/overhead press?

Taking into consideration the above, we can move on to the basics of the front rack position.

Midline stability. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s important! Lacking stability here under any load is like driving a motorcycle without a helmet. Sure, you may get away without anything tragic happening for awhile, but you’re playing against the odds and eventually it can catch up to you. Keeping that rib cage from “flaring up” is the goal. Coach Wes and Coach Zach recently posted a video on bracing. If you missed it, I recommend taking a peek at that video! YouTube gold with those two fellas! [Watch it here]

The next focal point, “elbows up”! This is a cue that is widely used by many coaches, myself included. Oftentimes, it is a cue utilized when the individual is driving up out of the bottom of a clean. While not incorrect, it can be difficult to actually make that happen in the moment. Addressing the muscular and connective tissues of the upper-mid back, chest, shoulders and triceps, allows for better positioning, but like most things in life it requires consistent work and attention. Bottom line…you have to do the work to EARN your position. The posterior side of the shoulder is where the stability of the scapula happens, thus the magic of the position. I often use the analogy of the drawbridge. (Possibly because I’m a Game of Thrones fan and hold steadfast in my opinion that the alligator-infested moat and drawbridge are highly underutilized…but I digress). Once the soft tissue component is addressed,we need to activate this newly accessed tissue. In this method, and analogy,  as the elbow (drawbridge) is being raised, more and more musculature is being called upon to stabilize the scap…just as the cable spool on the pulley system is collecting more and more cable to pull the bridge upward.

Elbows down and out is another commonly taught method for the front rack position. Coach Burgener, an experienced, widely known coach in the CrossFit world, teaches this position at his seminars. His reasoning is to get the triceps more involved and keep tension on the bar as the athlete transitions from the front rack, to driving under the bar in the catch-phase of the jerk. In this method, there is no disengagement and regripping of the bar. The bar sits more to the “meat” of the hands and less in the fingertips. As I stated earlier, it’s not necessarily black and white. Your coach can help you identify which set-up may work best for you considering any structural or soft tissue limitations that you may be working to conquer.

While not everything, personal preference for the more experienced athletes is also something to consider. If the individual ‘feels’ more at ease with one method over the other, it might not be the best idea to try and force them into the other position. Again, everyone has a complex balance of strengths and limitations and should be guided based on myriad, individual factors.

More concisely,

*** 3 main factors of position***

1)midline stability/bracing

2)elbow position: considering any structural or soft tissue limitations as well as athlete     preference and specific movement for the rack

3)bar position: resting on the deltoids and either in the fingertips or more to the palm of the hands depending on method utilized

*** 3 focal points to work to improve soft tissue ***

1) thoracic spine

2)subscap

3) front rack ROM with active/passive stretching

Happy rackin’,

Coach Tim

Brace yourself! What steps are you taking to prepare for a lift? If bracing isn’t one of them then you need to check this out! Coach Wes teaches us how to properly brace and how it can help us out.

Check out the full video below!

We are so proud of our one and only Stacey Magnesio and all the hard work she’s put in to go compete as an individual at the 2016 CrossFit Regional Competition. Here are a few words from her adoring fans.

Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.

Our May Athlete of the Month is Lauren Fritz!  Lauren started her journey with us just over a year ago! You’ll typically find her here with the chicken o’clock (5:30 am) crew, starting her day the best way we can think of! This purple haired beauty brings an awesome energy to the community. She’s a hard worker and we’ve loved watching her grow and progress this far. Every day she makes new strides and we’re excited to see just how far she will go. We’re so happy to have Lauren as our May Athlete of the Month. Congratulations Lauren!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:
Lauren Fritz (Fritz, Fritzi)

Words to live by?
Animals are friends, not food ☺

What is your fitness background?
Danced up until college, then drank whiskey

How long have you been CrossFitting?
Literally one year- Just had my CFA anniversary <3

Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
Before signing up for The Prep I went to a night class where Nole was coach. I didn’t have double unders so I had to do 300 singles and then some running, pretty sure it was an AMRAP… somehow I still ended up signing up for The Prep even though I couldn’t walk for about a week.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The recreational drinking at the events I love to watch.

Current Training Goals/PRs?
Now that my faith has been restored in my ability to do DUs, I’d say to get more efficient at them and string more than 3 together.

What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
It can be intimidating at first… and even a year later… but CFA really is the best community out there. I can’t imagine ever switching.. well, unless everyone else leaves and CFA gets all new coaches/members. I probably wouldn’t like them as much.

What is your cheat meal go to?
queso, mac and cheese, BBQ pizza… I’m drooling

Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
2016 Open, I was able to do some of the work outs RX, when usually I take pride in scaling 🙂
I also have a whole new crossfit attitude since The Open, I am positive that no workout can suck as bad as 16.4 and 16.5.

If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
My favorite exercise is a cross between a lunge and a crunch. Its called lunch.

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?
I enjoy the sun and being outside, but I can spend hours on the couch watching TV.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I lack a competitive nature at the gym… but when it comes to board/card games, shit gets real.

Longhorns or Aggies?
Hook’em

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
I complain, a lot, but thank you to the coaches and members for pushing me and believing in me, even when I don’t. Ya’ll are amazing.

Each month we spotlight a different CFA athlete who stands out and shows just how awesome they are. What is it that makes up an Athlete of the Month? It may not be the person that finishes the fastest, Rx’s every WOD, or gets a PR every time they walk in the gym. Although we love and celebrate when those things happen, the Athlete of the Month is made up of much more than physical ability. This person shows up, gives their best every time, and then gives a little more. They are hungry to learn and always ready to do the work. They support their fellow classmates and encourage them to reach their goals. This athlete embodies what we believe the CrossFit Austin Community should be about.

Our April Athlete of the Month is Zachary Perl! Zach joined the CFA community back in October. You’ll typically find him here in theafternoons, cracking jokes and givingthe coaches a hard time (all in good fun). He brings an awesome energy to his classes and to the community as a whole. He’s a hard worker and we are excited to watch him continue on the positive path he’s on. Who knows what this guy is going to accomplish?! We’re so happy to have Zach as our April Athlete of theMonth. Congratulations Zach!

State your Name and/or Nickname please:

Zachary Perl (Perl, Zoltan, Doctor Perl) 

Words to live by?
“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” – Hunter S. Thompson

What is your fitness background?
My fitness background used to consist of lifting the Xbox controller and eating pop tarts, but eventually I fell in love with weightlifting and football in middle school. Later, I went on to make the Rugby/Keg Race team in college.

How long have you been CrossFitting?
I’ve been at it for a little over a year so far.

Take us back to your first day of CrossFit… How did you feel? How do you compare it to workouts today?
Let’s just say it was painful. I moved down to Texas and I had spent about 2 months sleeping on a concrete floor. These are not ideal conditions before your first WOD.

What’s your favorite part of CrossFit Austin?
The knowledge. CFA has so much to offer if you want to learn about the body, the movements, and the techniques. Being an athlete is one thing, but being able to properly teach athletes is what makes CF Austin elite.

Current Training Goals/PRs?
For the 2017 Open I’d like to finish in the top 15%…that or defeat a black bear in hand-to-hand combat.

What advice do you have for folks just starting out in CrossFit?
Just breath (literally and figuratively). I’ve had so many days where I’ve said, “Okay that’s it… I quit. I’ll never be as good as [insert athlete’s name here]” but it’s really not about that. It’s all about the community, and it’s all about being happy with you. If you can finish just one WOD, you’re doing more in one hour than most Americans do in one month.

What is your cheat meal go to?
Pretty much anything that has cheese and bacon melted on top of it. Extra love if you add Sriracha sauce.

Tell us about a moment you felt most proud of yourself during a workout.
One of my proudest moments was finishing my first competition. It was 10 minutes of Push Press, 50ft sled pulls, and then pushes. I almost died. Some little old lady came over and gave me a cookie after it was over and it all sunk in.

If you could create a WOD and name it for yourself, what would it be?
It would be called Gold’s Gym Gone Bad. It would be a 15-min AMRAP of gym selfies, bicep curls, and protein shakes.  Extra credit: Take one mirror-pic with your homie EMOM.

What are your hobbies, interests and/or talents outside of CrossFit?

I’m lost somewhere in limbo between being a hillbilly and a nerd. I spend most of my time outdoors: Hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, snowboarding and drinking (on a patio of course). When I’m inside I play the guitar, read (usually Stephen King novels and comic books), play video games, and watch Bob’s Burgers.

Tell us something we don’t know about you…
I’m pretty much an open book, but I did set a couch on fire once…

Longhorns or Aggies?

HAH! I bleed gold & blue…and moonshine. Let’s Goooooooo, Mountaineers!

Leave the fine folks of CrossFit Austin with some parting words…
Thanks for having me CFA. I joke a lot but I’m beyond serious when I say you’ve become my family. Thanks for all of the support and patience on my journey through Crossfit. Much love, y’all.

Today,  we’re excited to launch The Expert Series.  Each month we offer The Expert Series we will host a guest coach who is the best of the best in their field of expertise. Our subject matter experts will offer a specialized class for the month. Primarily we will focus on the sports that are featured in CrossFit training such as Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, powerlifting, running, rowing, etc…

CrossFit Austin is proud to welcome Ursula Garza Papandrea as our Expert Series guest coach this April. Ursula is widely regarded as one of the absolute best Olympic Weightlifting coaches in the United States. She’s one of only 25 coaches designated as Level 5 Senior International Coach by USAW. This is the highest designation a coach can receive from USAW. Most recently Ursula guided her men’s Weightlifting team to the 2014 National Championship.

REGISTER HERE 

Dates:
Saturdays April 16th, 23rd, 30th

Time:
10 am – Noon

Price:
$75/session or $200 for all 3 sessions (limited to 12 athletes / session)

Experience Level:
This is an Intermediate to advanced course. Athletes should have at the very least a year of experience utilizing the snatch and clean & jerk consistently in their training program. This is not a beginners course, athletes should have a strong understanding of the two classic lifts (Snatch and Clean & jerk) and also be familiar with accessory lifts such as the back squat, front squat, push press, pulls, etc. If you have any question as to whether you’re prepared to take the class please contact us at info@crossfitaustin.com.

Pre registration:
Monday April 4 – April Wednesday 6th (This will be for CrossFit Austin members and coaches only)

Open Registration:
Thursday April 7th until spots run out  

Full Bio:
Ursula Garza Papandrea is an elite international athlete and the one of only two women to attain USA Weightlifting’s Level 5 Senior International Coach. She is one of only 25 such coaches in USA Weightlifting and the only Level 5 coach in Texas. She has trained athletes that have represented Team USA at the Junior World Championships, University World Championships, Senior World Championships, Pan Am Games, and Olympic Trials. including the 2014 Men’s National Championship Team Texas Barbell.

Ursula has extensive national and international experience in competitive weightlifting as an athlete since 1987. She’s a Two-time senior national champion, two-time Olympic Festival champion, 5 time world team member (1992-1996), and former record holder in both snatch (master’s) and clean and jerk.

She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Sports Science, and a Master’s Degree in Political Science and has had a career as a Professor at Austin Community College since 1994. In 2009 she competed again, winning Master’s National Championships(best lifter award) and again in 2010. She is CrossFit Level 1 certified and have been part of the CrossFit Olympic Lifting Certification Staff since 2009. She also instructs the USAW Level 1 Sports Performance courses.