Becca Borawski’s Blog

It’s THAT time of year again.  The one time of year I ask any of you to donate to my favorite cause — the Fight Gone Bad annual fundraiser — happening this year on September 25th.  This is the FIFTH year of FGB and in the past four years, CrossFit gyms around the world have raised over 2 million dollars.

This year, all the money will go to:

The Wounded Warrior Project – helping wounded and injured veterans transition back into civilian life: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
Livestrong – improving the lives of people fighting cancer: http://www.livestrong.org/
The CrossFit Foundation - providing support and assistance to the men and women of the military, law enforcement and first responder communities.

For MY part, I’ll be doing one of the hardest workouts CrossFit ever created, Fight Gone Bad (originally created for and named by BJ Penn).  This year we’ll be joining four other LA area CrossFit Affiliates and holding the workout at a huge sound stage at Sony Pictures.  We will have hundreds of people in one place, united and giving their all for these causes on September 25th.

September 25th is also my birthday. And if I could ask for anything for my birthday, I’d ask that every person reading this message donate to this fundraiser.  Even one dollar would make a difference.

Additionally, if you know someone who’s life has been touched by cancer or has a loved one that has or is serving in our Armed Forces, please pass this message on to them.

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This is a recent interview with UFC Middleweight contender, Chael Sonnen. The first four minutes is a really interesting conversation for anyone who considers themselves competitive.  Part of it reminded me of my own personal CrossFit struggle — the idea of consistently being accepting of being completely uncomfortable.

A few weeks ago I had the immense pleasure of spending my Sunday morning with a group of women from CrossFit LA.  Previously we had a women’s night at the gym where we networked, chatted, ate food and generally enjoyed time with each other.  This next event was born out of the women of CFLA brainstorming on what they wanted to see and experience.  Two of our students, Carolyn and Kathryn, who are experts in their respective fields, life coaching and adventure racing, did most of the work in creating the event and together, the three of us created a space for the amazing women of CFLA to show up.

And show up they did, indeed!

We had a total of nine women at our Walk & Talk which was the perfect amount for our first foray into this sort of gathering.  We met at Will Rogers park and spent a few hours together.  The time was filled with a lovely hike led by Kathryn, and a discussion and mental exercises based on how tools we learn in CrossFit can be taken out into the world and our lives, guided by Carolyn and me.  At the end, we gathered for a picnic, everyone having brought a dish to contribute.

It proved to be a tremendous opportunity to get to know this group of women better.  I was honored by the level of their sharing and grateful to spend the morning with them.  And, even better, I now know a little bit more about what each of them wants in life and can do my best to support them in achieving that goal!

This weekend is the big competition!  I am on the affiliate team, representing CrossFit LA, in the CrossFit Games Southwest Regionals.  There are about 70 teams competing this weekend for the top 8 spots.  Teams finishing in the top 8 will advance to the CrossFit Games in July, at the Home Depot Center.

This weekend at the Regionals we will have three workouts to do – two on Saturday and one on Sunday.  Each workout will use 4 of our 6 team members.  So, it is up to us to strategize who to use on which workout.  We will not know Sundays’ workout until Saturday evening.

On Saturday our workouts are as follows — I will be participating in workout #2:

Team Competition
Event #1 On the grass outside the track – Crawford Field
A relay involving three stages.

• The first member of the team does a shuttle run to 10 yd, then 20 yd line/cones, then to 100m (If the ground is not touched with one hand completely beyond the line he/she will have to return and touch the ground completely past the cone/line.), to a set of 50# (m) or 30# (w) DB’s at the 100yd line.
• The first member does 30 DB Thrusters then runs back and touches the second athlete who starts the shuttle run to the DB’s.
• The first athlete then does 15 (m) or 10 (w) ring dips, sits down and is finished.
• The team continues with each returning member touching/starting the next member before the leading member does his or her ring dips to finish.
• The clock stops when the last team member finishes his/her dips (the last team member runs straight to the rings from the DB Thrusters, not to the start line).

Event #2 Held in the track/stadium.
Teams begin on the track in the start positions for a 400m relay race.

• Each team member runs a 100m leg, passing one baton.
• The final leg runner runs his 100m, then runs a full lap, picking up his team members as he goes.
• Once all collected, the team completes another 400m lap from the original start point, together.
• First team finishing the run gets the pick of the work areas along the side of the track in front of the bleachers. Then only two members at a time work, doing the following:

1. 250 One Arm DB Power Snatches – any member completes as many as they want with a 50 pound or 30 pound dumbbell. The leading edge of the DB touches the deck each rep, finish position is with the arm locked out overhead and the feet inside of 24” wide lines taped on the deck, each rep.
2. 500 Double-Unders. When all reps are complete, the team runs together around the track in the same direction and lane they initially ran in, to a pull up bar complex where, one at a time, they complete a team total of 125 Pull-ups (chin over the bar).  Their clock stops when the last pull up rep is done.

For more information on the competition, visit http://games2010.crossfit.com/blog/southwest/

You can also see live streaming coverage of the events at http://live.crossfit.com/

CrossFit LA has the honor of hosting the 2010 CrossFit Games SoCal Sectionals this weekend.  They will be held at Drake Stadium on the UCLA Campus.  Tickets are still available — $50 gets TWO people into the event.

You can purchase tickets in advance or buy them at the event.

Here are the workouts the athletes will be doing on Saturday.  Sunday’s workout will be announced at the end of Saturday!

WOD#1: “Stadium Chipper”
Overview. This WOD is “for time.” You will be starting at field level, and will be running through a zig-zag course up and down the stadium steps a total of 3 times up and 3 times down. At each landing (top and bottom for a total of 6), you will be required to perform a certain number of reps of a movement. Your time is based on your cumulative time from the start to the finish line.

For time:
- Run 100m from start (on the field) to bumper plates
- Pick up a bumper plate (45#/25#)
- Run up 83 steps (to the top of the stadium) with your bumper plate (45#/25#)
- 70 Squats (holding the plate)
*note: penalty for putting the plate down or setting it on your feet – starting over at ZERO
- Run down 83 steps, drop your plate
- 35 Push Press (45#/33#)
- Run up 83 steps (no plate)
- 15 Thrusters (135#/95#)
- Run down 83 steps (no plate)
- 35 Burpees
- Run up 83 steps
- 35 Wall Ball (10′ – 20#/14#)
- Run down 83 steps
- 70 Double Unders
- Run 100m to the finish line

WOD #1 Overview… [wmv][mov]
WOD #1 Movement Standards… [wmv][mov]

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WOD#2: “Double Down”
Overview: This WOD actually consists of two (2) short workouts. You will start the second workout exactly 20 minutes after you start the first one, so your rest is determined by the time it takes you to finish the first workout. Your score for this event is the combined times of both workouts, and based on this time, you will be ranked from fastest to slowest.

Part 1:
4 rounds for time of:
9 Squat Cleans (135#/95#)
6 Handstand push ups

Part 2:
For time:
30 Hang Squat Snatches (75#/43#)
30 Chest To Bar Pull Ups
750m Row

WOD #2 Overview… [wmv][mov]
WOD #2 Movement Standards… [wmv][mov]

I spent the weekend in Ramona, CA at Brand X Martial Arts, participating in the CrossFit Kids Certification Seminar, led by Jeff and Mikki Martin.  Jeff and Mikki founded CrossFit Kids a number of years ago and have put together a great system for how to teach CrossFit to kids ranging in age from 3 to 17.

We played a lot of games over the weekend!  I.e., CrossFit disguised as fun. Everything from limbo and dodgeball (CrossFit style, of course) to musical chairs and fort building.

On the second day of the seminar, I worked out with their Teens class.  It was great fun to see kids as young as 12 years old doing hang power snatches and sprinting right alongside the adults!  They have boundless energy and are really inspiring.

So, after a fun warmup which included everything from vaulting and precision jumps to parallel bar walks and the Burgener warmup, this was the workout:

As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes
300m run
10 hang power snatches (using the 45# bar)
Score: 4.5 rounds, plus some burpees

So there was a trick! lol!  There were intentionally fewer bars than people.  If you came in from the run and there were no bars open, you did burpees until there was a free bar.  It was also every man for himself, so even if you came into the room later than somebody, if you could get to an open bar first it was yours.  This resulted in much diving and jostling for weights!  It definitely added some motivation to get on the bar fast, as nobody wanted to do unnecessary burpees.

The younger kids did the workout with a 15# bar and ran about half the distance we did.

Overall this was a very active weekend – we were constantly practicing drills, games, and teaching each other movements.  Add to that the workout on the second day and this was a great way to ramp back into being back in the gym tomorrow!

CrossFit Level II Certification – Day Two

My second day down at Oceanside CrossFit for the CF certification.  Today was “test” day.  Pretty much, we showed up at 8:30am and waited until all the test subject volunteers showed up and got organized.  Then over the course of the next five hours, we each had three shots at teaching.  We found out which movement we were teaching immediately before having to do it and then had ten minutes to demonstrate, teach and correct the movement with a group of seven people.  We were judged by one of the three instructors (Lisa Ray, Speal and Chuck) on each movement.  So, over the course of the day we were judged once by each instructor and worked with a variety of the test subjects.

My first time up I had the front squat.  I was super nervous (the whole situation is weird!), but did okay – nothing to write home about, though.  My second and third movements were push press and medicine ball cleans.  I was happy with how push press went and was really pleased with the medicine ball clean.  But of course, you never know until you find out your score later!

At 2pm we were all sent to lunch for a couple hours and when we came back we were each individually debriefed by the instructors.  We received our scores and also all the feedback they had for us, on either end of the spectrum.  I got some good information from them, and also the experience helped me to be refreshed on the methods CrossFit is using to teach the Nine Basic Movements, as it has been a couple years since my last cert and they have changed a bunch of stuff.

Plus, it was great to see some folks I had not seen in a bit (Lisa Ray & Speal!), and to meet a lot of newer people out there in the CrossFit world.  I was pretty “old school” compared to everyone there, so it was interesting to get a perspective of what it’s like to be coming into CrossFit now.

CrossFit Level II Certification – Day One

Lots and lots of squats, push press, SDLHP, deadlifts, medicine ball cleans, etc, etc, today.  Not very fast and not very many at a time, but many hours of them!

It’s a small group, maybe 16 of us, and I’m the only girl aside from one of the three instructors (Chuck, Lisa Ray, and Speal, for any curious CF nerds out there).  The entire focus of the Level II is the “Nine Basic Movements” and how to coach them effectively.  We spent all day today alternating between lecture, watching the instructors teach a movement, and then each attempting to teach a movement to a small group, then getting critiqued.

Tomorrow is the “exam”!  My goal in doing this Cert this weekend was to scout it out for any other staff or students who may attend one in the future and bring back all the info I can.  I made it up to “Level III” in the past, but it was under CF’s old system…or rather, lack of system!  So I wanted to partake in the new Level II to learn as much as I can.  I’ve already received some great input and tips regarding both my own movement and my coaching.

8:30am – CrossFit, All Levels

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
1 arm k-bell clean
1 arm k-bell front squat
1 arm k-bell thruster
1 arm k-bell windmill
(all movements with 20kg k-bell)
21:49

Round one is 10 cleans, 10 squats, 10 thrusters, 10 windmills.  Alternating sides whenever you want.  I tried for the most part to keep things half and half, with just a little bit more on my right side probably by the end.

I’d never done any of these movements with the 20kg k-bell before, just the 16kg, so these were pretty awkward and not so graceful.  I was really happy to be able to complete the whole workout with it, though, and I think I’m going to have some colorful “badges of honor” on my forearms tomorrow to show for it!

Oh yeah, and today is officially the four year anniversary of the first day I did CrossFit! Four years ago, I walked in to an evening class here at CrossFit LA, gave it shot and never turned back.  I spent the whole next day after that class trying to figure out how to get down my apartment stairs without bending my legs.  I loved it, though.  I came three days a week, because…well…the gym only offered three days a week!  I couldn’t do ANYTHING when I started – no pull ups, no strength, nuthin’.  I just showed up, did what I could to the best of my ability, and kept coming back.  Before I knew it, it took over my life. 

To read more about my CrossFit story and how I accidentally discovered I was an athlete – follow this link.

Jocelyn and Jason of CrossFit Milford, the infamous Eva T. of CrossFit Santa Cruz Central, and Andy and I of CrossFit L.A. at the Affiliate Gathering in Austin.

Today was the second day of the annual CrossFit Affiliate Gathering.  We started the morning by gathering together all the CFLA Biz Seminar graduates that were in Austin.  The Biz Seminar is a two day seminar CrossFit LA puts on about our business model and helping CrossFit Affiliates get their businesses running more efficiently and profitably.  We wound up with about 30 people at the breakfast buffet getting to know each other a little better and having a great start to the morning.

The first speaker of the day was Kyle Maynard.  I had the pleasure of talking with Kyle for a few minutes before his speach, as well.  Kyle has had a very interesting and challenging life.  He had some very valuable things to say to put “challenges” into perspective and that while his challenges might be obvious, we all have them, and can choose how we want to deal with them.  Kyle is going to be fighting in his first MMA match in April in Alabama.  He had hoped to fight last year, but was turned down by the athletic commission in Georgia at that time.  Here’s to Kyle kicking ass in April!

The second speaker of the morning was none other than CrossFit bad girl herself, Nicole Carroll.  Nicole, along with Dave Castro, now runs the training and certification branch of CrossFit.  Dave was deployed to Afghanistan just this week, so he was unable to be at the gathering.  Nicole went over the details and some things to come in all the various levels of certifications and seminars.

Coach Glassman then got up and did a long Q&A session with everyone.  He talked about everything from the struggles of Operation Phoenix getting equipment to the Marines, to rhabdo, to how to develop an affiliate and bring up coaches from within the student body.  He spent a long time answering questions and it was great to have him share so much of his expertise and experience.

After lunch, none other than CrossFit LA’s own Andy Petranek and John Burch spoke about our own business system and gave some advice that affiliate owners could take home to try.  They spent a lot of time talking about the intro session we do and how our business is modeled.  If anyone would like more info, please be sure to email us at info@crossfitla.com.

The final two contributors were Lisbeth Darsh about the affiliate blog and Tony Budding about video & media contributions.  We, sadly, had to leave early, however, and had to duck out to catch our plane back to Los Angeles.

On the bright side we managed to sneak in one more dose of barbecue at the Salt Lick in the airport!