"A Community that SWEATS Together, STAYS Together."

We want to provide a safe, encouraging, and positive environment for adults, kids, and athletes of all ages to learn, improve, and reach their health and fitness goals. Most importantly we want to be a place that people leave healthier and happier than when they walked in.


Tueday, December 31st

Last day of this year... time to make some New Years resolutions! 

The gym's painting is almost done:)

Strength

OTM for 7 minutes 
1 Strict Press, 2 Push Press, 3 Jerks

WOD

100 Calorie Bike/ Row

Then 16 Rounds
5 Thrusters
1 Rope Climb

Monday, December 30th

Last Week.... oh how the gym is changing!

Strength

Back Squat 5x3

WOD

Buy - in
50 DU

5-4-3-2-1
Power Clean
Muscle Up

Buy-out
50 DU

Friday December 20, 2013

Strength

Max Effort 10 Rep Thruster

WOD

8 Minute AMRAP

3 DL (275/185)
7 Push Press (115/85)

This is the best Picture We Have Gotten In a While...These Ladies Were Loving Those Bikes:)!!

To Our Members...By Ally P.

       
By Ally P.

It has been just over 3 months since I started working at BCF CrossFit, and I can’t express how grateful and blessed I feel because of it!

This last summer, Trevor and Bethany presented the opportunity to come on board with them as a trainer. And to be quite honest, I wasn’t sure exactly how it was going to turn out, but in my heart, I knew that this was what I wanted to do; to help others and to see them achieve their goals. So I took the job!

It’s only been 3 months since, but I am so happy I came on board. Not only am I doing what I love, but I get to watch you all grow and accomplish the goals you never thought you’d reach! Truly, the reason I love it most is because of you guys. You are all so wonderful and quirky in your own ways. Some of you are very easy going and laid back, while others are chomping at the bit and ready to work. Some are constantly cracking jokes at the trainers and laughing nonstop (I’m sure you can guess who those ones are :)). And then there are those who are very deceiving: They are silent and sweet looking…but get them into a WOD and you’ll be eating their dust. Every one of you brings something new and refreshing into the box that is unlike any other. You guys make it so fun to come into work every day that it’s hard to believe this is actually a job.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of each of your lives. You are all wonderful, crazy, hard-working athletes that make my job worth far more than I ever imagined.

Keep working hard…and stay warm out there!

Ally

Thursday Decebmer 19, 2013

Strength

10 x 100 Meter Sprint
90 Sec. rest between Sprints

Accumulate 3 Min Plank Hold


WOD

60 DU
50 Box Jumps (24/20)
40 Sit Ups
30 Pull Ups
20 KB Swings (53/35)
10 HSPU

 Accomplished Her First Un-assisted Hand Stand Just in The Knick of Time to Make Her 1 Month Goal:) Nice Job Young Lady!!


Holiday Hours 2013...

Holiday Hours 2013:

December 24th - 5:45am / 12:00pm / *4:30 (If no one has signed up for the 4:30 by 2:00pm we will cancel this class).....Canceled - 5:30 & 6:30

December 25th - No Class

December 31st - 5:45am & 12:00pm...Canceled - 4:30pm / 5:30pm / 6:30pm.

January 1st - No Class

We hope everyone has an AWESOME Holidays with family and friends!


Wednesday December 18, 2013

Strength

Tabata Thruster

Not What You Think:)

5 x 5 Ring Dips (Rest 60 Seconds)

WOD

"Jackie"

1000 M Row
50 Barbell Thrusters
30 Pull ups
Thank You Evelyn and Jim for Brightening Our Day! So Much We Can Learn From Such an Awesome Couple!


Tuesday December 17, 2013...Congratulations to Tonya!!!

Strength

Strict Press
6-4-3-1-1-1

WOD

20 Minute E.M.O.M

Even - Three Clean & Jerk

Odd - Six Burpees

Congratulations to Tonya On Winning This Years Extreme 6 Challenge!
 Heidi and Steve are excited to spoil you rotten:)

Thank you to all of our participants! They were a lot of great results in just six weeks and we are super proud of everyone!

New Years Eve RSVP Reminder

If you have not done so already please RSVP by Friday, December 20th. We need to know the following:

1. # of people for Threat Dynamic
2. # of people for the movie
3. # of people for dinner


Thank you!
Bethany and Trevor

Monday, December 9th

A weekend to remember:)

Strength

3x3 Front Squat (2 second hold at the bottom)
3 x max effort HSPU or max hold HSPU

WOD

Buy-in:
3 MU

10-8-6-4-2
Thruster (135/95)
C2B

Buy-out:
3 MU

New Years PARTY!

You and your family are invited to an afternoon and evening filled with fun, laughs, and enjoyment!

For this year’s New Years party, we will test our tactical and physical skills at the state of the art Threat Dynamics simulators. You will become the 007 agent you have always wanted to be without being shot:). If you would like to learn more about Threat Dynamics go to www.threatdynamics.com. The best news is we got an awesome rate! They gave us a special rate of $25 a person, half off the normal rate.

Afterwards, we will reserve a banquet room to sit down, relax, enjoy some great food, drinks, and hash out the afternoon’s events.

Children are permitted, but some of the simulators have "Bad Guys" that use bad language. We also understand $25.00 a head can be expensive, especially if you are paying for a whole family. Therefore we arranged to have an adult (Ally) who is willing to take the kids to a Matinee at a near buy movie theatre. Anyone is more than welcome to join her at the movie or feel free to just come to dinner later.

On Tuesday December 31st our Threats Dynamic simulator starts at 4pm. Then we will make our way to our dinner reservations at about 7:30pm.

We are looking for a kid friendly, cost effective, and fun place to eat dinner and enjoy the rest of the evening. If you have any ideas please let us know. Thanks!

To finalize our reservations please RSVP by Friday, December 20th. We need to know the following:
1. # of people for Threat Dynamic
2. # of people for the movie
3. # of people for dinner

We can’t wait to see you all there!

Trevor and Bethany

Class Cancellation


Due to the Extreme 6 Challenge Party we will not have a 6:30pm class on 
Wednesday, December 11th.

Thank you, and we hope you can all make it to Main Street on Wednesday!

Thursday December 5, 2013...Something to Consider???

STRENGTH:

5-4-3-2-1
Snatch

WOD:

Row or Airdyne Ladder

1/1 Work-Rest Ratio

30/45/60/75/90
90/75/60/45/30
Sorry Morning Crew...You Guys Got a Little Extra Work This Morning:)


By Ally Partain

We are nearing the end of the Extreme 6 week Challenge! To those who have been participating, you should be very proud of yourselves! To completely change your diet is hard work and it takes serious discipline. It is definitely not the easiest thing to do, that’s for sure! For a lot of people, including myself, nutrition is the hardest part of the “healthy lifestyle” we are all striving for. Nutrition is the foundation for a healthy lifestyle, and has the ability to optimize performance and give us the results we want to see in the gym. But if we don’t manage our nutrition, we will soon plateau and regress; despite how consistent and/or how hard we work.

Some of you may be stoked that the Challenge is almost over. You can eat all the gluten and dairy and sugar you want! But stop and think for a minute… Look at how far you’ve come in just 6 weeks! You’ve set goals for yourselves, worked hard in the gym, lost weight, gained muscle, feel better, and look amazing! So why go back to your old ways now? After coming so far? You still have so much more ahead of yourselves!

With that in mind, don’t forget where you came from! Don’t forget the original goals you set at the beginning of the Challenge. After accomplishing those ones, make new goals! Don’t stop now. Eat clean, work hard, and keep up the good work!!

You’re all awesome!! See you in the box!

Ally



Wednesday December 4, 2013....Member of The Month

Strength:

1 x 20 Back Squat
4 x Max Effort Ring Dips
WOD:

7 Rounds
7 B.W. DL
7 Toes to Bar

By Bri Springer

Wishing Coach Laura good luck this weekend at the Oregon City CrossFit Competition! Saturday she will be doing 3, hopefully 4 workouts.

The first is: 8 min AMRAP 10 OHS 45# and 10 Burpee over bar. Second: 8 mins to establish heaviest complex of: 1 Clean, 2 Front Squats, 1 Jerk. Third: 10 min AMRAP 40 squats, 20 pull-ups, 10 deadlifts at 105#. The final workout will be a surprise.

If you see her around the gym be sure to say good luck! CrossFit competitions are extremely fun, exciting, and overall inspiring. The same encouragements we receive from each other at our gym are multiplied when you are competition. As a competitor I know how much it means to have your gym’s support when you do compete at local competitions, and even if you can’t go out to Oregon City to cheer Laura on, make sure to be sending her positive encouragements as she goes into this weekends competition! Laura is an amazing athlete and I’m so excited for her to go compete. She’s going to rock the event.

Member of the Month: Angela Vandehey 

Angela was one of the first members I became friends with here at BCF. She is an amazing athlete and has a true passion for CrossFit. She is fun to be around and a positive influence on everyone in all the classes she attends. Us coaches definitely spend some time telling her to quiet down when were explaining stuff, but that’s just her spreading joy around the gym. Her character is sweet and sassy. She is a 5:45AM regular class member, which is impressive! Especially when you see how enthusiastic she is at this time in the morning!

Angela started CrossFitting in August of 2012, after trying the boot camps and curves classes. She has a passion for running, and so far CrossFit is the only thing she has found to match that endorphin high. She loves that it is challenging, yet motivating. Beyond the physical aspects she has found that fellowship with other CrossFitters is amazing! Angela says she has a long way to go with weight loss, but even when she doesn’t see huge losses on the bathroom scale, it’s encouraging to see weights increasing on the bar. I can personally say that since I met Angela her body shape has changed, and her overall functional fitness has skyrocketed. She is constantly striving to Rx workouts and PR lifts.

CrossFit’s core ideology is not to be specialized but having the ability to be good at everything. Coach Greg Glassman founder of CrossFit says, “I want to be the jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Specialization is for insects. I’m looking for breadth of experience, and anyone who is at all wise realizes that being a specialist represents a compromised position.” He describes a person who can run a 4 minute mile cannot efficiently squat and a person who can squat 900 pounds cannot hardly run, “What a 4-minute mile implies is that you’ve whittled away enough body mass that you’re no longer strong by anyone’s estimation. And by the point that you can do a 900-pound back squat-brother, you even walk funny. And to see you run is laughable.” Angela is an all around CrossFit athlete. She is strong in her lifts and an incredible runner.

Angela is setting an example for her family to live by and inspiring them to be fit, healthy, and happy. Angela is a CrossFitter I admire and a woman that inspires me to be a better person and athlete. 


The Only Way The Coaches Can Hold This FireCracker Back:)


Tuesday December 3, 2013

Strength:

15 Strict pull-ups not for time
3 Sets max effort plank hold

WOD

10 Rounds
200m Run
5 C&J 155/105 Rest :30 between rounds and score for total time

By Ally P.

You hate the band!

I get it. It feels like a show of weakness. It feels like the blatant symbol of "I can't"

For weeks, months maybe even years you feel like you are branded with the band. Heading over to the place where they hang every time a WOD is announced with pullups.

Those damn pullups.

Why? Why do they have to be so hard? Why haven't you figured out the kip yet? Why can't you do them yet? Why did that other guy just walk on in from the street and get to crank them out?

You secretly hate and admire that guy at the same oddly conflicting time.

When will you get to say farewell to the band? When will you get to finally feel like you "can"?

It seems like doing your first pullup is like a stamp of validation. Then, and only then, are you a true CrossFitter.

Sure, getting a pullup and saying goodbye to the band in your first WOD is a major achievement. In fact, let's not downplay it - for those of you who struggle and fight for the pullups, it is a downright epic moment.

But it isn't the end all be all. It doesn't make you a CrossFitter. It doesn't mean you are all of a sudden capable of great things.

You were all of that far before your chin rose above the bar. Committment, community, the desire to conquer your fears and weaknesses - that makes you a CrossFitter.

Drive, desire, determination - that is what makes you capable of great things. Not some color of rubber wrapped around an iron bar.

Remember that next time you begrudgingly head over to grab a band.

It will come. With time, like all good things, it will come. But until then, keep you head up. It isn't a symbol of "can't" it is a symbol of "someday I will".

Something Fun For The Holidays...Thanks Bri:)

Bri Springer

25 Day’s of Burpees Challenge!

Christmas is right around the corner, and I challenge you to celebrate with me! Starting on December 1st I will be starting a countdown to Christmas, with everyone’s favorite movement, burpees! So here’s how it goes, December 1st you will do 25 burpees, on the 2nd 24, on the 3rd 23, and so on…

Rules:
1.      You may do the burpees as part of your warm-up, but if there are burpees in a workout you cannot count them. 
2.      Yes, you have to do them on weekends and rest days.
3.      If you skip a day you still have to do that amount of burpees; so, on the 10th day you skip the 9th day you have to do 19 burpees.

Why burpees?
            Burpees are a full-body exercise. Burpees will cause you to burn lots of calories, while you gain strength and endurance. The great part about burpees is you can do them anywhere and everyone can do some type of modification of them. Around the holidays we all have the tendency to eat a little differently and spend a few more hours lying on the couch than usual, so take just a few minutes out of your day this December and join me in some burpees! I will have a challenge sign-up on the board. If you make it all the way through I might have a reward for you…


Happy Holidays! 

We will set aside a section of the whiteboard on Monday for anyone that wants to particpate with us in this little Holiday treat. - Trevor

Wednesday November 27, 2013

Strength:

Back Squat 4 x 3

WOD:

1600 M Run, 1000 M Row, 140 Cal. Bike
10 Rope Climbs
100 Push Ups

*Athlete can break up the WOD however they choose:)




Tuesday, November 26th

Trevor's tortures poor Trish and Theresa!

But... al least he does it with them:) 


Strength

500 meter Row or 1/2 mile Bike for time

Then..

Bear Crawl Tabata

WOD

EMOTM for 5 min.
5 Body Weight Deadlifts
20 DU

Then...

EMOTM for 5 min.
5 Box Jumps (24/20)
5 Ring Dips

Then...

400m KB Farmers Carry (53/35)

BCF Black Friday Apparel Orders - Deadline December 10th

Trevor and I are extremely excited about our new apparel order form! We added women's Racerback Tanks, Men's Shorts, updated our sweats with a new logo, and much more!

This is an easy way to purchase unique gifts and get out of fighting the masses at the stores:) AND you should defiantly treat yourself, you deserve it!

Our deadline for this order is December 10th to get them just in time for Christmas.

Check out our new Apparel Order Form

Thanksgiving Schedule

Mind Body is ready for you to sign-up for Thursday and Friday's Classes.  Please sign-up so we can be prepared for a large class:)

Remember... Holiday Schedule is

Thursday

10 am to 11am (sign-up but please feel free to come if it's full)

Friday

12 pm to 1 pm (sign-up but please feel free to come if it's full)
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm (sign-up but please feel free to come if it's full)

Join Banks Country Fitness for a bit of Irish Fun

March 16, 2014

3 different race courses to choose from: 5K, 8K, 15K


Entry fees increase January 14 but sign up with Banks Country Fitness team and get a discount. 

Registration DEADLINE January 22, 2014



Team Number: 4560




Monday, November 25th

This is one way to burn those Turkey calories off.

The CrossFit way, twisting a great Holiday:)


Strength

10 min EMOM Snatch

WOD

12-9-6
SDHP 135/95
Pull-up

Rest 2 min.

12-9-6
Snatch Grip DL 155/115
HSPU

Rest 2 min.

12-9-6
Turkish Get-ups 53/35
Pistol Squats

Two Awesome People....One Step Closer to Becoming One

As most of our members know by now Nick Turner and Ally Partain have gotten engaged this week. These are two incredible young people and we are so proud to have them as part of the BCF family as indviduals and now as an engaged couple. 

If you have not done so already, please take a second and give them a big congragulations! 

Maybe Our First BCF CrossFit Wedding...Congats You Two:)
Burpees All Around!!



 

Making Snatches Fun...By Bri Springer

Bri Springer

Snatches are fun!!!

At this Saturday’s OLY class we will be learning the snatch so in an effort to simplify the movement I’m going to use some pictures and videos in this weeks blog post to help you get more comfortable wit the movement. As I have mentioned with good technique the snatch is a safe movement that is extremely helpful in reaching fitness goals. I have noticed a lot of members cringing at the sight of snatches being written on the board for the WOD and my goal as your coach is to get you to the point where you look at the board and say, “yay snatches!!!”



First part of the snatch is the hook-grip.  This is where you grip the bar by covering your thumb with your index and middle finger. The reason for using the hook-grip is that it is the most secure grip and secures the bar in your hand so it does not roll in your hands towards your fingertips. This grip is only used while pulling, not pressing or squatting. Although it feels awkward at first it is essential to movements such as the snatch. 



How wide should my hands be on the bar? When standing with the bar your grip should be wide enough that it is hitting your hips. This will allow you to get full extension so the bar hits your hips as opposed to your thigh. If it hits your thigh it will bounce away from your body. Notice where the bar is as this athlete hits triple extension.



Two movements that are important before moving onto the full snatch: Power snatch and overhead squat. This splits up the full snatch into two movements allowing the athlete to focus on the power snatch and then getting full range of motion on the squat. Should flexibility is important to support a large load overhead. This is CrossFit games athlete Camille Leblanc-Bazinet demonstrating excellent overhead squat form. Notice that her armpits are pointed forward and her elbows are pointed towards the ground. 



Now for the hardest part, the full snatch. Start with your shins touching the bar. The first pull is nothing more than a deadlift. An article in the CrossFit Journal by Bill Starr, world famous Olympic lifting coach, describes the full snatch perfectly, “when the bar passes mid-thigh, drive your hips forward aggressively and with your arms still straight shrug your traps. All the while, the bar must be close to your body… After the bar passes your navel, bend your arms explosively and your biceps and brachioradialis will punch the bar upward, extend onto your toes and elevate the bar even further… From that extended position, you must explode down into a deep squat while simultaneously locking out the bar.” (Starr 5-9) once you have a solid squat stand the bar up! This is a hard concept but let that quote set in and watch the video below. This movement takes time and dedication, but when mastered it is a beautiful and very fun movement! This is a video of Chad Vaughn snatching 285lbs in slow motion. Pay close attention to his incredible form.


 In this video Chad Vaughn breaks down his snatch and thoroughly explains the key components of his lift. Its very impressive to watch and extremely helpful to understand snatch technique.


Hope to see you all at OLY/Strength class on Saturday! It’s going to be fun! :)

Work Cited
Starr, Bill. “Learning How to do Full-Snatches” CrossFit Journal. January 2010. 


Friday November 22, 2013

Strength

10 Minute EMOM

Max Effort Pull Up Hold @ Top Position

WOD

(8) 200 M Row or 1/4 Bike

1:1 work rest ratio

Wounded Warrior From This Weeks Max Box Jump! She Even Worked Out Afterwards. One Tough Chick!  Go Julie:)

Thursday November 21, 2013

Strength

15 Minutes to find 1RM
Then 3x3 @ 85% of 1 RM

WOD

"ANNIE"

50-40-30-20-10

DU
Sit-Ups

A Couple of Sisters Getting Some Early Morning Work:)
Nice Job Ladies!

Tuesday November 19, 2013

Strength

5 x 10
Weighted Walking Lunge

WOD


21-15-9

Thruster (75/45)
Pull Ups

Rest 5:00 Minutes

30,20,10

DL (75/45)
Push Press

Rest 5:00

5 Rounds
30 Sec Jingle Jangle
30 Sec Rest




Below is a great little article one of our members sent me from Paleo Plan on combating food cravings...Take five minutes and read!

3 Ways to Combat Food Cravings

Cravings.

Ugh.

Food cravings are the #1 killer of diets all across the planet. They're insidious, nasty buggers that come out of nowhere and destroy even the best of dietary intentions.
Here you are, trucking merrily along with your new lifestyle of healthy eating, and all of a sudden - whammo! - you're eating a donut out of a vending machine. Not even a good donut...And cravings are contagious, too. Your friend at work goes out, driven by her cravings, and brings her affliction (a caramel latte and a double chocolate muffin) back to the office for you to see and smell and savor, and all of your discipline and conviction just... disappears.
Are cravings ruining your Paleo diet? Or any way of eating besides the "eat-anything-you-want-in-any-amount-whenever-you-want diet" for that matter? Let's try to fix that.

1. Don't fight it. Feed it.
I know that sounds weird, but let me explain. The number one mistake people make when they change their eating habits is they eat too little. They either eat too little food in general, or they eat too few carbs. Actually, a lot of people skimp on the fat, too, which can really cause cravings. Eating too little food isn't sustainable for most people, and at some point your body will take over your brain and make you do stupid things. So eat enough food, including some delicious Paleo carbs and fat sources, and you'll be much less likely to need an exorcism to remove the craving demons later. I mean, what would you rather have: a sustainable diet where you lose weight in a healthy manner over time or a crash diet where you might lose a little weight at first, but then your excessive discipline backfires after a week? So. Eat enough food and always have Paleo goodies on hand (muffins made with almond flour, etc.) to get you through those tough moments.

2. Eat A Piece of Fruit
I imagine this scenario happening quite a bit in the Paleo newcomer's world:

"I'm really craving something sweet. God, I want something sweet. Icould eat this peach, but I'm not supposed to eat too much fruit on this new Paleo diet... Hmm. What to do, what to do... Oh f@ck it! I'm just gonna eat this giant chocolate donut!" 

Has that happened to you?

The problem here is that you're not just setting yourself back in that moment by eating something that'll mess with your blood sugar and maybe make you feel pretty crappy later. You're also starting the cycle of grain and sugar lust all over again for the next several days. So if you're going to have something sweet and you don't have any Paleo treat on hand, eat a piece of fruit. Or have a few squares of dark chocolate. Just anything that doesn't have the grains, excessive sugar, and other stuff that you know will set off those addictive brain chemicals.

3. Use Non-Food Distractions
Sometimes the cravings are just mental. They're only in your head, and they're just a product of your old habits. At 3pm you're supposed to have a caramel latte. At 10am you're supposed to have some cookies. At lunch you're supposed to have twizzlers for lunch-dessert, and on and on. So now you're head is kind of like, "Where ma twizzlers at, yo?" But you don't need them. So try these things instead, especially if the above tips don't help you..
Take 5 deep, slow breaths. Take that time to choose what you really want to do next.
Exercise, even if it’s just a 3-minute vigorous session of squats in your office or living room. Or go for a short walk. Get yourself out of the situation and brain space you’re in by changing locations for a while.
Drink some water. Sometimes cravings are just veiled thirst.
Contact someone who will talk you down from the ledge, so to speak. Someone you trust and someone who knows your health goals and who can help remind you why you would not want to cave to your cravings.
In Conclusion, I know cravings are a painful thing, and it's really hard to just grin and bear them. Try out all of my time-tested, client-approved tips above and see if any of them work for you.

The one thing I want you to take away from this, if nothing else, is to make sure you have Paleo treats accessible to you if you're a cravings-afflicted person. Especially in the beginning of going Paleo. You're going to need a crutch and that's totally fine! Eat the muffins, the cookies, the whatevers - just make them Paleo. Make large batches of them and keep them in your freezer so you can take them to work with you. You're not superhuman and being away from those old foods is going to take some getting used to!

Monday November 18, 2013

Strength

Snatch Balance

4,4,4,2,2,2

WOD

Run 400/ .5 Bike/ 350 M Row

3 Rounds
20 Push Ups
20 Shotguns

2 Rounds
30 KB Swings (53/35)
30 Air Squats

1 Round
40 Pull Ups
40 Plated Sit Ups

Run 400/ .5 Bike/ 350 Row


Thanksgiving Class Schedule

If you come to either of these days please sign up so we can be prepared for you. But if the class is full, please still come. We have programed these days to handle large classes.


Thanksgiving Day

10:00 am  to 11:00am

Black Friday 

12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm

Thursday November 14, 2013

Strength

5 x 5
Hang Squat Clean

WOD

1 Mile Bike

Rest 90 Seconds

500 M Row

Rest 60 Seconds

400 M Run

Rest 30 Seconds

Man Maker "Tabata"

A Little Encouragement...

Extreme 6 Challenge Participants…

We have successfully finished our first week of the Challenge and are now heading into our second!! (For those of you who have never done Paleo and/or Zone before, this is a HUGE accomplishment, and you should be VERY proud of yourselves!)

We’ve ransacked our refrigerators, gotten rid of all (or close to all) of the man-made and processed foods, and swapped them out for REAL food. Though it was a tough transition (especially the first few days!), almost all of us are seeing the positive effects Paleo and/or Zone is having on us. We feel better, have more energy, sleep better, work harder, are happier, are better athletes, are HEALTHIER and we’re improving our overall wellness! And ON TOP of all this, we are also lowering our chances of sickness and disease!!

Yes, I know, it’s been rocky. For some of us it’s been more than just rocky. But when we remember all the positives that come with working hard in the box AND eating the right foods, then we see that it’s worth the pain!

Keep up the good work guys! You’re all doing so great! I understand just how hard this really is because I’m going through the same thing. So if there are any questions/comments you have regarding the Challenge, I would love to chat with you about it! Trevor and Bethany have some really great tips, recipes, etc. and I know they would love to talk with you about them too! We’re here for your guys’ support, so don’t be afraid to ask questions.

See you all in the box!

Ally


Hand Maintenance...How to Help Avoid Messed Up Hands!

Hand Maintenance

By Bri Springer

Congratulations to Angela getting her first strict pull-up, Aubrey killing it on the kip swings and kipping pull-ups, and to all you other BCF members that have been improving your pull-up skills! I am so proud of you all. However, as some of you may have noticed pull-ups, barbell, and kettle bell work can trash your hands. So, I am writing this article to share with you some quick and easy ways to prevent tearing.

· File down your calluses. Buy a “callus kit” this includes a callus shaver, pumice stone, and a filer. Use them all to shave down your calluses to keep them small and smooth. You can also use a razor, but I recommend filing them.

· Moisturize your hands. Apply lotion regularly, lotion provides moisture, without moisture in your hands that are susceptible to cracking, ripping, and makes the healing process way longer.

· Grip the bar across your fingertips as opposed to across your palm. It feels weird at first, but make a habit of it and you will be much less likely to tear your hands.

· Go light on the chalk. I know its fun to put on your hands and it might give you a boost of mental support (I’m guilty of it too), but it can be a cause of tearing your hands. Chalk increases friction, and friction causes tearing. If you are going to use chalk, wipe the sweat off your hands and only use a little.

Unfortunately, ripping your hands still happens sometimes, so when it does here’s how you take care of it. First, stop working out; go to the bathroom and use hot water and soap to wash it out. This will prevent any types of nasty infection you could get. Next, tape your hand up, wipe down the bar and anything else that got blood on it, and then you can do ring rows rather than pull-ups to finish off your workout. Please don’t forget the part about wiping down whatever you got blood on, we don’t need any more germs spread in the germ than we already have. Also, I know its temping and hard to just slap some tape on and finish out the workout, but its only going to continue to get worse and then your out of training for at least a week because you can’t do anything with your hands. It’s simply not worth it. For fast and effective healing, keep the tear clean and moist. Cover it up and use Neosporin or any other type of cleaning/healing substance you can. Its extremely important that you don’t let it dry out, because if it dries out it will crack and take twice as long to heal. Hopefully you all found this helpful and I didn’t scare you away from the pull-up bar. Pull-ups are fun and awesome and if you take care of your hands and pay attention to your body you really have nothing to worry about.

How To Help Avoid This!!!

Tuesday November 12, 2013

Strength

10 Minute EMOM

3 Reps Snatch Grip D.L

WOD

3 Rounds

10 Goblit Squats (70/53)
100 M Sprint

One Tough Looking Crew

Veterans Day Results...Way To Go Everyone!!

There were a bunch of awesome photos from this years Veteran's Day Celebration which we will be posting on Facebook later today, but here are the results in case you wanted to know where you stacked up! 




These are just a few of the men and women that we honored yesterday during our hour sacrifice of sweat, blood and teamwork! Thank YOU!

The Veterans Day Mission WOD (Partner Style)

Your mission if you choose to accept is to accomplish the following exercises in the quickest time possible. The order, amount of reps and distances traveled is your choice. Remember that all the exercises must be accomplished before your time will be recorded.  Choose your partner wisely and plan carefully. Good Luck!!


Rules: Only one partner can be going at a time and both partners must run together.

2000 Meter Run or 1500 Meter Row or 2.5 Mile Bike Ride

100 Sit Ups
200 Meter Heroes Carry/Drag
80 Pull-Ups
100 Meter Broad Jumps
50 B.W. Dead-Lift
100 Medicine Ball Push-ups
50 Pass Through
30 Turkish Get-Ups (35/15)
100 DB Thrusters (35/20)
100 Meter Farmers Carry Lunge (45/25)

Yes, this is going to suck, but let’s remember who we are honoring on this day...the countless men and women who have served our country and made huge sacrifices to preserve our freedoms we often take for granted. The least we can do is sacrifice our bodies for one hour in their honor!!!
 
“Be Country Tough”

~The Exline’s

Friday, November 8th

Strength

Strict Press 5,5,5,3,3,3
2 minute Goblin Squat Hold x2 (3 burpees every 20 seconds short of 2 minutes)

WOD

12 Minute AMRAP

5 HSPU or 3 Wall Walks
7 C2B Pull-ups
7 Clapping Push-ups
14 Squat Jumps

Wednesday November 6, 2013

Strength

3 x 10 Back Squat

WOD

3 Rounds

400 m run
15 T2B
10 Weighted Pistols 
15 Pull Ups

Grip Work/ Core Work

3 rounds: Max time Bar Hang


3 rounds: Max time low ring plank hold

Laura Terrorizing Dina On Saturday!!

Check Out Our Member of The Month For November...a Truly Contagious Smile:)

"By Bri Springer"

Every month we will be spotlighting one of our members, were not picking favorites, we just feel that the hard work our members put into achieving their fitness goals deserves acknowledgement.

With that being said, this month we would like to recognize Evelyn Maller! She is our oldest member, but that does not stop her from giving all her effort on every WOD. When Evelyn called Trevor to find out about becoming a member she told him something along the lines of “I’m older, I don’t have much strength, and I’m out of shape, but I’m ready to get fit.” Since then Evelyn has made lifestyle changes that are doing incredible works for her health. Last week Evelyn did her first squat to the 12’ box and we couldn’t be more excited for her. The accomplishments she has made are remarkable. She has gained incredible strength, core stability, and can sustain intensity for long periods of time. She is a true CrossFit athlete. On the weekends and rest days she goes on trail walks with her husband, some of which are as long as 40 miles. Evelyn now has to be lectured about the importance of rest days by her coaches, because she has gotten so active. When I was talking to her at the gym the other day she said, “you know I’m not here to do better than anyone or compete, I’m just competing with myself.” This is because intensity varies among all athletes, but what keeps everyone coming back is the self-fulfillment CrossFit provides. Competing with yourself is how you become a better athlete, and we admire Evelyn’s determination and positive attitude as she works to accomplish her goals. Everyone has different goals, different modifications they have to do on workouts and different motives for why they are CrossFit athletes; however, if every athlete comes to the gym with Evelyn’s determination and smile nothing will stand in the way of accomplishing greatness.

Evelyn is more than an amazing athlete; she is also an amazing person. She supports local sports teams and her community. Throughout workouts we rarely glance over at her and don’t find a smile on her face. She is positive, optimistic, and compassionate. We truly value the time we get to spend in the gym with Evelyn, and hope we can inspire others like she inspires us!

Thank You Evelyn!!!

Evelyn's favorite Bike!!

Tuesday November 5, 2013

Strength

None

WOD

Partner WOD (Only one partner can be working at a time)

150 Shoulder to Overhead (55/35)
(partner sits in a plank hold)

200 Double Under
(partner holds two kb's in front rack position 53/35)

600 meter partner run with 45/25 plate
(plate can't touch the ground) 

"Something Tasty From Ally"

"By Ally Partain"

Delicious Easy-To-Make PALEO Almond Butter Cups

These are so good! And if you’re anything like me, you like your sweets! However, as delicious (and Paleo) as these are, don’t over-indulge. Measure it out and monitor how much you have (:

Ingredients


· 1 1/3 C dark chocolate (70% or higher)


· 1 T coconut oil
· 1 t vanilla extract or 1/2 t vanilla bean powder
· 1/3 C almond butter
· Pinch of sea salt

Method

STEP 1 Melt 1 1/3 C dark chocolate (70% or higher) & 1 T coconut oil together. Pour 1 tablespoon rounds in cupcake liners & freeze till they harden.

STEP 2 Mix together 1/3 C almond butter, 1 t vanilla extract or 1/2 t vanilla bean powder, 1 T coconut oil & a pinch of salt. Place about a 1/2 tablespoon of mixture into each cup & freeze till hardened.

STEP 3 For the last layer pour enough chocolate to cover the almond butter & freeze 5-10 more mins, store in fridge or freezer.

*If you would like to, omit step 1 and start with step 2. This will eliminate the amount of chocolate used…and it still tastes great!

Friday November 1, 2013

Strength

4x8 Push Press
4x4 Ball-Up

WOD

800 M Buy In

21-15-9

HSPU
Sit Ups
Pistol Squats

Now thats one way to rest your shoulders in the middle of a WOD...That is some serious neck strength!!!

Starting Our First Saturday Class With a Bang...Can Someone Say "Filthy Fifty"

WOD

"Filthy Fifty"

If you don't know what this is then you will just have to show up and find out or you can sneak a peak via your favorite search engine:)...Enjoy!

Thursday October 31, 2013

Strength

1 RM Jerk

WOD

10-8-6-4-2

Sumo DL High Pull (135/95)

Over the Bar Burpee

GET THAT CANDY WHILE YOU CAN CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS:)


Wednesday October 30, 2013

Strength

2,2,2,2,2
Rope Climb

7,7,7,7,7
HSPU

WOD

4 rounds of:

400 M Run
10 C2B Pull-Ups
15 B. Jumps (24/20)
10 reps of toes-to-bar

Introducing Laura to BCF CrossFit...

Laura will be teaching Saturday monring classes, as well as training as an athlete with the evening crew. She brings a much needed dynamic to our team, which is a talent and passion for endurance work! If you have not yet had a chance to meet her please take a minute to read her bio and keep an eye out for her at class. She will be the one pouting when we have OLY lifts and smiling when we are running:). We are very excited to be adding Laura to the BCF family.  

By Laura Lewis,

It’s true… I love CrossFit. But, I will admit, among gasps and shocked looks in the CrossFit community that I love running even more. I love figuring out how far I can ask my body to go and how it will respond when I hit the “wall.” But, it wasn’t always like this. Though I ran off and on throughout high school and college for fitness, I gradually stopped going on runs in favor of a quick 30 minutes on the elliptical. That, coupled with poor eating, led me to gain 25 pounds by my mid-to-late 20’s.

One day, when I had just turned 29, I got on a treadmill out of curiosity. I ran 1 mile; it took me nearly 10 minutes and I was so winded and lightheaded when I stopped that I had to sit down on the back of the treadmill. It frustrated me… and I’m not one that gives up easily, so I went back for more the next day.

The rest, as they say, is history. 20 pounds and 3 years later, I have run numerous 5k’s, 10k’s and half marathons (13.1 miles) and completed 6 marathons (26.2 miles). I have qualified for the Boston Marathon three times, and will be heading there in April to tackle every runners dream and Heartbreak Hill. In addition to road races, I absolutely love adventure runs and mud races such as Tough Mudder, Warrior Dash, etc.

And, this is where CrossFit comes in. After running my first 3 marathons, I reached a plateau and my body was wrecked. I started going to Crossfit on suggestion from my doctor to incorporate strength training and instantly fell in love. The supportive atmosphere, the challenge, the variation and the way I felt after my first WOD was a turning point for me.

I quickly learned the fundamentals and took my L1 certification and have been coaching at an affiliate in Hillsboro since February, 2013.

What I will say is this: I know many CrossFitters don’t love endurance training or enjoy running. To be completely honest, that’s how I feel about Olympic lifting. But, I do the OLY lifts because I truly believe in the CrossFit method, and know that even though I will never be the strongest one at the box, I will always be the strongest I can be when I adhere to the CF principles.

I am a high school teacher during the day, so I will see most of you at the evening classes, and hopefully at the Saturday classes! I will push you, encourage you and support you as much as you will let me. I love coaching because I get to see ordinary people do extraordinary things. The look on an athletes face when they get up the rope for the first time or when they break a 10 minute-mile is priceless and I’m looking forward to many of these moments at Banks Country Fitness. I couldn’t be more excited to be welcomed into this great CrossFit community!

She may seem like the devil on Saturday mornings but this picture proves that she can be sweet & innocent:) Excited to have you on the team Laura!

Tuesday October 29, 2013

Strength

1 RM Back Squat

WOD

50-40-30-20-10
DU

25-20-15-10-5
D.L. (135/95)


Why Do We Do Olympic Lifts???


Why Does CrossFit Emphasize Olympic Weight Lifting

By Bri Springer

As most of you know, I am extremely passionate about Olympic lifting. The amount of weight the human body can support is incredible. To me, watching an individual with perfect technique is absolutely beautiful. My goal as a coach is to get your comfortable and confident in your OLY lifting abilities, to help you set PRs and lift weights you never thought you could. So what are Olympic Lifts (OLY)? The OLY lifts are the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk. All require the athlete to take the bar from the ground to overhead as quickly as possible.

So why should you as a CrossFit athlete being doing OLY lifts? Taking a loaded bar from the ground to above your head has to be fast, and efficient. OLY lifts require the capacity to move large loads quickly, which is a cornerstone element of CrossFit.[1] OLY lifts also require tremendous amounts of speed and power which are both organic and neurological skills; meaning they will improve through physical training and practice. In CrossFit’s definition of fitness there are ten general physical skills that fitness must encompass. These skills are: cardio respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, and balance.[2] Every single skill is key to mastering an OLY lift, so if your goal is to achieve fitness you should be OLY lifting!

What about injuries? It is a common and false assumption that OLY lifts are dangerous. Olympic Weightlifting resources website claims, “Various studies were done showing Olympic Weightlifting to be the safest form of resistance training there is.”[3] Of course, if your form is horrible and your loading the bar with way more than you can handle the movement becomes dangerous; however, that is a personal mistake, not the movement’s fault. The component of having a CrossFit coach for OLY lifts is fundamental to safety. With structure and coaching OLY lifts are safe.

How do I get better? Practice, practice, practice, and then some more practice. OLY lifts take a time and consistency to develop. The Burgner warm-up is a simple way to focus on the fundamentals of the movement (this is the warm-up I take my classes through with the PVC before doing the lift in a WOD). Strength and flexibility are the other two key focuses; because, it doesn’t matter how strong you are if your not flexible enough to sit in a deep squat your not going to be able to perform a impressive weight, similarly if you are extremely flexible but do not have the strength you won’t be hitting PR’s. To get strong take advantage of the daily strength sets, and to get more flexible focus depth in your squats, really pushing yourself during the warms ups and after class stretching.

With CrossFit and most everything in life, when you put in the hard work the accomplishments will come. They might not be right away, they might be small, but I promise you they will come! And who doesn’t love to hit a Personal Record (PR) after working their butt off? As I have said, OLY lifting requires your entire body to exert extreme amount of power very quickly, does that sound easy? No, it’s hard! The unique thing about OLY lifts is that it is a full body physical and mental workout. So when you get frustrated with the complexity of the movement don’t give up and remain positive. Keep working towards your goals and you will achieve them!

Finally, if you have any questions about OLY lifts such as ways your can get better or specific questions, that’s what your coaches are here for. Trevor, Bethany, Ally, and I are more than happy to help. Here are two videos of perfect OLY lifting form that I find inspiring, so I hope you do too!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzVQH2Ztk_I


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-gcOrv4-I8



[1] CrossFit Training Guide


[2] CrossFit Training Guide


[3] http://www.owresource.com/lifts/benefits.php

More Class Times Starting November 2nd...

We are excited to announce two additional class times beginning Saturday November 2nd.


9am Saturday class
  • The 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month will be our endurance class geared towards improving stamina, endurance, and metabolic conditioning. This class will involve some weights, but more focus on body weight movements, metabolic conditioning and longer endurance oriented WODS. If you are looking for an opportunity to improve upon your running, metabolic conditioning, or want to be mentally challenged this class will be great for you.
  • On the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month will be our strength class geared towards developing speed, strength and power. In line with this methodology, is a focus on Olympic Lifts and shorter but heavy intense WODS. If you are looking for an opportunity to improve your strength, power, barbell movements, or a short but intense work-out then this class will be a great fit!
Both classes will be taught by two trainers who specialize in these areas, so you will have an opportunity to get a great work out and some excellent instruction from two people who are very passionate about these topics.


5:45 am Wendesday Crossfit Class
Your wait is over... 5:45am crew will now be able to workout 5 day's a week!

No CrossFit Class at 6:30pm on Wednesday, October 30th

Due to the Extreme 6 Challenge meeting we will not be having our 6:30pm CrossFit Class. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you at the Nutritional Meeting!

Extreme 6 Details For Wednsday October, 30th

We are excited about the upcoming challenge and the great turn-out! We have close to fifty people participating, which is going to make for a lot of fun and a great support system. We can't wait to see the results people achieve over the upcoming six weeks. We have been putting the final touches on everyones packet this weekend and will have them ready at the nutrition meeting on Wednesday. Please arrive at the gym promptly at 6:30pm we will begin at 6:40.

For the nutritional meeting you will need:

  • Collapsible chair
  • Notebook & writing utensil
  •  Scale (if possible). We went and purchased ours today at Target for $22.00 but we found them as cheap as $5.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond. 

Something to Consider....By Ally P.

Why do you do CrossFit? What motivates you to keep coming back? After all the sore muscles, blisters, pain, sweat, and sometimes blood, why do you come back just to do it all over again?

I am sure that most of you would agree that the community is what motivates you to come back. I have found that CrossFit is the one workout program where I actually feel a sense of community. Personally, I push way harder during the last stretch of a WOD when I have others cheering me on and helping me through it. I am able to work harder and kick up my intensity. And, if you didn’t know, Intensity=Results. At our gym, I am constantly seeing others improve and meet their goals because we push hard and our intensity levels rise when we are cheered on by other members.

We have all endured our fair share of WODs and understand the intensity and drive it takes to finish a workout (especially if you’re the last one to finish). So as a friendly reminder, cheer everyone on. Encourage them to keep working hard and to push through the pain. After all, we are the community that makes CrossFit what it is today, and the motivation for others to come back.

~Ally P.

Friday October 25, 2013

Strength

12 EMOM

2 Clean & Jerk

WOD

3 Minute AMRAP

50 M Sprint
10 Knee to Hand Slaps
50 M Back Pedal

Rest 60 Seconds

800 M Sprint



Thursday October 24, 2013

Strength

8 Rounds Every 90 Seconds

3 Reps Back Squat
1 Rope Climb

WOD

4 Rounds

40 DU
20 Wall Balls
10 Pull Ups


Getting to Know Your Trainers...

As trainers it is our job to get to know our members and help them get comfortable in our CrossFit family, but in doing this they sometimes don't get to talk much about themselves. So I put them on the spot and asked them to provide you with biographies about their past, present, and future dreams:).

Both these young ladies are caring, intelligent, & driven and I am thrilled to have them as part of our BCF team and family. Beyond that I am excited because of what they can offer to our members. Ally is incredibly detailed oriented, has a great understanding of body mechanics, and is incredibly passionate about helping others. She expects things done right and isnt afraid to let you know when you aren't cutting it. Bri is very passionate about CrossFit and health & fitness in general. She has a great understanding of the Olympic Lifts and has spent significant time with some very reputable coaches developing these movements. They both have great things to offer, but the most important thing for me is that they both care about our members, their health, and are constantly looking for ways to improve as trainers. Please take a second and get to know them a little better by reading their Bios!

Meet Ally

All throughout high school I played soccer and ran for the track team. I didn’t aspire to be anything when I got older; all I wanted to do was play soccer. Even towards the end of my senior year at Banks High School, I didn’t have any goals. I knew I needed to go to college, but I didn’t know where I wanted to go or what I wanted to do. What I did know, however, was that I wanted to stay involved in sports (soccer, in particular) and help others.

I got accepted as a student to George Fox University, where I planned to play on the girls’ soccer team. I spent the last couple months of my senior year conditioning, playing soccer, and trying to prepare myself for the year ahead of me.

Just after I graduated from Banks High School, I discovered CrossFit and quickly fell in love with it. However, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stick with it for too long since my first year of college was about to start.

Summer ended and I moved to Newberg to start my freshman year at George Fox University, still unsure of what I wanted to major in. I knew I wanted to have a career that allowed me to help others and to stay involved with competition and sports, but I didn’t have any ideas what major would allow me to do that. I decided to focus on my school work, which meant no soccer for my first year.

After a lot of asking and praying, I heard about the Athletic Training program offered at Fox, and immediately made an appointment with my advisor to switch my major.

Once enrolled in my new major, I took a lot of classes that taught me how to medically care for and treat injured athletes. I learned how everything worked in very detailed ways, as well as the ins-and-outs of the human body. Not only this, but I was taught how to service and sustain the lives of human beings given the situation.

In the Spring of 2013, I was accepted into the Student Athletic Training Program at Fox, however after some careful consideration I decided to attend PCC in the fall and finish all of my general classes. Once I had completed those, I was planning to return to George Fox to focus on my major, however as many people know our plans don't always work out…

This summer, I was presented with the opportunity to become a trainer at Banks Country Fitness CrossFit. I realized this job could open doors for my future goals of becoming an Athletic Trainer and not only this, but it would allow me to help others and stay involved in some form of competition (which is what I have always wanted). It’s such a cliché line, but I truly love to help others. That’s the main reason I am striving to become an AT, so After a lot of thought and prayer, I decided to join the BCF team.

I now work at the Banks CrossFit gym where I can put my skills to the test. I absolutely love my job! I get to help others and watch them achieve their goals on a daily basis, which makes all the hard work worth it.

I don’t know exactly what the next year or so will look like, but I do know that I’m going to enjoy every minute of it as I work towards my degree in Athletic Training. "Ally Partain"

Meet Bri

My name is Bri Springer, I am 20 years old and a junior at Pacific University. I am originally from Redmond Oregon, I love my home but I am happy to be living in Forest Grove now. I am majoring in Political Science, but also studying Exercise Science topics as I aspire to become a Physical Therapist. My hobbies include: CrossFit (of course), wakeboarding, snowboarding, snowmobiling, mountain biking, hunting, and being outdoors. I also enjoy leadership, at Pacific I am the President of the National Residence Hall Honorary, and I have been involved in various other groups. I have lead multiple bible studies and I am active in my community. I am a Ford Family Foundation Scholar and embrace their core value of giving back to the community your surrounded by.

Last winter I did a study abroad course in Kenya, it changed my life and I cannot wait to go back to Africa. Being in Kenya made me realize just how important people around us are and how blessed I am to live in America. Ultimately, I am passionate about three things: Jesus, my family, and health and fitness. These three things define who I am and how I live my life. I strive to focus on God’s plan for my life and bringing him glory in everything I do. My family stands behind me in all the decisions I make, and I love them like crazy, especially my 18-year-old brother and best friend Mitch. 

Health and fitness is essential to my physical and mental quality of life and something I choose to put on top of my priorities. CrossFit and the Zone diet are what I believe to be best ways to obtain a healthy lifestyle. As a senior in high school I was offered a job at a local gym and then quickly found my way into CrossFit, this summer I decided it was finally time to further my knowledge of the sport and get my Level One certification. I have CrossFitted off and on for the past three years. I am very excited to have found a home gym here at Banks Country Fitness! I love the atmosphere of the gym, everyone is so energetic and fun to be around; I cannot wait to get to know all of you better. This summer I helped a friend of mine train to go play college softball, and realized how much I love helping others achieve fitness goals and that it is where God wants to use me. As your trainer I want to help you achieve your full potential and live a healthy lifestyle. Everyone is capable of achieving greatness, it’s the work you put into it that will get you there, and my goal is to help you achieve all of your fitness goals. "Bri Springer"


Thank You Ladies For All Of Your Hard Work!!