"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.


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!!


  

Wednesday October 23, 2013

Strength

5 RNDS

Hurdles
30 YD Sprint

Rest 45 Seconds Between RNDS

WOD

Option A

Elizabeth
21-15-9

Power Clean (135/95)
Ring Dips

Option B

21-15-9
D.L. (225/185)
Ring Dips


Congragulations to our 5th/6th Banks Youth Football Teams On a Great Year and Big Thank You to The Coaches. They Did a Great Job!!!

Tuesday October 22, 2013

Strength

Split Jerk 4 x 3
5 x 20 Shotguns

WOD

5-10-15-20-15-10-5

Hang Power Snatch (115/75)
Calorie Row/Bike

Monday October 21, 2013

Strength

5 x 10 D.B. Step-Ups

5 x 3 Max Effort Front Levers

WOD

5 Rounds

5 x 2 Arm K.B. Cleans (53/35)
10 Ring Push Ups
15 A. Squats
100 M Sprint


Finally We Found Someone to Keep Evelyn In Line:)

Friday, October 18th

Mike and Angela holding hands:) 


Strength

5x5 Deadlift
5x1 min. Plank Hold

WOD

9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
KB Swing (70/53)
Box Jump (30/24)

BCF Extreme 6 Promotion

Promo Details:
 Do you have any friends or family that are on the fence about giving BCF a try or are looking to make some healthy changes? We are offering a great promotion for the Extreme Six challenge starting Nov. 1st. This promotion includes six weeks at BCF CrossFit for $60.00 for the new member and a free entry into the EXTREME 6 challenge for the referring member. If your not be able to join us for the challenge, then we will extend you a $20.00 discount on your next month’s dues. Please feel free to post to your social media networks, talk to your friends/family, and let’s make some differences just in time for the holidays!

Dates:
October 25th     RSVP Deadline (notify BCF via e-mail or in person)
October 30th     Meeting for Nutrition and Challenge Guidelines -
                         Location TBA
November 1st   Challenge Starts
Before Pictures (on your own)
December 11th Testimony’s at 6:30pm - Location TBA
                        Weigh-in and Measurements
December 13th Challenge Ends
After Pictures (on your own)

Prize:

vForest Grove Spa Signature Package includes a Signature Facial and a Signature Massage, total value $140 to enjoy your hard work.

Thursday October 17, 2013

Strength

2 Mutant Makers every 30 Seconds for 8 Minutes

WOD

500 M Row

Two Excited Rowers in The Noon Class!!

Things to Consider If You Have Hit a Plateau...

Always Keep Driving The Truck Forward…

One of the greatest things about CrossFit is the ability to avoid plateaus. Recently I talked with a few of our members that have been with us for over a year, who are starting to feel like they have hit a plateau. Whether it is a struggle with weight loss, you have hit a block on your PR’s, or you can’t seem to RX that movement, nothing can be more frustrating then feeling like you are standing still. You have to understand it is natural for your growth to slow down after the first six months to a year, BUT that doesn’t mean it should stop. If you are one of these people then start by re-evaluating your goals and your approach. Make sure those goals are achievable and you have short, medium, and long term goals. Most importantly make sure you have a plan in place to accomplish your goals and track your progress. Nothing is going to set you up for failure faster then setting a goal and then having absolutely no idea how you are going to accomplish it. If you have questions about how to do this or have done all of this and are still having troubles then you need to sit down with one of us (Ally, Bethany, Bri, or Myself) so we can analyze your approach and maximize your results.  Then take a minute and be honest with yourself…How has your intensity been lately? Are you really pushing or just going through the motions? How has your consistency been? Far too often we let ourselves settle for “this is as good as I can get”, when CrossFit is designed to always give you things to strive for, which in turn keeps you from plateaus. It’s up to you not to settle and take action, so keep driving that truck forward! 


Lastly I want to talk about the Extreme 6…One of the biggest reasons Bethany and I spend the time to create, organize, and host these health challenges is to provide our members with an extra boost. With all the distractions of life, it gets easy to make excuses for why our health isn’t important. We are too tired after work, kids sports, too expensive to eat right, don’t have the time to cook, etc. All of these are viable excuses, but ask yourself this…what good will that money be if you’re not alive to enjoy it and how long do you want to be around to enjoy your children, grandchildren, etc. We have to take the time to make our health a priority! These health challenges are an opportunity to re-focus. I dare you to try the extreme 6. See if you don’t feel different when you are finished. You never know, you might just make a lifestyle change, but at the very least you will break a couple of plateausJ

Always Keep Pushing, But Be Smart About How You Approach It:)

Extreme 6

Dates:
October 25th     RSVP Deadline (notify Trevor via e-mail or in person)
October 30th      Mandatory Nutrition and Challenge Guidelines  
                           Location TBA
November 1st   Challenge Starts
                          Before Pictures (on your own)
December 11th Testimony’s at 6:30pm - Location TBA
                          Weigh-in and Measurements
December 13th Challenge End
                         After Pictures (on your own)

Rules:
vAttend Mandatory Nutrition and Challenge Guidelines
§      Weigh-in, Measurements, Meal Guidelines, and Zone Preparation
vSears Zone Diet with Paleo
§      Block system with
§      Standard Paleo: meat, veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds
§      Paleo+Dairy: milk, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese
vTrain 5 X week (additional details at meeting)
vPhotos (before and after)
vWrite and share your testimony
vCost
§      $10 to $20 for food scale (purchase on your own)
§      $20 Buy-in

Prize:
vForest Grove Spa Signature Package includes a Signature Facial and a Signature Massage, total value $140 to enjoy your hard work.




Tuesday October 15, 2013

Strength

4 x 250 M Run
1:1 Work Rest Ration

WOD

10-8-6-4-2
Partner WOD

Clean & Jerk (165/115)
Burpee Box Jumps

Just a walk in the park for Angela:)

Monday, October 14

What a Q-T:) I told you Trevor starts them early!

Strength

4x4 Back Squat (use last weeks 4x3 weight)
4x8 Strict Pull-ups

WOD

3 Rounds
400m Run with Barbell (45/35)
3 Rope Climbs
12 Thrusters with Barbell (45/35)

Lets Support Our Family!!

BCF CrossFit was founded with fitness, family, and community at the center of our dreams and in the last month we have been blessed with the opportunity to welcome the Janeway family to our affiliate. Part of family is supporting them through the good and the bad. So we would like to invite any and all members of our BCF family to join the Janeway's in their Support Jordan 5K Run/Walk this Saturday at Forest Grove High School starting at 10:00am. The run/walk is in memory of their 9 month old Jordan, who lost the fight to SCID on July 1st. We understand that this is late notice but if you have a couple hours open this Saturday morning this would be great way to help support an incredible family. You can check out all the details at .http://funrunwalk.wix.com/friendsofjordan


Thursday October 10, 2013

Strength

3 x 10 D.L.

3 x 10 HSPU

WOD

E.M.O.M For 10 Minutes

3 Power Cleans
3 Hang Cleans
3 Push Press


Monday October 7, 2013

Strength

2x3 Press

2x3 Push Press

2x3 Jerk


WOD

30 Russian K.B. Swings

3 Rounds
10 Thrusters (115/80)
10 OTB Burpees

Then:
30 Russian K.B. Swings
Lots of love for the Russians Today...Nice Job Guys!!
Coming Soon Epic Grind 2013 Photos!

Friday October 4, 2013


Strength

Power Clean
5-5-3-3-1

WOD

10-1
SDHP  (115/85)
Push Jerk

One of our new members nailing a strict muscle up...Nice work Ryan!


Thursday October 3, 2013

Strength

B. Squat
10-8-6-4-2

Rest 3 Minutes between each set...during rest period perform 3 M.U.

WOD

Run 800 M/Row 800M/Bike 1 Mile
Rest 3 Minutes between each run
*Score is total time


Tuesday October 1, 2013

Strength

DL 1 RM

WOD

4 Rounds

10 Power Snatches (95/65)
100 M run

Who is this masked man??