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CrossFit Journal
- Training with Jimmy Baker - Vilma Siebers 1
This is the first part of a complete training session that Vilma Siebers, 81, had with Jim Baker at CrossFit Santa Cruz Central, where he is a trainer and co-owner.
Vilma is originally from Berlin. She was a teenager during World War II, and came to California in 1952. She maintains a very active life, training with Jimmy one day a week, going on long hikes with the Sierra Club, line dancing, photographing.
In this video, there is an introductory interview before Vlima and Jimmy go on a remarkably fast-paced 1K walk (taxing the cameramen in the process). At the far point of the walk, they use the sidewalk curb as a beam for various balance drills.
7min 58sec
- An Interview with Jason Khalipa - Part 3
Jason Khalipa of CrossFit Santa Clara in Santa Clara, CA won the 2008 CrossFit Games. Tony Budding took advantage of his recent visit to get to know him a little better.
In this third and concluding part of the interview, Jason talks about what is was like to win the Games, getting recognized on the street, what his training was like in preparation, what he’s doing now, and how that will change as we get closer to the 2009 Games.
6min 2sec
- The Level 2 Cert — Fixing the Dip
On Day 1 of the CrossFit Level 2 certification seminars, participants instruct each other in the 9 fundamental movements (squat, front squat, overhead squat, press, push press, push jerk, deadlift, sumodeadlift highpull, and clean) that are the core of the Level 1 seminar.
In this video, Gordon Limb takes his group through the initial stages of the push press. Nicole Carroll, Director of Training for CrossFit (along with Dave Castro), guides Gordon through the process of how to correct sub-optimal movement.
The video only covers one small part of the CrossFit seminar push press instruction. The first step is to address the strict press. The second step, contained here in this video, is to dip vertically and hold, making sure that everyone feels the proper body mechanics. Then, and only then, the full movement is taught at speed. Stopping at the bottom of the dip is disastrous when performing the movement for real, but it is an important tool for learning proper mechanics.
This footage was captured at the CrossFit Ranch in Aromas, CA on July 19, 2008.
6min 23sec
- Choke Defense
In this video, Tony Blauer explains a drill to defend against a two-handed choke. The video was filmed at CrossFit Virginia Beach.
Street fights are almost always emotionally driven. Blauer refers to them as “Rage Attacks.” During this type of emotional, explosive surprise attack, the body’s natural response is a startle-flinch. Blauer contends that any stances, strategies, tactics or drills designed to protect yourself should be consistent with this.
In the case of the sudden two-handed chokehold, your hands will automatically come up and index the attacker’s hands. Once the initial startle-flinch is over, Blauer suggests you drop a free hand and launch a vertical elbow strike from inside the attacker’s arms. Whether or not this first elbow connects, the attacker’s death grip will mostly likely be broken, as your arm and shoulder will dislodge the grip. Now you’re in a great position to drop another elbow, strike, rake or pursue any other attack from the inside.
The two most important elements in street self-defense are acknowledging the body’s inevitable flinch response and using primal gross motor tactics to gain position. There is virtually no likelihood of successfully implementing complex motor skills in the first few seconds of an ambush-type attack.
13min 46sec
- Freddy’s Revenge
On Saturday, September 6, 2008, several CrossFit Games celebrities got together for a workout during lunchtime at the CrossFit Level 1 certification seminar at CrossFit One World. Jason Khalipa, winner of the 2008 Games, Pat Barber (4th overall), Kallista Pappas (the youngest competitor in the open division at age 14), Adrian Bozman, and of course, Freddy Camacho competed in a modified Games workout.
The workout was 5 rounds for time of:
185lbs from shoulders to overhead anyhow, 5 reps
10 BurpeesIt was called Freddy’s revenge because it was designed to favor Freddy’s strengths. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way. Khalipa’s raw power and Boz’s efficient mechanics were too much.
The video captures the best of CrossFit: Camaraderie, competition, and extraordinary physical feats by men and women of different ages.
The emotional interview with Kallista at the end of the video references her article, and was already featured in a Games post.
18min 5sec
- The Boz & Todd Experience — Episode 2, Part 1
This is Part 1 of the second episode of the Boz and Todd Experience. Boz and Todd, with special guest Chris Spealler, conducted four training sessions at Front Range CrossFit. Except for scheduling the athletes, these sessions were unplanned. They met with the athletes for the first time that night, interviewed them about their strengths and weaknesses, and took them through a training session and workout. Real world training with several of Front Range CrossFit’s regular clients.
In this video, Todd Widman takes Sandy Hoover through a private training session. They decide to do a workout borrowed from CrossFit Vancouver:
3 Rounds, 21-15-9 of:
Sumodeadlift highpull
Overhead squatThey cover the basics of both the SDHP and OHS with PVC pipe, then gradually add weight. Todd, having never worked with Sandy before, makes an assessment that the empty bar (with wooden training plates) was sufficient weight for this workout. Sandy surprised everyone, including herself, by smoking the workout unbroken. Next time, she’d definitely go heavier.
Adrian Bozman, Todd Widman and Chris Spealler are three of CrossFit’s top trainers. They spend a significant portion of their time traveling around the country working the CrossFit Level 1 and Level 2 certification seminars.
16min 3sec
- An Interview with Jason Khalipa - Part 2
Jason Khalipa of CrossFit Santa Clara in Santa Clara, CA won the 2008 CrossFit Games. Tony Budding took advantage of his recent visit to get to know him a little better.
Jason comes from a Globo Gym background; his first CrossFit workout was in December, 2006 (Fran with jumping pull-ups). He’s remarkably easy going as he talks about the transition to CrossFit, his fiance, his training, and opening an affiliate.
In this second part of the interview, Jason talks about what first attracted him to CrossFit, his diet, supplements, steroids, and preparing for the 2009 Games.
6min 13sec
- The Overhead Series - Part 3 The Push Jerk
At the CrossFit Level 1 seminars, three overhead movements are taught together: The press, the push press, and the push jerk. All three take a barbell (or other object) from the shoulders to locked out overhead. The difference is in the use of the hip.
In this Part 3 The Push Jerk, Adrian Bozman explains the basics of performing the push jerk correctly. The difference between the push press and push jerk is the aggressive landing in a partial squat with the arms locked overhead, which allows the hips to do almost all of the work in elevating the barbell. Typically, skilled athletes can use around 70% heavier loads with the push jerk over the strict press.
Companion videos are Part 1 The Press and Part 2 The Push Press.
The video was captured at the CrossFit Level 1 Certification Seminar in Golden, CO on October 24, 2008. Chris Spealler is the demogirl.
7min 26sec
- CrossFit Programming Part 5
This is the fifth part of the Programming lecture from the CrossFit Level 1 certification seminar at