With access to the facilities at Mildenhall RAF base the UK CrossFit community has a banging venue to test our limits.  With something like 6000 square feet of indoor space and acres of outdoor space the mantra is definitely the more the merrier.

Affiliates from across the country are helping us out with gear and judges.  On top of that we have Concept 2 and Beaverfit hooking us up with a load of gear on top of a shipment of gear for new affiliate Crossfit Mildenhall from Rogue Fitness that will be broken in at the Sectional.

Even more exciting than that we have over 70 athletes registered to date!  That is over four times as many as the European Regional last year and the depths of talent look impressive.

We are going to keep the WODs under wraps for just a little while longer.  We will tell you however to pack your favorite skipping rope.  There will be ample ropes on the day but we know how your own always feels that much better.

Friday 19 March, 2010

Registration will be taking place on Friday 19 March at a rugby club near the base from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.  The address will be published very soon both here and on the Facebook event page.  This is an opportunity to grab your T-shirts and get the paperwork done so there are no distractions on Saturday.

There will also be a volunteers and judges briefing at the same venue from 8:00 to 9:00 pm.

Saturday 20 March, 2010

We’ll be opening the doors at 8:00 and the first WOD will kick off at 9:00 am sharp.  Please allow time to clear base security!

There will be 3 WOD’s taking place on the day with details of the third event only being released after the second WOD is complete.

With the competitors currently registered we expect to be finished by 6:00pm.  To maximise the community building aspects of the event we will be having an after party at the same rugby club from 7:00 pm onwards.

See all Crossfit Sectional news here

Discuss this post in the forum

Skills

Sprint Starts

3 x 20 metres

2 x 40 metres

Starting from an athletic or sprinter start, work on the acceleration phase of the sprint, staying low and driving through the finish line.

Strength

Strength D: Week 9 day 3

Over head Squat: 3×3

Push Press: 3×3

Deadlift 3×2

You can choose one weight per exercise and try for the full range of sets with that weight (e.g. 130 Kg squat for all three sets), or you can start at a weight and if you complete the set, increase the weight for the next set.

When you can do three sets of 15 pull-ups, add weight to a belt/vest or hold a dumb-bell between your feet to increase the resistance.

Rest 90-120 seconds between sets

Flexibility and Cool Down

Post weights to FK.UK

Have Fun!

‘BodyPower Expo 2010, offers a unique experience with numerous sports which “push the boundaries of the body’s power”, including wrestling, boxing, MMA, strongman, and powerlifting to name a few.

It is an explosive weekend packed full of action for any health and fitness enthusiast. BodyPower is the UK’s leading health, fitness and nutrition expo; encompassing exciting live action, competitions, appearances from sporting superstars, interactive workshops, educational seminars and much more.‘

We are planning on bringing you all the latest news and information both up to and during the expo, including behind the scenes news and interviews with some of the big names in UK Fitness.

Come and join us there on the 22nd and 23rd May, 2010

FK.UK and the BodyPower Expo 2010 – An explosive combination.

Discuss this post on the forum.

Welcome to the first of my editor’s round ups, helping you catch up with what’s happened on the site recently, what’s going on next weekend, and everything in between!

Lift of the Quarter

We were very excited to launch our first FK.WL event this week – the lift of the quarter. It is really easy to enter. Just do the lift and either get your FK.Associate coach to witness it or send in a video to chet@funckey.co.uk. Gonna be doing my entry tomorrow…

More on this story

Latest on the CrossFit Games Sectionals

This is looking like a great event – big venue, good facilities, lots going on. FK.UK will be there in force – will you?

More on this story

Community profiles

We’ve launched a new series profiling the forum regulars, since we want you lot to get to know each other a bit better. I know what it’s like trying to keep even your own training log up to date but it’s fun to find out what others are doing and spread a bit of love and encouragement around the place.

This week we profiled the lovely Jules from Crossfit Reading! Next up…ah, it’s a secret

More on this story

Strength & Power Invitational – get some!

In case you missed it, the date has been announced – 5th June 2010. Expect more news as the weeks go by but judging by last year’s event this is going to be AWESOME.

I’m on a personal mission to get more women to enter this year. I want at least ten! So spread the word around and let me know if you have any bright ideas about how to get more women involved.

More on this story

Upcoming events

Have you seen our nifty calendar? Check it out in the right hand column – a quick way to see what’s coming up in the next three months.

This Saturday is the British Schools and British Youth Weightlifting Championships. Two of the young lads from my weightlifting club Bethnal Green will be competing so I’ll be cheering them on from afar.

The Saturday after that, 20th March, we have the CrossFit Games UK & Ireland Sectional. Suffolk’s the place to be! And if you can’t be there, keep in touch with proceedings via the FK.UK Twitter page.

There are also loads of courses and workshops happening in April and May. See the calendar for more info.

Cheers,

Gubernatrix
FK.UK Online Editor

So there’ll be a great atmosphere in the main event space, with stalls and goodies from the various event sponsors, including FK.UK who will be there in force – with t-shirts! The catering will even be offering paleo friendly foods.

For the athletes, there are multiple rooms allowing warm ups to happen away from the main action. There’s also a room for the massage therapist and another for parents to take their kids.

RAF Mildenhall has been very receptive to hosting this kind of event, and it’s a great way to bring the US military community together with us Brits through the shared passion of CrossFit.

What’s more, the local rugby club has agreed to host the after party at their club house, so expect beer, beer and more beer! Yep, the paleo thing might have gone to the wall by then…

…but hey, we’ll deserve it!

See all Crossfit Sectional news here

Discuss this post in the forum

Skills

Agility and Plyometrics

Five cone shuffle x2: Place five cones on the floor in a line approximately shoulder width apart. Starting on the leftmost cone, shuffle through laterally. On reaching the last cone, change direction and return to the start. Once you reach the leftmost cone again, immediately sprint forwards for 10 metres.

Shuffle with medicine ball chest press x2: With a partner, shuffle laterally using the same cones as the markers. Pass a medicine ball between you using a chest press motion. As you catch the ball, immediately recoil and pass it back to your partner.

Medicine ball toss and Catch x 3: Holding the medicine ball in the chest press position, squat and explode upwards, throwing the ball up and in front of you. Run forwards and catch the ball. Try to increase the distance of the throw each time.

Square drill x 2: Place 4 cones in a square, approximately 5 metres by 5 metres. Starting at the bottom left cone, run forward with a high knee action. On reaching the second cone, start to shuffle laterally to the third cone, then back-pedal to the fourth. Carioca step from the fourth back to the start position. On the second run through, change the direction so your shuffles and carioca steps are in the opposite direction.

Sprawl to medicine ball catch x 5: With a partner holding the medicine ball about 3 metres in front of you. On the “Go” command, drop to a sprawl position and immediately spring back up. Your partner will toss you the ball as you are coming up so you must catch it and chest press it back to them before repeating the drill.

Conditioning

AMRAP 15 minutes
Run 250m
Push Press x 10 @ 50% max press (40Kg)
Good Mornings x 20 (BW)

Flexibility and Cool Down

Post rounds to FK.UK

Have Fun!

Here is your chance to get involved in your first FK.WL competition – the Left Hand Barbell Snatch. Both key members and full members can participate in this. What’s more, as part of FK.WL you can enter free of charge! The contest is running until the end of March 2010 and is the first Lift of the Quarter of 2010.

Lift of the Quarter

The Lift of the Quarter (LoQ) is a year round competition run by the British Weightlifting Association (BWLA), based on the Odd Lifts.

A different lift is specified each quarter, from a pool of 32 lifts. Within the quarter you can make as many attempts as you like at this lift. The results are collected at the end of each quarter and ranked according to percentage of bodyweight to create a ranking for each lift. Over the year the ranking scores are added together to create an annual ranking of lifters and clubs. The various age groups are identified, as are male and female participants.

The Left Hand Barbell…what?

Before bombarding you with rules, check out this video of some variations on how to do the lift – and some variations on how not to do it too!

What are the rules of the lift?

The barbell starts on the ground.
Get it overhead in one movement without “pressing out”
Stand up straight, keep the barbell level, and bring your feet together.
Hold for a short count.
Good lift!

For those that are interested, the rules as they were originally written can be found in ‘Weightlifting Made Easy and Interesting‘ by W A Pullum (or see the bottom of this post).

How do I get involved?

If you are not an FK.WL member:
Read about FK.WL here
Then join here
Then get stuck in!

If you are an FK.WL member:
Send a short video clip to chet@funckey.co.uk. We will assess it, and as long as your lift is valid, FK.WL will submit the attempt on your behalf. If the lift is not valid we will give you tips on how to correct any mistakes.

If you are an FK.WL member training at an FK.Associate gym:
Just perform any attempts in front of the Coach, who will assess each attempt.

Send all videos/results to chet@funckey.co.uk along with your bodyweight at time of lift.

Why should I get involved?

• It’s fun!
• If you would like to test your core strength, try some one handed snatches!
• Be ranked nationally as a individual in this All Round Lifting Competition
• Be ranked nationally as part of FK.WL – we are all round lifters!

So have a go (or a lot of goes) and have fun – look forward to seeing your results!

Discuss this post in the forum.

The original rules for the one handed snatch

LIFTS NOS 3 AND 4. – The barbell shall be taken from the ground to arm’s length overhead in one clean movement. In “fixing” the bell, the truck may be bent to one side, and the legs to any extent, but to lock the arm by “pushing” the bell shall be counted cause for disqualification. At the conclusion of the lift the trunk shall be erect, the lifting arm and legs straight, and the heels together.
 
Detail of Correct Physical Performance
Stage 1. – Open the feet to a distance approximating 12ins. from heel to heel, redistributing the weight of the body equally over each foot. Again concentrating upon the long, strong “uptake.”
 
Stage 2. – “Dive” for the bell and pull it upward – and backward – overhead. Immediately the bell has reached a height approximating the line of the mouth, “fall away” and “fix” it at arm’s length.
 
Note. – There should be no pause between the “diving” and “pulling” movements, as if the sequence is broken, much of the power of the “uptake” is lost. As the arm locks, the whole weight must be distributed over the reverse foot to the lifting arm, in order to offer the bell a perfectly straight line of resistance.
 
Stage 3. – The bell “fixed”, restore the trunk to the perpendicular, and – bring the left foot in to the right – assume the finishing position. HERE THE COUNT IS TAKEN.
 
Note. – Whenever the feet are separated in single handed lifting, it is always the good corresponding to the lifting arm which moves in the recovery to the “heels together” position. Also, at the conclusion of all single-handed lifts the disengaged arm should be extended sideways, palm downwards, on a level with the shoulders.
 
Technical Performance Errors.
 
1) Bell not pulled clean overhead, but elbow locked by “pushing”

Skills

Frog Stand to hand Stand progressions.

Starting in a fog stand, rotate around the shoulders and press up in to a handstand. Initially work on moving from the horizontal to the vertical, using a wall for support if necessary. This is a great way to build up that industry “buzz-word” core stability without even looking at a Swiss Ball!

Strength

Strength C Week 9 day 1

Squat: 2×8

Bench Press: 2×10

Power Clean 3×6

You can choose one weight per exercise and try for the full range of sets with that weight (e.g. 130 Kg squat for all three sets), or you can start at a weight and if you complete the set, increase the weight for the next set.

When you can do three sets of 15 pull-ups, add weight to a belt/vest or hold a dumb-bell between your feet to increase the resistance.

Rest 90-120 seconds between sets

Flexibility and Cool Down

Post weights to FK.UK

Have Fun!

If this site isn’t on your regular reading agenda then add it now, you won’t regret it!