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Good luck to everyone taking on the big bad Level Assessment today! Lift Heavy then Go Fast! There are NO regular classes today! Get outside and play! Take on a Crossfit Endurance WOD, perhaps an “On the Go” WOD, or some active recovery like biking!
Have you thought about your goals lately? Have you re-visited your goal card? Updated it? Reached some of your milestones? Missed milestones? Not thought about that darn card since you posted it in January? Some good news for those in a rut! We’ve all been there. Feel like you are running up the escalator in the wrong direction? Everyone is bound to hit that wall in training…the dreaded plateau. It’s important to remember you need to put energy into your plateau as you would your training. When you feel like your performance is stopped dead, or worse, declining, time to pause and have a look at what needs to be tweaked. It won’t fix itself! Some Upcoming Fun at Crossfit Toronto
It’s a busy month! Hope to see you all!  Lisa and Cameron partaking in some Active Rest activities! Partner Handstands! Crossfitaholic cross’fit’a'hol’ic
synonyms – WODaholic, metcon-aholic, barbell-aholic, snatch-aholic, Crossfit stalker! Gosh! Who would want to be one of those. Imagine having that kind of affliction. Rumour has it there may be a Crossfitaholic amongst us at Crossfit Toronto. The good news is, help is out there…a cure! It’s incredibly difficult, some may even find it more painful than “Fran!”… more traumatizing than max rep squats…more mentally taxing than “Murph!” It’s REST! (insert quiver!) Don’t fear it folks…REST is here to help! But you have to be careful! There is a cheaper and ineffective impostor cure out there known as UNDER RECOVERY! Don’t be fooled. Sitting on your fanny, chowing down on M&M’s, while staying up half the night to watch an MTV marathon of “The Hills” is not REST…it is the tricky evil twin known as UNDER RECOVERY! For anyone who may be suffering from Crossfit-itis act now. It’s not too late to avoid becoming a Crossfit-aholic! WorkoutComplete as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes of:
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 Coach B and me! Can you believe it!! Oh, who are the people in your neighborhood? Meet Miss Deanne, our lovely Aussie! She’s a “people in our Crossfit Neighbourhood!” We have been in Canada since Christmas Eve last year and we are leaving to go back today – 7 months later. My husband is a head and neck surgeon and the best micro vascular training in the world is in Toronto so here we are…with our kids (16, 14, 11 and 5) but minus Tilly the dog. She’s an outside dog anyway. There are only a few CrossFit affiliates in Australia, much, much less than in Northern America, so I decided that my stay in Canada was going to be a CrossFit experience – I was going to learn as much as I could. I had been exposed to CrossFit though Andrew Catermole at CrossFit Sydney last year and I would like to say that I loved it but that would be a lie as I hated every moment of those first workouts. During them I even hated Andrew. They were the hardest things I had done for a long, long time. I really wanted to forget the whole thing, as it was kicking my butt but my pride would not let me be beaten. And everything else seemed like a waste of time after those sessions. I googled CrossFit Toronto before we came over and made sure our rental was fairly close… After the jetlag had subsided, my husband drove me to meet John and Machiko (I was not used to driving on the ‘wrong side’ of the road). I signed up for the bootcamp and signed the boys up as well. We all got up at 5:15am in the middle of winter for a month. I am so proud of them for doing that with me. The first day I nearly killed us all, turning into the oncoming traffic but they were so spent they didn’t yell much. We graduated to regular CrossFit Class a month later. There is something about physical challenge that reveals a lot about a person, and I like that. I have never seen someone stop or give up on a WOD – ever. So I think the thing I like most about CrossFit is that it attracts the sort of people I want in my life, and in my kids’ lives. The CrossFit method is now part of our lives. I was lucky enough to complete a few certifications over here. When we return to Australia I plan to open a CrossFit affiliate in Wollongong and share the love… Many, many thanks to John and Machiko for creating CrossFit Toronto. I am going to miss you all very much. Fave WOD: Annie Least Fave WOD: Anything with the letters AMRAP in it Best skill: Running Goat: Press All time highlights: Deanne we will miss you dearly. CrossFit Wollongong is quite possibly the best name ever, and sounds like a great “field trip social” for the Toronto crew! Having completed the Olympic Lifting Certification with Coach Burgener this past weekend, seems today’s Snatch workout is a perfect farewell WOD! WorkoutRandy 75 reps for time of:
It’s Canada Day! Happy Day Off Work. Happy Special WOD Day. And more than likely “Happy Temptation Day!” Somehow sunny summer days are synonymous with patios, BBQ’s, beer and other delicious non-paleo friendly temptations. It’s hard being a good cottage go’er and Zaleo subscriber! Gosh darn-it, sometimes it’s pretty near impossible. Seriously, is there anything more lovely than an ice cold adult beverage with a side of BBQ goodies and a finisher of melty ice cream!? Heck No! Here’s a little something to consider… If you going to cheat, know WHAT you’re getting into, and HOW to do it well! Byers gives some good opinions on Getting your Dirty Diet on! WorkoutHoliday “Pain” for Time! Come on…you know it’s a SUPRISE! See you at 9am for some Patriotic Fun! (remember only one class today!) HAPPY CANADA DAY!
Coach Burgener has created a Monster! Several in fact! We are still flying high from the weekend Olympic Lifting Cert. Coach B’s christening of Cynthia as his “adopted daughter” has gotten her all pumped up and she just won’t stop bragging about it. The only thing we could do to stop her chatting was to let her get it all out… Meet Cynthia (aka Killa C’)…or as she demands to be called now “The Long Lost Cynthia Burgener!” A Weekend in the Life of a Crossfit Olympic Lift Certification Attendee/Junkie Preface: I signed up to take the O-lift cert because I have the intrinsic motivation to improve my training as much as I possibly can. To be a Crossfitter is to be involved in the lifelong pursuit of becoming the best version of yourself you can possibly be. For whatever reason I love ,and have gravitated towards, all of the lifts we do at Crossfit. As I have progressed through the body weight exercises into the more complicated Olympic lifts, I can’t get over the success I am having to pull numbers I never thought possible. The Crossfit Toronto trainers are amazing but I wanted to take this cert to have the information presented to me in a different and more intensive way. When I watched some youtube videos (which my husband calls my Crossfit porn) of Coach Burgener training others, I just knew I would love his approach. I just didn’t realize how much… Day 1 Coach Burgener runs a tight ship and does not f— around! We made sure to pay attention, and be loud and clear with “Yes Coach” or pay the price with “Burpee Motivation.” Yeah, Burpees. I loved it. I also loved how you could tell he was memorizing each participant as we went around and introduced ourselves. Coach B commented on people’s favourable attributes as they related to lifting. When he saw my short Killa C frame I was christened his “adopted daughter” which made my day! Day 1 is all things Snatch! We did the Burgener warm up more times than I can remember, as well as some skill transfers. I can’t even begin to describe the number of repetitions…but they were NUMEROUS! PVC suddenly becomes very heavy after hours of drills and my body felt it! Having said that, I feel much more confident executing the snatch at heavier weights now, as I have a better understanding of the different phases of the lift. A couple messages that came through loud and clear for me today were: “Body Weight Exercises Before Barbell Exercises,” and “Drills Enhance the Skills.” Burgener won’t let his athletes touch a barbell until he is satisfied with their ability to do body weight exercises and endless drills with various weights of PVC tubing. It helped me understand why John and Machiko are so militant about 2 things – 1. Perfect technique and 2. Repetition of the basics. So that time I was p-ssed off by the 300 walking lunges, I can now thank them for helping strengthen the base of my split jerk. When I see front squat show up more times than I like, I know they are helping me improve my cleans. Or when we do “stoopit” workouts where it feels like we’ve done 1000 air squats… or GHD sit ups/back extensions, I know my core is getting stronger which will only quicken my “speed through the middle.” When I want to punch John and Machiko in the face for all of the box jumps – they are just helping me develop a solid base for landing…I could go on and on and on… Day 2 After Day 1, I was certain I was going to wake up unable to move. Quite the contrary actually, I feel pretty good… just tired. Clean and Jerk was the topic of the day. I’m feeling better about performing these movements from the high hang, but as soon as I go to knees or shins I feel like I forget what to do. There are so many areas to dissect a lift, that I find it best not to think about any of them when I am trying to execute a lift. (don’t get caught in “paralysis by analysis”) This weekend made me realize the importance of working my flexibility to improve my performance. There is no reason not to go down and hold my squat as long as I can and press out my knees (”give me your hips!”)…or spend more time stretching out my wrists. EVERYDAY! A highlight for me was a conversation with Burgener regarding my age! He thought i was about 18 years old and this made my day…perhaps my year! I love this guy! There is just something about receiving a compliment from him that makes you feel like the most important lifter in the world. I felt the same way whenever Natalie, Casey, or Sage encouraged me as well. I love that they have experienced so much success in their sport and still take the time to give back to others, and want to help develop more competitive lifters. I highly recommend if you have the opportunity to take any Crossift Certification – you should absolutely do it. The Olympic Lift one in particular rocks! O-Lifts are technical as f—! And the more you can practice and learn the technique, and discuss with others, and hear the information from as many different sources in as many different ways as you can, the more likely those neurons will fire off the “Oh… I get it!” signal. John and Machiko have given me very a lot of good instruction over the last 2 years, but it took 2 days of intensive drilling and repetition for my brain to truly understand the “clean” and “snatch.” Watching Olympic lifters perform the movements, and looking at super-slow-mo videos breaking down the steps of the movements really helped as well…not to mention having your technique corrected by an Olympian! In case you are reading this and wondering why the heck you should care about the Olympic lifts (and therefore, whether or not you have good form executing the basics) my answer is simple: Olympic lifts, because they are so technical, cannot be faked. There are specific areas of strength needed for the various phases of all of the lifts, and using crappy technique will not help you develop them. Performing a lift without the commitment to execute the correct technique is just going to end up bad… likely in injury. I like a sport that comes with accountability….that’s how we grow. There is also something about motivation through pain and fear that I find exciting and really pushes me to keep at it. I feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment from executing a lift correctly, and lifting a weight I didn’t think possible. There is also nothing better than O-Lifts for developing strong and sexy midline stability. Guaranteed to get better results than P90X….but that’s just my opinion Having completed the weekend and all it’s drills and skills transfers, I can’t wait to hit Isabel and Grace like the meanest junkyard dog ever! Cyn (aka Killa C, aka Cynthia Burgener the Adopted One!) Don’t Miss the UPcoming Certifications at Crossfit Toronto:
We may specialize in not specializing, but to improve, seek out the knowledge of an expert! Certification makes better Crossfitters…and the world needs more Fire Breathers! Also, LAST 2 DAYS TO REGISTER FOR THE ONTARIO CHALLENGE NEXT MONTH! Remember, YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH! I would put my money on you. Competitions are for winning, challenges are to prove to yourself how hardcore you really are and how far you’ve come! Stop thinking and just do it. SIGN UP NOW! Complete 3 rounds, not for time:
 The Crossfit Toronto Crew at the Olympic Lifting Cert Snatch! 2 inch! 4 inch! 6 inch! Jerk! OH MY! To the average person, this might sound like there was a little dirty talk going on at Crossfit this weekend! To the Crossfitter, it could only mean one thing…Coach Burgener was in town! This weekend several of our Crossfit Toronto members had the incredible opportunity to attend the Olympic Lifting Certification with Coach Burgener. Two full days of skill development, drills and phenomenal coaching. Who knew PVC pipe could go from weightless to 3 tonnes in a weekend! Crossfit incorporates Olympic Lifts into many of the workouts. These lifts are explosive and powerful, and their application makes athletes stronger and faster. Crossfit has a strong focus on the clock, and unfortunately this often leads to less than perfect form and technique. This weekends certification broke the Snatch, Clean, and Jerk down into it’s simplistic components. However, this disection also showed how critical the execution of these simplistic motions are to successful lifts and continuous improvement. It truly is as simple as “jump” and “land” But you must put in the work to PERFECTLY jump and land! And we worked! Drills and skill transfers, coach and trainee, and let’s not forget burpees! Yeah burpees! Coach B stated it best when he quoted Vince Lombardi: ”Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect!” All the coaches – Coach B’s son Casey, daughter Sage and daughter-in-law Natalie, as well as the Dynamic Duo from Crossfit Saskatoon (go team Canada!) – were nothing short of amazing. Coaching isn’t only about having knowledge, it’s about understanding your client and their weaknesses and needs, and knowing how to communicate in terms that are relevant to them. Coach B’s team were perfect examples of what stellar coaching is all about. Keen eyes, amazing cues, and valuable feedback. Crossfit boasts that we “specialize in not specializing.” Having said that, the olympic lifts require precision, perfect timing, and a whole lot of strength. To truly improve on these, you need to seek the help of a specialist. This weekend definitely supplied the experts! Here’s some learnings and fave Burgisms of the Crossfit Toronto crew from the weekend…
Crossfit Toronto is holding another Olympic Lifting Certification in August, hosted by Crossfit All-Star Josh Everett. Whether trainer or trainee, anyone interested in improving their lifts won’t want to miss this! WorkoutComplete 10 rounds for time:
Sorry guys, this one’s for the ladies! I am no feminist, far from it. However, it must be recognized that the modern gal is independent and more than capable of taking care of herself. We have good jobs, own our own places, and can manoeuvre our way around any home depot just as well as any boy! But I’m not going to lie, we still crave a little chivalry so feel free to open our doors or pump our gas! With all that considered, why the heck are so many of us still reluctant to lift weights…heavy weights!? Today was Day 1 of the Crossfit Olympic Lifting Certification with Coach Burgener. A little like the Partridge family, much of Burgener’s crew consists of his family. Among his coaches, are his son Casey and daughter-in-law Natalie, and daughter Sage. All AMAZING athletes. As the squatless girl, I was immediately awe-struck by Natalie’s close-footed, narrow-gripped, perfectly erect squat. My attempt at the same move looked more like an injured giraffe ready to collapse. It was plain ugly. Natalie on the other-hand, executed every move with precision and intense power. Later I witnessed her Snatch an insane amount of weight with the greatest ease. Honestly, the bar floated! Gals, why are we so fearful of the barbell!? If we want to be fit and toned, the elliptical won’t get us there, nor will running, walking or biking alone! Cardio is not the ticket! WE NEED TO LIFT! This will make you leaner, stronger, faster, and just all around healthier. And Natalie is the greatest example that weights WILL NOT make you bulky or masculine. You CAN be strong AND feminine. So gals, perhaps we leave the oil changes and clogged plumbing to the boys…but we should not leave the barbells to them! Get Lifting! (t-dot sio) Workout:Power Clean 1-1-1-1-1
A big Thank you and Congratulations to all those who made it out to the Summer Solstice fundraiser last weekend for Camp Bucko. Thanks to those who made a donation to support the participants and the fantastic cause. The day was a ton of fun…in that painful Crossfit kind of way! There were many a sore body for days to follow. Angry calves seemed to be the biggest souvenir of the day! If you weren’t able to make it out, it’s not too late! It is the longest day of the year after all and donations are still being accepted until June 30th. A few honourable Shout Outs from Summer Solstice are in order: Longest Performer (that’s right…I said it!) Honourable Mentions: This is just a sample of the awesome people we have at CFTO! Who are your nominees? A HUGE thanks to everyone who came out to workout, support, and cheer! It was a great day for a fantastic cause. A last thanks to Fab Videographer/photographer Mark Rozeluk! Check out his pics in the Summer Solstice Gallery. Stay tuned for the video! Workout21-15-9 reps for time of:
 photography thanks to mark rozeluk en·dur·ance the ability to withstand hardship or adversity ; especially : the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity the act or an instance of enduring or suffering <endurance of many hardships> Don’t be fooled, Crossfit Endurance is NOT just for the marathoner, the triathelete, the Ironman. Crossfit Endurance is for the Crossfitter who wants to improve in every aspect of their performance. It’s about increased speed and efficiency. You don’t need to train more…you need to learn to train smarter. You DON”T want to miss the Crossfit Running and Endurance Certification next month. It doesn’t come to Toronto often, so don’t miss out and sign up NOW. Only a few spots remain! Meet Brian MacKenzie..meet the whole new endurance athlete. GriffComplete for time:
 Photo thanks to Brendan Hodge www.edgebrendan.aminus3.com There are some pretty sweet CrossFit Affiliate logos out there! CrossFit Toronto thinks we should be one of them. We’ve got the talent, so why not flash an equally hardcore logo! We’re asking you to take your skills from the gym floor and bring em to the drawing board. We want you to make us all look good with a hardcore logo! In true Crossfit style, it’s a competition. So bring it! We are challenging members and non-members to create a killer logo so we too can be the envy of affiliates world-wide! Your winning idea would brand our signage, website, future clothing, etc. That’s a whole lot of fame! This is OUR new tag…so let’s get excited and let’s get going! Even if you aren’t an artist, support the quest for the ultimate logo and cheer on your fellow artsy Crossfitters! Here are the Rules:
From July 20 to July 31, we will open up voting to all of our members (including Bootcampers, obviously!). Everyone will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite design. We’ll narrow down the nominated finalists and then officially adopt our new logo by the end of July. Anyone can contribute – past, present and future CFTO members. Friends, family, co-workers, whomever, are all invited to participate. So if art ain’t your thing…recruit! Need more reasons beyond fame and recognition:
Got Questions? If you have any questions , ASK!! Shoot us an email at info@crossfitto.com or ask your trainer next time you’re in. Need Inspiration?! Look around, the gym is full of inspiration, or have a look at some other affiliates to get some ideas! Good luck! We already know we’ve got a lot of talent at CFTO, so get creating, we can’t wait to see what you come up with!! And remember, some of the best ideas were thought up while foam rolling! Workout10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of:
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