CrossFit East Sacramento

Technique, Consistency, Intensity

Snatch 3-3-3-1-1-1

*We will be focused on technique today and the movement will be scaled according to ability.  Beginning lifters will snatch from the hang.  If you do not have a well developed overhead squat you will work on that instead.

Justin - Max Snatch from CrossFit East Sac on Vimeo.

Here are a few clips from a max snatch attempt I did a couple weeks ago. The form is far from perfect, but its pretty good and gives you an idea what the movement should look like. My body felt beat up that day and the WOD called for 3 rep max overhead squat which I had just done 4 days earlier. Warmed up with some jogging, and mobility followed by a barbell complex of snatch movements. For fun I threw on 95# and did some snatches from different positions. It felt good so I got fired up and decided to go for a 1 rep max.

Pete HarIan

Rest Day


I'm 46 years old and in the best shape of my life. If you asked me a years ago to help you move a couch, I'd have told you about my bad back and knees. If you asked me to go on a run, I'd have mentioned my weak ankles. And if you asked me to go on a hike, I'd have just said "No thanks."

After six months of regular CrossFit, instead of thinking what a drag it would be to help someone move something heavy, I think "I'll bet I can do that."

For the first few months I was miserable during every class. I really hated it. But I believed that what wasn't killing me would make me stronger, and gradually I saw myself improve in strength and cardio.  Being able to run 200 meters without stopping was the first improvement I saw, and gradually everything started to improve.

I am still regularly one of the slowest, weakest members in the CrossFit class, but I've gotten noticeably better at everything we do, and seen this reflected in things I do outside of class.

A few times in the past I have tried regular exercise; in each case the routines were self directed and relatively static, repeating the same routine over and over. Each time I got in shape and lost weight, but I also got bored with repeating the same regimen and stopped, lost my conditioning and gained my weight back.

When I first looked into CrossFit, I was disappointed that I had to participate in group classes. I'm socially uncomfortable doing something I'm no good at, so I was hoping to work out in isolation as I always have.  Before the first class I attended we watched the  previous class finish up, and a 0% body fat Type-A Amazon [Hi Anne] was hollering at someone on a rowing machine to Go! Go! Go!, and I thought yeah, if anyone ever yells at me like that I'm leaving for good.

As it turns out, the social aspect of class has been great for me, and has been a big factor in making it easy to keep going to class. It's not just that the workout is constantly varied (thought that's important), or that the movements are functional (it's a LOT more fun to lift a barbell overhead than to push a lever on a weight machine); it's also that someone is expecting me to go to class and notices when I've improved. I may not feel like going to class, or I may be sore and not perform well, but if I don't even show up I'm letting down the people who have spent their time to help me get where I am. Yes I paid them to help me, but they clearly care about their students.

Which brings me to Justin and Travis. When I started class I was a physical wreck. I couldn't complete even a scaled-back workout most of the time thanks to avoiding physical exertion my whole life. To Justin and Travis I must have looked unbearably pathetic, but I felt welcomed and encouraged from the start. I never expected CrossFit to be a warm social environment, but the respect with which Justin and Travis (and Chris and Brooke) treat each person has set the tone for everyone in the gym.

If you go to a CrossFit gym or watch CrossFit videos on the Internet you can get an impression that everyone there is a super-jock. You will find those people in the gym, but a non-competitive out-of-shape computer programmer like myself is equally welcome. And when you're pushing yourself as hard as you can you have the support of everyone in the room regardless of how much weight you're lifting. It's a great feeling watching a grandmother lift more weight than she'd have thought possible, or seeing someone getting their first pull-up of their life.

As for the intensity of the workouts, there's something very mind-clearing and pure about pushing yourself as hard as you can. There are discussions online about the merits of short intense workouts versus longer, less-intense workouts. For myself, I find the mental engagement of an intense workout to be much more satisfying than the long iPod-accompanied treadmill and weight-machine workouts I did at my old gym. Any worries I had on my mind at the start of class disappear soon enough, because there's no room for outside concerns when I have a heavy weight over my head or when I'm gasping for air during an intense cardio workout. For a few minutes the rest of the world just isn't important.

I don't hate class anymore. I look forward to it and greatly enjoy it most of the time. Class is always hard, but for the first time in my life I'm enjoying regularly attacking difficult physical challenges both in and outside the gym, and that's a wonderful thing.

Lumberjack 20 Memorial WOD

"Lumberjack 20"

20 Deadlifts 275/185
Run 400m
20 KB Swings 70/44
Run 400m
20 Overhead Squats 115/80
Run 400m
20 Burpees
Run 400m
20 Pull Ups Chest to Bar
Run 400m
20 Box Jumps 24"/20"
Run 400m
20 DB Squat Cleans 45's/30's
Run 400m


Got to love a WOD that kicks off with heavy deadlifts.  Here is Cheever with a 150# PR.  It was done with perfect form I might add.  Sarah also hit 16 pull ups in a row last week.  Amazing job for a 16 year old studette!

Tomorrow Is The Memorial WOD/Fundraiser

"Sea Sick Helen"
3 Rounds For Time:
Row 400m
21 KB Swing 53/35
12 Burpees



Please remember tomorrow is the fundraiser for the soldiers killed and wounded at Fort Hood one month ago.  You can click above in the sidebar to make a donation now or you can bring your donation to the workout tomorrow.  All affiliates and friends are welcome to join us at 0830 or 1000 to participate.  Please plan to make a donation even if it is small.  Every bit helps out to support our community.  Click here for the official Lumberjack 20 Memorial WOD website.

Enjoy Todays 1 Minute Breaks

5 Rounds:
2:00 Max Box Jumps 24"/20"
Max Set Pull Ups
Rest 1:00 Minute

*Do not rest between box jump and pull ups, score total reps.


Danny Perez with a great looking overhead squat. 

Good Luck Keeping Track Of This One

For Time:
25 Knees To Elbows
5 Power Snatch 135/95
1 Overhead Squat 135/95
20 Knees To Elbows
4 Power Snatch 135/95
2 Overhead Squat 135/95
15 Knees To Elbows
3 Power Snatch 135/95
3 Overhead Squat 135/95
10 Knees To Elbows
2 Power Snatch 135/95
4 Overhead Squat 135/95
5 Knees To Elbows
1 Power Snatch 135/95
5 Overhead Squat 135/95


Drills, drills, drills.  Get better at the lifts, perform better in your workouts.  Great lifts yesterday, nearly every single one of you got a PR clean.  Outstanding!

Let's Get Some Power Clean PR's

Power Clean 3-3-3-1-1-1

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of:
DB Hang Squat Clean 25% BW
Push Ups


The pit crews frantically adjusting the barbells during last weeks deadlifting extravaganza.  Organized chaos at its best.

Farewell Kenso

"Kenso Unbroken"
3 Rounds For Time:
1 Shoulder Press 155/105
3 Push Press 155/105
5 Push Jerk 155/105
50 Double Unders

*Once you pick up the barbell each round, it may not touch the floor until all presses are complete.  You may rest the barbell in any position as long as it does not touch the floor.  All presses must be performed from a front rack position.  If the bar touches the floor you must do 10 burpees. 

**Once you start a set of double unders, you must perform 1 burpee each time the rope stops.  Single skips between double unders are allowed, but if the rope hits your feet, or if you rest, you must do 1 burpee and then continue.

When I first saw an ad for CrossFit, I thought, “How is this any different than what I already do at the gym?”  It seems simple enough: lift, jump, and run, as quickly, safely, and efficiently as possible.  I felt I already had that figured out in my normal routine. Additionally, I was running around 20-30 miles/week and was convinced that anything but would result in weight gain and loss of cardiovascular ability.

I dropped into CF East Sac after my regular routine just to check it out.  No big machines, no cardio equipment, some pull up bars, and a big tire in the parking lot.  Wasn’t impressed.  To be honest, I thought there was no way I could get a workout from 20 min.  A conversation with Justin sparked my curiosity and I decided to give it a shot.  Six months later, I have let go of the mainstream chest/tricep, back/bicep days at 24 Hour and am 100% addicted and committed to CrossFit.  I truly feel that I do more in a 5-20 minute WOD than most people do in 1-2 hours at the gym.

CrossFit has been an incredible experience, one that has helped me grow physically and psychologically.  In addition to losing 20lbs, I’m lifting more, moving faster, and can actually do pull ups!  Not only has this box been a great outlet to release daily stress, it has also shown me that there is always more left in the tank…1 more rep, 1 more pound, 1 second faster.

While the programming is great (or terrible depending on how you feel about burpees), the community is what makes East Sac unique.  It is rare to see so many people from such differing backgrounds get together in support of one another.  From tribute WODs to celebrating life events, one gets the feeling that they are apart of something greater.  The camaraderie is further evidenced in the daily blog, the lighthearted joking, and the friendly competition on the leaderboard.

Justin, Travis, Brooke, and Chris are amazing coaches and I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from them.  While I will continue at another affiliate in San Francisco, the level of coaching at CFES will be impossible to match. Thank you for everything, this has been a life changing experience!
-Kenso Kagawa

How Do Your Legs Feel Today?

Rest Day...

Get on your foam rolls and work on your hips, yesterday was pretty brutal and I need you able to move tomorrow for the "Kenso Farewell WOD"  Then write me those testimonials I asked for.

A handful of what was a huge turnout yesterday.  We were very impressed with all of your guts yesterday.  Many of you hit 15 rep back squats at 70% of your max on the first set and a few even did it again after running a mile.  Amazing fortitude you all showed.

Squat Run Squat

For Time:
15 Back Squat 225/155
Run 1 Mile
15 Back Squat 225/155


Joan Smith getting nice and low on a back squat.