Christmas is coming. Just sayin’
“The journey is the reward.”
Proverb
PREVIEW
- Kaizen
- Nov 16 Early Close
- 16th-ish Annual Turkey Trot / Ruck!
- Pacing for Success
- New Gear Online
- Diablo Athletic Performance
- Sugar Babies Get Diabetes
- Learn Dubs
- Disclaimer
KAIZEN (Continuous Improvement) – This weekend, we began to repaint the interior of the main gym – something we like to do every few years – and we replaced the old wooden platforms at each squat/pull up rack with rubber stall mats. The wooden platforms were originally installed to provide better foot stability for heavy lifts and olympic lifting. However, we’ve found over time that the wooden platforms don’t hold up well to the myriad exercises that CrossFit programs. They take a beating, especially with dumbbells, rowers and bikes. And, the wooden platforms warp with weather changes and dent and chip with equipment use. Horse stall mats, however, are bomb proof -especially the newest versions – and they do not need to be attached to the floor! And, they look great and can be used for ALL CrossFit exercises, especially burpees (ha!). To be honest, I’m surprised we didn’t swap these out a long time ago.
Admittedly, Yvonne and I are a bit obsessed with making improvements at Diablo. When we see a better way to do something, we’ll usually make the change – and evaluate member responses after. Positive changes, even the smallest, are an indication to our community that we’re actively involved in our business and we care. And, small positive changes keep things fresh and engaging.
Next up: our membership software system and apps! Stay tuned..
HEADS UP: SAT NOV 16 – EARLY CLOSE! – On Saturday, Nov 16th, Diablo is hosting a CrossFit Affiliate Owner Gathering from 10AM – 5PM! Last class is at 9AM. Open Gym closes at 10AM. By the way, if you’d like to help with hosting – set up, take down, registration, etc, let us know! (info@diablocrossfit.com)
JOIN OUR 16TH-ISH ANNUAL TURKEY TROT / RUCK – on Thanksgiving morning (8:30A) at Hidden Lakes Park in Martinez. HLP is a beautiful open space park about 10mins from Diablo. They have a great park for kids, a huge soccer field & track and a few miles of beautiful trails with lakes. This year, we’re going to have awesome prizes sponsored by Diablo member, Realtor Rod Abdolhosseini. Along our 3k route, there will be obstacles or tasks to complete to earn a ticket for a raffle to be held at the end!
BEST WORKOUT LAST WEEK – Coach Jamie Lee’s accessory/skill focus this month includes conditioning and last Tuesday’s workout is one of the best. Learning to manage heart rate and breathing with pacing is like learning an Olympic Lift or gymnastics movement: you have to practice.
“Pace & Consistency“- Alternate A & B every 3 minutes for 10 total rounds:
- A) 400m Run
- B) 450/500m Row
Most CrossFitters aren’t keen on endurance style workouts, but steady, high heart rate training (zone 2) is very beneficial for building endurance capacity. Adust the distances to allow for at least 30 seconds of rest each interval. And, hang on.
VETERANS DAY WORKOUT – “Lumberjack 20” On Monday, Nov 11th, we’ll be open from 5AM – 6:30PM (Last class: 5:30). Lumberjack 20 is a CrossFit Hero workout created to honor the 12 soldiers, many CrossFitters, killed in a terrorist attack on at Fort Hood in 2009.
NEW GEAR ONLINE – Diablo has an online apparel store (Fully Amped) that offers direct shipping and reasonable pricing. Fully Amped serves the CrossFit Affiliate community. We’ve recently updated our designs and added hoodies and 3/4 sleeve shirts.
A BIT ABOUT DIABLO… We’ve definitely chased our fair share of shiny objects over the last 18+ years! Fortunately, we learn from all of our experiences, extracting value for our community and business and learning from mistakes.
Around 2016, CrossFit competitions were at their peak – with multiple Regional competitions in California and many local competitions in the Bay Area. Competitive athletes were eager to increase their training volume beyond a 1-hour class and CrossFit gyms that offered open gym time all day were becoming popular – and Diablo was no exception. Diablo’s individual and athletes and teams qualified for the Regionals and other competitions consistently and thus needed extra space, equipment and available time to train competitively.
So, we launched “Diablo Athletic Performance” – an Open Gym membership for athletes and others who wanted to train on their own and NOT in class. The idea was to create a “globo gym” model for CrossFitters with all-day access. Diablo trivia: the name “athletic performance” was borrowed from Flagship CrossFit who changed their name to Flagship Athletic Performance in order to distinguish themselves from other CrossFit gyms in San Francisco. And, the logo design paid homage to our very first Diablo logo which included a line graphic of Mt. Diablo.
Unfortunately (or, fortunately), Diablo Athletic Performance failed to capture the attention of enough new members to make it worthwhile. Our members love CrossFit class. And, open gym athletes doing “their own thing” was a deterrent to building a healthy, vibrant community. Today, our open gym area is a resource for our coaches doing private training sessions with members and a great place for members to do their accessory & strength training or catch up on a workout they missed.
November Focus: 1. Front Squat. 2. Deadlift. Skill: Conditioning / Handstands
(PRs: Newsletter)
- Mon: Lumberjack 20
- Tue: Front Squat. Metcon: Airbike & Farmer Carry
- Wed: Handstand Practice. Metcon: Amrap 7m – DUs & Abmat Situps
- Thu: Deadlift. Metcon: Amrap 6m – 12 DB Front Rack Lunge & 9 DB Press
- Fri: Conditioning – E5MOMx5: 350/400m Row & 200 Run
- Sat: Amrap 15m – 21 Pull Ups, 15 DB Thrusters, 9 DB HC, 6 DB PPress
- Sun: 3RFT – 9 HSSnatch, 15 Box Jumps, 21 Push Ups #75/115
- RESEARCH: Limiting Sugar in Infancy is Tied To Less Diabetes & Hypertension in Adulthood – this should come as no surprise – it’s based upon a study of UK adults who lived through the UK’s sugar rationing which ended in 1953. My tip: no fruit juices.
- YOUTUBE: Learn Double Unders!! This is one of the best coaching videos on Dubs that I’ve seen. Double Unders are a grind, but with consistent practice every week, you can get them!
- NEWS/RESEARCH: 5 Minutes of Exercise Can Reduce High Blood Pressure – The evidence for the value of high intensity training continues to pile up! This one, I discovered myself after 1 year of CrossFit, an annual physical showed my resting BP to be substantially lower than previous years.
- APPLE TV: Disclaimer (Series) – This was a bizarre tale of a woman’s (Cate Blanchett) extra-marital affair that ended with the death of her lover and subsequent revenge by his parents. It’s excellent acting (Kevin Kline was damn good) and a fascinating tale with a surprise ending.
Craig
