On March 20, 2004 – almost exactly 18 years to the date of his death – CrossFit.com introduced Power Lifter Louie Simmons’ “Reverse Hyper” machine to the CF Community. Louie was the founder of WestSide Barbell Gym and a leading authority on the sport of weightlifting. He died at the age of 74 on March 24. The Reverse Hyper is now a staple in most weightlifting gyms – including 2 at Diablo.
“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.” Eckhart Tolle
WHERE WE CAME FROM Recently I’ve been exploring the old CrossFit website, going back as far as 2001. Not surprisingly, other than aesthetic website changes, not much is different. What worked in 2001, still works brilliantly in 2022. Unfortunately, our population’s health & fitness have continued to decline overall. And yet, the “elegant solution” for better health & fitness – even a cure for chronic disease – is available to everyone via CrossFit. And not just CrossFit, the science is very clear: exercise of almost every type can help reverse the ill-health effects of a sedentary lifestyle and poor diet. (check out the article from Peter Attia in my “Craig’s List”).
TRAGEDY IN THE WORLD OF STRENGTH & FITNESS
Last week, I received news that my friend and fellow affiliate (former) owner Bryan Kastl passed away at the age of 51, immediately following a workout in his garage. Bryan and his wife Kesha were the original owners of CrossFit Hercules and good friends with Diablo. Their “Rookie Rumble” competitions were epic – and the 1st competition for many Bay Area CrossFitters. They would pack the house and their parking lot with athletes, friends, family and vendors. Bryan was passionate about CrossFit and fitness – competing in many local competitions himself. He and his wife Kesha gave back to the CF community in so many ways. He will be missed. Check out our tribute on FB.
On March 24th, Louie Simmons, “The Godfather of Powerlifting”, coach and founder of the West Side Barbell passed away at age 74. Louie was a renowned coach and the founder of the “Conjugate Method” for Strength Training. Louie was also the inventor of the Reverse Hyper machine – a device created to strengthen the posterior chain without putting pressure on the spine. He created the device to help himself recover from a broken back. The Reverse Hyper is now a staple in almost all strength training gyms around the world. For a peak at Louie and his strength training empire, check out “Behind These Walls”.
QUARTER FINAL UPDATE: The Indy’s are done! And, admittedly this was the most fun Quarterfinal we’ve had. Our community came, watched & cheered as our athletes tested themselves over 4 days. The results will be final later this week. (Check out Coach Herald’s “behind the scenes” video for a peek at the fun)
- DONE: Individual Quarterfinals (Top 10% in the Region): Mar 24-27
- NEXT: Team Quarterfinals (Top 25% in Region): Apr 7-10
- Masters/Teens (Top 10% in World): Apr 21-24
TWEET OF THE WEEK: If you want your kids to exercise, the best thing to do is set an example for them to follow.
WORKOUTS – April Focus: Base & Balance
- Primary Strength: Deadlift
- Secondary: Back Squat + DB Floor Press
- Skill: Balance
The week ahead:
- MON: 3RFT – 400m Run, 30s L-Sit, 20 Pull Ups, 200m SB Carry, Rest 1m.
- TUE: PSnatch + PClean EMOMx16. Skill: Core Work.
- WED: Back Squats 7×1. Amrap 6m: Wall Balls + 7/10c Air Bike at 0,2,4m
- THU: 4RFT – 6HSPU, 12 SDHP, 15 T2B, 450/500m Run. #65/95
- FRI: 3RFT – 200m DB FCarry, 20DB Walking Lunge, 400m Run
- SAT: 3Rnds 1min Max Reps: Squat Clean, S2OH, Thrusters, SPull-ups
- SUN: Amrap 19min – 3 RClimbs, 20/25c Bike, 15KBs, 25 Situps
CRAIG’S LIST (Stuff I’m Reading, Hearing, Watching, Using or Buying)
Amazing Photo – This pic won Nat Geo’s pic of the year.
CrossFit History – CrossFit was launched online in 2001. And while the site has changed, the methodology and the workouts are pretty much the same! Check out this week of workouts from 2001. And, here’s a typical day in 2003 (site Version 2.0).
Unique AirBnb’s – This is a really cool start-up story! Kristi Wolf went from factory worker to owner of some of the coolest & most desirable Airbnb’s on their site.
Rhonda Patrick: Poor Quality Sleep Can Speed Cancer Growth
Peter Attia: Exercise for Longevity. Exercise is literally a “drug” that is very effective at delaying the onset of death and preserving health span. Check out his recent Tweet on this subject for a nice short summary.
NetFlix: The Last Kingdom – Not sure if I posted this, but Yvonne and I just finished the last season of this series (5 seasons). It was entertaining, with lots of drama, suspense, good acting and plenty of violence. The story is compelling, and loosely based upon the struggle between England (the Saxons) and the Danes in the 9th & 10th Centuries. King Alfred struggles to unite all of England while protecting the country from Danish invaders.
Sevan Podcast: The Affiliate Town Hall – Sevan invited me onto his podcast to talk about the most recent CrossFit Affiliate Town Hall. It’s interesting if you’re interested in whats happening at the management level of CrossFit, including the CEO search. Quick summary: CF is still searching for a new CEO. They’re focused on their training certification business, adding new affiliates (esp in Europe), improving communication with affiliates and growing the Games. I urge CF to focus on promoting the methodology and the brand to drive people into the affiliates.
Make it an awesome week!
Craig
