WOD 5.1.12

5 rounds for time:

15 Dumbbell Hang power cleans
10 Front squat
5 Push jerk

Increase the weight each round and rest no more than 30 seconds between rounds.

Post total working time and loads used for each round to comments.

Braised Curry Kale

This recipe was inspired by a trip to Wegman's. They have an awesome hot food bar!

Go to the store and pick up some kale!

INGREDIENTS:
-2 cups of kale, coarsley chopped with the stems removed
-1.5 tbsp of coconut oil
-2 tsp of curry powder
-2-3 tbsp of coconut milk (you can use water if you don't have coconut milk)

PROCESS:
-Heat a skillet over medium/high heat. Once hot, add the coconut oil.
-Add the curry powder to the pan and incorporate it into the melted coconut oil.
-Add the kale and 1-2 tbsp of coconut milk or water.
-Continue cooking until the kale starts to soften, stirring occasionally to coat the kale with the coconut oil curry mix. If the kale starts to stick to the pan or if the kale looks dry, add another tbsp of coconut milk or water.
-Serve and enjoy!!!

WOD 4.30.12

If we can get enough people in class, this will be a team WOD.

12 minute AMRAP:

Person A)

5 Push-ups

10 Sit-ups

15 Squats

Person B)

15 Box jumps

Both athletes must complete their assigned tasks before switching. That is, Person A must finish all of their push-ups, sit-ups, and squats in order before they can move onto the box jumps. Person B must finish their box jumps before proceeding to the push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.

Each athlete will keep track of their own score and the winning team will be determined by adding the total number of rounds and reps from both athletes.

Post your own individual rounds and reps to comments.

WOD 4.28.12

8 minute AMRAP:

10 Burpee box jumps, 24"
10 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
10 GHD sit-ups

Post rounds/reps to comments.

WOD 4.27.12

3 rounds:

15 Squat clean thrusters, 95#
12 Back extensions
9 Ring dips
3 Rope climbs

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.26.12

Here we are folks! Our first official strength day! Time to lift some heavy ass weight!!! We also have our first repeated WOD! Have you gotten fitter since the last time we did this? Let us know if you PR'd and by how much.

STRENGTH:

Shoulder Press:
5-5-5-5-5

MET-CON:

10 minute AMRAP:

185# Deadlift, 10 reps
95# Push press, 10 reps

Post weights used for the press and rounds/reps for the WOD in comments.

WOD 4.25.12

"Nicole"

20 minute AMRAP:

400m run
Max pull-ups

Post reps for each round in comments.

WOD 4.24.12

21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:

Hang power clean, 135#
Front squat, 135#
Push jerk, 135#

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.23.12

If you happened to do the 10 minute AMRAP of deadlifts and push presses, just post your times. Here is the WOD that we did at X Four Three. Sorry for any confusion.

5 rounds:

5 Deadlifts, 225#
10 GHD sit-ups
20 Grasshoppers (both legs count as 1 rep)

Post time to comments.

Paleo Pizza

Dinner is served!!!

We made this recipe a last weekend and as soon as we finished eating, we were wishing we had doubled the recipe. We cut the pizza in quarters and we each had two slices. Plenty for one meal, but we sad that we didn't have any leftovers.


INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced or diced
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 whole eggplant, grated
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup arugula
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup flax meal
1/4 lb prosciutto (we used turkey bacon)
Salt and pepper to taste
Parchment paper

PROCESS:
-Preheat oven to 350°F
-Peel and grate eggplant with a cheese grater. You can throw the skin away.
-Place grated eggplant in a clean dish towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.
-Put grated eggplant into a large mixing bowl and add the flax and almond meal.
-Whisk the egg in a separate bowl and then add it to the eggplant mixture.
-Add salt and pepper to taste.
-Mix until the ingredients are evenly combined.
-Pour the batter onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
-Smooth batter out with your hands into a thin layer about 1/8" thick.
-Bake the crust for 30-35 minutes.
-Remove the crust from the oven, lightly grease another piece of parchment with olive oil and place on top of the crust.
-Carefully flip the crust and then slowly peel of the parchment from the bottom side.
-Brush the flipped side lightly with olive oil.
-Bake the opposite side for about 15 minutes.
-Remove from the oven and add the toppings and spices.
-Bake for an additional 7-10 minutes


We took a few liberties with the toppings. We had sliced shitake mushrooms, capers, artichokes, red onion, and natural tomato puree. Get creative with your toppings!!!

Two slices each, made for the perfect portion size!

Base recipe from: http://beta.primal-palate.com/recipe/prosciutto-and-arugula-pizza/

WOD 4.21.12

10 minute AMRAP:

3 Deadlifts, 225#
3 Rope climbs
30' Dumbbell Farmer's carry, 90#

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.20.12

For time:

800m run

10 rounds of the couplet:

10 Handstand push-up

10 Jumping lunges

800m run

*On the jumping lunges, the back knee must gently touch the ground.

Post time to comments.

Private and Semi-Private Sessions

We are happy to announce that X Four Three is now offering private and semi-private personal training sessions. These classes are structured exactly the same as our daily small group classes. The private classes are a one-on-one class and the semi-private class is a two-on-one class size.

These classes are perfect for anyone who enjoys training alone or who is interested in training with just a friend. These sessions are also helpful for people who are looking to get even more personal attention from a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer to help make integration into the daily group classes a smoother transition.

Private and semi-private personal training is available by appointment only.


For more information or to schedule your free intro session email: xfourthree@gmail.com or "like" and message us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/XFourThreeFitness

WOD 4.19.12

3 Rounds for time:

20 Sumo Deadlift High Pull, 75#
10 Overhead Squat, 135#

*Rest exactly 1 minute between each round.

Post total working time to comments.


Stay tuned, we have some pretty cool things in the works. One of which should be announced within the next few days.

WOD 4.18.12

"Cindy"
20 minute AMRAP:

5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

Post number of rounds and reps to comments.

Cauliflower Mash

A perfect side dish to any meal and way healthier and tastier than their potato counterpart!

This is so much better than mashed potatoes! Healthier too!

INGREDIENTS:

-1 large head of cauliflower, organic if possible

-Olive oil

-Salt

-Pepper

PROCESS:

Blend or process until smooth and creamy.

-Clean and chop the cauliflower into bite sized pieces.

-Fill a large pot with water and place on the stove over medium/high heat.

-Put cauliflower into pot and bring to a boil.

-Continue to boil cauliflower until soft.

-In a food processor or blender, process until smooth. At this point, slowly add olive oil until a smooth, creamy consistency is reached.

-Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pair this paleo friendly side with any dish you choose!

WOD 4.17.12

21-15-9 reps rounds of:

Power Clean and Jerk, 135#
One-legged squats

Post time to comments.


"Life is better than death, I believe, if only because it is less boring and because it has fresh peaches in it."-Thomas Walker

WOD 4.16.12

For time:

400m Run
15 Back squats, 155#
15 Chest-to-bar pull-ups
15 Thrusters, 95#
15 Toes-to-bar
400m Run

Post time to comments.

Almond Butter

Almond butter goes great with sliced apples!

Here is an easy, delicious, cost effective recipe for almond butter. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of whole almonds (preferably raw, unsalted almonds)
1/4 cups of macadamia nut oil (macadamia nut oil tends to be a bit pricey and we also didn't have any, so we used coconut oil. Almond oil would be a logical choice too.)

PROCESS:

In a a food processor, process almonds until a smooth, fine consistency is achieved. (If you wanted almond flour, stop at this point.)

Add in the oil of your choice and continue to process, occasionally scraping the sides of the processor,  until the mixture forms a buttery, soft solid.

That's it!!! You're done! Sit back and dig in!

Doesn't look pretty, but is freakin' delicious!!!

Recipe from: http://beta.primal-palate.com/recipe/almond-butter/

LAST CHANCE FOR A FREE MONTH OF TRAINING!!!

LAST CHANCE!!!

For only 1 more day, X Four Three will be offering its 1 month Starting Point classes (8 classes, 2 times a week) for FREE!!! (An intro session is still required.) That means everyone gets a total of 9 classes for free! There are no excuses not to take advantage of this opportunity to get on the path to greater health and fitness!!! 

This offer expires TOMORROW!

Monday April 16th 2012.

*As long as your first class is on or before Monday April 16th, you are eligible for the Free Starting Point classes.

To accommodate people and their schedules, X Four Three will be open tomorrow, Monday April 16th from 10am-6:30pm and 7:30pm-8:30pm.  

For more information and to schedule your intro session on Monday April 16th and the first of 8 free Starting Point classes email:

xfourthree@gmail.com

or

alexmeade23@facebook.com

WOD 4.14.12 (for real)

2 rounds for time:

50 Squats
40 Swings, 1.5 pood
30 Sit-ups
20 Lateral bar jumps*
10 Deadlifts, 185#

*For the lateral bar jumps, use the loaded bar that you will use for the deadlifts. Stand facing parallel to the bar and jump with both feet laterally over the bar and land with both feet at the same time. One jump equals one rep.

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.14.12

You might be wondering what the WOD is for 4.14.12. It will remain my little secret until the 11am Bring A Friend class. Sorry for anyone who was hoping to know what it was tonight. Check back tomorrow at 11am eastern time!

WOD 4.13.12

5 rounds for time:

50 Wall walks
50 Squats

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.12.12

5 Rounds for time:

10 Thrusters, 95#
8 Parallel ring push-ups
6 Chest-to-bar pull-ups

Post time to comments.

Paleo Lunch Tips

A little lunch time reading for everyone! I found an awesome article about making paleo friendly lunches for little kids and big kids alike to take to school or work. Check it out!!!

http://everydaypaleo.com/2012/04/03/school-lunch-ideas/

BRING A FRIEND (or two) SATURDAY 4.14.12

It's always more fun with a friend!

This Saturday, April 14 2012 will be Bring a Friend day at X Four Three!!! The class will be FREE, held at 11am, and will have the same structure as a normal X Four Three class.

We have a special WOD planned that not even the regulars have experienced yet! No need to worry about you current fitness level or unfamiliarity with any of the movements. The entire class will be dedicated to teaching everyone safe and proper form to ensure a fun and safe workout for everyone.

If you are interested, please email us at: xfourthree@gmail.com to let us know that you will be attending.
You can also R.S.V.P. on our Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/XFourThreeFitness

WOD 4.11.12

For time:

800m run
10 rounds of the couplet:
10 Pull-up
10 Ring dips
800m run

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.10.12

5 rounds for time:

155# Deadlift, 12
155# Hang power clean, 9
155# Push Jerk, 6

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.9.12

3 rounds for time:

30 Kettlebell swings, 1.5 pood
15 Toes-to-bar
10 Dumbbell Push press, 40#

Post time to comments.

Omega-3 Fish Oil

Fish oil or omega-3 fatty acids are an important nutritional supplement that provide many health benefits. Why is fish oil so important? The two long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil are EPA (eicospentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and they are extremely beneficial to us and play a large role in many ways, from controlling insulin levels to helping to maintain healthy brain function.


Not only is fish oil good for our brains and our insulin levels, it is also very important for heart health. Omega-3 supplementation has been shown to lower "bad" cholesterol and increase "good cholesterol." Fish oil has also shown its ability to slow the hardening of arteries and lower blood pressure. It also increases the flexibility of red blood cell membranes, which leads to improved blood circulation, as well as increasing the levels of clot-dissolving factors.


Omega-3s are great for reducing inflammation. When chronic inflammation occurs, your body is simultaneously healing and destroying the tissue at the sight of the inflammation. Heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and Alzheimer's are known to increase levels of pro-inflammatory markers. Omega-3s from fish oil prevent the production of these markers. Fish oil supplementation can’t prevent this inflammation, and it does nothing to stop the progress of inflammatory diseases or treat the causes of inflammation themselves, but fish oil can relieve the pain associated with inflammation. It is also great for creaky and achy joints! Think of it as WD-40 for humans!


According to Dr. Barry Sears of The Zone Diet, the daily recommended dosage is 5 grams. Now that is not 5 grams of fish oil. That is 5 grams of EPA and DHA combined. Some might say this is a somewhat high dosage for the average "healthy" individual. My response to that is to try taking in at least 3 grams a day for a few weeks and see how you feel. http://whole9life.com/fish-oil-faq/ is a great resource for any questions that might come up concerning fish oil supplementation. With all the positive effects of omega-3s from fish oil, the question you should ask yourself is not "Should I be taking fish oil?" It should be "Why am I not already taking fish oil?"

Photo from here

WOD 4.7.12

For time:

10 Squat snatches, 135#
2 Muscle-ups
8 Squat snatches, 135#
4 Muscle-ups
6 Squat snatches, 135#
6 Muscle-ups
4 Squat snatches, 135#
8 Muscle-ups
2 Squat snatches, 135#
10 Muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.6.12

For time:

800m run
10 rounds of the couplet:
10 Knees to elbows
10 Hug-a-twinky
800m run

Go to http://www.drillsandskills.com/skills/cond/core for instructions on how to do a Hug-a-twinky. Most of us don't have a vaulting horse, but if you have a GHD, you can lie face down with your head toward the foot plate and hang your feet down over the hip pads. Think of the movement as a reverse-hyper without the resistance.

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.5.12

3 Rounds for time:

50 SDHP, 45# barbell
Walking Lunges, 50ft.
10 Chest to bar pull-ups

Post time to comments.

WOD 4.4.12

For time:

155# Squat Clean and Jerk, 30 reps

Post time to comments.

FREE INTRO & STARTING POINT CLASSES EXPIRE ON MONDAY APRIL 16th! ACT NOW!!!

Effective immediately!

For a limited time only, X Four Three will be offering its 1 month Starting Point classes (8 classes, 2 times a week) for FREE!!! An intro session is still required. That means everyone gets a total of 9 classes for free. There are no excuses not to take advantage of this opportunity to get on the path to greater health and fitness!!! 

This offer expires Monday April 16th 2012.

*As long as your first class is on or before Monday April 16th, you are eligible for the Free Starting Point classes.

For more information and to schedule your intro session and the first of 8 free Starting Point classes email:

xfourthree@gmail.com

or

alexmeade23@facebook.com

WOD 4.3.12

5 rounds for time of:

45# barbell Overhead walking lunge, 50 feet
21 Burpees

Let trailing knee gently touch the ground on each lunge.

Post time to comments.


"True friends are like diamonds, precious and rare. False friends are like autumn leaves, found everywhere."-Bruce Lee

Paleo Chicken Nuggets

INGREDIENTS:

-1 lb. ground chicken

-1 egg yolk

-1 tsp onion powder

-1/4 tsp garlic powder

-1/4 cup + 1/2 cup almond flour

-1/2 cup dessicated coconut*

-1/2 cup coconut oil

-Salt and pepper

METHOD:

In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup of almond flour, 1/2 cup of dessicated coconut and some salt and pepper. Mix it around with your hands to in corporate the ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the ground chicken, 1/2 cup of almond flour, onion and garlic powder, egg yolk and some salt and pepper. Mix it with your hands until everything has been incorporated.

In a saute pan, melt the coconut oil on medium heat.

Take about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and roll into the shape of a ball. Drop it into the almond/coconut mixture and roll the chicken ball around with the fingers. Make sure it’s completely coated. Repeat this process with the rest of the chicken. After the chicken balls are coated, press flat to make them into chicken nuggets. Place the nuggets in the saute pan and cook on each side until nice and brown. 

*Dessicated coconut is dried, finely shredded, unsweetened meat of the coconut. It’s the perfect size to replicate a bread crumb. If you can’t find it at your natural foods grocery store, you can always order it from Amazon.

Base recipe from: http://www.health-bent.com/poultry/paleo-chicken-nuggets

Teresa and I didn't make the curry mustard sauce this time around. We had leftover paleo BBQ sauce, some paleo teriyaki sauce, and some store bought garlic chili pepper sauce (very spicy) that we used when we made the paleo orange chicken recipe. 

WOD 4.2.12

Apologies for the lack of posts for today. We will make up for it with some extra recipes or articles this week.

For time:

200m run
15-12-9
Squats
Push-ups
Pull-ups
200m run

Post time to comments.


"Fitness needs to be perceived as fun and games or we subconsciously avoid it."-Alan Thicke