The CFO Throwdown Blog Is Back!

We're resurrecting the CFO Throwdown Blog.

The first order of business to discuss is our own CFO Throwdown schedule for the coming year.

For now, here's the deal. We'll be holding throwdowns in September 2008, January 2009, and April 2009, all in an effort to prepare for the 2009 CF Games and have a lot of fun at the same time.

Although the throwdowns are ostensibly for Games training, they're really an opportunity for everyone in our gym to take their own game to the next level, whether this means setting PRs, getting your first pull-up, or just plain doing 4 consecutive 3-on/1-off workout cycles for the first time.

The throwdowns are going to work a little differently than last year and I have a lot of territory to cover regarding the changes.

But here's how they'll work in terms of scheduling:

Each of the throwdowns will go for the first four national-site workout cycles (that's four of the 3-on/1-off national cycles) and points will be awarded based on how you do in the workout, as well as whether you do the workout as prescribed. This is a shorter cycle than last year's throwdown, which lasted the entire month of March.

That's probably enough for now.

In my post tomorrow, I'll go into how scoring works, as well as some of the rule changes.

Also on tap for the coming year (which I'll discuss in yet another post): Bay Area Affiliate Throwdowns!

Stay tuned!

CFOT Results: Fran

Greg and Annie getting their Fran on in Santa Cruz


Our final CFO Throwdown WOD was a fitting one: Fran.

Fran is as follows:

21-15-9 reps for time:

Thrusters @ 95#
Pull-ups


Top 3 Men:

Patrick 3:12
Daniel & Nabil 3:34
Loren 3:55

Top 3 Women:

Tamara 3:33
Candace 3:39
Casey 4:33


Congrats to Tamara and Daniel for winning the CFO Throwdown.

I'll have another post to follow this one, wrapping up the entire throwdown and giving my final thoughts.

Until then, the CFOT totals have been updated through Fran.

CFOT Results: Fight Gone Bad

A photo of Fight Gone Bad from a seminar at CFHQ in Santa Cruz


We got our second taste of Fight Gone Bad (FGB) this month yesterday.

The men's top three finishers remained unchanged. And two of the top three female finishers were the same as last time as well.

Most importantly, though, everyone (except yours truly!) either matched or exceeded their FGB performance from just 10 days ago! It was awesome to see such effort and output. That's what this whole month has been about: putting in the time and seeing results.

And once again, major props to Brandon and Tamara for showing us what's possible in FGB. Outstanding performances by both.

Top 3 Men:

Brandon 425
Daniel 370
Nabil 350

Top 3 Women:

Tamara 328
Candace 292
Beth 260


Enjoy the rest day.

Our final workout is perhaps the most fitting workout to end this throwdown on: Fran.

I can't wait to get it on, and I'm sure all of you already have the pre-Fran jitters going like I do.

And I can't wait to see Tamara's and Patrick Fran-fits.

The CFOT totals have been updated through our FGB workout.

CFOT Results: Split Jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 Reps

Natalie Woolfolk locked out at the bottom of a split jerk


The first-place finishers for our split jerk workout (seven sets of singles) was never really in doubt, much like all of our other max effort workouts. Also like our other max effort workouts, the battle for second and third place was extremely tight.

Top 3 Men:

Connor 300#
JP 251#
Daniel 250.5#

Top 3 Women:

Tamara 160#
Dawn 100#
Beth 100#


We don't get to do split jerks very often so it was a fun change of pace. A lot of people got it down over the course of the workout and it was fun to watch people progress through this movement.

The CFOT totals have been updated through the split jerk workout.

CFOT Results: Helen

OPT getting his 6:59 Helen on at CrossFit HQ in Santa Cruz


Today we got treated to yet another CrossFit benchmark workout.

Helen is a classic; in fact it's one of the earliest benchmark workouts.

Helen is as follows:

3 rounds for time:

Run 400m
21 KB swings @ 1.5 pood (1 pood for women)
12 Pull-ups


Top 3 Men:

Mini 7:42
Nabil 8:24
Lau 8:44

Top 3 Women:

Tamara 9:38
Audra 10:32
Candace 10:46


It was great having so much fan support during the evening classes tonight. It's really turning into a collegiate-style atmosphere some of these nights and creates an ideal environment for awesome performances. So thank you to all who stuck around and cheered everyone on. It's much appreciated!

Tomorrow's WOD shifts back to the strength-speed end of the spectrum:

Split Jerk 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps.

As with other workouts of this set-and-rep scheme that have come up over the past month, we'll be basing workout results on the heaviest single rep you put up overhead, not on total volume.

The CFOT totals have been updated through today's workout, Helen.

CFOT Results: Barbara

A diagram of the start position and finish position of the pull-up, one of the four exercises of Barbara


Yesterday we got to experience, for better or for worse, Barbara:

5 rounds for time:

20 pull-ups
30 push-ups
40 sit-ups
50 squats

* Rest 3 minutes between rounds

The objective was to minimize total work time. This workout looks all right on paper, but is no walk in the park.

The results below are preliminary, since there are a few other men and women who still have to do the workout who have a chance at getting into the top three.

Top 3 Men:

Steven 13:59
Patrick 17:20
Nabil 17:28

Top 3 Women:

Candace 20:09
Tamara 24:16
Audra 24:52


The CFOT totals have been updated through Barbara, but the totals may change.

Enjoy the rest day!

CFOT Results: 30 Muscle-Ups for Time

Nicole Carroll, of CFHQ, working the transition of the muscle-up


Yesterday's WOD was another CrossFit classic workout: 30 muscle-ups for time.

These single element days, much like yesterday's clean-and-jerk workout, are some of the most interesting workouts. They don't let you make up for any lack of skill in the element through running faster or working harder. You simply have it or you don't.

The men's division was another close race, and with a couple more heavy hitters still needing to make up the workout, the results are preliminary.

In the women's division, it was Candace and Tamara once again setting a great example of what is possible in CrossFit. The two of them were the only ones to do the workout as prescribed on the women's side.

And in case you're wondering, the results only counted as prescribed if your wrists were turned out for every single muscle-up.

Top 3 Men:

Mini 4:54
Daniel 6:45
Patrick 9:34

Top 2 Women:

Candace 15:03
Tamara 18:22


It's back to benchmark workouts again today, with Barbara (5 rounds of 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups, 40 sit-ups, and 50 squats) making an appearance this time.

The CFOT totals have been updated through the muscle-up workout.