The noon crew.
The 6pm crew.
Nancy
Rachel
There is an old Taoist fable attributed to Chuang Tzu that I particularly like. It is about a butcher who never has to sharpen his knife. Whenever this butcher cut up a cow or goat or other animal, he naturally found the empty spaces in the joints and slid his knife through them, never encountering resistance. Thus, the knife never became dull.
Think about doing the snatch, clean, or jerk. There are times (too rarely, if you are anything like me) when the bar just seems to elevate itself and your body receives the weight almost lightly. You elevated the bar and found that perfect moment to drop under it so that the weight never had a chance to fall. When you then stand tall with the weight, it’s almost like you never encountered any resistance.
I think the butcher would understand.
Please post thoughts to Comments.
Workout:
10 Rounds
2 Squat Cleans
2 Hang Power Cleans
2 Jerks
40m Sprint
Guys, shoot for 135-155#. Dolls, try for 85-105#.
Post time and load to Comments.
Yeah, Nancy and Rachel! Look at those lovely ladies with the lovely form!
Surfline just put out a post about surfing fitness/work-outs and increasing endurance. I spyed a few CrossFit movements in there. I know theres a couple other surfers at CrossFit West, pretty cool to see it in the context of our sport.
http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/dr-tim-brown—team-offers-advice-on-how-to-increase-endurance-for-surfing_27953/
Vince, I read the same post on Surfline and had similar thoughts.. Of course, being a regular CrossFitter, I immediately figured I’d be able to do the 3rd and most difficult of the workouts listed!
How about you? Unrelated question: anyone know whether classes will be held on Saturday, July 4th?
CUTTING UP AN OX
Prince Wen Hui’s Cook
Was cutting up an ox.
Out went a hand,
Down went a shoulder,
He planted a foot,
He pressed with a knee,
The ox fell apart
With a whisper,
The bright cleaver murmured
Like a gentle wind.
Rhythm! Timing!
Like a sacred dance,
Like “The Mulberry Grove,”
Like ancient harmonies!
“Good work!” the Prince exclaimed
“Your method is faultless!”
“Method?” said the cook
Laying aside his cleaver,
“What I follow is Tao
Beyond all methods!
“When I first began
To cut up oxen
I would see before me
The whole ox
All in one mass.
“After three years
I no longer saw this mass.
I saw the distinctions.
“But now, I see nothing
With the eye. My whole being
Apprehends.
My senses are idle. The spirit
Free to work without plan
Follows its own instinct
Guided by natural line,
By the secret opening, the hidden space,
My cleaver finds its own way.
I cut through no joint, chop no bone.
“A good cook needs a new chopper
Once a year – he cuts.
A poor cook needs a new one
Every month – he hacks!
“I have used this same cleaver
Nineteen years.
It has cut up
A thousand oxen.
Its edge is as keen
As if newly sharpened.
“There are spaces in the joints;
The blade is thin and keen:
When this thinness
Finds that space
There is all the room you need!
It goes like a breeze!
Hence I have this cleaver nineteen years
As if newly sharpened!
“True, there are sometimes
Tough joints. I feel them coming,
I slow down, I watch closely,
Hold back, barely moving the blade,
And whump! the part falls away
Landing like a clod of earth.
“Then I withdraw the blade,
I stand still
And let the joy of the work
Sink in.
I clean the blade
And put it away.”
Prince Wan Hui said,
“This is it! My cook has shown me
How I ought to live
My own life!”
The Way of Chuang Tzu