Garage Gym With Dan Bailey

Winner of the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games Open, Dan Bailey splits his time between CrossFit Legacy and his own garage gym. Get a peek into Bailey’s personal gym at his family’s home in Uniontown, Ohio.

One of the bald patches on Bailey’s lawn is where he has trained long hours with a heavy kettlebell. Bailey admits the kettlebell was a weakness coming out of regionals last year, so he bought the 70-lb. bell and told himself, “Now that’s all you get to use.”

Bailey’s backyard training ground also includes a wooden pull-up bar complete with exposed nails to test “the accuracy component of CrossFit.” Using what he has on hand, Bailey’s outdoor “plyo boxes” are stacked landscaping beams.

Inside the garage, Bailey shows off his equipment, including a Rogue yoke. But it’s his homemade gear that shows how important functionality is to the former sprinter. He constructed a plyo box with his father, hung a plumber’s pipe for pull-ups and rings, and bound together wooden planks lined with scavenged tire rubber to protect the concrete floor during Olympic Lifting. He also created his own bumpers using spare tires filled with sand, and he filled a basketball with sand for his wall-ball.

8min 57sec

Additional reading: Smart Shopping for Your Home Gym by Matthew Hall, published Sept. 9, 2009.

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CrossFit Kids Tips and Tricks: Promotion

Jeff and Mikki Lee Martin explain how to run a CrossFit Kids promotion.

CrossFit Kids has had the good fortune to be invited to present our program in several different major venues as well as the opportunity to support local affiliates with various promotions.

We would like to present some guidelines that have helped us enjoy successful events. What follows are some of the ways you can ensure kids have a great, safe time and parents learn exactly what their children are doing—and where they can go to do more!

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Feldman Update: ESPN plays dumb, Twitter declares victory, everyone goes home confused

For more background on Bruce Feldman's suspension, see here.

Behold, the power of social media: Roughly 20 hours after certain corners of Twitter began to simmer and then explode with outrage over the apparent suspension of ESPN reporter Bruce Feldman for anti-ESPN comments by former Texas Tech coach Mike Leach in a new memoir that Feldman wrote in Leach's voice ? with ESPN's permission ?�ESPN has officially asked the crowd to disperse in a brief, three-sentence statement. Nothing to see here, folks:

"There was never any suspension or any other form of disciplinary action. We took the time to review [Feldman's] upcoming work assignments in light of the book to which he contributed and will manage any conflicts or other issues as needed. Bruce has resumed his assignments."

He has returned to his assignments, from which he ? uh, never left. Move it along.

Friends of Feldman who rallied to his defense on Twitter under the #FreeBruce hashtag are taking a brief afternoon victory lap in honor of the power of social media, which spread the initial story so far, so fast that the bureaucratic machine at ESPN didn't even have time to announce it before it was forced into "spin" mode. ESPN execs would very sincerely like us to take the statement at face value, conclude that the "suspension" was never anything more than an irresponsible rumor run amok and throw the entire episode down the memory hole. Which, in all honesty, we probably will. But don't forget, either, that ESPN also turned down multiple requests for comment from high-profile college football reporters on Thursday night, and put the entire operation ?�including Feldman, an active tweeter ?�on lockdown about the meme for almost 24 hours. It doesn't take that long to clear up an irresponsible rumor.

But the end result is what the hash-tagging masses wanted: A well-liked, well-respected reporter is back on the job. The vigil is over. Now get back to work.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Inside R.A.W. Training

Take a tour of CrossFit R.A.W. at R.A.W. Training with co-founder Amy Butteri. The box is located in Wildwood, Penn., and started in an indoor soccer field adjoining their gym space. In addition to the field, the training facility now includes multiple rooms and 42 acres of land outside. In each room there is a pull-up structure—one is from Rogue, and the other was fabricated by one of the coaches.

Butteri shows off the equipment, including a reverse hyper and a harness attachment to learn movements on the rings. CrossFit R.A.W. also has more specialized equipment like chains, bench blocks, atlas stones, a Woodway Speedboard treadmill and even two suspended baseballs for alternative-grip pull-ups.

Inside an adjoining room called “The Chamber,” another open space of 5,000 square feet is available to athletes. In this room, wall-ball targets adorn the walls, and med-balls and slam balls lie in wait. Platforms with attachments for band deadlifts also line the floor.

“The variety and the stimulus never ends here at R.A.W. Training,” Butteri says.

6min 44sec

Additional audio: CrossFit Radio Episode 172 by Justin Judkins, published May 18, 2011.

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World of WODs No. 5: Sacramento, Calif.

Creative CrossFitters create new workouts every day. Blair Morrison continues the search for signature workouts from around the world.

“I could totally do a pull-up on that branch.”

CrossFit changed the way we view the world. Tree branches became pull-up bars, picnic tables turned into plyo boxes and swing sets seemed like great places to hang a set of rings. And that rock over there? You should probably overhead squat it.

Indeed, all the world is a CrossFit gym with the right pair of eyes and a little creativity. This article is the fifth in a series where we’ll publish some of the best workouts from locales around the world, giving residents and travelers a chance to test their fitness outside the box. In this installment, Blair Morrison gives you a chance to throw down on what used to be Schwarzenegger’s turf.

If you have a set of landmarks, natural features or outdoor “equipment” suited for a great WOD, please view the submission guidelines on the last page of this article—then send us your workout!

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Booted Maryland lineman allegedly punched bar manager in the face

New details are beginning to surface about the "team policies" Maryland offensive lineman Justin Lewis broke that led to his dismissal from the team earlier this week. Lewis turned himself in to authorities Tuesday in response to a second-degree assault charge levied against him by a manager at a bar in College Park.

According to Alain Parcain, the manager at RJ Bentley's, Lewis punched him in the face for "looking at his girl."

In a statement of charges filed with the District Court in Prince George's County, Parcain said he "was assaulted by the defendant, leading to facial trauma, emergency room and dental work. Defendant told witnesses I was 'looking at his girl.'

Parcain said in the statement that he was not working at the time of the incident, which he said occurred at about 2:30 in the morning on June 26.

Parcain stated: "I did not know the defendant. He came up to me inside the bar, made his accusation and struck me in the face with his fist. This led to two teeth being knocked loose and several lacerations inside my mouth. I required a root canal to repair the tooth."

Parcain also wrote: "I was not looking at other females at the time. Football teammates pointed out that the defendant's 'girl' was not even at the bar..."

Lewis, who was a redshirt junior, started 12 of 13 games last season, but missed spring football because of offseason knee surgery. Lewis was supposed to be a key component at right guard for an offensive line that was returning everyone except center Paul Pinegar.

Maryland has seen its share of defections and dismissals since coach Randy Edsall took over the program. The Terps opened the 2010 season with 37 scholarship sophomores and juniors, but just 24 remain as the 2011 season approaches.

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Kansas? latest below-the-radar recruit has an unusual story

Seldom has a recruit taken a less traditional path to Kansas than 6-foot-7 small forward Merv Lindsay.

In April, Lindsay was a lightly recruited senior without a scholarship offer. Now the Moreno Valley, Calif. native is days away from beginning summer classes at one of the nation's most prestigious basketball schools.

Lindsay signed a grant-in-aid offer with Kansas on Wednesday, ending a whirlwind two months that began with him considering going to prep school next year and later included a short-lived commitment to Texas Tech. Once he backed out of that, other schools began to show renewed interest and Lindsay chose the Jayhawks over Marquette.

"Everything just happened so fast," Lindsay told the Kansas City Star on Wednesday. "My freshman year, everybody said they wanted to go to Kansas. But at a certain point, you've got to be more realistic with yourself. If you asked me three years ago would I be at Kansas, I'm like, no. But now that it's happening, I guess it's meant to be."

What helped Lindsay attract attention from schools that initially ignored him was the decision to participate in the spring AAU circuit, something even uncommitted seniors rarely if ever do.

According to the Star, Lindsay played in tournaments in Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Dallas in April. In that time, he showcased the long-range shooting prowess that had been his trademark as a senior at Canyon Springs High when he averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds for a team that won a share of its league title.

Lindsay is the ideal symbol of Kansas' unusual 2011 recruiting class. The Jayhawks missed on high-profile top targets LeBryan Nash, Austin Rivers and DeAndre Daniels, so they're gambling that several below-the-radar late additions can make a difference, from Lindsay, to LMU transfer Kevin Young, to power forwards Jamari Traylor and Braeden Anderson.

In the past two years, Kansas has experienced limited success with one-and-dones, losing both Xavier Henry and Josh Selby after one season apiece -- an underwhelming one in Selby's case. It's too soon to say whether the less heralded players will prove more successful for Kansas, but Lindsay believes it may be a blessing in disguise.

"Unranked guys sometimes work the hardest because they've got something to prove," Lindsay told the Lawrence Journal-World. "The difference between me and maybe some top-ranked recruits ... I don't feel like Kansas should be happy to have me. I'm happy to be there. Like I told Tyshawn (Taylor) and Thomas (Robinson), I will do everything I can to help them, to help us, win a national championship."

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Ben Hansbrough headlines list of best undrafted college players

To appreciate how little stock NBA franchises sometimes put in a draft prospect's college production, consider this example for a moment.

Among the players selected Thursday night was a little-known former Connecticut center who averaged a mere 2.3 points and 3.0 rebounds in his brief 26-game college career. Not so fortunate was last year's Big East Player of the Year.

That the Lakers selected Ater Majok with a second-round pick yet Ben Hansbrough went undrafted has to be extremely frustrating for the ex-Notre Dame standout. Hansbrough averaged 18.5 points per game as a senior and shot 45.1 percent from 3-point range, but NBA scouts apparently thought the 6-foot-3 guard lacked the upside, quickness or athleticism to merit even a throwaway second-round pick.

The only good news for Hansbrough is he's far from the only highly successful college player not to be selected in this year's draft. Here's a look at a list of the top college players who were not selected Thursday night the same way first-team All-American Scottie Reynolds, Duke star Jon Scheyer and Kansas standout Sherron Collins all went undrafted last June:

1. Ben Hansbrough, G, Sr., Notre Dame

Comment: The second-team All-American worked out for six NBA teams, but he still didn't hear his name called Thursday night as many teams preferred to draft foreign players they could stash in Europe in the late second round. At least Hansbrough will have a teammate who shares his pain: Notre Dame forward Carleton Scott also went undrafted.

2. Jacob Pullen, G, Sr. Kansas State

Comment: If the NBA draft has taught us anything over the years, it's that there's no place in the league for an undersized shooting guard. The 6-foot Pullen averaged 20 points per game and showcased deep range and tremendous heart the past two seasons, but he lacked the vision and passing skills to play point guard, and the size and wingspan to play off the ball.

3. Austin Freeman, G, Sr., Georgetown

Comment: The Big East's Preseason Player of the Year lived up to his press clippings, overcoming diabetes to average 17.6 points per game and lead the Hoyas to the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately for Freeman, that did little to change NBA scouts' opinion that he lacked the athleticism or the quickness to thrive in the NBA as a shooting guard.

4. Talor Battle, G, Sr., Penn State

Comment: It's no mystery why a kid who averaged 20.2 points and almost singlehandedly willed Penn State to the NCAA tournament went undrafted: His height. Battle worked out for� six NBA teams the past few weeks to attempt to prove that stigma wrong, but there's typically just no place in the NBA for a 5-foot-11 shooting guard.

5. Malcolm Delaney, G, Sr., Virginia Tech

Comment: The lone member of the All-ACC First Team not to be drafted, Delaney was another who lacked the size to play off ball in the NBA. The 6-foot-2 Virginia Tech star averaged at least 18 points each of the past three seasons and raised his 3-point percentage to 40.8 last season, but NBA teams were unconvinced he could set up his teammates as a point guard.

6. Matt Howard, F, Sr., Butler

Comment: Back-to-back appearances in the national title game and an ability to maximize his limited physical tools were not enough for Howard to persuade NBA teams he had a place in the league. The 6-foot-8 Howard averaged 16.5 points and 7.7 rebounds and shot 39.8 percent from 3-point range, but he lacks the size and athleticism of most NBA power forwards and is nowhere near quick enough to play on the perimeter.

7. Kalin Lucas, G, Sr., Michigan State

Comment: A season-ending Achilles injury in the 2010 NCAA tournament didn't help Lucas' NBA stock, nor did his erratic decision-making as a senior. Six-foot-1 guards need to prove they can run the point to have any chance to make it in the NBA, but Lucas posted his lowest assist-to-turnover ratio of his career and shot only 42.8 percent from the floor, sealing his fate to become an undrafted free agent.

8. Rick Jackson, F, Sr., Syracuse

Comment: Considering the 6-foot-9 Jackson has sufficient size to play in the paint in the NBA and averaged a double-double as a senior, the NBA's lack of interest in him is more mysterious than some of the above players. He lacks elite athleticism and a mid-range game, and his conditioning isn't a strength, but typically there's a place in the league for someone who rebounds as well as Jackson.

Honorable mention: David Lighty, F, Ohio State; Dwight Hardy, G., Sr., St. John's; Corey Fisher, G, Sr., Villanova; LaceDarius Dunn, G, Sr., Baylor; Demetri McCamey, G, Sr., Illinois.

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CrossFit Blaze: We Burn It Down

“I found CrossFit through lifestyle being horrible, starting to want to lose weight, get in better shape,” says Jason Anderson, the co-owner of CrossFit Blaze in Naples, Fla. He says he started with bodybuilding and didn’t see much change in body composition until he altered his food intake. Then, Anderson found CrossFit. He looked into the program, watched the videos and was immediately hooked.

“All of a sudden, it just came natural to me. It really felt like what I was, what we were doing, was right,” Anderson says.

Coming from a poor health background has given Anderson a unique perspective as a fitness coach.

“My journey also helped me help others with their journey,” he says.

CrossFit Blaze has grown through the support of its community members.

“I’ve tried to stay as true to the CrossFit methodology as I can because I believe in that organic growth,” he says. “Especially in a smaller town, that organic growth just happens because the word of mouth is so much smaller than a town like Miami, like Las Vegas, like L.A.”

Anderson’s advice to others thinking of opening their own affiliate is this: “Don’t do it alone because it won’t work.” He believes teamwork is key to managing all the facets of a burgeoning business.

10min 33sec

Additional reading: The Story Behind the Success by Jeremy Thiel, published Sept. 27, 2009.

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Winning the Open: Part 1

In 2010, former sprinter Dan Bailey won the Ohio Sectional after only a few months of CrossFitting. That performance was even more impressive considering the field included eventual 2010 Games winner Graham Holmberg and other top athletes. However, Bailey failed to place at regionals last year after a bad cramp took him out of contention for the top spots.

This year, Bailey has more CrossFit experience, and he’s going into the Central East Regional hot. Finishing first overall in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open, he notched his win by just one point over Josh Bridges.

Before the Open wrapped, the cameras were at CrossFit Legacy to catch Bailey’s preparation for the final workout. The Ohio resident shows how methodically he approached the Open workouts, and it’s clear ample preparation was key.

“There’s no questions going into Saturday. It’s like, ‘I’m ready. I’m prepared. There’s nothing else I can do. Let’s go do the workout,’” he says.

Unfortunately, Bailey’s 139-rep initial attempt at 11.6 was not enough to hold first place, but he says he’s not giving up that easily.

“To hang onto (the lead) for this long, I don’t want to lose it. Like, it’s just … that kind of internal fire,” he says.

21min 52sec

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Additional reading: Catching Up With Dan Bailey.

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Headlinin?: Ohio coaches unite behind Tressel fashion tribute

Making the morning rounds.

? Except for the major rules violations that derailed his career and reputation, he's just the kind of coach we all aspire to be. A coach from Solon, Ohio, has submitted a proposal to the Ohio High School Football Coaches Association asking all head coaches in the state to wear a white shirt and tie in honor of disgraced Ohio State coach Jim Tressel for the first week of games later this year. The gesture is intended as a nod to Tressel "for all he did to help (the OHSFCA) and high school football while he was the head coach at Ohio State," and is not mandatory. [Dayton Daily News]

? Another Devil down. Senior defensive end James Brooks, a two-year starter, is leaving Arizona State for "personal reasons." Brooks finished 2010 with 7.5 tackles for loss and not one but two blocked extra points at the end of the Sun Devils' improbable win over Arizona last November, but the impact of his loss is cumulative: Including ACL injuries to cornerback Omar Bolden and receiver T.J. Simpson in the spring, the Sun Devils are now down three senior starters since being anointed the early frontrunner in the Pac-12 South. [Arizona Republic]

? Denied. A North Carolina judge has rejected a request for injunction that might have allowed ex-Tar Heel defensive end Michael McAdoo to rejoin the team this fall, likely bringing McAdoo's college career to an official end. McAdoo was seeking the injunction as part of a lawsuit against the NCAA and the University of North Carolina challenging the NCAA's decision to declare him permanently ineligible for alleged academic fraud last year, a decision McAdoo's lawyer called "stubborn and inexplicable" despite some pretty compelling evidence to the contrary. [Raleigh News & Observer]

? And I was hoping they'd take it to the Supreme Court. In other legal news, the nation was denied the Trial of the Century Wednesday when San Mateo County (Calif.) prosecutors decided to drop criminal charges against Deshon Marman, the 20-year-old New Mexico safety who captured America's heart last month when he was arrested after refusing to pull up his baggy pants on a US Airways flight.

"My belief is if we took this into a courtroom with 12 members of our community on our jury, they would tell me, 'Come on guys, you have more important things to spend your time on,'" District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told the Associated Press. "And I share that view." Obviously, those 12 members of the community aren't the kind who leave comments on the Internet. [Associated Press]

? A bell tolls in Atlanta. Georgia Tech expects to receive a notice of allegations today for unspecified NCAA violations. Tech is barely removed from the end of its last run-in with Big Brother, when it was hit with significant scholarship losses in the 2005-07 recruiting classes for playing 17 ineligible players in 1998-99, which wasn't uncovered until 2003. [Atlanta Journal Constitution]

? Overseeing the Pac-10's worst offense really pays off. UCLA will pay Norm Chow $500,000 in 2011, according to newly released university documents, even though Chow is now calling plays in Utah. With the half-million buyout from the Bruins and a $550,000 salary in his new gig, Chow will bring in more than any other offensive coordinator in the country this year, and more than twice as much as UCLA's new coordinators ? Mike Johnson on offense and Joe Tresey on defense ? combined. [Los Angeles Times]

Quickly? Nate "Yes That Montana" Montana pleads guilty to DUI in his newly adopted state, Montana. ... West Virginia offensive lineman Josh Jenkins is out for the season with a lingering knee injury he suffered in the spring game. ? Georgia defensive end Derrick Lott will be out four to six weeks after suffering deep lacerations to his leg in a scooter accident. ? Another oversigning complaint in South Carolina. ? Jeff Tedford on his relationship with Willie Lyles. ? And what's so ridiculous about - - -

Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Accomplishment of a 10-Year Goal

“I think I am a good testimony to the fact that CrossFit … no matter when you start, you’ll see at the least 10 years of adaptation,” says Greg Amundson, the “original firebreather.”

Sevan Matossian catches up with Amundson to talk about CrossFitting for a decade. Amundson is a 10-year veteran of the CrossFit program, and he is still improving.

“I train harder now more than ever,” he says. “My capacity, my fitness, has immensely increased.”

According to Greg, he has even remained injury-free.

“All it takes is a little bit of appreciation for the fact that these workouts are designed to humble the world’s greatest athletes, and when you can realize that, when you can approach a workout with that knowledge and scale it for your level, it’s the world’s safest fitness program,” he says.

Amundson says he always strives to make PRs, but no one can break records all the time.

“If we find ourselves plateauing in one area, shift focus,” he says.

Amundson cites CrossFit’s Sports Series as a great opportunity to grow your fitness.

“We can be improving in our fitness for the rest of our life,” he says.

11min 37sec

Additional reading: Forging Elite Leadership by Greg Amundson, published April 18, 2011.

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Warming Up With Rory and Nick

HQ’s Rory McKernan and Aspen CrossFit’s Nick Massie show how to train an injured elite athlete safely.

CrossFitter T.J. Gulla is a world-class snowcross athlete who has been injured and needs some targeted mobility work and a thorough warm-up. Watch these coaches in action as they work with the injured athlete and provide new training tips anyone can use to spice up their warm-up and mobility routine.

In Part 1, McKernan takes Gulla and a small group through a series of stretches including lunges, groiners, deep squats, boot strappers, under-the-fence shifts, inchworms, active downward-dog yoga poses and various leg raises.

In Part 2, Massie takes Gulla through a series of mobility exercises to target his specific needs.

“This is mainly myofascial treatment, where we’re going to just kind of loosen up the fibers around the muscles, the myofascial fibers,” Massie says. Massie uses a technique that has been developed by Kelly Starrett, the supple leopard behind MobilityWod.

Massie target’s Gulla’s hips, quads, groin and IT bands. Then he moves Gulla onto his back for some “informed freestyling” using balls and foam rollers for Gulla to target specific tight spots in his shoulders and back.

“Manage the pain and move around to where it feels like you’re accomplishing something,” Massie says. “It’s like a super-deep massage, but you’re doing it yourself.”

9min 25sec

Additional reading: Stretch for Optimum Performance—Before the WOD by Gus Patel, published March 9, 2011.

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Beyond the CrossFit Games: Part 3

Hilary Achauer explains how Matt Lodin used the Reebok CrossFit Games Open as rehab.

It happened in the middle of Nasty Girls, an infamous WOD that is 3 rounds for time of 50 squats, 7 muscle-ups and 10 135-lb. hang power cleans. Matt Lodin was at the end of the second round, coming out of a muscle-up. As he landed, he felt a sharp, eye-searing pain in his left knee and collapsed to the ground. He tried to get up and move on to the power cleans, but he couldn’t straighten his leg.

Matt went to the doctor the next day and got the news. He had dislocated his patella and shredded the meniscus in his left knee. The only option was surgery—disappointing news only a month before the CrossFit Games Open competition.

“When the doctor told me I needed surgery, I had to figure out if I was going to hold off and go through the Games without the ability to fully extend my knee or lose some conditioning and hope to be fully recovered by regionals,” Matt said.

Once the CrossFit Games Open schedule was revealed as a six-week, worldwide competition, Matt made his decision:

“I was going to get my surgery done when the Open started and use the six weeks of competition as my rehab.”

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Shoes, Barefoot Running and Lance Armstrong

Continuing the series of conversations with Dr. Nicholas Romanov, creator of the Pose Method, Romanov is joined by his son and colleague Severin, Sevan Matossian, and members of CrossFit Miami Beach.

When asked what makes Lance Armstrong so successful, Romanov says it is his technique.

“He has best technique in cycling—best,” Romanov says. “Second, of course, is mental condition—he is stronger than anyone else.”

Nathan Forster of CrossFit Miami Beach asks Romanov about orthotics. According to Romanov, they are “crutches.” The arch should never be weight bearing.

“For movement, you have to be on the forefoot,” he says, and for standing we use the heel.

Severin Romanov adds that barefoot training is therapeutic.

“When you train barefoot, it actually sometimes recovers the arch to its original shape,” he says.

While Romanov says barefoot running develops “your relationship with the Earth” and its gravitational and electromagnetic forces, he recommends racing flats or “minimalistic shoes.” He says they provide better friction, and according to Pose principles, “friction we need to better have support for falling,” he says. Shoes allow a better rate of falling than going barefoot, so barefoot runners are never the fastest.

11min 04sec

Additional reading: The Basics of Pose Running Techniques by Brian MacKenzie, published Dec. 1, 2007.

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Toxicology report: Austin Box had five different painkillers in his system

Nearly two months after Austin Box's death, toxicology shows the Oklahoma linebacker had five different types of painkillers in his system, which likely contributed to his untimely passing.

The family released the toxicology report and a statement to the press.

The probable cause of death was "pulmonary edema and aspiration pneumonia," but the presence of oxymorphone, morphine, hydrocodone, hydromorphone and alprazolam all contributed to the condition. The report also said Box suffered from an enlarged heart.

Box's parents, Craig and Gail, are having trouble coming to grips with Box's death because they didn't think their son was the type of person to become addicted to painkillers.

Less than 24 hours before his death, Box and his father had returned from a four-day trip to St. Louis to watch the Cardinals baseball team. Craig said he didn't recall his son taking anything stronger than liquid Advil. He also said his son hardly drank any alcohol during the trip.

Box had been through several injuries dating back to his high school days. He suffered a fracture in his back while weightlifting his freshman year of high school and a bulging disc that caused him to miss the first five games of Oklahoma's season last year. He also suffered a dislocated elbow while at OU, but his mother insisted that her son would not have taken pain meds for any longer than necessary.

Now the family is looking for the source of the drugs. Box died on May 19 while staying with a friend in El Reno, Okla. Both parents believe Box's death was an accident rather than a suicide.

"I am a guidance counselor at Enid High School and, yes, I see drugs and what it does to the young person, their attitude about school, their attitude about life, and I see them give up," Gail said. "I know the signs of drug use. It is not my job to diagnose but it is my job to refer someone when I suspect. And there have been many times when I have suspected and many times when I have referred. I have wracked my brain. Did I ignore signs? I don't know, but I do know that Austin was a silent sufferer."

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USC?s Kevin O?Neill hypes DeWayne Dedmon as future star

Unlike many of his fellow coaches who are wary of hyping a promising newcomer to the point that it will be difficult for him to live up to expectations, USC's Kevin O'Neill isn't nearly as cautious.

First, O'Neill labeled guard Jio Fontan USC's "best player," "best leader" and "best scorer" last December before the heralded Fordham transfer made his midseason debut against Kansas. Then O'Neill offered even more lavish praise Wednesday for DeWayne Dedmon, a 7-foot junior college transfer likely to replace Nikola Vucevic and Alex Stepheson as the Trojans' top big man next year.

O'Neill told ESPN.com that Dedmon will "average a double-double next year and after that who knows." The USC coach is apparently so sold on Dedmon after watching him battle in practice against Vucevic and Stepheson that he believes the 7-foot sophomore may be NBA-bound as soon as next spring.

"He has a chance to be special," O'Neill said. "He has three years left. He won't make it three years. He may not make it past one.

"There's no question he's a first-round pick, no question. He's got a great motor. He's worked with a bunch of pros. He worked with my former player with the Pacers -- Danny Granger -- and he said he's a first-round pick. He's extremely athletic. He'll score on tip dunks. He'll run the floor. He's a great shooter and he's extremely athletic."

Why would O'Neill put so much undue pressure on a kid who averaged 6.6 points and 7.8 rebounds as a freshman at Antelope Valley College? It's possible O'Neill may truly believe Dedmon can handle it, or perhaps the USC coach has an alterior motive.

Cynics suggested O'Neill hyped Fontan's debut last December in order to give the NCAA tournament selection committee an excuse to disregard USC's disappointing early losses to Rider, Bradley and TCU. Similarly, O'Neill saying Dedmon may be an early-entry candidate next spring could be his way of using the media to persuade potential big man recruits that immediate playing time will be available.

USC is recruiting several top 2012 centers including Robert Upshaw of Fresno, Calif. and Willie Cauley of Olathe, Kansas. If hyping Dedmon as an NBA prospect helps persuade a top recruit to come to USC, maybe the gamble is worth it.

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Sherwood Chronicles: Community?Iftach Shua and Orli Elhanaty

In this ongoing series, HQ trainer Pat Sherwood is searching the CrossFit community for real people with real stories to share. In this segment, Sherwood is in London, England, for a Level 1 Seminar, where he introduces us to Iftach Shua and Orli Elhanaty, who traveled to the seminar from Israel.

Both have been CrossFitting for less than six months, but CrossFit has definitely made an impact on them. According to Shua, CrossFit “changed my whole attitude.” He says: “This is my vision: to bring this attitude and open my own place.”

Shua says everything he did before CrossFit was “ridiculous.” According to him, “When I was in the army, we didn’t squat even once.”

Elhanaty says her experiences were similar. Although she went to a regular gym, “I didn’t see any results coming in,” she says. “I found it boring.”

Her interests in technique brought her to weightlifting, but she says “weightlifting is very specialized,” and she felt like she couldn’t run as fast as she had before.

“I just wanted to add everything together,” Elhanaty says.

She found what she was looking for in CrossFit.

7min 9sec

Additional reading: The Panther Recon Downrange Gym by First Lieutenant Matthew Hoff, U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division, published Sept. 20, 2009.

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Booted Maryland lineman allegedly punched bar manager in the face

New details are beginning to surface about the "team policies" Maryland offensive lineman Justin Lewis broke that led to his dismissal from the team earlier this week. Lewis turned himself in to authorities Tuesday in response to a second-degree assault charge levied against him by a manager at a bar in College Park.

According to Alain Parcain, the manager at RJ Bentley's, Lewis punched him in the face for "looking at his girl."

In a statement of charges filed with the District Court in Prince George's County, Parcain said he "was assaulted by the defendant, leading to facial trauma, emergency room and dental work. Defendant told witnesses I was 'looking at his girl.'

Parcain said in the statement that he was not working at the time of the incident, which he said occurred at about 2:30 in the morning on June 26.

Parcain stated: "I did not know the defendant. He came up to me inside the bar, made his accusation and struck me in the face with his fist. This led to two teeth being knocked loose and several lacerations inside my mouth. I required a root canal to repair the tooth."

Parcain also wrote: "I was not looking at other females at the time. Football teammates pointed out that the defendant's 'girl' was not even at the bar..."

Lewis, who was a redshirt junior, started 12 of 13 games last season, but missed spring football because of offseason knee surgery. Lewis was supposed to be a key component at right guard for an offensive line that was returning everyone except center Paul Pinegar.

Maryland has seen its share of defections and dismissals since coach Randy Edsall took over the program. The Terps opened the 2010 season with 37 scholarship sophomores and juniors, but just 24 remain as the 2011 season approaches.

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Running Drills With Brian MacKenzie: Part 1

In this series on improving running performance, Brian MacKenzie and Doug Katona demonstrate drills utilizing the Pose Method of running.

MacKenzie says many problems he sees coming out of his CrossFit Endurance seminars are related to calves, feet and ankles. One of the issues is not allowing the heel to “kiss” the ground.

To utilize proper ankle flexion and muscle elasticity from your knee to your foot, MacKenzie’s drill is to jump rope in place while allowing the heel to kiss the ground. If you try to jump only on the balls of your feet, you will immediately notice that your calves seize up, MacKenzie says. The next progression is alternating feet while jumping rope.

To use the hamstrings and not the hip flexors, MacKenzie’s fix is having his athlete pull his leg up into the Pose position, then resist a downward pressure MacKenzie exerts on that foot. The retest is running place before returning to the jump rope and progressing to interval running.

10min 26sec

Video by Again Faster.

Additional reading: The Basics of Pose Running Techniques by Brian MacKenzie, published Dec. 1, 2007.

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?No Water, No Way Out?

After a violent tornado, Dawn South uses CrossFit training to aid stranded relatives.

On April 27, 2011, one of the nation’s worst natural disasters struck Alabama. Over 38 tornadoes tore through my state, with a powerful EF4 going right through the city where my in-laws lived.

We had no idea how bad it was until the next morning. On Facebook, my cousin was sending out messages:

“We are OK, but people are trapped here in Pleasant Grove.”

“No rescue, no news, nobody knows we’ve been hit!”

“No water, no way out.”

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Ex-Jacket tells NCAA to pry ACC title ring from his ?cold, dead finger?

The NCAA may have revoked Georgia Tech's 2009 ACC title, but that doesn't mean the players are OK with the decision or are going to be quick to give back their rings.

In fact, Sean Bedford, an all-conference center on that 2009 team, wrote an open letter to the NCAA stating that the organization would have to "pry it from my cold, dead finger."

Bedford was dismayed that he was being punished for the NCAA's findings that Georgia Tech intentionally misled investigators into an inquiry regarding $312 worth of clothes given to former receiver Demaryius Thomas.

Here's Bedford's letter, which was posted on his Facebook page:

Dear NCAA,

Thank you for handing down penalties that only adversely affect the players who did things the right way. This reeks of an organization desperate to prove that it has some sort of control over its member institutions despite lacking the ability and firepower to police the serious offenders and protect the student-athletes whose interests you purport to have at heart.

While I realize that all violations merit some kind of punishment, I have a hard time grasping the notion that one of the proudest moments in my life (and the lives of every other individual that was a part of the team and program in 2009) is apparently worth $312 in your eyes. If that truly is the case, I'd be happy to provide you with that same amount of money (cash or check, your choice) in exchange for the reinstatement of the title my teammates and I earned through our blood, sweat and tears.

It took months of hard work, dedication and personal sacrifice by a team of over 100 players, 10 coaches and countless staff members to achieve that championship, but, evidently, it only takes the handful of pencil pushers, lawyers and professors on your infractions committee to strip us of it.

I was a part of the 2009 ACC Championship team and, while you can pretend retroactively that it didn't happen, I have vivid memories of an incredible season that was, and continues to be, one of the most fun, meaningful, important, and very real times in my 23 years on this planet. I'll be wearing my championship ring with pride and if you want that too, you'll have to pry it from my cold, dead finger.

Sincerely,

Sean Bedford

Bedofrd told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he hoped his rant wouldn't come back to haunt Tech, but he also said that several fans, former GT players and players from other teams have shown their support for his words.

If the NCAA follows precedent set by vacating Ohio State's 2010 Big Ten championship, the school will need to return the trophy, but players will be allowed to keep their rings.

Much has been made about whether vacating wins is a worthwhile punishment and I think in some cases it's more effective than others. Obviously, Georgia Tech was not as notorious of an offender as Ohio State, which is why the vacation of their ACC title is a little harsher than Ohio State's. And that's why the outcry has been so boisterous, passionate and, ultimately, warranted.

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Teaching Perception

In this conversation with Dr. Nicholas Romanov, the creator of the Pose Method describes his experience teaching a team of professional rugby players how to improve their running technique. He distinguishes between training and teaching these elite athletes, saying training is related to physiological abilities while teaching is about developing perception.

“Perception is something you have to do through doing it,” says Romanov’s son and colleague Severin Romanov. He and his father stress that you cannot learn perception or Pose though mirroring programs on a computer or video-game system. The environmental cues would be missing.

So how does one learn perception?

“Your body weight should be incredibly, precisely developed in your system—perception of the body weight,” Dr. Romanov says.

The renowned coach says that he has developed the way to teach this through his courses, and that his method has general applicability to all functional movements.

8min 29sec

Additional reading: The Basics of Pose Running Techniques by Brian MacKenzie, published Dec. 1, 2007.

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Northwestern star says his career?s ?a failure? without NCAA bid

For a guy who plays for a star-crossed program that famously has never made the NCAA tournament and until recently had seldom even come close, Northwestern star John Shurna isn't lacking for bravado.

Shurna told the Chicago Tribune his goals for his upcoming senior season recently, and to say the least he's not leaving himself or his teammates much wiggle room.

"It's tournament or bust," he said. "If we don't make it, I'll feel like my career here would be a failure."

Few Northwestern players have made proclamations in such strong words in the past, but Shurna has more reason to be confident than most. In addition to making the NIT in each of Shurna's first three seasons in Evanston, the Wildcats return four starters next season including Shurna, wing Drew Crawford and center Luka Mirkovic.

The biggest question facing Northwestern is how they will replace point guard Michael "Juice" Thompson, the Wildcats' second-leading scorer and the maestro of their Princeton offense. Veteran 3-point marksman Alex Marcotullio is the most likely choice, but promising sophomore JerShon Cobb could see some playing time at point guard, as could incoming freshmen David Sobolewski and Tre Demps.

Shurna bypassed the chance to be a second-round pick in last month's draft to return to Northwestern and take one final shot at being part of the team that ended the school's NCAA tournament drought.

The ankle injury that hampered him much of last season is gone. The Big Ten appears a bit weaker behind Ohio State than it did a year ago at this time. And Shurna is focused on becoming more aggressive than he's been his first three years.

Will that be enough? Early mock brackets have the Wildcats among the field of 68, but we'll have to wait until March to see if they can make that goal a reality.

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Planet Sport: Death threats, naked women and punk rock

Italian hires bodyguards after collision, while Brazilian footballer fights addictions and Super Bowl hero is told to feel the music

Marco Simoncelli, the Italian rider, has been the subject of a death threat after knocking the Spaniard Dani Pedrosa off his bike at the French Grand Prix. His Gresini team considered the threat credible, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport, and he has prepared for today's Catalunya Grand Prix in Barcelona accompanied by a team of bodyguards. Pedrosa has had a titanium plate inserted into his shoulder after the accident at Le Mans and misses today's race. The Spaniard's manager, Alberto Puig, said that "Simoncelli should go to prison", a comment which many credit with inflaming feelings in the country. Fausto Gresini, manager of Simoncelli's team, said: "The threat will surely be the act of a lone madman but we will be on our guard." Simoncelli's father, Paolo, said: "For 10 days my wife and I have had no sleep. It is absurd to threaten a boy."

Brazil: Former Vasco striker talks about addictions

The former Vasco stiker Valdiram has spoken to O Globo about his life in rehab, where he has been recovering from addictions to sex, cocaine and alcohol. The 28-year-old, who played alongside Romario when Vasco reached the Copa do Brasil final in 2006, has spent the last month in an institute run by an evangelical church, more often home to rapists, drug dealers and thieves. "I was not prepared for fame," he said. "I became famous so quickly, I made a lot of money, but in Rio I was alone. I had no one to guide me. So I fell into a world of prostitution and drink." Earlier this year Valdiram was sacked by Central for a breach of discipline: "I lived in a hotel in the heart of Caruaru," he said. "I called four women there, drank a lot and there was that scandal. They called the club president, who arrived at a moment when there were naked women running down the corridors. There were four players there, but because of my past I was the only one who was sacked." Valdiram said that he spoke last week to the former Brazil strikers Romario and Bebeto. "I dream one day to return to Vasco and do what I did in 2006," he said.

United States: John Elway gets punks spitting mad

Lawyers for the Denver Broncos president, hall-of-fame quarterback and two-time Super Bowl champion, John Elway, have contacted the obscure Colorado-based punk band Elway to ask them to change their name. "We have no intention of changing our name," the band told punknews.org. "We love the name, regardless of what connotations are inferred by the listener. Surely, if the Dead Kennedys could become one of punk's most popular bands without incurring litigation, Elway can keep their moniker and continue making so-so music for our dozens of fans to enjoy." The singer, Tim Browne, told the Associated Press: "We're not out to get John Elway. This situation is hilarious and he needs to loosen up."

Sweden: Club fined for fans' offensive chants

Djurgarden have become the first team in Sweden to be fined because of what their supporters chanted at a referee during a game against Malmo FF, according to Aftonbladet. The fans shouted that the official was a "bloody whore" and the club were ordered to pay 25,000 kronor (�2,500). "It is a bit strange that we should be responsible for what our fans are shouting. It feels like [the Swedish FA] is shooting from the hip but missing the target," said the club's security officer, Mats Jonsson.

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Syracuse?s schedules are apparently tougher than we thought

In Joe Lunardi's recent ESPN.com piece examining teams who assembled the strongest and weakest non-league schedules the past four years, one of the teams listed definitely stood out as a surprise.

That would be Syracuse, which checked in tied for sixth with Connecticut among schools from BCS conferences in non-conference schedule strength.

Considering the flack Jim Boeheim takes for his unwillingness to play early-season games outside the greater New York-area, it's definitely unexpected to see Syracuse listed among the likes of Michigan State, Tennessee or Arizona. The Orange have played only five non-conference games the past four years anywhere besides the Carrier Dome, Madison Square Garden or Atlantic City, N.J.

Why then is Syracuse's schedule strength so much greater than its critics claim?

Well, first of all, data used to measure strength of schedule treats preseason tournament games in Manhattan or Atlantic City as neutral court contests even though the Orange typically have a huge home-court advantage. But secondly, Syracuse does a better job than it's given credit for of scheduling a few marquee games each year and of making sure that the mid-major and low-major teams it plays at home aren't RPI killers.

Syracuse still hasn't released its full 2011-12 schedule, but the highlights are similar to previous years. The Orange will host Florida on Dec. 2 in a matchup of potential top 10 teams and they'll headline the Preseason NIT along with Stanford, Virginia Tech and Oklahoma State.

Not an especially daunting list on paper. But perhaps by season's end it will once again be better than we think.

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Headlinin?: Michigan lures a big one from Ohio State

Making the morning rounds.

? Yoink. To the surprise of no one who keeps an eye on the recruiting trail, Lakewood, Ohio, offensive lineman Kyle Kalis ? a one-time Ohio State commit ranked by Rivals as the 18th-best player in the entire 2012 class ? has spurned the Buckeyes for Michigan. Kalis' commitment instantly makes him the headliner of the Wolverines' stellar 2012 haul, which already included five offensive linemen and nine players from Ohio. Five of them bear a four-star rating from Rivals, and Kalis and California lineman Erik Magnuson are both in line to pick up the rare fifth star later in the process.

For Ohio State, Kalis' defection is the latest in a string of whiffs on in-state targets, who had already fled the Buckeyes in favor of Wisconsin (Cleveland offensive lineman Kyle Dodson), Michigan State (Canton defensive end Se'von Pittman) and, yes, Michigan (Mentor defensive end Tom Strobel) since Jim Tressel was forced out as head coach on May 30. [TheWolverine.com, MGoBlog]

? The Rap Sheet. Arkansas offensive lineman Anthony Oden was arrested and booked Saturday morning on a litany of charges stemming from a drunk driving stop, including DWI, possession of a controlled substance, driving left of the center line, failing to yield to an emergency vehicle, no proof of ownership, driving on a suspended/revoked driver's license and no driver's license. According to the police report, Oden's blood-alcohol level was .09, just above the state limit of .08, which still amounts to a lot of alcohol for a guy who checks in at 6-foot-8 and 328 pounds.

The arrest came almost exactly a year after Oden was arrested for DWI on July 4, 2010, which got him suspended for the season opener against Tennessee Tech. His season was later shortened by a case of mononucleosis that forced him to drop out of classes, but Oden returned to the team in the spring and was considered a candidate to take over one of the Razorbacks' two vacant offensive tackle slots. The operative word there being was. [Arkansas Democrat Gazette]

? Terrelle Pryor welcomes you to the club. His college career now derailed by academics, outgoing Georgia running back Caleb King is throwing his hat into the NFL's supplemental draft instead. There's no firm date for the proceedings, but the league confirmed earlier this summer that the draft will go on, lockout or no lockout. If Pryor or King is selected in any round ?�which is not a given; only 40 players have been taken in the supplemental draft's 34-year existence ?�the team that drafts him will have to give up its pick in the corresponding round of the 2012 Draft for the rights. [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer]

? RIP. Former Notre Dame lineman Pete Duranko, an All-American defensive tackle on the Irish's 1966 national championship team, died of Lou Gehrig's disease last week in a hospice in Windber, Pa. As a senior in 1966, Duranko anchored a defense that allowed 3.8 points per game and shut out six of ten opponents, and went on to an eight-year pro career with the Denver Broncos. He was 67. [Chicago Tribune]

? Goings and goings. Barely a week after being personally welcomed aboard by head coach Charlie Strong, former Missouri quarterback Tyler Gabbert may be backing out of his decision to transfer to Louisville. Multiple sources in the Derby City reported over the weekend that Gabbert has already left the team and may be making a (probably futile) bid to return to his old stomping grounds at Mizzou. [Card Chronicle]

? We know drama. If you can make it through this earnest and extravagantly shot video of Ole Miss running back Brandon Bolden pushing his body to the limit to keep a spinning ball from coming to rest on the turf without laughing at least twice, well, you've got a better poker face than me:

I mean, when does he stab Joaquin Phoenix? [University of Mississippi Media Documentary Projects]

Quickly? The Houston Chronicle gets in the act of profiling Willie Lyles. ? The requirements for Oregon's new compliance position are kind of intense. ? A bit of alternative history at Oklahoma State. ? What Alabaman could possibly resist Crimson Tide-themed chicken? ? And I'm not sure which is more intriguing: Robert Griffin III planking a Baylor goalpost, or those yellow socks.

- - -
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

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Beyond the CrossFit Games: Part 3

Hilary Achauer explains how Matt Lodin used the Reebok CrossFit Games Open as rehab.

It happened in the middle of Nasty Girls, an infamous WOD that is 3 rounds for time of 50 squats, 7 muscle-ups and 10 135-lb. hang power cleans. Matt Lodin was at the end of the second round, coming out of a muscle-up. As he landed, he felt a sharp, eye-searing pain in his left knee and collapsed to the ground. He tried to get up and move on to the power cleans, but he couldn’t straighten his leg.

Matt went to the doctor the next day and got the news. He had dislocated his patella and shredded the meniscus in his left knee. The only option was surgery—disappointing news only a month before the CrossFit Games Open competition.

“When the doctor told me I needed surgery, I had to figure out if I was going to hold off and go through the Games without the ability to fully extend my knee or lose some conditioning and hope to be fully recovered by regionals,” Matt said.

Once the CrossFit Games Open schedule was revealed as a six-week, worldwide competition, Matt made his decision:

“I was going to get my surgery done when the Open started and use the six weeks of competition as my rehab.”

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CrossFit Radio Episode 172

On Episode 172 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed R.A.W. Training co-founder Molly Tuman; Tony Zana and Baker Leavitt, owners of 2Pood; and past CrossFit Games competitor Jasmine Dever. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, May 18, 2011.

3:40 R.A.W. Training in Wildwood, Pa., is training athletes—and training them well. R.A.W. stands for “realize the athlete within,” and R.A.W. showed the efficacy of their training and programming when they placed third in the team division of the Reebok CrossFit Games Open. R.A.W. co-founder Molly Tuman, who placed 11th in the Mid-Atlantic Region, came on the show to talk about her team and their training. After a top 20 finish in last year’s Affiliate Cup, the team members rededicated themselves and have trained together for an entire year. Many athletes had to decide whether to compete as individuals or as part of a team, and Tuman described how her athletes made the decision.

18:00 Tony Zana and Baker Leavitt are CrossFitters first and creators of 2Pood second. 2Pood makes performance clothing and accessories for CrossFit athletes. The duo came on the show to talk about the creation of their apparel and how they test their designs. 2Pood sponsors a host of elite CrossFitters, as well as CrossFit events around the country. They explained how they determine which athletes they want to have on their team, as well as how they chose their company’s unique name.

36:30 Jasmine Dever’s CrossFit accomplishments are impressive. She competed in the 2010 CrossFit Games and is storming into this season by finishing first in the Southwest Region and 18th overall in the Reebok CrossFit Games Open. After a disappointing finish in last year’s Games, Dever was highly motivated as she entered this season. Jasmine talked about her training and what she will do between now and her regional competition.

59min 59sec

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Talk Is Cheap

Mike Warkentin asks what happens when hard-charging CrossFitters run into gym socialites looking for a conversation.

CrossFit is changing gym culture—that’s obvious.

With new affiliates springing up everywhere, entire islands of CrossFit exist where people can fling chalk around like it’s flour on the set of Jackass and hear not one trainer complain. These boxes are loud, rugged and Spartan—the antithesis of the modern fitness facility.

As garage beautiful as a fully outfitted box can be, many CrossFitters don’t have access to one and are forced to pursue their version of fitness in traditional gyms where most of the equipment has a built-in chair. These athletes are a lot like covert operatives doing devious shit deep behind enemy lines, and the possibility of capture and punishment or expulsion is often very real.

Nevertheless, as people discover our program, fewer power cages are used for biceps curls and more and more facilities are filled with loud crashes instead of the sounds of plate stacks sliding on oiled rails.

And there’s less talking—thankfully.

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Ex-Alabama, Auburn players will play flag football for tornado relief

An Auburn-Alabama tornado relief game was proposed back in May and somewhat pooh-poohed, but two months later both school's football alumni are taking up the cause.

Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com proposed an August scrimmage between Alabama and Auburn in an effort to raise funds for the damage cause by a major tornado that ravaged the state back in May. To do this, the school's had to get permission from the NCAA.

So to skirt all the red tape, former football players from both schools have agreed to play in a flag football game next month in Hoover, Ala. The HeartinDixie Alumni Day Flag Football Game will be Aug. 13 at 7 p.m. at Spain Park High School.

Among the past athletes and coaches attending the weekend's events will be Bo Jackson, Cornelius Bennett, Pat Dye, Ray Perkins, Al Del Greco, Bobby Humphrey, Stan White, Gene Stallings, Joe Cribbs and Lee Roy Jordan.

Names of participating players in the flag football game have not been announced. Players must be out of college or the NFL for at least two years. Sanderson said the idea came from "A" Club members as they helped clean up tornado damage in Holt.

"A bunch of us said we ought to play a football game against Auburn," Sanderson said. "(Former Alabama linebacker) Darryl Fuhrman wouldn't let it go. He put together a group of guys and it suddenly became, 'Who knows someone at Auburn?'"

The game was initially planned for this weekend, which would have allowed Alabama coach Nick Saban and Auburn coach Gene Chizik to possibly attend. Richardson said they won't be present in August because of practices.

Tickets are $20 (plus $5 for parking) and about 40 former players will be on hand to sign autographs. All of the proceeds will go toward the HeartinDixie Foundation, which helps victims of the tornadoes.

The flag football game actually kicks off a weekend of events, which also included a benefit golf tournament and a golf pro-am.

The group that put this fundraiser together is considering making it a yearly event depending on how well it goes next month.

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