Thank you for your interest in CrossFit Palo Alto! Our Introductory Session for  is not OPEN for registration.

Date for Introduction will be:

To Be Announced

To sign up for an Introduction to CrossFit Palo Alto, CLICK HERE, read through all the information and follow the steps to reserve your spot.

We will add more introduction classes to our schedule as space becomes available in our classes.

We are working very hard to expand our programs and offerings to provide CrossFit to everyone that wants it. Please stay tuned to our website, facebook page and twitter feed for regular updates and information regarding new opportunities to train with us.

In 2012, 83 Athletes represented CrossFit Palo Alto at last year’s Fight For Air, with over 40% of the gym membership participating in the actual climb, and many, many more contributing with financial support and fundraising.  Together, $31,041 was raised by members of the team. This turned out to be the most money raised by ANY team in the WHOLE COUNTRY!

This year, we are doing it again! Join our team on March 23rd, 2013 and race/walk/climb up 52 stories to the top.

555 California Street rises 779 feet above the pavement; one of the tallest buildings on the West Coast.  Formerly known as The Bank of America Building, it opened in 1979.  Its size and presence symbolized wealth and added an impressive punctuation mark on the skyline of San Francisco.  Its history has boasted of being the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the world headquarters of the Bank of America, and, of course the host site for the Fight For Air.

On Saturday, March 31st, 2012, participants from all over the Bay Area lined up in the hallways of the skyscraper, working their way through the maze toward the stairwells that are normally populated only during building evacuations.

The Task?  Climb 52 stories to the top of the building.

The Reason?  Support the American Lung Association and climb for those who can?t.

The Way?  As fast as possible.

Other CrossFit Affiliates were present at the climb, but CFPA rose to top! Help us do it again this year.

Last years results:

Largest CrossFit Team participating ? 83 Team Members

Most funds raised by CrossFit Affiliate ? $31,041+

Most funds raised by an individual ? $7000+

Most FUN had by ANY team!

It?s easy to be impressed by the CrossFit Palo Alto community.  How often do you get participation in a voluntary event (an uncomfortable event, no less) that exceeds 40 percent of the population?  And even more so, people who are willing to pay for it?  And raise money for it?  And do it all smiling?  Maybe it sounds silly.  Like asking someone to pay to row a 2k for fun on a Saturday morning.

But it wasn’t silly at all.  It was meaningful.  And very real.  And everyone celebrated it together.  Some people added themselves at the last minute. There were others whose motivation was to support the cause itself, raising awareness and funds for those who fight for air.  But regardless, the morning started the same for just about all of the participants:  an early alarm on a rainy Saturday morning, a drive up to the city, standing in the rain, legs burning as they reached the top of the climb, and all so that they could participate in an event with their teammates, their friends.  Each one of them proud to pass the test of the day.

Please join us this year and experience new heights to your capacity.

Every year there is a competition to determine the Fittest On Earth. This competition is called The CrossFit Games. In order to get to the Games there are multiple levels of competition. The first one is The CrossFit Open.

The Open is a worldwide competition where individuals compete in workouts that are posted weekly over the course of 5 weeks. You can video your workout and submit it online to CrossFit for judging and validation or you can perform the workout an a CrossFit affiliate and they will judge the workout and validate your score. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to come and see CrossFit as a sport.

CrossFit Palo Alto will be hosting The Open on 5 Saturdays, starting 3/9, from 11:30 am for those that want to compete. Here is what is required to compete at CFPA.

1) Register with The CrossFit Games site and select CrossFit Palo Alto as your affiliate. (cost $20)

2) Purchase a 5-week pass to The Open at CrossFit Palo Alto. (cost $50 – includes t-shirt)

3) Prepare yourself for some challenging and fun workouts with others from the gym.

(If you are a visitor, you are welcome to compete for a $10 drop in fee. You must be registered with The CrossFit Games site prior to arrival and you must contact Trish@crossfitpaloalto.com by Friday at 5pm prior to The Open date.)

Dates of The Open are: 3/9, 3/16, 3/23, 3/30 and 4/6

Please note. These workouts will not be scaled. CrossFit designs the workouts to be very accessible, but this is also a competition that requires strict standards. Examples of these standards are unassisted pullups and pushups. The movements and loads are unknown at this time. This is not a class where time will be spent on teaching the movements. Standards will be reviewed and that will be it. This is NOT an open gym time. This is NOT a time to come in and practice movements, make up workouts, etc. This is not part of your regular program and is completely optional. Therefore, any rest days that you may take in preparation for The Open will not be made up.

With every challenge comes opportunity.

I was reminded of this when I learned that CrossFit Palo Alto’s newest hand-picked hire – a remarkable individual with deep experience in growing and managing a robust community of CrossFit gym members – has decided for personal reasons to remain in her current job. Sadly, she will not be relocating to the Bay Area to become our Director of Operations as planned.

To say we are disappointed would be an understatement. As some of you know, over the course of our year-long recruiting efforts, we had crafted a unique Director of Operations position – a non-coaching role that focuses on community development, event management, marketing, and communications. We designed a job that offers a level of leadership and autonomy (as well as compensation) that is significantly greater than the norm. Throughout this process, we had targeted just one candidate, so we were absolutely thrilled when she accepted our offer to start in August. Today, we are just as crushed to learn that she won’t be able to join us, and that our members won’t get to experience her wonderful personality and talents.

But with every door that closes, another one opens.

We’re opening up our search for a creative, entrepreneurial-minded leader to fill our Director of Operations position. Our affiliate boasts an incredibly strong and vibrant community of athletes and coaches. Over 100 members participated in our last Fight Gone Bad event, and CFPA was the top fundraising team in the country for this year’s Fight for Air Climb to benefit the American Lung Association. As CFPA continues on its path of phenomenal growth, our priority is to add programs, educational opportunities, and events to enhance the experiences of our members, and to lay the foundation for the future. The Director of Operations will be empowered to lead these efforts, as well as manage the business of CFPA.

We’re not looking for a paint-by-the-numbers office manager or administrative assistant. This is a role for a creative leader who is passionate about strengthening a community of CrossFitters, and executing his or her own vision and strategies in a successful, collaborative environment. The Silicon Valley is one of the most opportunity-rich zones in CrossFit today, and we are excited by the prospect of finding someone with the talents, skills, and personality to position CFPA for future growth.

We know there are fantastic candidates in the greater CrossFit community, so please help CFPA spread the word about our Director of Operations position. And if you or someone you know fits the bill, please contact Tim at tim@crossfitpaloalto.com for more details.

CFPA’s own Michelle Tam (also known as Nom Nom Paleo, and a member of our Women’s Class) is responsible for this engaging and interactive cookbook for the iPad. Packed with Whole30-approved recipes and more than 1,500 step-by-step photos, this is an excellent resource for Paleo eaters on the lookout for delicious, healthy, and nutrient-dense dishes. For $4.99, you get 53 Paleo recipes (with 60 more recipes available for in-app purchase), along with a “Paleo 101” primer that explains why we eat whole, unprocessed, real foods (like meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, and nuts) and avoid highly-processed and pro-inflammatory foods (like grains, legumes, and added sugar). You’ll also find an in-depth shopping guide, a 30-day meal planner, an interactive grocery list you can email, and much, much more.

The app is not yet compatible with first-generation iPads (a fix is on the way, and should be approved by Apple this week), but if you have an iPad 2 or 3, this is a fantastic tool that’ll help kickstart your month (or more!) of clean eats.

For more information, visit the Nom Nom Paleo iPad app information site or Michelle’s blog — or just chat with her the next time you see her at the gym!

CLICK HERE to sign up NOW!

The following is a recap of last year’s event.

In 2011, 28 Athletes represented CrossFit Palo Alto at the American Lung Association’s Fight For Air Climb, with over 25% of the gym membership participating in the actual climb, and many, many more contributing with financial support and fundraising.  Together, over $10,000 was raised by members of the team, far exceeding the team’s original goal of $5000.

555 California Street rises 779 feet above the pavement; one of the tallest buildings on the West Coast.  Formerly known as The Bank of America Building, it opened in 1979.  Its size and presence symbolized wealth and added an impressive punctuation mark on the skyline of San Francisco.  Its history has boasted of being the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the world headquarters of the Bank of America, and, of course the host site for the Fight For Air.

On Saturday, March 26, participants from all over the Bay Area lined up in the hallways of the skyscraper, working their way through the maze toward the stairwells that are normally populated only during building evacuations.

The Task?  Climb 52 stories to the top of the building.

The Reason?  Support the American Lung Association and climb for those who can’t.

The Way?  As fast as possible.

17 Other CrossFit Affiliates were present at the climb, but CFPA rose to top!

Overall 1st Place Male – Sean Falconer

Overall 1st Place Female – Heather Newberry

Largest CrossFit Team participating – 27 Team Members

Most funds raised by CrossFit Affiliate – $10,000+

Most funds raised by an individual – $3300+

FASTEST CrossFit Team – 13:14.6

Most FUN had by ANY team!

For anyone who might have missed it, here’s a general rundown of the climb (Talk to Sean for a different perspective).

Floor 1:  Out the gate, thinking you’ll be able to keep up this pace for a while.

Floor 2:  OK, maybe not as long as you thought.

Floor 3:  New strategy, try two stairs at a time

Floor 4:  OK, never mind.  Maybe singles

Floor 5:  Just keep moving

Floor 6:  Waiting for heart rate to level off

Floor 7:  Still waiting

Floor 8:  Heart rate is sticking here

Floor 9:  Maintain

Floor 10:  Start occupying the brain by doing math

Floor 11:  One-two-three-four…

Floor 12:  Only 12?

Floor 13:  25% done! (Wait a sec, that leaves 75% to go!)

And on it goes, until…

Floor 51:  one more flight… and one switchback, no, two switchbacks and then…

Floor 52:  Reach the top and SNAP goes the camera and down a little hall to…

The Finish.  It felt like a huge surprise party awaiting every finisher at the top of the building.  All that with amazing views to boot (maybe a few folks partook of the bananas too)!

Fifty-two stories, 8:00 minutes flat for one, and upwards of 30 minutes for others.

It’s easy to be impressed by the CrossFit Palo Alto community.  How often do you get participation in a voluntary event (an uncomfortable event, no less) that exceeds twenty five percent of the population?   And even more so, people who are willing to pay for it?  And raise money for it?  And do it all smiling?  Maybe it sounds silly.  Like asking someone to pay to row a 2k for fun on a Saturday morning.

But it wasn’t silly at all.  It was meaningful.  And very real.  And everyone celebrated it together.  Some people added themselves at the last minute, finding a silver lining behind the clouds that kept them from the snow in Tahoe…   There were others whose motivation was to support the cause itself, raising awareness and funds for those who fight for air.   But regardless, the morning started the same for just about all of the participants:  an early alarm on a rainy Saturday morning, a drive up to the city, standing in the rain, legs burning as they reached the top of the climb, and all so that they could participate in an event with their teammates, their friends.  Each one of them proud to pass the test of the day.

(And maybe share a little bacon together in the end.)

The Open is a worldwide competition where individuals compete in workouts that are posted weekly over the course of 5 weeks. You can video your workout and submit it online to CrossFit for judging and validation or you can perform the workout an a CrossFit affiliate and they will judge the workout and validate your score. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to come and see CrossFit as a sport.

CrossFit Palo Alto will be hosting The Open on 5 Saturdays, starting 2/25, from 1-3pm for those that want to compete. Here is what is required to compete at CFPA.

1) Register with The CrossFit Games site and select CrossFit Palo Alto as your affiliate. (cost $20)

2) Purchase a 5-week pass to The Open at CrossFit Palo Alto. (cost $25)

3) Prepare yourself for some challenging and fun workouts with others from the gym.

(If you are a visitor, you are welcome to compete for a $20 drop in fee. You must be registered with The CrossFit Games site prior to arrival and you must contact us ahead of time.)

Dates of The Open are: 2/25, 3/3, 3/10, 3/17 and 3/24

Please note. These workouts will not be scaled. CrossFit designs the workouts to be very accessible, but this is also a competition that requires strict standards. Examples of these standards are unassisted pullups and pushups. The movements and loads are unknown at this time. This is not a class where time will be spent on teaching the movements. Standards will be reviewed and that will be it. This is NOT an open gym time. This is NOT a time to come in and practice movements, make up workouts, etc. This is not part of your regular program and is completely optional. Therefore, any rest days that you may take in preparation for The Open will not be made up.

Is it possible that you’re an awkward runner?

Even if your answer to all of those questions is “no,” chances are high that you could stand to learn a thing or two from Patton Gleason.

Patton, an accomplished ultramarathon and trail runner, is the founder of the Natural Running Store (sponsor of CrossFit Palo Alto’s own Kristen Dymmel!) and a leading expert in the natural running movement. He credits minimalist running and natural gait techniques for getting him back on track after several years of debilitating injuries, and has been studying and refining natural running approaches ever since.

“I love the idea that you are born with everything you need to run,” Patton has said. “I also think that learning form and technique is incredibly empowering. For way too long, people have been conditioned to think that they are broken and need way too many things for running. The big running secret is that you are wired to do it.”

As he delved further into the science of running, Patton developed a style of natural running called Flow Running. You can find out more about it on Saturday, October 22, when Patton will be visiting us from Texas and leading two 2-hour Flow Running seminars at CrossFit Palo Alto. Attendees will learn the fundamentals of natural running, and gain valuable skills and insight about proper running mechanics and efficiency of movement.

The first seminar will run from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and the second will run from noon to 2 p.m. You can register to attend by clicking here; tickets cost just $30 each. (Patton will be covering the same material in each of the two sessions, so sign up for just one of the sessions.)

This is a can’t-miss opportunity to learn from an expert in the field of natural running, and at a price that can’t be beat. The seminars are open to both CrossFit Palo Alto members and the general public, so grab a spot before all the slots are filled! (And remember: This event is open to friends and family, so sign them up, too!)

These “Back to Basics” posts are designed to give the reader some quick tips on the Paleo lifestyle so that you don’t have to spend a lot of time making the right choices and can focus on your training instead.

Just a quick word on a common misunderstanding among Paleo practitioners. The original Paleo Diet book by Loren Cordain placed an emphasis on eating lean meats because the effect of saturated fat on the body wasn’t well understood at the time of its writing (around 2000). The reason for this recommendation is sound: all animals (including humans) store toxins in their fat.¹ So it follows that animals raised using conventional methods are exposed to toxins in their feed (corn, grains), toxins on the land on which their raised (heavy metals, pesticides) and are injected with antibiotics and hormones. And if you eat the fat from these conventionally-raised animals, you’re introducing all of those toxins into your own body (and yes this applies to farm-raised seafood as well).

So if you’re going to eat conventionally-raised meats, be sure to trim off the fat! Perhaps an easier solution is to choose cuts of meat that are raised on a natural diet in open pastures. This meat can be admittedly more expensive (though you can save money by buying directly from the farmer through CSAs) but you will taste the difference and feel good about eating meat that lived a good life. Plus, you get to eat all that delicious, satiating animal fat.

What to look for on labels:
Beef and lamb – “100% grass-fed” or “grass-finished”
Chicken, pork and eggs – “pastured”
Fish – “wild-caught”
And of course, buy local whenever possible!

Badier Velji is a Whole 9 Envoy and writes about nutrition at The Lazy Caveman. Visit his website and follow @TheLazyCaveman on Twitter for more tips on how to improve your nutrition and quality of life.

References:
1. http://www.fws.gov/pacific/ecoservices/envicon/pim/reports/contaminantinfo/contaminants.html