Crossfit River North, Chicago

Hey Everyone - While at a trade show in Chicago ,I had the special opportunity to WOD, not once but three times at Crossfit River North.  From my hotel it was just about 1 mile to their box, located in the heart of downtown Chicago in the neighborhood called "River North".

This is a pretty good size location with massive amounts of equipment, squat racks, bars, GHD machines and more.  Plus they have a separate location for doing the "on-ramp" classes.  There are also 2 rest rooms, and showers for both men and women. This is downtown Chicago  so I would kind of expect these types of accommodations.

So, I was in Chicago for 3 nights and 4 days so that meant I would WOD on Wednesday, Thursday, and one last WOD on Friday.  I planned to do all early AM classes and so continues "on the wod again."  They do charge a drop in fee of $20 per day but did not charge me for the 3rd day, so I purchased a shirt on day 3.  They were very accommodating and easy to work with and since this was Chicago, where nothing comes cheap or for free so that was not out of the ordinary.

Wednesday

Warm up - 400 m run with D.S. (dynamic stretching), this is where we all lined up and did several stretches, butt kicks, knee highs, toy soldiers, side steps and hip flexibility.  So it got you really warm up for the WOD and then the trainer went over the movements for the WOD.

WOD - Helen  - 3 RFT - 400 m - 21 KB swings 53/35# and 12 pull ups.

Many of you know that this is one of the classic benchmark WOD's.  I do like this one but with all bench mark WOD's I like to do them at my own box, but since this is was their workout, I had to do it.  This one felt good right from the get go and I was able to do the KB swings unbroken for all three rounds, once again it was the pull ups that took time.  Finished in 8:38 RX, so I was really happy! A new PR for me!

Cool Down WOD - 150 mason twists with a 20# ball....um not very fun but a fun cool down

Thursday

Warm up - 800 m Jog, then the same dynamic stretching as noted above

Next we did something I have never done at any other crossfit, a pre-WOD- WOD.  Yes, we did a 3 min AMRAP of 10 push ups, 10 squats, 20 skaters and 100 m run, I just barely finished 2 rounds. I was nice and ready for the WOD.

WOD
800 m run
Then 10 rounds of
10 burpees
5 HSPU
Then
800 m run

On this WOD, the 800 meter run was long or at least felt long.   The 10 rounds of burpees and HSPU looks bad (in a crossfit way) but once again you don't realize how bad until round 5 or 6.  I just wish my kipping HSPU's were better.  Note to self, need to work on improving my kipping HSPU's!  Anyway, I don't remember my time on this WOD but what I do remember is that I don't ever want to do it again!

Cool down - 50 GHD back extensions.

Friday

So, on my last day in Chicago, with my flight not until 9:30 am, I decided ( like the crazy crossfitters that we are) to go for one last WOD at 6:00 am.  I got up at 5:15 and with my  bags packed for the airport. I walked to the box and here is what I saw "Jackie" on the Whiteboard.   Oh man ! Another benchmark WOD and one that looks OK on paper but for anyone who has done Jackie, you know that 50 Thrusters with a 45# bar is nothing to smile about.

Warm up - 500 m slow Row, then move to dynamic stretching

Strength work - Front squats - This was awesome as I am in the middle of a front squat program so as luck would have it, I could keep on track.  Plus they have awesome built in squat racks to work from.

WOD - Jackie
1000m Row
50 - Thrusters 45#
30 - Pull ups

Ummm., what to say about "Jackie?", lets just say that she wasn't very kind to me. I felt like I gave it my all but the results didn't show it.  The row was good but the thrusters felt heavy and seemed to take forever.  The trainer told us before the WOD, that it was better to rest the bar on our shoulders instead of setting it down and while I tried this during the WOD I still found myself setting the bar down, damn it!  By the end of the thrusters I felt like I had nothing left in the tank but managed to get 30 pull ups and finish it out.  Not my best time but happy anyways!

So I would say that Chicago River North is a great box to join for a WOD or two if you are in Chicago for a day or two..  You can call or e-mail to let them know but you can also just show up.  There are also many classes during the day, in fact from 5 am to 7 pm, every hour they have a class.