With a partner for time:
Run 1 mile together
50 Synchro wall balls, 20#(14#)
40 Synchro toes to bar
30 Power cleans, 205#(135#), accumulated

Post times to comments and BTWB

No Classes Today.  The gym is closed for the Femme Royale Competition.  If you are able to help out and volunteer, we would greatly appreciate your participation.  

Those of you that are able to volunteer in the morning, please show up around 8:00 – 8:30 am.  If you can help out later in the day, please show up and see Eric or Anna.

Sunday’s classes are at the usual times, WOD at 9:00 am and Open Gym at 10:00 am

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and volunteering your time.  

Every 4:00 x 5 sets:
5 Deadlift

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A little bit of Verve house keeping. . . . 

Folks, there are a few topics we would like to bring up as some helpful reminders. We recognize that when we bring topics such as these up, there will be many people that feel it does not pertain to them. We understand not every member of Verve needs reminding but please appreciate that the best way for us to communicate with the masses is through our blog and social media. If after reading this, you think, “huh, this doesn’t pertain to me”, no worries then. 😉

*A reminder about our open gym hours*

We have a ton of open gym time:
Monday- Thursday- 7:30am-11:30am (this is for verve members only), 1:30pm-4:30pm, and 7:30pm-9:00pm
Friday- 7:30am-11:30am, 1:30pm-4:30pm
Saturday- 11am-12:30pm
Sunday- 10am-11am

As of late we have had an increase in people randomly coming in to the gym to do their own programming at times outside of our open gym hours. We would like to politely ask that you please respect the open gym hours and reserve your work for those times and those times only. 

You may see trainers working out at off times. Trainers have the privilege of using the gym at off hours because we realize that it may be hard for them to join a class when they are busy coaching classes. 

We are often lax on letting someone sit on a rower or a bike, maybe do some rehab or core work with minor equipment. What we ask is that no one get out additional equipment, no lifting off the racks or floor, using the jerk blocks, or ultimately doing a workout.

If you find that you started something during open gym but your time plan is off, just ask the trainer if it’s cool that you finish. It is at the discretion of the trainer to let you finish or ask that you please clean up. 

If you feel like you regularly see someone doing their own thing in the corner, before you assume that it’s totally cool for all people to do their own thing in a corner, you have a few additional options: 1) If you are going to assume anything at all, I would assume that they have spoken with Eric or myself and perhaps there is a reason they are doing their own thing in a corner, 2) Assume nothing, and if you really need to know the why behind what you see, simply ask Eric or myself, we are happy to discuss any issues or possible concerns with you. 

We respect the members of Verve and their desires to pursue programming outside of ours. We respect the members of Verve and the goals they chase down when they come to open gym to follow this additional programming. We respect it so much that we have provided roughly 8 hours of open gym time per day. All that we ask in return is that you respect these hours. 

*A reminder about bringing friends to Verve*

We love that you love Verve. We love that you love Verve so much that you want those you are closest to, to get to experience Verve. If you have a friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor that you want to try out Verve, please send us an email ahead of time at info@crossfitverve.com. Let us know what day you are thinking about coming in. If this person has done CrossFit before, awesome, it’s really a matter of knowing when to expect them and have them sign a waiver. 

But this person has NEVER done CrossFit before. . . that’s still awesome, we are excited for them to try it, but we will be requesting they drop in to a Sprint class as their introduction to CrossFit. This will possibly be hard to understand but let’s imagine for a minute that the workout is snatch and muscle-ups. The class has 20 people in it, and now we have someone in class that has literally never stepped foot in a CrossFit workout ever. This becomes problematic for the coach. It creates a problem where a good chunk of time might be spent with this person, helping coach them in these very new and very complex movements (remember the first time you learned how to snatch??) and making sure they move safely. This takes time away from the other 19 people in class. Our Sprint classes are quite different in that they will not have a dedicated heavy day or any complex barbell movements. This environment makes it much easier for the coach and the prospective new member in their introduction to these new movements. Verve members are welcome to join the Sprint class as well so they can workout with their buddy while they test run Verve. 

The biggest compliment you can give us is your word of mouth recommendation to others. We are grateful for your support. Please trust us in making sure those that walk through the door get the best experience possible. Help us set them up for success by introducing them to CrossFit in the class that best suits their abilities at the time. 

Thank you for taking the time to read all this. If you have any questions regarding these issues, you can leave them in the comments or you are welcome to email me at any time, courtney@crossfitverve.com. 

3 Rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
10 Thrusters 135#(95#)

Post time to BTWB

CrossFit Verve member, Austin Carson, opens his new restaurant, Bistro Georgette, at Avanti F&B. 

Below is an excerpt from 5280.com highlighting the new venture for Austin, Heather, and Ty.  Make sure to swing on by and sample some of the great Parisian food Austin, Heather, and Ty have to offer and click HERE for the full write up on 5280.com.

If pie is your thing, then Avanti Food & Beverage is where you need to go for your next fix. There, in the first floor stall where the Regional used to sling its beloved chicken sandwiches, now stands Bistro Georgette, a Parisian street food concept helmed by three Denver restaurant pros: chef Ty Leon, beverage man Austin Carson, and hospitality maven Heather Morrison, all formerly of Mizuna.

Leon, Mizuna’s executive chef for three years, is known for his remarkable pastry skills; at Bistro Georgette, his way with pie dough, in particular, informs the menu. Serving hand pies and traditional slices, Leon’s buttery, flaky crust wraps around the likes of savory wild mushrooms with garlic and fresh parsley, beef Bourguignon with bacon, and sweet caramel apples—all are rich and satisfying.

Carson and Morrison, Mizuna’s former general manager/sommelier and service manager, respectively, are in charge of hospitality at Bistro Georgette; don’t be alarmed if one or both of them venture out from behind the kiosk counter to check in with you, making sure you’re happy with the lemony, egg-topped Lyonnaise salad or chocolate-glazed eclair. After years spent in fine dining restaurants, they’re intent on bringing the same feeling of warm hospitality to Bistro Georgette, even if it is located inside a bustling, buzzy food hall.

“My grandmother, Georgia [for whom the concept is named], was the most passionate, graceful host,” says Carson, “and she was an incredible cook, too. She’s why I am in the [food] business at all.” Thanks to her then, and to Carson, Leon, and Morrison for bringing their pie-centric Parisian vision to us all.

Avanti F+B
3200 N Pecos
Denver, CO 80211

Hours
Sun–Wed 11am–9pm
Thu–Sat 11am–10pm
hello@bistrogeorgette.com

As many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of:
9 Dumbbell hang power cleans, 40#(25#)
3 Rope climbs
20 Double unders
18 Push ups

*Athlete’s choice to do this as a partner workout or as an individual. If done as a partner workout, parnter 1 completes a full round, then partner 2 goes.

Post rounds and reps to comments and BTWB

Today, on this Labor Day, we will have an abbreviated schedule. Please see class times in MBO and be sure to reserve your spot. 

What is Labor Day?

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.

Why do we celebrate Labor Day?

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.

Recovery Day

With a 30:00 clock
Row or Bike at a recovery pace

Every 5:00 get off bike or rower
3 – 5 Wall walks
3 – 5 Strct toes to bar
5- 10 Tempo goblet squats (pick weight)

*If you want to help your body recover for next weeks training,
come on in and do some recovery rowing or biking with some accessory work included.

Post results to comments and BTWB

“Saved by the Barbell”

3 Rounds for max reps of:
1:00 of Burpees
1:00 Wall balls 20#(14#)
1:00 Deadlifts 115#(75#)
1:00 Medball sit ups 20#(14#)
1:00 Hang power cleans 115#(75#)
Rest 1:00

Saved by the Barbell is an annual, world-wide CrossFit community Labor Day workout and fundraising effort to bring CrossFit to more kids everywhere.  Each year, rates of chronic diseases like type-2 diabetes, obesity, and liver disease – conditions once associated with the sick and elderly – rise among children, from toddlers to teenagers. And yet each year, more schools reduce their physical education programs.

Recess is becoming a thing of the past. Cafeteria food, deeply flawed nutrition education, and sugar-stocked vending machines only contribute to the problem.  Schools where children grow up in poverty, food deserts, and disadvantaged communities pose even greater challenges to kids’ health.

As adults, we ask ourselves: What can I do today to make a meaningful and lasting difference in the world, in my community, in my neighborhood, on my block, for the better? Our community knows the answer. Kids need to move. To play. To stand up from their desks and couches and go outside, go to the gym, learn how to move and nourish their bodies in a safe and healthy community.

Many CrossFit affiliates have already answered the call, with over 1,800 CrossFit Kids Registered Programs. There are over 1,000 CrossFit programs in schools today. But we can do better.

See: https://crossfit.com/foundation/crossfitforkids for more and to sign up to help!

In 10:00 build to a 1 rep power clean
Then with a partner:
3 Rounds for time of:
15 Kettlebell swings 53#(35#)
Row 300 Meters

*One person does the 15 swings and the 300-meter row, then the next person goes….that is one round

Post results to comments or BTWB

LIGHT CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 2lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 1/2 cups halved red grapes
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/3 cup diced green onions
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

 INSTRUCTIONS

1. To a large bowl add shredded chicken, red grapes, pecans, and green onions.
2. In a small bowl add yogurt, mayo, mustard, sage, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Whisk together.
3. Add the liquid mixture to the chicken dish.
4. Stir everything together until it is completely combined.
5. Serve on a slice of bread or in a cup of bibb lettuce.

NUTRITION

• Serving Size: 1/2 cup
• Calories: 191
• Sugar: 4 g
• Sodium: 274 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 13 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 18 g
• Cholesterol: 47 mg

3 Rounds for time of:
21 Toes to bar
15 Back Squats, 185#(125#)
9 Push jerks, 185#(125#)

Post times to comments and BTWB

Is Verve where you come to relieve stress or create stress?

Just a few deep thoughts By Courtney Shepherd

I overheard something spectacular the other day. Several ladies came in to the 1:30pm open gym to do the WOD. It was a 40 minute EMOM, and one of the movements was a 400m run. These ladies were discussing the distance they would be running in the workout. One mentioned trying to do the 400m, another said they would cut it to 300m, and the last one said they would run 350m. If you have been a member of Verve for a while and you know our common running paths, then you might be asking yourself the same question that was asked out loud? “What’s the 350m run course?”

“It’s where it feels just right and then I turn around and come back.” This lady said it with a huge smile on her face and some laughter came from the other two. To me this answer is absolutely perfect, for several reasons. 

When was the last time you came in to Verve and chose your movements, weights, reps, distance based on what just felt right to you? How often do we pick something because of what we think we HAVE to do or better yet, based off what we see someone else do? The “have to’s” are because we self impose expectations. And unfortunately they may not always be realistic expectations. So we can find ourselves walking away from a workout feeling like a failure. 

The “well so and so is, so I guess I should. . . ” is based off comparing ourselves to others. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, we are all unique snowflakes. No two of us are alike. So why do we look at someone else and say things like “we look the same so we must lift the same”, “we’ve been doing it about the same time, so we must be equal”? We can never know someone’s full journey, where they may have actually started, what things may have happened to them along the way. We are comparing ourselves to an unknown. And if at the end of the workout we don’t complete it the same as the person we compared ourselves to, then we may walk away feeling like a failure. 

Do you leave Verve feeling more stressed than when you came in? Do you walk out of Verve feeling defeated? Do you head to your car feeling like you are good at nothing in CrossFit? Why? Why do you think you feel this way? Is it because you expected something that didn’t happen? Or because you saw someone else do it but you could not? We NEED to change our mind set when we walk in to Verve. We need to find a way to leave the gym thinking, “that felt just right”.  

Any day that you get to workout, be happy. Any day that you get to push your body to try and do new things, it’s a win. Any time you finish, you deserve a high five. I’ve actually had people tell me how for weeks they felt defeated in the gym and then one day they finally got a PR and now they feel good. I guess this confuses me. Because not everyday will be a PR, it can’t be. CrossFit progress is not a steady uphill line. It ebbs and flows, especially along with our lives. We get injuries, we have babies, we go on long vacations, we get sick, we change jobs, we have a busy season in our job. . . you name it, it happens, and our performance in the gym is linked to all of this.

So instead of expecting perfection or looking at the whiteboard, what if we walked in the door and instantly felt a goal achieved, I’m here, I’m going to do something for myself that keeps me healthy. BOOM. And as we warm-up, let’s find what feels just right and let’s crush it. Doesn’t matter if what felt right last week was heavier. Nope. knock that off. Live right now for what feels good and right, and own it. And when you are done, own the success of finishing what you started. Help others be successful too. Cheer them on, give a high five (and if you are comfortable with it, a nice butt pat and good game). We are in this together to make Verve be one of the best hours of the day. 

Here’s to “It where it feels just right and then I turn around and come back.” 😉

5 Rounds
0:00 – 2:00 Row 500(450) meters
2:00 – 4:00 AMRAP 50 single unders + 10 double unders (save 0:10 for rest)
4:00 – 6:00 Run 400-meters *As fast as possible
6:00 – 8:00 Practice a gymnastics skill of choice

Post to BTWB

This coming Friday and Saturday there is an event taking place on Larimer Street between 31st and Downing.  The above map shows the road closures in red that will be begin around 6:00 PM on Friday evening.  The street will be closed all day Saturday and should re-open late Saturday night.  Sorry for the grainy map, but the streets in red will all be closed for the event Saturday.  

The Verve parking lot will still be open and accessible by way of Downing, but if you come from downtown and normally take Larimer, plan to have to go a different route for classes Saturday.

Here is the info from the Event Organizers:

Event Name: Truck Stop: Food Truck Rally

Location: Larimer Street between 31st and Downing
When: September 1st from 1-8pm
Street Closure (FOR CARS ONLY): Begins at 6pm August 31st and will reopen at 11:59pm on September 1st. Begins at 6pm August 31st and will reopen at 11:59pm on September 1st. Larimer will be closed from 31st-Downing along with side streets 32nd, 33rd, & 34th to the alleyways.
There will be alleyway access along the entire venue footprint for all business and residences.

Event details:

Infinite Monkey Theorem is turning 10 and Truck Stop is crashing their party! Truck Stop brings food trucks, restaurants, booze, music, and more into an afternoon of tasting, sipping, grooving, and enjoying the end of summer in Denver’s Rino arts neighborhood. 

Experience the creations of local culinary masterminds at Truck Stop, a brand new festival dedicated to celebrating our town’s award winning trucks, chefs, restaurants, street carts,and stands.

Load in: August 31st starting at 6pm. Limited access to Larimer Street from 6pm on August 31st until 11:59pm on September 1st
Load out: September 1st starting at 8pm. Street will reopen at 11:59pm on September 1st