Every minute on the minute for 24:00
Minute 1 = 15(12) calories on the rower
Minute 2 = 3 Push press 205#(135#)
Minute 3 = 50 Double unders
Minute 4 = 3 Push Jerks 205#(135#)

Post results to comments and BTWB

This a a #tbt post. But I’m throwing it back because it’s as important today as it was when I first wrote it. I think more than a few of us can agree there have been some pretty robust workouts over the last few weeks. And some of us (yes, I am very included in this) are feeling a little beat up. But some of us may not be sure quite what to do with our beat up bodies. Do we stay home and do nothing? For how long? Do we push through it? Please take a moment to read through this blog post again and remember that CrossFit is about longevity. It’s about living happy lives. If you are too beat up to enjoy life, then what’s the fun in CrossFit?

What’s your (insert movement here) quota?
By Courtney “notalotta squata” Shepherd

What’s your quota? What’s the max number of (insert movement here) you have in you in a day? A week? A month? What happens when you go over that quota? Do you get a bonus? Or is there a bust? What in the world am I even talking about?

Several years ago I started following a training program with some fellow Verve competitors. About 6 weeks into the program I started having back pain. I pushed through it. By 14 weeks I could not get on and off the toilet without using the assistance of walls because of the pain in my back. I couldn’t pick up my right leg to put my pants on. At the 11 week mark I had sat down to crunch some numbers. Prior to following the program I was squatting (or getting below parallel) in some fashion or another (air squat, back squat, pistol, wall ball, thruster, etc.) approx 200 times per week. While following the competitor program I was getting below parallel approx 400 times per week. At the 12 week mark I stopped squatting but it was a little too late, the damage had been done. Resting for the next two weeks did not give me any improvement, in fact, the pain got even worse. This high volume of squatting left me with a strained hip flexor that took 8 months to recover from. And by “recover from” I mean the removal of all squatting and dynamic hip movement for about 4 months and the slow and methodical re-introdction of these things back in to my fitness routine while constantly monitoring volume.

My point in telling you this, is that this experience taught me I do not have the capacity for a high volume of squatting. My body, specifically my hips (because my back pain was coming from my hip, not my back) only have so much below parallel work in them, anything above and beyond that and back pain starts creeping it’s way back into my life. I have a squat quota. I’ve broken this down into a weekly quota. And that quota is about 150-200 reps below parallel per week. If I come in to Verve on Monday and the workout is “Karen”, 150 wall balls for time. . . well then my quota is full up for the week. Does that mean if Tuesday’s workout is Thrusters and rowing that I don’t come to the gym and workout? Nope. It just means I may need to make some modifications to the workout. Maybe I need to ask the coach if I can power clean & jerk instead of a thruster. Because here’s the deal, as I get older I have to ask myself a very important question some days, just because I can, does it mean I should? If Verve were to program 4 days in a row with squatting I can do that, but should I? If I do that, if I squat for the next 4 days, it may mean that I have to take the next 4 days off to let my hips recover. Was that decision worth it? That is for me to decide, and I’ll tell you now, I’d rather modify and keep coming to the gym. I prefer to choose my rest day not let my rest day choose me.

Why am I bringing this up? Because I’ve had a few conversations with people regarding some similar scenarios. It turns out, these folks have a shoulder quota. They can only do so much pushing and/ or pulling gymnastics work in a week, and then their shoulders are destroyed. Pain, true pain, not just soreness or aches, but genuine ruin your sleep, make you stop a movement dead in your tracks, cause you to wince and grab a body part pain is your body telling you something. That kind of pain should never be ignored. I ignored it. I ignored it and pushed through it and it cost me 8 months. When my body started talking to me at the 6 week mark, if I had taken a moment to stop and listen, I might have prevented that injury and the need to rehab and recover. We need to be better at listening to our bodies. We don’t need to wait for that pain. When we feel extremely sore or achy, we can start listening right then and there. We can recognize we too, might have a quota, and we might be reaching it. It doesn’t mean we need to stop working out, but it may mean we need to give that body part a rest for a day.

Verve members you need to know that we can modify and scale any workout to meet any needs. You don’t need to fear it, be embarrassed by it, or feel like it’s a burden you don’t want to place on us. It’s our job. It’s actually what you as a member pay for. It’s okay to get your money’s worth from us.

It’s a push press day but your shoulders are smoked and you can’t push press overhead comfortably? Not a problem. Can you bench press? It’s a different plane of movement your shoulders may be okay with. Nope, can’t do that either. No arms at all please. Okay, how about some box jump and dynamic hip work sound?

Just let us know where you are at, how you are feeling, and if some part of you feels ridiculously beat up. Pass that info along and we will point you in the right direction. Ignoring the signs and not listening to our body can, in the future, cost us more lost time than we’d really like. Not everyone has a quota, but if you recognize you may be one of those people, start paying attention. Take a look back at your week and ask yourself “do I have it in me today?” And if the answer is “no”, that’s okay. It may be the best decision you make regarding what you can come back and do tomorrow.

For time:

Run 5K

Then:
Coaches choice for remaining time in class!

*compare to 180423

You’ll notice below the workout on today’s blog, there is a date for the last time that we ran a 5K.  Thanks to Danielle, the amount of people using Beyond the Whiteboard has gone up dramatically and it’s great that so many of us are now logging our workouts and have a really easy way to look back at previous times we’ve done a workout to compare our times and results to. 

This week you’ll see a few workouts that we have been done recently.  The purpose of redoing a workout is so that we can compare out times and see the changes we’ve made since the last time a workout was done.  We might not improve on everything and that’s okay as we are trying to become more fit overall and doing this might mean that certain aspects of our fitness trend up while others trend down.  We aren’t trying to great at one thing, but good at all things. 

If you haven’t started using Beyond the Whiteboard, make sure you do sooner rather than later.  The app is free to use for our members and all you need to do is download it for your phone and then enter our gym code in the app to get your free subscription.   The code is written on the whiteboard at the gym or simply ask a trainer for the code and we’ll gladly give it to you.  Keeping track of your times and results is important for assessing how the training is going and allows us to see which aspects of our fitness are trending in the direction you want them to.  

For time:
100 Sit-ups
75 Pull-ups
50 Strict handstand push-ups
25 Box jumps 30″(24″)

Post times to comments and BTWB

Alright folks, the CrossFit Games are right around the corner. The Games kick off on August 1st in Madison, Wisconsin. There will be several ways you can spectate all the action from the comfort of your own home. Click here for the CrossFit Games website for continued updates, schedules, workout info, and of course the leaderboard. 

This year Verve members will have a slightly bigger incentive to watch the Games closely. Every year I head out to the Games to work the week as a Games judge. Last year something kind of funny happened, throughout the week I got a lot of emails, texts, and IG messages of pictures of me judging. They came with some funny comments from the folks grabbing the screen shots of me in action. So this year I thought we might make a game of it. 

“Sheps Spotting”

-The Monday of Games week I will put up a post in CrossFit Verve social on Facebook. Throughout the week, while watching the Games, if you think you spot me judging, grab a screen shot and post it to the comments. 

-I will check throughout the week. If I confirm that the screenshot is of me, I will “like” your comment. 

–Every confirmed screenshot will be an entry into a bowl. The following Monday, I will draw 4 names. These 4 people will each win a $50 gift certificate to their choice of Reebok, Rogue, or Amazon. 

-You may “enter” as many times as you wish. But each entry needs to at least be a different picture, you cannot simply repost the same picture over and over. 

If you are on Facebook but not in the CrossFit Verve Social group, now is the time to fix that. All you need to do is place a request and we will happily confirm it. I am aware not everyone is on FB, if you have an Instagram account you may message me screen shots as well. @foshosheps is my personal account, I will not be looking at Verve’s account. 

So have fun watching the Games and keep your eye out for me. No, if anyone asks, I will not actually tell you when and where I will be judging. 😉 Happy Spotting. 

For time:

Run 400 meters
50 Dumbbell deadlifts 40#(25#)
Run 400 meters
50 Air squats
Run 400 meters
50 Double unders
Run 400 meters
50 Walking lunges 40#(25#)
Run 400 Meters

Post times to comments and BTWB

With a partner for time:

Partner 1: 50(40) calorie Row
Partner 2: 50(40) calorie Row

As a team accumulate:
50 Toes to bar
*One person works while the other does a bar hang.
Together:
50 Synchronized bar facing burpees
*Synchro is at the bottom of the bar only.

Post time to BTWB

10 Minute Breakfast Hash with Plantains + Chimichurri from SimpleRootWelness.com

INGREDIENTS

Hash

• 1 lb breakfast sausage
• 3 plantains
• 4 Tbsp coconut oil

Chimichurri

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 jalapeno chili, seeded + Chopped
• ½ cup fresh basil (Thai basil)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt

Toppings

• 8 eggs {optional}
• Fresh cilantro {optional}

INSTRUCTIONS

Hash

• Peel and dice the plantains.
• In a large skillet, brown sausage. Drain and set aside.
• Add coconut oil to same skillet and heat over medium heat.
• Once sizzling add diced plantains and let cook, turning to brown each side.
• Remove plantains once cooked and add to sausage. Mix together and add cilantro if using.
• Cook eggs as desired {fried, soft, scrambled, etc}

Chimichurri

• To make chimichurri add red wine vinegar, balsamic, garlic, shallot, jalapeno, basil, cilantro and salt to food processor or blender. Slowly add in olive oil while blending. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.
• Top plantain and sausage mixture with eggs and drizzle with chimichurri.

As many rounds as possible in 10:00 minutes of:
10 Sumo deadlift high pulls 95#(65#)
10 Box jump overs 24″(20″)
10 Front rack reverse lunges 95#(65#)

Post rounds and reps to comments and BTWB

Training at altitude is the best. I only wish our elevation was higher. – Said by no one ever
By Courtney Shepherd, with the assist of some far more educated folks than myself

The great state of Colorado is certainly gaining its fair share of transplants over the years, and CrossFit Verve is quite lucky enough to have many of them walk through our doors. But, as soon as these fine folks walk through our doors, something happens. They begin to call in to question their level of fitness. Why is it so hard to breath? I can usually do this workout unbroken and I literally had to stop and take a knee. . . twice. Where’s the oxygen? All valid statements we’ve heard more than once. Moving to a state of altitude is unlike anything most people have ever done before, but most people don’t realize it unless they come from a background of regular fitness, like fellow CrossFit enthusiasts. And every time altitude knocks someone on their butt we get a lot of questions: How long does it take to feel better? What can I do to speed this process along? Both of which are great questions, and not one single person likes, or even believes, both of the answers I give to those questions: 3-6 months (maybe even more), and nothing beyond simply working out consistently (unless you wish to start a regiment of EPA doping). 

The look of shock and disbelief about those answers comes from a lack of understanding what exactly is happening to our bodies when we are introduced to altitude. Hence why I want to take a brief moment to nerd out with you on some anatomy and biology:

There are two major kinds of environmental stresses at high altitude for humans. First, there are the alternating daily extremes of climate that often range from hot, sunburning days to freezing nights. In addition, winds are often strong and humidity low, resulting in rapid dehydration. Second, the air pressure is lower. This is usually the most significant limiting factor in high mountain regions. 

The percentage of oxygen in the air at two miles (3.2 km.) is essentially the same as at sea level (21%). However, the air pressure is 30% lower at the higher altitude due to the fact that the atmosphere is less dense–that is, the air molecules are farther apart.

When we breathe in air at sea level, the atmospheric pressure of about 14.7 pounds per square inch (1.04 kg. per cm.2) causes oxygen to easily pass through selectively permeable lung membranes into the blood. At high altitudes, the lower air pressure makes it more difficult for oxygen to enter our vascular systems. The result is hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation. Hypoxia usually begins with the inability to do normal physical activities, such as climbing a short flight of stairs without fatigue. Other early symptoms of “high altitude sickness” include a lack of appetite, vomiting, headache, distorted vision, fatigue, and difficulty with memorizing and thinking clearly. 

When we travel to high mountain areas, our bodies initially develop inefficient physiological responses. There is an increase in breathing and heart rate to as much as double, even while resting. Pulse rate and blood pressure go up sharply as our hearts pump harder to get more oxygen to the cells.

So in non nerd terms, we have the same amount of oxygen in Colorado, however the pressure here is lower, making it more difficult to get oxygen where it needs to go. This creates a feeling of hypoxia, or a lack of oxygen to the body. AT REST people new to altitude can have an increase in their breathing rate and heart rate DOUBLE. That means your body is working twice as hard to get oxygen in and to all the right places . . . while you are not doing anything physical, just sitting there, resting. Perhaps now we can start to appreciate why adding even a small amount of physical activity crushes our will to live. This is why coming to Colorado means you are not able to do the things you use to at your old gym, it takes 3-4 x’s as much effort. This is obviously not permanent. But it does take time. Your body has to adapt to this constant feeling of hypoxia, it has to begin to create more red blood cells to help carry more oxygen, in effort to solve the problem. This DOES NOT happen over night. This DOES NOT happen in a few weeks. Most literature will tell you it takes 3-6 weeks, I’m here to tell you it takes 3-6 months. In 3-6 weeks your internal blood work will have made the necessary changes, but as far as feeling and performing like you use to, 3-6 months. 

What can you do to help yourself along in this process? Workout. Workout regularly. Workout regularly and heavily scale your workouts. Wait, what?!?!?! I don’t scale workouts. I’m an RXer all the way. If I want to get better faster, I need to keep using all the heavy weights and still do all the reps, even if it takes me 3 x’s as long to finish the workout. If I don’t do the heavier weights and all the reps I’m going to lose all my gains. 

Yeah. No.

When you are new to altitude, you need to drive the adaptation internally. You need to create the demand for oxygen and make your body work hard to fill it. You need to keep moving. You need to cut the reps, cut the weight, and put yourself in a position to keep working and keep moving. I know that you feel like the workout is hard and intense, your heart is beating a million times a minute and you are struggling to breath. . . but you’ve also been taking that knee, resting in the middle of the workout for about 3 minutes. You are providing your body a moment of comfort to catch your breath and in turn tell yourself, I’m good. I got all the oxygen I need. Any time I feel like I’m out, I’ll just sit and rest until I’m full up again. Your body is now getting use to doing interval work. You have created a work to rest cycle where there should not be one. This slows your adaptation. 

You will not lose your gains. Please, everyone, get over this statement. It’s fitness. It ebbs and flows with life. Your CrossFit journey is not linear and constantly moving upward. This is simply a pin in your CrossFit timeline, a moment when you maybe had to take a set back from your regularly scheduled program of RXing workouts in an effort to take several steps forward in helping your body adjust to it’s new environment. 

So unless you know someone that can hook you up with Lance Armstrong’s people and get you some solid EPA to boost those red blood cells stat. . . . just chill. Come to class, get a solid workout in, and let nature do it’s thing. We promise, it gets better. 

*Italicized info courtesy of Adapting to High Altitude

As many meters as possible in 25 minutes of:
Run 400 Meters
*Rest is the same amount of time that you ran

Post total meters to BTWB

This coming Saturday the RiNo 5K is happening.  The race starts at 8:30 am and there will be rolling street closures during the race.  If you typically come to Verve through downtown, you will want to add a few minutes to your commute given that the streets you usually take, might be closed temporarily.  

The map above shows the route of the race, but they have said that the course could change due to the construction that is happening in the area.  

The map isn’t super clear, but the route starts between 27th and 28th on Lawrence and heads west on 30th, then heads north down Blake street.  From there runners will turn east on 36th and run south on Larimer passing right by Verve.  This means that the area around Verve will be tough to navigate for some time.  

It looks like the best way to get to Verve on Saturday will be to come down Downing and then turn into our parking lot.  Plan ahead as the race will probably be in and around Verve for a few hours starting at around 8:30 am.

For time:
3 Rounds
30 Kettlebell swings, 70#(53#)
30 Wall ball shots, 20#(14#) to 10′(9′)

Post times to comments and BTWB

We got a lot of wall balls ahead of us today. Wanna hear a few brief tips that might help set you up for success every round?? Here you go. . .

For Meters:
Row 5:00 @ 24 S/M
Rest 1:00
Row 4:00 @ 28 S/M
Rest 1:00
Row 3:00 @ 32 S/M
Rest 1:00
Row 4:00 @ 28 S/M
Rest 1:00
Row 5:00 @ 24 S/M

Post meters to comments and BTWB

With a partner for time:

5 Rounds

Partner 1:
14 Split jerks 125#(85#)
*Must alternate which leg is forward.
14 Plate overhead jumping lunges 35#(25#)

Partner 2:
14 Split jerks 125#(85#)
*Must alternate which leg is forward.
14 Plate overhead jumping lunges 35#(25#)

*One partner does 14 split jerks and 14 lunges and then the next person does 14 split jerks and 14 lunges, that is one round.

Post time to BTWB

Cold Peanut Zucchini Noodles (Gluten Free, Vegan) from Abra’s Kitchen

INGREDIENTS

• 4 zucchini spiralized
• 1/2 jalapeno chopped (optional)

PEANUT SAUCE

• 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp honey (or agave nectar for vegan version)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1/4 cup of water (may need less)

ON TOP

• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• Fresh lime juice

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a large bowl, whisk together peanut sauce ingredients. Add enough water to thin to consistency of heavy cream.
• Toss zucchini noodles and jalapeno with peanut sauce, top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime