5 Rounds for time:
9 Deadlift
6 Hang power snatch
3 Overhead squat
*Weight for all 3 movements is the same, 65% of 1RM snatch

Post rounds to comments and BTWB

It’s getting to be that time of year again, CrossFit Games  Open time!!! All info presented by Courtney Shepherd

That’s right folks, we are only a few weeks away from the start of the 2015 CrossFit Games season. Some of you already know, you’ve been counting down the days since last season, and some of you are new to this whole thing. I want to give you all a run down of how this will play out this year, very specifically the CrossFit Verve Team. Registration for the Open starts tomorrow, January 15th. Anyone and everyone can sign up to participate, even if you are new to CrossFit. Participation in the Open can act as a yearly benchmark to track progress, plus it tends to be a bit of fun. The cost to register is minimal, in past years it has been $10. When you do register, be sure to pick CrossFit Verve as both your affiliate and team.

The Open workouts will be posted on Thursday evening at 6pm starting February 26th. There will be a new workout every week for 5 weeks. We (CrossFit Verve) will be hosting the Open WOD on Friday as the daily workout. If you are registered for the Open, then that will be your opportunity to complete the workout. If you are not registered for the Open, then that will be your time to do a workout. The Games will be introducing a new scaled division for the Open competition. This division will have lighter weights and less technical movements. Depending on which division you sign up for will depend on how you perform the workout. Again, if you are not registered for the Open, you will do the workout in a manner that best suits your needs, just like any other day.

In the past we have made the Open Gym time on Saturday afternoon be a time for those who missed Friday to make up the workouts. We will change that this year, as it made Open Gym time a difficult time for those simply wanting to do their own workouts. Instead, from 1:30pm – 2:30pm on Saturdays, we will host 2 heats to make up the workout. If you intend to make up the workout you must be at Verve before 1:30, please do not show up at 2pm and tell us you would like to go in the 2nd heat. EVERYONE has to be ready to go at 1:30pm and we will pick heats then. If you show up after 1:30pm, we will not let you participate in the event. We will also be available to you on Monday during open gym from 1:30pm-3pm for last minute make-ups or repeats. That is it. If absolutely none of those times work for you to get the workout done please email me only, courtney@crossfitverve.com, so I can make a plan for you.

If you sign up for the Open, this tells us that at some point in time you will need someone to judge your workout. Well then you should be prepared to return the favor. We ask that if you sign up for the Open you also sign up to take the online judge’s course. Yes, it can take a bit of time, however the cost is $10 the first time around and free every year after, and it gives you the best understanding of how you will be judged during the Open and how to judge others. The judging process is a crucial part of the Open. You have from now until February 26th to complete it, that’s a lot of time to take a test.

As far as the CrossFit Verve team goes, with the changes in the regions this year only the top 15 teams will move on to Regionals. As a result we will only focus on making 1 team to take a crack at one of those 15 spots. Eric and myself will choose the 6 members of the team and the 2 alternates (4 men total and 4 women total). We will choose based off two things:

1) Placement based on 10 total workouts. *We will post an additional workout per week along with the Open workouts. As it gets closer we will let you know what day it will be posted and when to have it completed by. Between the 5 Open workouts and our 5 workouts we will rank those who participated.

2) Along with the ranking we will also be picking the team based off the ability to meet specified requirements. We have created a list based off previous years Regionals, a list of weights and movements that have a high probability to show up. To be on the Regional team you need to be able to perform these lifts/ movements. Here is the list:

Gymnastics (must be consistent in unbroken sets)
HSPU 15(10) *male(female)
Strict HSPU 10(5)
Muscle-up 5(3)
Chest to bar pull-up 12(8)
Pistols 25(25)
Rope climbs 5(5)
Handstand walk 10′(10′)
Toes to bar 15(10)

Weights (must be consistent in in unbroken sets of 5-10 reps)
Deadlift 275#(185#)
Snatch *squat and power 135#(95#)
Clean *squat and power 225#(135#)
Shoulder to overhead 160#(105#)
Thruster 135#(95#)
Overhead squat 185#(115#)

Between the placement from the Open, as well as the athlete’s ability to meet the above requirements, Eric and I will pick the team following the Open. Meaning that a first place finish in the 10 WODs will not guarantee a spot on the team if you cannot also meet the additional requirements. 

This is a lot of information, especially if this is the first time experiencing the Open. Which is why I will be hosting a meeting at Verve to explain the Open process a little further, as well as answer any questions/ concerns anyone may have. From how those Friday classes will be run, to how to judge or be judged, what to do on Saturdays, what to do with a score, should I do the RX division or scaled, what does each division mean, etc. This meeting will be at Verve on Tuesday the 20th at 8:15pm.

I know I’m making this sound all business, and to a degree when the Open starts it will be a lot of business, but it is also a lot of fun. The business part comes from making sure we uphold the ideals, the standards, and the spirit of the CrossFit Games. But we also remember that part of the spirit of the Games is simply pushing ourselves as hard as we can and cheering each other on in the process. So suit up ladies and gentlemen, it’s game time.

*The Open is not just about being on the team, it’s about pushing yourself and seeing the results of your hard work. If you want to participate in some Open specific prep, the Competitor’s Course starts this week, the first WOD is Wednesday night at 7pm. If you want to get signed up please email AnnaM@crossfitverve.com, the cost is $99. The drop dead date to register is Wednesday the 14th at 5pm. 

**Verve athletes, if you want ATP Mechainx Pre ($65) and Post ($55) WOD supplements, we will do a pre-order for them. Please e mail Danni, info@crossfitverve.com, by Tuesday the 20th at 9am. 

3 Rounds for time:
35 Push press
50 Calorie row
25 GHD sit-ups

Post time to BTW.

SIX PACK ABS! TIGHT TUMMY MEAL PLAN! FAT BURNING MAGIC PILLS!

We’ve all seen the late night infomercials selling “six pack abs”, “chiseled arms”, a “sculpted core”, or my personal favorite, the “7 minute home workout done three times a week that promises the body of a fitness model in just 21 days or your money back, guaranteed”. 

Yes, these are real things. Check them out:

• 8 Minute Abs
• The Shakeweight
• The FlexBelt
• The ThighMaster (AKA the “good girl bad girl” machine)

With the immense success of CrossFit around the world, I feel like it’s only a matter of time before we see an infomercial selling “Matt Chan Abs” or “Rich Froning Pecs”. Just kidding. 

Yet as ridiculous as this stuff may seem, most of these companies are immensely successful (from a financial sense, anyways). 

As a coach who spends the majority of his time on the front lines of all things health and fitness, this sickens me.

So while those companies are out selling the “get fit quick solution” to the uneducated masses and making millions… I’ll be sharing the truth with those who are ready to change, and in the process I’ll be be improving the lives of millions.

There is no quick fix.

There is no magic pill.

It takes the right plan, hard work, consistency and a long-term approach.

If you already know this, then good job.

It’s now your responsibility to send this to someone who doesn’t.

 – Colby

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
200 Double unders
100 Air squats
80 Burpees
60 Wallballs
40 Toes to bar
20 Strict handstand push-ups
10 Muscle-ups

Post score to BTW.

Gym Updates

2 Rounds of:
As many rounds as possible in 5 minutes of:
8 Power clean, 55-60% of 1RM power clean
16 Kettlebell swings
Rest 3 minutes

Post rounds to comments and BTWB

The “Change your habits, change your life” Challenge run down, By Courtney Shepherd

After sitting with many of you through two meetings about how to approach this challenge, I felt like the information discussed would be worth sharing with everyone. Cause things I say are kind of important like that. We are super excited about the number of Verve athletes that have signed up for this challenge, however, I get the feeling there may be some of you out there that may have set some goals for yourself independent of the challenge. It’s a new year, it’s a natural time for us to approach making changes in our lives, the question becomes, how do I approach those changes? Specifically how do I do this in a way that sets me up for success and sustainability?

A habit is a behavior or action done without thought. I have a horrible habit, when I wake up first thing in the morning, the first thing I do is check my email. Because apparently I believe people attempt to conduct important business with me while I sleep. This morning, when I woke up, I looked at my phone and made the conscious decision to not look at it. I just got up and started my morning. Breaking a habit takes thought, it takes effort and work, until the new habit is formed. We want to spend the next 5 weeks breaking or creating habits based on goals we want to achieve. Here is my example: for the next 5 weeks my goal is to lose weight. Losing weight is not a habit. I will not wake up tomorrow and make the conscious decision to lose weight and have it be so. What I need to do is examine the habits I currently have that are enabling weight gain or preventing weight loss. I eat out 3 meals/ day, 5 days/ week. I drink 5 Cokes/ day. I only go to the gym 1-2 times/ week. Within each of these is the opportunity to change a habit, I can decide to go to the grocery store, buy whole foods, cook and prep meals so I only eat out 1 meal/ day, 5 days/ week. I can start by drinking only 4 Cokes/ day this week, perhaps next week I drop it down to 3 Cokes/ day. I will go to the gym consistently 3 times/ week. While I’m still eating out and drinking Coke, I’ve begun the process of change. These changes will lead me towards weight loss as well as habits that I want to keep beyond 5 weeks.

Let’s talk about goals for a minute. When we write down goals it is important to have 3 things in mind:

1. The goal needs to be specific and concise. Goal: “I want to go to the gym more”. What is more? When is more? Instead: “I will go to the gym 4 times/ week, I will go Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and 1 day of the weekend”. The more specific the verbiage the easier it is to follow, it leaves nothing open to interpretation.
2. Goals need to be expressed in a positive tense. Goal: “I don’t want to eat crappy food for 5 weeks”. The words “don’t” and “crappy” are negative. Instead: “I want to cook and eat whole foods for 5 weeks”. You are expressing what you want to do, what you want to do sounds way better than what you don’t want to do.
3. Goals need to be realistic and achievable (time frame). Goal: “After 5 weeks I want to have taken 1 minute off my Fran time”. Fran is a fast paced/ high intensity workout, if you did Fran yesterday in 5 minutes, try to remember how hard you worked and how you felt after. It is not realistic to believe you can take 1 minute off your time in 5 weeks, the ability for adaptation in your body to make that possible does not exist. It is realistic to want to take :05-:10 off your Fran time.

I want to dive into the idea of “Realistic vs. Non-realistic” goals but before I do, I want to remind everyone about the 10 General Physical Skills/ Adaptations:

• Cardio/ respiratory endurance, stamina, flexibility, strength.
• Power, speed.
• Coordination, balance, accuracy, agility.

I have them written this way for a reason. The first 4 are considered organic adaptations. Meaning you can see an obvious change with improvement in one of these, bigger muscles with more strength, longer tendons with greater flexibility, etc. To improve on these one needs to train. The last 4 are considered neurologic adaptations. Meaning we build neurologic pathways in our body as we improve but it is not visible, there is nothing outward that shows I have better balance then the person sitting next to me. To improve on these one needs to simply practice. Power and speed are adaptations that require both training and practice. This is important because if I were to lock you in a room for 24 hours and tell you upon my return I need you to have a 500# deadlift and a :20 freestanding handstand hold, which one do you think you could realistically achieve in 24 hours? The answer is the handstand hold, because it requires practice. Getting a 500# deadlift requires training. . . a lot of training. These are things we need to keep in mind when we set goals over certain time frames.

I broke down goals most of us would have into 4 categories, in each category I want to give examples of realistic vs non-realistic:

1. Nutrition/ weight loss– It is not realistic to lose 20 lbs in 5 weeks. I mean it could be, but my guess is it would happen using techniques that are not sustainable beyond the 5 weeks. Remember we are trying to create habits for life. Rather than making a goal about a number on a scale, make a goal to change the habits that effect the number on the scale.
2. Performance– I hit on this earlier about the Fran time. I will first say if you have performance goals and you are not dialed in with your nutrition, you need to change your goals. You cannot out perform a bad diet.
3. Weightlifting– You want to improve on your lifts, does this mean you want to lift more or you want to be more technically sound with them? I’ll help you out those are not mutually exclusive. Being more technically sound transfers to lifting more. First, goals should be to get to Verve every Tuesday and Friday. Why? I’m letting the cat out of the bag with high hopes right now. . . every Tuesday and Friday we will be doing heavy lifting. Make these days a consistent part of your routine. More practice=better technique=lifting more weight.
4. Gymnastics– This is an area that for some of us, can produce the most change in 5 weeks. However, let’s get realistic. You have made a goal to get 1 muscle-up in the next 5 weeks. Do you have unassisted strict pull-ups and unassisted strict rings dips? If the answer is no to one or both of these, you need to change your goal. Too often we put the cart before the horse. If the answer was yes, then you need to practice the muscle-up. Come to open gym, set a clock for 10 minutes and for those 10 minutes work on muscle-up technique. That does not mean jump on the high rings, try a muscle-up, fail, and shake it off cause you have 9 minutes and 30 seconds left to keep working on it. Practicing failing will not spontaneously turn into success.

At the end of the day, none of this will require we spend 2 hours a day in the gym, lifting weights, and doing 3 workouts. Spending 10 minutes, a few days/ week in open gym working on a weakness can go a long way. If you are unsure how to do this, where to start, or even what to do for 10 minutes to work a weakness, ask me. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that can help us get the biggest results. I’m happy to help you explore ideas. 

Now is the perfect time to implement change. The kind of change that will become our next good habit to carry through a lifetime. Change your habits, change your life. 

“Fran”
For time:
21-15-9 reps of
Thruster, 95#(65#)
Pull-up

Post times to comments and BTWB

Competitor Crew Part 3: Return of the CrossFit Jedi 

Before anyone jumps all over me, I know Return of the Jedi is not really part 3 in the Star Wars series. I am fully aware that it is Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi. However it was the third film released in the Star Wars franchise in 1983. Don’t even try to out nerd me here. Now on to more pressing matters. . . the third installment of CrossFit Verve’s Competitor Crew, which for this most recent go round will also be known as the CrossFit Games Open Prep Crew. Because that is the plan for this 6 week closed program that will be starting the week of January 12th, to focus and get game ready for the 2015 CrossFit Games Open. 

What is this program? It is a closed program that will have specialized programming provided twice per week with 2 additional homework pieces, again, all of which designed to prepare you for the Open. What is this program not? It is not one on one/ personalized programming. It is not a feedback driven program. It is simply putting you in an environment surrounded by competitive people and working through tips/ techniques/ WODS to help gain insight and practice for what will come out of the Games Hopper starting February 26th. 

A closed program means it is only available to those who sign up in advance. The cost to register for this 6 week program is $99. The program will run from January 12th- February 22nd, ending the week before the Open starts. Here is what the program will include:

• Open prep programmed classes held twice per week. Wednesdays @ 7pm and Fridays @ 6pm.
• During these classes tips for efficiency, tricks of the competitive trade, etc. will be addressed and practiced.
• 1 piece of stamina homework per week.
• 1 piece of midline accessory homework per week.

This information will not be sent out via an athlete spreadsheet like previous comp crews. The reason being we want you to be in class. In class is where we will be addressing how to approach the Open WODs, how to be the most efficient, to create a game plan, when to pace oneself or when to push yourself to the max. Information that cannot be gained by doing the work on your own. Who is this for? The competitive athlete who wants to get ready for the Open. That’s it. There is no time doing CrossFit requirement, however, this will not be the time to teach movements. There needs to be a comfort/ familiarity with all CrossFit movements and gymnastics. This is also not a strength program. While some heavy lifting will be involved, again, it will be during WODs written in similar fashion to those seen in previous Opens. 

We realize this is coming up quick, which is why we will have two opportunities for you to speak with Anna and myself (Courtney). You can ask any questions you may have, address any concerns, and Anna and I will clarify our expectations of you during the program. These Q&A sessions will be:

Friday January 9th @ 7pm w/ Courtney

Sunday January 11th @ 12pm w/ Anna

If you absolutely cannot make one of these meetings and have questions please email me, courtney@crossfitverve.com. Anna and I will once again be doing the programming and communication for this crew. The Open is a fun time for us, we hope to make it fun for you too. . . and by fun we mean hard work, lots of sweat, and possibly a little discomfort. Seriously though, still a bunch of fun. 

*Don’t forget the Body Fat Truck will be out front of Verve all day today. Bring your suit and towel!!

*The “Change your habits, change your life” Challenge starts today!! The final “Change your habits, change your life” meeting will be tonight at 8pm if you were unable to attend Monday’s meeting.

*Teton Waters Meat Truck will be here Saturday January 10th at 12pm selling 100% grass fed beef by the pound.

“TK”
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
8 Strict pull-ups
8 Box jumps, 30″(24″)
12 Kettlebell swings, 32kg(24kg)

Post rounds to comments and BTWB

Happy New Year!! The sweet, sweet ramblings of Courtney Shepherd. The sweet, sweet AND very important ramblings. 

We are ready to get 2015 started off right. We’re not talking about resolutions to lose weight, or stop eating sugar for a month, or not cussing any more. I mean seriously, who the f@%k gives up cussing any way? We are talking about starting the year off with good personal habits that will guide us throughout 2015. Starting January 7th Verve is kicking off it’s “Change your habits, change your life” Challenge. This 5 week long challenge is just that, a challenge for you to find those habits which you need to change or create and do it. Losing weight is not a habit. But buying whole foods, prepping and cooking them to create healthy meals ahead of time is a habit which will help lead to the weight loss you seek. Maybe the habit you want to create is no cell phones after 7pm, perhaps you are interested in removing your night time cocktail from your daily routine and instead going for just 3 nights per week only. These are all good habits and more. And what better way to be accountable for working on these habits then by having an accountability buddy, an “accountabilibuddy”, to answer to every week? So that’s it, that’s all you need to get 2015 started on the right foot, a couple of nasty habits that need be broken and a person to fess up to when you do or do not break them. When you find said person, get yourselves signed up on the sheet at the front counter and let’s get this party started. 

To officially get this party started though, we will be hosting two meetings, 1) January 2nd @ 7pm, and 2) January 5th @ 7pm. These meetings are to fill in any gaps with what this challenge is all about, talk about the habits or changes we want to make, and how to go about making them, and lastly we will dive briefly into the paleo/ zone diet should nutrition be a part of any of your habits. You only need to attend one of the two meetings, if by chance you can’t try to at least make sure your buddy does and they will fill you in. If you don’t have a buddy yet, sign up anyway, we’ll get you taken care of. 

Please remember the Body Fat Truck will be here all day January 7th, click here to get signed up for a time to get dunked. 

You may also have noticed that Verve has been hosting Level 1 Seminars fairly regularly. During some, but not all, of these seminars we are fortunate enough to be able to send Verve’s athletes in a scholarship spot. If you have found yourself interested in attending one please email courtney@crossfit.com AND eric@crossfit.com with a short essay answering these two questions:

1) Why do you want to take the Level 1 Seminar?
2) What do you plan to do with your Level 1 once you have it?

Please note that sending an email of interest does not guarantee a scholarship spot. Eric and I choose the spots based on the needs of Verve, it is not based on seniority or time as a member of Verve. Please feel free to email us with any additional questions you may have. 

Lastly get ready for us to shake up the whiteboard. Starting January 8th it is “No RX January”. What better way to focus on your own goals then to see a workout with no RX weights. Now is the time to focus on our own mechanics, consistency, and intensity. Don’t fret my pet, all the coaches will be fully informed and prepared to guide you through the workouts so that you may continue to get the most out of them. 

So that’s it. Now let’s go out there and kick 2015 in the teeth!! I mean that in a totally wholesome and productive way, I’m not necessarily condoning violence. 

Snatch
2-2-2-2-2

Then, every minute on the minute x 10 minutes:
2 Snatch @ 75% of 2RM
20 Double unders

Post scores to BTW.

It’s That Time of the Year Again – The New Year!

The following is a post from TabataTimes.com – you can check out the original article here.

The year is quickly coming to a close and we get to sit and reflect on the way the last year turned out. We think of the triumphs and joys. We think of the failures and short comings. We think about our families. Mainly, we think about what we want to be different. Most of the population sets out to make a grand New Year’s Resolution. Sometimes we make more than one, but somewhere on the list, we usually resolve to get in better health. Maybe we want to exercise more. Maybe we want to lose weight. Maybe we just want to be healthier. Maybe we want to be stronger. Nevertheless, health is generally on the list. Let’s talk about resolutions, and what you need to be aware of before January 1st hits this year.

Everyone Needs a Resolution

The first thing we need to discuss is the fact that resolutions are for everyone. There is something that every individual needs to work on. Come on now, we aren’t all perfect. Believe it or not, there is a flaw somewhere in our gym lives. You may be thinking right now, “I work out everyday. I am in great shape. I eat clean and train hard. I’m good.” Great! You are right, that is not something that needs to be on your resolution list, but let’s take this a different way. Instead of calling them resolutions, let’s call them goals. Is there anything you want to accomplish in 2015? How is your clean and jerk? Do you have your butterfly pull ups? Can you overhead squat 1.5 times your body weight? Now, is there anything you need to work on?

Set a Time Limit

The reason we fail at resolutions is that it takes too long to complete. We look at what we want to change, stare down the long and winding road, and don’t see an end in sight. What if we broke it up into segments? If you want to lose weight try this: instead of saying I’m going to lose 40 pounds in 2015, try losing 10 pounds every 3 months. Write on a calendar that by March 1st you will have lost 10 pounds, and then on to June 1st, and by the end of December you will have lost 40 pounds! Don’t have weight to lose, make a list of things you want to accomplish and set a date to them. I personally want to increase my clean and jerk by 20 pounds, so I have set up a calendar. I have it broken down into manageable chunks, so I can tackle it effectively and safely. If that isn’t moving fast enough for you, be more aggressive, but make sure it’s doable. Don’t set yourself up for failure. You are not going to be able to complete RX’d handstand push ups by February if you are still struggling with kicking up to a handstand. Break it up, make it manageable, and then kick it’s ass.

Don’t Diet

Those of us in the CrossFit world spend a lot of time talking about eating clean. We are very leery of the “D” word. For good reason. Diets don’t work. Diet’s also have an end. A healthy lifestyle doesn’t have an end date. You don’t eat clean for 6 weeks and then go back to fried foods and Cheetos. Cheat days happen, sure, but when you change the way you eat, you change it for the rest of your life. Diets do not work. Ever. You can’t ever get off the merry-go-round. Once you start the ride, you are on it forever. Sure, you can pause the ride and make lots of stops at Cheeseburger World, but don’t make a big deal out of it. Enjoy your meal, and get back on your ride. Don’t diet, change the way you eat.

Health is important. We need good health to be able to function in our daily lives. Most of us reading this are already living the lifestyle; however, that doesn’t mean we don’t have things we can work on. I certainly can clean up my eating. I certainly can get stronger. By focusing on our health, we are making ourselves better. Pick some things you need to improve on, and crush it.

For time:
50 Medicine ball cleans, 20#(14#)
25 Box jumps, 24″(20″)
800m Run
40 Medicine ball cleans, 20#(14#)
20 Box jumps, 24″(20″)
400m Run
30 Medicine ball cleans, 20#(14#)
15 Box jumps, 24″(20″)
200m Run

Post times to comments and BTWB

 Let the season of rowing commence!!!

Apparently January is the month of resolutions and…rowing! We have grand things in store for the rowing program over the next month, and who knows, maybe one of your resolutions was to vehemently hate that machine a little bit less. An admirable, and completely attainable goal if I do say so myself. So what’s in store: we have TWO different rowing competitions in January, The Denver Indoor Rowing Championships and Row’d Royalty.

The Denver Indoor Rowing Championships: January 31st @ 2:30PM

We competed, and dare I say, kicked some serious ass in this team competition last year, and now it is time to defend our title! This is a four person, cumulative 4K row event. Super fast. Super fun. You won’t feel your legs when you’re done. But it will be glorious. Registration: $50/team.

Row’d Royalty: January 7 – February 2

New on the competition scene this year, this online comp will post 1 rowing WOD per week for 4 weeks. It’s an affiliate competition with the top four scores in every WOD counting towards the team total. The WODs will be all different lengths and will be the programmed workout in our rowing class during the competition. Welcome to some great CF Open prep, as you become a cool cucumber (who happens to row extremely fast) under pressure. Registration: $10/person.

If you aren’t already part of the rowing program this is a great time to jump on in and see what it’s all about, improve your rowing technique, and meet some pretty cool peeps. If you’re sitting there thinking that jumping in when there are two competitions in the mix might not be the best plan: FALSE! This month will be a blast and you will emerge a better rower and competitor (hey, maybe even person) on the other side.

I do believe there is a brand spanking new Concept 2 involved with the winning of both of these competitions, just to throw that out there…

Please email maddie@crossfitverve.com if you are interested in one or both of the competitions (aka: rowing shenanigans) or if you have any questions!

For time:
5-4-3-2-1
Legless rope climbs, 15′
25-20-15-10-5
GHD sit ups

Post times to comments and BTWB

Tis the season to be merry. . . . 

Merry Christmas Verve family!!! While I realize not everyone celebrates Christmas, I wish you all a wonderful day spent with family and friends. Today I do not choose to share any factoids about lifting weights, the right way to lift weights, or how to recover from lifting weights. But rather today I choose to spread a little holiday joy and cheer. My favorite kind of joy and cheer comes in the form of laughter. And one of my favorite go to’s for some laughter is funny things kids say. So for your blogging enjoyment today, here are the funniest things kids have asked Santa:

“I know I behaved really badly this year, but I promise to behave much better next year – so will it be okay if you still come and visit me with presents?”

“Do you just have the one set of clothes? Who washes them for you? My mum can do it if you don’t have a Mum of your own?”

“Can Mrs Santa come instead? I’m very sorry but I’m scared of you!”

“Could you make me prettier than my best friend? That’s the only present I would like.”

“Do you have to clean up Rudolph’s poo poos? My Dad uses a bag when our dog poo poos – do you have bags?”

“If I wake up please don’t go away without leaving presents – you made a lot of noise last year and I couldn’t help it, I heard and my eyes just kind of opened! But you left nice presents. Please can you do the same again even if my eyes open up?”

“Don’t worry if Jack our dog barks! He doesn’t mean to be bad. Making a bark is just what dogs do. So please leave the presents anyway. If you are very, very scared to come in if Jack barks then could you just leave the presents outside?

“I said to my Dad to put paper down for your muddy boots so that Mummy will not get cross about the dirt on the carpet.”

Happy Holidays everyone, may your days be merry, bright, and full of laughter!!

Courtney

5 Rounds of:
Row 1000 Meters
rest 2 minutes between efforts.

Post times to BTWB.

Reminder that we have an abridged schedule for the next few days.  Please check MBO and sign up for classes so we can plan accordingly.  Let’s just say that tomorrows workout involves something like 12 different movements and much equipment.  We need a head count on how many people will be in each class to allow us to organize everything.  

With many people traveling for the holidays, here’s a few simple tips to keep you on your game while on the road.  

Try and watch what you eat.  I’m guilty of this as I’m sure many people are, but during the holidays my normally clean diet is put on the back burner.  That’s what New Years resolutions are for isn’t it?  I don’t really limit myself in what I can and can’t eat, but trust me there is some guilt after the fact. 

Drop into another CrossFit Gym.  While you’re on the road go out and see what other gyms have to offer.  We always enjoy hearing feedback about things you see on the road and anything that can make Verve a better place we are all ears.

Hit up any gym.  Bally’s, 24 Hour Fitness, Planet Fitness, they all have enough equipment for you to be creative and come up with a workout that will get your heart rate up and probably draw a few stares from people, as in what are those people doing stares.  

Do something at the house.  You’ve all done workouts on your own.  You probably didn’t have any equipment, but simply used the body and came up with something that gave you a good sweat.  Bring a jump rope on your travels and the possibilities increase greatly.  

The above is referenced from Box Life Magazine.  Check out the full article HERE.