Shoulder Press
1.) Work up to a 2 RM
2.) Every minute on the minute for 8 minutes, 2 Shoulder Press @ 75% 2RM.
3.) As many reps as possible in  3 Minutes, shoulder press w/naked bar

Post weight to BTWB.

Today's post is going to cover a bunch of topics and bring you some tips on speed reading.  Yeh that's right speed reading.  Read on and you'll see.

Reminder that today we will be doing our run through Olympic Lifting meet.  At 2 PM we will be running a dry run of the type of environment you can expect to see in the Olympic meet coming up later on at CrossFit Roots.  We will go through warming up, performing on the platform, and staying warm between the lifts.  Bring your Olympic shoes, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and anything else you need to lift heavy weight with and we'll take care of the rest.  We'll have a sign up sheet and talk about the order and the amount of time for each lift.  This way you'll be prepared and know what to expect at Roots.

Second little bit of information and this is geared towards the newer members but also a reminder to our other members.  CrossFit Verve provides and online tracking tool for your workouts called Beyond the Whiteboard.  Check it out here.   BTWB.  All you have to do is go to the site, create a login, and select CrossFit Verve as your affiliate.  We will be sent an email notification that informs us you are looking to set up and account.  Once we approve you, you can begin tracking all your numbers through the system.  With our strength program in full swing, recording your numbers is very important.  If you interested in the online tracking tool, click the link in the paragraph and sign up.

Speed reading is amazing.  Did you see the scene in Good Will Hunting where Will is rifling through the therapist's book.  Yes it's the greatest movie all time but that's not the point.  The point is that speed reading is badass.  Well here's a link to an article and 20 minutes of exercise that's supposed to increase your reading speed by 300%.  Just think how quickly you could get through Luke's post and get to the funny part?  Here's the link, enjoy.  Speed Reading Link.

CrossFit For Hope

3 rounds for reps:
Burpees
Power snatch 75#
Box jumps 24"
Thrusters 75#
Chest to bar pull-ups

*1 minute at each station, 1 minute rest between rounds

We got a lot of stuff happenin' around here people. Here's the haps:

CrossFit For Hope WOD today. All are welcome to attend classes, we will scale accordingly. Please sign up online so we know you are coming, classes are free to sign up (we will allow larger then our normal class size).  Donations can be made online or at Verve in cash.

Later tonight we have the Denver Outlaws outdoor lacrosse game at Sports Authority Field. Game starts at 7pm. Be prepared to cheer on our fellow Verver and Outlaws' defensive player, Lee Zink (we will have a station set up at Verve all day where you can make signs). Then stick around for the awesome fireworks display post game. If you have not yet picked up your tickets they are on the board at Verve with your name on it, literally.

Friday we continue our strength bias programming with max effort upper body. Also we will be hosting a trial run for the Root's Olympic Lifting meet at 2pm during open gym. Come in and be judged, literally, on your Oly lifts. Our very own Luke will be joined by 2 additional judges providing you with the experience of being in an actual Oly lifting meet. Feedback, assistance, and advice included.

The gym is closed this weekend but fret not, we have an outside WOD going on Saturday morning at Commons Park (meet at 18th & Litlle Raven) at 9am. Plus we have two, yes I said TWO, swim WODs scheduled on Sunday morning at Curtis Pool at 10am & 11am. Let's get our constantly varied swole on!!

Lastly we have the Body Fat truck heading back to Verve. It will be parked out front on Monday July 15th, please sign up here to reserve your time slot. 

That is all.

Partner WOD
AMRAP 30 Minutes:
Three thrusters (185#/125#)
10 Push-ups
150m run
Partners alternate rounds, taking turns.

Post results to comments and BTWB.

Squat Technique ~ by Louie Simmons

Lifters must learn proper squat technique before anything else. The importance of proper technique should be stressed in each and every workout. But what is proper squat technique?

Let's start with the feet and work up. The feet or stance should be as wide as possible as long as you can break parallel. This means the feet should be as straight as possible. Larger men and women will have to point their feet out to the sides to some degree to allow them to reach proper depth. You should wear Chuck Taylor's so you can push your feet apart, not down. Pushing the feet apart properly engages the powerful hip muscles. It also allows you to reach depth more easily by shortening the squat stroke. Next, push the knees out to the sides. This forces the hip muscles to engage more powerfully. 

The first movement on the descent is to push the hips and glutes backward. Never bend the knees. The shins must remain vertical at all times. By pushing the glutes backward, you are now descending. The stomach must be full of air and pushed in front and out to the sides where the oblique muscles are located. The spinal erectors must be tight and arched. The chest must be full of air with the upper back tight and the shoulder blades pulled together. The chin should be raised because this will tighten up the lats and the traps, which is where the bar rests. As you lower into a squat, your eyes should be fixed on something. This will allow you to raise your head slightly on the descent.

To recover from parallel, keep the eyes fixed on the same point as before. To rise from the squat, first push your back into the bar. Remember, this is what we are trying to lift, so push against the bar, not the floor. If you push against the floor, you will tip backward. Then push your knees apart and arch the spinal erectors as much as possible. You have now recovered from the squat for a three light success. 

The above passage is Louie's description of the powerlifting squat performed at Westside Barbell, and can be found in his book, Westside Barbell Book Of Squat and Deadlift.

FYI, the practice run for the Roots Oly Meet will be held at Friday, June 5th at 2:00 P.M. sharp. You will need to have in mind what your opening lifts for your snatch and clean and jerk will be. Hope to see you there. 

As many rounds as possible in 10 Minutes of: 
5 chest-to-bar pull-ups
15 Box jumps 24"(20")

Post rounds to BTWB.

CrossFit for Hope is a fundraiser WOD that raises money to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  This Thursday, July 4th, CrossFit Verve will be hosting the benefit CrossFit for Hope fundraiser WOD at our facility.  The national date is July 6th, but since Verve is hosting a Level 1 Certification over the weekend we wanted to do our part and host it as close to the national date as possible.

Here's the deal.  We want you and all your friends to come and participate.  Give what you can if you can.  We aren't charging drop-in fees for guests, but would rather see the money donated to the fundraiser.  

The workout is a Fight Gone Bad type workout.  3 rounds at 5 stations for a minute per round, with 1 minute of rest after each round.  

The WOD is as follows:

Three rounds of:
Burpees
75 pound Power snatch
Box jump, 24″ box
75 pound Thruster
Chest to bar Pull-ups

Here's what we need you to do.  Spread the word.  Tell your friends.  Remember we can scale so that everyone can participate.  Next please donate if you can.  You can bring donations to Verve or you can donate here:  CrossFit for Hope.

Before you head to your BBQ's to celebrate the 4th, please come and join us.  We have an abridged schedule so please check MBO for times.  We hope to see you all there.

Box Squat 
1.) Work up to a 3RM
2.) EMOM 8 minutes, 1 Box Squat @ 80% 3RM Box Squat 
3.) 1 Max rep set back squats (not w/a box) at 50% 1RM BackSquat

​Post totals to BTWB.

Verve Athlete Profile: Dan Bryan

Where are you from?

Where are you from? Newcastle, Australia. A medium sized town on the east coast about 2.5 hours North of Sydney.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

How long have you been crossfitting? 2 and a bit years. I started out doing the workouts in a normal gym and then moved to a Crossfit gym. I've been at Verve now for just short of 12 months

What is your favorite workout?

What is your favorite workout?  Anything with body weight related exercises.  Workouts that include muscle-ups, weighted pullups, handstand-pushups, ring dips etc. Basically anything that I can beat Jay Cain and Ryan Fugate at.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

What do you like to do in your spare time? The beach – or that's where I used to spend my time. These days its more going out, drinking and CrossFit – a wonderful combination.

What is one of your best/favorite goals you have accomplished since you started CrossFit? 

What is one of your best/favorite goals you have accomplished since you started CrossFit? When I achieved 141 double unders, my first strict muscle-up or a muscle-up wearing a weighted vest.

Anything you would like to add?

Three things. 1. The coaches at Verve have been fantastic 2. Always make sure you have tight quads butts, and guts but be care to ensure your elbows remain loose.  3. It's been real.

I can't always understand what you're saying Dan, but it's a blast having you in class.

Off-site WOD at Commons Park today, see below for directions.

7 rounds for time:
Set up 6 cones…
1st = 10 Burpees
2nd = 10 Push ups
3rd = 10 Sit ups
4th = 10 Air squats
5th = 10 Jumping Lunges
6th = Turn around spot sprint to beginning

Cone will be approximately 15 meters apart.  REST 1 Minute and repeat for a total of 7 times.

Post time to comments and BTWB.

Please join us for a fun workout at Commons Park at 9am.  We'll meet at our usual spot at 18th St & Little Raven St, directions here.  Have some fun in the sun and then head off to enjoy your Saturday.  See you there!

For time:
50 Box jumps 24" (20")
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings 16kg (12kg)
Walking lunges 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press 45#
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots 20# (14#)
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

 CrossFit Roots Oly Meet

So, we need your help. Yeah, you. CrossFit Roots, up in Boulder, has a summer Oly Meet coming up on the 13th of July. A few of our athletes are participating in this event. What we would like to do is have a practice meet in the weeks leading up to that event. Unfortunately, our weekends are booked with seminars on the last weekend of June, and the first weekend of July. So, we need to do this during the week, during one of our Open Gym periods in the afternoon. We need to know who would be interested, and what day(s) may work for you, so we can coordinate a time that would work for as many as possible. Why do we need this practice run?

It's important for you to know just how Roots will run their event; it's different from a USAW competition. It will also be a chance to for you to simulate everything you may want to do the day of, including your warm-up, the weigh-in, and being judged by three people sitting right in front of you. This practice will help you to build a plan. If you don't plan, you're planning to fail. 

So, what say you? If you are interested, even if you're not competing but would like to take part in this practice event, email us  luke@crossfitverve.com. Let's figure out everyone's availability and see when we can get this in. Thanks a bunch.

For time:
Run 800 meters
30 Muscle-ups
Run 800 meters

Post times to comments and BTWB

Why is rowing (aka: rowing class) awesome you may ask? Well, you get to sit on your butt while you work super hard. Win-win my friends. But seriously, why should rowing be the newest addition to your Crossfit week? Honestly, if you look at a rowing WOD and say, “screw that,” or make a sad sound deep inside your soul, that is why you should come to rowing. Like any other Crossfit movement, rowing is a skill, and thus it gets better the more that you practice said skill. And the best thing about rowing, just a few simple switches can make your stroke a whole lot more efficient, more powerful, and way more fun. Trust me.

This class is also a great way to add in some straightforward, low impact cardio respiratory training to your week. There is a reason you still see boats full of 80+ year old men rocking it down the river – when done correctly, rowing is great on the body.

It will transfer to the rest of your WODs. Imagine looking at the 1K row of Jackie, and being like, “got this!” Understanding the rowing stroke will help you get your row done faster, while saving body parts that don’t need to have their butts kicked by rowing – lower back, arms, shoulders – I can’t help you with the quads though – those might get their butts kicked more…

Finally, you will also be able to see marked progress as you continue with the class. Each month will be a new cycle. There will be three workouts leading to a test at a specified distance at the end of the cycle. This fist cycle will be 2k month. We’re diving in head first here people.

You can of course always drop in mid-cycle and be able to gain the benefit of some extra time and instruction on the rower, as well as get in a solid (did I mention you get to be sitting the whole time) workout. Come check this rowing business out, and I promise that you will walk away a better rower, and hate that machine just a little bit less.

Love,

Maddie "lean, mean, rowing machine" Berky

​We would like to schedule additional rowing classes, which days & times would you like to see them? Give us your feedback.

"CrossFit Total"

Back Squat 1 rep
Shoulder Press 1 rep
Deadlift 1 rep​

Post totals to BTWB.

July is just a week away and you know what happens in July?  We are going to be starting a new strength focused program for the next six weeks.  Starting on Monday July 1st we will begin our lower body strength training program.  This is our own custom designed program and the key to success with this program is going to be attendance.  On each Monday we will focus on lower body strength development.  On Thursday for the next six weeks we will focus on upper body strength.

Again the key to seeing success with this new programming will be attendance.  If you can't make it in for some reason on Monday or Thursday please try your best to do the programming during one of the many open gym hours we have.

We will have all the workouts in Beyond the Whiteboard so you'll have an easy way to keep track of your numbers, but since most of you have journals or notebooks, please record your numbers one way or another.  We are going to focus on lifting heavy as well as increasing volume and time under tension during the six week cycle.

This is the time of year to lift heavy so we are going to do our best to introduce programming that is not only fun but yields great gains.  We are going to introduce new lifts and accessory work so make sure to ask plenty of questions during the skill portion of each class.   

Please let us know if you have any questions about the programming.

100 L pull-ups for time

Post time to BTWB.

Verve Athlete Profile: Addie Kozlow

Where are you from? 

I'm from Sedalia Colorado.

How long have you been CrossFitting?

I have been crossfitting since 2010 so 3 years. I started crossfitting to help with soccer but eventually ended up liking crossfit more and quitting soccer. 

What is your favorite workout?

My favorite workout is Nate 20 minutes of muscle-ups, hspu, and heavy kettle bell swings. If that doesn't sound like fun then I don't know what does!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I like to hangout with friends and eat ice cream in my spare time. Ben and Jerry's is where it's at!

What is one of your best/favorite goals you have accomplished since you started CrossFit?