21 – 18 – 15 – 12 – 9 – 6 – 3

Reps for time of:

Sumo deadlift high pull, 75# (55#)
Thrusters, 75# (55#)

Post time to comments or BTWB.

From Dan:

I wanted to thank all the coaches. I signed up for a half marathon Saturday afternoon and ran it first thing Sunday.  It was the Bear Chase event out at Bear Lake in Lakewood. The trail run involved 3 stream crossings and a run up Mount Carbon, not to mention many other steep hills. My training was only CrossFit and a random 6 mile run 2 weeks prior. I finished in 2hr, 17min.  I still am struggling to walk a bit but am hoping to be back in the gym later this week.  I’m happy to have just finished let alone a respectable time. A testament to CrossFit really preparing you for anything.

A lot of us began doing Crossfit not just to get in shape, or to look better.  A big reason was so that we could do things.  Like, whatever we wanted to.  You want to try rock climbing?  Sure, why not.  Go on a ski trip?  Sweet, I’m ready. You wanna run a half marathon?  Seeing as how I inflict torture on myself on a regular basis, sure, why not.  The ability to perform randomly whatever life throws at us is Crossfit’s Second Fitness Standard.  Imagine for a moment that 30 random exercises are thrown into a hat on pieces of paper (the number 30 is completely arbitrary).  The pieces of paper are shaken around to mix them up as much as possible.  Then, ten pieces of paper are picked from the hat, and used for your workout.  Would a workout like that worry you?  It shouldn’t.  Every time you walk into Verve, you prepare yourself for just such an event.  Routine is our enemy. Because our stimulus is so broad and varied, we become prepared for unforeseeable challenges, as well as the random half marathon!

Complete as many rounds as possible in 22:00 minutes of:
2 Power clean, 205#(135#)
4 Weighted ring dips, 30#(15#)
6 Waiter carry lunges, 30#(15#)

Post time to comments or BTWB.

What are the two most commonly discussed diets in Crossfit?  The Paleo and The Zone diets of course. 

Well on November 1st we are lucky enough to have the foremost expert and creator of The Paleo Diet, Dr. Loren Cordain, giving  a lecture at Verve.  This will be a unique opportunity to listen and learn as well as ask the questions you have.  Dr. Cordain’s research emphasis over the past 20 years has focused upon the evolutionary and anthropological basis for diet, health and well being in modern humans. He is the author of: The Paleo Diet, The Paleo Answer, and The Paleo Diet for Athletes.  Dr. Cordain will be at Crossfit Verve on 11/1 from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

Open to Verve athletes and the general public.  $35 for Verve Members and $40 for Non- Members

With the $40 entry fee non members will get a drop in workout at Verve on 11/1.  Classes will be on the 20 minute starting at 3:40 pm with trainer warm ups on the half hour.

Spread the word to your family and friends.  All are welcome.  Sign up to attend the lecture as well as the evening WOD’s for 11/1 on Mind Body via the Seminars tab.

Five rounds for time:

9 Thrusters, 115# (75#)
5 Muscle-ups

Compare to: 120319

Post to times to comments and BTW.

Please also read “It’s Not About the Numbers” by Jay Rhodes, published in the Crossfit Journal, Feb 2011.

What’s your journey look like?  Thank you for letting us be part of it!

Two rounds for time:

20 Toes to bar
30 Deadlifts, 185# (125#)
40 Box jumps, 20″
50 Burpees
Rest 3:00

Post times to comments and BTW.

Push press 2-2-2-2-2-2-2

Then, take 60% of heaviest load and perform as many reps as possible until failure.

Post loads and max reps to comments and BTW.

“Randy”
75 Power snatches, 75#/55#

Compare to: 120521 

Post time and comments to BTW.

A picture found from weinterrupt.com.  What’s your idea of strength?

The Anatomy of a Strength

What is a strength?  The book Now, Discover Your Strengths describes it as “consistent near perfect performance in an activity.”  So, to be able to indentify something as a strength in our life, we must be able to do it consistently.  This may involve some honest self-examination.  What are we really good at? You may occasionally be able to throw a football as far as Peyton Manning, but we couldn’t call this a strength unless we were able to do it time and time again. 

Secondly, we need to realize that we do not have to have strength in every aspect of what we do to be successful.  For instance, if you were given an AMRAP WOD of 20 minutes with a 400m run, five muscle ups, and ten 225# deadlifts, what would your reaction be?  Most would be able to identify something that they could excel at, with something else in that workout that may not typically be a strength for them. What to do?  You simply do the best you can with the hand you are dealt.  An excellent performer does not necessarily have to be the most well rounded.  Simply the most adaptable.

Finally, you excel at your strengths by maximizing them, not by fixing your weaknesses.  Keep in mind, this does not say to ignore your weaknesses.  You certainly must be aware of them, and work on them, to the point that they do not undermine our strengths any longer. Once your weakness reaches an acceptable level, you may then turn your attention to honing and perfecting what you can perform most consistently. 

Whatever we are doing in life, we want to capitalize on our strengths, whatever they may be, and manage our weaknesses, whatever they may be. 

With a continuously running clock, complete one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute… until you are unable to complete the task in the time given.  

Post time to comments or BTWB.

We talk about recovery often, but how many of us actually make a conscious decision to recover or have the time to recover.  We all have extremely busy lives and just making it in for an hour a few times a week is sometimes difficult let alone allocating more time to recovering properly.  We work out so hard most days and wake up sore the next.  On days we wake up sore we are faced with two options; work out or take a rest day.  There is a third option, consider an active recovery day.  Active rest can be something as simple as playing basketball or tennis or taking extra time with a foam roller.

We tend to base our workout success on how sore we are, but what good is being so sore that it prevents us from working out for a few days?  Our bodies improve and adapt on the days we recover, so scheduling recovery time is vital to optimizing our performances.  The simple equation is work + rest = success.

The quicker you recover the sooner you can get back to high intensity workouts which leads to better gains and faster improvements.  In other words recovery is the key element to reaching or not reaching your goals.

Recovery is also important from a mental standpoint.  Even the most well conditioned athletes will burn out if they push the limits with their workouts and don’t make a conscious effort to rest and recover.  Scheduling active rest days during the week allows you to really push yourself during your workouts knowing you’ll be giving your body and mind time to recover.  Make a conscious effort to take recovery days and during those recovery days find different way to actively recover.  I mean we work our tails off inside of the gym so we can enjoy ourselves outside of the gym, right?

So how do we put this in play?  Plan ahead.  You know what a typical week looks like for you and when you’ll be training.  You’ll also have an idea as to when you’ll need a recovery day so plan accordingly.  Ask your trainers for different active recovery drills or invite a member to go play hoops or tennis.  Might as well take advantage of the great weather and get outside while we still can.

For time:
800m Run
21 Right hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
21 Left hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
21 Handstand push-ups
800m Run
15 Right hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
15 Left hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
15 Handstand push-ups
800m Run
9 Right hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
9 Left hand kettlebell snatch, 24kg (16kg)
9 Handstand push-ups

Post time to comments or BTWB.

Hello Verve Athletes-

Many of you know me but for those who don’t I figured I’d give you a little write up about myself.

I’m from just outside of Boston and grew up in a town called Wilmington.  I played sports growing up and in high school I played basketball and baseball.  After high school I went to a university in New Hampshire on a baseball scholarship.  After my freshman year I decided I also wanted to play basketball so I transferred to a school in Rhode Island that offered me the chance to play both…and after a year of playing both I decided I didn’t want to play either anymore so I dropped both sports and took up theater.

How I found crossfit.  I have two brothers and both of them are younger and in the NAVY so naturally we are very competitive.  One time when one of my brothers was on leave and staying with me in 2007 he introduced me to the main site of crossfit.  He told me how the workouts were designed with everyday application and that he and his NAVY buddies were doing these workouts and competing against each other.  I was hooked from there.  We began calling each other and comparing our times and weights.  I practiced crossfit on my own or with a few people I worked with but always in a regular gym that frowned up us dropping weights or us dropping to the floor as sweaty messes after we finished a ten minute workout.

I left Boston for Denver in the Fall of 2009.   I continued to practice crossfit in regular gyms until I finally signed up to be a member at Verve.  I’m really glad I did.  I’ve made a ton of amazing friends and walking into Verve is the best part of my day everyday.  I’m constantly reading and researching all things related to what we do whether it’s technique or nutrition.  I’m fully invested in making my role at Verve be all about you guys.  Anything I can do to help you please let me know.  I don’t know everything  but if you ask me to help then I’ll make it my priority to learn and pass it on.

I’m looking forward to starting at Verve in October and can’t wait to learn from our fantastic trainers and coach all of the amazing members at Verve.  Except Nat…that kid is un-coachable…

Eric

Start by taking 10% off 1RM back squat, then add 20#
Back squat (no box)
40% x5 reps
50% x5 reps
60% x5 reps (only)

Followed by,

As many rounds as possible in eight minutes of: 
12 Box jumps, 30″ (24″)
21 Weighted ab-mat sit ups 40# (25#)

Post loads and reps to BTW.

Okay, here’s a great post dedicated to the women at Verve.  And to all those men and women that lovingly support their CrossFit passion.  Thank you for sharing you [them] with us!  

Courtesy of CrossFit Lisbeth: What We See

“I’m not going to write about how CrossFit changed the way so many people look at women’s bodies … because it didn’t. We still look at women’s bodies the same way … with our eyes. (Duh. You saw that one coming, right? Tell me you did.)

Anyhow, we still ogle and obsess about women’s bodies in this society. And I’m not sure there’s anything wrong with that, most of the time. Women are hot. Admit it. No matter if you’re male, female, gay, straight, bi, left-handed, or color-blind, everyone knows that women are hot. CrossFit doesn’t try to hide that. In fact, most times, we point a big spotlight at it. We look at women but (here’s the key part) we think it’s really cool that they can do shit.

That’s the difference between us and many of the others who came before. They looked at women’s bodies just to look. Aesthetics only mattered, not accomplishment. We look and say “Holy shit, do you know what she can DO?”

And maybe that is the way we changed the way people look at women’s bodies. (Including women themselves.) Now, we all see the beauty in strength. And that’s really cool …”

If you or a friend missed the Hydrostatic BodyFat Truck (aka Dunk Tank) testing a couple weeks ago, we’ll be hosting Rosanne back for a short period this upcoming Thursday, Sept 27th from approximately 7am-12noon.  These limited slots will be at a deeply discounted rate due to training for a new truck on it’s way to Florida.  Check, cash or credit card accepted onsite.  Sign-up sheet at Verve!  Open to the public, so invite your friends.

All Verve WODs today at Commons Park, see map below.

Ten Rounds for time:

Shoulder Roll to 40 yard Dash 10 Pushups
Shoulder Roll to 40 yard dash 15 KB Swings, 32kg (24kg)
Rest 30 seconds

Post times to BTW.

Verve is hosting the CrossFit Powerlifting Seminar this weekend, so we can teach you how to get more “swoll” yay!  All Sunday WODs will meet at Commons Park, (18th & Little Raven.)  Look for the fun, friendly group of people doing fitness fast.

Also, if you or a friend missed the Hydrostatic BodyFat Truck (aka Dunk Tank) testing a couple weeks ago, we’ll be hosting Rosanne back for a short period this upcoming Thursday, Sept 27th from approximately 7am-12noon.  These limited slots will be at a deeply discounted rate due to training for a new truck on it’s way to Florida.  Check, cash or credit card accepted onsite.  Sign-up sheet at Verve!  Open to the public, so invite your friends.

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