"Brenton"

Five rounds for time of:
Bear crawl 100 feet
Standing broad-jump, 100 feet

Do three Burpees after every five broad-jumps. If you've got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.

Post time to comments.

James, Josh, Lindsay, and Amanda got mad skills on the new parallel bars!

Nutrition seminars;
Saturday the 8th at 2pm
Wednesday the 12th at 7:30pm

Introducing Hot Dogs & Cup Cakes

We've waited until we completed the move into the new space before introducing this program.  Hot Dogs & Cup Cakes was born six months ago as a project that Matt and Adrian Bozman came up with as a collaborative effort to address weaknesses they had.  These deficiencies were considered too great to simply rely on the workout of the day bring them up to speed.

After months of testing, tweaking, and progress completed by Matt, Boz, Cherie, Joylyn, and Mas, the program is ready to be unveiled to all that wish to participate.  The HD&CC program is to be used in conjunction with the WOD, not as a substitute.  We'll develop your athleticism by focusing on barbell movements executed in both maximal efforts and dynamic efforts.  We'll also spend time developing the Olympic lifts and advanced gymnastics skills.  Of course, we'll improve your running efforts at various distances.

This program is not intended for beginners, rather best utilized by athletes who have 3 months or more experience at CrossFit Verve.  Exceptions to this rule will be made on a case by case basis and may require some personal training prior to starting HD&CC.  Furthermore, this program requires a three day a week commitment, no more and no less.  If you can't make it in three days a week, the WOD will be a better choice to maintain the highest level of fitness possible.

HD&CC will be held on a rotating schedule with various times and days of the week.  The first week will be Monday the 10th at 1930, Tuesday at 1930, and Saturdays at 1200.  Any questions, concerns, or clarifications should be directed to Info@crossfitverve.com

The stall mats from Verve 3.0 are on sale and going fast, $25 bucks a pop per mat. Come and get em, cash only! 

Three rounds for time of:

15 Hang power cleans, 135#/95#

15 Burpees

Post time to comments.

Tanja has a New Years surprise, look her first pull-ups! Congrats Tanja.

"Best Shape of My Life!" Nutrition Challenge

From January 15th until March 19th, we're challenging you to get into the best shape of your life.  During these 9 weeks we're going to reward you for good behaviors and punish you for bad behaviors.  We're going to require a lot in order to participate, but in exchange you are going to earn the ability to say you gave it your all and made positive steps towards health and performance.  Here's the details:

The challenge will run for 9 weeks.  In order to compete for the prizes, you must complete the following: pre/post Challenge blood work, pre/post pictures, pre/post body composition measurements, pre/post vitals, and pre/post benchmark workout.  The cost of this challenge is $100 and includes the cost of blood work.  You must also log all oral intake, workouts, sleep, and supplements.

Each meal has three positive or neutral values:
-2 cheat meal: not Paleo quality, not Zone quantity. (-10 possible per day)
+0 paleo meal that includes dairy
+1 paleo meal: all Paleo rules apply (5 possible per day)
+2 zone meal: all standard Zone rules apply (10 possible per day)
+3 Paleo/zone meal: paleo quality in zone proportions. (15 possible per day)

Rules of 5 bonus points:
+1 5 meals per day (1 possible/day)
+1 fewer than 5 hours between meals (1 possible/day)
-1 more than 5 blocks per meal (-5 possible per day) 

Exercise:
-1 fewer than 3 WODs/week
+0 3 WODs a week
+1 4 WODs a week
+2 5 or more WODs/week 

Bonus points:
+1 64oz of H20 in a day
+1 8+ hours of sleep
+1 if half of carb blocks are from veggies 

Deductions:
-1 for each alcoholic beverage. (-5 possible per day)
-1 for no PWO meal (before leaving the gym)
-1 for less than 3 grams of fish oil/day
-1 for each carbonated beverage 

20 points possible per day for 63 days + 18 possible exercise bonus points
= 1278 possible points.

0-500 points: better luck next time
500-750 points: $25 returned – nice job!
750-1000 points: $50 returned – great work!
1000+ points: $50 returned + free t-shirt – YEAH BUDDY!

Men's and women's prizes for biggest change (%) in blood work and vitals
Men's and women's prizes for body composition change
Men's and women's prizes for most increased performance

We'll be hosting two nutrition workshop's before the Challenge begins.  If you're interested in participating, your attendance is strongly recommended/required.  If you want to participate in CrossFit competitions in 2011, your attendance and participation in the Challenge is HIGHLY recommended.  We'll check everyone's logs each week for accuracy and precision.  

Who's in?  

Thruster 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post reps to comments.

Cortez the super winter sport dog of Katie Malone. Yay for winter pictures.

Nutrition lecture THIS Saturday at 2pm.  Be there!

Folks, sorry about our slacking on posts this week. We will be ready and continue to fill your minds with fitness gibberish soon enough.

Seven rounds for time:

Run 100m

7 Squat cleans, 115#/75#

7 Chest slapping push-ups

I'll miss you little Verve.

Location Change!

Thanks to the hard work of countless individuals, Verve's new home is ready for you. From 9am to 10pm for two days, we taped, rolled and unrolled flooring, painted, built platforms, constructed pull-up bars, and moved equipment.  We ate lunch together, got to know one another, and spent time building our community.  We said goodbye to our 1,000sqft space on 38th, where we spent the last two years getting to know you.  Even more exciting, we started a new Foundations and had our first workout at the new space.

The new space in all it's glory.

The new space is located at:
3350 Walnut St.
Denver, CO 80205

Zac's Special, show up and find out.

Post time to comments.

What an amazing group of people, we are so grateful for all the help on Sunday!

Morning classes ONLY today, show up at OLD Verve for the 6, 7 or 8am.  Otherwise, all classes on Tuesday will be held at NEW gym. If you haven't already, wait til you see it.

50 – 30 – 10 reps for time of:

Jumping pull-ups

Thrusters, 45#/33#

Jumping lunges

Compare to 100108.

Post time to comments.

Warm-up; :20 dance off as low as you can go, Sumo wrestling match and finish with human pyramid.

Today is the day we set the stage for our new home.  If you are coming to help, Thank you!  Please meet at the new gym, we are meeting at 9am but come when you can.  3350 Walnut street, click here for map New Verve.

We are starting at 9:00am and have four major projects to complete before Monday; flooring installation, pull-up bar installation, platform building and painting (office/bathrooms).  Tools we need if you have them, a second impact driver and standard wrenches.  When you get here, we will put you on a team where we can use you the most.  At noonish we will be grilling some chicken, with water and beer flowing all day.

Thanks in advance for your help and call if you need more information 720-425-4898.

Happy New Year!

Rest Day

Ringing in the New Year with style.

"Forrest"

Three rounds for time of:
20 L-pull-ups
30 Toes to bar
40 Burpees
Run 800 meters

Post time to comments.

We don't want to acknowledge it's happening, but the time is here, we are losing our Blake to the Marines.  You will be missed our friend, break a leg in OCS.

Blake came to Verve with a goal.  A goal to pass the physical test for the OCS program in the Marine Corp.  His success is simple a testament to his amazing will, which is sure to lead him in the new challenge he faces over the next three months.

Here is Blake's story: 

So this somewhat overweight, lethargic, desk-bound guy walks into a gym, not just any gym but one of those mythical crossfit gyms.  He stands in the doorway and kind of stares, disbelieving what his eyes are taking in.  One of the strongest looking men he has ever seen walks over to him and enthusiastically offers his hand and introduces himself.  Matt, it turns out co-owns the gym and is one of the trainers.  He offers this newbie the chance to come in for a free workout to see if the crossfit method works for him.  At this point the newbie explains that he has a sports background but desires to raise his fitness a notch to make it as a applicant for Marine OCS.  So the guy is me, by the way.  I came in a week later and proceeded through my first elements class.  Not having any background in lifting weights it was an eye opening experience to say the least.  Then came the first WOD, none other than Fran.  Matt sets me up with the 65# thruster set up and asks me how many pull-ups I can do.  I sheepishly admit that I can do three, no matter says Matt and he sets me up with a red band.  Well, lets just say that Fran was close to a disaster ending with me using the green band and getting some generous counting from Matt.  I finished in over ten minutes and wasn't sure how I performed that poorly.  Matt, the ever-optimistic person that he is, told me I had done really well and he could see my inner athlete starting to come out during the workout.  Words of encouragement have never been so well received.  The next two weeks were a struggle, starting with some serious DOMS and then migraines from not breathing while attempting the WODs.  Next came starting full-fledged classes and my first PFT with the Marines.  I scored a 173 out of 300, 5 pullups, 73 crunches and a three mile run in approximately 22 minutes.  This was not a good sign since I need to be as close to 300 as possible to have a realistic chance of getting selected.  

Two Rounds for time of:

20 Sumo deadlift, 225# (155#)
20 Burpee box jumps, 20" 

Post time to comments.

Gerry with a great overhead position and focus.

Back by popular demand the tape glove post…

Tearing your hands hurts and can take two weeks to recover from.  So how the heck do you prevent hand tears?  Our recommendation is to build up tissue tolerance and improve grip without the aid of tape.  However, this takes time so here is our professional tip of the day: make reusable tape gloves that will save your hands during high rep pull-up WOD's. (Keep hands callous free daily with a pumice or heel shaver).

First, start with a piece of tape that is more than double the length of your hand.  Fold it in half lengthwise.  Then, make a bend in it and keep the two sides as close as possible.

Next, take the roll of tape and tape from the bend at the top (the finger hole) all the way to the bottom and continue halfway up the back side.  You'll want two strips for each hand, which you'll secure with a section of tape around the wrist and a section around the palm.

    
 
There you have it – when you're done with your 20 minutes of pull-ups you can unwrap the wrist and palm and save the two finger strips.  These are nearly as good as gymnast straps and can be used in your next marathon pull-up WOD  Enjoi!

New Years WOD's, fun and booze free.  For those of you who have asked, we will be having an intimate gathering at the Verve (OLD), on New Years eve if you are interested in a sober New Year with a few work outs, food and board games to boot. Come with a chair to lounge in, some work out clothes to kick some ass in and some games to share while we wait for the New Year. Be there at 8pm sharp to before the first 3.2.1..GO!  

For time:

50 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#
10 Muscle-ups

40 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#
8 Muscle-ups

30 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#
6 Muscle-ups

20 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#
4 Muscle-ups

10 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#
2 Muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

Strict pull-ups are an unexpected challenge when you're used to kipping.

Well everyone, the time is here.  The walls are up, the bathrooms and office built, and the paint has dried – it’s time to move into your larger, better, more fun playground!!!  It has taken some finagling to get the keys but we did it.  Now that it's ready, we are going to need some assistance with the move.  There are lots of tasks to do, so if you hate carrying heavy stuff, don't fret.  The vehicles have been taken care of thanks to Bruno from collegehunkshaulingjunk.com , an athlete at Front Range CrossFit.

If you are available on the Sunday or Monday, we would love your help. Please contact Mas at (720) 939-5131 or email mas@crossfitverve.com and he will place your name on the list and the amount of time you are able to give for the move.  The more the merrier so that we can have everything set up for classes next week.  There will be some tasty beverages and some burgers for the hard workers at the new location!!!Thanks again in advance, we hope to see you there.

Please check the lost and found.  You're gear that's been left behind will become a donation to the Salvation Army on Friday, so please reclaim it before it's too late!