Happy New Year!

Snatch

3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3 -3

Post loads to comments.

 
Catherine in August 2009 and now. 

If you need a little motivation to help you stick to your New Years resolutions, I think this will help. 

Congratulations to Catherine, today marks the day that she officially lost over 50 lbs with us at Verve.  Catherine has been with us now for six months and started the zone diet right away.  Catherine we are so proud of your dedication to your health and fitness. Health is a journey not a destination.  Congratulations again, this proves your amazing dedication!

What are your New Years resolutions?

“Squat a Ton and Run”
Four rounds for time of:
Squat one ton and run 400 meters

One ton equals 2240 pounds. For our purposes complete the following reps per round with the weight listed:
* 275 lbs. = 8 reps
* 245 lbs. = 9 reps
* 225 lbs. = 10 reps
* 205 lbs. = 11 reps
* 185 lbs. = 12 reps
* 155 lbs. = 15 reps
* 135 lbs. = 17 reps
* 115 lbs. = 20 reps
* 95 lbs. = 24 reps
* 85 lbs. = 27 reps
* 75 lbs. = 30 reps
* 65 lbs. = 35 reps
* 55 lbs. = 41 reps
* 45 lbs. = 50 reps

Choose a weight that can be completed at speed. 

Post time to comments.

Amanda, Bethany and Jen Beck, partying it up. 

Happy New Years!  Party like rockstars, but be safe out there.  See you in 2010.

Four rounds for time:

20 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#

12 Toes-to-bar

Followed by five rounds on the minute interval of:

15 Box jumps, 24"/20"

Post time for couplet to comments.

Gayle looking great – a tough feat for anyone that's doing "Angie"

Recovery Part II

So you're eating a hormonally favorable diet that's rich in Paleo foods, you've been getting 8-10 hours sleep at night, and you've taken steps to reduce stress.  What's next?  Why do you still feel like walking zombie? 

At times, we simply ask to much from ourselves.  Most CrossFitters are not the average go to work and be happy with mediocre type of person.  Most of us give everything our all – whether it's 9 hours in the office, 6 hours on the ski hill, or 2 minutes and 50 seconds doing "Fran" – we're not happy unless we give it everything we've got.  This will undoubtedly take it's toll eventually.

The 3-on 1-off workout cycle is ideal for most CrossFitters.  Day 1 you should be fresh and ready to go.  Day 2 you'll be feeling the effects of day 1, but you've got more in the tank and you're still thinking a PR is probable.  Day 3 you're hammered dog shit, but you can do it because tomorrow is a rest day.  Day 4… wait – you shouldn't be working out!

Rest days are just that – rest and relaxation time for your mind and body.  Don't overlook the benefits of a day off (work and play) and take the time to meditate, pray, talk with your spouse and kids, or simply veg out and watch Oprah.  Allow yourself to recuperate – you deserve it! 

Stay tuned for more…

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

10 Deadlift 65# (45#)

8 Hang clean 65# (45#)

6 Push-press 65# (45#)

Post rounds to comments.

 
Beautiful 7am WOD; Emily, Gerson and Josh. 

Recovery Part I

As a crossfitter you have likely been fatigued, sore and generally beat up at one time or another, or perhaps continuously.  This is a result of training.  What will largely determine the results you obtain from training is a multifaceted concept, recovery.  Adequate recovery allows for more training and ultimately improved performance.  In some respects recovery is the night to our exercise day.  In exercise we release hormones, mount immune responses, cause inflammation and use things like glycogen and lipids for fuel.  Recovery complements this process.  Accelerating the things we want and mitigating the less desirable processes will provide more return on your exercise investment.

Much in the spirit of "World Class Performance in 100 Words" recover comes down to: Eat a Zone favorable or other hormonally intelligent diet with predominantly antioxidant rich "Paleo" foods.  Sleep 8-10 hrs per day in a completely dark room.  Go to bed as early as possible.  Laugh.  And avoid excessive stress.

– CrossFit Journal 29, What about Recovery, Robb wolf

"Angie"

For time:

100 Pull-ups

100 Push-ups

100 Sit-ups

100 Squats

All reps for each movement must be completed before moving on to the next movement.

Post time to comments.

Derek demonstrating an excellent overhead squat during last week's triples.

Compound Yet Irreducible

Functional movements are multi-joint, whole body movements.  Rather than isolating movements to any one or two joints, functional movements take a system of joints through a full range of motion.  These movements are found everywhere in life, which is what makes training them so crucial to independent living. For example, lie on the floor and count the number of joints you use to lift yourself to a standing position.  This is why we find isolation exercises so laughable – the sum is greater than it's parts. 

In ten minutes, reach a max box jump height

Then, for time:

45 Double unders

45 Dumbell squat cleans, 40#/25#

45 Ring dips

45 Double unders

Post times to comments.

High box jumps are scary! 

Check out what Dr. Mike Ray, owner of CrossFit Flagstaff, has to say about Zone block reassignment for post workout recovery.  Videoby CrossFit.com 

Four rounds, 20 – 15 – 10 – 5 for time of:

Back squats, 100% BW

Pull-ups

Post time and back squat load to comments.

 
Twelve days of Christmas WOD, can you spot the monkey hat? 

Timing Rules Explained:

First and foremost, you must eat five meals a day.  By planning ahead, scheduling your 5 meals (3 meals and 2 snacks) will make your day more structured and ensure that you are able to stay in the Zone by feeding your lean body mass the fuel it needs to run efficiently.  Relate this rule to starting a campfire and putting wood in the fire as needed (5x/day).  We're not talking about a bonfire here, rather just a simple fire to keep the camp warm and occasionally cook with.

Second, don't let more than 5 waking hours pass between meals.  To avoid becoming hungry or fatigued, you'll need to fuel your body every 5 hours with a balanced meal of high-quality protein, vitamin and mineral rich carbohydrates, and hunger-quenching healthy fats.  Think of this as adding a log to the campfire.  Without adding wood from time to time, your fire will certainly go out.

Start your day off on the right foot by eating within an hour of waking.  It's critically important to feed your muscles right away, as you've essentially been fasting for 8 hours (your are sleeping for 8 hours right?).  Before you take a shower or brush your teeth, put a pan on the stove and crack some eggs, slice some berries in a bowl and add some nuts.  Then, go about your day… fueled up!

Don't forget the importance of a post-workout snack (snack #1).  I mean, this is why you're reading this blog anyway right – you are a CrossFitter?!?  After torching your body with a sub-5minute Fran, you need to begin recovering right away.  A balanced meal of protein, carbs, and fats will satisfy not only your hunger, but also replenish glycogen stores, speed recovery of damaged muscle tissue, AND help maintain insulin sensitivity.  Without getting all caught up in the science of PWO insulin secretion – let's just say that you need to eat within 30 minutes of completing a WOD.

Lastly, don't forget to eat within an hour of bedtime.  Now, I don't mean eat your last snack while starting 2001: A Space Odyssey because that would mean that you're not actually going to bed for like… an eternity.  Eat right before bed – your starving muscles depend on it.  Without adding a log to your fire before slipping into your sleeping bag, your fire will go out part-way through the night.

By the way… the campfire is your metabolism (in case you didn't catch the analogy).  Stay tuned for more campfire analogies.  And to review… 5 meals a day, no more than 5 hours between meals, PWO meal within 30 minutes, breakfast within 1 hour of waking, and bedtime snack within 1 hour of bedtime.  Follow the rules and take the Zone to the next level.

Rest Day!

 
Hillary Overhead squating. 

Happy Holidays!

At home holiday WOD for time:

100 Walking lunges

50 Chest slapping push-ups

100 Squats

Post time to comments.

Gerson and Tiffany representing Verve at the 2009 CrossFit Games affiliate cup?  

The 2010 CrossFit Games Mountain Sectionals registration is open. There is a good possibility that registration will sell out within a few days.  If you plan to compete, and we hope you do, the time to register is now.  Don't let March creep up and be the one wishing you had registered.

The CrossFit Games are the ultimate test to determine the fittest man and woman.  The two-day competition tests athlete’s ability to perform in all areas of fitness in a format that is unknown to the athlete until a few days prior.  The road to the CrossFit Games begins with the CrossFit Sectionals, moves on to the Regional Games, and then finally the CrossFit Games.

The top 30 male and 30 female athletes of the CrossFit Sectionals are awarded spots at the CrossFit Regionals.  The top four male and four female athletes of the CrossFit Regionals will go on to the CrossFit Games in Aromas, California in the summer of 2010.  Registration for the sectionals is open to athletes of all levels.

We hope you will consider competing in the CrossFit Sectionals.  This is a great two-day event where you can test your abilities and feed off the adrenaline of a motivating community of athletes.  You just may surprise yourself with what you can accomplish!

CrossFit Verve will be hosting the Mountain Sectionals this year on March 20-21, 2010. 
Colorado State Patrol Academy 15055 South Golden Road, Golden, CO 80401
States: Colorado, Wyoming, Montana
Regional Seeds: 30 men, 30 women

If competing isn't your thing, consider registering to be a volunteer.  Verve will be looking for volunteers to assist us on both days of the events. 

"Twelve Days of Christmas"

1 Snatch, 95#/65#

2 Pistols

3 Handstand push-ups

4 Burpees

5 Pull-ups

6 Wall ball shots, 20#/14#

7 Kettlebell swings, 24kg/16kg

8 Push-ups

9 Sumo deadlift high pulls, 24kg/16kg

10 Barbell lunges, 95#/65#

11 Push jerks, 95#/65#

12 GHD sit-ups

This workout will be done with the "Twelve Days of Christmas" played on repeat during the entire workout.  You must sing along, whilst keeping in mind that Christmas is in the near future.  If you swear too much, a lump of coal will surely meet your stocking.

Post time and thoughts to comments.

Doug attempting to lift Taq's elbows with Jedi mind tricks. 

Cheat Day Shenanigans

Cheat day, cheat day, when's my next cheat day?!?  Bah humbug!  Cheat days are for athletes that have their diets dialed and locked in place.  Cheat days are scheduled events that occur only once a week and vary in duration based on the need to satisfy urges to ensure a successful week.  If an athlete has not completed a month in the PaleoZone, free of cheats, you should not be thinking about cheating yet anyway. 

With that said, let's break down a successful week that affords a cheat day.  Adhering to a 5 meal per day schedule, you are eating 35 meals a week.  To remain 90% PaleoZone, you can afford roughly 3 meals per week that are not PaleoZone.  Now do we recommend using all 3 cheat meals – NO!  We are using 90% as the lowest percentage that would still allow an athlete to see the benefits of a sound PaleoZone program. 

Here's what we recommend to get the most of your cheat day.  First, don't cheat the whole day – remember, you only have 3 meals to remain 90% PaleoZone.  Start your cheat day off as with any other day – a PaleoZone breakfast and lunch, and a PaleoZone post workout snack.  This leaves you with dinner and a midnight snack.  If you so desire, these are the two meals to cheat on.  Make them count – satisfy your urges, so that the rest of the week you aren't craving anything.

By using this method, cheats are set to a schedule that you can count on and look forward to.  You are spending 90% of your week eating perfectly (otherwise it's cheating, right?).  You are also satisfying urges that could possibly spell disaster if ignored.  Make a list of craves during the week and prioritizethem before going to the market to shop for cheats.  Again – 90% or bust!!!