Get your mind out of the gutter people… we mean teams of THREE for this week’s Partner WOD! Yep, we are super sizing our Partner WOD into teams of three! We’ve got a great WOD planned so grab a friend or make a new one here and get your sweat on. The weather looks much cooler tomorrow and the rain should be wrapped by the morning. And on a housekeeping note, WEAR LONG SOCKS if you continue to get rope burns. Or ask us how and we’ll show you the descent WITHOUT the rope on your shins.
STRENGTH WOD
In Teams of 3 (switch on and off however you want)
0-12 minutes
1 Person Climbing the Rope
1 Person Rowing for Cals
1 Person Resting
12-24
1 Mile Team Run (Team must stay together by all doing shifts carrying a 10b med ball)
24-36
1 Person KB Swings
1 Person Sit ups
1 Person Rest
Score each section separately
Station 1 Total Reps
Station 2 Total Time
Station 3 Total Reps
Fitness 35/26/10lb ball
RX 53/35/10lb ball
Coach’s Tip: Rest is included in the first and third “mini WOD”, but for the second one, the rest comes after the run. So, if you think it will take more than 10 – 11 minutes to run that mile, PLEASE SCALE YOUR DISTANCE! We have plenty of run options!
Coach John keeping a watchful eye on William during the Snatch EMOM this week…
Coach’s Tip: Go heavy on the strength portion and find a moderate weight for the Metcon. You should be able to move the barbell in big sets early on. If you don’t have HSPU, find an appropriate scale for the movement that allows you to work the full press range of motion and give your legs a break!
Coach Lyndsey demonstrating the finer points of the overhead press to an awesome Foundations class!
We spent some time Tuesday working on our “Goats” and thought it only appropriate to share some of the MANY wins experienced yesterday! And keep in mind, making progress on a goat is a HUGE win… real goats take TIME! It means the work is paying off, and in our minds, that’s a WIN!
We saw “first ever” rope climbs from Jessica S. and Katie S. Ravi and Preston tightened up their kips and and Robert N. figured out the “push away” at the top of his kipping pull ups and strung a big set together for the first time. Mindi eliminated the ‘double jump’ on her single-unders and Thomas hit a new one-rep max Overhead Squat after working on mobility (and that was AFTER the METCON). Robert E. rocked some squat therapy and got to full depth tight to the wall. And the list goes on and on.
Continue to work on those weaknesses as you’d be surprised how quickly “dreading” a movement in a workout can shift into excitement to get to the gym!
THE COVE MAKES A SPLASH: 8/6 @ 11am
A reminder that we are doing our first Cove Swimming WOD on Saturday, 8/6 at 11am. There will be a 9a class that morning, but no regular 10 or 11am classes.
We will have the pool to ourselves for an hour before it opens. Plan to show up a little early to warm up as we’ll need to finish up by the time the pool opens at 12pm. Cost will be $7 per person at the door, however this fee will allow you to hang out for the rest of the day if you want. The pool is extremely kid friendly (playground, volley ball court, etc.) so bring the little ones. There are several grills so definitely plan to stay after to hang out and eat – you can even bring a cooler of drinks (yes, our pool allows beer, but no glass bottles)!
There is a pot luck sign up on the white board at the gym but please RSVP for the event here:
A huge thanks to Kim, Steve and Justin for hosting us all. It is just so generous of them to arrange for this event at their club! Please give them a big thank you when you see them next!
STRENGTH WOD
EMOM for 8 minutes
2 Snatches
(pause in your catch position for 2-3 seconds, you should be catching as low as possible)
WOD
7 Hanging Squat Snatch
14 Sit Ups
21 Double Unders
14 min AMRAP
Fitness: 45/35 (double singles)
RX: 75/55
RX+: 95/65
Coach’s Tip: For the strength portion we are really focusing on speed under that bar and “catching” it in a squat position. We want you to take a few seconds and “get organized” at the bottom of the squat. Find your balance in the pocket, steady the bar and drive out of your heels upwards. For the METCON the weight for the squat snatch should be something you can move fairly quickly (in big sets for the early rounds). Just because you can squat snatch 95lb doesn’t mean you go RX+ today; find a weight you can go unbroken (or close to it) for the first round at least!
Check out this video of Chad Vaugh doing a VERY heavy Squat Snatch. Notice how his hips fully extend and and see how the bar “floats” while he drops beneath it for the catch. His arms only bend (not to pull!) but to allow himself to get under that barbell. This video is poetry in motion!
No, it doesn’t mean Jessica is bringing in her pet goats (although that would be fun)! Rather, today we are WORKING ON OUR GOATS!
What is a “GOAT”, you ask? Simply put, it’s an area of weakness (or an area of opportunity to put it more politely) for you as an athlete. EVERYONE has a goat. It’s that one exercise that comes up in a WOD and you dread it. Or maybe you even avoid those WODs (although we know our Cove athletes would NEVER do that!). Some of us have two, three, four or more goats. If that’s the case, you have a whole herd of those little beasts, and you have a lot of work to do.
But today let’s just focus on one. Spend 15 minutes working on that weakness. It might be an easy fix, or it might be something that will take some serious work. Whether that path be the yellow brick road or a little walk up a few flights of stairs, we want to help you navigate the path you need to follow.
CROSSFIT GAMES FANTASY WINNERS
Huge congratulations to Irina K. and Justin F. for winning the Reebok CrossFit Games! Well, not the GAMES, per se… the fantasy league for the games!
For those of you who haven’t been following, the Reebok CrossFit Games ended on Sunday. The videos (most of them) are archived onhttp://games.crossfit.com. You can watch countless hours of individual, team, masters and teen competitions and get inspired for next year’s Open (or even get pumped for the WOD tomorrow!!)
THE COVE MAKES A SPLASH: 8/6 @ 11am
A reminder that we are doing our first Cove Swimming WOD on Saturday, 8/6 at 11am. There will be a 9a class that morning, but no regular 10 or 11am classes.
We will have the pool to ourselves for an hour before it opens. Plan to show up a little early to warm up as we’ll need to finish up by the time the pool opens at 12pm. Cost will be $7 per person at the door, however this fee will allow you to hang out for the rest of the day if you want. The pool is extremely kid friendly (playground, volley ball court, etc.) so bring the little ones. There are several grills so definitely plan to stay after to hang out and eat – you can even bring a cooler of drinks (yes, our pool allows beer, but no glass bottles)!
There is a pot luck sign up on the white board at the gym but please RSVP for the event here:
A huge thanks to Kim, Steve and Justin for hosting us all. It is just so generous of them to arrange for this event at their club! Please give them a big thank you when you see them next!
SKILL WOD
Spend 15 Minutes working on your “GOAT”
WOD
25 Burpee Box Jumps
50 Cal Row
25 Burpee Box Jumps
Fitness: 20/12
RX and RX+: 24/20
Time Cap 18 Minutes
Coach’s Tip: Today’s workout is all about pacing. If you go out hard on the first set of burpees you won’t be able to hold a good pace. And if you go out too fast on the row you will be toast for the second set of burpees and they will take a LONG time. They key is to keep moving. Keep your heart rate steady and you should finish well under the time cap.
A reminder that we are doing our first Cove Swimming WOD on Saturday, 8/6 at 11am. There will be a 9a class that morning, but no regular 10 or 11am classes.
We will have the pool to ourselves for an hour before it opens. Plan to show up a little early to warm up as we’ll need to finish up by the time the pool opens at 12pm. Cost will be $7 per person at the door, however this fee will allow you to hang out for the rest of the day if you want. The pool is extremely kid friendly (playground, volley ball court, etc.) so bring the little ones. There are several grills so definitely plan to stay after to hang out and eat – you can even bring a cooler of drinks (yes, our pool allows beer, but no glass bottles)!
There is a pot luck sign up on the white board at the gym but please RSVP for the event here:
A huge thanks to Kim, Steve and Justin for hosting us all. It is just so generous of them to arrange for this event at their club! Please give them a big thank you when you see them next!
WOD
“Sitting Hammer”
U.S. Army First Sergeant Michael “Hammer” Bordelon, 37, of Morgan City, Louisiana, assigned to the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team), based out of Fort Lewis, Washington, died on May 10, 2005, from injuries sustained when a car bomb exploded near him in Mosul, Iraq on April 23, 2005.
5 Cleans
10 Front Squats
5 Jerks
20 Sit Ups
5 Rounds
Fitness 95/65
RX 135/95
RX+ 155/105
Time Cap 20 Minutes
Coach’s Tip: Lots of barbell today! This is a variation on a Hero WOD called “Hammer”. Hammer typically has 20 pull ups (vs. 20 sets ups) plus 90 seconds of rest built in, but we subbed 20 sit ups and those reps are meant to be your rest!
Three months ago Brittany M came to us and said she needed to do something because she wasn’t sure she could carry her new baby through the airport for an upcoming trip. Her losses are mind-blowing (lots of weight loss, dropping several pants sizes, etc) but what’s more amazing are the GAINS she has made. Heavy barbells, high box jumps… and now she can probably carry her baby AND her husband through the airport! Here she is making a 75lb sled pull look easy…
It’s supposed to be another hot one tomorrow so please take it easy and do some active recovery. Or get in early before it gets too hot and get the work done!
A huge congratulations to Allie B and Julie J who competed in their FIRST EVER Olympic lifting competition yesterday. They both did GREAT so give them a huge congrats when you see them!
COME SUPPORT OUR COVE ATHLETES AT THE LORTON STRENGTH CLASSIC!
On Saturday, July 23rd we have THREE Cove athletes competing at the Lorton Strength Classic in Lorton, VA. Allie Bradley, Joe Tito and Julie Jones will all be representing the Cove! It will be held at CrossFit Lorton (about an hour south of us) and it would be great to come and show your support!
In this Olympic lifting competition they will Snatch first (3 attempts), and then Clean & Jerk (3 attempts). The top 3 competitors in each age group and weight class will receive awards. That includes the Masters division, too (for example, the top 3 women in the 35 age group at 53KG will receive awards, etc.). Julie’s heat runs at 9am, Allie goes at 4;30pm and Joe goes at 6:30pm. For more detailed information here’s a link to all the heats and lifters (maybe you know others competing!):
We all know the importance of hydration, but make sure you are drinking for MANY hours prior to the workout, not just chugging a gallon before you walk in the gym. The hottest days of the summer are upon on and while we will do our best to keep the air flowing, you WILL be sweating today!
PARTNER WOD
From 0-15 Minutes
Find A heavy 5 Rep Back Squat as a team (Score = total Pounds)
(ideally m/m f/f partners)
From 15 minutes to 25 Minutes
Max 200 M Sprints (Relay style)
From 25 Minutes to 30 Minutes
Max Toes to Bar
Coach’s Tip: Today is a great mix of strength and speed. Hold your partner accountable to good depth on the squats and use the time between sprints to really catch that breath… then GO! For the toes to bar, please tend to your hands. Grab a DRY towel between sets and keep that chalk from caking. Even if you have toes to bars as ‘singles’, do them!
Off to the races! Which “pony” would you bet on?? Andy, is that a grimace or glee on your face?
Today we have some fun with our new “toys”! If you haven’t done slam balls before, they are a great way to not only relieve stress, but they mimic more ‘real world’ movement. More often than not, you’re hauling an awkwardly-shaped sofa up four flights of stairs or trying to grab that cooler off the top shelf of your garage. Those weights (and, therefore, your attempts to move them) can be more awkward and inefficient because they are not as easy to handle or compare as dumbbells or barbells. And they challenge whole swathes of muscle groups that you don’t normally use together at the same time. Slam balls mimic that kind of real world weight and really helps with upper body explosiveness and power development.
They are relatively soft, like med balls, but they have no elasticity. Plus, since they are filled with sand, their uneven weight distribution forces athletes to deal with the bulk as it shifts in their hands. It makes for a challenging, but fun, addition to our conditioning!
(and don’t worry about catching the ball on the rebound. you can just slam it down and pick it up)
THE COVE MAKES A SPLASH: 8/6 @ 11am
Please join us for the first ever Cove Swimming WOD! We will have the pool to ourselves for an hour before it opens. Plan to show up a little early to warm up as we’ll need to finish up by the time the pool opens at 12pm. Cost will be $7 per person at the door, however this fee will allow you to hang out for the rest of the day if you want. The pool is extremely kid friendly (playground, volley ball court, etc.) so bring the little ones. There are several grills so definitely plan to stay after to hang out and eat – you can even bring a cooler of drinks (yes, our pool allows beer, but no glass bottles)! We will create a pot luck sign up shortly, but in the meantime please RSVP for the event here:
A huge thanks to Kim, Steve and Justin for hosting us all. It is just so generous of them to arrange for this event at their club! Please give them a big thank you when you see them next!
WOD
40 Double Unders
20/17 Cal Row
10 Ball Slams (30/20)
5 Rounds
Fitness: 25 Double Unders, 17/14 Calorie Row
RX: As prescribed above
Time Cap: 18 Minutes
TEAM WOD
Class will be divided into two teams for:
8 min AMRAP
Max Cals on the Assault Bike
Coach’s Tip: To accommodate larger classes we will run two groups. One group will tackle the metcon first and others will break into teams for the assault bike WOD. The metcon will take longer than the assault bike 8 minute AMRAP so you’ll have plenty of time to recover!
Overhead squat work to prep for our Squat Snatch cycle…
Please join us for the first ever Cove Swimming WOD! We will have the pool to ourselves for an hour before it opens. Plan to show up a little early to warm up as we’ll need to finish up by the time the pool opens at 12pm. Cost will be $7 per person at the door, however this fee will allow you to hang out for the rest of the day if you want. The pool is extremely kid friendly (playground, volley ball court, etc.) so bring the little ones. There are several grills so definitely plan to stay after to hang out and eat – you can even bring a cooler of drinks (yes, our pool allows beer, but no glass bottles)! We will create a pot luck sign up shortly, but in the meantime please RSVP for the event here:
A huge thanks to Kim, Steve and Justin for hosting us all. It is just so generous of them to arrange for this event at their club! Please give them a big thank you when you see them next!
STRENGTH WOD
Today’s the day! We kick off our Snatch cycle!
Find a new 1 RM Snatch
WOD
For 14 minutes 1 minute on 1 minute off
2 Squat Snatchs (use 60-70% of 1 RM)
Max Pull Ups
RX+: Chest to Bar
Coach’s Tip: You will have rest baked in so go until the end of the minute if you can on the pull ups or chest to bars!
We all know Coach Chris likes to talk smack now and again. Looks like he ran out of people and is giving some s#$t to his imaginary friend. Or a box.
