Edward Blanch

May 17, 2015

Monday, May 18th 2015

ONE WEEK UNTIL MURPH!!!

Mark your calendars for the Memorial Day Weekend events on Saturday and Monday (and you’ll see the run for today’s workout is prepping us for them!). Please note the 10a Saturday and 10a Monday classes will be the only ones on the schedule for those two days. We hope EVERYONE can come (and bring friends and family). They will be exciting and fun days for our growing community! This week we will be offering “CrossFit 101” classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the 7:30 PM classes. These are small group classes where a coach will be giving extra time to teach how to do the exercises safely. Come one come all! But if you could give us a head’s up if you are coming, just email Coach Brian directly at brian@cove-fitness.com.

Saturday at 10am: WOD With Warriors

We will be doing an event with Team Red White and Blue. Team RWB’s mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. We are honored to be hosting the “WOD with Warriors” and hope you will ALL come and support them! Please sign up on FB for the event HERE or on the white board at the gym!

Monday at 10am: Hero WOD “Murph”

The Hero WODs are named after Heros who have given their lives in the line of duty. Their purpose is to remind us to not only remember their sacrifice, but to get us to think outside of ourselves. “Murph” is a Hero WOD named after Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005. He was 29, of Patchogue, N.Y. Lt Murphy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor after his death.

The details of this event are HERE or on the white board at the gym. Please sign up so we know you are coming and have enough food. We’ll have a BBQ afterwards so if you bring a side, we’ll bring the meat!

STRENGTH WOD

1 Mile Run

Rest 10 min (Roll out, Stretch out)

WOD

15 box jumps

20 sit ups

25 thrusters

3 rounds

Fitness (20/12) (45/35)

RX and RX+ (24/20) (75/55)

**15 min Time Cap**

Aaron showing great extension before he drops below the bar on his squat clean…

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May 16, 2015

Sunday, May 17th, 2015

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OPEN GYM 9a-NOON

“The magic is in the movement, the art is in the programming, the science is in the explanation, and the fun is in the community.” – Greg Glassman For those members who are doing the 30 Day Elimination Challenge, we will be retesting our “tester” wod this coming Thursday. We are just short of 30 days for the challenge but we know many of you are heading away for Memorial Day weekend. We wanted to get it in before people went crazy with potato salad.

Who said you can’t have amazing food with the 30 Day Challenge? Here is a week’s worth of food from the Anglim household.

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May 15, 2015

Saturday, May 16th 2015

It was fun to see so many people come in for the partner WOD. We’ll keep the tradition going and do another one this Friday! A few important scheduling notes for everyone (get your calendars out… there’s a LOT going on!):

Next week we also will be offering “CrossFit 101” classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at the 7:30 PM classes. These are small group classes where a coach will be giving extra time to teach how to do the exercises safely. Come one come all! But if you could give us a head’s up if you are coming, just email Coach Brian directly at brian@cove-fitness.com.

It’s hard to believe it, but Memorial Day Weekend is NEXT WEEKEND and we have two exciting events happening at the gym. We hope to have a good balance of fun and reflection. We believe it is important to honor the holiday as it was intended, so we will be holding two workouts to honor those who have served. And those workouts will then be followed by some community bonding time! PLEASE NOTE THESE EVENTS WILL BE THE ONLY CLASSES OFFERED ON THESE DAYS!!!!

Saturday at 10am: WOD With Warriors

Monday at 10am: Hero WOD “Murph”

SKILL WOD

Take 12 minutes to find a heavy load with

1 Power Snatch + 2 Hanging Power Snatch

WOD

40 Sit Ups

30 KB Swings

20 Hanging Power Snatch

2 Rope Climbs

2 Rounds

Fitness (35/26) 75/55

RX (53/35) 95/65

RX+ (53/35) 115/75

Some fun this week with WALL BALLS!

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May 14, 2015

Friday, May 15th 2015

Each month we will feature an athlete that embraces the difficult feat of changing their lives for the better. We all come with our own set of challenges — whether it is work, family, or just a seemingly endless ‘to do’ list. Getting fit, making yourself a priority and finding that balance is hard work. And it is important to celebrate our victories and find inspiration in those who take on these challenges head first. As someone who embodies all of these characteristics, we are proud to present Charles Walker as our May Athlete of the Month!

MAY ATHLETE OF THE MONTH: CHARLES W

Tell us a little bit about yourself…

Both parents are immigrants, so I’m a 1st generation American, born and raised in sunny Southern California. As a 1st generation American, I always had the urge to give back the nation that offered my parents and family a fresh start, so that’s how I ended up in the Army (I know super patriotic lol). As some in the gym already know my main hobby involves cars. As far as fitness history, it all probably started when I started taking Tae Kwon Do classes (I know typical Asian thing lol). When I hit high school, I started trying to bulk up and get that “bod” all the girls liked, but I was stuck with a skinny frame. What some don’t know is that Alyissa and I are high school sweethearts and for some reason she liked my skinny frame…probably TMI. Fast-forward a few years and that’s when I really got into weight lifting for a few years. Sure I got bigger, gained some mass, but I lost a lot of stamina in the process. Then I got lazy and fat.

Fast forward a few more years and here we are in the present. Luckily my good friend Chris Block kept pestering me about this CrossFit thing. To be perfectly honest, I had wanted to try CrossFit for a while, but was put off by the stereotypical CrossFit jock. I finally caved, and I’m glad that I did. From the moment I walked through those at the time eerie looking doors lol…I felt welcomed. The environment was great, and high fives never felt better after a hard workout. I still remember my first workout at the Cove…front squats, I couldn’t walk in a straight line for a week.

What has changed since starting CrossFit?

Although only having done CrossFit for a couple months now, my physical fitness has improved dramatically. I’m seeing increases in strength, stamina, speed, and I can kinda see my six-pack again if I flex hard enough lol!

How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym?

Along with improving physically with CrossFit comes the mental improvements. Mental toughness, feeling more confident, being more comfortable in my own skin, and finally learning to listen to my body and know when it’s time to take it slow.

What do you enjoy about The Cove?

First of all the coaches. I can’t express enough how grateful I am that there are coaches as great as the ones we have at the Cove. Everything from making us feel like we belong, being on my ass constantly about form, making me feel like a badass and pushing me through a workout, and then crushing my scores and serving me a slice of humble pie (whole30 approved pie). Secondly the community at the Cove. I couldn’t ask for a better group to workout with. The Army has a saying, embrace the suck. Knowing that everybody is pushing as hard as they can through a WOD is awesome. The encouragement, high fives, scores to beat, everything. Third, it has become my home away from home. It’s a place where I can go after a hard day’s work and just let loose.

Favorite movement? And why? My favorite movement is probably the snatch. There is something just beautiful about the movement. Although my workout face probably makes it look more like a nightmare lol.

Least favorite movement? And why?

Least favorite…double unders…it’s my kryptonite. The one thing I probably work hardest on, and it keeps punishing me with rope lashes…

Any advice for people who are just getting started at The Cove?

As far as advice goes for any newcomers…bring your big boy (or girl) pants…and drink water! Also wear shin pads if you are practicing double unders lol.

PARTNER WOD

Row 400 M/Run 400 M

50 Burpees

Row 400 M/Run 400 M

100 Push Press

Row 400 M/Run 400 M

100 Air Squats

Row 400 M/Run 400M

50 KB Swings

-For Time-

**Push Press weight is 45/35 or 15…barbell only. No dropping the bar to the ground!**

Fitness 35/26

RX and RX+ 53/35

(One partner Rows while the other Partner Runs then complete/divide the reps up however you want. You can not start the reps until both partners are done. One person can Row the whole time you can switch who does what!)

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May 13, 2015

Thursday, May 14th 2015

To follow up on our housekeeping note from yesterday, we wanted to share the fun news that we are expanding the rig! We’re growing quickly and we want to ensure we have all the equipment necessary as we do so. There will always have to be times when we have to share racks or fight for our favorite pull up bar, but the expansion will make that happen less often.

Reminder we will be doing another Partner WOD this Friday. So bring a friend, family member or just partner up with another member! And next week we will be doing another round of “CrossFit 101” classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 PM.

STRENGTH WOD

Hanging Squat Cleans

5/4/3/3/2/2

WOD

7 Hanging Squat Clean

14 Box Jumps

50 Double Unders

4 Rounds

22 min cap

Fitness (20/14) 95/65

RX (24/20) 115/75

RX+ (24/14) 135/95

**The load should be something you cycle through quickly. Should be a sprint!**

Lindsey loving med ball tosses with Spencer…

while Charles seems to NOT be loving goblet squats!

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May 12, 2015

Wednesday May 13th, 2015

A few housekeeping issues we wanted to keep you abreast of. You’ve all be patient with construction equipment, plywood on walls and men coming in and out to do work. And we promise you its almost done! The challenge has been a lot of the materials are custom orders and there have been manufacturing hold ups preventing installation. Our big exhaust fan we are installing to push air through the gym as it gets warmer, for example, needed to be upgraded to accommodate our square footage. And we were told that the the cinder block walls should be punched through and windows installed by the end of next week. We’ve always said we’d rather wait for things to be done RIGHT vs FAST to ensure we have the best possible space! And we thank you for your patience as we make this THE best CrossFit facility. Period.

But for fun, here’ s a look at how far we’ve come…

Three scheduling updates: Wednesday’s 9:30am class will NOT be the regular WOD. We are hosting a workout for No Excuse Moms and it will be a partner workout. All our welcome! We will be doing another Partner WOD this Friday. So bring a friend, family member or just partner up with another member! And finally next week we will be doing another round of “CrossFit 101” classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7:30 PM.

SKILL WOD

30 seconds of GHD sit ups

8-12 Pull ups

(If you have strict do kipping, if you do not have strict work strength with strict)

4 Rounds

WOD

21-15-9-6-3

Deadlifts

Burpees (touch a target)

14 min Time Cap

Fitness 135/95

RX 225/155

RX+ 245/165

**Should be a sprint**

Lots of people working hard at last Friday’s Partner WOD …

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May 11, 2015

Tuesday, May 12th 2015

Great job on the Cleans today. We’re starting with some strong numbers and we’re excited to see how far we can take them as we continue through our next strength cycle.

We will have sitter services this week on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for the 9:30am classes

A reminder that on Wednesday morning (for the 9:30am class) we will be hosting a group called “No Excuse Moms” at the gym. Our very own Lacey Finely is a team leader of this amazing group who’s goal is to serve as an inspiration and motivational hub for women who want to be healthy at Fort Meade. And we’re thrilled they want to do a ‘field trip’ to the Cove! This 9:30 class will NOT be the regular WOD, so if you’re interested in meeting a whole bunch of cool ladies and doing a partner WOD, come on in!

Tuesday we will be having some more fun with Handstand Push Ups. Our goal is to get you as comfortable as possible being upside down first and foremost. If you don’t have a handstand yet, there are lots of great scales and progressions that can help you get there. Here are some great videos to look at to give you an idea of what we can do to make it happen!

PIKE PUSH UP VIDEO

WALL WALK VIDEO

SKILL WOD

Spend 10 minutes working on Handstand Push ups

(Between every couple attempts spend 45 seconds in the Keg Stretch)

WOD

Max Unbroken Wall Balls

400 M Run

20 min AMRAP

Score = Wall Balls

Fitness 14/10

RX 20/14

Divya showing tremendous focus going overhead with a Snatch …

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May 10, 2015

Monday, May 11th 2015

It’s time to start a new strength cycle! We’ve been working on Cleans in terms of technique and with various loads during workouts, but we will be refining and building on this key movement as the foundation for our next strength cycle. Here’s to another week of getting stronger and faster!

On Wednesday morning (for the 9:30am class) we will be hosting a group called “No Excuse Moms” at the gym. Our very own Lacey Finely is a team leader of this amazing group who’s goal is to serve as an inspiration and motivational hub for women who want to be healthy in Fort Meade. And we’re thrilled they want to do a ‘field trip’ to the Cove! This 9:30 class will NOT be the regular WOD, so if you’re interested in meeting a whole bunch of cool ladies and doing a partner WOD, come on in!

STRENGTH WOD

Take 15 minutes to find a 1 RM Clean (power or squat)

WOD

15 Squat Cleans

50 Air Squats

15 Power Clean

30 Push ups

15 Hanging Power Clean

50 Air Squats

-For Time-

Fitness 95/65

RX 135/95

RX+ 155/105

Chris showing great extension then pushes away on the bar making toes to bar look easy…

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May 9, 2015

Sunday, May 10th 2015

OPEN GYM 9a-NOON

Happy Mother’s Day to all our amazing Mom Athletes! Hopefully we’ll see you at Open Gym, but if not… ask for a well deserved massage as a gift!

Some our our moms having fun among the chaos (we think)…

For those of you who want to do any running during open gym, here are some good distances and markers for you! There AND back on the same color line equals the marked distance. Stay close to the curb!

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May 8, 2015

Saturday, May 8th, 2015

Thanks to everyone who came to the Whole30 Potluck Friday night. Such great food and so many recipes we can try on our own for the last two weeks of the challenge. We look forward to the next one (after “Murhp” on Memorial Day — WITH adult beverages!)

In addition to the Push Jerk cycle (see Thursday’s post for results) we also just wrapped our Deadlift cycle. Once again, the improvements were dramatic and exciting! The starting average for a man at the gym was 285 lbs and now is 319 lbs. The average woman went from 135 to 178 — that is 2 26 percent increase!

We know you’ve all already drank the CrossFit Kool-Aid, but the methodology that drives CrossFit is empirically based. We believe that meaningful statements about safety, efficacy, and efficiency, the three most important and interdependent facets of any fitness program, can be supported only by measurable, observable, repeatable facts; i.e., data. We call this approach “evidence-based fitness.” And the level of fitness is surely increasing here at the Cove!

STRENGTH WOD

Take 15 minutes to find a heavy 5 Rep Back Squat from the Rack

(No score here just warming up for the WOD)

WOD

1000 M Run

21 Back Squats (bar comes from Rack)

800 M Run

15 Back Squats

600 M Run

9 Back Squats

-For Time-

Fitness 135/95

RX 205/135

RX+ 225/155

Phil and Martine collect themselves before testing their Deadlift 1RM while Dave and Daniel get last minute tips from Coach Luke.

And here are the running routes for the workout. There AND back on the same color line equals the marked distance. Stay close to the curb!

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About Edward Blanch

Posts by Edward Blanch:

Monday, May 18th 2015

Sunday, May 17th, 2015

Saturday, May 16th 2015

Friday, May 15th 2015

Thursday, May 14th 2015

Wednesday May 13th, 2015

Tuesday, May 12th 2015

Monday, May 11th 2015

Sunday, May 10th 2015

Saturday, May 8th, 2015