More strict pull ups! Yes, it’s vital for shoulder health and is going to help us get those kipping pull ups.
Tomorrow’s metcon is a real fun one. Get intense for those two minutes of work and really try to calm yourself with that one minute of recovery so you are prepared to go hard again.
SKILL WOD
5 Strict pull ups with a 3 second hold at the top of each rep
15 Banded pull a parts
4 Rounds
WOD
In Two Minutes
9 Push Jerk
15 Sit ups
Max Calories on the Rower
Rest 1 minute
5 Rounds
Score = Total Cals
Fitness 95/65
RX 135/95
RX+ 155/105
We have a sign outside that says “CrossFit For All”… and we mean it. Phil’s 68 year-young mom learned to lift properly and crushed the dead lifts!
Wednesday we will be continuing our work on Cleans. As we’ve discussed every time we review them, the power comes from the full extension of the hips, not the arms! Then it is about firing your elbows through and dropping below the bar. Sometimes it is a small dip under the bar (1/4 squat or so) but sometimes the load is so heavy you need to get way down to a full squat.
STRENGTH WOD
Back Squat
3/3/3/3/3
Build up in weight for a heavy set of three
WOD
50 Double Unders
15 Hanging power cleans
3 rounds
*Find a weight you can handle in sets of five*
Fitness: 95/65, 100 Singles
RX: 155/105
RX+ 175/115
Here’s a video of Sara attempting a 115lb Clean (on the Goal Wall she was striving for 100+). Check out how low she has to get to receive the bar!
Have you signed the Goal Wall yet? We love what people have been writing and the pictures are just a fun bonus. Keep in mind they don’t need to be strength-based. It could be to shave 1 Minute off your Helen time, to gain more mobility to be able to touch your toes or even to get more sleep at night. Put your goals up for the world to see and know that we are here to help you achieve them!
This week we have coverage in the kids room at 9:30 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. We had a great time with last week’s CrossFit Family workout and it seems like the kids did as well. We will be doing another Family Workout on March 17th at 10 AM class.
STRENGTH WOD
Take 12 minutes to find a heavy set of 3 rep deadlift
We couldn’t be happier with how this community is growing and connecting with one another! We’re hitting the limit on our Founder’s Rate memberships and prices will be increasing in two weeks. We wanted to let you know in case you have friends who are on the fence about trying us out. We’ll continue to offer the free week trial, but rates will be going up SOON!
SKILL WOD
20 Walking Suitcase Carry Lunges
15 Barbell Strict Press
(focus on tight stomach, elbow position and warming up the shoulders)
Three Rounds
WOD
“Jackie”
1,000 M Row
50 Thrusters
30 Pull ups
RX: 45lbs for men AND women
(given it is a benchmark and “Jackie” calls for the same weight for both genders, we will follow the WOD guidance. You can ALWAYS scale, but if you are going for an official “Jackie” time and can do pull ups unassisted, shoot for the 45!)
If you see these four new faces around the gym be sure to congratulate them surviving foundations!
Reminder that we have modified Open Gym schedule from 10a-Noon on Sunday. Open Gym is a great time to come in and work on your weaknesses or things you’ve put on the Goal Wall. Much of what we do is a SKILL. Meaning, it takes practice and effort outside of class. Charles is a great example of how ‘extra time’ matters (even if its just a few minutes before or after class). In today’s workout (which included three rounds of 50 Double Unders, he gave it a go. He’s been working on them over the last few weeks and he knocked it out of the park. We couldn’t be more impressed!
Reminder: Family WOD is at 10am Saturday. There is NO regular 10am WOD. The Family workout will be a modified WOD where you will work out WITH your child. We promise you’ll get in a good sweat AND you’ll be teaching the lesson that fitness can and should be FUN! Its best for ages 5+ but if you have a good listener and active child, feel free to bring them along!
Open Gym is from 10a – Noon on Sunday. Come on in and burn off that chocolate or ham!
Saturday’s WOD will be another shoulder burner, so if you’ve been doing a lot of overhead this week, feel free to modify with front squats (or other)! Just talk to the coach and we’ll find something that challenges you but keeps your shoulders in check.
WOD
21 Thrusters
30 Sit ups
50 Double Unders
Rest 1 Minute
18 Thrusters
30 Sit ups
50 Double Unders
Rest 1 Minute
15 Thrusters
30 Sit ups
50 Double Unders
Fitness 75/55
RX 95/65
RX+ 105/70
Phil, Chris and Katie monkeying around on the ropes….
We strive to be open every day — even with all the snow days this year we didn’t close once! We also believe that holidays are often times when people want to work out MOST. You know something to offset the chocolates and candies most of us will consume at some point this weekend. So we WILL be open this Sunday, but with modified hours of 10a-Noon.
TWO MORE SCHEDULE REMINDERS:
We will have special sitter coverage at 9:30a FRIDAY! Hopefully you can take advantage of it as the kiddos are wrapping up Spring Break. And be sure to tell your friends with kids to come in for a FREE WOD with FREE BABYSITTING!
And Saturday’s 10am WOD is being replaced by our FAMILY WOD. Regular WODS will be held at 8a, 9a and 11a!
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 introduce Irina as our first athlete of the month.
APRIL ATHLETE OF THE MONTH: IRINA KOLB
Tell us a little bit about yourself…
I was born in Russia and moved to Colorado with my family when I was 13. I moved to DC in 2002 to pursue a graduate degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution and finally settled in Columbia nine years ago. I’ve always enjoyed fitness classes, but I really fell in love with exercising when I went to my first Krav Maga class in 2004. I moved up quickly and enjoyed the benefits (both self-defense and the fitness) but I continued to feel that there was something lacking in my exercise routine. I tried CrossFit when my Krav Maga studio started offering CrossFit classes and immediately began to see changes that I was really excited about. I continued to practice Krav Maga for self-defense, but CrossFit became my primary source of fitness. Life and injury caused me to leave my previous gym and take a break from CrossFit. Fortunately for me, Marina and Brian opened up the Cove. Now with a family (and a rambunctious 3 and a half year-old), and a job in DC, CrossFit at the Cove is the ideal solution in my life to get the exercise I need in the short amount of free time I have.
What has changed since starting CrossFit?
I’m in best shape of my life (smallest/thinnest, strongest, fittest) without ever being bored with my workouts. Since I don’t have to spend hours at the gym, I am able to find that balance between family, work, and fitness. I also learned to embrace paleo eating (I don’t want call it a diet as I see it as a way of eating rather than the traditional view of a diet) to help me lead a more healthier lifestyle and help me recover better after those heavy WODs.
How has CrossFit affected your life outside the gym?
CrossFit has helped reduce my stress and cope with the demands of my work and life, and I have a lot more energy. Also my achievements in CrossFit inspire my achievements in other aspects of my life. Every time I PR on a workout or on a lift, or achieve my next CrossFit goal, the excitement of my accomplishment carries over into the rest of the day and gives me the extra spark.
What do you enjoy about The Cove?
I know it might sound cliché, but I feel like was really able to find a home away from home, my “happy place” at the Cove. I think everything just came together. The extended schedule availability really gives me the opportunity to train every day of the week and work on my technique during open gym. I can come in at 5:30 am, get my workout in and be at work in DC on time. The support from my fellow students and the coaches is incredible. The morning crew and their energy pushes me to work harder during the workout, Chris always keeps me honest about the integrity of my movements and always goes out of his way to help me get better with my technique, and Brian and Marina always make me feel so welcome and do everything possible to make it easy to be a mom, a wife, and be an athlete. I also love the kiddie cove, the babysitting services, and the family friendly environment.
Favorite movement? And why?
Olympic lifts. While I really enjoy most of the barbell workouts, the complexity and intricacy of the snatch and clean & jerk make it so rewarding when your body is finally starting to get it. I also really like burpees – crazy, I know. They have just always been pretty easy for me.
Least favorite movement? And why?
Wall ball and rowing. I’m short…I know I know, that shouldn’t be my excuse, but the fact is that I literally almost have to jump every time I throw the ball to reach that target, and I’m so much slower at rowing than most people that it’s just very difficult to enjoy those movements.
Any advice for people who are just getting started at The Cove?
Go at your own pace but don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Push your comfort zone a little each time and remember to have fun. Be patient, but don’t ever sell yourself short. It may take you a year to start stringing your double unders or two years to get your first unassisted pull-up (that was me), but you will be able to master them if you keep working at them. CrossFit is all about you and everyone here at the Cove is really supportive and committed to helping you succeed at whatever your goals may be.
SKILL WOD
Rope Climbs
**After each climb spend 30-60 seconds in the keg drill**
Note: This is our first time doing rope climbs in a workout. Please wear high socks or long athletic pants that cover your lower leg to avoid irritation. With proper form it can be avoided, but for beginners there can be some friction with the rope!
We have been eager to pilot a ‘Family CrossFit’ program at the Cove. Think of it as CrossFit Kids meets our Daily WOD — where parents can work out WITH their child. Sometimes it is about sharing reps like a Partner WOD, sometimes the child is the weight implement (a five year old instead of a barbell) but we promise that not only will you get a great workout in, it’s quality time spent where your child will see how fun it is to exercise. We’ve done this many times at our bootcamp and its always one of the most fun classes. If you could let us know if you want to come, it will help with planning. But no RSVP required!
Like our Crossfit classes for adults, our typical classes will include group warm ups (i.e. follow the leader), a WOD (workout of the day) and cool down. We also add a fun game as a ‘finisher’ to the session (like dodge ball or team relays). This class is designed for children ages 5 – 10 (ideally one child to one parent), but if you feel your child can handle direction and might enjoy it (and you can handle two), we can expand that age window. But please use your judgement during the workout and bow out if you need to!This will be INSTEAD of the regular 10am class. 8am, 9am (with sitter coverage) and 11am will be the regular WOD times. If you’re feeling really ambitious, come take the 9a class with kid coverage and then hit the Family WOD!
SKILL WOD
5 chin ups with a 3 second pause above the bar on each rep
10 Banded pull aparts
5 Rounds
WOD
3 Burpees
6 KB Swing
9 Air Squats
10 Rounds
Fitness 26/35
RX 35/53
RX+ 53/70
One of the best shots from 15.5. Our very own Coach Chris showing great lockout overhead!
Olympic lifts. While I really enjoy most of the barbell workouts, the complexity and intricacy of the snatch and clean & jerk make it so rewarding when your body is finally starting to get it. I also really like burpees – crazy, I know. They have just always been pretty easy for me.
