CLASH AT THE COVE
CLASH AT THE COVE IN-HOUSE COMPETITION
HOW IT WORKS:
- Sign up at the White Board at the front of the gym by putting your name on the division in which you want to join (we will be putting this up shortly)
- We will assign you two teammates to complete your team of three
- Teams will be three-person/mixed gender
- Teams will be announced on Monday, March 16th, so you MUST sign up by Wednesday, March 11th
- And, of course, they will be announced via a “must-see” Facebook Live event (as well as published on the blog and on the White Board).
TRUST US that while this format is slightly different from what you might be used to, we WILL make this a competition to remember!
DIVISION STANDARDS:
In order to select which division is right for you, we have developed some ‘division standards’ as guidance. The weights listed should be “working weight”, meaning you should be able to perform 4-6 reps (not necessarily unbroken) for each of the movements below. It does not mean these movements will appear in the workouts, rather it is to help you judge your own individual capacity vs. the load demands of the two divisions. Also understand that you will be paired with a teammate so if a particular movement is a challenge for you then you will be able to lean in your teammate to help you out. It’s part of the fun of a team competition.
Scaled
Clean and Jerk 95/65
Deadlifts 135/95
Jumping Pull Ups
Single Unders
Knees to Waist
RX
Clean and Jerk 155/105
Deadlifts 225/155
Pull Ups
Double Unders
Toes 2 Bar
So, put your name up on that sign-up board. We want to see that thing FULL!
8,000 STEP UP CHALLENGE
Most of you saw the post on the Cove Club FaceBook page, but in case you missed, February is our 8,000 Step Up Challenge! The goal is to do 8,000 step ups to a box (weighted or unweighted) during the month of February. And lucky for you, it’s a leap year so you get an extra day! You can either use a 20/14# Medball or you can also opt out of a weight. No big deal, you’ll still get a great workout.
If you do this challenge you MUST commit to doing it incrementally. Unlike the rowing challenge wehre you can adjust intensity super easily (we’ve often seen 20-30k in one go at the very end to make it in under the wire) doing over 1,000 step ups in one go could be a recipe for serious injury. You need to be responsible for yourself as we simply cannot monitor volume for everyone — but if we see you on a box for too long, we WILL make you stop!
This challenge was inspired by the Hero WOD “Chad”. It was named after Chad Wilkinson, a 22-year active duty SEAL stationed in Virginia Beach, who took his own life on October 29th. Please honor his memory by being humble and staying safe.
WOD
“Heavy Grace”
30 Clean and Jerks
rest 2 minutes
into
“Regular Grace”
30 Clean & Jerks
Time Cap: 18 minutes
Fx: 115/75, 95/65
P: 165/115, 135/95
O: 205/135, 135/95
ACCESSORY
3 rounds-
20 Shoulder Taps
:30 Handstand Hold
Rest 1 minute
Coach Daniel Tips: Essentially it’s double grace, but a little harder. The first Grace should be a weight where you really shouldn’t be stringing together any reps. This part should be singles pretty much the entire way through to really emphasize good lifting technique at a moderate load. Think of the pacing as counting to 2 mississippi seconds before lifting your next rep and sticking with that the entire 30 reps.
For the second Grace, the weight should feel great now that it’s lighter. Try to start with sets of 5-6 before breaking into singles if necessary. This part is a sprint. Minimize the rest and try to finish in glorious fashion.
FEBRUARY 8,000 STEP UP CHALLENGE
8,000 STEP UP CHALLENGE
Most of you saw the post on the Cove Club FaceBook page, but in case you missed, February is our 8,000 Step Up Challenge! The goal is to do 8,000 step ups to a box (weighted or unweighted) during the month of February. And lucky for you, it’s a leap year so you get an extra day! You can either use a 20/14# Medball or you can also opt out of a weight. No big deal, you’ll still get a great workout.
If you do this challenge you MUST commit to doing it incrementally. Unlike the rowing challenge where you can adjust intensity super easily (we’ve often seen 20-30k in one go at the very end to make it in under the wire) doing over 1,000 step ups in one go could be a recipe for serious injury. You need to be responsible for yourself as we simply cannot monitor volume for everyone — but if we see you on a box for too long, we WILL make you stop!
This challenge was inspired by the Hero WOD “Chad”. It was named after Chad Wilkinson, a 22-year active duty SEAL stationed in Virginia Beach, who took his own life on October 29th. Please honor his memory by being humble and staying safe.
WOD
EMOM for 8 min:
3 Back Squats followed immediately by 10 air squats
*Lighter load as not to be destroyed for the MetCon
WOD
5 rounds-
10 Single Arm DB Thruster
10 Other Arm DB Thruster
10 Burpee Box Jumpovers
5/3 MU
Time Cap: 20 min
Fx: 35/25, 20/18″, 7 Ring Rows + 7 Hand Release Pushups per round
P: 50/35, 24/20″, Bar MU Option
O: 50/35, 24/20″
Coach Holden’s Tips: Since weights are light, today’s squats are a perfect opportunity to dial in your technique. Don’t just bounce out of the bottom on air squats. Focus on your tripod foot and engaging your glutes. It’ll prepare you for the unilateral work in the Metcon. Challenge yourself on scaling today! Try working on transitions if you’re close to muscle ups but don’t exactly have them yet.
Dan H. working hard per usual. Sans headphones this one time.
OPEN GYM 9A-NOON (AND CONGRATS BATTLE OF BALTIMORE COMPETITORS!)
OPEN GYM 9A-NOON
Get your fitness on before you hit any Super Bowl parties today! Open gym will be from 9a – Noon. As usual our little fire-breathers are welcome to come in for a workout too. Kids classes with Coach Katie run: 9-:9:45a 4-7 year olds and 9:45 – 10:30 is for 8 – 11 year olds.
CONGRATS TO OUR BATTLE OF BALTIMORE ATHLETES
A huge congratulations to teams “Afternoon Delight” (Maria, Keith & Dom) and “Two Men and a Baby” (Jenna, Holden and Carlos). It is always fun to see our athletes put themselves out there by pushing their limits, but also having fun at the same time. We couldn’t be prouder of all of them! And a huge thank you to all the fans who came out to cheer. You have no idea the difference that makes!
MONDAY WOD
Strength:
EMOM (8 Minutes)
3 Back Squats followed immediately by 10 air squats
*Lighter load as not to be destroyed for the MetCon
MetCon:
5 Rounds of the following:
10 Single Arm DB Thruster
10 Other Arm DB Thruster
10 Burpee Box Jumpovers
5/3 MU
Time Cap: 20 min
Fx: 35/25, 20/18″, 7 Ring Rows + 7 Hand Release Pushups per round
P: 50/35, 24/20″, Bar MU Option
O: 50/35, 24/20″
WEDNESDAY WINS! STEF M.!
WEDNESDAY WINS! STEF M.!
Today we highlight the one of the most amazing athletes and genuinely wonderful people we know — Stef M. She’s a data analyst by day and Super Woman by night. She comes regularly, works hard, listens to the coaches and is so darn humble. Coach Josh agrees “she a great community person and always having fun — always smiling.
She’s been at the Cove for two years and the the results of her approach are beyond extraordinary. She comes consistently 4-5 days a week (Saturdays are out because “I need to sleep in at least one day”. It’s really just been about consistency for me. I just want to keep getting better. I play sports outside of here. I play football and soccer. And for me it’s really helped.”
“Before I came here I was doing the same old stuff at the gym. Lifting, running. But I was like ‘I want more than this’. There wasn’t a lot of improvement happening. Then I joined here and I’ve seen more improvements that I ever have in my life. In two years, I’m better, stronger and faster. And I’ve been active my whole life. It’s been amazing.”
Yes, her time at the Cove has helped her endeavors outside the gym, but what happens inside the walls of Cove are nothing short of remarkable. She’s become the rabbit (sorry ladies, but she’s Coach Katie’s favorite rabbit to chase). And even when we tell her this, she almost doesn’t believe it. “I’m still the one chasing people. I love that environment.”
CrossFit and her sports are also her way of staying connected to people and provide her community of support. “I’ve always been competitive. With sports I play with a lot of people I went to college with; it’s how we keep in touch. And at the Cove, It really helps to have a score and an environment where I can thrive.” She got bestie Joey F. to join the Cove. “I pulled Joey in almost a year later. He looks miserable, but inside he loves it. I’m like, ‘you’ve got to push’. I push him hard.” As Coach John said, “Her presence pushed everybody to do better, especially Joey….poor Joey.”
“I’ve always played sports. I love the team thing. And when I’m here in my head I’m competing with myself and everyone else in class. I just love the community. You’re not alone. You’re dying together and we secretly love it. And I totally appreciate that.”
And although you’ll see amazing benchmarks set by her each evening, she still finds motivation from those around her. Even the ones she’s doesn’t really know. “The 5:30am women I see on Wodify are amazing. Every day I see their scores and think ‘oh my gosh, they’ve already been to class and crushed it’. They’re my virtual rabbits. I’ve spoken to some of them a handful of times, but they have no idea that I’m watching what they do. I’m so glad they are in the morning so I can see what they’ve done.”
Some of her biggest breakthroughs came at the Open this year. She got her first strict handstand push ups AND first bar muscle ups. The handstand push-ups came first in 19.3. “That was crazy. I didn’t know where that came from. I did singles, but had no idea I’d get through six. I can’t even tell you the last time I even tried to do one. I didn’t know I was strong enough. Sometimes I just need that extra nudge. But I tried it and it worked.”
Next came her first bar-muscle ups in 19.4. “I was so excited. I got up there and was like, ‘whoa, where did that come from?’. So I went back up and tried again. I got three. I think the first thing I said when I got down was ‘that was weird! It’s such a different view from up there!’”
She credits adrenaline as well, but we think she’d do just as well in a quiet Open Gym. It’s a simple but powerful formula she has nailed. When we asked how she’d sum it up for someone new or trying to get to get better she said “ Just show up. Trust the programming. You’ll see the changes. But showing up is the biggest thing. It’s about consistency.”
She’s caught the competition bug too. She’s done three competitions and is signed up for “Flex on the Mall” this Spring. Her friends and family are fully supportive of her efforts even though “they still can’t believe I do this all the time.” She had a huge crew at the Battle of Baltimore — almost like her personal paparazzi crew. “They come to support me fully. They might make fun of me for doing it before hand, but they always are there to support me.
She’s also taking her passion for fitness to another level outside the gym. “I’m taking my Fitness Nutrition Specialist certification class now. I just started it. I took my Personal training certificate last August.” While it’s a passion project for now, we can’t wait to see where she goes with it.
Shorter term, what’s next on her list? “Ring muscle ups. The rings just seem so different from the bar. It’s gonna be a while but I’d like to get one.” We’re guessing she has it in her. Just like all her other victories, she just has to try it.
WOD
“DP”
Until you can no longer fit in the work in a minute anymore
EMOM until failure:
__ Burpees
Fx: 10
P/O: 15
Time cap: 20 minutes
WOD
“Full Speed Ahead”
__ Cal row
30 Alt. DB Snatch
30 Box Jumpovers
Time Cap: 10 min
Fx: 18/14 cal, 18/12″, 35/25 DB
P/O: 25/20 cal, 24/20″, 50/35 DB
Coach’s Tip: Find a pace of the first metcon that you keep up with for at least 5 rounds. The second metcon is a sprint. No real pacing but make sure your legs are good to go when jumping up on the first Box Jumpover.
A ‘vintage’ shot of Stef from two years ago. Yup, always smiling!
