WEDNESDAY WINS! TEAM DANUS!

           Today we celebrate of one the Cove’s best couples, Sean and Ashley D. “Team Danus” as they are affectionately called, have not only been so fun and easy to coach, they are just loved and adored by their fellow athletes. In fact, we often call them the ‘fan favorites’. Everyone just wants to be around them – and we are all lucky that they like to be there – a lot.

Both Ashley and Sean grew up playing sports. Mostly recreational sports and competitive swimming for Sean and soccer and field hockey for Ashley. “I played soccer early on but fell in love with field hockey my sophomore year. It just felt like ‘my sport’.”  Sean, on the other hand, hated the dry land. “I was on the bigger side and had flat feet. Maybe I could have been a great offensive linesmen, but land sports just weren’t my thing.

They went to the same college (Salisbury) during the same years and both studied accounting (her major, his minor). But they didn’t meet until a year AFTER graduation at a bar in Baltimore. They connected through mutual friends they both apparently had in college, but somehow their paths didn’t cross on campus (a fairly small campus we might add). But the moons finally aligned and it was meant to be!

 “A year after we started dating we were at the heaviest we had ever been. We put on the ‘relationship pounds’ and were living the city life of dinners and drinks. We knew we had to so something so we signed up for our first 5K together.”

“We loved the accountability of races and events. After the 5K we signed up for a three-race series that built up in distance, from a 5K to a half marathon. Knowing we had the next race coming up helped keep us committed to working out.

In between races they attended a wedding with their friend Chelsea Rockwell (yes, the sister of our very own Geo Rockwell!). “Chelsea had gone through an amazing transformation; not just physically, but her whole lifestyle changed. She told us we should try CrossFit and signed up for Foundations classes at the Cove.”

Sean said, “Once we started CrossFit, we no longer needed events or runs for goals and accountability – although we still do some just for fun. I mean, it’s a 5k every day at the Cove! I used to go to the gym and you’d have to program everything yourself and you don’t have to push as hard. Here it’s all done for you. Plus I have Ashley waiting on me during Partner WODs so I have to move fast! I remember we had been here six months and we signed up for a long race.   We didn’t do much training behind it (just CrossFit) and ran one of the best races of our lives.”

While Ashley and Sean both have some competitive bones in their body, their humbleness trumps all. During our talk I asked if she was good at field hockey back in the day and she said, “I don’t know. I guess? I think I was All-City.” All-City? Wow. Then I asked “were you the captain?” and she said, “It was so long ago. Yes, I think I was. I just remember I loved it because we were such a relaxed team. We weren’t that good, but we had fun”.

We believe that this attitude and outlook has played a major role in their quest to be happy and fit.  He says, “It’s less about the PRs and more about showing up. It’s about working towards the same goal of being fit and staying active. We love to cheer each other on, but she’ll make me do those reps quickly in a partner WOD. “ She adds, “We need to balance donut life and workout life.” Yep, she’s the one with the sweet tooth and he craves the salt. Typical!

And just like their friend Chelsea, they have both experienced huge transformations. Physically, they are more fit than they’ve ever been and feel amazing– but it goes so much deeper than that. Ashley said, “In the beginning I traveled a ton. For the first six months we really were apart all the time and worked out separately. CrossFit gave me this new found confidence to leave my job and start something new. It was just amazing and changed everything. Now we both work from home, see each other a ton and get to work out together.”

As an outsider looking at “Team Danus”, both look so calm and collected all the time. But Ashley shares, “ I have always been an anxious person. In college it really started to get bad and I had to mange it. Now part of my strategy is to come in the morning because my attitude, mood and energy level is so different if don’t. Its kind of like free therapy for me.”

He adds, “I’m a person who gets stressed about things, but I can usually reflect and put things into a perspective so that it doesn’t get to me. I don’t know what it feels like to have real anxiety like she has, so I try not to give my opinion on how to handle it”. She chimes back in, “Sean is my rock. He’s my calm.”

Besides being fit and managing stress, so much more has changed. “Brittany’s eating challenge changed the way we eat entirely. We went from wings to egg whites. Well, at least Monday through Thursday (they both laugh). But seriously, the meal prep game has changed everything for us. We had to go through nutrition phases until we found what worked for us.”

And a LOT is working for them. Besides being fitter than ever, Ashley is expecting their first baby (a boy!). “If it weren’t for CrossFit, I know I wouldn’t even be working out during this pregnancy.   I was feeling so good I didn’t even feel like I was pregnant. Of course this only contributed to my anxiety, but I just started feeling kicks and it’s so exciting.

And Sean is swimming at a level he didn’t think possible. He just completed the open water swim across the Chesapeake, an event for elite swimmers only. For those of you who don’t know this race, it begins at Sandy Point State Park and essentially proceeds along the same line as the Bay Bridge to Kent Island. He said, “I had always wanted to do it. Coach Chris had posted about it so I put myself in the lottery and got in.”

“We had ramped up how many times we come to the Cove already so I felt mentally and physically ready, even without any swimming. Sure I had to do a lot of work in the pool quickly to get there (you have to qualify via an open water swim timed or get an aquatics director to validate that you swam three miles in under two hours) so I did that and I was ‘in’.

If I had not done CrossFit I never would have gotten into the pool and turned it around that fast. It wasn’t about my fitness level, it was about my mental fortitude at that point”. And with a three-hour cap on an open water choppy swim, he’d need every bit of it.

Ashley said, “I was so nervous and emotional; I was 12 weeks pregnant at that point. Luckily my mom went with me for support, not just for Sean, but for me too! Of course I wanted him to finish, but I wanted him to be safe most of all. Conditions-wise, it was an incredibly challenging race. But he did it and I was so so proud of him. And yes, I even cried!”

So what do they love most about CrossFit and this chapter in their fitness journey? It’s a he said/she said story. Sean said, “I really like the accountability part of it all. The shared suffering. It’s become a big part of our lives. We like to think back the day’s workout or look forward to tomorrows and discuss strategy and how we should tackle it. I love that we have conversations that I can’t have anyone some else. It’s something fun to do with someone who ‘gets you’.”

For her it’s “about doing something positive together. We’re bonding. We are helping our marriage. We motivate each other. When I don’t feel like going, he gets me to go. And when we are there we probably push each other without even thinking about it.”

But now it’s about growing a healthy baby and being fit parents who lead by example. Ashley said, “It’s been an interesting mental shift. Instead of going all out and laying on the floor after a workout, now my goal is to be focused on finding the right level of intensity for the health of the baby. The “why “of my workouts have changed. CrossFit set me up to be in the best shape of my life to carry a baby. And with the scales and modifications I feel included.”

While their motivations may have shifted they are staples at the gym and rarely miss a Partner WOD (seriously, only a handful missed in the last year). And two years later, just like they were in awe of their friends’ transformation from CrossFit, we are in awe of theirs. “Team Danus” has figured out a formula that works for them — and we wish we could bottle it for all.

 

STRENGTH

 

Deadlift

5-4-3-2-2-2 (Build up until the 2s then do the same weight across)

*Finish by dropping the load by 50-60% and doing 5/5/5 RDLs

P/PP Mod:

Maintain OH grip, lowering from the top

 

METCON

 

For time:

50/40 Cal Row

40 Box Jumps

30 Pull ups

40/30 Cal Row

30 Box Jumps

20 Pull ups

16 min Hard Time Cap

Open: Chest to Bar

P/PP WOD:

Can modify cals if/as necessary

Sub Russian KB swings for box jumps in first round

Sub Step ups for box jumps in second round

Sub ring rows

 

 Coach’s Tip:   Lots of pulling today!  Building up weight with the Deadlifts then hitting 3 sets of 2 at that heavy weight.  As always, form over weight.  The transition from the row to the box jumps can be tough so be prepared.

 

A throwback pic of Sean during his first week at the Cove!

WEDNESDAY WINS: HOLLY P.!

“CrossFit could save the world”

 

Holly P. is not just an amazing all-around athlete and woman, she’s pretty much a coach’s dream personified.  She understands that CrossFit is all about the long game  — that is, living a long, healthy and fulfilled life because of the wonderful things CrossFit can bring to it.

By CrossFit standards, she’s an “OG”, starting her journey in 2012. “I really buy into the CrossFit old school methodology.  Pat Sherwood (he might be my favorite CrossFit OG) said that if you are doing a “deadlift 3-3-3-3-3” correctly, that should be all you need for the day. More isn’t always better because it’s often done with less intensity and you should strive for intensity over volume. He also said his biggest piece of advice as a coach to new athletes is that he wants them to come back the following day. It really speaks to the ‘CrossFit for life’ concept.”

She grew up very active playing sports like gymnastics, softball and field hockey but wasn’t great at any of them.  “I worked hard and never and never was the star player.  It always seemed to take extra work for me.  But I found myself in the position of team captain often because I was always a great cheerleader.”

Yep, that makes total sense to us.  When she’s working, she’s working hard.  But at the same time she’s also supporting everyone around her (yet another reason why the coaches love her and her fellow athletes love being around her). “I’m equally happy when I find success as when someone else does.  I was with Jess when she recently hit a PR – and I was so happy for her! 

 

She also finds inspiration in the ‘Leaderboard’.  “What I love about it is that it’s not always about you. Right now I love the morning classes because I’ve found some great rabbits to chase.  I love Andrea. She does so much work that if I’m even close to her and that’s awesome.  And Jess has an engine that she can go fast, but also heavy.  It’s awesome to be around them.  What people need to realize is that with so many levels of athletes here, someone is likely looking to chase YOU at the Leaderboard.”  That’s a brilliant notion and something we should all think about.  All of us are rabbits and all of us are being chased.

A math teacher, she cherishes her summers.  But not only because of more time off, but it means more time for CrossFit.  “During the school year I do as much of the Cove programming as I can and I come every Saturday. “It’s nice to get IN the gym.  Toes to bar, pull-ups, heavier barbells.  Rowing. All the things I can’t do at home that I love.” Being in class is so motivating.  It just drives you to do more.  The tricky part is that while it can be so good, it can also be dangerous. In the past, if I were last at something I’d hyperventilate.  I would debate going lighter just so I didn’t finish with everyone watching me.   I’d get hit with that negative voice. With time I’m realized that I just need to take a deep breath and remember it’s all about fitness for a lifetime (not a score).  My ego has definitely calmed down so I’m in a better place to know where I can push myself and where I can’t.”

Another CrossFit philosophy is that we should celebrate our strengths, but more importantly, work on our weaknesses.  This concept has been engrained in Holly since WAY before CrossFit entered her life.  “I remembered in field hockey I needed to better at running.  So I’d start adding accessory running to my training to attack the issue.“  She recently re-tested the Open workout 18.2 and crushed it. “I re-did 18.2 because that’s the one where I was the lowest in percentile vs. the other Open workouts (did we mention she’s a math teacher?). The workouts you don’t want to do are exactly the ones you should do. For me, right now, that’s anything with the assault bike. That thing gets me every time!”

Throughout her CrossFit journey, she’s had some major life changes.  She got married, had two beautiful boys (and got her L-1 along the way). “Being pregnant made me really realize that I was on a different path than other athletes.  I coached at a gym throughout my first pregnancy, worked out five to six days a week with high intensity and everyone said ‘Holly, that’s so great! You’re going to have such an easy delivery’.  But actually, it was a terrible delivery.  What I didn’t realize is that by training so much pelvic floor was turned on all the time and was actually making things worse.”

“My kids are only a year apart, so I never really got back to my original level before Grant (her second child).  This postpartum has been so different.  If a workout calls for 50 doubles, sure I could do it.  But I’d pee on the floor.  It’s just not worth it.  I break it up in sets and get the 50 done, but in a way that works for me”.

 

With so many pregnant women at the Cove and our focus on better serving these athletes with P/PP (Pregnant/Postpartum) programming tracks, we love Holly’s perspective on this.  “People will say ‘listen to your body’.  But it’s not your body anymore.  This body is one you don’t know. It just grew a human (or are growing one) and you pushed it out of your body in a place it doesn’t fit. Organs have moved and have changed. They say it’s almost a year to make the baby and a year to recover from it.  It’s just a chapter.  A year is a blip on the radar of your life. Give yourself grace.”

She’s six years into CrossFit and it continues to add value to her life. I think the biggest thing CrossFit gives me an overall healthier mindset.  It gave me a set of goals. There’s always a new movement and always something to get better at.  I feel confident because I feel strong.  And I love what it does for my kids.  Ethan does “jump boxes” at home. He brings out mats for burpees and recently called himself a coach”.  It’s become a family affair.

Her nutrition is better than ever too.  “I try so hard here that I don’t want to sabotage that with eating badly.  Nothing makes me want to eat something more than someone saying no.  Counting macros is great for me because I can have a Rolo or a Reese’s if I plan the day right.  It’s math so I love it!” 

“I also love that my kids get to see me eating the same food they eat. I never want them to say, “Mommy can’t eat that because she’s on a diet.” Instead, we work on moderation and choices. We eat pizza every Friday but pair it with vegetables and refrain from sweets that day. 

This is definitely the best I’ve felt aesthetically in years! I know part of it is consistency in the gym, but I think most of it is using nutrition to complement my workouts. I need energy to keep up with my boys and can’t afford to get hangry so macros has made sure I’m eating enough calories to give me good energy every day and the right types of food to make me feel strong, not slothy.”

But I REALLY love CrossFit because of the methodology behind it. As a math teacher I love that everything is data. Success is in the numbers. The weight is improving. The times get faster. Movement patterns get better and it applies to real life.  I even love the rep scheme 21-15-9 that is core to CrossFit.  It drops by 6 and they are all multiples of three.

I’ll read what Glassman (CrossFit founder) says and think to myself ‘that’s genius’!  I think everyone should do it. I think it could save the world.”

We do too Holly.  Yes, we do!

 

 

STRENGTH

 

In 18 minutes:

Find a heavy set of 2 Deadlifts

THEN

3 sets:

12 Overhead Grip Bent-over Barbell Rows

10 Partner Glute Ham Raises

 

P/PP Strength

5×5 Overhand grip Deadlifts (conventional or sumo) – work up to no more than 70% of 1RM – no dropping from top

THEN
12 OH grip BBRs
10 Good Mornings (can use band, unloaded barbell or light barbell)

 

METCON

 

EMOM for 12 minutes:

Min 1: Farmers Carry (two KBs/DBs in each hand, walking the gym)

Min 2: Max Doubles

Min 3: 15/10 Cals Assault Bike Sprint

P/PP MetCon Scales

Focus on pinning back shoulders during farmers carries – do not let shoulders round forward. Keep ribs stacked over hips.

Sub doubles for rope waves

 

 Coach’s Tip:   Heavy day for Deadlifts!  Your work up to your heavy set of 2 will be quick but be smart with the weight jumps.  As always, form over weight.  For the metcon, we want constant movement with the Farmers Carry…you shouldn’t have to set them down.  You should have at least 20 seconds to get from the bike back to your Farmers Carries.  If not, cut some cals down.

 

Strongman Arthur working on his gymnastics skills!

 

WEDNESDAY WINS! CARLOS S.!

As they say, ‘variety is the spice of life’ and Carlos not only lives this mantra, he embraces it fully.

He grew up playing all kinds of sports.  While competitive soccer was his priority, throughout his life he has also played baseball, ran and cycled.   And now he’s added CrossFit to his mix.

“I watched the 2015 CrossFit Games “Fittest on Earth” on Netflix with my wife.  I also saw a couple of the heats live on ESPN and it definitely caught my attention.  That was my first experience with CrossFit.  After that, my wife found the Cove, we did the CrossFit 101 classes and I’ve been here ever since.”

While playing indoor soccer on small field growing up (5 v 5) he didn’t understand real endurance until he came here and played full field outdoor.  “Outdoor is so much harder; you need much more endurance.  And at first I didn’t understand the positions so I ended up just running and running.  But now I know a lot more about positioning AND my endurance is way up, so it’s just better”.  

Not only is that more of a formula for success, he’s just enjoying it more.  “I used to be so much more stressed about it.  Now I’m playing on a co-ed team with my wife and I’m just enjoying it all more.  The process, the game and soccer in general. 

I’ve been working out for 19 years — since I was an early teen.  The problem is I get bored really easily.  I could be at the gym for two hours and feel like I didn’t get anything done.  But that’s what I love about CrossFit and the Cove; here every day is something new.

Even things like strength work can be varied and exciting.  We can change the loads or the rep schemes.  Or I can do accessory work or mobility before of after class to help develop that strength. “

Getting him to declare a favorite movement is really hard.  He seems to love all of it. “I love the snatches.  I’m able to catch the bar on the way down and it feels great”.  And even movements he used to hate he now loves.  “The first movement that had me so frustrated was the double under. It seemed so so simple but it was so so hard.  You want to be better at everything, but you have to pick ONE thing to focus on.  Maybe two.  I focus on those things during Open Gym or before or after class and it makes a huge difference.”

His coaches are in awe of his focus and how dialed in he can be. It’s not just how MUCH weight he moves; it’s HOW he moves it. Last week he was the only athlete at the Cove to hit the 30 muscle-ups in the workout — and they weren’t those ugly ‘chicken-wing’ types.  They were virtuous in every sense.  And he’s feeling the difference too.  “ I have much more body awareness.  And I know so much more about what my threshold is.  That actually translates to soccer so well because I know that if I sprint down the field to make a play I know how exactly how much recovery I’ll need.  I can be much more strategic which makes me a better player on the field.”

He’s also dialed in his nutrition too.  “When I first got here I felt shattered.  Either I was getting old or my body needed something it wasn’t getting.  I used to eat too many carbs and not nearly enough protein.  My numbers were way off from where I was.  I should be eating between 2500 and 3000 calories a day and I was nowhere close.”  

“Being fit is not just looking fit – it’s so much more.  But it’s a nice result that comes with it. I started here at 165 and now I’m 175.  My brother hadn’t seen a picture of me in a long time and after seeing it he actually called me ‘jacked’.  I don’t see it because I live in this body every day.  But sometimes you need that “before and after” to really see the difference.

Well Carlos, we all see the difference. And we are amazed.  Keep up the great work and continue to inspire us ALL!

 

STRENGTH

In 18 minutes:

Find a heavy set of 3

THEN

Drop the weight down and complete 3 sets:

10 RDLs

10 Hip extensions

 

METCON

 

Every 3 minutes for 12 minutes:

18/14 Cal Row

15 Box Jumps

Max Toes to Bar

 

 Coach’s Tip:   The time for the strength portion (to work up to a heavy set of 3 reps) is on the shorter side so we must keep the intensity/intent high!  Make smart and manageable increases in weight.  As always, form over everything!  For the metcon, rows should be fast and legs will be a little fatigued so make sure you are putting enough energy into your box jumps.

 

For Carlos it’s “Mobility May” every day!