Barbell Club — Only 3 Spots Left!
BARBELL CLUB IS BACK!
And there are only three spots left! Back by popular demand, we are starting up another cycle starting on Tuesday, April 11th. Each class will be focused on training and developing the technique around the two Olympic lifts, the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch.
Details: Starting April 11th and lasting for 6 weeks (ending May 18th).
Times: Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM to 7:30/7:45 PM
Cost: $125 for Cove Members. For Non Members $175
Cap: The class will be limited to 12 athletes.
Common Questions:
- Can I miss a few classes? Yes, there will be 12 classes over six weeks try to make at least 9 of them.
- What if I am a beginner? No problem, this class is for beginner and advanced lifters. The focus is on getting better and not actually going to the Olympics!
- Can I still CrossFit? Of course, but be aware that you are adding to your work load so you might have to take a step back on the number of classes you take or the weight you are using. We promise that this type of focused attention will help you improve your CrossFit in the long run.
- What else can I expect? Talk to us and we’ll answer any questions you might have. Or we’re happy to put you in touch with an athlete who did the last cycle to get a personal reference!
- How do I join? Just use the following link to lock up your spot for this cycle of the Barbell Club.
STRENGTH WOD
Every 90 Seconds for 9 minutes
3 Power Cleans
WOD
14 Power Clean
14 Slam Ball
12 Power clean
14 Slam Ball
10 Power Cleans
14 Slam Balls
8 Power Clean
14 Slam Ball
6 Power Clean
14 Slam Balls
4 Power Cleans
14 Slam Balls
2 Power Cleans
Fitness: 95/65
RX (Performance): 115/75
RX+(Open): 135/95
Coach’s Tip: Pick a weight for the Metcon that you can do each round in two sets. This is all about controlling your breathing and moving steadily throughout! For the strength portion, build up to a heavy weight and use the same weight across the whole EMOM. Since you will have a good amount of rest between each set of three, challenge yourself with the weight!
Sexy beasts…
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Wednesday Wins — Katie Ramsey!
Katie doing her last rep of 15.5 (27-21-15-9 Thrusters/Row) @45lb Scaled
Since then she’s put in the work. She’s one of our most regular athletes. I mean, she’s exceptional (!!!) but keeps a regular schedule and comes often. She works HARD when she’s here. Yes, has fun too (that’s the idea, right?) but approached it all with the long view. Two years later she is stronger, fitter and moves SO much more efficiently — and was ready to take on the 2017 Open.
“Despite being a little more seasoned, I went into the Open this year not really knowing what to expect. I had an idea about how the workouts would feel and I couldn’t wait for Friday Night Lights – getting to judge and cheer the other athletes on is my favorite part- but I really didn’t feel like I had improved significantly over the previous year. I showed up regularly and tried to put in a little extra work when possible, but the honeymoon stage of hitting a new PR every time I walked into the Cove was long gone. My goal was to hit 4 of the 5 WODs RX, but I tried to keep reminding myself that at the end of the day, it’s just exercise.
Here’s Katie on Friday doing her last rep of 17.5 (where she did NINETY 65-lb thrusters and 350 double unders). What a difference in form and strength!
One of the things we love about CrossFit is that you can continually surprised yourself. You set goals. But in the back of your head you may think ‘there’s no way I’ll hit them’. Then you do. Then that “maybe one day” Katie talked about becomes “I did that”. And yes, she did it. “I managed to complete every workout RX. I did better in some than in others, but I left it all on the mat every time. At the end of every single one I realized that I was capable of far more than I had given myself credit for. In 17.1 my left arm DB snatch didn’t give out like I thought it would (well, not as often as I thought it would), in 17.2 I got my first ‘real’ muscle up, my chest to bars held up far better than expected in 17.3, 17.4 had a 30% improvement over the previous year, and 17.5 didn’t kill me (despite the slightly disturbing noises I made while rolling around on the floor after).”
With 16.4 and 17.4 being the same workout, she has a direct comparison. She was three reps shy of getting to the rower last year. This year was 29 calories into the row. That’s a 3 minute improvement! “That’s a big nut” as Coach Brian says. Here she is deep into the rowing ‘pain cave’ of 17.4!
And she wasn’t lying. She literally “left it on the mat”…
It two years, she went from bottom 40% to top 26% of all Maryland women. She went from doing all five works scaled to doing all five RX. She’s moving so well. She’s stringing pull ups like nobody’s business and hitting muscle ups now. And because she is so darn selfless, she gives you all a ton of the credit:
“I am thrilled with my performance this year. There are so many things I need to work on, and I will continue to strive to be a better version of myself every day. *Warning, it’s about to get a bit mushy* I can’t thank the people of the Cove enough for everything they have given me. I sound like a broken record echoing what so many other athletes have said, but the coaches and the people truly are the best. The Cove is a special place where I can always find exactly what I need. Sometimes it’s someone to push me to my physical limit – Josh Hip/Chris Franey. Sometimes it’s a big goofy smile from someone who is genuinely happy to see you or someone to make slightly twisted jokes with – Mike/Lyndsey Condon. Sometimes it’s a word of advice from someone you trust and admire -Brian/Marina Anglim. There is always someone to chase – Kim Michelotti – or a friend to goof around with – The Party Goblins… and literally everyone at the Cove. There truly is No Place Like Cove, and I had a blast testing myself in the Crossfit Open 2017 with my fellow athletes.
Remember when we asked everyone to sign up for the Open despite your ability or length of doing CrossFit? THIS IS WHY. Data tells a story. A story of growth, strength, ability and progress. It is a great way to reflect back year over year (or two!) and see how far you’ve come. You may not see it ever day. Or every week. Or even every month. But it is happening. Just ask Katie.
(retest from April 13th 2016)
10 Shoulder to Overhead
10 Toes to Bar
30 Air Squats
8 Shoulder to Overhead
10 Toes to bar
30 Air Squats
6 Shoulder to Overhead
10 Toes to bar
30 Air Squats
4 Shoulder to Overhead
10 Toes to bar
30 Air Squats
2 Shoulder to overhead
10 Toes to bar
30 Air Squats
Fitness: 95/65, Sub Sit Ups for Toes to Bar
RX (Performance): 135/95
RX+ (Open): 165/110
14 Minute Time Cap
Coach’s Tip: We love retests! Times ranged from 7 to 14 minutes last April so we’re capping at 14 minutes. There’s a good amount of volume here, so pick a weight (and a scale for toes to bar) that allows you to keep a good pace. We’re recommending sit ups as a sub for toes to bar for fitness, but if you prefer knees to waist as progression to get toes to bar one day, do ’em! Just like before, pick the scale that works for you and your goals!
Barbell Club at the Cove is BACK!
BARBELL CLUB IS BACK!
Back by popular demand, we are starting up another cycle of the Barbell Club! The course will run for six weeks starting on Tuesday, April 11th. Each class will be focused on training and developing the technique around the two Olympic lifts, the Clean and Jerk and the Snatch.
Details: Starting April 11th and lasting for 6 weeks (ending May 18th).
Times: Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 PM to 7:30/7:45 PM
Cost: $125 for Cove Members. For Non Members $175
Cap: The class will be limited to 12 athletes.
Common Questions:
- Can I miss a few classes? Yes, there will be 12 classes over six weeks try to make at least 9 of them.
- What if I am a beginner? No problem, this class is for beginner and advanced lifters. The focus is on getting better and not actually going to the Olympics!
- Can I still CrossFit? Of course, but be aware that you are adding to your work load so you might have to take a step back on the number of classes you take or the weight you are using. We promise that this type of focused attention will help you improve your CrossFit in the long run.
- What else can I expect? Talk to us and we’ll answer any questions you might have. Or we’re happy to put you in touch with an athlete who did the last cycle to get a personal reference!
- How do I join? Just use the following link to lock up your spot for this cycle of the Barbell Club.
WOD
500/400 M Row (make it a sprint)
12 Deadlifts
Rest 2 minutes
5 Rounds
Fitness: 185/125
RX (Performance): 205/135
RX+ (Open): 225/155
Coach’s Tip: This is one of those that looks simple on paper, but if approached correctly will provide a great test of endurance and strength. You’ll notice the movements are the same, only the load changes today (his will be the case often — as it always has been how we’ve different the various tracks).
Sai has been kicking butt since joining the Cove and we’re thrilled to have him!
Evolution of CrossFit — What it means for the Cove!
“CROSSFIT GAMES” VS “CROSSFIT” (or “Sport” vs. “General Physical Preparedness”)
Coming off the 2017 Open, we thought it was a great opportunity to talk about CrossFit’s evolution over the last 10 years, and specifically what that means for the Cove. While so much has changed, at it’s core it is the same. The underlying approach of “constantly varied, functional movements performed at high intensity” is a philosophy we hold precious to this day. And the belief that “we specialize in not specializing” still holds true. From the layman to the Games athlete, we want to train to be good at EVERYTHING. Not just great at one thing. But HOW you accomplish those things can vary greatly!
If you watch the documentary “Fittest on Earth, you’ll hear the narrators talking about the changes in CrossFit over time and leading up to last year’s games. The film opens with the following voice-over from some of the biggest names in CrossFit:
“In 2007 a small group of friends got together on a secluded ranch to find out who among them was the fittest of the group. The event was known as the CF Games. A decade of fitness later the sport has far outgrown the ranch and has expanded its reach worldwide (almost 500,000 registered for the Open this year!).
The CF Games are fun to watch and freaking cool. But a misconception about Crossfit is that the CrossFit Games ARE CrossFit. That’s not the case. In a typical CF affiliate you’ll walk in and you’ll see people just like you in a local community — you’ll see your soccer mom… your high powered CEOs…working out next to janitors. People from all walks of life all trying to pursue a better version of who they can be.
What we (CrossFit HQ) are trying to accomplish through crossfit.comprogramming and with our affiliates is to get people good at LIFE. CrossFit is really a lifestyle, a philosophy, a belief a way of taking care of your body and preparing yourself for anything the world throws at you.
Fighting chronic disease. Getting people better. It’s life goals. It’s “I want to be a better person. I want to lose some weight. I want to have more discipline. Or I just want to be better period.” We’re mainly regular folks with jobs… with family. We are not trying to be the fittest person in the world, we just want to be in great shape and have a high quality of life and avoid all the metabolic diseases hitting the world.
The CrossFit Games is very different — in that it’s a TEST. To determine the number one man and the number one woman in the entire world — who is the fittest.
A CF Games athlete does one workout. Rests. Does another. Rests. Does another. When a CF games athlete walks in the gym they are doing the same thing those people are doing BUT they are doing so much more. You look at some of the top athletes and they’ve gone beyond controlling every single lifestyle factor — sleep, what passes their lips in to their bellies — some are even talking to sports psychologists just trying to get that one extra edge to visualize performance in order to maximize their abilities on the competition floor.
Our (Games) athletes are now professional athletes who have committed their lives to it. They suffer really hard. Very few people in any sport rarely outwork them. Being a CF games athlete is basically a mental illness.”
So that’s how the film starts. And it PERFECTLY sums up the differences between CrossFit (as a sport) and CrossFit (for general physical preparedness.
Some of you might read this and think “F-yeah! That sounds amazing. Getting to the Games would be insane and I’d love to see if I could really be competitive in the Open or kick some ass at regional competitions.”
Some of you might think “Yes, I love CF because it scratches that competitive itch but it also makes me better at triathlons, biking, soccer or skiing. It’s great training for me to get the most out of the things I love to do.”
And then there are those who think “That narrator is right! They ARE insane! I just want to be fit, live a long healthy life and feel good about myself”.
There’s no “right answer” and ALL of these types live and thrive here at the Cove. And that’s what makes this place so great. It’s that common CrossFit “lifestyle” that we all love and the community that has been built upon it that makes it like none other we’ve seen. As owners and coaches, we want to serve ALL of you and support EACH of your individual goals.
For the last year or so, we’ve had three suggestions for the Workout Of the Day: Fitness, RX and RX+. But as CrossFit evolves, and as we evolve as a gym, we want to be more overt about what these programs are designed to do. So if we were to break down this evolution and think about what it means for us, we see three main pathways:
Explanation of the Three Daily Tracks
“The needs of Olympic athletes and our grandparents differ by degree, not kind.” – Greg Glassman, founder of CrossFit
We love this notion. And we live it at the Cove. We love to scale athletes based on ability, but also based on their goals.
Is it to lose body fat and look better naked? Is it to become a better skier, and perform better at pickup basketball on Tuesday nights? Is it to compete in local competitions? It is not one size fits all, and neither should the workout be.
We can do that by tailoring each workout into three categories, each with a unique purpose: Fitness, Performance, and Open.
These tracks are entirely designed with the goal of the athlete in mind, and has absolutely no ties to individual ability level. Whether we are a new CrossFitter, or going on our 10th year of CrossFit, it is our individual goals that determine our track and not our abilities.
These subtle, yet important changes to each workout allow us to create the ideal training day for you, while keeping what we know and love, our exciting group classes, together. We actually were doing this before inside classes already (you may or may have not noticed different movements for RX or +), and now it’s just a little more formal.
FITNESS Those looking to look better naked, lose body fat, maintain lean muscle-mass, and improve our quality of life. Eager to learn and take on new and challenging movements and workouts, but not looking to compete in local or online CrossFit competitions.
PERFORMANCE Someone who wants to become better mountain climbing, skiing, and pickup basketball (or insert anything you want to get better at outside the box). Excited to be challenged every day inside the workouts, but likely not looking to compete in local or online CrossFit competitions.
OPEN People looking to train for the CrossFit Games Open or kick some butt in regional competitions. This track is geared towards the goal of improving one’s scores on the competitive stage, training with specific movements and weights that are seen not just in life, but in competition.
To pull back the curtain a bit, here’s how we create our workouts.
We develop long term cycles and overlay those with with our approach to General Physical Preparedness (GPP). Then we attack that week by week, and then day by day. At a granular level, we create the overarching “Workout of the Day”, and from there, we alter this workout just slightly for all three tracks. Again, this is purely based on the goals of the athlete. This is not three separate programs – it’s simply three variations of the “Workout of the Day”, with your goals in mind.
Our programming efficiently combines the most effective training methods of Weightlifting, Gymnastics, and High Intensity Cardio. There isn’t a strength and conditioning program anywhere that works with a greater diversity of tools, modalities, and drills. And the community aspect of CrossFit is our greatest strength. At the Cove there are no egos, and we have no room for bad attitudes. Those types of people just don’t last here. We are supportive, positive, and eager to learn not just how to become fitter, but to become better people. As individuals AND as a collective.
You may not have noticed, but we’ve been playing with some things recently and they seem to be working . These include things like sit ups for RX and GHDs for + and Pull ups vs. Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups vs. Bar Muscle Ups. And you will see some more changes rolling out in the coming weeks and months. Some other examples might include box step ups vs. box jumps and power snatches vs squat snatches.
And today is a perfect example. Does this mean if you are on a Fitness track you should absolutely sub out the HSPU for push presses? No! Just like it’s always been, is about what works for you. But if you’ll never do a competition or NEED to do a handstand push up outside of the box, a push press can provide the same stimulus to get you fit and looking good naked.
We want to give you all the support we can so you can be your best YOU. Don’t worry about the guy or gal next to you.
Our advice: You do you!
STRENGTH WOD
OPEN and PERFORMANCE TRACKS:
12 minutes to work up to a heavy
Heavy Load in this complex 1 Power Snatch + 1 Hanging Power Snatch
FITNESS TRACK:
Work up to a heavy 5 Rep Push Press
WOD
50/40 Assault Bike
40 Sit Ups (GHDs Open Track)
30 Power Snatch (30 Push Press Fitness Track)
20 Pull Ups
10 HSPU (20 Push Ups Fitness Track)
Fitness: 95/65 (Push Press/Push Ups)
RX: 115/75
RX+: 135/95 (GHD sit ups)
16 min Time Cap
17.5 is hard enough as is…but when you have a bare-legged, pink shoe-wearing Coach Chris screaming at you in a bullhorn… that’s another level of hard!
