WEATHER UPDATES
UPDATE: 5:45 AM and 7 AM CLASS CANCELED
With snow coming we ask a few things of you — first of all DRIVE CAREFULLY! Your safety inside AND outside the box is paramount!
Coach Beth is currently scheduled for the early AM classes but if the weather is too difficult, we may have to cancel them.
With that said, Open Gym, via your Kastle key card is always an option. If you don’t have a keycard, email us at info@crossfitcove.com and we can help you out.
Keep an eye on the Cove Blog and the Cove Private Facebook page, Cove the Club, for updates.

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POWER BUILDING STRENGTH CYCLE
Over the next 8 weeks, we are entering what CompTrain refers to as a “power-building cycle”, which plays nicely into preparing for the upcoming CrossFit Open. It is going to offer a lot of variety in both rep schemes and movements.
Each week we will have at least 3 strength pieces, featuring a lower-body push, a lower-body pull, and an upper-body push/pull.
Those weeks will differ not only in exercises but also in the rep scheme, as we will be alternating weeks of high rep training and lower rep training.
A Weeks | Hypertrophy Week 1 | 3×12 (55-65%) Week 3 | 3×10 (60-70%) Week 5 | 3×8 (65-75%) Week 7 | 3×6 (70-80%)
B Weeks | Strength & Power Week 2 | 3×5 (75-80%) Week 4 | 3×3 (80-85%) Week 6 | 3×2 (83-90%) Week 8 | 4×1 (85-92%+)
This is a protocol in known as contrast training. Pulling directly from Comptrain’s programming notes, here is how it discusses contrast training.
“Contrast training, a well-researched strategy, improves muscle power and strength simultaneously. Heavy resistance exercises with light explosive movements enhance neuromuscular drive, motor unit recruitment, and fast-twitch muscle fiber strength, increasing force production and absolute strength. The crucial rest period between movements activates the nervous system, optimizing the benefits of contrast training. Contrast training is an efficient method for improving power and performance”.
Each week we will see three to four different lifts at these different rep schemes. This type of variety in both movements, volume, and intensity is perfect in preparation for the upcoming CrossFit Open (more to come on the Open later this week).
Coach Lilly looking strong and so focused!

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Tomorrow’s Special Goodbye Vince Workout
Join us tomorrow at 9:30 AM for a special workout as we bid farewell to one of our favorite athletes, Vince! Visiting us from Hawaii, Vince came to Maryland to spend quality time with his grandkids. Along the way, he’s become an integral part of our Cove community, inspiring us all with his energy, determination, and wisdom.
While Vince is only leaving for four months (can you blame him for swapping Maryland’s winter chill for Hawaii’s warmth?), we’ll miss him dearly. Before he heads off, we sat down with Vince to capture some of the incredible knowledge and life lessons he’s shared with us during his time here.
Vince’s CrossFit Journey
Vince’s CrossFit story began 10 years ago at the age of 54. A seasoned runner, he was drawn to the challenge of CrossFit despite initial apprehension. Reflecting on those early days, Vince described how “walking through the door was the hardest part, but once you did, everything was taken care of.” With supportive coaches and a motivating community, Vince quickly found his stride.
For the first two years, he saw great improvements in strength and conditioning, building on his running base. However, his progress skyrocketed when he learned the importance of nutrition in supporting his training.
“I was shocked to find that you could lose weight by eating more,” Vince shared. By following a Zone-style diet, he initially lost 12 pounds. Later, with the help of StrongerU, he fine-tuned his nutrition, shedding an additional 15 pounds and achieving 9% body fat. It was the awareness piece in his nutrition that made the biggest difference, understanding the macro-nutrients of his food choices allowing him to make informed decisions.
Vince’s hard work paid off—he qualified for the second round of the CrossFit Games, ranking 131st in the world for his age group.
Overcoming Challenges
Vince’s journey hasn’t been without obstacles. He faced two significant strokes due to a small hole in his heart, which has since been repaired. Though he still experiences balance issues and sensitivity to light, Vince’s determination hasn’t wavered.
CrossFit has taken on a new role in his life: it’s now a tool to maintain his health and achieve life goals, like running a 5K with his grandkids. “Training isn’t a burden; it’s a joy,” Vince said. He shows up five days a week, and his wife notes he’s always in a better mood afterward.
Wisdom and Gratitude
“It’s not just the workouts—it’s the people,” Vince emphasized. “Old people don’t want to just hang out with other old people—it makes you feel old. I love the camaraderie and esprit de corps.”
Vince’s positivity and drive have been a powerful force at the Cove. We’re so grateful for his presence and the inspiration he’s provided.
Let’s send Vince off with all our love and support tomorrow. We’ll miss him, but we can’t wait to welcome him back—and hear all about his adventures with his wonderful grandkids.
Thank you, Vince, for being an incredible part of our community. See you at 9:30 AM!

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PROGRAMING FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 30th
If you missed the blog post earlier this week, here is our class schedule for this coming week.
This is a testing week for our strength pieces; we will block off time for 1 rep max testing.
Monday will be bench press (Monday is generally international bench day in gyms around America), Tuesday we will be hitting snatches (power or squat) and Friday is front squats.
We have some great conditioning pieces as well this week. Thursday is one of our CompTrain benchmarks, Fortitude, which is a test of both physical and mental toughness.
Saturday we have a great 3 person partner workout, that features some heavy cleans. This might be a great chance to try something a little heavier than your normal metcon clean weight. We have been seeing some great strength gains and the gym and we want to be able to see those gains applied to our metcons as well.
Our programming for the entire week can be viewed here.

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