We are loving the team spirit around the Open! If you are not doing the Open put still want to participate in the team shenanigans, please let us know — the more the merrier!  In addition, please feel free to come to any of the Friday night lights events to cheer on your fellow athletes and have a beer with us.  It is an awesome time and we’d love to have as many Cove members experience this part of the community (and so we can start recruiting you fro next year)…

After much heated debate and looking back to videotape we have some Intramural team winners to announce!  Drumroll please…

16.1 WINNERS ARE…. “I LIKE BIG SETS”

Big Sets – 32 pts total

Kipping it Real – 29 pts total

Black Marlins – 28 pts total

Here’s is the breakdown for each category measured:

5 POINTS BEST TEAM SELFIE:  Black Marlins 

5 POINTS BEST TEAM PHOTO: None submitted. WHAT?!?!  Double points next week!

3 POINTS BEST TEAM NAME:  I Like Big Sets

5 POINTS BEST TEAM SPIRIT: I Like Big Sets

1 POINT FOR EACH ATHLETE SCORE SUBMITTED:  

Kipping it Real 24 pts

We Like Big Sets 24pts

Black Marlins 23pts

5 POINTS MOST INSPRING BY AN INDIVIDUAL: Kipping it Real (there’s nothing more inspiring than watching someone inspire someone else; especially the next generation!) Martine not only had a great workout, she is inspiring her boys to be better athletes and people!

   

SKILL WOD

Mobility/Prep

10 I’s, Y’s and T’s

1 min in Keg Drill Stretch 

1 min Front Rack Stretch

2 Rounds

In total you will hit each station 3 times with about a minute rest between each station Focus on that skill, hit the reps and move on.  This should not be rushed or for time, but keep moving!

WOD

10 Thrusters

10 Box Jump Overs

7 Rounds

Fitness: 75/55

RX: 95/65

RX+: 115/75

COACH’S TIP:  This is meant to be done unbroken, pick a load that you can move.  Focus on good elbow position with the squats and the press.  The should be super high in the squat and slightly down and out for the press.

Jessica S. and Tanya L. proving that you can work hard AND have fun working out.

 

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I know you are all waiting on pins and needles but we will announce TOMORROW the winners of the team competitions.  Reason being,some of the team participation scores (i.e. getting the WOD done and submitted) will not be finalized until late tonight.  So we figured we’d hold off on announcing ALL the category points until then.

TO RETEST OR NOT TO RETEST:

THAT IS THE QUESTION…

Many of you have asked about retesting the Open WODs and whether or not your should do it.  Here’s a bit more context and something you should think about for next weeks (and reflect on 16.1):

ONLY IF RANKINGS REALLY MATTER: We only recommend retesting if you think you will significantly improve your regional ranking and that matters to you.  For example, if you are an elite or seasoned athlete with an established baseline (and/or can assist your gym in sending a team to regionals), you might consider retesting if you think you had reps in the tank.  For example, Coach Brittany is a top level athlete and her score is important to CrossFit Federal Hill as they are trying to qualify for the games, so every rep matters.

YOUR BODY ISN’T DESIGNED TO RETEST THAT QUICKLY: Retesting a WOD within a day or two (or three) can be extremely taxing on the body– especially long ones like 16.1.  There’s a reason we don’t program demanding movements like chest to bars and heavy overhead lunges every other day. They are HARD and your body needs to RECOVER.  Think of it just like any other programming — if we programmed two WODs back to back with the same movements that left you sore as heck, you wouldn’t just hate us… you wouldn’t come back (because it is horrible programming).  Don’t think of the Open any differently.  

YOU MISS OUT ON THE DAY’S PROGRAMMING AT THE COVE:  We are strategic and have a long term view of our programming cycles (whether or not you realize it!).  For example, if you retested 16.1 and missed Monday’s WOD, you missed an opportunity to improve your footwork on the split jerk (our current movement focus) and build shoulder strength.  You are sacrificing a long term growth goal for a short term number.

IT CAN BE MENTAL: Then there’s the mental aspect.  We have seen MANY times athletes retest only to score the same (or worse) than their original time. This can be extremely disheartening and frustrating for the athlete.  But we are never surprised when that happens (see point above…your body isn’t recovered!)

Does this mean you should NEVER retest a particular WOD?  Heck no!  We love retesting; just with adequate time in between tests so you can truly measure your fitness improvements (think “Paleo Challenge” and “Girl” benchmarks we do all the time).  This is an important part of CrossFit and one of the things we love most about it.  Wait a month or two (maybe when the Open ends) and THEN see if you show improvement.  We bet you will!

SKILL WOD

Skill WOD

Every Two minutes for 18 minutes

First 2 minutes- 1-3 Rope Climbs

Second 2 minutes- 8-10 Roll to Candle Stick

Third 2 minutes- 10-20 GHD Sit ups

**In total you will hit each station 3 times. You should have about a minute rest between each station built in.  There should be plenty of time to focus on the skill, hit the reps and move on.  This should not be rushed or for time. **

WOD

Row 15/12 Cals

30 Doubles

Row 15/12 Cals

40 Doubles

Row 15/12 Cals

50 Doubles

…Climb the ladder for 9 minutes

Fitness- X2 Singles

RX- as above

RX+- DUs must be unbroken for each round

Score = Total Reps (if doing singles just double the amount of DUs)

COACH’S TIP: Go fast on the erg and focus on form and technique for the doubles.  Elbows in, look straight ahead and a good solid jump.  Pick one thing and perfect it then move on.  Do not try to fix everything on every jump.

Mike T. might not be the loudest guy on the floor, but he’s one of the hardest working.  He comes consistently, puts in 100% every time and has come such a long way.  Just a few months ago his front squat couldn’t come close to this.  Keep it up Mike!

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16.1 IN THE BOOKS (ALMOST)!

We had a ball kicking off the Open with you this weekend and couldn’t believe how many breakthroughs occurred.  It is so clear that when you challenge yourself with the support of this community, amazing things happen.  

We will be announcing team spirit winners TOMORROW for week one.  The creativity was amazing and we ALL had a ball watching and participating.  Team leaders, if you haven’t already, submit all photos and selfies that you want the judges to consider!

One last reminder that scores need to be submitted by 8p Monday evening.  To that end, you MUST go onto games.crossfit.com and login and submit your own score.  You should have taken that bottom piece of the score card with your total reps and put that number in to officially submit your score (as well as if you did RX or scaled).  You do NOT need to put Brian or Marina as judges (although you can).  You can use your actual judge and we can validate it!

Please remember that we are running a full class load on Monday and because this WOD requires a lot of space, we cannot accommodate more than one or two athletes as a time (during regular class).  Of course we want you to get your scores in, but not at the expense of disrupting a scheduled class.  We STRONGLY ADVISE YOU DO NOT RETEST THIS WOD unless you think you will significantly improve or care tremendously about your regional ranking.  This was an extremely taxing WOD on the shoulders, quads (and lower back)  and we are in the middle of a split jerk cycle — we would rather you put your energy there and focus on 16.2 than digging in again to eek out a few more reps.  Thanks for your flexibility and understanding.

STRENGTH WOD

Walking lunges….(just kidding!)

Take 12 minutes to find a heavy load of the following:

2 Push Press + 1 Split Jerk

(make sure you are not push jerking during the push press!)

WOD

4 Clean and Jerks

6 Burpees

8 Toes to Bar

10 min AMRAP

Fitness: 95/65

RX: 135/95

RX+: 155/105 (chest to bar)

COACH’S TIP:  Find a moderate pace and stick with it.  The clean and jerks do not need to be unbroken, but focus on fast singles.  Use a hook grip to save your grip for the toes to bar.

 

Check out our FB page for all the great photos, but here’s Martine’s son counting her reps and cheering her on.  Later that night he was on the rig practicing his pull ups.  Inspiring… literally!

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OPEN GYM 9a-NOON(ish) SUNDAY

We are still riding the high of Friday night and hope it continues at the box (through Monday at least when scores need to be submitted!).  To that end, you MUST go onto games.crossfit.com and login and submit your own score.  You should have taken that bottom piece of the score card with your total reps and put that number in to officially submit your score (as well as if you did RX or scaled).

It should then read “pending” until we validate the score.  We will do a bulk validation Sunday afternoon so if you want to see your name on the ‘official times’ please submit your score so we can affirm your time and affiliate with CrossFit headquarters.

For those of you who still have to do 16.1 or want a re-do, some of us will be doing it at Open Gym around 11am.  Or if anyone wants to judge or cheer them on, come on in!  We will likely run a bit past 12 so if you want to hang around beyond our normal noon, feel free to do so!

Best WOD Face winner Chris B. does not disappoint at 16.1…

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