CrossFit Verve

Wednesday 120222

CrossFit Verve — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 04:58:58 +0000

3 Rounds 3:00 on and 3:00 off

Kettlebell Jerks, 24kg (16kg) each hand

Post reps to comments.

Are you ready? As of the time this was published, we are up to 62 athletes from CrossFit Verve. We’re a few athletes from doubling last years participation. Join the fun!

Come on competitors give a shout out if you’re competing and why!

Tuesday 120221

CrossFit Verve — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 05:25:43 +0000

“Helen”

Three rounds for time:
Run 400m
21 Kettlebell swings, 24kg/16kg
12 Pull-ups

Post time to comments.

The gang participating in one of the Open WOD's in 2011

Did you know that the minimum amount of water in ounces you should be drinking daily is equal to half your body weight in pounds? That amount of water is separate from coffee, sodas, any caffeinated and sugared drinks, or alcohol that actually cause a deficit. And if you are working out hard, you should probably be replacing some lost electrolytes in your system such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This is especially important if you are eating a clean, paleo/zone diet that is usually lacking sodium. Our logbooks not only help you keep track of your food daily, fish oil, energy, sleep, and workouts/mobility–but they are also a great spot to be logging your water intake daily at a minimum.

You can also weigh yourself before and after workouts, and before bed/after waking to see if you are deficient. Losing more than 1 pound overnight is unacceptable and going to negatively impact performance. Sweating yourself through a workout is okay, but needs to be replaced in order for your body to keep up the good work.

First though, stick to the basics and make sure you are keeping your diet clean and logging your food, water, sleep, and workouts–then we can see if electrolyte replacements may be helpful. Be mindful to take care of your body and keep hydrating safely to keep headaches, muscle cramps, and your body ready for whatever life or we may throw at it each day.

Reminder: Sunday at 9:00am is another installment of our Nutrition Workshop. Have you wondered what you’re missing in the CrossFit equation that leaves you mystified why you aren’t seeing the results you’d expect? Come find out why optimizing nutrition will lead you to better performance, improved health, and a damn attractive body. If you are unwilling to address your nutrition, I’ll always have one up on you… wink, wink.

Monday 120220

CrossFit Verve — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:44:43 +0000

Weighted push-ups max reps, 45#/25#

Then, for time:
Row 20 calories
20 Front squat, 48kg/32kg
Row 20 calories
20 Push press, 48kg/32kg
Row 20 calories
20 Thrusters, 48kg/32kg
Row 20 calories
20 Push press, 48kg/32kg
Row 20 calories
20 Front squats, 48kg/32kg

Post reps and time to comments.

The seldom seen… AM crew!

Thrusters: Tips & Tricks

A thruster is a simple movement really… a front squat and a press. This deadly duo packs quite a punch due to the range of motion it entails and stabilization it requires. Hmmm… that pretty much why we love to program the thruster: it moves a large load a long distance and quickly! But, how can you make the thruster a more pleasurable experience?

Let’s start by reviewing the mechanics of the squat. The squat is initiated with the hips moving back and down, which balances the load in the frontal plane and loads the hamstrings. As you descend into the squat, drive your knees out (laterally) over your feet to prevent shear on the knee and the most efficient transfer of power. As you squat, stabilizing your spine is supremely important as well, keeping your torso rigid and your spine safe.

The press is simply moving the load from a shoulder racked position to an overhead position. The position of load on the shoulders is best carried with the elbows under or slightly in front of the load, in this case kettlebells. Of course, the most efficient path for the load to travel is a straight line. This is simplified in today’s workout, as dumbells don’t require repositioning of the head. A press is completed when the load is directly over the heels with elbows locked out and shoulders in your ears (active).

Now, back to our mission: how to make a thruster easier. A thruster is very demanding on both the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (i.e. your heart rate and breathing). Because the thruster has such a long range of motion and requires stabilization of your midline, you can bet that your muscles are going require quite a bit of oxygen to complete the task. You can set yourself up for success by thinking ahead and anticipating the demand by breathing more air, more often. Stay ahead of the game and prevent oxygen deficiency by exhaling all your air twice per rep: once at the top and once at the bottom.

Lastly, as you fatigue, which you undoubtedly will, open your hips more dynamically. Instead of thinking – squat, stand, and press… begin thinking – squat, jump, press. Now in reality you won’t be jumping, but this dynamic nature of the hip drive will help drive the load overhead with less demand on the shoulders. Core to extremity. Jeez, is this a theme?

Sunday 120219

CrossFit Verve — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 04:00:56 +0000

Five rounds for time of:

Burpee broad jumps 20m
21 Sumo deadlift high pulls, 75# (55#)

Post time to comments.

Amy flying high and looking good!

Saturday 120218

CrossFit Verve — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:15:24 +0000

Run 1 mile
Rest 3:00min

Then complete as many reps as possible in 5:00min of “Westside Back Squats.” No racking the bar allowed, weight 155# (105#).

Post times and reps to comments.

Chris and Andy, sitting up tall with a stable midline and full ROM.

Friday 120217

CrossFit Verve — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:53:43 +0000

Three rounds of a Clean and Jerk ladder, each weight has 30 seconds to complete a successful lift:

95#, 115#, 135#, 155#, 185#, 205#
or
65#, 75#, 95#, 105#, 115#, 125#
or
40#, 55#, 65#, 70#, 75#, 80#

*A five burpee penalty is imposed for each missed weight, to be completed before moving forward.

Post loads and penalties to comments.

John and Flip: excited to participate in the 2012 Open, excited to mobilize, or both?

The Reebok CrossFit Games begin in only a few days, with the first workout announced on Wednesday, February 22nd. In exactly one week we’ll be participating.

She was my reason FOR participating last year, and is my biggest excuse FOR competing this year.

What are you waiting for? What’s your excuse for not entering and competing/having a good time next to your fellow CrossFitters around the world?

Is it the “time?” Because CrossFit Verve will host each week’s workout as the WOD on Fridays (only 1 week from today!) and as a special class on Sundays. So you’ll be there anyway, getting your WOD on with all (okay, some) of your favorite people.

Is it the “money?” Because it only costs $20 for five weeks of fun workouts and you get the chance to build yourself a cool profile, be part of the Verve team, and be part of possibly the biggest fitness competition worldwide for less than your daily coffee costs for a week. Sign up here.

Is it the “I don’t like to have fun?” No, it can’t be that because nobody doesn’t want to have fun, duh. That’s why we all do CrossFit anyhow.

Is it the “Well, I’ll wait till I’ve got more CrossFit experience or when I’m better at some of the movements?” Because I’ve been doing it for the last couple years, and just like when you started CrossFit, it doesn’t get any easier to wait any longer. In fact, some of our athletes challenged themselves last year with new skills (double unders, muscle-ups…) or PR weights (Clean and Jerk) and not only managed to surprise themselves and be successful, but be successful beyond their wild imagination in the amped up Games environment! Your fitness journey will take you a myriad of places, let the Games be part of it.

Is it the “I’m not really a ‘competitive’ kind of person?” Because, you don’t have to be competitive to enjoy being part of history, being part of a team, and pushing yourself a little harder than you think you can. Whether you are pregnant, injured, not at your strongest, etc. you can still keep moving forward toward being your best.

I’m not at my strongest, but I can still come in, enjoy my fellow athletes, be part of something bigger than myself, and show my new daughter that you don’t always have to be the best to put yourself out there for people to see. You just be your best self at that moment, and keep moving on…..because there’s always next year, and who knows how much even more amazing you will be then!

Thursday 120216

CrossFit Verve — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:45:04 +0000

Front Squat 3 X 12 @ 65% of 1RM, on the 2:00 send off

“Annie”
50 – 40 – 30 – 20 – 10
Double Unders
Sit-ups

Post loads and time to comments.

Welcome Joe Alexander. Most of you have seen him in your classes. He is a flow master for CrossFit Inc. Level 1 training staff, a new Dad and happy to be jumping in to teach some classes here at Verve.

Learning to love the double-under?

For all but the luckiest, the double-under began as a frustrating struggle. Unless you were on your double-dutch team in elementary school (you know who you are out there), they have been an evolving journey. Some days they’re great, some days they’re a terror. They require coordination and are a skill that requires due diligence in practice. If you simply ignore them or cherry pick WOD’s without them, they’ll never just magically improve. So use today as a great opportunity to come in an work on them. If you’ve never gotten them, then maybe you’ll get one today. If you have them down perfectly, then aim for linking a new PR in a row. Either way, go at them with the right attitude from the start and hopefully that’ll reward you. Here’s some tips to remember.

1.  Land lightly on the balls of your feet and let your heels gently kiss the ground each jump.
2.  Jump only high enough to clear the rope each time.
3.  Keep your bodyweight balanced on the balls of your feet, your torso upright and tall, hips open.
4.  Elbows in tight to your body, only turn the rope with your wrists.
5.  Eyes straight ahead to help maintain your balance.
6.  Relax and don’t forget to breathe!

Wednesday 120215

CrossFit Verve — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:00:26 +0000

For time:

1000m Row
50 Dumbell snatch, 30# (20#)

750m Row
35 Dumbell snatch, 30# (20#)

500m Row
20 Dumbell snatch, 30# (20#)

Post time to comments.

Congratulations to Dan for achieving his first RX WOD this month.

A letter from our friend Nick Brereton …

I’ve been back in the Midwest for about 6 months now and was doing a self-reflection today and immediately thought of Verve and all you guys have done for me. So I figured I’d take a few minutes and say thank you to everyone at Verve for helping me get into Crossfit, better my fitness level, better my mental and overall health…and really better my life as a whole.Moving back to the midwest has been quite a challenge. The lack of overall health in the people I’m surrounded by everyday is scary and at times very depressing. As much as I’d like to say the area hasn’t rubbed off on me a little and my health and fitness hasn’t suffered, I’d be lying. It has been extremely hard to find good quality food (no wholefoods or natural grocers) and has also proved to be quite a challenge to find an adequate Crossfit gym (of the 3 CF gyms here none even remotely compare to Verve). BUT, after more than a few months of finding excuses for not doing what I should be doing (mainly whining to myself everyday “this place sucks because there is no Verve and everyone in this town looks and eat like hippopotamuses”). I finally thought to myself, “this has to change” which was immediately followed by “what would my friends at Verve tell me?”

I knew you guys wouldn’t let a few inconveniences stop you from living a healthy and full life. So I have finally decided to take some action. I now get my meat for a local organic, grassfed, grass finished farm, delivered once a month and starting in May I’ll have a CSA vegetable share from a group of local organic farms. I also attended my level 1 certificate course in Chicago this January, and started training at my local CF gym last week. I figured having learned from the best I was as good a person as any to try to spread what I learned from all of you. I still check the Verve webpage daily for inspiration and to see how everyone is doing.

Anyway, the main point of this email is to say thank you to all of you. It’s because of Verve that I not only have the desire to better myself but most importantly I have the knowledge of HOW to do all of it. The biggest obstacle I see for the majority of people I’m surrounded by everyday isn’t lack of desire but lack of know how. I know I’d be just like them had it not been for Verve. The example that all of you set by not only teaching the ways of health but actually LIVING what you teach is so PRICELESS. I sincerely hope you all know what a positive and profound impact your lifes have on so many people, myself included. Thank you for everything. I hope life is treating you all well. I miss you guys. Thank again.

Warm Regards,

Nick Brereton

P.S. I have to apologize regarding my “eat like hippopotamuses” comment…according to quotehippo.com “hippos are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of grass and some water plants.” Apparently they don’t eat at the 5 guys that is literally next door to my gym. My apologies to any hippopotamuses that may have been offended by my earlier statement.

Anyone see the irony in the fact that large animals are herbivores (Rinos, elephants etc…) and lean animals are carnivores (Wild cats, leopards and mountain lions)? We love and miss you Nick! Verve is not the same without you.

*Update on nutrition challenge. We are busy calculating all the results and will have those completed this week, in time to announce winners early next week. If you have not turned in either your points total, resting HR or Chelsea score, DO SO ASAP, to info@crossfitverve.com, with subject line: I am a nutrition ninja! So many awesome results we can’t wait to share!

Tuesday 120214

CrossFit Verve — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:07:01 +0000

Push press 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

Post loads to comments.

The press never ends!

Hey CrossFit Verve, we want you to compete in the CrossFit Open! We’d like to have you participate in the event that 26,000 CrossFitters took part in last year and we want you to represent your gym. Sign up at http://games.crossfit.com/ and select CrossFit Verve as your affiliate. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, the CrossFit Open has something for everyone. Plus, we’ll be completing the Open workouts every week anyway… it would be cool to see where your results will land you among the Southwest Region, as well as the world! Don’t delay… sign up now!

Nutrition Seminar

CrossFit Verve — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:38:30 +0000

Our “Best Shape of Your Life” Nutrition Challenge is wrapping up, with final measurements, vitals, bloodwork and benchmark workouts finishing up this week. We’ve seen some amazing changes in people in a mere four weeks. Now, how to keep up with it? We’ll have some follow-up materials available at Verve soon to help you continue your healthy habits as part of your lifestyle. Are you gonna stick with it? Why or why not?

Also, our next Verve Nutrition Workshop will be held on Sunday, February 26th at 9am. As always, it is free to all, so bring yourself, bring your friends, bring your family. We’ll be discussing the why’s behind what goes on in your body with fuel and how to improve your performance. We’ll also be having some yummy treats of fish oil (think vanilla, chocolate, mint, lemon and tangerine) from StrongerFasterHealthier available for you to taste test. These are highly concentrated EPA/DHA doses from excellent sources that we are excited to be carrying very soon–so come try them out!