Blog Archive

One of the CrossFit tenants is that you play other sports.

The idea is that we should CrossFit not simply for the sake of doing WODs, but so that we’re stronger, faster, and more powerful when we play other sports, and in life in general.

You may have noticed that Conor ‘Smooth Worm’ O’Sullivan hasn’t been around much lately. There was a reason for his absence – he was taking a short mental break from CrossFit to train for a Half Ironman, which he completed last weekend.

The Smooth Worm and his Irish Blokes

Here’s what he said about the experience:

“It took me 6 hours and 51 mins, which I’m pretty proud of as I couldn’t even swim when I started training 10 weeks ago, and I didnt even have a bike until about 7 weeks before the race. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to be able to do 1 length of Kits pool unbroken (137 meters), and now I can do 16 – no problem.

I would not have been able to do it without the conditioning I received at CFV so I want to thank all the coaching staff for their help and support over the last couple of years. I wouldn’t have been able to even contemplate doing something like this two years ago, let alone only training for 10 weeks.”

Nice job, Conor!

SATURDAY:

TECH:

Shoulder Press (5, 3, 1, 1, 1)
Push Press (Heavy Triples)

WOD:

5 Rounds:

20 KB Swings
10 Push Press (115/75)

SUNDAY: Make up day, as per usual.

EUNICE and KERM. It’s a wrap!

This will be a 6 week challenge to see percentage lost on pinch total (just like all the past challenges)

Challenge starts in 2 weeks. A few of us will have the results of our food sensitivity and gut health stool analysis done so can make some great changes, for information about getting this done email Dashie (dash@crossfit.ca).

Once upon a time, the early mornings at CrossFit Vancouver were humble and quiet. They lacked bodies and energy (or so I have been told).

But today, the mornings are anything but dull.

Kathryn and Laura Mar – two dedicated morning folk.

Last Friday, a bunch of the day and evening coaches – Sheppy, T-Bear, and Patty – arrived at the school at 7 am on their way to Kamloops for a weekend golf tournament. They immediately noticed the lively class unfolding. “Wow, the mornings are pretty juiced these days, aren’t they?” Patty remarked.

They are. There are so many characters in the mornings who have played strong roles in building our morning community.

To give you an idea of what the mornings are like:

Vince and Mike F set the tone each morning at 6 am, working their asses off with integrity. You never see coaches No Repping them. Congrats to Mike who celebrated his two-year CrossFit Anniversary last week. “Best thing I’ve ever done,” he said to me in a text.

Then at 7 am, Colter ‘Bronto’ strolls in – usually wearing an outfit that looks like it was slept in the night before – does a couple shoulder rotations and shrugs, lets out a Brontosaurus grunt or two, and then declares he’s ready to go. He’s a danger to himself most days as he tries to hold off the likes of Dexter, Goose Willis, and a hard-chargning and determined up-and-comer Robert, but he makes everyone laugh in the process. Then at some point in the morning, Caitlin ‘Sundial’ (who doesn’t let anyone’s birthday get forgotten) pulls out a birthday card for everyone to sign.

There are so many more morning characters, but we’ll save it for another day. Thank you all for making it a little easier to wake up at 5:15 am.

One more thing about the morning…

Andy asked a very important question the other day:

WHO WOULD WIN IN A RACE BETWEEN CAITLIN SPRINTING AND VINCE DOING A BUTT SCOOT???

Video Production by Red+Ripley Creative

Caitlin singing the national anthem at Nutts Cup

AND NOW, REGISTRATION IS OPEN FOR FRAN FOR DOLLARS. CLICK THE BUY NOW BUTTON AND PAY YOUR $35 TO RESERVE ONE OF THE 32 SPOTS. FIRST TO PAY SECURES A SPOT.

FRIDAY

TECH:

COACHES – Go through WOD movements

Work your way up to the Clean weight you’ll be using in the WOD.

Workout: Partner Bodyweight Variety Pack + A Little Bit of Cleaning

One person working at a time

3 rounds for time:

40 double unders
30 V-snaps
20 Handstand push-ups (progressions)
10 Power Clean (Firebreathers: 225/135 Normals: 185/115 Newbies: 135/95 – SCALE ACCORDINGLY)
6 bar muscle-ups (substitute with strict pull-ups for those without bar a muscle-up)
2 rope climb (substitute 5 ring rows if you don’t have a rope climb)

– Eunice and Kermie

A word from the Pink Pig:

It has been more than three years since we have had one of these. Our community has grown significantly. CrossFit has exploded around the world, and lots of things have changed.

We feel it is time we got everyone together for an open discussion and to hear feedback on what is working and what could use improvement.  We know you all care deeply about this community, and we want to hear feedback on how we can make it better for everyone.

We invite you to come out next Wednesday at 7pm and join in on the conversation.

Some of the discussion points include:

• How our school works
• How coaches are paid
• Coaches role and responsibility
• Apprentices role and responsibility
• Class structure, programming
• Cheating and being coached to STOP IT!
• School revenue
• Pocket Coach – Getting rid of paper logs, new leaderboard.
• Upcoming clubs and speciality programs
• Madlab Co-op program (Patty’s side project)
• What is working and what could be improved (open floor discussion)

What we are finding through the Madlab co-op project is that the most successful CrossFit’s have thriving speciality programs and extra curricular activities.

We are really excited about the speciality programs and extra curricular clubs we are importing from around the globe.

Learn about:  ” East Van Barbell Club”, “Olympian Show Down”, “Fran for dollars, “Project Endurance”, “Trivia Night”, “Paleo Challenge”, “Nutrition Magician”, “East Van’s Got Talent”, CFV Haloween Party”, “Mad Lab 5.0″,  “Learn to Row like an animal”

Come on out – it will be interesting.  If not, forever hold your Peace.

Patty  

Thursday:

Tech:

Front Squat (5 x 5) – same weight for all five sets
Glute Ham Sit-ups (5 x 12)

LADDERBOARD WOD: Quarter Gone Bad

5 rounds of:

15 sec thrusters (135lb/95lb)
45 sec rest
15 sec weighted pull-ups (50lb/20lb)
45 sec rest
15 sec burpees
45 sec rest

Score is total reps.

– EUNICE AND KERMATION

Kane Morgan (nickname pending) is the newest member of to join Andy, Eunice, Afghan and Alex on the ‘Morning Glory’ team.

We’re still in the ‘getting to know you stage’ with Kane, but something happened yesterday that told me he’s going to work his butt off and succeed in our system. It was his birthday, so I told him it was cool if he didn’t show up to help me with my two 5 pm students. But at 4:55 pm, he pedalled in on his bike, shirtless. He was giggling away like a child. He had been celebrating his birthday with drinks at the Cactus Club all afternoon, so he was only half coherent, but he was there bright-eyed and bushy-tailed ready to help coach. I guess nobody said sobriety is a coaching pre-req.

Kane and Learn to Row

Some of you may have seen Kane on the ergometer rowing away – 6, 8, even 10 effortless-looking kilometers. Yes, he’s a former rower. He rowed at the University of Victoria in his past-life, and unlike me (although I’m a rower I am no rowing technician), Kane’s rowing form is flawless. I’ve seen him help newbies out on the erg – he’s pretty brilliant.

In light of this, he and I will be hosting a 5-week Learn-To-Row course on Saturday afternoons from 2 pm- 3 pm. The five-week course will be topped off with a 2 km Indoor Rowing Regatta on the last day – November 24th.

$100 for the entire course. No problem if you can’t make all 5 sessions. It’s still going to be worth your money to come to 2 or 3 sessions.

The dates:

Saturday, October 20
OCTOBER 27th is our Hallowe’en party, so we’ll skip that week
Saturday, November 3rd
Saturday, November 10
Saturday, November 17
Saturday, November 24 – 2 KM INDOOR REGATTA

Registration begins next week right here on the BLOG.

WEDNESDAY

We’re going to be pressed for time, so start the tech almost immediately. Keep the circle question speedy.

TECH:

High Hang Snatch – 3, 3, 3 (No dip. Start from the HIGH hang)

*COACHES – EMPHASIZE AN AGGRESSIVE SECOND PULL

WOD: Broken up Zoe and Isabel

35 minute time cap!

5 Rounds:

400 meter run
6 Snatch (135/95)
6 Muscle ups

**If you can’t do muscle ups, do 12 ring dips each round instead. We’re doing pull-ups on Thursday, so save your pulling strength and just work on your dip today.

** Note, you can break up the 6 snatches and 6 muscle ups each round. You don’t have to complete all 6 snatches before all 6 muscle ups. But you must get 6 of each done before hitting the next 400 meter run.

Dexter, Nas, Goose Willis and I did this WOD a few weeks ago. This was the aftermath. I was so depleted, I needed the sugar from a popsicle to feel human again.

– Eunice and Kermie.