Blog Archive

Welcome to classes! MadLab certified, foundation graduates.

Some people remember the shirtless, jean wearing, I swear he sleeps here, arrival of Emilio Whatstavez? It was enough coming out of a training womb into the open atmosphere you know as group class. I was still drenched in early training placenta; the only person I knew was my Coach Tbear. I didn’t even know his real name; I think it’s Trevah, well, that’s what Dashie says…she also drives a cah. We all get sweaty palms or wary of a new environment; it was a journey and a half to get to where you are now. The atmosphere you grow in, shapes your experience. It was all of you that made this my home. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I had to coach you guys, these guys don’t. It may be easy for them to hide in corner. As Coaches we are ambassadors of our community. Call them out and let’s get to making some new friends and memories. In fact, we are all ambassadors of this community. Reach out and let’s juice this facility up. Everybody love everybody.

Not seeing your face? Get your Coach to snap a picture!

Big love, big welcome, big shout out,

Chesty

Friday’s Workout:

Warm Up: 2 rounds of 10 T Spine bridge / 20 wallballs / 10 Cuban press

Get some elbow prep in there as well.

Skill/Tech:  Groove the workout movements

Workout: Nate

Complete as many rounds in twenty minutes as you can of:

2 Muscle-ups
4 Handstand Push-ups
8 Kettlebell swings (2 pood/1.5 pood)

Post scores to the Leaderboard.

Coaches start the workout at :25 past the hour so you can lead a stretch in the last 15 minutes of class.

I love this workout.  Such an excellent venue to work hard.  Bring what you got and leave it on the floor.

Saturday’s Workout:

Skill/Tech: Deadlift 3, 3, 3

If you did Nate on Friday then do Hip Hurdler mobility.

Workout: Lil’ Kelly

3 rounds for time:

400 m Run
30 Box jumps (24/20″)
30 Wall Balls

Post times to the Leaderboard.

Mucho Amore,

House of Shepherd

High Performance Center (HPC) is now the Competition Team Program!

It’s for anyone who wants to get better, and who wants to compete. This doesn’t mean you have to be an elite athlete. Our main goal will be preparing you for the CrossFit Open next spring, and the Open is just that – OPEN to ANYONE!

Why on EARTH would you want to compete in CrossFit?

Here’s a word from the Lumberjack on this:

“Some of my best memories of my teen years are of road trips with my soccer or basketball team to participate in tournaments. It was a great chance to get away from the responsibilities of my day-to-day life and just immerse myself in something I really enjoyed. More than anything, it was on these trips that the team came together and performed at their best. It was also great to challenge ourselves against other teams from surrounding areas to see where we stacked up against other athletes.

CrossFit has given back to me as an adult things I thought I left behind in my youth. Crossfit has given me some of my best memories of my adult years, be it Nutts Cup, the CrossFit Games or the Taranis Winter Challenge. I now have some amazing memories with friends, like having Andy literally carry me across the finish line of my first ever workout at the CrossFit Games, Dan and I PRing our snatches at Regionals in 2011, and watching baby Nat take down Angie Pye in the sled pull just a couple weeks ago. There are a lot more, but after 4 years of competing I have too many to list.

The other benefits of competing is that it tends to get me recommitted to my improvement as an athlete. The fun and experience of competing gives me that juice to do CrossFit like I did when I first started. It helps me to see where I am behind compared to my peers and recommits me to working on my weaknesses. Finally it gives me a pressing reason to work on improving my skills, and often my diet as well, in order to be prepared for the challenge ahead. So as well as being a great time, competing usually leads to a leap forward in my performance.”

Yes, our goal is to help you become more fit than you’ve ever been. But competing isn’t about that!

Let me tell you a story to reiterate what it’s about.

A story from Eunice:

“Last year, I did a 10 km run with Patty and Woodchuck and Krista. I’ve never seen Patty such a nervous wreck as he was before the race. He was rambling gibberish, pacing back and forth, his bowels were going crazy (he, of course, kept us current on his bowel movements all morning).

An hour later, I’ve never seen him so high. Sure, he reached his goal to do the run in 60 minutes, but that’s not why he was so high as he trotted across the line, passing a dozen people in the last 200 meters.

Wild Boar soars across the line

“I haven’t competed since hockey at McGill,” he said. He hadn’t competed in nearly 20 years; his body had forgotten the nerves and the stress that go along with any competition, no matter how big or small. And conquering those nerves and the fear catapulted him to a happy place.

I still remember the leg of lamb he cooked us that night – it was one of the best piece of meats I’ve ever eaten. He just couldn’t do anything wrong that day.

And more than anything, I remember the energy he was able to bring to the world that day and night – all because of a dumb 10 km race that ultimately didn’t matter.”

THAT’s why people compete – for the personal growth, for the lessons you learn, for the mental demons you overcome, for the support you feel from other competitors and from your own teammates and friends. In short, it brings people closer together. It builds community.

And, on top of this, you ALWAYS get a post-competition high!

The biggest reasons I hear why people don’t want to compete is that they’re scared or don’t think they’re good enough.

Trust me, you don’t have to be an elite athlete to compete, especially at all the fun local competitions that are available these days.

And you don’t have to be an elite athlete to join the Competition Team Program.

Lumber and Tom will be coaching the program. Here’s Lumber’s Plan:

We have changed the name of HPC to the “Competition Team”, so people know there is access for everyone who wants to be on a team and compete in a Crossfit competition. The focus will be on filling the holes in your game so you feel more comfortable competing in different events. We will aso be holding in-house tournaments to give people exposure to competitions.

There will be some basic minimum requirements to participate in the Competition Program, but for those that aren’t quite there yet Tom will be running the Weakness 101 program to help get you there. The first 2 weeks of the Competition Program are free, and will involve some testing to see where people’s current skill level is, so come on out.

The Program will run Thursday’s at 7pm and Saturdays at 8:30 am. Program starts Thursday November 21st and Weakness 101 starts January 8th. Everyone who is interested in some personalized programming come on out and we will make sure that everyone gets what they need.

See you on Thursday, November 21st at 7 pm!!

Thursday’s Workout:  

5 sets of 10 Front squats – You must go up every time.

This should be very tough by the end.  Be smart where you start your sets.  Start at :15 past the hour.  Go every 5 minutes ish.

Leaderboard is all your sets added up. So if you did 150/160/170/180/200 lbs then your score would be 860 lbs. Post Post Post!

For you Mad Labbers this might be a good workout to come in and go easy to recover.

Coaches take the last 15 minutes to stretch stretch stretch!!

Maison Shepherd

One of things I have taken from Coach Sheppy is his love for the suck. I can see the old days of rugby and university still ever present in his programming; sometimes you just have to get out there and bleed (hyperbole). This doesn’t mean you throw form and quality out the door (I will crush you); this means you have to play along your edges in order to make some gains. When you understand your limits, you can actually play within/without them. Take note of your age, body composition, injuries, and overall mobility restrictions (yes, you too, hypermobile people with excessive laxity). Open your eyes, take a step back, breathe, and then jump back on the field.

Some of you are just learning how to play the game.
Some of you have been in it for a hot minute.

Get the right tools for the job:

-Shoes that promote development and a feel for your surroundings.
-Analysis that corrects your posture and alignment.
-Gear that aids in reduced impact and increases circulation.
-A rope that isn’t gnarled up and abused.
-Hydration in the right amount.

Now you’re on the top of your game. You are moving the right way and you start to push your boundaries. Like a quarterback, you survey the options, audible the plays, and move comfortably in the pocket. Pushing longer, tougher outputs, you crush what’s ahead of you. Yelling TIME and TIME again until it’s not even cool anymore. Sometimes you feel unstoppable no matter how brutal the weeks are coming at you. You are the definition of fitness…

…and then you get SACKED

This can happen even to the ones with the highest awareness (Chest?). This can happen to the under trained (Chest?). Maybe you drank someone under the table. Maybe you crushed a 6-pack of Orange San Pallengrino. Maybe you took 6 weeks off for a leisure vacation. Maybe you disregarded any concept of quality movement patterns. Maybe your just not very good. Make the suck less.

Fill the gaps in your training:

Lube up you joints and healthy inflammation with fish oil
Fill those holes in your diet with quality absorbable vitamins
Take a quality protein that isn’t filled with garbage.
Rebuild scar tissue and substitute for unreasonable NSAIDS
Juice up your performance with some smooth tasting fish oil

All of these are available at your friendly neighbourhood Pro Shop. Origin Athletics has the knowledge and performance tools you have to make the suck less and move you forward. We are in most mornings and evenings, but want to be there for you more…

WE ARE HIRING.

Young fresh sponges are needed to fill those hours and get you the goods. Contact myself emile@originathletics.com if you know or are someone that is interested.

I will be there Tuesdays and Friday mornings early for you early risers.
Come in and check us out for all the information you could ever need for making your training more beneficial and enjoyable. Make the suck, less suck.

“Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentation of the women/men”

Big love,

Arnold Schwarzechester

Wednesday’s Workout:

Warm Up:  5 breath push up x 5 / Hip hurdler mobility – 20 reps per side each direction/ 4 lengths Samson Lunge (or coach’s choice length)

Tech:  Pistols!

6-8 Pistols (alt) EMOM for 12 minutes.

Choose a challenging yet makable depth.  Stay aligned.

Workout:  Wabbits!

Couldn’t be a month of Sheppy without this heart and lunger.  ;-)

For time:

10 burpees
200 m run
9 burpees
200 m run
8 burpees
200 m run
…
1 burpees
200 m run

Post times to the Leaderboard.

Enjoy the sunshine.  :-)

House of Shepherd