Blog Archive

Athletic movement is the fluid exchange of postures.  Making good position is paramount to successfully completing a movement.

At Christine Girrard’s O-Lifting clinic last month we learned her “Clean/Snatch Jump” drill.  I think its safe to say we were all amazed at how much of a difference this made to everybody’s lifting.  Check out this video describing it.

Get in there and do it!!

Shep Shep

Saturday’s Warm Up: Coach’s Choice

Saturday’s Skill/Strength Element:

Turkish Get Ups, work up to a 3 rep heavy

Saturday’s Workout:

In teams of two alternating movements

20 HR Push-Ups

24 wt. Jumping Lunges (20/12lbs Medball)

Row 280 Meters/Run Opera Loop*

8 rounds

*First come first serve on the rowers

Please come and hug me.

Andy

Hey Ya’ll!!!
Just a reminder that we are on social media and be sure to follow us…

@madlabschooloffitness on Instagram

@madlabschool on Twitter

MadLab School of Fitness on Facebook

MadLab School of Fitness on YouTube Channel

Hope you are having a great Holiday.

Just a reminder of our Holiday Schedule.

First of all, just a reminder – It’s the last Friday of the month, which means Monthly Match Friday!! As always, arrive at 6 pm and expect a fun partner metabolic conditioning workout. And bring some beer, cider, or since it’s winter, wine, to sip post-workout.

And now for something profound.

One of our students, Lisa Scigliano, opens up and shares her very personal story about how MadLab has helped her:

“I’ve struggled with weight my entire life, and on the road to morbid obesity I decided to make a change. I had lost a couple of hundred pounds on my own but felt kind of stuck, and although I was losing weight, I still had a long way to go and my goal had changed from wanting to be skinny to wanting to be fit and strong. I walked through the doors my first day completely terrified. I was terrified of my coach (Charlie), whom I had never met, I was terrified he was going to be mean, I was terrified I was going to embarrass myself and/ or pass out during the assessment, I was terrified the other people there were going to judge me and make fun of me, I was terrified I couldn’t keep up in classes. I was so terrified.

Today I have never been stronger, healthier, and more self-confident. Fitness makes me feel strong and powerful, two things I’ve not felt ever in my entire life. It gives me an outlet to de-stress after work, to focus my energy into something positive when I’m feeling down. At work, the heavy equipment I used to struggle to lift is now no trouble at all. At home I no longer struggle to lift the heavy laundry basket or groceries from the car. I feel more confident as I no longer have to worry about not fitting into clothes in the “regular” stores. The community has helped me stay with it, cheering me on and giving me confidence instead of judging me like I’ve experienced at traditional gyms in the past. I feel like I’m a part of something, not just at MadLab but even at events like the Regionals, volunteering and feeling like I’m a small part of it. I even feel like it’s easier to learn things, to read things and remember them. Fitness has changed every part of me, physically and mentally. Those of you who know me know that I’m usually the last one finishing up workouts and that I’ll never make it to the games. But that doesn’t matter, because I’ve gotten so much more out of it.”

Her coach, Chest, who took over from Charlie Palmer, added this:

“As a coach, I know she’s someone I can put my trust in because I know she’s going to show up. She listens to everything I say. I know I can make a difference in her life. She comes in with such determination, purely based on what she’s already earned. And now she’s focused on the next goal. She wants it so bad. There’s nothing that can stop her.”

Here’s Lisa as a child, and Lisa now:

Friday’s Workout:

Warm up: 3 rounds of:

5/5 Box step ups
10 TSpine bridge
10 Bulgarian split squat
10/10 Single leg glute bridge

Workout:

#1) 5 sets x 10 reps Front squat

#2) 12 min AMRAP:

20 D/U
20 KB Swings (black/red)
20 Walking Lunges

Saturday’s Workout:

Warm up: Coach’s Choice

Tech: Groove WOD Movements

Workout: Partner 2 min Defense

For time 20 rounds > Trading w/ Partner

1 Power Clean (135/95 lbs)
3 Hang Squat Clean
2 Jerks
100 Foot Sprint (8 burpees if its pouring rain)

And that’s it folks! House of Shepherd month is over. I hope you all had a bunch of fun getting more fit and you are walking that little bit taller.

One Love,

Shep

Thursday night 6 pm! Come out and watch, have a drink, and cheer for this fall’s two top teams as they go head-to-head and battle for the banner: Team Baby Nat versus Team Lumber!

Check out this video from last week’s semi-final action, brought to you by Dashie. Entertaining and humorous. Nice work, Dashie! Pay extra close attention to Meagan. I didn’t know that girl ever looked unimpressed…

Thursday’s Workout:

Warm up : Coach’s Choice

Strength: Shoulder to Overhead

For a challenging weight
3 Push press
3 Push Jerk

All 6 reps in succession

Workout: Burpee Box Jump Ladder

On a 24″/20″ in box

First minute 1 burpee box jumps
Second minute 2 burpee box jumps
Third minute…

Side jump to the box is fine.

Workout is done when you can’t complete the round inside the minute. Score is your round and how many reps you got. 10 rounds and 7 reps of the next round is 10.07.

Originally we had “Wabbits” programmed for today but alas changed it due to the rainfall warning.

Mucho Amore,

HOS

As some of you know, we reached out to the community earlier this month to help two people who are hugely important to our community: Caitlin and Robert. The community managed to raise a generous package from the community for them because their story, and who they are as people, resonated with you. Now, a week after Robert’s surgery, below is how it went down from their perspective:

Last week we were asked to come in to the gym. We knew it was something related to everything we have been going through but had no idea what. When the gift that the MadLab/CFV community had pulled together to help us out was revealed, we were in shock. We are still in shock. It is overwhelming and humbling to receive support like that. I am not sure how long it will take us to deal with the emotions but we still well up with tears when we think about it.

When we joined the gym, we joined to get into shape. We had no idea that we were joining a community and would be making amazing friendships. You are a truly amazing group of people. It is not just about becoming more fit. The members of the community constantly endeavour to be all around better people and are consistently displaying that.

The past 3 months have been some of the hardest in our lives and through it all we have had the support of our Madlab crew. Texts and emails and hugs… and now this. Thank you for your amazing support and encouragement and for being kick ass people. With all of the things we have had to deal with, people have told us that we have been unlucky. We were falling on all the wrong sides of the percentages. You have made us feel so lucky and blessed. Though situations were difficult, we have been so lucky to have the people in our lives that we do. You have made us feel fortunate through it all.

We are happy to report that Robert is recovering well from his surgery and I am gaining my strength back. We are looking forward to being able to workout side by side with you all soon.

We are truly blessed to be part of this community.

Much love and overwhelming gratitude,

Caitlin and Robert

Wednesday’s Workout:

Warm up : Coach’s Choice

Tech: Squat Clean

Try some clean pull to scarecrow and high hang cleans while warming up. Then…

Heavy 3 (1, 1, 1)

Workout: 4 Unbroken Rounds of:

20 Wall Ball (20/14 lbs)
10 Pull ups

Junior  

10 Wall ball (any weight)
5 pull ups

The whole round has to be unbroken. You must move expeditiously between the wallballs and pull ups. No lollygagging. You can rest between full rounds.

If you miss a wall ball… ie. you don’t get it above the white line or don’t hit the wall period or miss the depth on your squat or drop the ball then you must start again from 0. Same goes for the pull ups if you don’t get your chin over at the top or lock out at the bottom. Be sure you have those reps in you before you start the round. Missing a rep is very punitive.

This is a test of concentration, accuracy and resolve. Don’t be afraid to scale the weight or take more band for the pull ups.

We tested this a bunch. Cabana Boy did it in 6:40. Pretty good.

Warm Down: Shoulders Roll out

Although you all have different goals, you all essentially walked through our doors for the same reason: To make your life better!

Since adding fitness to your life, you’ve probably become stronger, leaner, more mobile, more confident—the list goes on. Maybe you’re better on the ice in your men’s hockey league now, or maybe skiing a full day is easier than it used to be. Or perhaps you’re now 50 years old, but you feel better than you did at 35. No matter what your goals and gains have been, you most likely feel better than you used to. And maybe, just maybe, you found the love of your life, sweating next to you in a workout, in the process of this whole experience.

Although the concept is the same, we all have different stories of how fitness, and MadLab specifically, has helped our lives.

This past weekend, we held our Tribal Elders night, a night that honours anyone who has been here for 5 years or more. Check out the faces on the wall above the bathrooms—the tribal elder family is growing!

Finally last weekend, it was my turn to go up on the wall. It was an amazing feeling to be honoured, and definitely got me thinking about how this place has helped me over the last five years.

Proudly a Tribal Elder!

When I showed up here, I was a lost 25 year-old. I had just spent 7 years in university and still had no direction in terms of what my life would look like in five years. I was in debt, borrowing money from my parents on a monthly basis, and thought that in order to be successful I needed to find a husband within the next 12 months and start popping out babies within 18.

Fast-foward five years, and I’m no longer in that position. I have a career, and lifestyle that allows me to do two things I love—coach and write—all the while giving me the freedom to essentially set my own hours each week. I’m no longer in debt and could actually conceive of putting a down payment on a house in the next year or two. And while I’m not married, I did meet a pretty good guy here (ok, here’s better than pretty good), and I don’t feel like a failure for not being married with kids yet. And I’m certainly less close-minded and conservative in my thinking. I have to give credit to Patty for providing me with so many opportunities, as well as helping me grow as a human being more than I realized I would in five years. And on top of this, this last year I managed to accomplish my biggest athletic goal of my life—qualifying and competing at the CrossFit Games. It’s funny how that part of it—the physical fitness part of this place—almost seems like an after-thought compared to the other ways I’ve grown since arriving here in 2009. But that’s the whole point of this place: It’s not really about the fitness, per see, but more about how it helps your life.

Now it’s your turn to share your story with us. Please submit one or two paragraphs about how MadLab—the workouts, the people, the coaches, the classes—have helped your life. Send your story to dash@madlab.ca and eunice@madlab.ca and we’ll share your story with the community. In doing so, you’ll also be entered to win a pair of Canucks tickets!!

Tuesday’s Workout:

 Warm up: Coach’s Choice

 Workout: 20 Min EMOM

10 – 15 GHSU
5 – 10  Ring Dip/  M/U
20 DBall Slams
4 – 8 Box Jumps ( 30/36”)

Warm down : L Back – Calves

Cheers!

Shep Shep

Last year, we we held our first ever East Van’s Got Talent, an event that has since been described as one of the greatest events we’ve ever held!

From the lovely Bess, who sang her heart out, to our professional ballerinas—The Dancing Kitties—who made jaws drop, to Fernando’s capoeira performance (that guy is always pull of surprises), to the winning midget puppet show performance by Jen Far and Cindy…It was quite a night! Oh yeah, there was also Bronto’s bare pecker that girls are still talking about…

This year’s Talent Show is Friday, December 12th. Doors open at 7 pm. If you have a talent and want to perform, contact Eunice or Audrey ( or ). Prize money to the winning performance!

On top of the Talent show, this also acts as our Christmas Formal, so dress to the nines if that’s your thing. There will be wine and cheese and a Silent Auction with great Christmas gifts! And this year we’ll be adding a scotch-tasting to the event!

See you on December 12th ready to sip wine, support talented members of our community, and definitely be ready to bid your heart out silent-auction-style.

Monday’s Workout:

Warm up: Coach’s Choice

Tech: Thruster – Heavy 4

Focus on the fixed elbow position during the squat phase of your thruster

Workout: 4 rounds of:

4 Thrusters (135/95lbs)
8 HSPU
12 D/U

7 Burpees Every Minute On the Minute

15 minute time limit

Coaching Points: We’ve done this bad boy before. Be sure to scale the thruster and hspu accordingly. Add in the burpees and your shoulders get roasted pretty quick. Try and get a full round in the first minute.

Our big gun Eunice did this in 8 minutes as rx. That was well over a year ago. She would probably be faster now but I say this to give you an idea of how tough this workout can be.

Happy Monday!

Sheppy

Lots of cleans this month. Seen some encouraging development. Today’s workout will be a great opportunity for you to improve your clean further.

Check out this video describing today’s drill to practice when warming up your clean.

Saturday’s Workout:

Warm up: Coach’s Choice

Skill/Tech: Power Clean – 4 lifts to be done in continual sequence
Clean deadlift
Clean pull to top of shrug (elbows straight)
Clean pull to scarecrow
Power clean

Workout: The Chief

5 rounds of 3 min AMRAP – 1 min rest

3 Power Clean (135/95 lbs)
6 Push Ups
9 Squats

Have an great weekend!

HOS

You may have noticed a large group of young dancers at the gym on Friday afternoons. They are the Dancing Kitties coming from a professional dance program at Arts Umbrella. I grew up at Arts Umbrella and am so glad I can give back to the program by introducing them to Crossfit with the help of the House of Sheppy!

As the holiday season approaches they are in full swing with their version of the Nutcracker, Mixed Nuts! This is why they have been away this month and we miss the lively and graceful Friday afternoon workouts. The show is set to the storyline of the Nutcracker with plenty of unique takes on the characters. It is a great show for all ages so while they will not be able to be at East Van’s got talent this year you can all catch them at the Playhouse Theatre! Please check out the info below and go see the show! I will be bringing Charlotte!

Arts Umbrella Dance Company presents: Mixed Nuts – a classic holiday performance reinvented with a twist. Families and kids of all ages can enjoy a modern and engaging retelling of Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”, choreographed by leading Canadian choreographers at the Vancouver Playhouse (600 Hamilton) December 12 and 13.

Performances:

December 12 at 7PM
December 13 at 2PM
December 13 at 7PM

Tickets available here: https://16929.thankyou4caring.org/mixed-nuts-2014

Just so you know my personal connection to the show, I was the original Rat King…

Love ya,

Caroline (Slingblade, twinkletoes, blackswan)

Friday’s Workout:

Warm up: Coach’s Choice

Workout: 20min EMOM- Start at :25

ODD – Snatch Barbell Bear (Scarecrow Focus)
EVEN – 15 Hollow Rock (or GHSU)

Warm Down: Shoulders – L Back at :45

Coaching Points: Focus on keeping the bar close to you on the snatches. Good technique is all about conservation of metabolic energy. You’ll need it for this.

Cheers!

Shep