Blog Archive

So Charlie’s rally to keep Easy E in B.C. was to no avail. This long-time, five year CrossFit Vancouver veteran, has been offered a great job as a respiratory therapist in Calgary, so she’s officially leaving us at the end of this month.

We want to send her off in style, so we’re having a potluck for her in our lounge this Friday, April 25th.

Bring a dish to eat and BYOB, have some laughs, and likely shed some tears with us, as we wish Easy E well on her new journey. She has given so much to our community in the last five years, so it’s our chance to give her a little love.

Easy: We’ll miss your energy, your smile, your giant-ass heart that has more to give than anyone I know, and, of course, your long-winded stories that add to your charm and make you who you are.

Tuesday’s Workout:

W/U:
8-12 Prone Snow Angels
8-12 Push Back Push Up
8-12 Hand Cuff Press
8-12 Ring Rows
10m

Skill:
Bench Press, quickly build up to 85% of workout weight

Strength:
A1. Lean and Loiter, 45 sec, 4 sets
A2. Alt Rope Pull Up (L1,2,3,4, or 5) 4 reps, 4 sets
A3. No Money (w/4 sec pause) 6 reps,4 sets
A4. Bench Press, 3 reps, 4 sets

We will be running our second in house Competition Saturday April 26th. It will consist of teams of three. There are no rules as far as men and women on one team. We will cap it at 18 teams of 3.

email [email protected] if you want to register a team. COMP Team members will be provided with teams. If you want to compete and do not have a team, email me, and Lumber or myself will assign you to a team.

If you participated in our first in house Competition I encourage you to do so again. 1.0 was fun and exciting as well as challenging yet doable. I assure you our second edition will be just as awesome.

Our first competition was free, we are going to ask for $20.00 per head ($60.00 per team) this time in order to raise funds for LANYAR.

The workouts.

1. Heats are 8:30-8:50-9:30

16 mins to perform

8 200m ball runs
then, with time remaining each person will find there max weight of the following complex
3 deadlifts
3 hang cleans
3 power cleans

This workout is two data points, the run and the complex.

2. Heats are 12:30-12:45-1:00

9 min Cap. One person working at a time.

80 Overhead lunges 45/25
60 Burpees
40 T2B
then with time remaining accumulate max points
5 points per muscle up
3 points per chest to bar pull up
1 point per pull up

3. Heats are 1:30-2:00-2:30

Fight Gone Bad Follow the Leader

2 Rounds
30 Wall Balls 20/12
30 Sumodeadlift High Pulls 55/35
30 Box Jumps 20″
30 Push Press 75/55
30 Calorie Row

Each partner must complete two rounds, partner 2 cannot begin until parter 1 has completed their second set of wall balls, same goes for parter 3 following parter 2.

Friday:

Warm-Up:

Coach’s Choice

Skill/Strength Element:

Sumo Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3

Workout:

400m Run
21 KBS
14 V Snaps
3 Rounds

Saturday:

Warm Up:

8-12 SL Hip Thrust w/3 sec hold
8-12 Prone Snow Angels
8-12 Push Back Push Up
8-12 Mountain Hopper
8-12 Hand Cuff Press
10 min

Skill/Str:

Power Clean

Workout:

from Cf Invictus-

In teams of 2, 1 working at a time:
100 Power Clears (135/95)
1600m Ball Run (200m laps)
100 Burpees

This Wednesday the 2nd block of Skill Development 101 is launching. Lots of gains were made in the inaugural block of the program, Steve got his first muscle up, Janel did her first pull up, Jocelyne conquered rope climbs and Wendy is about 1/8 of an inch away from getting her first muscle up as well. 

Several folks from the first block are continuing working on their weaknesses, and some new folks have decided to join in on the fun. If you are on the fence or are worried about the time commitment there is some flexibility in structure. If you have any questions, thoughts, comments or interest in this program please send me an email at [email protected].  

Here are what some folks have said about the program

“I am really enjoying it; I like the superset structure and the variety that offers; I appreciate the specificity of the program and feel that Tom gets what is going on with me. I love that I’m feeling stronger and accomplishing things I never have and wouldn’t have tried were it not programmed especially for me!”

“I’ve had a great experience! There are already 3 movements I can think of that I’ve managed to perform as a result of the program, so I am really satisfied with the experience as a whole.”

I have gotten lots of feedback from everyone who did the program and I expect round two to be even better than round one. 

Tom

 p.s. Our second in house competition will be coming at the end of April, details to come Thursday. 

Warm Up:

Coach’s Choice

Skill/Str:

A. Power Box Jumps, 1.1.1.1, 4 sets
B. Pause Squats 4 sec, 4 reps, 6 working sets

Workout:

400m Run
50 Squats
4 Rounds

Cool Down:

Easy 750m Row to flush legs

I mentioned early in the year that Weakness 101 was being renamed to Skill Development 101.

For those of you reading this who don’t know what this program is all about, it is a skill bias program. People in this program are working on weaknesses and honing in on harder skill elements of CrossFit. Whether is muscle ups, handstand push ups, snatch, clean & jerk or something as simple as getting your first pull up, improving your overall strength or your squat technique.

The plan is to run the program again starting April 7th and finish June 29th, (12 weeks).

Some of the details from the previous block will be the same with a few minor changes.

1. There will be a session every Wednesday night from 7-9  pm and every Sunday from 3-5 pm within the dates stated above. Folks can arrive at any point in time during the two hour sessions and start their programs. I will be on the floor overseeing everyone, answering any questions you may have and I’ll also be coaching you through your drills.

2. Last time I offered a Friday morning session from 6-9 a.m. I don’t think I will run that again this time unless there is an extremely high demand for the time slot. Email me if you are one of the persons looking for the morning sessions.

3. If you are interested in this program but are unsure of your ability to commit to the entire 12 weeks, then send me an email and let me know about your availability. I am confident we can work together to arrange something that will work for you.

4. The 12 week program is $360.00+GST. This gives you access to the Wednesday and Sunday sessions, and also includes the personalized program I will be writing for you. It also includes a personal training session with me where we will discuss and assess the skills you want to work on.

5. Individual programs will be designed in four week blocks to allow for minor changes and to allow for the difficulty of the program to be adjusted incrementally.

If you are interested or have any questions email me at [email protected]

Tom.

Here is a sample program: Skill Development 101

Friday’s Workout: Open Workout 14.4

Warm: Coaches choice

Tech: movement standards & review

Complete as many rounds and repetitions as possible in 14 minutes of:
60-calorie row
50 toes-to-bars
40 wall-ball shots, 20/14 lb. to 10-foot target
30 cleans, 135 /95lb.
20 muscle-ups

Saturday’s:

warmup: 1 mile run

Tech:  10 min emom of 5 partner tag pushups (partners facing other tag hands alt from right to left at the top of each pushup)

Partner workout: teams of two

30 min amrap of the following, one person works at a time for the entire minute while the other rests. This is for a total of 15 mins work each.

30secs of D-ball slam 20/12lbs

30 secs of empty barbell push press 45/35lbs

A local Vancouver bar is trying to bring back face to face conversation. Each table has had a clear plastic box installed which is encouraged for customers to leave their cell phones in. The attempt to bring back face to face socializing has been accepted with open arms for most people.

The Score on Davie, gives their customers the option of locking their phones in a safe place at each table.

If a group decides to use the lock box, patrons can get a key from a bartender, put their phones in the lock box and then give the key back to the bartender.

I am definitely guilty of sitting at a table with others and plugging away at emails or answering texts. I find myself annoyed when others do the same, but somehow it’s ok when I’m doing because it’s “work related”.

I think this is a good idea to take even further. If restaurants placed my phone in a box at my table and I wasn’t allowed access to the box until I was granted access from a key code that was on my bill, I would be cool with that…I think…

What are your thoughts here? Is the world to glued to their phones? Would you allow restaurant to lock your phone away until your bill is paid?

Post to comments.

Tom

Warm: shoulders & hips

then proceed to warmup Bench Press

Tech:work up to a heavy BP

WOD: complete 5 rounds(not for time) of the following,

Max B.W.B.P

Max Alternating Pistols

finish with a 800m run

score is total points minus your running time in seconds.

As some of you know I have been running a weakness-focused specialty program. Over the last 8 weeks 16 people have been working hard to improve their weaknesses. 

I’ve decided to change the name of the program from Weakness 101 to Skill Development 101. Sunday night Cindy MacMillan came up to me with a petition. 

“Tom, I petition that we change the name of the program from Weakness to Skill Development, this whole weakness thing is killing my mood”. 

I liked it. 

Its true, the initial name is a little misleading. Like I mentioned before with the launch of this program I feel that to have a long term commitment to CrossFit, or any training in general you must avoid injury, over training and work on becoming better at the things that are holding you back from even greater results. Also known as weaknesses. The point is not to practice weaknesses over and over but to use drills and tools to turn those once weaknesses into strengths, also know as skill development. 

For anyone who wants work on serious skill development I am planning on running this program again April 9th-June 29th. If you have any questions ask some of the folks who are still in the program about their experience and how they feel it has helped them so far.

More details in the coming weeks. 

Tom

Warmup: Running

800m run/rest 3mins

400m run/rest 3mins

800m run/ recover

Tech: Pistol development/ progressions

Workout: 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

V-snaps

Burpee pullups (on odd #’s only)

Alternating pistols (on even #’s only)

Charlie

I’ve been hearing a bit of grief about the Kb snatch coming up this weekend. If you guys want a few tips ask me when you see me at the gym and I will help you with the movement. For those that happen to miss me, this video gives good info about how to quickly learn the KB snatch.

kettlebell snatch

Tom

The details for our 1st CFV in House Competition are here. The workouts have already been announced, I’m sure some teams have already started game planning. If you have a team name you want be referred by then just let Tom know.

Scoring will be classic style where a first place finish is worth 1 point and a 16th place finish is worth 16 points. Least amount of points after 4 workouts wins.

If anyone who is not competing wants to come on out and lend a hand, Mike and I would love your help. We need folks to help set up equipment and if we could assemble judges as well that would be awesome. If you feel like lending a hand let me know at [email protected] and I will hook you up with a job.

Below is a list of the teams. We have 16 teams of 3.

1. Caroline-Sean B-Ryan
2. Dan-Meagan-Josh (Hairy little Pussies)
3. Nathalie-Richard-Noah
4. Landon-Bill-Richy
5. Scott-Dexter-Panda
6. Andy-Kim-Vince (Awkward threesome)
7. Vroom-Mike F-Lori
8. Wendy-Kira-Dash (Bitch please!)

9. Rob D-Arthur T-Cory
10. Geof-Arthur G-Robert
11. Rebar-Marco-Stephen
12. Lars-Cindy-Squad
13. Marylyn-Alex-Matt the Jackel
14. Nono-Fabi-Gabriel
15. Alana-Steve L-Jen
16. Eden-Darren-Fernando

We ask that everyone be at the gym for 8:15 on Saturday for a workout briefing and athlete check in.

Event 1:

One person working at a time, follow the leader style:

12 min time cap
5 rope climbs (5 pull ups/5 K2E = 1 rope climb)
25 box jumps 24/20″
50 Wall balls 20/12
100 Double Unders

Heat 1: Teams 9-16 – 8:45
Heat 2: Teams 1-8 – 9:05

Event 2 & 3:

This is two scored events. Hang clean total is event 2 and the HSPU is event 3.

7 min to establish max Hang Clean for all 3 athletes, female lift is divided by .7
(score is total weight lifted) Teams will have one 45lb bar, 4-45’s, 2-25’s, 2-15’s, 2-10’s, 2-5’s, 2-2.5’s

7 min for max HSPU (sub 5 push ups = 1 HSPU)
(score is max HSPU as a team)(standard is 1 mat with 15’s on each side, no other scaling is accepted with an exception to the push up substitute)

Heat 1: Teams 9-16 1:00
Heat 2: Teams 1-8 1:20

Event 4:

As a team, one athlete working at a time

20 min time cap
100 KB snatches (1.5/1 pood)
100 burpees onto plate (45/25)
100 pull ups
100 overhead lunges (45/25)

Heat 1: Teams 9-16  2:00
Heat 2:  Teams 1-8 2:30

Our very own Chesty will commentating during the event so expect to heckled and taunted.

See you all this weekend.

Tom

Monday

Warm Up

8 Minutes of…

8 Wall Angels
8 Fore Arm Wall Slides
1 Length Push Up to Broad Jump

Strength

Press 6, 6, 6+

* Press 3 sets of 6 relatively heavy. On your last set Press 6 and then Push Press any extra reps on top of that.

10 minute Ground to Overhead practice…

Workout

“Grace”

30 Ground to Overhead 135/95

As a close out to January, I just wanted to let everyone know how much I loved programming this month. I often get heckled for how invested I am in programming for classes as well as for the Comp Team and my Weakness seminar.

I know most folks are just interested in coming in, getting a good workout and heading home to their families or rushing off to work, this I understand. I like to think if I can make the relatively few hours of training our clients get per week as efficient and as rewarding as possible I have done a good job.

I, along with every one else at CFV are interested in making you better. Whether it is via class, Weakness, Mobility, EVBBC or Comp Team. Our goal is to improve your fitness as well as your quality of life. I just want you all to know this.

At times I know workouts may seem silly, or to hard or even to easy, but just know that there is a rhyme as well as a reason to the things you read on the white board every day.

A sad goodbye to January means an awesome hello to February. Courtesy of Emile and Ben. Drum roll please…

Tom

P.S. Oh and just a reminder, Lucas Parker, at the gym, Friday night.

Friday

Warm Up:

dynamic warm up
then
20 yoga push ups
20 t spine bridge
20 straight leg sit ups

Technique:

for 16 mins cycle through

3 bar muscle ups or 4 chest to bar pull ups
25 double unders (this is a chance to practice guys, don’t feel rushed)
12 weighted sit ups

Workout:

RX’d

100 double unders
then
20 (10/10) db snatch 45/20
1 rope climb
14 (7/7) db snatch 45/20
1 rope climb
8 (4/4) db snatch 45/20
1 rope climb

COMP Team

100 double unders
then
20 (10/10) db snatch 70/50
1 rope climb
14 (7/7) db snatch 70/50
1 rope climb
8 (4/4) db snatch 70/50
1 rope climb

Saturday:

Warm Up:

coaches call

Technique:

every 30 sec for 12 min

:00 1 turkish get up right hand
:30 1 turkish get up left hand

Workout:

with a partner, one person working at a time

4 rounds for time

25 burpees
20 thrusters 95/65