On to 2012

The balls going to drop tonight..
Are you ready?

We got started a bit on New Year's Resolutions earlier this week...
Or maybe we should call it a change in our way of thinking:
~saying what you mean and meaning what you say~

Analyzing one's lifestyle is hard... Reflecting can be hard (as shown earlier this month)
You can see the changes needed for another to succeed but to find those changes in yourself is a completely different way of seeing.

Find enjoyment in others: their successes, their optimism, and their ability to push, challenge, and support you.
Know that you make a difference.
You make a difference in those you surround yourself with and without you there.. something is missing.
You showing up everyday is important...  you better yourself and make healthy decisions for your life that not only benefits you, but also your family.
The priorities you choose and the lifestyle you set for yourself is seen by those that matter the most to you.. You are able to set that bar for life.  Set it high, because you deserve that and so does your family.
Time is not something you can get back... but it is something you can always change.
How you spend your time is a choice.
When you have downtime... smile, laugh, and be there, in the present.
Lives are busy and when we stop, but spend that time thinking about what we need to do next, we lose the now.

Enjoy the end of 2011... ANYthing Once had a great year!
Toughmudder.  Triathlons.  5k Fun Runs.  Festive gatherings.
Annuals and lots of Awesomeness.

Whats on your list for this next year.....

New Years In Sydney?

Awesome!

I've made my own for this year...
One: It's hard, sort of, but it is a lifestyle change and I've been working on it for a bit now so maybe the transition won't be so bad.  It will definitely involve my saying no at times.. which is a good thing.  Positive, good juju.
Two: More of a goal.  We started a bucket list before we ever got married.  It has changed as we've changed..  We've accomplished a lot... way more than I thought possible by 27 but what the heck.. Cross a few more off the list! 2 at the least.  E has shouted from the other room that I should get ready for the WOD of my life (i think he means we should have kids... at the moment i am rolling my eyes... OH apparently it was sarcasm)  I would like to think we will find some type of stability in our lives eventually, honestly I don't know what that would be like... to live in a place for more than 2 years, have a home that we own so I could maybe bring home a new pet, bolt the pull up bar wherever we want or at least not feel worried that I prefer to hang my pictures with tacs instead of nails.. but until then.

Practice ~ Yoga

Today was going to be a rest day... It still was ~ sort of...


Val came in and did Yoga...


This was the perfect ending to the Break Week... Good WOD's  Mon - Thur. 
So Yoga was JUST RIGHT to finish it off!


Trina was in for the Yoga (post-swim WOD)...Work out those aches & pains!!!


Here are a couple of Pics... These are for REAL!!!

Witt, Val & Britt ~ Workout & Warm-Up

Val & Britt ~ Working into a move

Val ~ Inverted

Last Day...Now Break

Warm Up:

4 Stair Laps (100m each)

1 exercise b/t each lap

20 Push Ups

20 Pike Sit Ups

20 Gator Walks

20 Russian Twist

Then

TABATA MASH-UP

Double Unders & C2B Pull Ups

3 Min Rest

Swings (55# / 35#) & Jumping Air Squats

100 SDLHP (55# KB)

8AM Crew

Syd ~ 95 / 92 (6:25)

Bertag ~ 92 / 85 (5:00)

Feidt ~ 74 / 93 (4:55)

Krommy ~ 82 / 97 (5:00)

Munce ~ 45 / 106 (4:27)

9AM Crew

Lysne ~ 39 / 86 (4:30 @ 35#)

Wendt ~ 51 / 98 (4:10 @ 35#)

Saeger ~ 28 / 92 (jumping pull ups / singles on jump rope not counted)

Val ~ 66 / 92 (jumping pull ups)

Alternate WOD @ 10 AM

Swimming with the Sharks

10 Rounds for Time

50m Swim (Breast or Side Stroke)

10 Push Ups

10 Abmat Sit Ups

Val ~ 23:38

Trina ~ 24:50

Hepp ~ 23:10

tb ~ 21:46


Val gets Athlete of the Day award... 
Practicing yoga headstands & scorpion pose
Going thru the Tabata Mash Up with the second crew
& the 10 AM WOD!!!


Some people are just driven! Val is one of them... Her drive is for other people! She is always there for EVERYONE whenever they need her!  She truly has a selfless spirit about her...giving, helping others & giving some more!  
It is great to have people/friends like this and to be associated with them.  Whenever you are around these people, you cannot help but become a better person. 

Wacky Wednesday

Warm-Up

10 pass thrus

25 DU

10 box jumps

25 jump jacks

10 pull ups

25 swings

LLOYD (taken from CFJax)

AMRAP in 16 min

100m backwards run

25 wall ball 20/14

perform 3 burpees every 2min

First two minutes..... were the longest 2 minutes imaginable.

Rounds:
JB- 8  +5 Wall Balls
Val- 7  +19 Wall Balls
Syd- 6 Full Rounds
Feidt- 5  +15 Wall Balls
Krommy- 6  +8 Wall BallsHepp- 6 Full Rounds & 1/2 Run
Reeder- 6  +8 Wall Balls
Bender-  6 Full Rounds
Munce- 7  +19 Wall Balls
tb- 6  +8 Wall Balls

Christmas Time is a time to be thankful, enjoy family & friends and just take time to enjoy the little things life has to offer!  It is also a time to reflect on all the positive things that have happened to you in life.  Try not to dwell on things that did not go your way!!!  The other nice part about this time of year is the anticipation of the NEW YEAR...You know what that means!  NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS...
I am confident that ANYthing Once members would never waste $$$ on a gym membership that would prove to be wasted; but just thinking about all those people that set HUGE new years resolutions gets me going!  I see/hear people all the time with life-changing new years resolutions...only to have them bail out of the goal as soon as it gets tough or becomes inconvenient! The problem is, at ONE TIME this was a priority for them...so what happened?  Really it is still a priority, but it is just to HARD! So they rationalize it away...

Don't be one of those people!  If you say you will do something do it!  Find a way!
That being said, one resolution is to "say what you mean & mean what you say!"

CHANGE is usually not a thing that happens overnight... It is only thru small, consistent, determined & dedicated steps that change (real life changes) will be a part of your life!

"WOD's are too hard!" (if it was easy would it be worth it?)
"I could never do that!" (we can always modify...until you CAN!)
"I am too out of shape!" (when will you ever be in shape?)
Comments all made by those people that watch OUR group got thru a WOD... I have watched a BUNCH of LIFE-CHANGERS over the past year... THEY ARE US!!!

As we are headed to the New Year, it is a time of some reflections as well...
What are some goals you have for the future (New Year)?  Where are you headed? What do you want?
BE THINKING ABOUT THIS... 
The new years post is going to be just that...Resolutions... Put out there for all to see and HELP you stay accountable for the 1-2 things you would like to change/accomplish for 2012!!!

Turtle (from CFJAX)

3 Rounds for Time:


20 Hand Release Push Ups
30 One-Hand Overhead Lungewalks 
(15 Right / 15 Left @ 40# or 25#)
40 Abmat Sit Ups
400m Run 
(Back Circle or 3 Laps in Fieldhouse)








Results
Val ~ 17:48
Syd ~ 21:58
Feidt ~ 23:18
Bertag ~ 25:25
tb ~ 18:50


Kids
Munce ~ 13:50
Wendt ~ 18:24
Lysne ~ 19:03
Josh W ~ 19:15
Jake W ~ 17:15

Day After Christmas...

Don't Fight!!!

After a VERY realxing day and a good Packer game...

WOD for Monday, Dec. 26th was FGB (Feidt Gone Bad)

FGB
1 Min for Max Reps @ each station...No Rest b/t...Transition as quickly as you can.

Wall Ball
SDLHP (75#)
Box Jumps (24")
Push Press (75#)
D/U (just work...no reps)

Reeder ~ 75+35+40+45 = 195
Bender ~ 45+47+29+45 = 166
tb ~ 55+39+51+58 = 203

We also had a group doing the 12 Days of Christmas...the newer MODIFIED version...
Deck Squats rather than Pistols, Wall Ball rather than Double Wall Ball & Broad Jump rather than Burpee Broad Jump!!!

Wendt ~ 75:00
McMahon ~ 88:00
Munce ~ 73:05

NICE WORK BY ALL...The Day after Christmas!!!

12 Days of Christmas

ANYthing Once Style...

Brutal, brutal WOD... Many modifications would get made, but WE made it thru...
The workout leaked this past week... so some were getting some practice in at home, some got a tad anxious about the run, but just the knowledge of knowing what was coming was enough to hit snooze one more time to make sure you were ready to challenge Bertagnoli and Britt.

Some great suprises... Mike Feuersthaler showed up and it was great to catch up with him, nothing like a 530am start time!  A bunch of newcomers ~ Kate Maloney, Traci & Haley Biolo & Joni Feidt!  AND Syd kept all his cookies down.

Then the KIDS WOD with all the HEPP Girls (Ali, Maddie & Kaylin) along with Nate and Drake

This was an Awesome way to end the year...An Awesome Turnout....

THIS (all the people/friendships) is what THIS (WODing) is really all about.  

Today was about coming together and doing something good for ourselves for an hour+, something that we definitely don't do everyday (for that amount of time+), and the group that showed up was fantastic!

Pretty sure everyone had a smile on at some point after they were done!!!!
Maybe out of relief.... maybe out of excitement...
Maybe because they made it through 40 Double Squat Wall Balls without getting a med ball to the face!
HOPEFULLY~
they find a comfort in knowing they are welcome in the mornings & Sat. Wods... Always.

For the 3rd Annual

12 Days of Christmas

1 Round of Cindy (5 Pull Ups, 10 Push Ups, 15 Air Squats)
2 Front Squats (135# / 95#)
3 Ground 2 Overhead (135# / 95#)
4 Wallpees (Wall Ball Burpee)
5 Wall Ball (Double Squat if you dare)
6 Toes to Bar / Knees to Elbows
7 Grasshoppers
8 Mule Kicks
9 Burpee Broad Jumps
10 Rolling Squats (Alt. Pistols if you dare)
11 Thrusters (95# / 75#)
12 Fieldhouse Laps (1 Mile)

Val ~ 81:11
Ethan ~ 89:33 (115# / 95#)
Britt ~ 71:17
Bertag ~ 70:04
Feidt ~ 83:48
Joni ~ 83:25
Krommy ~ 72:24
Maloney ~ 72:00
Hepp ~ 71:26
Nate ~ 17:00
Ali ~ 54:11
Kaylen ~
tb ~ 87:57
Traci ~ 83:11
Haley ~ 80:30
Drake ~ 17:00
Feuerstahler ~ Done after the Mile

FINISHED!!!

Merry Christmas From Our Family to Yours!

NO Practice...YOGA!

Yoga today with Val...the best instructor around!
E was in! Britt is becoming a yogi!


"The Boys" did their own 12 Days of Christmas today...
It was quite an experience watching them pick exercises & order...
Hansen, T-Lev, Bender, Reeder, Fiegel, Hennesey, Stevenoski
with special Guest Appearance by STAN!!!!
Here was their "12 Days":
1 Lap, 2 Double Unders, 3 HSPU, 4 Burpees, 5 GHD Sit Ups, 6 Push Press (95#), 7 Strict Pull Ups, 8 Mule Kicks, 9 Lunges, 10 Box Jumps, 11 Swings (55#), 12 Air Squats


Hans ~ 35:43
Hennesy ~ 35:44
Fiegel ~ 37:00
STAN ~ 36:10
T-Lev ~ 37:56
Reeder ~ 46:15
Bender ~ 46:25
Simon ~ 44:49


8am Tomorrow...Should have at least 3 Newbies...VERY Exciting!

Another Good Practice...

Literally!


While working STRENGTH with Front Squats we were Practicing (Technique) our Snatch (triple extension & landing)


EVERYONE got better!!!  Some were thinking too much...but that is how PRACTICE goes!  Work until you do not have to think...until it becomes a "natural" movement/reaction for you


Sooooo....What did we Practice?


Front Squat 5 x 3  (get DEPTH!!!) 
alternate with Snatch from High Boxes (mid-thigh position)


For Time:
21-15-9
Snatch Balance (95# / 65#)
200m Run after each round


Results = Heaviest 3 Rep Front Squat / Wt for Snatch Work - Time for 21-15-9
Britt ~ 205 / 150 - 12:10
Feidt ~ 215 / 135 - 11:07
Val ~ 135 / 85 - 12:24
Hans ~ 215 / 145 - 11:55
tb ~ 250 / 145 - 10:06




ONE THOUGHT and a COUPLE OF ARTICLES to Reflect on over the Break...
What do you want from life? Many people struggle with this question. Maybe you do too? Life can get so busy that we don’t have time to really think about what we want out of life. And when we do find what we want, it can seem impossible to achieve it.


What do you want out of Life, really?


What do you want?

Clean Up Your Practice

Today was another good day... Another Round of Olympic-Style Lifts...

First some work on Clean Pulls then another short brutality!

3 Clean Pulls (120% 1RM Clean) EMOM for 5 Min

5 Min Rest...

3 RFT ~
5 Power Cleans (BWT on Bar)
10 Burpees
15 Jumping Air Squats

Some general thoughts...Work to get better at something!  Don't just avoid your weaknesses.  OLY lifts will help every aspect of your training, IF DONE PROPERLY!  Start with light weight (we should have gone a bit lighter on Clean Pulls and watched each others form for warm-up phase)...I will do a better job of TEACHING on these lifts...

The Olympic Lifts (clean & jerk and snatch), are by their very nature, athletic...they are an athletic movement rather than "just a lift". Squat, Bench & Deadlift are fantastic for some base/core strength, but they are also slow & controlled.  There is a place for training both of these lifts and there is a need to go for maxes on them as well...
Remember...we are training for ANYthing(and maybe EVERYthing)!!!

Food for Thought: I'm not scared of dying, I fear living!

Results = Clean Pull Weight / Wt. & Time
Britt ~ 205 / 155 - 5:10
Val ~ 160 / 110 - 6:46
Stan ~ NA / 95 - 5:15 (Thruster @ 95# to replace Clean)
Hans ~ 225 / 185 - 6:11
K-shon ~ 195 / 195 - 7:26
Bender ~ 275 / 185 - 8:25
Hennesy ~ 185 / 155 - 7:49
tb ~ 275 / 185 - 6:20

12 Days of Christmas is Dec. 23rd

8am @ LHS Weight Room

Bring your spouse/significant other!!!

Practice This... and a bit more motivation

No more HOPPER...

Warm-Up = 75 Jumping Jax (so we can still win in Iraq)
2 Rounds of Burgener Warm-Up (FORM & TECHNIQUE)

SNATCH 1-1-1-1-1
15 Min Time Cap

AMRAP in 10 Minutes:
7 Dips
9 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups
15 Shoulder Touches (Handstand Wall Runs)

Britt ~ 155# (165 miss...but 3 great attempts) / 6 Rnds + 7 Dips
Feidt ~ 145# / 4 Rnds + 4 Dips
Bertag ~ 155# / 5 Rnds
Hansen ~ 175# / 6 Rnds
T-Lev ~ 145# / 5 Rnds + 2 Dips
Ty H ~ Snatch Tech / 5 Rnds + 2 Pull Ups
Biba ~ 135# / 5 Rnds + 2 Pull Ups
Bender ~ 175# / 4 Rnds
tb ~ 165# / 5 Rnds + 2 Dips

STAN ~ NA / 5 Rnds + 4 Pull Ups (green band)

Tougher than this WOD seemed...Maybe it was no music, maybe it was being inverted on the wall...but that 10 minutes took forever!f

A Reflection by Desi:

What inspires me?

Other people. I think this is number one for me.

When Im alone I actually feel very unmotivated and uninspired.

That dose of being active with another or someone telling me how their workout went or coming to Rapids for a wod keeps me going. 

Friends. I get inspired by people who are inspired by me. And the cycle then goes on and on.

Family, Mom, she rocks! She is turning 50 in march and her goal is to run in as many races as she can. Deanna, also rocks it! She just borrowed my beginner yoga DVD. Love it :)

Teammates, whether it be a workout buddy, a team for an event, a running partner, . 

People depending on each other for support, motivation, a kick in the ass. 

Being healthy and feeling alive and good. 

Fresh air. 

The earth and outdoors, trails, just being outside, some of the things I get to see when its just me (or me and Harley) out on the trail (a sunset, a deer, the beauty of the way the trees come together over the trail, a creek, Harley sprinting and jumping through the marsh like a crazy dog because he is so excited to be out there. Just the fact that Im able to stop and appreciate these little things inspires me. 

My dog (Harley), he keeps me going on those runs, he could run for days. When people say "hey I saw you running with your dog the other day" and then they say "yeah I figured I should walk my dog too then."

Being free to chose how I want to spend my time.

Do I want to sit on my ass watching TV eating a bag of Doritos? NO!

Knowing that I can always be better and improve.

Being an athlete.

One of my favorite memories is the Tough Mudder.

I can't say that there is one specific moment, but just the whole event and that people we did it with. When everyone would wait for the whole team to catch up. Working together to get over those walls. Cheering each other on. The GIANT slip and slide (my favorite). 

Oh and one more thing that keeps me goin is the blogs, both ANYthing once and Inseason. Ive tried a handful of the recipes and have gotten great ideas from the blog. And ANYthing once of course is fabulous! 

Hopper Day #4

Pick from the Hopper today by none other than former Center and Outstanding WODer ~ Dylan Bender


800m Run / 2-3 x Burgener Warm-Up
1-2 Rnds ~ 7 Burpees / 7 Med Ball Cleans / Sampson Stretch / Pass Thrus / Scorpion


Heavy Push Press 5-5-3-3-3 (or so)


3 Rnds For Time
30 Abmat Sit Ups
30 D/U
15 Hang Squat Snatches (65# or 75#)


Britt ~ 165# / 8:37 @ 65#
Hansen ~ 195# / 11:00 @ 95#
T-Lev ~ 185# / 11:19 @ 75#
Reeder ~ 155# / 12:50 @ 75#
Simon ~ 135# / 16:02 @ 65#
Feidt ~ 185# / 15:40 @75#
tb ~ 185# / 10:28 @ 75#
Tigger, Fiegel & Bender did not write times down...Don't care enough or just upset...who knows...It's disrespectful!!!

Reflections by Feidt

Another Great Day. Few returners, young bucks lead the way, El Tigger doesn't like the workout (finishes in top 2-3), Britt cleans out, TB a force of nature, and Me.

To reflect on my days at WOD headquarter... I must start with what it means to finish last.  Believe me I have been there my fair share of times during these workouts. Humbling, might come to mind.. Although working with this group the feeling doesn't last long.  New words come to mind: Pride, Confidence, and Results. Finishing last is two steps further up the rope then I was prior to joining this group. Do nothing, and thinking I was doing something are two hurdles many don't make it over.  I never thought lying on your back, saturated and trying to catch your breath would feel so good.

Inspiration...

Inspirations for me come from being part of something bigger than myself.  Think about it.... working out by your self or with a group. Also how do you inspire? Simple, work hard.  This is not hard to find in the WODers. This group of WODers has not only inspired me to workout they have helped me change to way I look at life.  Work hard and you will see the results. 

The greatest inspirational group for me is my three girls.

They make working hard worth it whether it is WODs or Job or Tough times. Work hard and things will be OK.

Thanks for being my core

YOGA on the HOPper

YOGA by Val...


Another good day!!!
Britt is easily doing headstands...
Simon is getting more flexible...


Nice little video on Yoga...

Where are all these Yoga Girls????


When I look up all I see is Britt!!!


Maybe Wed. Night Yoga for Feidt & I if we want to see our Yoga Girls!


Britt's Reflections:
I pull a great deal of my inspiration from the same place everyone else is... and that is from the community of Rapids WODers. It isn't easy to do the workouts everyday, and it is not easy to wake up early every morning. But, when you find joy in the activity, you don't need a while lot of convincing to get your rear end out of bed and be excited about what will be on the WOD board. As stated before, the inspiration comes from everyone else. We all have individual personalities that we bring to the table, and without them, it's like those stupid puzzles my grandma would get from rummage sales that are missing pieces. Sure you can finish the puzzle, but the stupid thing just isn't complete. What if El Tigger wasn't there?

Some of my fondest memories are ones that everyone remembers. Several times a year I hear the story about my first Fight Gone Bad when the wall ball slipped out of my hands and crushed me in the face. My glasses got all bent up and I was bleeding the rest of the WOD. I'll never forget the Ezra Jude Tri, where we had to do burpees in MF's front yard. I'll never forget tb and el tigger bantering back and forth. Every morning I wake up and am grateful I have these people in my life.

Aside from WODs, I find motivation from people that can make it happen. Hard work. Period. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. Some people are talented athletes, musicians, salesmen, whatever... However, I sometimes wonder whether the natural prodigies appreciate their talent as much as a person that has had to work for it.

And I'll never give up on trying to shape the lives of students for the better. I feel confident in saying that almost every kid who is a regular WODer, proves to be great person. They get the sense of community and their role as part of society, whether they understand it or not... It is truly what keeps me coming back for more. Britt

Hopper - Day #3

Nice Comment on Yesterdays Post from our Arrowhead Connection!!!

Don't be afraid to leave your WOD results in the comments section...Good for motivation!!!

If you can believe it... Simon Stevenoski picked the # out of the Hopper today....
#3 on day #3 again...

All I know is that there is only ONE option for tomorrow...YOGA!

After a good warm-up...We were on to WOD #3...brought to you by:
Practice Crossfit
Josh Bunch has a great blog along with WOD daily...
He always give you something to think about...

HOPPER #3 WOD

Press 5/3/1 for strength...

then...

Randy
75 Snatches (75#)

We decided that two requirements needed to be met...
#1 Feet need to leave the ground on the pull up & under
#2 Squat-Snatch (catch it low or OHS it after, but you need to get down)
ALSO, you are not finished until you are standing up straight...good hip extension & overhead

Excellent effort by all~

Britt ~ 14:40
Bertag ~ 8:46
Feidt ~ 13:28
Val ~ 14:00 (55#)
Hansen ~ 9:55
T-Lev ~ 10:33
Fiegel ~ 8:38
Simon ~ Lost Count and was done when Bertagnoli finished
(a bold move comparing himself the the Great El Tigre')
tb ~ 12:27


tb's Refletions ~
Inspiration:
For WOD's: It is all of YOU! Friends/Family ~ I would not workout if it were not for all of you... I would not do these workouts or go on my own if we did not have this family of workers... I would be supervising the kids and doing a little bit of work with them...but not like this! Because you are dedicated, I am dedicated, because you are motivated, I am motivated, because you are trying, I want to try... I am a follower!
For Life: It is my wife...literally!  She is amazing and makes me a better person...
Favorite Memory:
Lots of memories from WOD's... Just about anything that comes out of Bertagnolski's mouth is memorable!
Tough Mudder!!!  Even though I held back the group!  Amazing Day!
Just thinking about ANYthing Once Crew!!!
Motivation:
Just trying new stuff out and getting better.  Trying to beat my own PR's even though I am getting old!  Seeing how long I can continue / hang on to this...

Hopper Day 2 = #2

Britt pulled the #2 WOD from the Hopper on Day #2...Imagine that!!!

#2 brought to you by Crossfit West Virginia:

1 Mile Run for a Warm Up...
    Then...
21-15-9
Abmat Wall Ball (GHD Wall Ball)
2-fer-1 Wall Balls

We used the Standard Ball (20#-Guys / 14#-Val)...Double checked AFTER the WOD to find out that the Ab Wall ball was suppose to be lighter (10#)...OH WELL...WE GOT TOUGHER!

Britt ~ 7:12
Val ~ 8:34
Feidt ~ 8:29
Bertag ~ 8:11 (used GHD from Chest)
STAN ~ 6:08
Fiegel ~ 5:37
T-Lev ~ 6:34
K-Shon ~ 6:34
Simon ~ 7:11
tb ~ 9:29

Lets add a little mix-up into the Hopper this week....

Everyone is going to get a chance here...
I will take yesterday. tb can take today.... and well.. you will get an email from me so we can post...
We get some great posts on this blog but there is a few that I would love to hear from..
(which would be everyone but myself!)

How about some REFLECTION....

What Inspires You?  What makes you want to have-at-it everyday?  What is your favorite memory over the past years that you reflect back on often?  or maybe.. What motivates you?

Think about it.....

alright, here is mine
Val:
Inspiration~  from the people that surround me, the things they can do, the way they push those around them, their belief in others and definitely the way they believe in themselves.....
There is also this feeling after, when you're done- I can honestly say I love it.  I remember when I first started coming in to the workouts in the morning, had a tid bit of an 'oh boy, what will tb put on the board today, how much do I need to modify.'  I didn't want to be in the way or look like a complete idiot.....now I am more excited to get going and I have stopped worrying about being in the way and have accepted some of the idiot-esque as just a part of life at times...
Between our workouts, events, and the celebrations after: They all rank on the top of my list.
Without it- daily life would suck.
Some of the best friends I have come from having this kind of a lifestyle... and I consider them all family.

Hopper Day 1

EPIC FAIL!!!

Brought to you by CFJAX!

Griswald
Every 2 Minutes on 2 Minutes...
Perform 5 Thrusters (165#)...With remaining time, perform SWINGS (70#)...
Continue until 100 Reps of Swings are complete.

The only problem is that our EGO's got in the way (well, mine did!!!)...the smart move would have been to modify weight on this WOD... BUT NOOOOOOOO!

tb ~ DNF (too much EGO...) set a plan and could not stay with it!
Britt ~ Great effort...20 min worth of work = 65 Swings / 115# Thrusters
Bertag ~ Completed 100 with breaks
Feidt ~ Great effort...
Hansen ~ Did 3 full rounds of JUST Thrusters!
Fiegel ~ Completed 100 with breaks
Ty H ~ ???
T-Lev ~ good effort
Simon ~ Almost passed out after 3rd Rnd... (24 Swings in first 2 min)

Day # 2 Attempt coming tommorow!!!


REDEMPTION!!!

Brought to you by VAL!

Tried again after school with EGO in check & Val to do the WOD with...

tb ~ 135# & 70# = 13:40
Val ~ 95# & 55# for 58 Swings...then moved to 75#/35# for final 42 = 19:40

Hopper Preview

Next week is HOPPER WEEK...

We will be drawing all WOD's from the Hopper.
Crossfit Jax, Crossfit Takeover, Crossfit 7, Crossfit West Virginia and a few others will be where the WOD's will originate from...

Truly randomized... Definitely functional...Always Intense!!!

If you have not been here in a while...get your butt moving!

Todays WOD from CFJAX...

Deadlift 5 x 3 as heavy as possible (3 RM attempt)
...then...
5-10-15-20-15-10-5
Clapper Push Ups
Jumping Air Squats

Britt ~ 295# / 7:11
Val ~ 215# / 630 Hand Release rather than Clappers
Bertag ~ FORM WORK / 9:08
Hans ~ 345# / 6:23
T-Lev ~ 295# / 6:55
tb ~ 345# / 6:23

Anxiety....

Heck yeah!  HUGE anxiety at times...

heart rate increases, increased motor tensions, more apt to stutter, sweat drops

I MEAN... it's all a part of life> Right?

We all deal in different ways... I just defined most of my symptoms when inside the Anxiety Bubble.

Okay, maybe me, only I don't really enjoy wearing yellow.

I talk about stress and anxiety a bit because we all have it... it sometimes seems to take priority over what we truly want to keep on the TOP of our lists.  It happens.  How we burst through it is truly where we find strength and improve our lives.

Think about your life:  work, family, friends, holiday commitments, extra curricular, new tires on the car, leaky sink...  are you over analyzing right now?  DON'T.

Just think about it with out starting your To Do List.

Alright well... if you could stop.. what would you do:

Laugh.

Shout.

(oh, this is my favorite.. a wonderful, dramatic, "I LOVE LIFE!" 

escapes every now and then in the middle of a lesson... 

thank goodness my observations are planned)

A Cartwheel.

Sing.

50 Double Unders

BURPEES

a Bubble Bath

(I miss my old last name)

Whatever it is... if it makes you that happy, shouldn't you do it?

Is there some anxiety setting in for 12 Days of Christmas:

What are we going to do?  Am I going to be able to do it?  What should I wear?  What time should we start?  How do we want to run it?  I am not sure if I should be the one to show my husband that progression...

OKAY... THAT WAS WAY TOO SERIOUS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME PEOPLE.

GET EXCITED.  It will make you happy when you finish!

Yup.

Yoga

YOGA

was

awesome!!!!

Thanks to Val

Annual 12 Days of Christmas

When:  Friday, Dec. 23rd AM workout

Where:  Wisc Rapids.. Weightroom

What:  Annual Xmas Celebration!

(Way better than presents and candy canes)
Time is 8am

ANNUAL 12 Days of Christmas

There is a constant group here that gets together in the mornings and has at'r before the daily grind sets in...

We support, encourage, push, compete and it is great....

But... we would like a bigger challenge.

This year we are asking you to bring another in...

everything will be as modified as it needs to be for that individual.

This person could be:

the BETTER half

your son or daughter

a friend, cousin, whomever...

Big Witt

(or in JB's case, his mom)



Think about it... talk about it... and when the morning comes-

toss them over your shoulder and bring them in!

If you are not in Rapids and want to partake- definitely feel free to go for a morning drive...

it would be awesome to have you!

Wed WOD

THIS SUCKS!!!!

5 Rounds for Time:

4 mod Laps (400m approx)

15 Snatch (75#)

10 Burpees

1 Rope Climb (4 Towel Pull Ups)

Britt ~ 32:03

Feidt ~ 37:06

tb ~37:55

Simon ~ 35:00

Hansen ~ 22:06

Fiegel ~ 37:36

Sam I AmRAP...

10 Inchworms (WTF)
4 Revolutions of 2 DL / 2 HPC / 2 Lunges / 2 Push Press
45# then 75#

AMRAP in 20 Min:
2 Stair Laps (200m)
10 Swings (70# / 55#)
10 Split Jerk (95# / 65#)

Britt ~ 6 Rnds + 2 Laps
Val ~ 5 Rnds + 1 Lap
Simon ~ 4-5 Rnds (Split Jerk trouble)
Hans ~ 7 Rnds + 50m
Dillon ~ 6 Rnds + 1 Lap
T-Lev ~ 6 Rnds
Fiegel ~ 5 Rnds + 2 Laps
tb ~ 7 Rnds

Thoughts for the Season (Stolen Post from Practice Crossfit):

As CrossFitters we lay claim to a lot. We claim to have the workouts that demonstrate the fittest on earth. We claim to have the fittest humans in our ranks proving themselves by those workouts. Personally, I believe these claims justified. We also claim to be community builders and life changers. This claim is only proven when we build our own community by stepping out and building communities outside our walls.

This year we are doing just that with “Get into giving” . Not only will less than fortunate families get to come to PCF and WOD with their kids, but they will leave with gifts they need. Gifts they cannot afford on their own. Gifts we need your help getting. Read Cindy’s Thanksgiving account below, then give us a hand this Christmas.

We have all had it happen…you walk into a place that you have never been but you have to pause…because something is telling you that you have been there. You close your eyes and it feels just like yesterday, that you already walked these steps…yet you haven’t. My Grandma Louise would tell you, “Oh you are just having a senior moment Dear”…and as much I love my Grandma, at 34 would prefer to just say déjà vu.
Its like when we see a new CFer at their first class. They are giddy, nervous, and scared all in one moment and if we take a second we all can close our eyes and remember that first time feeling all over again. And I can guarantee you that it doesn’t take much to remember how you felt the day after your first WOD. There isn’t a word in Webster’s Dictionary yet to describe how we all felt that day after our first WOD.
Then just last week it had to me again…I had déjà vu. It was a beautiful fall morning and I was standing on a porch that I had never been before in my life. I was about to deliver a Thanksgiving meal to someone that had no idea I was even coming. But I had a moment before I knocked on the door of déjà vu…it set me back for a second. But then it hit me like a ton of bricks…I had been here before…but it was 25 years ago and I was the little girl waiting on the other side of the door, unknowing that me and my sisters were about to be given the gift of feeling normal for just one day. The gift of Thanksgiving dinner donated to my family from our church.
I can remember as if it were yesterday being 9 and thinking “how cool it is like Christmas with food!” I praise my Mother for having 3 girls and never letting know how bad things really were. I have great memories of growing up…lots of laughter and just thinking that all kids have to heat their bath water on the stove because there wasn’t hot water in the house. My home had love and when it comes down to it that is the one ingredient that life cannot do without.
But there I was 34, married…with 4 children of my own and standing on the porch of someone that just needed a little gift of hope.
This is what life is about. Life is about making sure that you do everything you can for those that might not be able to in that moment. The love that I have for my children is no better than the love that a single mom trying her best to do right by her children has for her children. We all want the same thing for our children’s lives…to be filled with lots of laughter and lots of love.
I told my husband earlier that morning, “I have to put my big girl pants on and not cry when I give the families their food.” To which he said, “Will never happen…you aren’t built that way but that’s what makes you awesome.” For the record, I did not cry when I was with the families…I was a big girl. Until I got in my van and cried all the way home. You see sometimes déjà vu smacks right into overwhelming thankful.

HardCore Week #2

And it begins...

Pass Thrus...
Shoulder Flexibility for 2 Min
Tabata Mash Up ~ Bridge & Downward Dog

For Time:
18-15-12-9-6
Box Jump (24")
Wall Ball (20#)
Spiderman Push Ups
Ab Mat Sit Ups

Britt ~ 13:45
Bertag ~ 13:00
Feidt ~ 13:42
Hans ~ 10:33
K-Shon ~ 11:29
Fiegel ~ 11:42
T-Lev ~ 11:01
tb ~ 14:25

Good Start to the Week...Back is still sore from last week...Feels good!

12 Days of Christmas is coming....Get Ready!!!!

HEY ANYthing Once... Who's Up For This Before The Water Freezes!

T.G.I.F.

Bertag finally figured out we were following Crossfit Hardcore...
With a little help from Feidt!!!!

Good Friday finisher for the week... Has been a great week... Sore this week with lots of posterior chain work

For Time:
10-8-6-4-2-4-6-8-10
Dips
Deadlift (225# / 155#)

Val ~ 9:55 (chairdips w/ 2 blue boxes)
Bertag ~ 8:25 (185#)
Feidt ~ 10:??
Britt ~ 11:37
tb ~ 7:32
Simon ~ 9:30 (185# / Chair Dips)Fiegel ~ 9:47
Hansen ~ 6:32
K-shon ~ 9:22

Have a great weekend!!!

Breathing Heavy...

Thursday
IS
YOGA by Val

Getting more limber, moldable and supple.  Great moves today and even some close to this:

Britt was the closest!!!

Actually did these:

On another track....

Barefooting...Great tool, but lets not get crazy!!! Excellent article @ I am UnScared...

 This is going to be quick and easy. Will barefoot running make you a better runner? No, it will not. Yes, it will change your mechanics, but that doesnt mean all for the better. Barefooting is a tool and should be used as that. Period. Your feet are not conditioned whether you like it or not (caveman or not) to be barefoot all the time. 40,000 years of evolution says so, paleo man. That does not mean you need motion control shoes.

First paragraph from: http://www.iamunscared.com/hamstrings-vs-hip-flexors/

Also...The Rant is back on...Check out the latest:

Beastmodaldomains.com