3/10/2009

"A Stable for CrossFit's Dark Horses"

First of all we want to welcome Kent to our family of CrossFitters, he went through his trial by fire called B2B Tabata Squats today and displayed exactly the type of character we have come to expect from the athletes we train with here.  Looking forward to hitting it hard with you tomorrow, dude.

I also want to thank both my little sister Ashley and our buddy Joe for taking some awesome pictures over the last few days, we were all too busy trying not to throw up and/or scooping CrossFit corpses off the ground and we are lucky to have had them around to chronicle the madness exhibited.  

Now, before we describe exactly what madness transpired inside our little realm here I think some words from a top CrossFit trainer should be mentioned, it will add a new context in which to view the kind of work we are all putting in up here in such a remote and austere type of CrossFit Affiliate.    

Chuck Carswell was one of the trainers that ran the Level 1 CrossFit cert that I attended down in Charlotte last December, and recently he was featured in a CrossFit Journal Video Interview which centered around the CrossFit Games topic.  Chuck was an awesome instructor, and he is going to be fun as hell to watch tear things up at his qualifier and hopefully the Games this year, but he said some words that rang true for a lot of the guys and girls that train way up up here in New Hampshire.  

When asked to outline his personal expectations for both performance and success for the Games Chuck made note of the extremely tough competition that will be out in force during the Regional Qualifiers, the ranks of which will be concentrated into some truly elite fire-breathers by the time everyone gets to Aromas California.  Chuck continues on to mention that he only hopes to survive the daily HQ WOD for the time being, and I don't think there is a CrossFitter on the planet that would disagree with that mental disposition, but the best part of the entire interview for me was what came next... Chuck C. brings up the "Dark Horses" of CrossFit that are out there "under the radar" just "crushing it" everyday in some garage or basement.  How could I think of anyone else besides the athletes we've got around here training in our dirty little shack, some of them driving for a couple hours to get into this place that was described once as "the inside of the shed from the Shining".


These Dark Horses have been amazing themselves and each other constantly over the past few months as they toil away seeking some new elite level of human performance, but as it turns out the true measure of potential around here has yet to be realized.  The last several days everyone started to notice something changing in the environment here which was pretty obvious because we have been talking about it constantly.  It's not just a ratcheting up of intensity either, which would be great on it's own, but there is definitely some more depth to it.  I really can't explain it just yet, but to see it makes things clearer and I hope the pictures below can help tell the story better than my words.
    
During the weekend I was just one of several bystanders watching the training take place, honored just to be able to contribute in whatever capacity I could in helping all these guys and girls drive towards that next level of elite fitness.  Viking Fran was only one of several different challenges undertaken up here and it became obvious that the intensity from one crew was bleeding straight into all the others, most guys hung around after training just to watch in awe as the next group got ready to hit it hard (some of our best came in just to provide support for other athletes).  Even the absolute newest members among our ranks are foaming at the mouth to get in here as often as possible, despite the fact that they can barely walk from the previous day's training... it's what happens once you sip the Kool-Aid, I guess.

It would probably take me writing for days before I was able to explain the intensity in here during the last week but instead you can just go look at the pictures and read up on the scores to get an idea for yourself.  This has become a place where we live and die by the success of our athletes, and CFNH is honored to keep it's home in the shadows as a Stable for all the Dark Horses of CrossFit. 

There are just about seventy days left until the CrossFit Games Regional Qualifiers, and the excitement is already building to a pitch.  It's been incredible watching everyone smash through previous weak points or goat lists, and I can only imagine the mayhem that is ahead when we stalk down to Albany to support our athletes as they fight desperately for a spot in the contest that will define the fittest humans on earth.  Thanks to all our athletes for making the training the past few days become something above and beyond anything we have experienced in our garage so far.  Can't wait to get everyone back in here tomorrow for the next metabolic slaughter-festival.

"Viking Fran"
Complete 3 Rounds for time of the following
Row 250 m
15 x Thrusters (135lbs)
15 x Pull-ups (20lbs)
Row 500 m
12 x Thrusters (135lbs)
12 x Pull-ups (20lbs)
Row 750 m
9 x Thrusters (135lbs)
9 x Pull-ups (20lbs)

Scores
Mike 15:36
Jefe 12:21*
Wes 17:21
Enrique 17:37


6:00 AMRAP of
5 x Thrusters (45lbs)
5 x Pull-ups
5 x Burpees
Scores
Don PePe 5 rounds
Jared 5 rounds

Time Trial x 2 WOD (03.08.2009)
2 rounds of 1000m Row x 2:00, attempt to hold your second Time Trial within :20 seconds of your first.
Scores
Chalupa 3:40/3:58* (new personal best for Chalupa's 1000m time trial)

Fundamentals WOD (03.10.2009)
3 Rounds for time of (pick either 45 or 65lbs for load, use the same weight for all three mvmts)
Run 400m
12 x Deadlift
9 x Front Squat
6 x Push Press
Jill 10:42*
Kristie 11:21

Fundamentals WOD II (03.10.2009)
3 Rounds for time of (85lb barbell for all three mvmts.)
Row 500m
15 x Deadlift
12 x Front Squat
9 x Push Press
Score
Mike 14:09*

"Tabata Why?!" (03.10.2009)
Perform the following 5 movements following the traditional Tabata protocol of 8 rounds for :20 max reps possible x :10 rest, completing all 8 sets before moving onto the next movement.  Each rep completed is one point (calories for the rowing machine), score is total points earned.
-Air Squats
-C2 Rower
-Pull-ups
-Push-ups
-Atomic Sit-ups
Scores
Don PePe (1/2 volume) 164 pts
Jared (1/2 volume) 196 pts
Jefe 493 pts *
Enrique 438 pts
Hore-Hay 439 pts

























8 comments:

JoeG said...

sweet!

soon, it might be time for slow motion video training :)

http://gizmodo.com/381363/casio-exilim-ex+f1-tomato-violence-at-300-600-and-1200fps%3Cbr%20/%3E

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/technology/personaltech/03pogue.html?_r=1

and finally: http://gizmodo.com/386936/mentos-and-diet-coke-explosion-at-1200fps-casio-ex+f1-strikes-again

it's cousin, the ex-f20 is about 1/2 the price, and doesn't seem too shabby:

so, 40 frames per second shooting - THAT will be amazing to study motion with and lifting form/etc. SCIENCE!

Joe

APurple said...

AMRAP in thirty minutes of
5 pull-ups
5 ring dips*
15 sit ups (without holding your feet.. I know ROSS!!!! haha!)

12 rounds
hahaha I'm new at this obviously!! :o)
(does it count that I did extra difficulty inbetween rounds with staris?!!? :o) got to give me someting!! haha!)

SRD said...

That depends, that the hell are staris? Freak. Goodjob, I'm pumped you are starting to sip the Kool-Aid, you can come up for the ladies crew now and make some warrior freinds with which to conquer small continents... and maybe some archipelagos.

APurple said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
APurple said...

What is "crossfit Total"?! It was yesterdays WOD but I don't get it.. HELP ME big bro!!!!

BamBam said...

What trick lenses are you using to make that place look bigger?

By the picture it seems that all you guys are doing up there is lieing on the floor. That's not a crossfit WOD incase you were wondering. The only surface I lay down on is the ceiling, even then I feel layz.

Nuri's fight is this weekend, be there or be a sucka. wcfighting.com

were you anxiously awaiting my return?

-L.L. BamBam

Kevin O'Malley said...

Hey its Kevin O'Malley, havent posted in awhile.. Ill post my workouts from the week tommorow. I ran a half marathon today in New Bedford, Ma. When they asked for a team name I put Crossfit New Hampshire ha ha. Also, I during the 8th mile I get a tap on my shoulder and it was a fellow crossfitter. I was wearing a crossfit shirt to represent. The woman was the wife of the owner of Crossfit Boston, it was pretty cool. I ran the Half today in about 1 hour and 40 mins. Averaged about 735- 740 mile. I felt strong and ran few miles after. It's a tough race considered top 5 toughest half marathon in New England. My stamina and breathing was excellent and CROSSFIT ENDURANCE def works. I finished little ahead of the middle of the pack, so was little bit happy. However, I got the running bug and will be now running in races every week, will be doing another half in about 2 weeks. Crossfit Endurance def prepared me well and only little sore in the left knee, but def could have finished a marathon today. This was my first long distance race since starting crossfit endurance, so was overall impressed with the training over the last 6 months. My times will noly get better and hopefully will be able to qualify with a time of 3 hours and 15 mins for next years Boston Marathon, so will be running a marathon in the near future. See you guys later, will prob be up on Tuesday, but def the weekend, after one of my running races.

SRD said...

Ben, we are definitely glad to have you back despite your overwhelming rediculousness (Ben = Bam Bam). I got your message and I am thrilled, dude. Updates from Nuri posted tomorrow for sure.

Kevin, sick results and thanks for thowing us some props with your registration, you need to repost that and your training results on the most recent update here so we can keep talking about it. Nice to have another guy say CFE works based on some real evidence. Congratulations on your placing, can't wait to see how well you do now that you know how to take it to the next level.