Celebrating the Holidays by Paying a Penance to the Gods of Strife

Let's start off with an image from Sunday's WOD that does a great job of showing how pain and effort affect facial muscles when developing
"Increased capacity across broad time and modal domains."
I hope everyone had a great holiday break and took the opportunity to get some rest and prepare yourself for whatever style of personal Armageddon your training will resemble once you kick things off again. Adhering to the general theme around here things haven't let up in the slightest (definitely a good thing), and we are getting ready to submit the application to Crossfit to become a true NH Crossfit affiliate, more on this later.

I want to welcome Eric who met the fight team on Saturday and contributed some very professional knowledge to the workout the guys did. He has quite a background in the conditioning sciences and is aggressively seeking the Crossfit level one Certification. I think it is awesome that such professional individuals are now actively seeking us out and come willing to impart expertise rendered through years of training experience (and in Eric's case through time spent as an intern at Cynergy Crossfit). I am looking forward to picking your brain so come out again soon.

Eric isn't the only new arrival to our little society and I am proud to note that Fitzy and Jenny both got to try on some Crossfit training as well. Good thing Ben is out there putting sacks on people's heads, tying them up, and dragging them in to workout with us. I like your style, Mr. Desfosses. On that note the results from the Crossfit Mainsite wod that the MMA team conducted are described below: (any additional details that you wish noted will be updated as soon as they are confirmed. The fastest method would be to post in comments or email me directly)

I. WOD for 12.27.2008
(based on the Crossfit Daily WOD for the same day)
Complete as many rounds in 20:00 of
5 x DB Thrusters
7 x Hang Clean
9 x Sumo-Dead lift High-Pull
(Using loads of 65-95lbs)

Scores
Ben 8 Rounds* (probably 9 but like we do with Tabata Scoring: Take the lowest number)
Fitzy 7 Rounds + 5 Thrusters and 7 Hang Cleans
Doug 4 Rounds
Jeremiah Completed 20:00 @ Max effort (he knows no other "gear", this guy works as hard as anyone I have ever seen train in Crossfit)
Jenny (Still Need Score)
Eric (guest instructor, Still Need Score)
Nuri (Your ass is grass, son)

Hmm, this seems like a good spot to throw in a picture of my Infamous Mom who also likes to come learn about and watch how we train. I think it is a hilarious photo of her looking scared to death of the beard...which is pretty much the only reason I am including it. Hey, it's my @%$! website so if I want to put up pictures of my mom and glamour shots of my beard (which I have been tediously cultivating for months now) then I reserve the right to do so. The rest of you Savages can focus on providing the critical feedback that drives the content I try and provide with the training, and on that note let's take a look at what some mad men did today in the Garage Facility.
The Garage Gym WOD
The following workout was performed today (12.28.2008) in place of the Crossfit mainsite wod because we don't have the hamglute set-up necessary to properly perform some of the workout's components. We are rapidly working on an ability to train every wod possible to RX'd standards so don't stress too much. The substituted wod still needs a good solid name to go by so anyone that tries and submits a score for it can also submit a suggestion for the an appropriate name.

"Crossfit or Die WOD #1" 12.28.2008
I. Skill Based Warm-Ups
-Muscle-Up Transitions and R.O.M. Practice
-Burgener Drills and Overhead Squats (wooden dowels used to perform 3 sets of 3 reps for 6 tottal mvmts.)
-Easy run (also to show 200m run loop for safety purposes)
II. 3 Rounds for time of
5 x Ring Muscle-Ups
7 x Clean and Jerks (135lbs)
9 x Kettlebell Swings (1-pood)
Run 200m (Follow the link below for a map of our 200m Loop)

Scores
Jefe 9:53
Cpt. Toomey *9:42
Chris edged out Jefe by just over :10 which shows just how critical a solid system of support and competition is to boosting training intensity.

This workout doesn't even look that bad on paper but it left everyone strewn across the pavement like bodies on a field of medieval slaughter. We might find it hard to read this wod and not think, "It's not so bad, maybe I should throw an extra round on there, or increase the run distance," but the little Pukie that is nestled inside all of our grey matter seems to recall we don't need to. I mention this as a reinforcement of some concepts I brought up in the last post and I want to continue this trend so we can all refresh our minds daily about why "smarter + harder combined equal demon fitness" development.

If you are attempting this wod then make sure you scale or change things according to your experience and skill level with Crossfit, YOU ARE BUILDING YOURSELF UP, NOT BREAKING YOURSELF DOWN.

I am proud to welcome Cpt. Chris Toomey officially into our little fold here, he is the missing link we have anxiously been awaiting to get some leave and come visit. Because of his presence and the preparation that the other guys involved have put in we are prepared to submit the application papers requesting permission to open a Crossfit Affiliate here in NH. I should hear nothing but the rustling of thousands of pointer and index fingers being crossed all over the state for as long as we have to wait for a positive reply from Crossfit HQ. Hopefully we are found worthy, but even if everything were to fall through this very second I still feel that we have come much farther that I could have possibly imagined in such a short time. This has been due to the dedication, enthusiasm, and support received on behalf of Crossfitters around the state and we are proud to have played whatever small role we could ... thank you.