Sunday's European Regional Qualifier Challenge WOD

This past Sunday was an absolute blast as we gathered our full complement of athletes in the Stable to take on a special training evolution. Joe Venuti came up from CrossFit MASS and helped administer a tough met.con. that recently appeared as a WOD during the European Regional Qualifier Events (for the CrossFit Games). The little weekend gatherings that we host on Sunday's are always exciting regardless of the particular doom WOD we lay out for our Savages to try their fangs on, but this was a special event for several reasons.  Europe's top CrossFitters took on the WOD listed below in one of several battles for athletic supremacy...those left standing at the front of the pack were awarded competitive rights for the Official CrossFit Games (the qualifiers are one step removed from determining the fittest humans on earth).  Getting mentally up to train this intense isn't something any of our CrossFitters usually struggle with, they are used to the daily struggle for survival each crucible of a WOD forces them to endure. Sunday was exceptional before we even gave the 3-2-1-go, as motivation levels grew exponentially once the "pride factor" became involved (writing the first place European Score on the Whiteboard probably helped a bit as well).

Joe and I also weren't going to be conducting this WOD in the traditional group training format our crazies were used to.  Instead, we manipulated every variable we could to replicate the environment our Northeast Regional Qualifier Challengers would most likely encounter during their Events.   The athletes gathered in the warm sun and rotated through the WOD in heats of 3, each CrossFitter would be flanked by two judges.  These two judges had the combined responsibilities of tallying reps, keeping time, and holding their CrossFitter to the strict standards of  human bio-mechanics associated with each movement.  Adherence to such stringent criteria have come to define the legitimacy of any athlete's score. This is a difficult application of standards for both the Coach and the CrossFitter as we have come to set the precedent that Standards precede Effort... No matter how hard you try to push something overhead, no matter how many feet of intestines you leave on the ground, if you don't punch that head through and lock our your arms with active shoulders your rep does not count.  It does not exist.  Telling someone that might temporarily break your heard, but you are forging theirs ten times as hard in the process.

Everyone gets gassed, everyone gets tired, and everyone loses the potent efficiency of habit in their movements during the course of a horridly difficult WOD.  This, however, is what we train for: the ability to persevere and continue to make headway regardless of the perceived level of duress a human mind might experience.  There were lots of lessons taken away from Sunday, some learned during the WOD, some learned administering the WOD.

At the end of the day the combined performances were glorious to experience, everyone took this thing on in one way or another allowing our little family to grow a little bit closer...

Anticipation in the Stable is growing by the day as the Northeast winds up for it's Regional Qualifier Events and the murmurs are getting impatient as we all plan out our trip down to Albany: Mike, Wes, and Dennis can expect some intense support from our pocket of freaks in the crowd.

Thanks again to Joe V. for helping us enjoy another awesome Sunday, the next one will be on May 10th, at CrossFit MASS' garage facility. Everyone is already chomping at the bit.  Thank you to our homegrown Joe as well for taking awesome pictures as usual, email me if anyone wants some of the original image files for personal use.

Details Surrounding the Weekend of May 22-24: 

Jefe, Kevin O'malley (Congratulations on getting getting Vagabond CrossFit affiliated, dude!), Melissa Byers, and I will all be volunteering to help out and judge during the Qualifiers... we are still crossing our fingers in the hopes that Joe Venuti might make it as well. Madness will reign supreme if things go as planned, more details to come on where Mike C. and I are going to be setting up camp, go ahead and call us stingy for not getting a hotel but you will thank us when we spend that money on CrossFit Gear during our move. We are willing to gamble our ability to shower as we've got three of our guys in the competition to mooch off of... if the judges' odor is too grundleicious and impedes athlete performance don't expect the blame to be laid at our feet. Provide us with running water and I promise a lavender scented beard.

Sunday's Challenge WOD (04.19.2009)

Complete 3 Rounds for time, reps of 15-12-9 each for

-Power Clean and Anyway Overhead (135lbs)

-Handstand Push-ups

Power Clean and AWOH Standards: Power clean from contact with ground, when moving weight overhead arms must lock out and ears must be visible forward of arms at the top position. Athlete must stand and be in control at the top apex of each Overhead movement.

HSPU Standards:  Skull must make contact with floor, maintain vertical position while pressing up and reach full lockout for each rep to count. Arms must be maximum of 90 degree angle at the bottom of each rep, ie. super wide hand position is not allowed.

Judging: There were two judges per athlete executing the WOD, one controlled time and the other counted reps. Both Judges were providing constant feedback and encouragement for the validity of each movement.

Scores

Mike L. 20:24 Rx'd

Wes 12:31 Rx'd

Mike M. 11:21 Rx'd*

Mike C. 21:11 Rx'd

Frank 18:43 Rx'd

Chalupa 14:40 135lbs, HSPU mod

Fogle 12:46 135lbs, HSPU mod

RJ 7:07 95lbs, HSPU mod

Jen 11:47 75lbs, HSPU mod

Kristie 12:24 65lbs, HSPU mod

Jill 9:40 65lbs, HSPU mod

*More Scores Added Tomorrow