On 9/1/24, we’re starting our annual powerlifting cycle. Powerlifting consists of the “big three” lifts: back squat, bench press, and deadlift. Throughout September & October we’ll focus our strength days on these lifts.
The 9-week cycle will culminate with the “Powerlifting Total” on SUNDAY NOVEMBER 3. Classes will be 90-minutes long, and we’ll increase the attendance caps so people can partner up with a lifting buddy. You’ll have 3 attempts at each lift to establish a 1 rep max. Your total will be the sum of your back squat + bench press + deadlift.
Athletes can choose whether to sumo deadlift or conventional deadlift – pick whichever one you’re most comfortable with and train that version over the next 2 months!
WOD Notes: This is a memorial WOD for Amanda Miller, a CrossFit Games athlete who died from cancer at the age of 24. Read more about this tribute WOD here. A full squat snatch is required.
Mark E - great form on the TGU!10am class had to run in the snow!Phil taking it out on the 53# KB
4 rounds for time of:
400 m run
20 kettlebell swing (53/35#)
5R/5L turkish get-up
WOD Notes: The turkish get-up starts on the floor, come to a full stand, and then finish back on the floor supporting a weight above head the entire time. We will pick weights according to ability.
Reminder: We’ll be running a make up session for the Open WOD #1 at 8am. Please sign up in Mind Body if you are planning to attend. Even if you’re not making up the WOD, feel free to come in to judge and cheer!
Community Note: Good luck to Dan and Laurie who are attending the Level 1 Trainer certification at CrossFit King of Prussia this weekend!
“Annie” (50-40-30-20-10 double unders and sit ups)
Notes: Thanks for a great showing tonight for our first Open Competition! We’re looking forward to 4 more weeks of that much energy and excitement! We had a record turnout of 21 athletes WOD-ing in 1 night 🙂 If you signed up for the Open competition please sign into the Games site ASAP and enter your score so we can validate it for you. This MUST be done by Sunday 8pm!! Also – please remember to sign up for the 6:15am class if you are coming. This will be a fun Friday WOD!
On each jump you must touch an object 6″ above your reach, with both hands.
WOD Notes: You may think it is sick, twisted, or just plain mean… but CrossFit HQ has spoken. LET’S DO THIS! We will watch the full standards video tonight (once the site starts responding again…) and we’ll be prepared to brief you on any specific requirements.
Schedule Notes: Instead of Make Up Day, we are running the above WOD from 5-7:30pm. We will open the gym at 4:30 for athletes to start warming up, and we’ll go over standards at 5pm. The first heat will kick off at 5:15, and we’ll run heats continuously until all athletes have finished. You can arrive anytime between 4:30pm and 7:00pm to do the WOD. Just like Make Up Day, we’ll have a recommended warm up on the board, but it’s your responsibility to ensure you are fully warmed up. For those athletes competing in the 2012 Open, you’ll have a judge assigned to count your reps so we can fairly validate your score. For anyone not competing in the Open, you are absolutely still welcome to come do the WOD! This will count as a class if you are a punch card or 2x/week member.
7am burpees on Wheatland Street - name that CrossFitter!
Choose-your-weight dumbbells or kettlebells, then complete for time:
400m farmer’s carry
21-15-9 of box step ups (24/20″) and power snatch (one arm)
400m farmer’s carry
Any time you drop your DBs/KBs there is a 3 burpee buy-in to pick them back up.
WOD Notes: Today you get to choose your own weight DBs or KBs. As a general guideline, women should be between 10-26.5 lbs, and guys should be between 20-44lbs. Once you pick up your DBs/KBs, you must carry them for the entire WOD! Anytime you drop them to the floor (or rest them on any inanimate object…), it’s a 3 burpee buy in to pick them back up.
If tomorrow morning is really brutally cold, we WILL allow the breakfast club to do the farmer’s walk indoors, so don’t be afraid to show up nice and early. Please remember to sign up for the 6:15am class!
WOD Notes: This WOD was created by CrossFit BWI for their 2010 Mid-Atlantic Hopper Challenge. There are 2 rules – 1) Men and women both throw to 10′, and 2) you must catch the medicine ball after each rep! You may catch the ball and place it on the floor if you need a rest, but if you let the ball drop straight from the wall to the floor it’s a no-rep.
Thanks for another great week at ICA! Great job with some tough WODs this week. Rest up – another great week of WODs starts on Monday! Even though it’s Presidents Day, we have a normal schedule on Monday – 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30pm classes. See you there!
Welcome Tanner! And thanks to all our visitors today!!
“The Seven”
7 Rounds for time of:
7 handstand push ups
7 thrusters (135/95#)
7 knees to elbows
7 deadlifts (245/165#)
7 burpees
7 kb swings (2 pood/ 1.5 pood)
7 pull ups
WOD Notes: This is a hero WOD from main page. (Click HERE to see the hero WODs.) It’s a doozy – long and heavy – but don’t be scared! We will offer scales such as 4 or 5 rounds, or treat it as an AMRAP in 40 minutes.
Come on in between 5 and 7:30 tonight to make up any of the last 5 workouts. This week’s choices are:
8×3 back squat (50% 1RM), max consecutive push ups, partner tabata leg tosses
Valentine’s Day partner WOD (see 2/11 post for details)
For time, complete 25-20-15-10-5 of overhead squat (95/65#) and box jumps (24/20″)
1 rep max ground to overhead, then 3 clean and jerk on the minute for 6 minutes (75%)
3 intervals, each for time, of 500m row, 50DU, 25 pull ups. 3 min rest between rounds.
Special Note: I’m not long on words but this is worth saying. It was about this time last year that we really started forming the idea for ICA. I don’t think either of us expected it to develop into the community it has already become. You have done so much to help people reach their goals in and out of that gym. Your passion for the sport of fitness is unlike anyone I’ve ever met and it is a constant inspiration for me and many others to strive for excellence whenever you set foot in the gym. Thank you for everything you do. I love you babe.
All athletes will complete 2 intervals of the above sequence, with a 3 minute rest between rounds. Advanced athletes (and anyone else up for it!) will complete a third round.
3 clean and jerk on the minute for 6 minutes (75% of your 1RM)
WOD Notes: This is our Valentine’s day gift to you! Today you’ll find the heaviest weight you can get from the floor to overhead. For experienced CrossFitters, you’ll use a full squat clean into a split jerk. For newer CrossFitters, a power clean is permitted! For anyone with shoulder trouble, stick with a 1RM floor to shoulder.
If you’ve been thinking about registering for the 2012 CrossFit Open competition, what are you waiting for?!?! We already have a strong team of 11 athletes: John, Nikki, Karen, Mark, Killa, Kevin, Lindsey, Cari, Jimbo, Emily, and Phil. But we know there are others who expressed interest, and we want everyone who is interested to join us! (Don’t make us call you out Joe, Craig, Mike S…) Directions on how to register are posted below.
For those of you still unsure of what the Open is, it’s the first level of competition leading up to the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. Last year over 25,000 athletes participated worldwide. The 2012 Open will have 5 workouts, with one workout released each week for 5 consecutive weeks. Each athlete has until Sunday night to complete the workout and submit their score. At the end of the 5 workouts, the top 60 men, 60 women, and 30 teams from each region will move on to the 2nd phase of competition, Regionals.
We are in the Mid-Atlantic region along with all of PA, MD, DE, WV, VA, NC, and DC. John and Nikki both qualified for the Regionals last year, and we’re looking for a repeat this year! The Mid Atlantic Regionals are scheduled for May 4-6, 2012. After the Regionals competition, the top 3 men, 3 women, and 3 teams will be invited to compete in the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games.
The Open WODs could be ANYTHING. We’ll have no clue until each week when the new WOD is announced. If you’re curious, click HERE to see last year’s WODs. If you have to scale a movement or weight in an Open WOD, that’s a-okay! When you submit your score each week, you’ll just check a box saying you had to scale. Scaling any WOD means you wont be eligible to go to Regionals, but you can still complete in the Open and have fun!
We’ll be hosting the Open WODs on Thursday nights from 5-7pm, and we’ll offer a chance to make them up on Saturdays at 8am for anyone who had a true conflict with Thursday night. We encourage EVERYONE to sign up to compete – it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll get to see where you rank compared to the rest of the world’s CrossFit athletes. Plus, by joining our team, you may help us rank higher as a team!! Every week our box’s top 3 male and female scores will be used to calculate our team’s score.
Our goal is to have a fun, energy-filled, team building Open season. The more people who participate the better! Sign up today and help us show the world that for a small, first-year affiliate, we are second to none in terms of community and spirit!
How to Register for the Open:
Link to the registration page HERE. Once you create a profile and pay your entry fee ($20), be sure to select CrossFit Phoenixville as your affiliate, and also join team “Iron Cross Athletics CrossFit Phoenixville.”
9:00 class post Valentine's Day WOD!10am class post WOD!
Valentine’s Day Partner WOD
In teams of 2 complete:
50 kettlebell swings (53/35#)
50 sit ups
50L/50R walking lunge
50 box jumps (24/20″)
50 push ups
50 wall balls (20/14# to 10′)
50 pull ups
50 burpees
WOD Notes: One person is working at a time and partners do not need to do equal amounts of work, but each partner must complete at least 10 reps of each movement. There will be plenty of scaling options so come on out and have fun!
Community Notes: Sorry we were late posting this – but Happy Birthday to Matt Flick! (Morning Matt!)
Back squat 8 x 3 @ 50% of your 1 rep max (secret twist to be announced!)
Assistance:
Max consecutive push-ups
Partner Tabata leg tosses
WOD Notes: Come on in for another fun Friday at ICA! We’ll work some dynamic back squats and end with conditioning work. For the max consecutive push ups, you can pause and rest in the plank position, but you can’t put a knee down or come to a rest on the floor. For the partner Tabata leg tosses you’ll each do 4 sets of the 8 set workout.
Remember to sign up if you’re coming to the 6:15am class!
Join us between 5pm and 7:30pm to make up a workout you missed this week. Your choices are:
Teams of 4 have 20 minutes to score as many points as possible on: row, rope climb, keg, and tire flip. See the Feb 3 post for details. Can be done solo, or in smaller teams.
Overhead squat 1-1-1-1-1-1-1, then 200 meter sled drag (at bodyweight, or scale to 50% of your 1RM deadlift)
5 rounds for time of: 5 man makers, 3 box jumps (36/30″), then Bench Press 1-1-1-1-1
10 rounds for time of 5 burpees and 1 complex. The complex is 4 deadlifts, 3 hang power clean, 2 front squat, and 1 jerk (165/110# or 70% of your jerk)
WOD Notes: We’ll scale the complex to approximately 70% of your 1RM jerk.
Community Notes: This Saturday we’re hosting a special Valentine’s Day WOD during our 9am and 10am classes. Everyone can bring a guest for free, and it doesn’t have to be your Valentine! Bring a friend, sibling, parent, or coworker to partner with you for the WOD. Can’t convince anyone to join you? Come anyway! We’ll match you up with a partner when you get here.
Teams of 4 will have 20 minutes to score as many points as possible:
Row (1 calorie = 1 point)
Keg (to shoulder = 1 point, floor to overhead = 2 points)
Rope (rope pull = 1 point, rope climb = 3 points)
Tire (1 flip = 1 point)
WOD Notes: Teams can split up work and time intervals however they want to try to achieve the highest total points.
FYI – For any women interested in a discussion series on CrossFit related topics, Stephanie Vincent (a CrossFit coach at CFKOP) has organized “The Ladies RX Discussion Series.” It’s free and held through teleconference calls; there are 4 sessions total. Click HERE to read a flyer, and HERE to register! Space is limited, so sign up now!
Psssst – no one is signed up for 6:15am… get your names in there!
Sign up now for the 2012 Open competition! Cost is $20 to register. Link to the registration page HERE. Once you create a profile and pay your entry fee, be sure to select CrossFit Phoenixville as your affiliate, and also join team “Iron Cross Athletics CrossFit Phoenixville.” We encourage EVERYONE to sign up to compete – it’s a lot of fun, and you’ll get to see where you rank compared to the rest of the world’s CrossFit athletes. Plus, by joining our team, you can help us rank higher as a team!! Every week our box’s top 3 male and female scores will be used to calculate our team rank. Even if you don’t care where you rank individually, sign up to help us as a team! The first WOD will be announced Feb 22, and we’ll complete it on Feb 23. Get excited, this is gonna be a good time!
I’ve been working with CrossFit athletes for years, and one thing we all have in common is we LOVE to train and we HATE taking time off. When our lifts start to plateau, we automatically think we have to train more / train harder to get them to go up again. But, a lot of time, the exact opposite is true. If you’re the type of person who is doing 4-5 WODs a week, and really pushing yourself to high intensity, this message is for you: The quality of your rest and recovery is just as important as the quality of your training.
Last week you may have noticed that John didn’t complete a single workout from Sunday 1/22 until Saturday 1/28. That’s because on Saturday 1/21 he was warming up a deadlift when he tweaked his back – on a weight that should have been very light for him! He completed the WOD, but at a weight almost 4x less than what the WOD called for. Then, on Monday, he was warming up a front squat when he felt a sharp pain in his knee. He bailed out of the WOD completely.
That night John decided it was time for a deload week. His body was sending him a message – loud and clear – that it was tired and needed time for a deep, thorough recovery. John took a solid week away from CrossFit WODs. He did some light assistance work, lots of stretching, and suppressed the temptation to work out, even when some of his favorite lifts came up in the programming. John came back strong on Saturday 1/28, hitting a new PR of 285# on his Clean (and narrowly missing 295#)!
This week, it’s my turn for a deload week. Unlike John, I didn’t have any back or knee pain… my body sent me a much more subtle message. Have you ever had a day when you pick up a 95# barbell, and it feels like 115#? Or you do a 400m run and your feet like they’re inside concrete shoes? If it happens just once, maybe you were just having an “off” day. But if it happens a few days in a row, your body may be trying to tell you something. That it’s tired, and it needs some time off to rest and recover. That’s what happened to me.
If you’re the type of person who is doing 4-5 WODs a week, and really pushing yourself to high intensity, this message is for you: The quality of your rest and recovery is just as important as the quality of your training. Help your body recover by practicing good nutrition every day, and taking in a recovery meal or drink immediately after your workout. Then, about once every 6-8 weeks, take a week COMPLETELY off. Here are some signs you may be overtraining:
You tweak a muscle doing a light or routine lift.
A barbell, kettlebell, or wall ball that you frequently lift feels heavy and unmanageable.
You have trouble hitting high intensity in a WOD because your mind and/or body are holding you back.
You have trouble sleeping
You notice a change in your appetite.
You can’t seem to kick a cold.
You’re less “lean” than normal, even though you’re working out more.
You are constantly sore and tight.
If any of these sound like you, please talk to John, Nikki, or one of our coaching interns… and consider the benefits of a deload week!
Community Notes: Happy birthday Morgan! And, happy 6 months to I.C.A.! Thanks to all of you for being part of our ICA community – without you (and your hard work, dedication and enthusiasm) we wouldn’t be here today!
Note – please remember to sign up for the 6:15am class if you are coming…
WOD Notes: You get to choose the weight of your barbell, starting at PVC for beginners all the way up to a 45# barbell for advanced athletes. It’s going to be a beautiful morning so come get your run on!!
For our final Competitor WOD at 11am, the lift will be a (squat) Clean and the skill will be muscle ups!
We know it feels like winter is dragging on, but here are a few dates and announcements to get you psyched for the month of February!
February 1 – Registration launches for the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games Open competition!! Click HERE to visit the beta site for the 2012 Games and sign up for an account.
February 11 – Our first annual Valentine’s Day WOD! Bring a spouse, significant other, friend, or family member for FREE to partner up with you for today’s WOD. If you don’t have a partner don’t worry – we’ll pair you up! All movements will be scalable for all ages and abilities.
February 22 – The first Open WOD is announced!
February 23 – No Make Up Session. Instead we will run Open WOD #1 from 5:00-7:30pm. (More details below.)
The 2012 CrossFit Games Open
The Open is the first level of competition for CrossFit athletes looking to qualify for the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. For an in-depth explanation of the CrossFit Games season, read here. The Open consists of 5 workouts that will take place over 5 consecutive weeks, from Feb 22 to March 25. Every Wednesday a new WOD will be announced, and athletes will have until that Sunday to complete the WOD and post their scores to the web. The Open is the most inclusive competition in the world – it is open to everyone/anyone who wants to register.
At ICA, we will host the Open WODs on Thursday nights. This will replace our Make Up Session for 5 weeks, from Feb 22 through March 22. You can join us on Thursday nights to work out even if you don’t formally register… but we encourage everyone to register! The cost is minimal (I think it was $10 last year), and we guarantee you’ll have fun, learn a lot about yourself, and take your intensity to a whole new level. If an athlete who registered for The Open can not make it to the Thursday night WOD, we will offer a chance to make it up on Saturday mornings.
Please see Nikki or John if you have any questions!
Take 4 attempts to find your max weight at the following complex:
1 shoulder press
3 push press
5 push jerk
Cash out: Max consecutive double unders (or single unders)
WOD Notes: For the barbell complex, you’ll do 1 shoulder press, immediately into 3 push presses, immediately into 5 push jerks. Once you successfully complete the complex you can rest and recover, then increase the weight and try again. You must complete 4 full complexes. Your score will the heaviest weight successfully completed.
Note – Please remember to sign up for the 6:15am class if you are coming!
Come in between 5 and 7:30 to make up one of the last 5 workouts. This week your choices are:
Buy in: 30 burpees for time. Assistance work: 4 lengths banded lateral walks, 20L/20R one leg Romanian deadlifts, 100 abmat situps, 100 abmat back extensions
AMRAP in 15 minutes of: 5 deadlifts (70% 1rm) and 50 double unders
Front Squat 2-2-2-2-2, then 7 rounds of: 7 front squat (95/65#) and 7 ring pushups
Interval Day – 3 short metcons of rowing, push press, SDHP, and toes to bar (see Jan 23 post for details)
1 rep max hang squat snatch, then 3 rounds for time of 15 hang power snatch (95/65#) and 15 wall balls (20/14# to 10/9′)
Announcement – If the paved parking spots along Wheatland Street are full, consider parking in the gated parking lot on the side or back of the building. The gates stay open until 8pm, and the lots are paved and plowed! If you park on the side (near the baseball field), enter the door where we placed our A-frame ICA sign. If you park in back, you’ll enter on the floor below us. Take the stairs to the 2nd floor and turn right!
Front Squat 2-2-2-2-2
Then
7 rounds of 7 ring push ups & 7 front squat (95/65#)
WOD Notes: The sub for ring push ups will be hand-release push ups.
Thanks for another great week at ICA! Rest up and enjoy your weekend. Lindsey – if you didn’t already guess – this pic is for you! Great job on your DUs this week!
SNOW ANNOUNCEMENT: WE’RE AT THE GYM, SO CLASSES ARE ON FOR TODAY! PLEASE DRIVE SAFELY IF YOU ARE COMING TO CLASS – THE ROADS ARE SLIPPERY. JOHN AGREED TO REVOKE THE LATE PENALTY (BURPEES!) FOR THIS MORNING 🙂 , SO PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME AND BE SAFE!
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
5 dead lifts (70% 1rm)
50 double unders
WOD Notes: We will scale the 50 DU as needed to keep you moving through this WOD!
Thank you to everyone who expressed interest in becoming a Coaching Intern at ICA. We are proud to announce the selection of three new interns! Please take the time to congratulate each one; we are very excited to have them on board, and we’re expecting big things! Each intern is already a Level 1 CrossFit Trainer, with lots of CrossFit experience to help you reach your goals. In no particular order… (okay, it’s alphabetical)…
Thanks for another great week at ICA! Rest up, stay warm, and enjoy your Sunday!
Community Note: Last week we announced a schedule change – starting tomorrow we are going to a 4:30/5:30/6:30pm schedule on Mondays. To minimize confusion, we are also changing Tuesday to the same. Wednesday evenings we’ll have a 4:30 and 5:30pm ONLY. To make up for the slightly earlier Wednesday, Thursday’s Make Up Session will stay open until 7:30pm. (Please be in the door by 7!) To see the full schedule click HERE.
WOD Notes: You can complete the reps in any order. 5 rounds of 20 sit ups, 40 double unders, 1 rope climb? Maybe you want to try it as a chipper? Just get the reps done the fastest way you can!
Cari grinds it out on the bench with Matt spotting for safety!
“Lynne”
5 rounds for max reps of:
Bodyweight Bench Press
Pull ups
WOD Notes: “Lynne” is designed to be 5 max efforts with rest in between. You perform maximum reps on the bench, then IMMEDIATELY jump on the pull up bar and do a max set of pull ups. You get to rest and recover after the pull ups, then repeat for 5 rounds. Score is total number of reps.
In teams of 4, complete a 4800 meter (3 mile) run for time. Teams will rotate through four stations: run, KBS, burpee, and a rest station. Each team member must rotate in the prescribed order and contribute 1200m of running. Your team can choose to break the run into 200m or 400m increments. Your team’s score is the time it takes to complete the 3 mile run, but you can subtract 1 second for each KBS and burpee completed. The fastest time wins!
Thanks for a GREAT first week of 2012! Rest up and enjoy your weekend – you’ve earned it!
Community Note: Starting NEXT Monday Jan 16, we are expanding the Monday night schedule. This is due to multiple requests to have a slightly later offering, and the 5pm class growing quickly! We are going to have a 4:30, 5:30, and 6:30pm class on Mondays. We will be looking for your feedback, and if it works well we will go to the same schedule on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the future.
Mike Keeley with a great example of what the finish should look like!Cari powering through kipping pull ups
“Badger” – 3 rounds for time of:
30 squat clean (95/65#)
30 pull ups
800 m run
OR
“Honey Badger” – 3 rounds for time of:
20 squat clean
20 pull ups
400 m run
WOD Notes: Badger is a hero WOD, and it’s a doozy. We’re offering a slightly shorter version, the Honey Badger, for anyone looking to keep it under 30 minutes.
Competitor WOD: Today at 11am is our first of 5 competitor WODs. The session is free for any of our members looking to compete this season. We also welcome coaches and competitors from other gyms, but please let us know if you are planning on coming! Every week we will work 1 lift and 1-2 skills. These will be announced the night before. At the end of the session we’ll do a metcon incorporating some of the movements just practiced. The exact metcon will not be announced. This is a great opportunity to work two-a-days if you’d like, but consider scaling to the Honey Badger if you are looking to do both WODS.
Nothing as bad ass as a girl with a sledgehammer 🙂The breakfast club takes it to the tire
Banded shoulder press 3 x 3
Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1
Then
100 sledge hammer swings (not for time)
WOD Notes: Sledge hits will be against a tire with a variety of weighted hammers. Women will primarily use 6lb and men will be using 10lb. The banded shoulder presses should be fairly light as they are preparing you to attempt a 1 rep max shoulder press.
Remember we are also running a Goal Setting Workshop from 6:30-7:30pm. It’s not a lecture but a chance to brainstorm goals, talk them through with a coach, and commit to them by posting them to our goals board! Hope to see you all there!
WOD Notes: Complete all reps of each movement before moving on to the next exercise. There are a lot of reps but don’t be intimidated – they’ll go by quickly! As always, we’ll scale reps and weights as needed.
Death by 10 meters (shuttle run) – AMRAP in 20 minutes
WOD Notes: “Death by” workouts can be done with pretty much any CrossFit movement. What it means is in the first minute you do 1 repetition, then you rest for the remainder of the minute. In the second minute you do 2 repetitions, then rest for the remainder of the minute. You continue until you can’t do the required number of reps for that minute. At which point you reset to 1 rep, and start building up all over again. The workout will last 20 minutes total, and your score will be the total number of 10 meter shuttle runs you completed.
Slow pull to mid thigh, explosive through the middle!
“Isabel” – 30 snatch for time (135/95#)
WOD Notes: Isabel is a short metcon, ideally in the sub 10 minute time frame. Isabel is most commonly done with a power snatch, but you can choose to squat snatch or power snatch to accomplish your 30 reps.
We are looking to hire a few Coaching Interns for this winter/spring. Our goal is to have some folks trained and ready to fill in for us whenever we are away. (Especially next July 6 – 21 when we’ll be gone for 2 weeks for our wedding and honeymoon!)
To be considered for a Coaching Intern position, individuals must:
Have an active membership or punch card at ICA. (Preference will be given to full time members due to their familiarity with our coaching styles and members.)
Be Level 1 CrossFit trainer OR planning to attend a Level 1 course in the next 6 months. (Preference will be given to those who have already completed the L1.)
Submit a one-page Statement of Interest describing your background, why you are interested in coaching at ICA, and your confidence and ability to be a CrossFit coach.
If you are interested in applying, please read through our ICA Coaching Manual. It describes the different levels of coaches and the responsibilities of each type of coach. Please submit your one-page Statements by Saturday January 14. Thanks for your interest!
Happy New Year to our all friends and family at I.C.A.! Thanks for a fantastic first 5 months… we can’t wait to see what 2012 has in store! Take time today to start setting goals for the new year, and bring ’em with you on Thursday night for our Goal Setting Workshop from 6:30-7:30pm.
Come on in between 9:00 and 10:30am for our New Years Eve open gym! It’s free for members and punch card athletes; $10 for guests/visitors. This is your last chance to meet your goals for 2011… we’ll be muscle up-ing, double under-ing, deadlift-ing and baseline-ing our way to some new PRs! Even if you didn’t set any goals for 2011, come on in and do a WOD you’ve been wanting to try!
December 31 – “Last Chance Open Gym” from 9:00-10:30am. FREE for all members and those with an active punchcard; guests are welcome for a reduced drop-in fee of $10. This is your chance to meet any remaining goals for 2011, or try a WOD you’ve been thinking about.
January 5 – “Goal Setting Workshop” from 6:30-7:30pm. Have you been thinking about your goals for 2012? Need help deciding? Join us next Thursday night to develop your 2012 goals, and get tips on how to reach them. This isn’t a lecture; you can come anytime during the hour and we’ll be available to chat one-on-one or in a small group!
January 7 – Competitor WOD 11am*
January 14 – Competitor WOD 11am
January 21 – Competitor WOD 11am
January 28 – Competitor WOD 11am
*During the month of January we’re offering a “Competitor WOD” each Saturday at 11am. The purpose is to get our athletes ready for the CrossFit Open competition, which starts in late February. We will focus on olympic lifting, higher end gymnastics skills, and incorporating heavier weights into workouts. The workouts are free for all ICA members and punchcard athletes who are interested in competing this season. (We also welcome competitors and trainers from other gyms, but please contact us in advance if you are interested in joining us!) For more information on the Open, read HERE and HERE.
WOD Notes: Tabata is a timed workout in which you complete 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest repeated for a total of 8 work sets. Bottom to bottom means the 10 seconds of rest is spent at the bottom of the squat. Your score is the number of reps in your lowest round.
Grebe working hard with the girls gabbing in the background 🙂
Thruster 3-3-3-3-3
Then
Partner Kalsu: With one partner working at a time, complete 100 thrusters (135/95#) for time. At the start of each minute, complete 5 burpees.
WOD Notes: The 3RM thruster will come from the floor. You may squat clean into your first thruster. For Partner Kalsu, partner 1 starts by doing 5 burpees then completing as many thrusters as possible in the remainder of 1 minute. At the start of the next minute, partner 1 rests and partner 2 completes 5 burpees followed by as many thrusters as possible in the remainder of the minute. Repeat until you reach 100 thrusters as a team.
(Reminder – we are running one class only today – at noon!)
WOD Notes: Okay, okay – we know we beat you up pretty bad this week. Thanks to everyone for showing up for the torture! Come join us on Friday for an assistance / recovery day before Christmas weekend begins. Remember Friday is a normal schedule, then Saturday and Sunday we’re closed, and Monday we’ll have just ONE class – at noon.
Come join us between 5 and 7 p.m. to make up a workout from the last week of programming. It seems like a group is forming to do the Christmas WOD so you won’t be alone if you had your eye on it! This week’s choices are:
Bench Press 3-3-3-3-3 then 2 min at each station of: rope climb, sandbag clean (45/25#), farmer’s walk (135/95#), DB push press (40/25#), kettlebell swing (70/53#)
“12 Days of Christmas” — see the post from 12/17 for details.
“J.T.” 21-15-9 of handstand push up, ring dip, push up
Banded box back squat 12×2 (55% 1RM) then 40-30-20-10 med ball clean (20/14#) with 150 shuttle run after each round
3 rounds, each for time, of: 10L/10R KB power snatch (53/35#), 20 wall ball (20/14# to 10/9′), 20 pull ups, 20 thrusters (55/40#). Full recovery between rounds.
WOD Notes: Each round should be hard and fast! You’ll get full recovery between rounds. Pick weights and rep schemes that will allow you to minimize your breaks. (Translation: try to do each movement consecutively!)
WOD Notes: This workout is another benchmark hero that will often not leave you out of breath but will completely fatigue your triceps. Soreness is common afterward.
Thanks for another great week at ICA! Rest up and get ready for another great week of WODs starting Monday. We have a regular schedule through Friday of next week, but we’re closed 12/24.
WOD Notes: Join us at 9am (only 1 class) for our first 12 Days of Christmas WOD! Just like the song, you start with Day 1. Then for the 2nd round you do Day 2 and Day 1. For the third round you do Day 3, 2, and 1. Continue all the way to round 12, where you do all of the movements (12 down to 1), and finally you’re done! We’ll run a Holiday Grab Bag immediately after the WOD, probably around 10:15/10:30. Bring a WRAPPED gift of NO MORE than $5 if you want to participate in the grab bag.
Thanks for another great week at ICA! Rest up and get ready for some more fun WODs next week. Remember next Saturday we’ll do the 12 days of Christmas WOD followed by a Holiday Grab Bag. Because it’s a special occasion we’ll run only one class – from 9:00am to 10:30am, with the grab bag to follow.
WOD Notes: You all knew it was coming… our first WOD with handstand walks! Don’t be intimidated, get excited! As always we have some creative scales in mind, such as wall climbs or wall handstand holds. Guaranteed to be a good time.
Community Notes: This is our first Friday with THREE classes on the schedule – join us at 6:15am, 4:30pm, or 5:30pm. We’ll be heading over to wings at 6:30 🙂
Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1, then cash out: max rope climbs in 3 minutes
100 double under buy-in, then in remainder of 15 minutes complete an AMRAP of: 5 ring dips, 10 pistols (5R/5L), 15 KBS (53/35#). Score is total number of reps completed
Welcome Craig - first class!Lindsey rocking 20" box jumps tonight!
“300”
For time complete:
25 pull ups
50 deadlifts (135/95#)
50 push ups
50 box jumps (24/20″)
50 floor wipers (135/95#)
50 one-arm DB clean & jerk (35/15#)
25 pull ups
WOD Notes: This WOD was used by the actors who played the Spartans in the movie “300.″ It was a benchmark during their training process. It’s a great chipper with 300 total reps and some new movements for some of you – like floor wipers and dumbbell clean and jerks!
Starting next week, we are making TWO permanent changes to the schedule:
Saturdays are going to be twice as much fun! That’s because we’re adding a second class, at 10am. If you like to get your workout done early, the 9am class is still the place to be! If you like to sleep in, join us at 10am.
Fridays we are no longer offering the 5pm class! We are splitting it into 2 classes – a 4:30pm and a 5:30pm.
We anticipate adding more classes to the schedule in the next few months; if you have a specific request for a class time talk to Nikki or John anytime. If you get at least 5 people to commit to a class, we’ll do our best to add it to the schedule. Click HERE to see our new schedule!
A few important dates and schedule changes for this month…
December 3 – CrossFit Del Val is hosting a WOD ‘n Wings event this Saturday. Click HERE for more details. Join John & Nikki for the wings competition at noon, or go to Del Val ahead of us and participate in the team WOD at 10am (you’ll be assigned a team once you get there). This will be a really fun event attended by many of the local affiliates.
December 17 – Our first annual “I.C.A. 12 days of Christmas WOD.” Guaranteed to be a fun workout that you don’t want to miss! After the WOD we’ll have a Holiday Grab Bag. To participate just bring a wrapped gift (worth $5 or less)!
December 24 – We will be closed for Christmas Eve.
December 25 – We will be closed for Christmas Day.
December 26 – We will be OPEN! One class only, 12:00pm.
December 31 – Last Chance Open Gym – 9:00-10:30am. Come on in for one last chance to break those 2011 goals you set for yourself! Didn’t set any goals? Then use the time for a work out of your choice!
Come join us between 5 and 7 p.m. to make up one of the previous 5 workouts you may have missed. This week’s choices are:
Teams of 4: 100 burpees, 200 m run, 200 push press, 200 m run, 300 sit-ups, 200 m run, 400 squats, 200 m run. 2 people working at a time except all runs as a team.
“The Firebird” – 5 rds of 800 m run, 5 muscle ups, 10 hang power clean (155/100#), 20 wallballs, 30 double unders.
“The Bear”- 5 rds for max weight of the following sequence: power clean, front squat, push press, back squat, push press, seven times in a row without putting the bar down
100, 150, or 200 burpees for time.
5-5-5-5-5 deadlift, then 3 rds for time of 10 vertical jumps (18″/14″), 20 slamballs (20#/14), 30 sit-ups
WOD Notes: You have five rounds to find your max weight for the bear complex. The bear complex is a barbell progression consisting of power clean -> front squat -> push press -> back squat -> push press (from behind the head). Tap the floor and repeat for a total of SEVEN times through the sequence. A few ground rules: You ARE allowed to combine the front squat -> push press into a thruster. (Same for the back squat -> push press.) You MAY NOT rest the bar on the floor until you complete all 7 times through the sequence. For a video demonstration of the WOD, see below.
