Thomas is excited for tonights Open announcement, are you?!
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WOD

Option 1:
“Goat Day”
On the Minute x 20
Odd Minutes: Movement 1
Even Minutes: Movement 2

“Goat” is CrossFit slang for a movement that challenges us. Examples: Double-Unders, Pull-ups, Overhead Squats, Handstand Push-ups. These are the best days to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths. No better way to do that than today. We don’t improve our technique with a high heart rate – that’s what we refer to as “training”. Today is geared towards “practice,” dialing in our mechanics with a controlled heart rate. As an example, to improve the technique of double-unders, we want to practice at a low-intensity where we can really focus on the mechanics of the hands and the timing of the jump. When we couple “training” with “practice” throughout the week in the right doses, we set ourselves on the fast track to results. Choose two “Goats” to work on, and we’ll alternate between them on each minute. Choose an appropriate rep scheme for each movement that keeps things in the practice intensity range.

For the next five Thursdays during the Open, we will run these Goat Days. Since we do not know what movements will come out for Friday’s workout, this is an opportunity for athletes to choose what they would like to do as opposed to programming movements that may or may not show up tomorrow. Athletes have the option to stick with the same movements each week or switch things up. There are pros and cons to both. Sticking to the same movements and creating a “mini progression” can be very helpful. If the movement athletes are working on come up in the Open, they may want to switch to something that hasn’t come up yet to get prepared for that. No right or wrong answer here.

Option 2:
OPEN GYM
Make up a WOD that you missed, or a WOD that you have really been wanting to try, work on skills, etc!

*You must still come to one of the regularly scheduled WOD times.
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DAILY MINDSET

“I attribute my success to this – I never gave, or took, any excuse.”

~Florence Nightingale

Jocko Willink, a well-known former Navy SEAL, speaks to what is known as “Extreme Ownership”. Precisely as the words imply, it’s the action of turning inward at every obstacle.

The terrifying thing about excuses, is that it blinds us to our next move. If we excuse, or justify, we at a subconscious level tell ourselves that this is “out of my control”. That this was a fluke, or a chance event, and there’s nothing I could do differently next time. We can see the danger in that.

On the flip side, “Extreme Ownership” is not about beating ourselves up or for throwing pity parties. It’s purely, so we can train ourselves to open our vision on where to go next. To see the gain. If we don’t allow ourselves to make excuses, we ask the question – “What can I do differently next time?”

Excuses are contagious. As we feel the temptation come today, pause in the moment. Is there anything I could do differently next time?

Becky is getting in touch with her inner fitness model as her hair blows in the wind during her bike ride!
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WOD

“WOW Air”
3 Rounds:
50 Air Squats
400 Meter Run
30/24 Calorie Row
200 Meter Wreck Bag Run (50/35)
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DAILY MINDSET

“We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know.”

~W. H. Auden

Dan and MK are leading the 6am through their Burpee Box Jump Overs!
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WOD

Strength:
Deadlift
Build to a Heay Set of 5

Conditioning:
“Detention”
AMRAP 12:
6 Strict Handstand Push-ups
9 Deadlifts (225/155)
30 Double Unders
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DAILY MINDSET

“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance. It is the illusion of knowledge.”

~Steven Hawking

One of the largest dangers in life is a closed mind. The scariest part: we often don’t even realize it’s even happening. It’s never done on purpose.

It’s how our mind operates by default. When we believe we have the answer, we stop looking for the solution. We not only stop seeking it out, but we no longer sensitive to the thought of another option. We can effectively blind ourselves.

Purely acknowledging that human condition can be all that we need. It’s the consistent reminder to always remain a student, most especially, when we are convinced we have things figured out.

As Socrates said, “All I know, is that I know nothing.”
Grateful for what we have learned, yet eager to climb higher.

Baylie gets a perfect 10 for her Thruster performance!
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WOD

“Rugrats”
On the 4:00 x 5 Rounds:
9 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20)
15 Dumbbell Front Squats (50’s/35’s)
15/12 Calorie Bike
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DAILY MINDSET

“I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at their rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it, but all that had gone before.”

~Jacob Riis

We crave the confirmation of progress. Whether that be weekly increases in weights, continual raises at work, or anything between. It can be in our nature to seek out those signals. Yet we can learn something from the stonecutter.

When a stonecutter addresses their next task, splitting a giant stone in two, they starts hammering away. One blow at a time, they line up each and every strike with meticulous precision. 10 strikes pass by, and there is no visible change to the stone. 50 strikes go by, and still no visible change. No cracks, dents, or any indication of… anything. 100 strikes pass, and, the same. On the 101st strike, it splits in two.

Through the 100 strikes, there wasn’t an external signal or sign that this was working. But beneath the surface, invisible to the eye, the stone was splitting with each passing blow. It wasn’t something different about the final strike… it was instead the culmination of all 101 blows. Impossible without a single one of them.

True change takes place from the inside out. And much like the stonecutter, we have two options: to spend emotional energy worrying if we’re making progress, or to have full faith in the process, spending every ounce of focus we have on that next strike.

Lauren is getting low as she works through a heavy set of 6 Back Squats!
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Reminder: There will be Open Gym today from 8:00am to 10:00am. Come get your weekend WOD on!
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WOD

“Watered Down”
5 Rounds:
1000-800-600-400-200 Meter Row
100 Meter Farmers Carry (70’s/50’s)
100′ Walking Lunges
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DAILY MINDSET

“Adversity causes some to break. For others, it breaks records.”

In the very specific moment, adversity hurts. Let’s not create an illusion that it’s all sunshine and rainbows. It will try our values, test our patience, and challenge who we are as human beings. It’s not always a warm cup of cocoa on a winter morning.

But a warm cup of cocoa doesn’t make us better. Nailing a perfect squat snatch doesn’t make us better. Giving a flawless presentation at work doesn’t make us better. We learn when we make mistakes. When we miss, fall over, and get caught off guard. At our very basic biological level, this is how we adapt. Stressors are good for us.

That is, of course, if we them to our advantage. A lesson is useless if we apply it. To many, adversity = outcome. This happened, and that’s it. I didn’t get the job, because “the other guy was more qualified”. Let’s not stop there. Let’s accept the situation for whatever it is, and create an actionable step forward. Not a rose tinted, “the world is good” delusion, but rather recognizing that complaining or wishing things were different gets us nowhere. Instead, we’re going to take the challenge to earn greatness, out of something that once was not. This is the championship mindset.

Adversity + Response = Opportunity.

The Daves, getting work done!
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WOD

“BFF”
Teams of 2
AMRAP 20:
50 Wallballs (20/14)
40 Kettlebell Swings (53/35)
30/24 Calorie Row
20 Double Dumbbell Devils Press

*One athlete works at a time in this partner workout
*Athletes are free to split reps however they see fit

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DAILY MINDSET

“There may be people that have more talent than you, but there’s no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.”

~Derek Jeter

Whether we believe in talent or not irrelevant.
Everyone, however, should believe in hard work.

When we were born, we looked just like the next baby. We didn’t have any skills, any separating “talents”. Nothing. We learned everything, from scratch.

Yet, there is a time in our lives that we think we can’t learn anymore. That we can’t adapt. That we’re too old to learn new tricks.

In that moment, remind ourselves…. nothing has changed but our perceptions. It’s a self-imposed limit that goes directly against our greatest strength, and what makes us human. Adaptability.

The difficult pill to swallow is that when we chalk it up to not having the “talent”, it’s really an excuse. An excuse that we don’t want to put in the hard work.

When we can see it from that angle, talent doesn’t matter. All that matters now, is how hard we’re willing to think, plan, strategize…. and work.

We are so excited that Heather is back and hitting it hard!
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WOD

“Adderall”
0:00 – 10:00
1 Mile Run
Max Clean and Jerks (135/95)

10:00 – 13:00
Rest

13:00 – 20:00
800 Meter Run
Max Power Snatches (115/80)

20:00 – 23:00
Rest

23:00 – 27:00
400 Meter Run
Max Thrusters (95/65)

*Score is total barbell reps completed.
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DAILY MINDSET

“Belief is irresistible.”

~Phil Knight

Inspiration can move us for a couple moments. Motivation, might have hours. A day at most. They both run out. Belief however, will never. Belief is unending.

When we believe to the core of our being in something, failure is not an option. It’s just not a possibility in our world. We can get kicked down, beat up, thrown into the mud over and over… but it won’t matter. Because we’ll get back up, every time smarter. Belief knows nothing but to try once more.

Yet one of the greatest tragedies in life is that we don’t believe.
We don’t believe we have control over our lives.
We don’t believe we have the capabilities, or if we ever will.
We don’t believe we’re the right person.

Yet one thing we can believe – that is it us, and only us, that can create the life we want. And if we can take that to heart, then there is nothing else to do, but to try once more.

Who doesn’t love a great group warm up!
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WOD

Option 1:
Strength:
Back Squat
3 Sets of 6

Conditioning:
“Underbelly”
50-35-20:
Double-Unders
AbMat Sit-Ups

Directly Into…

50-35-20:
Double-Unders
Air Squats

Option 2:
OPEN GYM
Make up a WOD that you missed, or a WOD that you have really been wanting to try, work on skills, etc!

*You must still come to one of the regularly scheduled WOD times.
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DAILY MINDSET

“What you dwell on, is what you become.”

~Oprah Winfrey

Humans are the ultimate adaptation machine. The most malleable species on the planet. It’s incredibly important to be thoughtful of what we think about, for what we “dwell” on will literally come to life.

Many unfortunately can dwell on a negative image of themselves. They beat themselves up for mistakes, and convince themselves they don’t have what it takes. That they aren’t the right person to accomplish those kind of aspirations.

Yet, the truth we can all agree on is that none of us currently, at this moment, “have what it takes”… otherwise we’d already be there. We’re all in the same boat, driving forward awkwardly, figuring things out along the way.

Instead of dwelling on the thought of not having what it takes, dwell on the thought, of earning what it takes.

Dwell on an image of you, busting your ass. Dwell on an image of you, sweating, bending over backwards, in order to reach where we want to go. Dwell on an image of you, struggling more than you ever have in your entire life… and making it.

We will not rise to the level of our goals. We instead will fall, to the level of our commitment.

Can you tell they’re sisters?! Great minds think alike!
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WOD

Strength:
Strict Press
Build to Heavy Single

Conditioning:
“Miracle-Gro”
5 Rounds:
200 Meter Run
12/9 Calorie Assault Bike
9 Strict Presses (95/65)
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DAILY MINDSET

“When you complain, nobody wants to help you.”

~Steven Hawking

Complaining is a contagious disease. And the worst part about it – it feels valid. Especially in that precise moment, it always feels justified.

It’s not going to be the small instance today or next week that will make the difference. This disease does not kill overnight. It’s the culmination that will… a death of a thousand cuts. Invisibly day-by-day taking the life and opportunity away from not only us, but those around us.

Complaining doesn’t happen by accident. It’s a conscious choice, every time, which means we can consciously choose to control it.

Never whine, never complain, never make excuses.

Chayden has been working so hard to prepare for “selection”. Good luck this month Chayden!
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WOD

“Ecod”
3 x AMRAP 4:
15 Burpee Box Jump Overs (24/20)
21 Power Cleans
27/21 Calorie Row

Rest 4 Minutes

Round 1: 135/95
Round 2: 115/85
Round 3: 95/65
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DAILY MINDSET

“Action is the fundamental key to all success.”

~Picasso

There is no substitute for action. This is not breaking news.

Everyone has big plans. Big aspirations. The blueprint to “get there”. As integral as it is to have a plan, this is the easy part. And it’s where most stop, because it’s about to get hard.

A famous old American cartoon, “G.I. Joe”, finished every show with a saying: “Knowing is half the battle”. Despite the right intentions behind it, we recognize now it’s a false statement.

Knowing is not half the battle.
It’s not even a quarter.
It’s the first 10%, if that.
Action is 90%.