• The CrossFit Games were INCREDIBLE! It was great to see so many Volts and Vixens at the event, and for all of us to get a chance to see CrossFit done at it’s very highest level. If you missed it, you missed out on the official launch of a 21st Century Sport…or as Reebok called it, ‘CrossFit is the sport of the 21st Century’. It is our sport, and it is CrossFit! If you want to see how big this last weekend was, start asking people if they know what CrossFit is…compare that to how many people gave you crazy looks last week.
• This event was also the largest convergence, as CFHV Volt Armandi called it ‘of attractive people ever’.  I think he was right on the mark!

Don’t forget that this week is our Fitness Testing & Assessment Week! Monday’s test will be your 1RM Front Squat and max set of pull ups. We normally don’t do ‘tests’ every day, but with proper training, advanced program design for beginners, intermediate, and advanced athletes, we know you’re all going to step up to yet another challenge.

We’re excited to see everyone’s results! Come in ready to work!!!

• We’re all pretty exhausted from an incredible weekend, so I’ll do a more thorough write up later this week…but in the meantime, here are some photos from the weekend with a little caption to tide many of you over.

We got to watch Rob Orlando teach a ginormous tire flip (‘you gotta knee it when it’s heavy’!)

Carly & Nick Jr got to go Stand Up Paddle Boarding (SUP)! How huge of an event has a SUP spot?!?! And in the spirit of regularly learn & play new sports, is anyone interested in learning this at our upcoming beach day?

And I ran into one of the people who got me started in CrossFit, my close friend and co-owner of CrossFit Threshold in Miami, Elisha! We lived and trained together at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs for 2 years, traveled the world trying to kick foreigners in the face (for sport!), and we both got a bronze medal at the World Championships on the same day in 2003 in Germany! Hadn’t seen her since 2005, and we both couldn’t believe that we’re in better shape now because of CrossFit. Good times!

Finally, I got a really cool photo sent to me from my Mom, who is in Russia right now coaching the US National Taekwondo ‘technical’ team. And since she’s in Russia, she’s doing ‘Russian Swings’…what else do you do there? My mom’s been CrossFitting for about 3 years now, is in incredible shape, and couldn’t wait to get a WOD in on foreign soil.

When I asked her what type of equipment they have in Russia she sent me this:

Look kinda familiar? All around the world people are starting to figure out that there is 1 predominant way to get people FIT!

Monday’s Testing:

A. In 10 Minutes, find a 1 Rep Max Front Squat

Rest exactly 2 minutes

Perform Max Rep Pull Ups

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-The first event has been announced! It will take place at Santa Monica Beach this Friday at 7am…be there if you can!!!

Who here is NOT excited about the CrossFit Games this weekend? I can’t wait for this to go down!!!

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WOD:

All Levels CrossFit

Wall Ball, Double Unders, Push Ups

5 Rounds for time

20x Wall Ball

20x Double Unders

20x Push Ups

• Stronger Faster Healthier Products are IN!!!
• Are you ready for the CrossFit Games this weekend at the Home Depot Center?!?! We are…well of course we are, we are Ever Ready…but this weekend the best athletes in the world will be completing some of the most physically demanding workouts, and at the end, someone will be named the Fittest! The entire event will be streaming online at games.crossfit.com…but trust me, if you can see it in person, GO! We went last year and had an absolute blast. Who knows, next year it may very well be some firebreather next to you that is going!
• Remember, next week we will be doing our own Fitness Testing, Monday through Friday, so it is super important that you Get in the Game! Each day we will be doing a different WOD designed to not only test and identify your abilities, but it will help us with your future programming and allow us to continue getting everyone here in the best shape of their lives.

Are you Ready?!?!

7pm Level 1 was ready tonight!

Wednesday’s WOD

All Levels CrossFit: 

Ax3. Tire Flip & Jump In & Out AQAP x 5

B. L-Sit. Max Effort x 2 attempts.

C. 500 Meter Row Test

D. Double Alternating Tabata, max reps

Box Jumps

Bumper Plate Sit Ups

• We’re planning a beach day...and we need your input! CFHV is going to have an ‘End of Summer Bash’, on the last weekend of August, and we would like your input on which beach might be fun. Once we get some ideas, we’ll email everyone and have a vote. So…get those ideas flowing.
  

• Today is the day many of you have been waiting for…the latest batch of Stronger Faster Healthier should be in by this afternoon. This stuff will go fast. That’s because you it works so well, and it’s because everyone has been doing a great job this summer of staying on track of their recovery! First come, first served…even though it’s a huge order, it may be gone by the weekend…
  

Cristian is getting his 44# weighted pull up on! Cristian had ACL surgery a few months ago, but he hasn’t let what he can’t do stop what he can do. He has been consistent in his training, has listened closely to our Coaching staff’s advice about what to do for his workouts, how to properly scale his movements so he will continue to improve on his rehab, and he has had a great attitude doing it. Remember, the most unsafe activity you can do…is to continue to do nothing! Everything else is better than that.

Our Level 1 CrossFit class seemed to like their workout as well…

 Tuesday’s WOD’s

All Levels CrossFit:

A. C&J Complex x 4 sets

3x Power Clean, 2x Front Squat, 1x Split Jerk

B. Then, 1-1-1 Front Squat

C. 21-15-9

Squat Clean

Toes to Bar

Level 1 CrossFit

Skill: Medicine Ball Clean

WOD: 5 Rounds for time

10x Medicine Ball Clean to Wall Ball

20x Back Extension

50x Jump Rope Passes

• Big week of training coming up for all you Volts & Vixens! It’s our last week of prep work for the NLI Testing Workouts. There are 4 WOD’s we’ll be testing, and you do not want to miss them. The schedule will be as follows.
• Monday, August 1: WOD 1 (Max Front Squat/Max Rep Pull Ups)
• Tuesday, August 2: WOD 2 ( Max Rep HSPU/1k Row Test)
• Wednesday, August 3: WOD 3 (10min KB Snatch Test/Max L-Sit)
• Friday, August 5: WOD 4 (1Rm Power Clean/45 min AMRAP)

Specifically, Monday we’ll be working on part 1: The Hollow Rock:

Monday’s WOD’s:

All Levels CrossFit

A. Hollow Rock training

B. Weighted Pull Ups

C. 15 Min AMRAP

400 Meter Run

5x HSPU

10x Burpees

20x KB Snatch
Level 1 CrossFit
Skill: Kipping Pull Ups & Progressions/Hollow Rock Progressions
WOD: 20 Min AMRAP

400 Meter Run

5x Pull Ups

10x Burpees

20x KB Swing

• CrossFit is getting fancy (and reputable). Check out this article on the CrossFit Games in….THE ECONOMIST! Can I get a Yeah Buddy. 2 of my favorite things, in 1 place…kind of like our gym
• Click on this link if you don’t believe me…http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/07/online-fitness …or just read it below (what, is the Economist going to come after me?)

“Internet buffs are often accused of being flabby couch potatoes. Tell that to the several hundred people who battle it out in Los Angeles on July 29th-31st for the title of the fittest person on Earth. The finalists of the CrossFit Games are the the sturdiest of more than 26,000 competitors from 59 countries who responded to challenges posted on the internet.

The participants filmed themselves lifting barbells and performing calisthenics in busy streets, driveways, or public parks, then uploaded their feats on the web for other aspirants to judge. Few are professional athletes (though sponsorship is growing). Many have careers in physically taxing vocations like the army or firefighting, though a surprising number are school teachers (not just PE, mind you). What unites them is a passion for practical fitness—and the voyeuristic camaraderie of watching others punish themselves through the same task, often against the unlikeliest of backdrops and using whatever (typically hefty) objects happen to be to hand.

The CrossFit Games grew out of a small gym in California which began posting a daily challenge on the internet. Anyone could complete it, log the result and make comments about it. Interest spiked in 2005, coinciding with several technological advances, notably increasing bandwidth, the spread of public Wi-Fi networks, the arrival of handheld video recording devices (in mobile phones and flip cams), and the rise of Facebook (launched a year earlier).

Tony Budding, a CrossFit spokesman, adds bits of new content every day—photos, links, articles and videos—on diverse topics including gymnastics, weightlifting, nutrition, as well as demonstrations of physical prowess like shifting sandbags. The online community responded by posting their own unique challenges and ideas. It soon caught the attention of professional fitness experts. The site is now home to a vast open-source trove on all things sporty.

Fans have also used the website to build their own fitness ventures. Over 2,800 CrossFit gyms have sprung up in 50 countries, in venues ranging from  military bases in war zones to private garages open to fellow fitness nuts. Software developers have created advanced training logs, crafty equipment suppliers have dispensed with warehouses and retail outlets to connect buyers to manufacturers and shippers.

The Los Angeles contest will stream over the internet, free of charge. It might even spur some in the web’s paunchier quarters to limber up.”

Coach Simon & Coach Josh relaxing after another awesome Workout at High Voltage! What do you do to relax on the weekend when you’re not sweating at the box?

• We are all sold out of our Stronger Faster Healthier Omega-3 Fish Oils and Proteins (both Fortified and Post-WOD)!!! This makes all of the Coaching staff at High Voltage so happy because it means that you’re taking our advice seriously on your recovery. Remember, these workouts are hard…you have to take your recovery just as seriously as the WOD’s.
• The good news is, we have a new Huge Batch of SFH Products coming in, either this Friday or Monday…
• Even better news…Stronger Faster Healthier is proud to announce/introduce their best ever Omega-3 Oil (which we will be carrying!): SO3 OIL.  This formulation is 50% more potent than the previous oil and delivers over 5400 mg of EPA and DHA in two teaspoons.  This means that you can take LESS oil and get MORE benefit!

  SO3 is a mixture of EPA and DHA in the triglyceride form and in the free fatty acid form of EPA and DHA.  This combination of triglyceride form and free fatty acid form facilitates the absorption of omega 3 active fats.

  The recommendation of taking minimally 3500 mg a day.  Our old Fish Oil delivered this in 2 teaspoons, which was still far superior to other oils on the market.

  We recommend that you take between 1-2 teaspoons a day of our new SO3 oil.  This will deliver between 2700 – 5400mg (3500mg exactly is 1.3tsps).

  In addition to the 10oz bottle, we will also offer a 6 oz bottle at a lower price then our original 10oz bottle.  The 6oz bottle will last a person who is taking 3500mg/day – 28 days!

Wednesday’s 7am Level 1 CrossFit Class! Great job on your front squats, and focusing on all of our points of performance during the WOD!

Thursday’s WOD

All Classes (Level 1 and All Levels)

10-15 minutes of mobility & agility work, then

20 Minute AMRAP

200 Meter Run

10x Overhead Walking Lunge (each leg)

10x Toes to Bar

10x Push Ups

10x Double Unders

“Lynne” was a ton of fun yesterday! Some huge numbers got put up, and a bunch more people finally got that elusive ‘first pull up’!!! Another great day of training with great people at CFHV!

The Vixen’s Class ‘Got After It’ last night! Man, this class is no joke…just check out the WOD they all went through:

While on the inside…

Yeah, you guessed it…the guys were benching! Another great day at the High Voltage Box! Come get after it with us on Wednesday!

Wednesday’s WOD:

How Jason Khalipa starts every day…how do you start yours?

All Levels Classes:

A. Power Clean

3-3-3-3

B. Front Squat

Every minute, for 10 minutes, perform 2 reps @ 80% of 1RM from last Monday

C. Tabata KB Snatches (53/35)

Level 1 CrossFit

Skill: Front Squat

WOD: 20 Min AMRAP

100 Meter Run

10x Goblet Squats

10x Sit Ups

10x Parallette Jumps

• Great day of training Monday! Some huge PR’s on ‘Diane’. Big shout outs to Brooke for getting this WOD ‘As Rx’d’ for the first time. This means she did it with no abmats, and head to the deck for every single handstand push up! Awesome!
• Remember, we’re not having the ‘In House Challenge’ this weekend. Regular schedule will be happening. Our Community Challenge will be taking place the firs week of August, where our entire gym will be completing the Qualification WOD’s for the Next Level Invitational. This will be a great chance for everyone in our Community to put themselves on the line and mark where your fitness is at. The 4 WOD’s can be completed by almost every member…how much you do…well that’s the fun part, and is up to you! I’ll be posting the exact dates that we’ll be doing these WOD’s shortly…but get ready!
• The WOD’s are:
• 1. 1 Rep Max Front Squat, then Max Rep Pull Ups
• Unbroken Handstand Push Ups (we’ll scale to abmat, ring push ups, regular push ups, then knees), then 1k Row for time
• AMRAP KB Snatch in 10 minutes, then max effort L-Sit
• 1 Rep Max Power Clean, then….45 minute AMRAP of 400 meter run, 20 burpees, and 30 light KB swings

And remember, if these don’t get you ‘pumped’ up….

It’s just too funny. Enjoy!
Tuesday’s WOD

All Levels Classes:

Ax3

Max Effort L-Sit

B. For max reps

“Lynne”

5 sets of

Max Rep Bench Press (bodyweight for guys, 2/3 bwt for the ladies)

Max Rep Pull Ups

• Ton’s of PR’s on “Jackie” Thursday! Jackie is a great CrossFit Benchmark, and one that many of us remember as our first one that we can do ‘As Rx’d'! Big shout out to the 12:30pm crew, where every Volt and Vixen hit this WOD as Rx’d! That was a pretty awesome coaching moment.
• In fact, we had tons of athletes do the ‘Jackie’ WOD as their very first Rx’d Benchmark today. We are very proud of all your hard work and your dedication to following our coaching methods: from putting you on pull up bands some days, other days doing lateral ring rows, learning the proper kipping motions, to other days working the negative on the pull ups…all of this training pays off…and for many of you it paid off into a memorable PR day.

 

The CrossFit Games have come a LONG WAY from 2007…have you got your tickets yet for this years Games at the Home Depot Center? July 29-31. Best athletes in the freaking world. Come get inspired!

Friday’s WOD:

A. Speed & Agility training

B. “Michael”

3 Rounds for time

800 Meter Run

50x Back Extensions

50x Sit Ups

C. Finisher…Coaches Choice!