CrossFit HEL

Memorial Day WOD Training

Hey Team!

I'm back in town and had the pleasure of seeing most of you on Friday evening - it was great to be back and coaching again!  I hope everyone has had a great weekend and I look forward to seeing the rest of you on. . .Tuesday.

For Memorial Day the Lab will function in an Open Format.  We have done this before and you all generally do it every Wednesday.  I will be coaching in the morning at the 0700 and the 0830, but the evening WOD's will be un-coached like the the Wednesday WODs usually are.   The reason for this is that I have an unexpected situation I have to take of in the evening and will be out of the Lab, unable to coach.  I will be back Monday night and may even see some of you for the last WOD of the day, depending on when I am able to return.  On Tuesday, we will operate as usual and I am looking forward to seeing everyone I didn't see on Friday and haven't seen for a month.

The WOD is a choice - your favorite HERO!  If you do not have a favorite HERO (so many of them are great) or if you have trouble choosing one, then you have the option of doing Murph.

See you all soon - have a great Memorial Day weekend! 

New Website Design - Coming Soon

Since 2006, CrossFit HEL has been using the Typepad blogging software as the primary means of communicating with the web community.  It has served us well, but things must and always do change.  Our new design will be simple, effective, and easier to read!

Justin Lewis, our Teammate and owner of Instrument, has developed for us a new design based on the SquareSpace blogging software.  Like our other Teammates, he is a genius in his field.  It is our hope that the website will reflect not only the atmosphere of HEL but the community as well - strong, minimal, easy to approach, and well communicated.  

Look for this change to happen once I have learned the ins and outs of the new blogging program.  Please bear in mind that, when it comes to high tech, I am still a caveman (I still take notes will a pencil and paper).  We are hoping to launch the new website design sometime this summer.  

Train for Chaos - Live for Change 

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to all moms everywhere!  

To our members that have moms: thank your mom today for all the good things she's done for you!

To our members who are moms: this is your special day, YOU'VE EARNED IT!

To our members who will be moms: good luck, you will have one of the two toughest jobs on the planet! 

Train for Chaos - Live for Love 

New Training Format

As you have probably noticed, there is no longer a 'durability' portion of the WOD.  I have been writing the optional durability into the WOD for many moons now (that means a long time) and some of you have participated, some of you have not, and some of you have done your own post-WOD training.

As the Lab has evolved, the amount of work we do in the 60 minutes has grown.  In fact, it has grown to such a point that the durability has been difficult to get into the 60 minute class and those of you that do that extra work are forced to do so IN ADDITION to the 60 minutes of coached training.

I have come to the conclusion that:
1. Those of you that do extra work post-WOD will do so whether I write it or not
2. The amount of work load I write in the WOD is, in general, enough (barbell training and MetCon combined)
3. Each of you have personal skills that you want to develop, and
4. There is a necessity to increase our mobility and flexibility to reduce/prevent injury.

Therefore, beginning today and continuing for an undetermined time when I return, after the MetCon the class will stow their training equipment and do a group stretching session.  The structure will be to circle up and beginning with the Coach, each Teammate will choose one stretch that the class will hold for 20-30 seconds before moving on to the next.  Once each Teammate has chosen a stretch and the circle is complete, the class will end.  Those of you that want to do extra work may do so after this group stretching session, which is designed to build Team Unity as well as flexibility post-WOD.  Group stretching is not optional and there will be time left in the 60 minute class to complete it.  Once this routine is fully developed, I will begin to add mobility training to our group stretching so that, in addition to Team bonding and flexibility, we will prevent possible future injuries. 

Tarr has been briefed about this change.
Post any questions or comments to the comments section of this post. 

Miss you guys - see you at the end of May!

April/May 2012 Paleo Challenge!

It's time for another CFHEL Paleo Challenge! 

This challenge will be for 5 weeks (35 days) like the last challenges.  The first day of the challenge (Day 1) is Saturday, April 21st and the last day (Day 35) will be Friday, May 25th.  There will be some different scoring for this challenge, however, so be sure to read the rules.

The buy-in is $20/person. 

If there are 6 or less competitors, it will be winner-take-all.  If there are 7 or more competitors, the first place finisher will get 75% of the pot and the second place finisher will get 25% of the pot.  Men and women will compete together.

Purpose: To bring awareness to feeding habits, increase WOD participation and activity outside the Lab, and build community through the website.

Duration: 5 weeks (35 days).

Scoring:
Each week you can earn a possible 20 points.
A perfect challenge score for all 5 weeks is 100 points.

Feeding (as before, food journals must be kept)
1 point for Paleo
.5 point extra for no liquids other than water
.25 point extra for IF (twice/week max)
Max weekly points: 11
Max challenge points: 55

Training
1 point for CrossFit, competitive Team practice, competitive Team event
.5 point for active rest, recreational Team event, 30+ minutes of mobility workout
Max weekly points: 6
Max challenge points: 30

Community
.5 points for posting on the website (crossfithel.com)
Max weekly points: 3
Max challenge points: 15

Competitive Team vs. Recreational Team
A competitive Team is one in which there are regularly held practices.  If you are on a Team that has scheduled practices, try-outs, an off-season, and games and tournaments we will call it a competitive Team.  If you are on a Team that meets only to participate in games or matches, even if you’re super competitive about it, we will call it a recreational Team (that competes really hard!).

If there are any further questions about the scoring or rules, please see me when you buy-in.

"A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others." - Ayn Rand 

Head's Up

From April 23rd - May 24th, I will be in Florida assisting my father and watching a friend get married.

That is not a typo, I will be gone for 30 days.  

All of the WODs will continue to run as scheduled.  Many have offered to assist in coaching the workouts and I appreciate everyone support.  The bulk of the WODs will be lead by Tarr, whom most of you know already.  His service for the Team is above and beyond, considering he doesn't train regularly and will still be working full time with Oregon Tails.  Please be aware of this and if you get the chance during that time, thank him for his selfless devotion to our Team.

I will continue to write and post the workouts to the website.  If anyone needs to reach me, I will be available via text message, email, or phone call.  If you're in the neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida I may even be available for a face-to-face chat.  

There will be no Course 101 or 102 until late May.  The next start date will appear on the website sidebar in early May.  All guests may still attend WODs and are encouraged to register for the next Course 101 and 102 when they become available.  These training courses are required for membership.

This announcement is just a head's up.  Aside from the Courses being put on hold, nothing will change.  All the WODs will run and all the workouts will be programmed and coached.

"Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity." - Hippocrates 

Thank You

Thank you for all of your congratulations and well wishes!  My brother, his wife, and new baby girl Reagan are out of the hospital and home safe.  Everyone is doing well, very healthy, and very happy.  

Raise your glasses to the next 18 years!

"There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children." - Nelson Mandela 

New Life

Reagan Johnson Aillaud was born March 27th at approx. 11:50am.  She is 20.5in. long and weighs 7lbs. 13oz.  She is a healthy baby and her parents are very tired but resting and doing great.

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." - Friedrich Nietzsche 

CrossFit Open Success

The 5-week 2012 CrossFit Games Open WODs are complete and our Team has had multiple successes.  Everyone should be proud of their accomplishments over this highly competitive time in the CrossFit season - you all excelled and improved over the past 35 days.  

Congratulations to all competitors!  Great job to those will advance to Regionals - good luck and have fun in the next challenge.   

This was a great event - thanks to CrossFit for designing the workouts and I am personally looking forward to next year!

"Advance, and never halt, for advancing is perfection.  Advance and do not fear the thorns in the path, for they draw only corrupt blood." - Khalil Gibran 

Final CrossFit OPEN WOD Today at 2:30!

The final attempt at the CrossFit Open WOD 12.5 will be held at the Lab today at 1430.  If you've already attempted this workout you may go again for a better score.  It is the AMRAP7 Thruster/Pull-up couplet we did on Friday.  After the workout will be an off-site feeding and drinking gathering.  Location is TBA - if you don't make the workout, hit me up for the venue. 503-522-0233.

Crush it!