Kyle’s birthday was yesterday as well, thanks to his college buddy, Nick, for his birthday post!

A big year for my good friend Kyle! Not only did he move out to California from the city known for its wonderful winters, Boston, he also got engaged and joined Intrepid (obviously one more monumental than the other…). Kyle is an extremely dedicated athlete and a fellow geek (we studied engineering together, what can we say). I knew CrossFit would be a perfect fit for him, so all I had to do was let the bug bite him. On a trip out here last March, I  had him stop into Intrepid and the rest was history. He went back East, started causing a ruckus in the BU gym by doing CrossFit on his own and became instantly addicted. When work brought him out to the West coast, he jumped right back into Intrepid and has been a consistent 6 and 7 pm’er since. He is a great fit for the Intrepid family, and we jokingly said tonight that I see him more now than I did in college. It has been great working out and spending time with you over the past year, and I look forward to another one! Happy birthday buddy!

Now onto the goods…

Started Crossfit: March 2011
Favorite Movement: Running (did I mention he runs marathons?) and cleans
Least Favorite Movement: Pistols (he answered this one pretty quickly…)
Favorite WOD: Anything chipper-like (lots of movements, endurance)
Least Favorite WOD: Fran (agreed.)
Fitness Goals: To get better at running marathons without doing marathon-style training. May I add, Kyle has already shaved 15 – 20% off his 5k time with CrossFit and is planning to run the San Diego half-marathon in March to put CrossFit to the test!
Hobbies and outside interests: His Fiance (obvious choice), brewing beer, being a nerd

REST DAY 02.05.12

A big thanks to Troy (Tyler’s younger brother) for putting together his 30th birthday post.

Today is Tyler’s 30th birthday. If you know us at all, were not those brother’s that get all emotional and hug and cheer each other on for all to see. We work together, we were roommates for 5 years, and we started cross fit together. We push each other to new heights in everything we do. After talking with a friend at cross fit South Bay, we tried one workout with Ruth and Sean back in March 2011 and were instantly hooked. Being the younger brother, my goal has always been to defeat Tyler, unfortunately its easier said than done. Tyler is one of those athlete’s that doesn’t stretch, roll, spend extra time on skill work, doesn’t enjoy running but is fast as hell, and doesn’t get tired mid work out. He can push through pain, and “destrominate” work outs no matter what it is (even rowing). He mastered muscle ups in a day, and dubs in a few weeks. Both took me months and frustrated the crap out of me, yet he was the one that gave me the extra pointers to figure them out. He has brought more new faces to the gym then anyone I can think of. Not all of them lasted but he is always spreading the word about Intrepid, how great of a workout it is and the results you will see. Tyler has come a long way from his old nickname of Bulldozer. He has matured and turned into a great athlete, brother, friend, and future husband to his fiancé Liz. The only thing he may love as much as Liz is surfing. He is the only person I know that commits to surfing 5 times a week rain or shine, weather its 50 degrees or 90 degrees if there’s waves you know where he is at. He also enjoys beach days, bike rides, and his latest obsession FOOD. Just ask Chef. Anyways Happy Birthday Tyler, I love you and you’re a great person to look up to, that is however when I am not looking back at you in a WOD.- Troy

Head down to Laguna Hills High School today and cheer on Josh, Brian, Michael, Jake, and Holley as they take on the Next Level Invitational CrossFit competition. Best of luck gang! See you down there!

WOD 2.04.12

Deck of Cards
In Teams of 3-5:
Hearts: Push Ups
Spades: Box Jumps
Diamonds: Sit Ups w/weight or T2B
Clubs: Squats (can be sandbag or goblet)

Josh and I did our first crossfit workout back east in MA with is kid brother—Fight Gone Bad.  Pretty painful but at least we did not vomit as others did.  I wasn’t so sure about the crossfit thing after that.  Josh on the other hand started doing his own workouts following WODs online at his school’s gym.  Poor sucker that did it with him.  It took me longer to come around but I’m glad I did.

Happy Birthday to you, Josh.  We love you–signed Tami, Alex, and little Joshua (future Intrepids)

Come down to Laguna Hills High School in Orange County this Saturday to cheer on Josh, Brian, Jake, Michael H., and Holley during the Next Level Invitational CrossFit competition. Location is 25401 Paseo de Valencia, Laguna Hills, CA 92653. The events will run most of the day so if you make it down, wear your shirt and look for the Intrepid camp site.

Then 2 rounds of 1 minute stations:
Ball Slams
Double Unders
Row for Calories
Hang Power Snatches
Tire Flips

Cash Out:
Farmer’s Walks

Today’s post comes from Michelle’s loving husband, Scott. Happy Birthday Michelle!

As I’m sitting here, with total writer’s block, trying to figure out what to say about the most amazing person I’ve ever known, I can’t help but remember my college commencement speaker.  He shared that when he was struggling to write his speech, he wife told him…. “Don’t try to be smart, don’t try to be funny, just be yourself!”  Um….thanks, love you too!  We’ve already seen a well-written post from Mike this week, a caring post from Anna, and nobody can match Brian’s comedic ramblings…..so what’s left?  Let’s talk in terms of Boston!

Today we celebrate Michelle’s “Larry Bird” Day (i.e., 33^rd birthday).  In honor of “The Legend”, I’d like to share Michelle’s qualities that make her Legendary…. in my humble, only slightly biased opinion.

I’ve never seen anyone attack their “goats” with the drive and determination Michelle does.  A little over a year ago Michelle couldn’t get a pull-up without bands, but today she’s cruising through WODs unassisted.  Today she comes home and shows off her torn calluses as proudly as her fantasy football trophy.  Today she complains that she only had 9 strict unbroken pull-ups.  Apparently she still considers pull ups a goat.

Michelle somehow combines this insatiable drive to improve with the biggest, kindest heart of anyone I know.  She works equally hard to be a perfect teacher, spending hours writing, reviewing, and perfecting her tests, quizzes, and daily classroom plans.  She’ll stay up late baking cookies for Tom’s Gift Box or homemade coffee cake for a friend who is leaving the next morning.  And she is always working hard to be the perfect wife (don’t tell her, but I think she already is).

Michelle, you’re an inspiration to all of us who are struggling with our own goats (cough… double unders).  Thanks for pushing me to be the best I can be at everything I do.  Thanks for bringing legendary determination with a smile to the gym every day.  Happy Birthday!

REST DAY 01.15.2012

Today we add another dash line to Brian’s years on this planet… 32 to be exact!  Over the past 12 months Brian’s dedication to Intrepid has grown tremendously both inside and outside of the box.  From the early part of last year when he started taking double-unders classes on Tuesday night, he has consistently improved his numbers.  He took his status to a new level this year by  earning the “Competitor” label as he represented Intrepid in the NLI series.  Brian has also been spotted flexing his crossfit skills far outside the walls of the box, caught doing handstand pushups at my best friend’s wedding and fiancée push jerks in the Maui hotel pool.  In fact, I think he has taken this newfound dedication so far that I think I have forgotten how to make pasta. 

In my personal opinion Brian exhibits an ideal balance of competitive drive and humble delivery.  It is so rare that you see him express any emotional reaction during or after a WOD , which is why his fist pump celebration after cleaning 265 at NLI was grossly exaggerated by the crowd and film crew.  Yet, if you watch him at the beginning of every class he studies the board and sets an internal goal for the day (i.e. Jake’s weight/time  +5lbs/-5 seconds).

Some (I) might say that Brian’s most significant accomplishment at the age of 31 was our engagement, but he would likely point out his keen ability to manage a blooming bromance with both Nick and Jake!

Happy Birthday to the real roast king, the Intrepid shoe trend starter, the funniest pistols in the gym, and the love of my life.  

Come out and celebrate with us at Brian’s favorite fat kid restaurant- Big Wok! See you at 7:30.   

WOD 01.13.12

Press 3×5 or Wendler

20 Handstand Push Ups
1000m Row
100 Double Unders

Today’s honorable mention goes out to one of our newer members to the CFI family, Ray.  I’ve known Ray for a little over 8 yrs now, and if there’s one I’ve noticed in his character is that he has always had the passion, execution and “all in” attitude to push him to the next level.  

WOD 01.12.12

Skills Day

Sumo Deadlift

Sandbag Skillwork

This will be Angel’s last day with us before she heads off to the Fire Academy for the next four months.  I’ve had the pleasure of seeing her from her first day, through Foundations, and all the way to her first 1RM deadlift yesterday where she pulled 215 with room to go.  No stranger to hard work, Angel is a Navy reservist who has seen two deployments and has worked tirelessly these last few months to get in shape for the fire academy.

We wish you the best of luck in your training and can’t wait to have you back!  Take care, Angel, and don’t stop lifting!

Also, Matt “Date Nite” has generously offered a discount for blood testing for before and after the Whole 30 Challenge. Bloodwork is a great way to measure improvement in overall health and even a doctor can’t argue with the results. I’ll let him explain it a bit better:

Team CFI,

The Data Junkie is getting tested, so I thought some others might as well.  I am using one of the baseline panels recommended in Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution, which includes:

• C-Reactive Protein
• Hemoglobin A1c
• Lipid Panel

For the CF family, we are doing a Whole30 Challenge special for those interested in measuring their numbers pre and/or post challenge.  We can’t take insurance, but we have tried our best on pricing.  The Lipid Panel is most accurate when fasting, so best to get it done early in the am.   A few of the draw sites in Torrance have Saturday hours, although it can be busy.

$99 for one panel (regular price $170)

$170 for two panels (regular price $340)

We will also give one panel to the box challenge winner (if they want it).   If not, then 2nd place etc.

How to get the special:

When registering go to www.accesalabs.com/masterlist and choose Whole 30 CrossFit Panel for $99 or Whole 30 Crossfit Panel + Recheck for $170 (alpha order so you need to scroll down).  If you get lost, go to www.accesalabs.comand click on Order Now to get back to master list.

Here is some information about the tests:

C-Reactive Protein (Quantitative)

The C-Reactive Protein test, or CRP, measures the concentration of this marker in the blood.

CRP is an acute phase reactant that is used as a test for inflammatory disease and tissue injury. Elevated CRP has recently been associated to an increased risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease.

Hemoglobin A1c

The Hemoglobin A1c, or HbA1c, measures the level of glycated hemoglobin in your blood.  The HbA1c is a good screening test for diabetes. It measures the average blood glucose over the past 120 days so that you can see how well your blood sugar has been controlled over the past few months.  If your level is between 5.7 and 6.4, you are at an increased risk for diabetes. A level >6.4 would suggest that you have diabetes.  If you already have diabetes, you should routinely monitor your Hemoglobin A1c to make sure that it is below 7.0 to ensure that you have adequate blood sugar control.

Lipid Panel

The Lipids & Cholesterol test measures your standard medical Lipid Panel.  This test measures your Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL), Total Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels.  The HDL level represents your “good” lipids while the other components are thought of as your “bad” lipids.  Elevated numbers of the “bad” lipid types can greatly increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Measurement of these numbers every 3-6 months is beneficial for understanding overall health and assessing the impact of lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise.

Best results are obtained if you get your blood drawn after an 8-12 hour fast.

WOD 1.06.12

Press 3×5 or Wendler

4 Rounds:
6 Ring Dips
18 Wall Ball Shots

Rest 2 Minutes

4 Rounds
8 Pull Ups
16 Ball Slams

Three guest posts by Brian in one week! Here’s his latest work  — Marcus

Anna and I have been lucky enough to know Xuan well before his CrossFit days. As we do
with most of our friends, we try to get them into the gym for one workout. We constantly talk
about the workout and the family we have there; it’s obvious we want to share it with our closest
friends. While many seemed interested few really gave it a shot, finding an excuse or two to not
dive in. “I cant find the time”, “let me get into shape before I start”(my personal favorite), or
“the trainers look scary and bearded” — I’ve heard them all. After I would vehemently defend these
weak attempts, the conversations would usually change or the waitress would come by to
get me another jack and coke and I would immediately forget what we were talking about.

Xuan was different though. After seeing him order a salad one day for dinner I knew he was
looking to make a change. See for some that’s not a very obvious sign, but for me — and for guys
in general — it should be. For one… guys don’t order salad unless they want to be verbally abused
by their buddies for the next 3-12 minutes or months. A few instances where its acceptable: if
there is a huge steak being served immediately after or if “salad” follows “taco” in the order
(which then its not really a salad at all, just a wonderful melody of beans, meat, cheese.. basically
the Crunch Wrap Supreme without the wrap). Second (and this is Xuan specific), the guy
is notorious for ordering an appetizer or “app” with every meal… EVERY meal. The man
loves his extras. I mean we were in Vegas once and he topped his burger with lobster… yes
LOBSTER. Our waitress even thought it was excessive. So when Xuan ordered a salad…. just
a salad… and after I called him a wuss for a few minutes, I had to ask what was up. And that’s when
Anna and I went into the sales pitch.

Xuan was genuinely interested and came in the very next week to check it out. And when I say
he just was checking it out, he did just that. Rolled up one day in his Brooks Brothers suit and shiny
shoes and took it all in. There was no chance in hell he was working out, but he needed to see
what he was getting into. He saw the painful faces, the weights, the noise, and… gasp… the
pullups. Never intimidated, he dove in and made amazing gains right out of the gate. He loved it,
if there was any doubts just look at his face mid-workout cause hes usually smiling. He has been
even known to smile through a Marcus stretch (torture) session. That’s Xuan though, I’ve never
known him to be anything but one of the most personable, generous, just overall positive individuals
I’ve ever met. Known for making his mark (usually on the gym floor in the form of a sweat
angel) after every workout, he gives it his all.

This is the aspect of Xuan that I am the proudest of. From that dinner I knew he had made
a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and has never looked back. Xuan you have made an
incredible transformation.. yes I totally have creeped out on you… you should be very proud of
how far you have come and the gains you have achieved thus far. (Word on the street is there
have even been strict pullups spotted!!). Your work ethic is nothing short of amazing, as lately
your profession has got in the way of your consistent CrossFitting, but you still find time to get your
sweat on. You are one of the most loved members of the gym (especially by mom… but I think
that’s because you are Asian.. yeah, I said it). I couldn’t be happier that you actually listened to
me that night. You’re an incredible athlete (have you seen his jump splits?!) and an even better
friend. Happy Birthday !!!

WOD 11.26.11

Bench Press

Partner Stations:
2 min Prowler push partner across gym
Farmers’ carry (heavy) across gym
Heavy sled drag across gym

Today we’re saying farewell to two of our Intrepid fam, both known for their skills in the art of smart-assery. Kara is moving to the windy city for work and Tom will be deploying to Afghanistan for a year.  Goodbyes are always bittersweet.  Feelings of good will, well wishes, and pride for those leaving are tempered with sadness for what our gym will be missing with them gone.

Kara started with us back in late May this year.  She’s made leaps and bounds in all her PRs and we’re all so proud of her accomplishments thus far, which includes participating in the impromptu Whole 30 Challenge in September no less!  She’s fully committed to keeping up her dedication to fitness at her soon to be new box in Chicago and we’re looking forward to seeing her post PRs on our page!  Keep in touch Kara and safe travels!

Tom, AKA Tomfoolery or Booty, the recent winner of the Intrepid Halloween Costume Contest, leaves today to serve our country in Afghanistan.  Tom started with us back in January and was adopted into the fam instantly. For those of you who know Tom, it’s no surprise that he dedicates his life to making the world a better place for all of us, whether he is protecting and serving the community, going above and beyond to help fellow Intrepids in times of need, or cheer up a fellow athlete with his wicked humor. Paul found this beautiful poem that sums up the admiration and respect that we all have for Tom for being a man of action, a man who makes sacrifices to make all of our lives better. Be safe, Tom, and come home soon!

To Be of Use

The people I love the best
jump into work head first
without dallying in the shallows
and swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
the black sleek heads of seals
bouncing like half-submerged balls.

I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
who do what has to be done, again and again.

I want to be with people who submerge
in the task, who go into the fields to harvest
and work in a row and pass the bags along,
who are not parlor generals and field deserters
but move in a common rhythm
when the food must come in or the fire be put out.

The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
but you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
and a person for work that is real.

Marge Piercy

WOD 11.3.11

Skills Day

Board Press 10×3
HA Farmer Carry

For the past few months I have been encountering problems with the deadlift. I would dread every time I looked at the site and saw deadlift as the lift. The reason I felt this way was because every time I would leave the gym after deadlifts I would think A) every single set felt heavy or B) my lower back is sore.
Why did this movement, that I once loved, feel so crappy ? I tried to think what I was doing wrong. I know my diet is good and I am sleeping well. I have decent strength in my lats, my set up is consistent, and I’m keeping my core tight. Having this internal battle was taking a toll on me mentally as well. Going into a work out already thinking “this is not going to be a good day/lift/wod” will set you up for failure. I guess you could say I was losing my mojo for this lift.

Then, a light bulb suddenly turned on for me last week. Deadlifts weren’t programmed for the strength portion of class last week so I already thought it was a great week. The only deadlifts programmed was in a metcon on Friday. As we were warming up to find an appropriate weight, Sean watched my set up. Then he said the words I’ll never forget: Set up one inch closer to the bar.

I replied, “My shoelaces are right under the bar though.” He replied, “From the side angle you are too far back.” So with that simple instruction I did as I was told. During the course of the metcon the weight felt good and I had no soreness after class or the following day. This was convincing, but I wanted to put Sean’s genius idea of moving just a tad bit closer to the bar to the test. This last week when we deadlifted for the strength portion, I did just that. My sets were 255, 295, and 335. All three sets did not feel as heavy as in the prior months and I experienced zero soreness after.

I thanked Sean after doing the DL for the advice. He said, “Sometimes it’s the little things.” He is definitely right. Sometimes we put a lot of pressure on ourselves when things aren’t going right in the gym. We tend to forget that it could be the smallest of an issue as to why it’s not going right. So to all my CFI’ers: remember to take time to focus on all the cues–no matter how small or big–for each lift so we can get the optimal success that we all are looking for.

A big Happy Birthday Shoutout to Celina! Celina joined Intrepid a couple of months ago and has been going strong ever since. We’re looking forward to great times with Celina and her husband Patrick. Have a great birthday!

WOD 10.26.11

Deadlifts 1×5 or Wendler
c/o with Deficit Deadlifts (~50% work set)

6 minute Assistance Work Stations:
Prowler Pulls
Partner Glute Ham Raises
Banded Kettlebell Swings