Congratulations to Annah Borak, Tim Loar, and Corey Sinnot, who got their CrossFit level 1 certifications this weekend!

We now have CrossFit Denver t-shirts available! The design is below.  We have men’s and women’s shirts (yes, the women’s shirts are fitted). Women’s colors are light blue, pink, black, and grey. Men’s in black, navy, maroon and grey. The shirts are $16 each, please see Steve to purchase.

Those of you who attended last friday night’s member event heard a little bit about our Zowzee deal (daily deal, like a groupon).  That deal dropped last Friday, and was for a month of training, including (requiring) 6 “CrossFit Elements” classes, and then unlimited training for the rest of the month.

Elements classes are designed to concentrate on about 20 of our most common movements, teaching 3-4 movements per class, and ending up with a short workout using the movements they learned in that class.  What we’re finding is that new members tend to feel that being thrown into the daily WOD right off the bat — even though we scale appropriately — is imposing.  We’re hoping that the elements classes will give new members a more “gentle” entry into CrossFit training, so they’re not deer in the headlights their first few classes.

We’re going to go ahead and continue the deal for friends and family of current members thru Friday this week (2/4).  So, if you know someone who is interested in CrossFit but has been on the fence, please do tell them about the deal.  $40 for the month, with the first two weeks being elements classes, and the next two weeks unlimited training.  Then they’ll be able to make a more informed decision about continuing with us after that 30 days.  As far as referral fee, you’ll get 50% off your next month’s membership, but your referral won’t, as they’re already getting 70% off our normal price…

The $40 deal is not valid for current members, but you are welcome to attend any elements class that you would like, if you want to work on technique for particular movements.  The elements classes and schedule can be found here:  http://www.crossfitdenver.com/class-schedule/elements-class-schedule/

As far as printing the contest shirts, we’ve had a couple people ask about different styles of shirt (tanktop, long-sleeve, hoodie, etc) for the new designs. I’m happy to print the design on whatever you want, as long as you’re willing to pay the difference in price for the other item. They’ll print on whatever, as long as they can do a full run at once. It’s the setting up of the press that takes time.

So here’s what lets do. I’m going to make tanks, long-sleeve shirts, and zippered and non-zippered hoodies available (zippered hoodies will print on the back). I’ll let you choose the color you want. When we order you’ll be responsible for the increased price for the item.

OR, you can bring me something you like (t-shirt, tank, sweatshirt, jacket, etc) that you would like the logo to be printed on. I’ll need to get a price for print-only, but it will probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of $5. For the “power to the people” logo which will be the first shirt we print, please avoid black or dark blue, as the design won’t show well on those. Its also a red/black 2-color design, so you’ll want to consider that in your color scheme…lime green may not look all that good

We’re working on getting a better sweat angel for the sweat angel t-shirt, as some have had trouble identifying what it is.  Plus we’re going to add a slogan on the back that you’ll like (that’s not sweat, its your fat cells crying).  Here are the two contest winner images.

We are starting to build up a reference library for the gym. Several of us are bringing in reference manuals, DVDs, VCR tapes, etc. which pertain to nutrition, CrossFit exercises, Olympic lifting, power lifting, etc, etc, etc. If you have any reference materials at home that you found useful, but just have sitting in a bookshelf, we’d love it if you would bring them in. You’re not donating them to the gym, you’re just letting other people borrow them while you aren’t reading them. We’ll keep track of who owns what, so you’ll get your property back when you want it back.

We’ll be doing it just like a library, I got some checkout cards and pockets, you can check the book out by signing the card and putting it into a “checked-out” box I’ll have there on the shelves. Lets share the wealth! I’ve got about a dozen books I’ll put out there. Just bring the books in with you and we’ll get them out there. I just need to get a bookshelf.

On that note…anyone have a bookshelf or some other such furniture that they’d be willing to part with?

The number of people interested in an “advanced” WOD on Sunday nights has dwindled to just a few. So, we’re going to open up the WOD to everyone, and we’ll run it like any other, i.e. we’ll teach the movements, do a normal stretch and cool-down. Only difference is, to accomodate those who WANT to do an advanced level workout with larger volume than normal, we’ll post an advanced level of the Sunday workout that will take longer, and those who are familiar with the movements can start getting their stuff ready sooner while the instructor teaches the movements.

So, come one, come all, to Sunday night if the time works for you. We would ask you to be understanding if the trainer (normally me) wants to do the workout too. We’ll make sure everyone understands the movements before we start…

Note that this Sunday, 2/6, there will be NO sunday evening workout, but when we restart the program on 2/13, everyone is welcome.

A few people have been wanting some equipment to have for home, like Abmats, kettlebells, pull-up assists, etc. we’re going to put an order together for later on in the month. If there are any items we have at the gym that you would like at home, let Steve know what they ares, we can get it for you cheaper than you could get it on your own.

Here’s our main equipment supplier, Rage Fitness.  We get special pricing on this, so don’t order from the site, order thru me.  http://www.ragefitness.com/

Jump ropes are also a very individual thing, so if you have a particular brand of rope you like, we can get an order together for those.  Just tell me what rope you like. We can have a label or different storage area for personal ropes, so no one uses your rope but you.  (sounds selfish, but non-cable ropes tend to break with repeated use).

We will make equipment orders once a month, on the first of the month, so just let Steve know what equipment you want and it will probably be received by the first week of the month unless it is a special-order.

We also have a stud bar pull-up bar you could mount in your garage, we’re selling that for $100, which is quite a bit less than the $159 that the stud bars are sold for new.  And we barely used the thing for fear of pulling the wall over (long story, we used those before we got the pull-up cage, way back when).

Note, I haven’t given up on the locker idea, but the ones we have aren’t really repairable.  We’re going to try to make a cubbyhole system so you can store limited equipment — weightlifting shoes, rope, hand grips, tape, etc.  Maybe thinking 12″x12″x18″ deep cubbies on the wall somewhere.  Stay tuned!

Another note, our current plastic ropes are becoming pretty worn, we’ll probably be ordering some new ones in the not-to-distant future, please do let me know what style of rope you like even if you don’t want to buy one.  If you haven’t tried one of the new cable ropes, they’re fast but painful if you miss.  Its a judgement call.

If you have some time and would be willing to donate part of your day Sunday, Feb. 13, we’re going to be doing a lot of work on the gym. There are a great many projects in progress, and we could use some hands to get some of them finished up. Steve will have a list of things to do, and we will of course order in food and drinks for those who are generous enough to come help us out, and I’ll have some other free goodies…

Based on the attendance numbers by class, we have changed the Monday evening 6:30pm workout from an “advanced” WOD to a normal WOD class everyone can attend.  We have moved the advanced workout to Thursday @ 6:30.  We aren’t canceling the normal WOD class at 6:30pm on Thursday, just adding an advanced WOD for those interested and approved to attend.

I’ve put up a whiteboard in the hallway for your 2011 goals. Think about what your top three fitness goals are this year. Lets quantify those goals. Be they getting a PR on a weight or exercise, improving your time on one of the girls, setting a goal weight or body-fat percentage, etc. I think it’s a really good idea to put goals in writing, someplace where you see them all the time.

We’re going to start doing a monthly Paleo potluck dinner to try each other’s cooking, exchange recipes, talk about issues with sticking to the diet, etc. The first will be at Steve’s house at 7pm on January 13. An evite has been sent out with the details…

The Friday 5:30pm workout, normally taught by Mark Lodmill, is going to become more oriented towards rowing. Mark is a competitive on-the-water rower, and a wealth of information in rowing technique. We are going to start leveraging that knowledge by having a rowing WOD every Friday. For those of you who want to get a workout but don’t want to row (Boo!), we will post a calisthenic WOD that won’t require much instruction, that you can do instead. Mark will be concentrating on teaching.

If you missed it, we’re having a t-shirt design contest. Submit a t-shirt design by Jan 15 and the gym will vote on the top three. Winners will get 50% off their next month’s dues (per winning design)

Just a quick reminder that there now two Doce Pares Eskrima (sticks) classes at CrossFit Denver.  The one-hour classes start at 7:30 PM on Wed. and 10:30 AM on Sunday.

The curriculum teaches fundamentals and techniques in Eskrima, a Filipino martial art using sticks, swords, knife and empty hand.  These classes are not physically demanding and there is no fighting involved so no worries about getting beat with a stick.  This is a formal martial arts program, meaning rank is awarded with the eventual goal of a black belt rank.

There is no charge for Crossfit Denver members.  $10 for any non-Crossfit Denver members.  You do need to buy sticks to get started.  The are $10 and available at Crossfit Denver.

If you want to do real (sport) fighting, that training will begin later this year, probably around Sept.  It is strongly recommended that you attend the above classes in order to gain some skills before entering any fight training.  Having some skills beforehand will help minimize the number of times you get hit, because you will get hit, no way around it.

If you have any questions, contact Eric Underwood at (303) 601-3437 or underwoodericd@gmail.com.  If you want to start classes, then just show up at the day and time noted above.

Also, visit the PIMA Denver (local club) Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=146222419116.  Many PIMA Denver members are US National and World champions including Steve Paul (World Champion – single stick fighting) and Eric Underwood (US National Champion – single stick fighting).  So while PIMA Denver is a relatively small group it is recognized and well respected throughout the eskrima world.

Announcing this year’s Mile High Sprints – Colorado’s annual Indoor Rowing Regatta!!!  This event includes races on the Concept2 rowing machines at distances of 500m, 1000m, 2000m, all the way up the 1-hour row for total meters.  The divisions are separated by men, women, children, light/heavyweight, and age.  This event is a regional qualifier for the WORLD INDOOR ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS, the CRASH-B Championships, in Boston MA.

registration for the Mile High Sprints is now available on line!
http://www.rockymountainrowing.org/2011MHSRegistration

January 29, 2011
Colorado Athletic Club, corner of Monaco and Yale, Denver

$25 entry fee if paid on line by January 24th or mailed with a postmark no later than January 24th.

CrossFit Denver will operate a normal schedule the weekend of Thanksgiving with the exception of Thanksgiving day.  On Thanksgiving, we will have a single WOD, at 9am.  This workout will be sufficiently brutal that you won’t feel at all bad about gorging on turkey and stuffing afterwards.  Mark Lodmill will be running it.

With the colder weather, we are going to start going inside every other weekend.  Starting Saturday, November 20, we will be doing the WOD at the gym every-other weekend.  When we do the saturday workout at the gym, it will focus on olympic lifting, we have to have a “mini-seminar” every other saturday, focusing on various aspects of oly lifting.  Check the website for Saturday class location.  I’ll try to start adding a blurb on Thursday and friday’s WOD pages on what/where the Saturday WOD will be.  So, again, Saturday, November 20th we will be at the gym, NOT the park.

Just a reminder that the 7am Monday morning time slot is now a WOD.  not yoga.  So feel free to come in if that time works for you!  No one has shown up for it yet in the two weeks it has been running.

Also a reminder that we are now doing stretching classes 4:45pm-5:30pm Mon-Thurs.  Flexibility is important!  Feel free to take advantage of these classes.  We’ll run it a few more weeks to gauge interest and then make a call if we’ll continue or not.

We’ve still got lots of buffalo available for purchase! Please see Steve to buy some. We have ground buffalo for $5/pound, chuck roast for $7/pound, various other roasts for $8/pound, and steaks for $10/pound. Act now to get the best cuts.

Don’t forget the Christmas party on Dec 10 at Blake St. tavern!  $15 each for food, and cash bar.  Friends and family are more than welcome.

In addition, we’ll be announcing the winners of the nutrition challenge.

You can view the evite here

Remember! Anytime you refer a new member to us, both you and the new member get 50% off your normal monthly rate the next month! Bring us in two people a month and you train for free!