Workout of the Day:
25 x DB Snatch, Right Arm
25 x DB Snatch, Left Arm
50′ Walking Lunge with DB Overhead
20 x DB Snatch, Right Arm
20 x DB Snatch, Left Arm
50′ Walking Lunge with DB Overhead
15 x DB Snatch, Right Arm
15 x DB Snatch, Left Arm
50′ Walking Lunge with DB Overhead
10 x DB Snatch, Right Arm
10 x DB Snatch, Left Arm
50′ Walking Lunge with DB Overhead
5 x DB Snatch, Right Arm
5 x DB Snatch, Left Arm
50′ Walking Lunge with DB Overhead

Kelly B. knocking out pull-ups like a champ!

Seeking Guidance from the Guru
Everyone needs a coach. We need coaches to keep us honest and to teach us new things. We’re blessed in this community to be surrounded by many knowledgeable coaches, and there are few who are as well respected as Robb Wolf. Robb is in town presenting the CrossFit Nutrition Certification at University of San Diego, and the coaches at CrossFit Invictus who haven’t already been to one of Robb’s seminars are going to soak up as much information as they can. Should be fun, and a great learning experience.

Workout of the Day:
“Manimal’s 28″
For time:
800 Meter Run, and then 28 reps of each of the following:

Happy Birthday to our very own "Manimal" - a stud athlete and great coach.

Function over Aesthetics
Written by Mark Riebel 

Anywhere you look these days, you’re bound to see images of lean, beautiful people in the media enjoying their lives and selling you every product under the sun. Our society has put the image of a svelte, toned individual on such a high pedestal that it has become an obsession for countless individuals. As a result of this, the multi-billion dollar fitness industry has exploded as so many people get in front of the mirrors in gyms across America doing bicep curls to try to look pretty. We at CrossFit Invictus have a bit of a different goal than a great looking body—overall functional fitness. 

Please don’t misunderstand me and think that I’m saying improving your physical appearance is a poor or misguided goal to have. I think it’s an excellent aim to want to lose a little fat or gain a few pounds of muscle and increase your overall level of health, and I realize that everyone who walks through our doors has a different and valid reason for doing so.

Rather, I’m saying that our brand of high-intensity workouts utilizing compound, multi-joint exercises (and not in the fashion of bicep curls with both arms) such as squats, deadlifts, and presses will lead to a much greater level of fitness and health than any circuit of machines at a traditional gym. And here’s the best part—the aesthetics will come with it. They always do. Your body will transform as you become stronger, leaner, and faster, and you’ll be developing the whole package of fitness while doing it.

The difference with our brand of training is that while training on a machine or in a way to isolate a muscle will work that muscle and make it look nice, that’s not how the human body is programmed to work. Our muscles work in concert with one another, and for the best results, that is how you should train. Training your muscles in isolation is kind of like buying a Lamborghini with a Geo Metro engine or going on a date with Paris Hilton. They both look nice, but when you go searching for the substance there’s just nothing there. That’s why you can see a big, buff guy injure himself picking up a 70 lb. box (something any of our CFI ladies can do) because he has never trained to deadlift properly.

So the next time you’re at CFI up to your neck in a beast of a workout and you happen to get a lucid moment and wonder why you’re training the way you are, just know that you are stepping closer to your goals, and in a much more effective and valuable way than those guys and gals watching TV while they leg press.

Workout of the Day:
For time:
155/105 lb. Power Clean x 10
Sit-Ups x 50
155/105 lb. Power Clean x 8
Sit-Ups x 40
155/105 lb. Power Clean x 6
Sit-Ups x 30
155/105 lb. Power Clean x 4
Sit-Ups x 20
155/105 lb. Power Clean x 2
Sit-Ups x 10 
(Don’t be afraid to scale up here. If you’re one rep max clean is 225 or more, work with at least 185 lbs.)

Helen has inspired so many of us at CF Invictus. Who has inspired you? Post to comments your inspiration and tell us why.

Inspiration is Everywhere
Written by C.J. Martin 

My route into coaching was not exactly direct. I spent three years in law school and another five in a large law firm as a litigation associate. My experience in the legal industry was nothing but positive. The people were great and the hours, while long at times, were not unmanageable (trust me, I “work” much more now). And the pay, well, let’s just say that I can live very comfortably on a fraction of what I was making. So why give up a lucrative career in the law to hang out in a gym? 

There is inspiration everywhere you look in this community. The community is comprised of highly-motivated individuals who are proactively changing their lives for the better. CrossFitters don’t come in begrudgingly. If they do, they don’t last long. CrossFitters come to the gym with a purpose. They are goal driven self-starters who are willing to do the work to succeed. Whether the goal is getting their first pull-up or a sub 3:00 “Fran,” their drive to succeed is indistinguishable and their support of others’ pursuits is unwavering.

I have the best job in the world. I get to facilitate this achievement. CrossFit provides a proven strength and conditioning system that permits the flexibility to learn and constantly improve; and my clients are motivated and willing to do whatever is necessary to reach their goals. All I have to do is learn as much as I can about fitness and share that knowledge with my clients. Their success is guaranteed by their commitment and the methodology Coach Glassman has developed. What could be better than walking into a workplace where everyone is excited to be there, motivated to work hard, and where success is virtually guaranteed?  

On top of all that, I get to work with amazing individuals. To name just a few, clients like Larry Blum who has achieved multiple personal bests on various lifts since his 71st birthday, like Helen (pictured above) whose athleticism amazes me daily (she recently did 30 95 lb. Overhead Squats and 60 Pull-Ups in 12:00), like Ryan McKim who has completely transformed himself in 6 months (see yesterday’s blog comments), and like the Freischlag clan who have made fitness a family affair. And finally, I get to work with kids out at schools and provide them with their first exposure to fitness. These kids are learning that fitness has nothing to do with machines or biceps curls, and everything to do with generating power. They give me hope that we can truly change the face of fitness in America.

Was I crazy to leave a steady income to start a gym in the current economy? No, I would have been crazy not to do so. The inspiration alone makes it worthwhile, the community and relationships make it the best decision I have ever made.