***REMINDER – Gym is closed today for Self-Myofascial Release Clinic.***

Happy Belated Birthday to one of our very favorite Invictus members, Ken C. It was Ken's birthday on Thursday and unfortunately, he had to celebrate while out at sea. We're looking forward to getting Ken back stateside in March.

Workout of the Day:
Four sets for max reps of:
60 seconds of Kettlebell Swings
60 seconds of Rest
120 seconds to Run 400 Meters
60 seconds of Double-Unders
60 seconds of Rest

Sammy, Renee and their beautiful daughter - Congratulations to Renee, who just graduated the Invictus On-Ramp! Welcome to the Invictus family Renee!

Schedule for This Weekend and Next Week
Written by C.J. Martin

We have two really cool events this weekend, and one next Wednesday.  I am re-posting the details of each below, but here is what you MUST KNOW:

This weekend, we will be CLOSED ON SATURDAY for Jeff Alexander’s Self-Myofascial Release Clinic.  There is still room to register for this event.  Sign up today, or show up Saturday morning and I will get you taken care of.

Where will you workout on Saturday? WITH ME!!!  I am participating in a really cool event with some of the top fitness professionals in San Diego.  The event will be a massive training circuit at the Road Runner Sports complex where participants will rotate through and get abused, er . . . “coached” by various fitness coaches.  There will be a great variety of workout methodologies showcased and you will get to dabble in all of them.  This is a great way to come out and try a few new things and test your fitness.

Finally, next Wednesday, Dr. Ron Gellis is putting on a great seminar for parents.  The description is below, but if you have kids, please make an effort to attend this event!

January 30, 2010 – 9:00 a.m.
2010 Resolution Workout at Road Runner Sports
CrossFit Invictus has teamed up with San Diego’s leading health and fitness professionals to put on a fitness expo and workout to kick off 2010. The event will be held at Road Runner Sports in Mira Mesa and will include a cross-training circuit led by San Diego’s leading fitness coaches. Click here to register – the first 200 participants receive a free body fat analysis.

January 30 & 31, 2010 – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Self-Myofascial Release Clinic at CrossFit Invictus
Are you pain-free? If your muscles ever get sore or tight from tough workouts, come learn techniques proven to relieve soreness and restore proper muscle function. We will cover how to work your body from head to toe, delve deeply into the muscles that contribute to proper joint function and which ones limit proper function when they lock up.  Click here to sign up.

February 3, 2010 – 6:00 p.m.
Raising Healthy Adults – Presented by Dr. Ron Gellis
Parenting is a difficult task for even the most accomplished and competent individuals. Dr. Ron Gellis, a clinical and forensic psychologist with over 30 years of experience – and parent himself, will present this workshop to provide guidelines for successful parenting. Questions will be encouraged and discussed in a non-threatening manner. Sign up now by emailing info@crossfitinvictus.com.

Workout of the Day:
Three sets of:
Front Squat x 10 reps
Rest 2 minutes
Ring Rows x 12 reps (slow and controlled, rigid plank)
Rest 2-3 minutes;
and then,
As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:
15 Ball Slams
15 Wall Ball Shots
200 Meter Run

A Rare Opportunity to Learn From Tony Blauer
Written by Jeff Martin – Co-Founder of CrossFit Kids and Brand X Martial Arts

WHEN - Saturday, February 13th from 1:00 – 5:00 at CrossFit Brand X in Ramona.

As many of you know, Brand X started out as a boxing and self defense gym. We found CrossFit and started offering it to our clients to better prepare them for the ring or a violent confrontation in the street. While CrossFit has become the primary focus of our gym, we still offer self defense classes and seminars. As CrosssFitter’s we want our training to make us ready for life. We feel strongly that being ready for life means being ready for anything life throws our way, and while having a 500 pound deadlift or a 2:30 Fran is great, if you cannot productively bring that strength or stamina to bear when life demands it, then our training has failed us. As Crossfitters we train for the unknown and the unknowable. Tony teaches you how to survive the unknown and unknowable.

I met Tony in the mid 90’s in the pages on Black Belt magazine. I was always impressed with the ideas he discussed and the scientific way he approached self defense. Apparently others were impressed as well, Tony has worked with agency’s such as Federal Bureau of Investigations, U.S. Secret Service, Federal Air Marshall Service, U.S. Marshall Service among many others. Since joining CrossFit, Tony has been working to help us make CrossFit Kids Combatives a reality.

Tony has offered to do a seminar at Brand X to introduce CrossFit affiliates to his S.P.E.A.R. system and show how self defense training and CrossFit training can be combined. Tony will be covering:
* Essential S.P.E.A.R. drills
* Performance Psychology
* Situational Awareness
* Combining CrossFit with PDR skills

The cost of this seminar is only $100 for Law Enforcement Officers and First Responders, and $150 for the general public.

If you would like to come to this seminar please email us at Jeff@crossfitkids.com. Tony doesn’t personally teach many seminars, so this is a rare opportunity. Space is limited, so please respond as soon as possible.

Workout of the Day:
Three sets of:
Single-Leg Deadlift x 5 reps each leg
(Use barbell if you can, otherwise use KB or DB)
Rest 2 minutes
Bench Press x 5 reps
Rest 2 minutes
(Make some use out of your rest period and stretch or roll your quads and calves.);
and then,
Six rounds of:
Suicide Sprints – complete every 90 seconds (the sprint should take you approximately 20-25 seconds, giving you approximately one minute to rest between sprints)

Richard and Patrice - A studly Invictus Couple

Resolutions? No, Goals for 2010
Written by Invictus Member Richard Madrid

Has anyone made a New Year’s resolutions and actually followed through with it? Or, as my wife Patrice asked, has anyone made a resolution and then couldn’t remember it? I know I have, so this year I am vowing to set some achievable goals, not resolutions.

Resolutions are normally too broad and all-ecompassing. For instance, if some one says “I want to be healthier, so I am going to eat right and go to the gym.”  The problemto me seems that those resolutions weren’t clearly defined.  Resolutions also tend to be vague and/or hard to accomplish, whereas proper goals are specific and measurable.  Instead of “I will lose weight this year,” a better goal might be, “I will lose 30 pounds.”  Instead of “I will help people more,” make it, “I plan to go to Catholic Worker (for example) once a month.”  These goals are specific and measurable, and much more likely to be achieved.

Good goals must also be realistic.  The easiest way to set attainable goals is to know where you are currently.  For me, I have been able to easily track my fitness progress over the past year.  When Tall Thom Knapp first encouraged me to check out Invictus, I had already dabbled in some of the benchmark CrossFit workouts like “Fran” and “Cindy,” experimented with ring dips, and was getting reacquainted with old-fashioned barbell workouts.  My first ”Fran” time was around 15 minutes, and I only finished about 10 rounds of “Cindy.” For the rest of 2009, my numbers in these workouts and other strength lifts improved and will serve as a baseline to help me set my 2010 goals.  So my current numbers are:

• Fran – 4:31
• Cindy – 21 Rounds
• Deadlift – 365
• Squat – 300
• Bench Press - 245

I also have major flexibility issues due to years of not listening to my mother (sorry mom) and I would like to improve that area as well.  So, my 2010 fitness goals are:

• Fran – Sub-3:00 minutes
• Deadlift – 500 lbs.
• Squat – 400 lbs.
• Bench Press – 300 lbs.
• Increase bodyweight to 185 lbs.

These goals are specific and measurable.  This way, if I don’t meet a certain goal, I can look back and analyze what I did wrong or didn’t do at all and try again.  Whether they’re achievable, well, that’s part of what will motivate me to make 2010 even better than 2009 – and now I have a whole community that can help keep me accountable.

So what are your 2010 GOALS?

Workout of the Day:
“Tag Team Cindy”
Teams of two must complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Pull-Ups
10 Push-Ups
15 Squats
Only one team member may be working at any given time.  The resting partner must care for the team’s kettlebell, which may not touch the ground during the workout (you cannot sit down or kneel either). Carry the biggest Kettlebell baby you can handle.

Remember these kids?  They’re back.
The announcement of the first 2010 Black Box Summit date and location will be released in the next week.  If it’s on the West Coast, will you attend?
What are your thoughts about gathering some of the best and brightest coaches, athletes and gym owners in the CrossFit community and beyond?