Workout of the Day:
“Manimal’s 28″
For time:
800 Meter Run, and then 28 reps of each of the following:
- Overhead Squats (115/85 lbs.)
- Ring Dips
- Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kgs)
- Double-Unders
- Push Press (115/85 lbs.)
- Bastards (Burpee with a tuck jump)
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.
Happy Birthday Manimal!
Excellent post, one thing to add… Sitting in front of a mirror at a globo gym is no fun!
CrossFit workouts are fun! Plus, you get results and share the experience with friends – what more could you ask for?
Looking forward to hitting “Manimal’s 28″ in the AM.
Happy Birthday Mark! Although I must say, after seeing this WOD I’m kind of wishing you were turning 12 and not 28!
Wayne, is our blog set up to track how many readers convert the photo of Mark into their screensaver?
Instead of a screensaver I’ve converted that picture into my wallpaper…tiled…so I have a bunch of mini marks all over my computer…excellent!
Happy Birthday Stud..your 28 like me!! Hope you have a wonderful day.
Great post too, I laughed a bunch.
You’re a great balance of smart and strong (or brain and body, if you will)
Love the picture too
Happy B-Day, Mark! Hope you have another memorable birthday with friends and family, my brotha!
Happy Birthday Bro,
Happy Birthday, Mark! Wish we could be there to celebrate with you! Love ya!!!
Happy Birthday Mark! Great post as well. I could not agree more, form always follows function.
Manimal!! Happy Birthday. I have printed out the photo so now every gal here at Brown Law Group has a picture of you framed on their desk.
Also, Happy Birthday to Ian!! Ian, I hope you have a great day too!
Happy Birthday Mark! Next year I’m going to celebrate your birthday by sleeping in and taking a rest day.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! YOU GUYS DOWN AT INVICTUS HE BE HAPPY HE IS NOT OLDER. THAT WOD LOOKS SICK.
Happy Birthday, Mark! Hope it’s a good one.
Happy Birthday, Mark! Not only are you smart and cute as a button, you are a genuinely nice, caring person. I always appreciate that you take the time to give me tips on my form or explain something to me. MomRiebel should be very proud of you!
Happy Birthday brother and great job today!
Wow, thank you so much for all the birthday wishes and kind words guys. It was really a great birthday present to hit this wod this morning with the 6AMers–I couldn’t ask for a better start to my day! (Does this completely qualify me as crazy?!)
As a side note, there’s a lofty goal that a lot of us CFers shoot for, and that’s 15 reps of a bodyweight OHS. It’s a phenomenal assessment of hip strength and midline stabilization that can take years to achieve. This workout happens to be about 85% of Dani’s bodyweight, and I was floored to watch her do all 28 reps, even if she gave me a few dirty looks in the process. Way to go, girl!
Happy B-day Mark! …the WOD looks fantastic. Bastards are just evil right before an 800
Happy Birthday! Great Picture…
Happy birthday!
Happy B-day Mark!
Happy birthday Mark! You are a solid guy and phenomenal athlete. Hitting up WODs with you at 0600 (for the better part of a year now) has been a pleasure. You’ve set a great example and your input on how to improve my many deficiencies has helped tremendously. Thanks brother.
I couldn’t agree more with you about Dani’s performance this morning. She has once again inspired those of us who struggle with the OHS to put some weight on the bar, engage those shoulders, tighten up the core and just squat it!
I used 65 lbs for the OHS (heavy for me). I challenged myself to scale up to the two pood KB because I was so far off the prescribed OHS load. The 115 lb push press really slowed things down. Posted a 28:07.
Nice work to everyone this morning. Although ‘Manimal’s 28′ was a beast, the 0600 crew brought lots of energy and motivation!
~BC
Happy Happy Birthday Mark! Dude, you are one phenomenal person. You are an incredible athlete, super kind and a total geek. The CFI community is tremendously blessed to have you. Thank you for being an inspiration to us all.
What a crazy workout! It is always humbling when half the class is gone and you are still working through the WOD. Mark, Bee-Charmer, Cynthia and Christina thank you so much for your encouragement this morning. Manimal, that was for you.
It was a great morning! I really love you guys.
Dantelope tired and out.
Happy Birthday Mark, thank you for introducing me to crossfit, creamsicle dip, and encouraging me to improve my dietary habits. I definetly notice a difference in how i feel. You are truly an inspiration to me.
Manimal, great WOD dude. 9:30 am class hammered it for you!
Josh E., nice work eating Mark’s breakfast for him on his birthday… by a few seconds
BC, I see your a 2 pood tough guy now… great now I need to make the jump! Wasn’t CJ just saying that 2 pood is the new 1.5?
Dani, you are such a bad ass… wish some of that would rub off on me!
Anyways, back to my coffee and computer.
Showed Mark’s picture to some of my coworkers–we may have some new ladies interested in dropping by CFI.
Hmm….here I’ve been trying to get people interested for months and all I needed was a picture of Mark.
Beefcake sells!!
Mark bro
Happy Birthday!
Wish I could have been there for the bro-down throw-down.
Rage cage my friend…rage cage.
Cynthia, you are brillant. As a Marketing Manager why did I not think of CFI’s greatest asset? Mark it is a done deal we will plaster your photo all over town. Come one come all for a viewing of the Manimal.
You think this is bad Mark just wait till Saturday. As your friends we are merely celebrating your fabulousness.
And Wayne, I am not a bad ass I am a fighter. Michele, now there’s a bad ass for you.
brilliant
Mark,
Happy Brithday and I can assure you that I am glad you aren’t as old as some of us, otherwise I might still be finishing. My handicap was Manimal 28 22:05! I hope someone there bought Mark a jar of peanut butter put a candle in it and sang Mark happy birthday!
Now I can get back to the regularly scheduled workout.
POS
**************HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK**************
Totally had a great time this morning! 6am is always better when u r there
You always bring it Mr!
This might sound repetitive… but you really are such a stellar guy & I’m grateful to have you as a friend. Your passion for what we do is evident & you’re always helpful & supportive. Part of the reason why we luv ya is because u r a kick-ass athlete, but more of the reason is because you are humble, patient & totally not afraid to geek out.
You are the most Fab-tastic swim buddy a girl could have 4 sure…but we may need to work more on the vino distinction skillz
Muchos Luv kiddo!!
Too all my crossfit peeps…
We are going to celebrate AB-tastic Manimal’s Birthday this Sat around 9 at the East Village Tavern.
It’s in the East Village, which is crazy right?
930 Market St to be exact!
So dust off those party pants & prepare for a lot of Britney & Rihanna requests
You ladies may be on to something. In order to attract the right crowd for the viewing, we have to market it correctly by identifying the scientific name and dictionary definition of Manimal.
‘Incvictified Manimalasauraus’ (Manimal) – A muscular half-beast-half-mammal. Hunts primarily during daylight hours. Eats meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch, and no sugar. Alos likes milk and bananas. Advanced in education and holds down a government job. Likes chemistry and uses big words. Occasionally frequents coffee shops and night clubs. Manimal is domesticated and lives indoors in the San Diego area. When not hunting, Manimal is known to execute constantly varied functional movements (like pushing, pulling, squatting, lifting, running) at high intensity. Female mammals who share in his domain are highly attracted to his aesthetically pleasing frame, great smile and dreamy eyes. Male mammals wish they had his guns. Although normally friendly and not prone to bite, Manimal will attack and crush unsuspecting WODs.
Happy birthday, again.
~BC
‘Also’
Chris! Dude, laughing out loud right now! You are too much.
BC – You are a riot! Classic.
Happy B-day Mark…Next glass of Milk is on me
Chris, that was great! A real tribute!
Thank you again to everyone–I’m really humbled by the praise. I hope to see you all on Saturday!
Bee Charmer, you have mad skills.
I must say that it has been called to my attention there is another special birthday boy at Invictus. HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN!!! I hope that you are well and you and Roma are getting ready for the bundle of joy. I am SO ready to be Auntie Dani.
The definition is hysterical! I just knew we raised a winner! (No prejudice here.)
Mark,
I did not know we had the same B-day! Happy birthday to you and I am glad we based the workout on your age and not mine… LOL.