In this Edition:
1.     Greetings
2.       Movements of the Week
3.       Baseline Warm-Up and Two Squatting WODs FT
4.       SD Tip 1: Shopping

Greetings readers!
How is everyone doing out there? I so miss you all!  My apologies for being so slow to the draw with an alternative to our Athletics class.   I was emotionally thrown for a loop when the gym closed.  I spend a lot of time there and it was a shock to the system.  Blindsided by it. Tis what happens when your focus is elsewhere, and you do not pay proper attention to world events.  Lesson learned. In all truth, the last 6 months have been extra challenging.  Let it be known your great energy in the gym has been a highlight during these times!

My last Edition of this newsletter was September 2019 just before my son went into hospital for a month. Getting him back on track has been my main focus and what was meant to be a regular posting about the Athletics program fell by the wayside.  We were just starting to emerge from it all when Covid-19 hit, requiring an adjustment and a new focus for a new age.  An opportunity to re-set ourselves has been presented. It has been wobbly but we are getting there.

Let’s go forward my friends. As a first step, I’d like to keep in touch with a weekly Sunday newsletter containing 2-3 Athletics workouts, a social distancing survival tip picked up during the week and other health related topics, such as coping with our new reality.  I hope this measure helps us stay connected.  I’d love to hear how you are doing. Please send me any points of interest you wish to share out or do touch base with a call 604-809-5805 or email [email protected].

To building strength in the coming weeks.

Movements of the Week

I had the time.   Last week I completed two CrossFit On-line courses: Programming and Dumbbells. Great courses, helpful and practical in nature and I’ll use the information gleaned to inform Athletics Newsletter programming.

Taken from the dumbbell course below are two simple movements we’ve yet to use in an Athletics class.  Loved both.

1) Dumbbell Front Squat: Twist Not!

This movement places a solid challenge on the midline as you must not twist or bend in execution, which can be tempting.

Movement how to:

Hold DB up in the rack position, back head of DB resting on shoulder, keep elbow high, do not let it hit leg on way down into squat. You may find one elbow easier to hold up than the other, I did.   Fight to keep elbow up and chest up, squat down to where crease of hip is below knee joint parallel.  Switch sides after a determined number of reps. I suggest a 5-rep minimum as a general go-to in weight selection.

DB Goblet Thruster 
Movement how to:

Hold dumbbell vertically in front of face, hands grasping each side of the dumbbell, take a big breath in at top of this position to get midline set, go down into a squat, as you come up and your hips extend to stand, thrust DB overhead, ensure full lockout of your arms over your head. DB should be positioned over middle of your head with your ears visible just in front of your elbows – that is a rep.

Baseline Warm-up and Two Squatting WODS FT
This is my go-to warm up, that I rely on when I need to just get in the game without fuss.  I start with 2-3 rounds of broomstick and then move into Jacks.  I give Jacks credit for getting me off my knees in push-ups.  The first time I completed Jacks was in 2015 and it took me 9:48 with push-ups done from my knees.  Using it as a consistent warm-up, the forced push-up practice eventually equated into full body push-ups. My Jacks time is now about 3 mins though I only time it periodically.  Try it. Get Jacked!

Baseline Warm-Up

Broomstick
2-3 rounds 10 broomstick shoulder pass-throughs, 10 leg swings side to side/10 forward and back, 10 broomstick overhead squats.

Jacks
75 jumping jacks, 40 sit-ups, 30 air squats, 20 push-ups, 10 burpees, 75 jumping jacks.

WOD 1 Front Porch
7 rounds for time
10 solid push-ups
20 single arm DB front squats (10 per side, then switch)
30 ab mat sit-ups

WOD 2 Track Time
5 rounds for time
400 meter run
30 DB goblet thrusters
20 lateral burpees over DB

Running subs:  skipping 90 secs, brisk walk 2:30 pump the arms, alternative distance on cardio machine of choice, leave run out all together – rest 1 min between rounds and hit movements harder.

SD Shopping: Avoiding crowds
I was slow to engage but the new London Drugs on Dunbar is a god-send.  To date it is not busy and has just about all you need, minus real food.  There is a solid enough electronics section and a toy section with some solid Lego offerings for these desperate times.  Free ample parking is a bonus plus friendly, helpful staff, who approach you to assist.  It is a large, shop which many in lower Kits may not know about, preferring to jam the smaller store on Broadway by Arbutus.  Drive up the road I say, worth it for the ease in the moment.

My mother swears by the seniors’ times available from 7am-8am in many grocery stores.  If you have seniors in your life, let them know about it. Safely up, in and out. IDs sometimes checked!

I’m slowly getting used to these new shopping expectations.  It has been jarring to see people in masks and gloves roaming about anxiously collecting supplies but that is the way of the world for now and it is heartening to see people looking out for each other.  I am appreciative of the SD circles is stores as guidance on what proximity to keep.  Slowly, we are managing and going forward.    To a good week ahead. Let’s get after it.