Perhaps some of you have been watching the CrossFit Games this weekend where Canadian athlete Jeff Adler represented and  Matt Fraser looked as unstoppable as ever for the 5th year in a row.  In fact Fraser looks like he won nearly every event.  One exception was the CrossFit Total in which he placed second to the Canadian.  Our sweetheart Tia also dominated the women’s division and we couldn’t be happier.  Or maybe you watched the retirement match of lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov the legend from Dagestan who has become the first UFC champion to retire undefeated.

It has been a weekend of all-time athletic greats but we’ve had some big performances in the gym this week as well.  The Touch put his own stamp on the CrossFit Total becoming the first Empower athlete to score over 1000lbs (look out Adler).  In fact he posted personal bests on all three lifts including a 465lb deadlift which is also an Empower record.  But he wasn’t the only athlete setting gym records as Big Cat posted an impressive record-breaking 295lb Front Squat this week as well!  That is some great lifting.

There’s been exciting bright spots for Empower members in and out of the gym and I have a couple exciting opportunities for Empower members keen on charging ahead into 2021 on an accelerated performance path:

1) Individual Assessment & Performance Plans
Feedback from Empower members suggests many of you would like the opportunity for a little extra 1-on-1 coaching to help accelerate your progress.  We’ve heard you and we’re happy to offer you some individualized assessments and programming.  Please contact me if you want to book a 30-minute meeting which will include a discussion about goals and a strength and movement assessment.  The cost is $60 per person.  For time reasons, in November I’ll only be accepting the first 10 respondents.  In December I’ll try to accommodate more interested members.

2) Lifestyle Challenge
Also starting November 1st we’ll be running a 30-day Lifestyle Challenge to help you accelerate your health and fitness.  The challenge will include many lifestyle factors including some direction and accountability around nutrition.  It will be a good, better, best system with no demerits.  There will be weekly challenges such as “Make a healthy home cooked meal and share a picture of it with recipe”.  We will have weekly check-ins.  Everyone who completes the 30-day challenge will be entered in a draw to win two 30-min private coaching sessions with WOD Father.  For November we will only take the first 10 interested parties but we promise more to come.  $99 per person.

You’ve given us some great suggestions on how we can better support you in achieving your fitness goals.    To provide more gym access for those of you following individualized performance plans, I have added extra open gym times to our weekday schedule.  We are committed to helping you charge into the holidays so that you can give yourself the gift of improved fitness and close out this very challenging 2020 with some real bright spots!

We’re going to help you win the year!

Monday WOD
We will be able to get 6 athletes on the pull up bars for T2B plus 4 athletes on the lifting platform for lying hip raises for a total of 10 in the gym.  For safety reasons we will be lunging in place assuming 1 lunge per metre which is great news if you have short legs.  We will provide an outdoor alternative if we have more than 10 attendees.  This is also an easy WOD for household members to share stations.

Equipment: 2 Kettlebells or dumbbells

Warm Up
8 mins AMRAP
10 Samson Lunges Forward
10 Strict T2B/Lying Hip Raise
10 Russian KB Swings
10 Samson Lunges Backward
10 Goblet Squats
10 Russian KB Swings

Tech 
T2B/Hanging Knee Raises/Lying Hip Raises
Lunge
Double KB Clean

WOD
30-20-10
T2B
Double KB Rack Lunge

Cool Down
Lat Stretch
Forearm Stretch
Dragon Pose
Pigeon Pose
Cobra Pose