Let me tell you now of an epic encounter that did occur within the hallowed halls of Empower, whence two coaches unexpected met and did give each other challenge to a contest of strength.

The day was newly born, the light rising in the east to herald the dawn of Woden’s Day, the day of the All-Father.  The fates this day would together bring two coaches who had long toiled alone, their deeds unwitnessed and unheralded.  Today they would be set one against the other to test their might.

Coach WOD Father did look to the task set before him by the CrossFit Lords, his heart brimming with confidence.  This was a challenge he was sure to conquer.  Scarred by decades of battle, he did limber himself preparing for this 10 minute test.  His confidence on the heavy snatch was strong but it was the high box jump which was most to his liking.  As he embraced the dawn and prepared himself to do battle he beheld another champion striding out of the morning light, as his counterpart Coach The Touch appeared.

“What brings you to this training hall at so early an hour on your day of rest?”  Coach WOD Father asked as his challenger strode confidently through the gates.

“I have risen so that I may face and conquer the test put before me by the Lords of CrossFit and stake my claim as the champion of Empower,” the young warrior declared.

“And I am here for that very same purpose,” the WOD Father did reply measuring the younger man and determining him a worthy adversary, “I will challenge you to this test of might this morning to decide who between us is worthy of the title of champion.”

“I accept your challenge,” the young warrior replied.

They did determine that the challenger would go first and as the clock signaled the contest begin, he attacked the barbell with a mighty fury throwing it from ground to overhead once, twice and a third time before the bar came to rest.  WOD Father did look with fear and awe at his young rival’s prodigious might and wondered if the youth would falter but The Touch took two breaths only and then stepped back to the bar to heave it high a fourth and then a fifth time.  For a moment, it looked as though the effort might have been too great as the young champion stood chest heaving but then he did launch himself into the air alighting atop the high box once.  Only on his second leap did he falter.  A moment of doubt passed as the challenger mastered himself and resumed his attack on the box earning a second, third, fourth and fifth jump before his round was done in only a fifth of the designated time.  With confidence he resumed the barbell always maintaining his pattern of three and two and always finishing in a fifth measure so by the time the task was done he had completed 5 and 3.

The old veteran looked upon his young rival’s score with doubt and trepidation.  Long had he been the master of the barbell but could he match so heroic a feat?  But the old campaigner would not shrink before the challenge but girded himself for the test ahead as he stepped up to the barbell.  His was a more measured pace as he lifted the bar and let drop once and then again.  Breathing between each stroke until all 5 were completed.  And then, the barbell test passed, did he unleash his own warrior fury upon the high box which he completed with ease, faltering not one step as if to prove his old legs had power in them yet.  When the fifth jump was done a quarter time had passed and the WOD Father turned confidently back to his barbell.  His pace would not falter either as he kept his measure true until at time’s end he had completed rounds of 4 and 3.

A new champion was crowned but the WOD Father did not bow his head in defeat for though he had truly been bested by his young rival, in his heart he knew he had battled his best with truth and with honour.  Just as Woden’s Day gives way to Thor’s Day, father to sun, the honour must pass from the old to the young but a veteran knows that he who walks unscathed from the field of battle may raise his sword again and as each day wanes so each new dawn brings another.  As long as a warrior may stand, he may rise once more to the challenge and stake his claim to the title of champion.

Monday WOD
Equipment: Barbell, plyo-box, light kettlebell, PVC Pipe

Warm Up
1 min Shoulder Pass Throughs
1 min KB Halos
1 min Russian KB Swings
1 min Step Ups
1 min CF KB Swings
1 min Box Jumps
1 min KB Snatches right
1 min KB Snatches left

Tech:
Snatch
Box Jump

WOD
10 min AMRAP
5 Power Snatches
5 Box Jumps

We will be running two heats in busier classes to accommodate the wait list

Cool Down
Shoulder Series
Dragon/Pigeon
Quad Stretch