Here we are, the first week of 2021!  A fresh start.  The whole year is laid out before us, fresh and clean and filled with possibilities.  And you’re off to a good start.  You are still in the running for our Unstoppable 20 in 2021 challenge. 

There are 27 days left in this month and you only need to attend 20 of them to be in the competition.  That means even if you haven’t done one workout yet this year, you can still take a whole week off and qualify.  But don’t wait to get started.  Bank some workouts now because things will come up throughout the month to obstruct your best intentions, they always do.
It’s a great start to the year because even though many parts of Canada are still in lockdown mode, here in BC, kids are heading back to school, most of us are heading back to work and gyms are open.  Don’t take it for granted, take advantage of our good fortune.

This doesn’t mean we are in the clear, in fact right now you and I need to be even more vigilant in safeguarding our health. Despite Provincial Health Authority orders, I suspect over the holidays many social gatherings did occur.  And that may mean we see a significant rise in COVID cases province-wide over the next couple of weeks putting all of us at increased risk of exposure.

So here is how we will safeguard our community:

1) If you or anyone in your household have any symptoms of illness, please DO NOT come to the gym – there will be no burpee penalty for missing a class for reasons of illness!

2) Please get tested.  Zoom WODs are always open to you but we request you do not return to the gym until you’ve received a negative COVID test result or are 14 days symptom free.

3) If you test positive please let me know at [email protected] ASAP.  We will maintain your privacy.

4) As before, in the case of an Empower member testing positive, we will alert all members so you may choose to WOD via Zoom for safety.  We will also contact all coaches and members who have been in direct contact with the member in question over the past 14 days.

5) At the gym please remember to follow all our COVID procedures:
– Wait outside at the designated red lines 6 feet apart until the preceding group has exited the gym and the coach has sprayed out the space
– Do not stand in the doorway or congregate outside the gym
– Sanitize your hands when entering and exiting the gym
– Sanitize your equipment before and after use
– Remain at your station during your workout, ask the coach on duty if you need equipment brought to you that is not at your station
– Do not use the space between your station and the adjacent station, please remain 6-9 feet apart from your closest neighbour
– Wear your mask while in the gym
– Refrain from engaging in high intensity training while in the gym
– Please face away from other members when exercising

6) For your safety we will continue to keep windows and doors open to maintain a flow of fresh air.  January and February are usually the coldest months so please dress accordingly!  I still recommend purchasing an Ororo heated vest if you didn’t get one for Christmas.  It delivers from Amazon in 1 day and costs under $200.  For Christmas I also received a great merino wool under layer which works wonderfully.  In March the weather will begin to warm up again so we only need to tough out 2 more months.  Dress well and Sisu!

7) Sleep well.  Eat well.  Exercise well.  These are your best safeguard against illness of all kinds.  Arm your immune system so you do not have to live in dread of viral transmissions.  The vaccine is coming but your body has all the built in defenses it requires to beat Coronaviruses so long as you maintain them in good working order. 

8) If the PHO does order a shutdown due to spiking COVID cases we already have our equipment lending list ready to go and will distribute equipment for members to take home accordingly.  As several of you may have received fitness equipment from Santa this season, I believe most of us will be well-equipped to WOD from home via Zoom if the order is given.  We will not miss a beat and workouts will continue on schedule so you will be able to complete your 20 in 2021 no matter what!

You’ve got this!  You made it through 2020’s surprises and you have proven adaptable and capable of overcoming adversity.  This year we are better prepared for uncertainty, we know how to respond quickly and how to support one another.  Nietzche was right, 2020 just served to make you a better, tougher, more resilient version of yourself.  You’ve already proven that you are Unstoppable.  Look out 2021!

Monday WOD
No equipment required for this one.  Everyone can play!  For in-gym users, to keep intensity low I suggest pounding out the push ups then catching your breath on the squats.  Over 10 minutes you will discover that you need to recover between push up sets anyhow so racing through the squats will not provide much benefit.

Warm Up
1 min Breathing on back
30/30 sec Head Nods/Rotations
1 min Cross touch Dead Bugs
1 min Egg rolls
1 min Windshield Wipers
1 min Rocking Chairs
1 min Bird Dogs
1 min Judo Push Up Rock
1 min Scap Rotations
1 min Scap Retractions
1 min Hands & Knees Crawl
1 min Full Body Rock
1 min Cross Crawls
1 min Reverse Samson Lunges
1 min Squat Hold

Tech
Push Up
Squat

WOD
10 min AMRAP
20 Push Ups
50 Squats

Cool Down
Tricep Stretch
Chest Stretch
Quad Stretch