First off, a massive shoutout to all Empowerites who took down 25.2! This workout was first done in the gym during the 2022 Open, giving some of us the unique chance to compare our past scores. Fun! Honestly, here’s the thing: life looks different each year, and your score in an Open workout is just one piece of your fitness journey. Keep pushing!

25.3 Some Witnessed Wins

Sandman and Pepper scored PRs on this workout. No small feat!
Viper and Sable knocked out more pull-ups than they ever thought possible.
Auto hit his first jumping pull-up, and Jedi nailed her first kipping pull-up.

25.2 was no joke. However, it played out for you this year, remember, you showed up, put in the work, and got the beast done!  That takes grit and determination! Be proud! 

Intramural Update:

Week 2 of our Empower Intramurals is in the books, and the leaderboard is showing a tight battle among teams. WODBusters have edged ahead of Snatch Me if you Can and are appearing determined to take the title.  Can they do it? Kettlebellends are not out of the race yet.  They have shot if they come out fighting for participation points and nail the Week 3 Challenge. Here is how matters have been going down....

What is up with the Division Points?

Members can earn points for their teams, based on where they place in their division among all team members. Some Intramural Team Members are in a division of their own, meaning they are guaranteed top placement. But, that doesn’t make it easy! They still have to show up and work to bring home those points. This might mean stopping mid-WOD to strip into a Canadian flag speedo or completing the WOD in a thick white protective head-to-toe suit or battling through it gasping for air fighting illness, or doing it with a weakened hamstring, or an injured hand or knee. There is a story behind each finish. None were given! 👊

Divisions Represented:

·         Men & Women Open

·         Men 35-39, Women 35-39, Men 40-44, Women 40-44, Women 45-49

·         Men 50-54, Women 50-54

·         Men 55-59, Women 55-59

·         Men 60-64, Women 70+

Division Points = Gold 3. Silver 2. Bronze 1. 

Division Points Earned in 25.1 and 25.2:

Gold: Sable, Turbo, Timberwolf, Valiente, Hurricane, The Touch, Rockstar, Kohai, Roxy, The Assassin, Savitar, WOD Father, HardRock, DT, Doc Disk, Spice, Viper, Salsa, Auto, Iron Dam

Silver: Timberwolf, Zed, MK, Pepper, Viper, Spice, Dauntless, Fuego, Sable, Pebbles

Bronze: Valiente, Hurricane, DT, Gift, Hee Hee, Shine

Week 2 Division Points Team Totals:

·         Snatch Me If You Can: 25

·         WODBusters: 24

·         Kettlebellends: 20

Week 1 Division Points Team Totals:

·         Snatch Me If You Can: 24

·         WODBusters: 17

·         Kettlebellends: 17

Week 2 Team Totals

Intramural teams earned points in several ways this week:

• Completing a weekly one-off challenge - Guessing 25.2 WOD Movements.

• Participation points: Judging 10 points per, completing the workout 5 points per, completing workout at FNL 20 points per

• Bonus Points. WODBusters and Snatch Me If You Can earned 50 bonus points for getting their entire team through 25.2!

Team Participation Points Earned in Week 2:

·         🥇WODBusters: 390

·         🥈Snatch Me If You Can: 260

·         🥉Kettlebellends: 200

Current Overall Leaderboard Standings:

·        🥇 WOD Busters - 1,096

·         🥈Snatch Me If You Can - 1,034

·         🥉Kettlebellends - 807

Ways Teams Can Earn Points This Week:

·      Week 3 Challenge Team Cheer or Song performed in Costume at last Friday Night Lights (200 points). Teams will vote on the winner, but may not vote for themselves.

·     25 points for each athlete that does the workout at FNL

·     10 points for each athlete judged by a qualified judge who requires it. 

·      5 points for completing 25.3

·      Division points

🔜And then, my friends, the show will be over.  Who will take home the Empower Intramural Championship Award this year? Where would you place your bets? We can't call it ... yet! Stay tuned!

🌟Join Us for 25.3 at the Final Friday Night Lights this Friday March 14, starting at 4pm. 🌟

Wednesday Whip It

A few shortcuts I lean on when time is tight to keep me on the fighting path. 

• Fairlife Protein Shakes (30 grams protein) I order these from Amazon and keep them in the fridge. When I get home from the gym, I can drink one while making breakfast. If I don’t have time to scramble eggs, breakfast is a shake plus half a turkey sandwich or a turkey burger with some broccoli.

• Creatine + Coffee One scoop of creatine goes straight into my black coffee. I keep the creatine tub next to the kettle so it’s easy to remember.

• Biosteel WhiteFreeze Electrolyte Packs are super sweet, like a blue freeze pop. If I’m craving sugar, drinking one helps me determine whether I’m just dehydrated or hungry. Usually, it is thirst.

• Whipped Cream. This one might sound suspect, but has merit. I will whip up a batch of homemade whipped cream in the KitchenAid mixer and store it in the fridge. One dollop goes on an evening smoothie if I am shy on protein, hungry and want a treat. It totally spares me eating junk.

Evening Protein-Packed Smoothie Dissected. 

My Smoothie (275 Calories)

• 1 cup frozen berries (70 cal)

• 1 scoop Bioedge whey vanilla protein powder (120 cal)

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (30 cal)

• 1 tsp cocoa powder (5 cal)

• 2 tbsp homemade whipped cream (50 cal)

Macros: 25g protein, 7g fat, 30g carbs

Comparisons:

• 4 Oreos (220 Calories): 2g protein, 10g fat, 35g carbs (14g sugar). Mostly empty carbs and sugar, leading to a quick energy spike and crash.

• 1 Cup Vanilla Ice Cream (275-300 Calories): 5g protein, 15g fat, 30g carbs (25g sugar). A sugar-heavy treat with some fat but little protein, making it less filling.

• 1 Cup Cinnamon Toast Crunch (no milk) (170 Calories): 2g protein, 4.5g fat, 33g carbs (12g sugar). A fast-digesting, sugar-loaded option with little nutritional value.

• 1 Cup Granola (450-500 Calories): 10g protein, 15-20g fat, 60g+ carbs (20g+ sugar). Calorie-dense and high in sugar, making it more of a dessert than a smart snack.

My smoothie might have similar calories to above options, but the high protein and fiber and natural sugar makes it a better choice for muscle recovery and it has lasting power. For weight loss, I could tweak my smoothie (fewer berries, no whipped cream), but cutting it entirely might leave me hungry and reaching for something with no nutritional value that will disrupt my sleep and leave me feeling less than in the morning.  Bottom line: Smart swaps beat strict restrictions that are not sustainable! 👍

Lift over Forty Week 3

Wednesday WOD

For time:
400-meter run
30 box jump-overs
800-meter run
30 box jump-overs
400-meter run

♀ 24-inch box
♂ 30-inch box
🏃🏃‍♀️