The 20 in 2020 challenge was inspired by Fierce’s tremendous 2019 season which saw one of the most heroic athletic performances to which I’ve been witness in over 40 years of competitive athletics.   Despite being pregnant for 9/12 months in 2019 and delivering her 4th child in November 2019, Fierce managed to complete every single workout programmed by CrossFit HQ.   Anyone else might have used pregnancy or childbirth as an excuse to take a break from training and no one would have called them out on it either.  Not Fierce.  She holds herself to a higher standard!

The 20 in 2020 challenge is not nearly so demanding.  To win it, you need only attend 20 or more workouts per month every month in 2020.  Of course, a lot of members were on track to qualify until mid-March when COVID threw us a curve ball.

But while some let COVID knock them off their routine, other members actually used the opportunity to train more!  It is fascinating to see how different people respond to the same challenge; strong evidence that it is not our circumstances that dictate our lives but how we choose to respond to them.  I’m proud to report that despite the Corona virus forcing our gym to close, our March attendance average only dropped from 11 classes per month to 10.  Statistically that suggests that many of you took a day off to sulk about the unfavourable circumstances, then picked yourself up and got right back at it.  Good on you!

So at the end of this challenging first quarter, which Empower members are still eligible to win the 20 in 2020 award?  Motor, Shades, HHH, Smash, Dauntless, Hard Rock & Fierce are all still on track with at least 20 workouts per month in January, February and March!  Outstanding performance you guys, you are champs!

Strict Slowly v.2
You don’t need any equipment for this one.  The trick is doing it slowly.  It takes a lot of strength to do this one slowly.  The slower you go, the harder it is.

Warm Up
1 min Reverse plank raise
1 min Inch worm in a box
1 min Bear to crab rotations
1 min Pike Push Ups

WOD
21-15-9
Wall-facing strict HSPU
Hip & Back Extensions
Strict Knees-to-elbows

Time cap: 40 minutes

Adaptations:
1) HSPU
All you need is a wall to walk up to or a couch or stable table to put your feet up on.  If you’re not yet strong enough you can reduce the range of motion by putting pillows under your head or do a pike push up from the floor.  Be careful, we do not want you dropping on your head.  Take extra care on the dismount to avoid failures like those shown in my video.

2) Hip & Back Extensions
No Glute-ham Developer handy?  No problem, we have 3 available for loan at the gym!  Surprised no one took them yet?  The alternative is to do a curl up as I did in my video demo holding a light dumbbell, kettlebell or backpack.  Nothing heavy here, just focus on the slow, controlled extension of your spine one vertebra at a time.  Fast just isn’t effective.

3) Strict K2E
If you have a secure bar to hang from do these with no kip.  Hanging knee raises if you cannot reach your elbows but force yourself to maintain a consistent height.  If you do not have a secure place from which to hang try the plank version that I use in the video, it is surprisingly hard.  Keep your core tight, bum down and slowly bring your knee forward to touch your elbow.  Count left knee and right knee as a single rep.  Once again, slower is harder!

Early Finishers:
The whole point was to move as slowly as possible, if you’re finishing well before other class members you probably went too fast.  Congratulations, here’s your reward speed demon:
3 rounds
1 min Handstand Hold
1 min Plank Hold centre
1 min Plank Hold left
1 min Plank Hold right

Cool Down
Shoulder pass throughs
Roll shoulders forward/backward
Cobra Pose

Remember to join us 5pm this Saturday April 4th in WOD Father’s living room for our Fool’s Day Dance.  Register in Zen Planner to receive your Zoom invite!  Dress silly, dance silly, think silly, we’ve all had enough serious already!