ALL EVENING CLASSES CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER!!
Stay off the roads if possible. Icy conditions and unprepared/inexperienced winter weather drivers makes for potentially disastrous situations.

Events this week: YOU signing up for the Open here. Vanessa & Dave are hosting a gym-wide Super Bowl Party (details here) and we are saying goodbye to one of our OG members, Kelvin. We will officially send him off in a Korean BBQ & karaoke blaze of glory (details TBA later today).

5 Things Every CrossFit Athlete Should Own

The beauty of the CrossFit program is that you really don’t need much to get started aside from some athletic clothing and a good attitude. However, the CrossFit marketplace is expanding faster than ever, you’ve now got hundreds of options for wrist wraps, endless shoe choices and don’t even get me started on supplements. Here now, is a definitive list, and starter guide for anyone wanting to start their CrossFit life off right.

Jump Rope – You will hate double unders, hate them. Buying your own rope and sizing it properly will really help you stick those dubs especially because you can practice at home. They’re also small enough to travel with. This is your first piece of equipment for your new home gym!

Foam Roller & Lacrosse Ball – These inexpensive mobility tools should be sitting in the corner of everyone’s living room. A huge part of training happens outside of the gym and working on your mobility and soft tissue repair at home is a must. You can buy both of these things at any sporting goods store. Learn how to use these tools at MobilityWOD.com

Notebook – This seems like a dumb one but I can tell you that CrossFit’s laser focus on results relies on you actually remembering how you did on “Fran” the last time. You’ve got to track progress and you’ve gotta write stuff down, so become that crazy person who writes down how you slept the night before, whether you’re on track with your diet and what weight you had on the bar the last time you did “Diane.”

Proper Footwear – Here’s the thing: your squishy running shoes looked good on the shelf, and probably darn good on your footsies, but the truth is they are terrible for everything we do aside from running. And we do a lot of stuff aside from running. Two thirds of CrossFit training relies on you having a stable foot position to either move external load (weightlifting) or move your body around in space (gymnastics). You need a shoe with a relatively flat sole that isn’t squishy.

Chef’s Knife – I know, this one is way out of left field, but hear me out: there’s no out-working a crappy diet. A good chef’s knife is at the heart of any good kitchen and the sooner you figure out how to dice onions, julienne carrots and break down a whole cooked chicken the sooner you’re preparing healthy meals that will sustain your efforts in the gym and help you on your way to the kind of health and fitness you want out of your training and life.

3 Things That Didn’t Make The Cut, and Why

The following three pieces of kit all share the same rationale for why you probably don’t need them in the early stages of your training. Basically, they are supplemental pieces of gear that if purchased too soon could potentially mask problems like proper hip/ankle mobility, or an actual knee issue that needs to be dealt with by a doctor. There’s no good answer as to when these should actually be purchased, so ask a coach if you’re ready.

Olympic Lifting Shoes.
Wrist Wraps.
Knee Sleeves.

CrossFit Games Update: Regionals are the semi-final round of the CrossFit Games. The top 48 men, 48 women and 30 teams from each region converge for three days of live competition. This year, Regionals will be spread out across four weekends from May 9 through June 1.

Regionals will narrow the field to the fittest 43 men, 43 women, and 43 teams from across the globe. These athletes, as well as a few wild cards, will be invited to compete at the 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games.

For the fifth consecutive year, the CrossFit Games will be held at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. This year, the Fittest on Earth will be tested on July 25-27. Like last year, the Masters Competition will be held on Tuesday through Thursday, July 22-24.

Tickets to the Regionals and the CrossFit Games will go on sale in April.

South East Regional
May 9-11
Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
300 A. Philip Randolph Blvd.
Jacksonville, Fla. 32202

The 2014 Reebok CrossFit Games
July 25-27
StubHub Center
18400 S Avalon Blvd.
Carson, Calif. 90746

Warmup
Dynamic Athletic Movement

3 Sets
5 Ring Dips
10 False Grip Ring Pull-ups/Rows
15 V-ups

Lift
5 x 3
Press

Every 2 minutes on the minute.
Sets across @ 80%

Conditioning
6 Minutes AMRAP
10 Ball Slams
10 Box Jumps