Green Army Comp WOD

Announcing the 2012 Green Army Regionals Team

Team Captain / Coach: Tyler Belanger

Men: Cameron Wilson, Phil Strickler   Spare: Jeremy Paquin

Women: Melanie Rose, Charity Henson, Sally Moore   Spare: Cindy Henson

Supporters: YOU. 

****SEA OF GREEN CAMPAIGN****

Beginning May 9, change your facebook profile picture to a Catalyst-Green square (we'll upload the picture; tag yourself somewhere on it, and hit 'change to profile picture.') Whenever any of you post, your profile will stick out, and we'll feel your support from Toronto!

 

Here are our scores, as of Sunday afternoon (totals may have changed, but ranks did not.)

1. Whit 60
2. Mel 100
3. Charity 137
4. Sally 158
5. Esther 183
6. Cindy 187
7. Lisa 200
8. Jess
9. Kaitlyn
10. Mary
11. Michelle
12. Carolle
13. Danielle
14. Deb McLean
15. Eliza
16. Deb Love

Men's

1. Ty 49
2. Cam 70
3. Coop 307
4. Phil 377
5. John 390
6. Jeremy 426
7. Mac 427
8. Vance 450
9. Andrew
10. Armand 472
11. Stone 505
12. Shane 509
13. Devyn 552
14. Dan 567
15. Mario 922

Cardinali DNF (unsubmitted scores)

Women

 

12.3

Guys, I'm VERY confident about this workout for the Green Army. The box jumps aren't many, and they're not high. The overhead weight is medium, and the toes-bar are few. Time to move up! Push yourselves - it appears that most early entrants are getting 7-8 rounds, but I know a few of them, and they're not strong overhead. We are.

Tips: there's going to be a lot of jostling around the midsection. DO NOT eat heavy within 5 hours of this event - just small snacks all day. Don't avoid carbs - it's 18 minutes long, and you'll need them. Hydration - drink until your urine is clear about 30 minutes out, and then cut back.

Movement tips: Carl Paoli and K-Starr talk about efficiency in THIS video:

http://journal.crossfit.com/2012/03/kstarrcarlbox.tpl#featureArticleTitle

Here's his video on shoulder preparation:

http://journal.crossfit.com/2010/01/part-1shoulder-prep.tpl

also, mobilize hip flexors and your butt - no sense riding the emergency break on toes-bar!

Review the video from last week on shoulder mobility, too.

Warmup: you want to be in an aerobic mode. That means a heart rate spike before you stretch, and you should be sweating. This is a LONG one, so do dynamic mobility work as part of your warmup. Sweat a bit.

Finally, remember that each exercise is very different from the others (the muscle recruitment patterns are different, as opposed to squat snatch and wall ball, for instance.) Get through each exercise as quickly as possible and move on to the next. Muscle movement group A will recover while you're using B.  If you're weaker on one of the three elements (the press, for some) race through the other two. When you're resting in the midst of the press set, that's your rest for the WHOLE round. 

Let's get it! I may have said the words, "we're going to win. Everyone else can turn off their computers and go home" on CrossFit Radio last night.... :)

2012 Team Training Registration Open

30 Days until training for the 2012 CrossFit Open begins.

In 2012, the Open will begin on February 22. We'll commence training as a team on November 15 (Tuesdays) or November 17 (Thursdays.) Both groups will be at 5:30pm at the Park. 

Rules for 2012 are very much the same as 2012. However, open competition will be 5 weeks this year instead of 6.

Registration into the group entitles you to weekly training sessions on your designated day; homework from Mitch; technique, sweat, blood and tears. Chalk is also included. Glory and triumph available but not guaranteed.

Not included is your entry through CrossFit.com for the 2012 Open, or judging fees for the Open at Catalyst. You'll also need a gym membership ($35/month,) which most will already have.

As last year, we'll be doing the events for the Open on Thursdays and Sundays. You may enter either, or both, and have them judged. A separate fee (like last year) is applicable for being judged at Catalyst, and judging times will coincide with our regular CrossFit group times. You may use your CrossFit swipecard for the judged events, if you like, or we'll have a package available when the time comes.

For now, you can sign up for group training online here, or by calling Chris or Mitch: 256-1344. We're asking you to choose one night and stick to it as much as possible to help with space requirements. If you have to switch nights on one week, that's acceptable.

(link doesn't work? Cut and paste into your browser: 

http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=8694&stype=-8&sTG=48&sVT=75&sView=day

 

Qualifying for the Green Army Competitive Team: as last year, you are not required to declare whether you'll compete as an individual or a team member. Therefore, EVERYONE will compete as an INDIVIDUAL during the Open. If you qualify, you'll be offered priority choice for the Green Army Team. We'd like you to commit, one way or another, within 48 hours of the last event standings being posted. If you pass, we'll give your spot to someone else.

Our goal is to fill two Green Army Teams. However, there's still no indication as to whether we'll be allowed to enter more than one team at Regionals, so make sure you're in the Top 3 if you want to compete!

Let's roll!

 

The Good Fight

On May 5, the Green Army will advance.

Following the 2010 CrossFit Open, it was clear that our Team needed a year-round strategy for competition, including periodized development and a more individualized approach to addressing weaknesses.

Our Competitive Team will continue their training on Thursday evenings at 5:30. It's a membership, not a class: joining the ranks means that you'll be part of the Team until you tell us to stop. You're a SEAL until you ring the bell, in other words.

In addition to the Thursday night Team training session, your workouts will be posted daily on this blog (it will become password-protected on May 12th.)

Rate: $35/mo (plus HST, billed on the 1st of the month with your gym membership.)

Prerequisites: Gym membership, game face.

Sign up online here, or email chris@catalystgym.com to join the Army!

CrossFit Open 2011: Ways and Means

Four days until we know the first WOD.

One week until you're competing in CrossFit Games 2011.

We have a terrific Team with a broad skillset. We're not suffering from the infighting and Alpha/Beta complexes that other Coaches are sharing with me online. We have a few bumps, but remarkably our athletes are continuing on....even with a broken foot, in one case. Wow.

My favourite memory from Sectionals last year was the compliments we received on our team: yes, we finished strongly, but the legacy we left was as the fun team; the polite team; the team who shook hands with the judges afterward, took a joke, and cheered hardest for everyone. After every event, our squad would congratulate our competitors. It wasn't something we discussed, before or afterward; it just speaks to the quality of our Family.

This year, no one else will witness our sportsmanship; no one else will see the quality of our movements, or see the smiles, or feel the bond that our group shares. But WE'LL know. That's big.

In the next six weeks, Ty, Whit and I will be holding you to the highest standard of measurement. Other Teams may match us in their strict judging; none will be more strict. After your months of hard work, we owe you this much. Our events will also be run strictly and smoothly; this takes a lot of work on our part, and we know that you'll do your best to return the favour.

1) 5:30pm - athlete meeting. Rules will be reviewed, heats set. Ty, Whit and Coop will be split into different heats so that there are always two judges on the floor. One will be videotaping so that your performance can be reviewed later. If you have to re-do your WOD on Sunday, we'll let you know before Saturday morning.

2)5:45pm sharp - first heat starts the WOD. This means that warmups are done, bars are loaded, and you're READY 100% to start.  Heats will be arranged according to the length of the WOD.

3) 7pm - CrossFit Groups start the WOD. Included in this group will be the 'late-joiners' to the Green Army: Joe Scott, Philsy and Eddie, Vance, Rob Shaughnessy.... stick around and cheer for them. We need their scores!

4) Sunday at noon - your last chance to do the WOD of the week (or redo it, if you're not satisfied with your score.)  Again, we WILL NOT be able to judge your performance at any time other than 5:30/7pm Thursdays or noon on Sundays.

Our Team is going to be working hard to make sure that you're judged fairly, consistently, and evenly; to validate your scores and stay on top of your rankings; to set up the gym each week to make sure we've got every advantage we can. Thanks for your help in advance.

 

Games Open Schedule

OK, Green Army: we've received our timeline.  Workouts will be posted Tuesday nights at 8pm EST; you'll have until the same time (5pm PDT, or 8pm EST) to complete your workout every week for 6 weeks.

When we started the Green Army Sectionals Team, our plan was to end training on March 17 (Thursday) and travel as a group to Toronto. With the new schedule, though, it's clear that we'll be competing right through April.

We're pleased to announce that Catalyst will pay for coaches' time to extend the Sectionals Training Group through to the end of Sectionals. That means no extra cost to you for the extra six weeks of training. Here's how we'll schedule our week:

Thursday (including March 17th) : 5:30pm is GAME TIME. We'll do a group warmup, practice a few skills, and then split the group in half. One half will 'referee' the athlete performing the WOD; one half will do the weekly challenge. Then they'll reverse positions. Catalyst coaches will oversee the operation.

Since we'll be recording fifteen different scores, we'll use the referee scorecards from Catalyst Games 2010. The 'referees' are responsible for recording times, reps, etc. and turning in scorecards post-workout. Both the referee and athlete are required to sign the card to make sure there are no mistakes before submission.

Other members of the Catalyst Family will be invited to perform the Sectionals WOD on Thursday evenings at the 7pm group. They will be charged the normal CrossFit group rate (punch card.) This will allow the Sectionals Team a little margin for error with timing; however, PLEASE consider that others are waiting their turn to perform when you're between rounds of competitor/referee.

EVERY athlete will be required to perform AND referee every week, unless they're doing the challenge elsewhere (as Cindy will be, in Ft. Lauderdale.) Please plan accordingly.

Can't make the 5:30pm group? We'll have a 'last-chance' Sectionals WOD on Sunday at noon, coached by Mitch. If you feel you performed badly on Thursday, Sunday can be your redemption date. However, we can't set aside more time than this to accomodate individual schedules. Your workout MUST BE PERFORMED at one of these two times - preferably Thursday - or you'll have to book a private appointment to be refereed by Catalyst staff.

Sponsorships, Gear, etc.:

You are not required to wear Catalyst gear for your WODs (but we love it when you do!) Like last year, there WILL be a Catalyst Sectionals Team shirt available before March 1.

Jo Ann has secured a sponsorship for headwear, which will be available soon.

Final note to referees: it's going to be very tempting, on a close rep, to judge in favour of the athlete. DON'T DO IT. As one competitor said last year, "It's better to come last and know that you were held to the highest level possible." Like you,we want everyone to win at everything. But imagine the athlete's embarrassment when, at the next level, they can't perform the workouts as Rx'd.

Questions? Post here, or on the facebook group. Time to eat some broccoli!

Games Info at Last!

March 15th - First event released! Every Tuesday at 5pm, a new event will be unveiled. You'll have until Sunday night to complete the WOD. We'll have coaches/judges available ONCE PER WEEK for free (Green Army Sectionals Team registrants ONLY.) Non-team members may attempt each workout for $10 or a CrossFit punch at specified times.

Because the group is so large and schedules diverse, we'll likely be hosting these trials on Thursdays at 5:30pm (our standard Group time until March 17.) Sorry, but we can't make ourselves available around your schedule if you can't make it at those times unless you book an appointment. Fair enough?  "Hey Coop, can you judge me for a minute?...." just isn't possible for everyone.

More details tomorrow! Don't sleep tonight!