WoD - Thursday 12th November, 2020

We NEED that kit back team! With the gym now open and functioning, we need the equipment back to enable us to program fully and without concern of limited loading.

Thank you to those who have brought their rented gear back, everyone else, you have until Friday before I send the ginger ninja around!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
A: Every minute on the minute for 10 mins:
5 Strict handstand push ups
B: 5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5*
Deadlift - gently touch the floor on every rep
*sets all at the same weight

Specialty
Front squat
5 - 5 - 5 - 5 - 5
These are straight sets at 105% of your 1RM squat clean

WoD - Wednesday 11th November, 2020

For the Fallen
By Laurence Binyon

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again;
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England's foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound,
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust,
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness,
To the end, to the end, they remain.

“When you go Home, tell them of us and say,
For your Tomorrow, we gave our Today”
John Maxwell Edmunds
1916

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Remembrance
Within 18 minutes, complete as many rounds and reps as possible of:
11 Hang Power Snatch (35/25kg)
11 Burpees
11 Thrusters (35/25kg)
11 Pull ups
On the 11th minute, pause for 1 minute in silence

Rounds and reps to the board team.

WoD - Monday 9th November, 2020

The “fire breaker” (whatever it was called) is officially over. True to word we are able to re-open tomorrow morning.
Little has changed to how you are expected to enter the gym, act once inside, blah blah. Please adhere to social distances measures, respect other peoples space and the trainers instruction. Upon entry you will have a temperature check, be required to wear a mask and expected to sanitise your grubby little mitts.

The gym has been “fogged” (I have a certificate, i’ll show you if you want) and the floor steam cleaned and scrubbed like a mofo. You can genuinely eat your dinner off it.

Official Equipment recall
Please return all equipment borrowed at your earliest opportunity. Once you arrive, ensure that a trainer signs you off having handed back the equipment. We need to check the state of each piece so please no returning it yourself.

Now with the restrictions placed upon us (hopefully we will get more clarity and be capable of expanding our class sizes) we are busy. Therefore, if you book and don’t show up, or cancel minutes prior to class and it causes someone on the waitlist being unable to train…they will be encourage to choose an appropriate punishment…and I will double it. If there is a genuine issue then of course, this cannot be helped. But please think of your fellow gym goers if you would rather snooze than ride the echo bike.

Speaking of which…welcome back…

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 rounds of:
Within 2 mins:
20/15 Calorie bike
Max calorie row
Rest 4 minutes between rounds.

That will make you need a “fire break”. Scores up on the board before you leave dudes….

WoD - Friday 6th November 2020

So then, as of Monday we are back but with even further changes…

Unfortunately, irrelevant of the fact that we are perfectly capable of social distancing far more athletes, we have been forced to limit our capacity per class even further to 15. I have tried everything I can but this, for now, is just the way it is. I really don’t want this to be the case, think it is ridiculous and extremely short sighted and narrow minded of the Welsh Assembly. Gym’s are different, have larger or smaller capacities but rules are rules…unless of course it is perceived to be an “open gym” style, then anything goes.

Now, as a result of the above stipulation I will be maintaining the specialty class at 20 people. The reasoning behind this will be explained to all who attend. And the reason for that (rather than me typing) is that this is a one-way form of communication and it can often be left up to the reader.
The above point is night and day simple, specialty is a different matter and as stated will therefore be explained.

Apart from that, nothing changes. Get back into the gym as often as you can. Please respect all of the relevant guidelines which we have all become accustomed to and just train as hard as you can every time…if 2020 has taught us anything it’s that training is a privilege that can easily be taken for granted.

I will continue to support you all, and hopefully continue to fight the good fight, attempting to unite with any other gym owners who are up for a scrap, to have gym’s listed as an essential service. Should we win, this won’t allow us to alter class sizes, host Christmas parties or tell COVID to fuck right off at the door, but become exempt from any further lockdowns which, I’m sure we all know are coming.

Apologies if this post isn’t the easiest to read, report me to the grammar police, but it should be perfectly easy to understand.

Anyway, lets end this lockdown (hopefully the last that we are effected by) as we started the first…

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 Rounds of:
20 Burpees
30 Air squats

So simple it is incredibly painful…trust me!

WoD - Thursday 5th November 2020

Well as with everything else this year, bonfire night will be a little different hey! Just be careful when firing rockets about your living rooms please! Make sure you duck, wear appropriate ear protection and if you are going to let off fireworks inside the house ALWAYS ensure that you video it and send it to me. ;-)

Now then, we are set to open back up again next week, and, things will have to change again. Only slightly this time around, but please keep your eyes peeled on the blog announcements as well as social media over the next few coming days to ensure that you are in the loop.

Love you all.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
Run 1 mile then,
5 Rounds of:
20 Alternate dumbbell power snatch (50/35lbs)
20 seconds L-sit hold
Then run 800m

Get those timings shared to SM and tag the shit out of the box. PS. The firework thing is a joke…

WoD - Wednesday 4th November, 2020

A cheeky at home hero workout, once which doesn’t really need any movement modification and will happily punch you in the reproductive organs is always welcomed.
Tomorrow, we go through one of the first ever workouts programmed during lockdown. A benchmark girl, “Annie”.

Get a rolled up towel, hoody, pillow or a small to medium sized dog and chuck it underneath your lower back. Anchor or un-anchor your feet…get after it. Just watch our for skimming your light bulbs if you are inside or wrecking your rope if you’re not.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
”Annie”
For time:
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 rep of
Double Unders*
Sit ups

Check out your last scores and personal bests and get out there and beat them! Tag pictures to IG or FB…

WoD - Tuesday 3rd November 2020

Army Captain Paul Pena, 27, of San Marcos, Texas, died on Jan. 19, 2010, from wounds sustained from an enemy force’s improvised explosive device. Pena was leading a patrol in Arghandab River Valley in Afghanistan at the time of his death. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 508th Parachute Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Pena participated in the Junior ROTC program at San Marcos Baptist Academy and later graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He maintained his fitness with CrossFit workouts and particularly enjoyed running, burpees, push-ups and pull-ups.

He is survived by his mother, Cecilia.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
7 Rounds, each for time of:
100m sprint
19 Kettlebell swings (32/24kg)
10 Burpee box jumps (24/20”)*
Rest 3 minutes between rounds

If you don’t have a box, your movement will simply be burpee tuck jumps

WoD - Monday 2nd November, 2020

Welcome to a new week, the second (and hopefully the last) of the second lockdown! It’s been a mega busy week with new additions to the new rig, a seriously impressive floor cleaner (it literally looks like new), and the beginnings of a new reception/entrance.
The week was polished off with another ball breakingly funny zoom social, this time a Halloween themed affair. The social has left me with literally hours of video to sift through, but in reality only really for one thing…an amazing rendition, a mash up of Wacko Jacko songs. Get very excited for that bad boy to drop at some point soon.

Tomorrow’s workout is a repeat from Lockdown1.0 where I seem to remember a video posted of Kath and Ben doing it in their back garden among drying washing. Get another video posted you both!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD

For time:
50 Dumbbell thrusters
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on right shoulder)
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on left shoulder)
40 Dumbbell thrusters
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on right shoulder)
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on left shoulder)
30 Dumbbell thrusters
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on right shoulder)
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on left shoulder)
20 Dumbbell thrusters
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on right shoulder)
10 Walking lunges (Dumbbell on left shoulder)
10 Dumbbell thrusters

Loading
Something that weighs 20/15kg

Post vids and pictures to socials, tag us!

WoD - Friday 30th October, 2020

Well that’s the first week of Lockdown 2.0 almost at a close. And, if you believe anything that you read in the paper Wales online, half way to opening back up again.

Luckily for you guys that you are in lockdown, as I have compiled some utterly savage (I’m not even going to try to fake it with sarcasm) at home workouts for next week. The pick of the crop from last time around to really hammer home the beauty of garden workouts.

Good luck and have an awesome weekend.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 Dumbbell thrusters (50/35lbs)
25 - 20 - 15 - 10 - 5 Dumbbell facing burpees

Tag and share get stuck into social media. You may or may not look like this after one or all of the workouts…

WoD - Thursday 29th October, 2020

One day at a time, this completely shocking year is fading into the past! Soon enough, the sun will be shining, we will all be back to pumping iron and partying hard again! Here’s to a summer throwdown and replacement Xmas party!!!
Hang overs are way worse in the summer, but at least you can go and find a dry patch of grass to lay on and feel sorry for yourself!

Come on Drakeford you…open us up!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 rounds each for time:
Run 400m
Rest 3 mins between

Tag and share and stuff

WoD - Wednesday 28th October, 2020

On this day in 1664, the Royal Marines was born. An elite group of steely eyed dealers of death who’s job was to f**k things up wherever they went! For the last 356 years, that is exactly what they have done!

To all Bootnecks all over the world, whether working or not, Happy Birthday. Have a hoofin day and get utterly shiters!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Within 20 minutes complete as many rounds as reps as possible of:
10 Handstand push ups
20 Press ups
30 Sit ups

Get those rounds and reps up to shared and tagged videos

WoD - Tuesday 27th October, 2020

Evening all, I am writing to you all tonight with the request of a small favour…

With the goal to get as much content out from gym goers (not just CrossFit boxes but every form of training) as possible, to swamp social media, an attempt to use the platform for good please please…could you each record a short (or long) video of just what the box and training means to you.

The idea, is to have as many videos from as many people, shared as often as possible, in order to force someone to listen.

I’m sorry, but McDonalds can still operate delivering and gyms have been forced to close. Surely, in the midst of a public health crisis, that statement should rightly cause hysteria!
You can’t do thrusters which will quickly propel you to a state of health, but you are apparently encouraged to sit on your arses and order big mac’s!
This is fundamentally wrong, and needs redirection.

Liverpool did it, and so can we. But we need the support of you legends. There are 130 very vocal gym owners in Wales, who are fighting the good fight. And from what I have read, it’s all in favour of others. Not one has mentioned their own livelihoods, but rather that of their members and clients. A genuinely good group of folk who want to help.

Please, if you possibly could, record a short message stating why the gym is important to you and your livelihood and send it my way. The lads/ladies what’s app group (if you are reading this and aren’t on it then let me know), via my email or come over to my doorstep and air drop it to me.
I will edit a video on Friday for a release, therefore end of play Thursday is the cut off. Please excuse the ramble.

Thanks all,
Davs.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
100 Reverse lunges
Every minute, on the minute perform 10 sumo deadlift high pulls*
*start on 0

Loading
Dumbbell (50/35lbs)
Kettlebell (24/16kg)
Rucksack (20kg)

Please tag, post and comment on social media

WoD - Monday 26th October, 2020

Instead of organising a bad assed Christmas doo, posting exciting info about it and planning how smashed I will be getting Ash, I am talking to you all about a closed and empty gym! F**K you 2020!

I’m not going to be able to get the Xmas doo sorted to be anything like it typically is (maybe a bonus as I’m pretty sure I’m still a little hung over from last year), but we will do something.
However, I have had a positive beginning. There is a group of 120 Welsh gym owners who are fighting the government to add gyms to an essential service. When you think that in your local supermarket you can currently by chocolate but not pants, this might be slightly more fruitful.
At least it’s a step in the right direction. Keep everything crossed as a letter goes to the Government tomorrow (Monday)

If you are interested please see below for the reasoning, please keep everything crossed…

“As of 18.00 Friday we enter a 17 day “fire break” period where all but non-essential businesses will close across the entire country.

As a collective, we strongly believe that gyms are an essential service, and scientific evidence shows that active participation in exercise through establishments such as gyms relieves the strain on the NHS through the promotion of physical and mental wellbeing.  In forcing the closure of gyms, the Welsh Government will be harming a large proportion of the Welsh population and we cannot stand by and allow that to happen.

Just as the Liverpudlian gym community fought (and won) against gym closures in its city, we are now going to do the same for our country. However, we want to take it a step further in getting gyms officially recognised as an essential service by the Government, as they have in other countries across Europe.

– According to ukactive, there were 22 million gym visits in England between July 25th and September 13th and they resulted in just 78 confirmed Covid cases
– The number of cases per 100,000 gym visits in this period was 0.34

It is widely accepted that suicide rates amongst gym-aged males increased during the first lockdown and subsequently. Although we are awaiting official Government data on this, some reports suggest a 40% increase, which if true is a national tragedy. Gyms are not only important for the physical wellbeing of their members but also their mental wellbeing which is just as important given the well-publicised (and significant) lack of funding in the NHS for mental health issues.   

Finally, on top of the multiple billions in savings the fitness industry provides the NHS, gyms provide employment to tens of thousands of people. 

The first lockdown put a great strain on gyms. When we were allowed to reopen, we each had to spend thousands on measures to make gyms “Covid safe”.  The low transmission rates reported from gyms mentioned above are testament to the incredible job that gym owners have done.

It is no exaggeration to say that this further “fire-break” will put the Welsh gym industry in the most perilous position it has ever been in, threatening the employment of thousands of staff and self-employed personal trainers.

We are an industry that relies on our customers becoming members, and member confidence is at an all-time low as they are reluctant to join a gym when it may be forced to close at any point. We need certainty for ourselves and for our members, and being classed as an essential service will go a long way towards that.

Snap surveys across Welsh gyms have shown that gym members also fully support our request to remain open as an essential service and have given us their full backing.

We have a Welsh Assembly Member, Neil McEvoy, who is willing to fight alongside us and as a collective we directly represent tens of thousands of members.”

CrossFit Cardiff HomeFIt WoD
For time:
100 Devil press
Every minute, on the minute perform 20 double unders*
*starting on 0

These devils press are single arm, athletes can alternate as they see fit.

Please remember the class timings for zoom:
WoD: Weekdays: 07:30 - 08:30, 12:00 - 13:00 and 17:30 - 18:30
WoD: Saturday: 10:00 - 11:00
Yoga: 11:30 - 12:30

Get there and get your sweat on…

WoD - Friday 23rd October, 2020

I was told at a young age…”ours is not to reason why men (I was technically a boy), but…to do and die!” Something which is easy to get your head around when it’s told to you by a Falklands war veteran, one who was captured and I’m sure you can guess during the event; sporting a serious handlebar tash as proof.

He knew exactly what he was doing and what he was talking about, he had impeccably high standards and was utterly respected as a result. A true leader, one who led by example!

That statement is much harder to follow when it’s told to you by a complete and utter muppet. But, we must!

Stay safe during Lockdown 2.0, and I don’t mean by wearing a face mask, keeping two meters apart or tirelessly washing your hands! I mean by staying in touch, keeping in a routine and keeping mentally sound.

I know it’s only two weeks (if you completely trust that weasel), which is more than enough time for something to change.

We will be back before you know it.

Finally, remember the altered class timings for tomorrow please legends.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
A: Back Squat
Within 20 minutes, establish a heavy single back squat

B: 10 - 10 - 10
These are drop sets, performed at 70% of A.

Final loads up to the whiteboard please legends…

WoD - Thursday 22nd October, 2020

On this day, Thursday the 22nd of October, the world will unfortunately become a more difficult place to live. Every time you leave your houses you will need to be immediately on point, alert and fully tuned into your surroundings.
Listening acutely for the sound of screeching tires and the voice of Cath Knapton screaming…”get the f**k out of my way!!!” as her new and highly powered vehicle comes flying around the corner and straight towards you; firmly not in control!

The only saving grace that I can offer you is that she has watched a very in depth, you tube instructional video!

Good luck and god speed.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
A: Within 15 minutes accumulate as many calories as possible on the rower*
*every 3 mins perform 30 Double unders

Rest 5 mins

B: Within 15 minutes accumulate as many calories as possible on the bike*
*every 3 mins perform 10 Russian kettle bell swings (24/32kg) 

Specialty
Front squat
3 - 3 - 3
Sets to be performed as straight sets at 110% of 1RM squat clean

Please get calories and loads up on the whiteboard…

WoD - Wednesday 21st October, 2020

Luckily, and just in time for another lockdown, we have had 5 Rogue echo bikes delivered to the box. You are welcome, although you are likely going to wish that lockdown had lasted longer when you get your hands on the evil f**ckers!

If you like the assault bike, you’re going to think that these are the ginger, bastard step child!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
12 - 9 - 6
Thrusters (60/40kg)
Burpee box jumps (24/20”)

Please get your times up to the whiteboard once you have finished this horrendous sprint!

WoD - Tuesday 20th October, 2020

“UKactive currently has circa 1900 facilities feeding in weekly data looking at visits and confirmed Covid cases. The latest stats show that from opening up until the 11th October there has been 43.5million visits, over 5 million visits within the week, which gives a cases per 100,000 visits of just 0.98, which is very low risk, especially compared to other sectors.”

Armed with that information, Mark Drakeford and the Welsh Government have made the decision to force us to close a second time this year as Wales enters it’s “fire-break” lockdown.
In an open-ended lockdown, beginning on Friday, CrossFit Cardiff will sadly shut it’s doors until further notice. Drakeford has promised that this will be only until November the 9th. And although I trust him about as far as I could throw him (likely actually to be quite some distance), this is the date that we will plan for.

Therefore, I will be forced to adjust the class timings for Friday afternoon to the below:
12:00 - 13:00
15:30 - 16:30
16:30 - 17:30

Below are the further intended measures in order to attempt to facilitate your membership as much as possible while ensuring that there is still a business for you to return to following #lockdown2.0

• All reoccurring November memberships payments will be reduced to 50% of their regular price

• All 10-pack memberships will have expiration dates removed

• Zoom classes will re-start on Saturday 24th at and continue with the timings below:
  WoD: Weekdays: 07:30 - 08:30, 12:00 - 13:00 and 17:30 - 18:30
  WoD: Saturday: 10:00 - 11:00
  Yoga: 11:30 - 12:30

• Kettlebells and Dumbbells will be leased to those who want them (at 17:30 on Friday night only)

• A Halloween themed zoom party piss up on October 31st, event details to follow.

Anyway, back to the week ahead. Please keep an eye out for further details regarding any future horse shit constraints applied to us by a complete and utter muppet…
I personally thought that this post was well written with an extremely low level of sarcasm considering the current situation.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
3 Rounds for time of:
60 Double unders
15 Overhead squats (50/35kg)
15 Pull ups

Specialty
Overhead Squat
3 - 3 - 3
Sets to be at 105% of your 1RM snatch

Please get times up on the whiteboard before you leave legends…

WoD - Friday 16th October, 2020

Happy Friday legends. I have a little housekeeping for you…

It’s the first time it’s happened, which, is very cool and so thank you for being such studs in the face of change. But this morning at 8am with a full class and one on the waiting list, we had a cancellation very close to the start of class and two no shows.
I absolutely understand how plans can change at the last minute, shit really does happen, something that 2020 has certainly shown. But, with current restrictions, my goal is to ensure that as few as possible miss out.

Therefore…PLEASE, PLEASE make sure that if you know you can’t make it cancel early allowing someone else to fill your slot.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For 3 rounds, within 3 minutes, complete:
10/7 Calorie bike
12 Kettlebell swings (24/20kg)
10 Burpees
12 Kettlebell swings (24/20kg)
10/7 Calorie bike
Rest 9 minutes between rounds

A billy brutal end to the week. Enjoy and there is still time to register for the Battle cancer event…do it!

WoD - Thursday 15th October, 2020

Some awesome PBs coming out of some strong lifts today legends. Fair fricking play!
Tomorrow will call for a longer, endurance style workout. Reps and sets are just low enough that if…you squeeze your little bums hard enough, you will be able to hold on unbroken each round!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Within 20 minutes, completed as many rounds and reps as possible of:
Run 600m
60 Double Unders
20 Toes to bar

Specialty
Front squat
3 - 3 - 3 - 3 - 3
@105% squat clean

Go hard, go fast and get yourself into that 5th round. Scores up please dudes!

WoD - Wednesday 14th October, 2020

No assault bike yet, however, never ever let your guard down. You have no clue when it’s coming. Sooner than you think more likely.

Blistering times for today’s little lung burner, with no reason to stop, you lot were flying high in the sky. Where, lactic acid is as plentiful as exercise induced asthma!

Onto some strength…

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Hang power clean
2 - 2 - 2 - 2 - 2
The goal is to build to 80% of your 1RM power clean and increase each set. Basically start really fricking heavy, and finish heavier. Push yourself to fail.