I need to fill the web-site with boys this week...I heard I was being prejudice with "pony week" last week....Hmmm Whiners!!

Today is "Fat Tuesday!" And I don't know if my parents raised me in a box and sheltered me from the outside world but just last week I learned of a tradition that I have been apparently missing out on. What baffles me is I was raised in a Catholic home...but I believe until I moved to this area which celebrates more of the Polish traditions...I had never heard of things like dyngus day or now paczki's. I'm 42 years old and I just figured out why they call it Fat Tuesday!?!?!?

So, back to my original point....I was raised in a Catholic home where we ALWAYS recognized Lent. I am no longer a practicing Catholic but have decided to use Lent as a time to crack down on some self disciplines that I need to work on in my life. I have chosen 3 things that I will be working on diligently for the next 40 days...1 of those this will involve something physical, 1 will involve something spiritual, and 1 will involve something mental - it just so happens that this all coincides with the timing of the CrossFit games. And so my fellow gamers(and fellow CrossFitters), I am taking this opportunity to challenge you to pick three self disciplines to work on for the remainder of the CrossFit Games(for those of you NOT in the games for the next 40 days)......they don't have to be anything crazy or drastic...in fact I will list my 3 self disciplines at the bottom of this page to share with all of you....but they do have to be consistent and spoken out loud. I would love to make a list for all of us to share accountability to each other......

If you would like to join me in your self-disciplines.....send me an email with your 3 and I will compile a list and send it to everyone that would like to be involved. With that being said, today is "Fat Tuesday!" and to kick off our self disciplines I will be treating my gamers to a Paczki Party....yep....I'm gonna go for it.....never had one before!! I will bring Paczki's for anyone that wants one....(you'll have to let me know this as well!)

Carole: February 22 - April 6
Physical: I will work on my double unders EVERY DAY for 10-15 minutes.
Spiritual: I will read the bible every day.
Mental: I will not swear (I can't explain how hard this will be) If I swear I will pay a quarter to the "rice bowl!"

Anyone in? Send me an email and I will add you to the list.

515 am Yoga

615 and 430 pm CrossFit Classes

WOD

Wendler Strength

Then:

21-15-9-9-15-21

Plate Thrusters 45/25
Lateral Plate Hops (Each Side)

5:30 - 5:55
Partner Stretching (Gamers only)

6:00 pm Games WOD (Gamers only)

7:00 pm Endurance WOD (open to all CFM Athletes)

Saturday's community workout was so much fun. We had a gym full of people and I honestly lost count. I know for sure I had 6 children. We had some friends join us - Bobbie, Bobbie, Dan, Ryan, Brittany, and Megan - make sure you check out facebooks for some awesome pictures of the lame dog races and the tabata over unders.

This week starts the kick off of the CrossFit Games Open - on Wednesday at 7:00 pm PST they will announce the 1st WOD for our open challengers....CrossFit Michiana will be doing the workouts this Friday evening at 6:00 pm. Can't wait to see what CrossFit introduces as the first workout. I know our gamers are ready to roll. If you are in the CFM games open challenge - we will have practice this Tuesday at 6:00 pm. Come early (5:30) to work on some awesome partner stretches.

WOD

Wendler Strength Lift

Then:

It's test time again so pull out your sheets we are going to set some new PR's today.

Cindy

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

5 Pullups
10 Pushups
15 Squats

RX = Chin over the bar on a kipping or strict pullup coming down to full elbow extension. Chest and legs must touch the floor on the pushup with full elbow extension at the top of the pushup. Squats must be at or below parallel.

I am lucky enough to end my pony week with a picture of Taylor one of my newest CrossFit Kids. If you haven't seen them yet there are some awesome pictures of the kids doing Tuesday's workout...we had kids of all sizes doing ground to overhead with 23# barbells and SDLHP with the same. Check out some of our kids getting their game face on CFM's Facebook page.

Don't forget tomorrow is a special day. We have our FREE community workout at 7:30 am and our Free Endurance workout at 9:00 am. Children are welcome to attend as well. We will have a table set up with Layman's Farms to go over this summer's produce so we can all spend more time at the beach than at the grocery store! Make sure you come on out and join us for this fun workout.

WOD

Wendler Strength

Then:

8 Minutes AMRAP:

10 DL 135/95
10 Pushups

8 Minutes AMRAP:

1 Get Up
3 1 Arm Snatches
3 1 Arm OH Squats

The goal here is to use the same weight for the get up, the snatch, and the OH squat.
Alternate arms for each round.

Presenting "Tamis and the flying pony!"

They shared this on the CrossFit Games Facebook page and I thought it was cool and would resonate with some of our athletes at CrossFit Michiana. I received a few emails after Tuesday evenings games workout that I would title "disappointed" - I had several people that were disappointed in themselves, for not finishing the WOD, for not lifting the weight, for the time they put up on the board, etc....what I want to tell you is that in CrossFit it's about YOU getting better each day, and YOU are going to be your own worst critic. When you get "disappointed" in a workout - the only thing you can do once it's over is use that to make yourself better for the next go round.

Get yourself into the "GAMES" mindset as we prepare for the open. We are 6 days from the 1st workout being announced which means 8 days until we're up to bat....prepare your mind....your bodies will take care of themselves.

Constant

[ Past ]The CrossFit Games Open is about a week away. This will be my second crack at the Open. Last year was a 6 week beat down. I was new, not super skilled and out of shape. I remember all of the circumstances and drama floating around going into it last year. I could give excuses for days but I bottom-line is that I was not good enough. Not in respect to anyone else’s standard. But my own.. I failed Me.

[ Present ] This year I find myself a tad bit more skilled, in shape and mentally focused. There are a lot of people who talk a lot about going to Regionals and doing this and that. Don’t get me wrong I am hyper competitive and all of that is important to me but this year it is not so much about that for me. The 2012 CrossFit Games Open is about Me. I will be focused for the next 5-6 weeks on not letting Me down. I am my harshest coach. I want to leave each workout knowing that I put it all on the table. Nothing else is acceptable.

[ But what about the Excuses? ] —> More potent distractions have arisen this year and I think that will be an important part of this trip. I actually wouldn’t prefer it any other way. Bring it. I have come to far and given up to much to be stopped by anything. I am winner. When I am on… when I lock in and focus I am unbeatable. I inch closer to that point everyday (I can feel it). This is a slow and steady beat but it is constant. Constant. [Sparks a thought] We hit a WOD today and the whole time - all I could think of was BE CONSTANT. Not fast, or strong, or the best, but CONSTANT.

That concept is resonating with me right now. If you can be constant. You can win, because no matter what happens you will always continue to strike. You may hit that wall a thousand times with out it moving but since you are Constant you will break through. My want is pure and constant; therefore it is stronger than the resistance I face. Your want is stronger than the resistance. I don’t know what it is next but I will consistently press forward. See you in the Open

WOD

Wendler Strength WOD

Lynne

5 Rounds

Max Rep Body Weight Bench Press
Max Rep Pull-ups

Ms. Jilly Bean Rumble.....so you know you only get a pony like that when your a BA CrossFitter jumping on SOMETHING!! Way to go Jill - you are AWESOME!!!

Wednesday's Schedule looks something like this:

5:15, 8:30 (am), 4:30, 6:00, and 7:00 (pm) CrossFit Classes
9:30am Yoga

Today's WOD is dedicated to those of you that ate too much chocolate like I did yesterday:)

WOD

Wendler Strength

Then:

20 Minute Time Limit

50 Hollow Rocks
50 Back Extensions
50 Mountain Climbers (Each Leg)
50 Squat Thrusts
50 Box Jumps

I have named this week "National Pony Tail Week!!" I have titled this picture - Julie and her Pony.

This Saturday we will have our Free Community Workout. I strongly encourage all of our CrossFitters to show up that day and have some fun working out, hanging out, and being well ya know CrossFitters. I have invited Layman Farms to our Community workout to share some information on produce product delivery to CrossFit Michiana this summer. What I like about Layman Farms is they are locally grown and you're not receiving produce from foreign countries. You only get what's in season fresh off the farm and affordable. We are talking about making CrossFit Michiana a weekly delivery point if there is enough interest.

I have also talked to a few of you about purchasing free range organic farm fresh eggs from your friends that have chickens. I would like to find a source that can provide eggs that we can sell at all times. SO...if you know of anyone interested, please let me know. Right now we are receiving 8-10 dozen a week from Brett and Robin. Of course the chickens are a little slow right now and will pick up in spring but we could probably support another farm as well.

Free Community Workout is at 7:30 am and the Free Community Endurance Workout is at 9:00 am. Children are welcome.

Today's schedule:

5:15 am Yoga

6:15 am and 4:30 pm CrossFit

WOD

Wendler Strength

Then:

3 Rounds -
1 minute at each station for max reps.
There will be 30 seconds rest after each minute.

Row
Wall Ball
DB Ground to OH 40/25
Box Jumps
DB SDLHP

5:30 - 5:55 CrossFit Games "Open" Challenge Kipping instruction

6:00 am CrossFit Games Open Challenge WOD

7:00 am Endurance WOD

I thought you all would be SO happy to know that there are NO birthday's this week!! I also thought you would all love this picture which I call "Holly and her pony!!"

Schedule for today is 5:30 and 7:30 am, 4:30, 6:00, and 7:00 pm. CrossFit Classes Only

WOD

Wendler Strength

Then:

25 Shoot Throughs

20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2
Double unders

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Toes to Bar

So today I was putting together a wish list for the new building and thought we all know so many people that maybe you know someone who knows someone that has this particular item for sale or they would like us to take it off their hands.

Full size refrigerator, dining room type table and chairs, lockers, any type of storage equipment, someone who makes signs, (we'll want to be seen from John Weaver Parkway), kids to paint the walls, (would love some cool artwork), vanity's or cabinets that would work in a dressing room environment, tall mirrors for dressing room as well, any type of storage or organizational shelves, cubes, etc that could be put in a locker room......once we do a field trip to the new building any ideas are welcomed. We are getting excited and can't wait to show off our new home.

Schedule for today is 6:15 am and 8:30 am CrossFit Classes.

Schedule for Saturday is 7:30 am Strength Training Class with Jim 9:00 am Endurance Training Class with Jason. Please make sure you have warm clothing for the endurance class - I don't know what Jason has planned but I want to make sure we are prepared in the case he has us outside.

WOD

Wendler Strength Lift

"The Bear Barbell Complex"

Then 5 Rounds of

7 Barbell Complex
Clean, Front Squat, Push Press, Back Squat, Push Press
NO REST DURING THE 7 Reps - you CAN HOWEVER REST BETWEEN ROUNDS.

How To Perform The Bear Complex

The Bear Complex consists of 5 barbell exercises performed back to back without resting. Each exercise flows naturally into the next. You start by power cleaning a barbell off the ground. With the barbell now resting at shoulder level perform a front squat. The third exercise in the Bear sequence is the push press. Using momentum, press the barbell over you head and lower it back down in a controlled manner to the back of your shoulders. From this position you will perform a back squat. After the back squat, perform one more push press, returning the bar to the front of your body and then back to the ground.

Perform this circuit 7 times without stopping. This is called one round.

One round requires performing the Bear Complex 7 times without resting.

5 total rounds equals a complete Bear Complex workout. You may rest in between rounds.