01
Apr 2014
0

Thank goodness the Open is over!

Competitions, The Open , , , Sandy Kim

madonnaThat feeling in your lats and quads, that’s accomplishment; well that and the carnage of 14.5. Two days later, I can barely walk and my legs MIGHT have given out on me as I walked up the stairs to my office… I might have gone splat on the stairs…

Who is glad that the open is over? This gal is! It has been a roller coaster ride of muscle pains, demoralizing and remoralizing (it’s a word now) emotions, sucking air (followed by wine to forget the muscle pain) and thinking I could have done 1 more rep.

The breakdown by numbers…

205: Number of athletes registered for Team Trident

50: Team Trident’s place out of 330 teams in the Mid-Atlantic region

502: Team Trident’s place out of 4237 teams worldwide

1: One team, One community, One Team Trident

Be proud and give yourself a pat on your backs for being awesome then go hunt down the following people and give them a booty bump for contributing to the team score:

  • Katie Wasalaski
  • Jennie Cooper
  • Jill Forbes
  • Luc Tripp
  • Lindsay Williamson
  • Chriss Smith
  • Brandon Maupin
  • Will Brody
  • Alex Johnson
  • Karen Angeles
  • Maron Kim
  • Nick Libert
  • Katie Beal

14.1 was doable, as our alumni blue shirt Matt Kirkpatrick would say, “In fact, I haven’t seen anything that doable since myself in the mirror this morning.” We came out of that one with whip marks, our first consecutive double under or even our first double under!

The announcement of 14.2 sent most of us ladies on the hunt for a sports bra that resembled Madonna’s cone bra and hoping for her ripped arms to get boobs to bar. Most people were in an outrage thinking how dare Castro program chest to bar so soon in the open, does he want to weed everyone out? Of course not!! By definition, CrossFit is CONSTANTLY VARIED, just like life, you never know what is going to come next and it certainly does not come in a certain order weeding out people out at the end. Expect the unexpected.

14.3 compared to 14.2 was a breeze. WHEW! Some of us pulled a weight off the ground we never thought possible! It gave me the redemption I needed to feel good about the Open. Then came 14.4 and like a roller-coaster the 50 toes to bar made me want to crawl under a rock with my lady like calluses. Who else wished there were 50 cleans and 30 toes to bar?

14.5 has left us wrecked. I really did fall walking up the stairs to my office. My legs just could not take it… It was a good feeling to know I worked hard to finish, but not a good feeling to be face first on the stairs while people walked over me.

Overall, it has been a VERY eye opening OPEN. Lots of weaknesses have been exposed and so have lots of strengths. Take note of what you want to work on and write it up on the Trident board; hold yourself accountable!  Even if you did not sign up for the Open or log your scores online, keep track of your scores somewhere and use it as a baseline. I will guarantee you will see one of these WODs programmed at Trident or even during another Open.

Now raise your right hand, high up to the sky! Bend at the elbow so that your hand is behind your back. Now go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back because you survived a brutal Open! BOOM!!

24
Feb 2014
0

Show your Trident pride and register for the Open!

Competitions, The Open, Trident Blog , , , Sandy Kim

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Warming up for the first WOD of the 2013 CrossFit Open.

Did you know that last year we had the second largest team IN THE WORLD? We came second only to CrossFit NYC… impressive for Trident’s second year registered as a team!

You may not have any strong feelings about the Open or why you should participate but I do, so bear with me as I step on to my soapbox!

Last year I could not quite put it into words why the Open meant so much to me, but after my first full year as a coach at Trident, I have come to realize why it does… I have Trident Pride! I am honored and proud to be part to be part of this great community of athletes. I learn something new EVERYDAY I am at Trident. I am thrilled to be able to pass on my lessons learned to the rest of the Trident community and am thrilled when I see you all pass on that knowledge to the next generation of athletes.  I have Trident Pride and want everyone to feel that pride and be proud of what we are doing here at Trident.

For me the easiest way to pass on that sense of pride to the athletes is through The CrossFit Open. Not everyone comes to Trident for the sense of community. Not everyone that CrossFits knows that with their membership comes a community that will support them. The Open is a way for them to bond and cultivate a community of their own within our over 600 members.

There are many reasons that Trident CrossFit stands out among the 20+ boxes in the area: the amazing coaches, the ginormous box, the awesome programming, the up to date equipment, the strong athletes, the community…  We come together in times of hardship, celebration and in remembrance.  Let’s honor what we have built at Trident by reaching out to those at Trident that may not realize the community they have backing them, let’s bring them into the fold, into the community that has enveloped us and enriched our lives.

I would hope that Trident has touched all of you in some way, good touch never bad touch! So reach deep and figure out why you are at Trident, what it has done for you and what you want to pass to the rest of our community that may not have been touched.

18
Feb 2014
0

Sign up for The Open and join Team Trident!

Competitions, Events, The Open, Trident Blog , , , , Sandy Kim

crossfit-open-2014

Get your game face on!

It’s that time of year again where if you are part of the CrossFit community there is a buzz in the air—it’s the Games Season, baby!

For those new to CrossFit you may be asking yourself what is “The Open” and why do I care?  The Open is the first step in the annual CrossFit Games and to finding the fittest man and woman on earth. But more importantly, the Open is a chance to bond with your Trident community and cheer on your friends.

There are 5 workouts starting on Feb 27 and ending on March 31. Workouts are released Thursday and need to be completed and entered online by the following Monday. At Trident, we’ll be doing the Open workouts as our regular WOD during all class times Friday, with opportunities to make up the workout over the weekend and on Mondays.

Everyone has different reasons why they CrossFit. For some it’s a requirement for their job so they survive, for others it’s a way to survive all the things life throws at us; be it a stressful schedule, screaming toddler, hoisting 5 gallons of water up to the water cooler, or lifting your couch up to vacuum all the potato chips hidden underneath. Recovery, survival or just plain vanity (hey, we all want to fit into our clothes), we all have our reasons we come back day after day to lift heavy things.

I like what the Open stands for, an all-inclusive way to participate. Last year, almost 140,000 athletes competed in the Open, and we had 250 Trident athletes participate. It’s more about the community and pushing yourself a little harder than you thought you could.

My goal is to do better than last year, to see if my technique has improved, if I have improved. The first year I signed up for the Open we did a WOD with snatches… I was not able to get the weight up over my head and committed to work on this weakness. The second year, I was able to easily move the RX weight but not for the full 30 reps the WOD called for. This past year I have been practicing my technique and working on my strength and can’t wait to see how I have improved! Without realizing it, the Open has become my own personal baseline and check-in with my goals each year.

Everyone contributes to Team Trident whether you know it or not. Your enthusiasm and spirit motivates! So, get your game face ready and sign up to be a part of Team Trident!

Register for The Open here!

08
Apr 2013
0

The Open is over. What did you learn?

Competitions, The Open , , , , Sandy Kim

Team Trident taking on 13.5.

Team Trident taking on 13.5.

I learned that if you never attempt the heavier weights or attempt to learn a movement or perform a movement during a WOD you will never know if you can do them. I learned that if you don’t track your performance you won’t know if you improved. That sometimes you need to fail in order to succeed. I have also been reminded that the Trident community knows how to come together to support each other. What did you learn?

During the past 5 weeks, I have seen some truly amazing feats of strength, endurance and courage. Athletes surprising themselves and doing movements they never thought they could or lifting a weight they never imagined would go over their head. I have also seen the frustration and disappointment on the faces of the athletes that expected more from themselves. I have watched athletes turn into coaches, coaches turn into mentors and the gym turn into a tighter stronger community.

To those that came across a WOD where they think they disappointed themselves…. don’t beat yourself up, take every victory and remember the losses, they both will help you improve. Couldn’t push press 95#’s overhead? Next time we do push presses, don’t choose a lighter weight, choose a weight that is challenging that will eventually lead you to 95 lbs. Couldn’t’ do double-unders? Next time we have a WOD with double-unders, attempt them instead of doing 3 singles for every doubl-under. Feel free to grab a red shirt or a blue shirt and ask for help if you want to work on technique, we are always more than happy to help! If you never try you will never know what will happen. I’ll get off my soap box because you get the point! 🙂

Now pat yourself on the back because you finished The Open; five weeks of WODs that challenged you mentally and physically. You have made this tiger mom proud and fiercer than ever! Congratulations on your first second, or third Open experience. Now go hit that WOD at full capacity, because training for the 2014 Open starts TODAY!

High Fives!

Sandy

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02
Apr 2013
0

13.4 was a jerk, but Team Trident persevered

Competitions, The Open, Trident Blog , , , Chris Kelly

post2

One victory at a time.

To those who got 95 or 135 lbs over your head for the first time or touched your toes to the bar for the first time… BOOM!!! Now you have to do it every time we have it programmed into a WOD! We knew you had it in you, so huge high fives!! You know who you are and so do we, no sandbagging.

Sandy

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25
Mar 2013
0

For those who did 13.3, give yourself some props!

Competitions, Events, The Open, Trident Blog , , Sandy Kim

Let's not do these again for awhile. (Photo from CrossFit Brier Creek)

Let’s not do these again for awhile. (Photo from CrossFit Brier Creek)

Doing 150 of anything is a daunting task, but then follow that up with 90 double unders and 30 muscle ups, then tie a ribbon on that and make it a 12 minute AMRAP! Welcome back 12.4, I did not miss you.

Big huge congratulations to all that came in and attempted 13.3. The first time Trident posted Karen (150 wall balls for time) as the WOD, I tucked my tail between my legs and called it a rest day. Last year when 12.4 posted this ditty of an AMRAP, I hardened my chassis, came in and took my punishment for skipping Karen the year before. I didn’t finish the wall balls in the 12 minutes allotted, so when we did this WOD again a few months later I was excited to redeem myself! I was able to make it through and complete 69 double unders, redemption felt good! This round my Karen time was a minute slower and I was only able to get through 7 double unders, I can’t wait for this to come around again so I can redeem myself (again)!

Getting over your fear of what is on the board is a huge feat; it’s also the first step in conquering it! So to all of you that saw the 150 wall balls and scoffed and still came in, give yourself a pat on the back and a some icy hot for your legs!

13.3 sure was a doozy, I can’t wait to see what 13.4 brings!

High Fives!

Sandy

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21
Mar 2013
0

13.2 raffle winners – come get your swag!

Competitions, The Open, Trident Blog , , Chris Kelly

13-2-raffle-winners

Hard works pays off.

If your name is Tracy Ocker, Reid Owen or Mark Espinoza – you should email us at staff@tridentcrossfitva.com and claim your prize. You’re our lucky winners of the 13.2 prize drawing.

Thanks again to everyone who came out for 13.2 last week and 13.3 today. As someone who is terrible at wall-balls, anyone who did today’s WOD is a champ.

Onward to 13.4!

 

11
Mar 2013
0

Bring your A-game this Thursday for 13.2

Events, Trident Blog , Chris Kelly

caitlin

Caitlin Parke stepping it up!

The box is the same, the coaches are the same and the athletes are the same; but this time it’s The Open WOD and suddenly the atmosphere has changed and the energy is different. If you have never been at Trident during an Open WOD come out on a Thursday and witness this awe-inspiring spectacle.  If you have not signed up for The Open then it is too late to be part of the “official” team, but don’t fret you can still be part of the Team Trident in other ways. I challenge you to still attempt The Open WOD (even if you didn’t register for the team), to stay around and cheer for your fellow Tridenter’s and just be a part of this great experience.

This past Thursday when we did the first Open WOD our box transformed to a breeding ground of competitors; against your buddy next to you, a person in a different region or gym or even a competitor to yourself. I am enormously proud of everyone that has signed up and competed to help represent Team Trident and is putting there all into each Open WOD, putting themselves on the path of finding their weaknesses and strengths, and helping to bond this extraordinary community. I am also extremely honored and privileged to be a part of this community; learning from each and every one of you, not just the ones that signed up for the Open, but all of you! I learn something new every day I am in the gym, as an athlete and intern, I am very humbled from every lesson I get and am grateful for this amazing group of athletes I get the privilege to be around.

The coaches saw some amazing feats during 13.1, from Caitlin snatching what has got to be more than half her body weight 4 times, to Janna getting her first ever burpee and then doing it 32 more times, to watching each athlete struggle but never give up!

The push to sign up for The Open was not meant to put pressure on you or put you in the “uncool” box, you all are AWESOME just because you are on the path of becoming stronger. The push to sign up for The Open was to help you try something different and be part of an event that only happens once a year. I am still at a loss of words on how to describe this phenomenon, so come on out to Trident on a Thursday and just watch and eventually drink the kool-aid and end up screaming in a face you have never seen before to do one more rep. I guarantee that athlete will approach you after, not to punch you in the face but to thank you for pushing them!

Over 246 from our community rallied together to form Team Trident, making us the second largest team in the world! GO TEAM TRIDENT! As promised the raffle winners will be drawn Wednesday night at the gym and announced on FaceBook and here on the blog.

I know I speak for myself and every Trident coach when I say we could not be prouder! You all are amazing and an inspiration to everyone around you. As Chriss and Andrea would say HANDS OFF YOUR HIPS!

Sandy – one proud tiger mom!

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08
Mar 2013
0

“The Titans of Trident stood before the barbell…” — Pics of 13.1

Events, Trident Blog , , , Chris Kelly

13-1

With a sore throat and a tear still in my eye, I’ve finally come down from the high to tell the tale of last nights 13.1 open wod at Trident.

Like the 300 odd Spartans led by Leonidas, defending the ‘Hot Gates’ in the battle of Thermopylae, the Titans of Trident stood before the barbell. An epic battle…

Gladiators battling not only burpees & the mighty barbell, but themselves. Reaching deeper inside than they have before, going to a place seldom seen by their own eyes and never before the masses, they emerged victorious. Cheered and motivated by their peers until the 17th minute ticked off the clock, they lay in carnage, panting for breath, covered in sweat, snot and for some blood, they await the high fives from their warriors that went before them, some cried, everyone smiled in the feeling of accomplishment and the knowing that today I did more than I thought they could.

A few Titans are awaiting their time to slay the dragon of fear, the obstacles of self doubt that will set them on a path of self discovery and the feeling that they can accomplish anything. the battle of 13.1 will continue for three more days for those who have yet to fight.

A few have yet to sign up for their time to slay the first of five dragons, but time is plenty as Sunday is the last day to sign up.

“Kick Ass Trident”

Chriss

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P.S. We are second place in the world for team open signups – We Can do It


“Tag yourself, if you want a picture in your timeline.”

From 2013.1, posted by Trident CrossFit on 3/08/2013 (150 items)







































Generated by Facebook Photo Fetcher 2


06
Mar 2013
0

Crossfit Open: Why This Beginner Is In!

Events, Trident Blog , Chris Kelly

This blogpost was originally posted by Trident athlete Ericka Andersen on her site sweetlifeericka.com

Lady winners from last year! That’s Julie Fouche — who I met and interviewed in November — on the right!

I did something I never thought I would yesterday.

I signed up for the Crossfit Open.

Totally not my style. I’m not into competition on a personal level.

But Team Trident was so enthusiastic, it was only $20 and I couldn’t say no. Why NOT?

It’s been forever since I tried something like this and well, what do I have to lose?

It’s everywhere. It’s every age, every body type, every country, every skill level. Crossfit doesn’t discriminate. It judges no one. It welcomes everyone.

It’s not like other sports. 

It’s about being your personal best but also supporting other people in ways you’ve  never done before. It’s about being on the floor with them until the last rep.

It represents something bigger than just lifting a heavy weight. What does the weight symbolize? Pushing it as hard as you can, taking your soul with you…it’s the essence of who you are and why you keep going even when things are hard.

This video makes me happy: 

Do you ever have moments when you want to quit everything? Like…you think for a split second, wouldn’t it be easier if I…? I do, they catch me off guard, but I do.

But, the thing is, you don’t. You don’t quit everything. You pick the weight back up and move it until you are stronger. And then, you try something harder — because that’s what makes us better. That’s what gives us character. That’s what makes life worth living. The doing. The trying. The hurting. The victory.

 

I’m not doing the Crossfit Open to win (obviously!). I’m not going to make it to the next level. But I don’t care. I’m on a team. I’m gonna support them. I’m gonna do something I’m a little scared of. I’m gonna get that nauseous feeling in my belly one more time when I hear “3,2,1!”

That feeling in your belly — that’s a GREAT feeling. It means you’re alive. It means you are taking a chance. I’m thankful that Crossfit has brought that feeling back to me.

Don’t you know it’s a GREAT day to be alive?!

Are you doing the Open? 
What puts the “feeling in your belly?” What are you doing that scares you — that makes you feel alive? 
If you aren’t doing anything, what can you make a goal?
03
Mar 2013
0

Compete in The Open and win some cool swag

Events, Trident Blog , , Chris Kelly

march-6

The Open starts this Wednesday and to get folks in the competitive spirit, we’re offering some incentives. Here are the rules:

Rules:
– In order to be entered into the drawing you must have completed (or attempted) the WOD and logged it on the games site and if you scaled the WOD then logged it on the Trident website
– Drawing will happen on Monday/Tuesday and be announced that day on the Trident website and Facebook
– Once someone has won a prize they will not be eligible for another prize. Trident coaches, assistant coaches and interns are exempt from the raffle
– For the end of Open raffle we will pick one name for the grand prize and come up with superlatives

And for those wondering, here are the awesome prizes:

Mobility Swag
Trident Swag
CrossFit Shoes
Wrist wraps
Jump rope
Gift certificate to Rouge – $25 – from Trident
One on one rowing lesson w/ Mike Poterfield
$25 Gift certificate to Field of Athenry
Gift certificate to Buzz Bakery
Capitol tour, must be completed by first week of May
Weekend of yard work from Jeff Kerr’s kids
Nutrition consultation with Melanie Rowland and a bottle of fish oil
6 awesome tickets to the evening parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I in DC, featuring the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. Includes parking!
Free personal training session with Chad Ciri
Free personal training session with Chriss Smith Jr
Week of Power Supply Meals
Massage from Olga
Free Month Membership at Trident

With all that said, get pumped for Wednesday (and for possibly some snow! Finally!).