Chin Up Challenge

Starting this week then ending on the week of August 6th, Legitimus will have a Chin Up Challenge!!

You will have eight weeks to add chin ups to your abilities or to add reps to your max or to add weight to your chin-ups. 

We will do chin-ups for this challenge which are palms facing inward, instead of pull-ups which have your palms facing away from you. 

 

This is to increase range of motion which you know I'm a big fan of and to create more muscle mass. Which is always a good thing. 

Training for this challenge is very straightforward especially if you’ve been doing my sub-maximal pull-up program. 

 

Every day that you're at Legitimus, perform multiple sub-maximal sets of chin ups, before or after class which ever works best for you.

 

Unless there are pull-ups in the workout or you're feeling beat up in your upper body, you should be working those chin ups.

Alternate increasing your reps or sets by one each week or every two weeks. Two months of frequency training might look like this (below assumes a single set chin max of 8 or 9 to begin)

If you already have 10 to 15 strong chin ups, with no throwing the chin over the bar we might consider weighted chins for this challenge. 

 

The plan will look very much the same but we will have you hold a DB between your legs or use a weight belt to hang plates off of. I can walk you through how to weight up. 

We will be posting a video demonstrating form and hand placement. 

Remember this is assuming you have 8-9 chins, we need to personalize this for each person. 

Week One – 6 sets of 6 reps

Week Two – 6 sets of 6 reps

Week Three – 7 sets of 7 reps

Week Four – 7 sets of 7 reps

Week Five – 8 sets of 8 reps

Week Six – 8 sets of 8 reps

Week Seven – 9 sets of 9 reps

Week Eight – 9 sets of 9 reps

Your sets should be done with a few reps left in the tank. 

 

Don’t do max reps!

 

Don't get to the sticky point of fighting or climbing your way up...drop off the PUB if that happens. 

 

If you need to start kipping, terminate the set. Kipping is ANY breaking at the hips!!!!

In August we will give you a chance to show off your new max and make some videos and or we will see how much weight you can chin up with.

 

Check out Coach J-Rod banging out chin ups with perfect form here.

 

Good Luck!

One On One Coaching With Jen

Did you know that you could schedule an Individualized Coaching Session with Jen?

She is currently offering coaching sessions in the following areas for people that would like more personal attention:

Kettlebell Training
Personal Training
Team Sport Specific Training
Weight Lifting (Clean and Jerk / Snatch)
Endurance Training
Nutritional Consultation
Lifestyle Consultation
Competition Training

Each session will be tailored exclusively for the participant... these are not, "one size fits all sessions".

If you are interested in any of the above specialization coaching programs, please contact Jen at 860-801-0328.

Prices will vary on specialization and membership.

Memorial Day Murph

This past Monday marked the 3^rd Annual Memorial Day Hero WOD at CrossFit Legitimus.

MURPH (run 1 mile, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats, run 1 mile) is a fun and exhausting tradition at CFL.

This year we had more than 40 members and friends come to get their sweat on and pay respect to a fallen hero.

Keeping with tradition, the WOD began with a group stretch on the Canton Green, where participants were treated to a beautiful A Cappella rendition of God Bless America, sung by Coach J-rod.

All 40 athletes finished the WOD in under an hour, and as always, scaled according to their own ability.

This year's standouts include; Flinn Mueller, who ran the first mile in 6:35, Amanda Beaudrea, who wore a 20 pound weight vest and beat her time from last year, and Dave Moskowitz, who completed his first full MURPH and beat last year’s time by almost 20 minutes.

We also can't forget to shout out the Moms that ran this wod with their kids(!), Carol Ashburn who struggled with the first mile but finished strong with a smile, and Angela Marie, who never ran two miles before and did it no problem!!

This year Legitimus also hosted a bake sale, and donated all proceeds to the Murph Foundation.

Special thanks to Amanda Beaudreau, Valerie Gordon, and Liz Humphrey; who donated the baked goods to be sold, and helped us raise $500!!

And last but not least, thanks to Coach Brian, for running the show!!

Calling Out The Connors

Chances are if you have been wodding at Legitimus for awhile, you have run into one, some, or all of the Connors Family.

There are six of them, making them the largest family at the gym.

Mick, Angie and their four children, Sarah (19), Jack (18), Charlie (14), and Mimi (13), are recent CT transplants, having moved here in 2012 from Tennessee.

Mick, Angie and Sarah all began CrossFitting long before their move to CT, and the younger children started at Legitimus.

Although Mick was the initial pusher for the family to begin CrossFitting, Sarah, who is a sophomore at Notre Dame, is the one who found Legitimus.

It was a hot summer day when Sarah drove by CFL and saw members piled into the ice bath... 

She quickly decided that, "NO WAY AM I GOING TO A GYM THAT PUTS YOU IN AN ICE BATH..." and kept driving.

But curiosity got the best of her, and Sarah ended up checking out Legitimus anyway (ice bath and all)... she eventually joined, along with the rest of the Connors crew.

And they, like so many before them, fell in love.

When The Connors eventually moved out of a rental and bought their own home in Avon, they made sure that it was close to Legitimus because... well, priorities.

Since joining, the family has started eating 80/20 Paleo and has seen huge gains in the Gym.

Sarah now snatches 100 lbs.

Jack, a Senior at Northwest Catholic, took private one on one sessions with Jen, and fixed a chronic lower back problem. 

Charlie and Mimi take teen classes and attend Legitimus summer camps.

Mick and Angie love that they can trust their children to learn excellent form and technique, and prefer that the younger ones only lift within the Legitimus walls.

The Connors Family has always been into sports (volleyball, lacrosse, and football) and credit CrossFit to keeping them strong and mobile in the off season.

Not only are they all super athletic, focused, and determined... they're fun too!

Jen says that they are a fun loving crew who keep her on her toes and make her laugh all the time!

Be on the look out for Mick, Angie, Sarah, Jack, Charlie and Mimi as they are getting stronger and faster every day... together they are a force to be reckoned with!

Upcoming Events at CFL!!

There is a lot going on at Legitimus in the next few months... mark your calendars!!

Sugar Blues Workshop, Saturday April 15, 11:15 am

Are you constantly craving sweets and want to understand why? Do you want to gain control without depriving yourself? Then this is the seminar for you! This workshop is open to the public, non-Legitmus members are welcome! Please sign up here, or call 860-916-7196 for more details!

MURPH, Memorial Day, May 27, 10 am

Please join us for a Legitimus tradition, as we complete a hero WOD in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy.  


For time:
 
1 mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 mile Run

As always, all workouts are scalable, and push ups, squats, and pull ups can be partitioned any way you like.

Strength & Conditioning Summer Camp, Monday, June 24

Keep your kids fit and busy this summer with the Legitimus Kids & Teen Camp. Every "workout," can be scaled and modified to fit your child's ability and comfort zone. This program will run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday all summer long, and is split into 3 week sessions.

Sessions will begin on June 24, July 15, and August 5. The cost for 3 weeks is $100, $200 for 6 weeks, and $250 for the entire summer. 

Classes will be divided into two groups; Grades 6-8 will meet at 10:30-11:30 am, and Grades 9-12 will meet from 11:30 am - 12:30 pm. 

Click here for camp enrollment and membership options, or email Jen@crossfitlegitimus.com for more information.

Q & A with KJ

Today's member spotlight features Kaity Jo Bryll; known at Legitimus as "KJ".

KJ swam for her college swim team, and is a strong and easy to coach athlete.

Her competitive spirit, and easy going attitude fit in wonderful with the laid back environment at Legitimus, and we are so happy to have her around!!

Q: How long have you been Crossfitting?

A: I started in July of 2012, and I have come a long way since then! I am stronger both mentally and physically, and love the fact that I am in an actual box, with a real Coach to push me... because I used to CrossFit on my own.

Q: Where did you do that?

A: I did interval training on my own at a local gym beginning way back in 2003. I eventually started taking WODs off the CrossFit main site, but it wasn't working out as well as I hoped. There was limited space, and equipment, plus people looked at me funny.

Q: Where do you work?

A: I currently work in Sales / Marketing at Cigna in Bloomfield, I've been there for five years.

Q: Do you have a favorite wod or movement??

A: I love obstacle WODs! My all time favorite is one from last summer, when we had to put a kettle bell, atlas stone, and bumper into a wheel barrel and run it up and down the parking lot!

Q: What do you like most about CrossFit?

A: I get bored easily, so I love that CrossFit is always changing, it keeps me interested and excited!

Q: Anything you don't like??

A: I honestly can't say I hate any particular movement. Don't get me wrong, there are times where I'm swearing at myself during a WOD, but that's the beauty of it. CrossFit pushes you to WANT to be better.

Q: What do you do when you're not CrossFitting?

A: I love outdoor events! This summer I'm looking forward to the 5k Color Run in Hartford, The Winding Trails triathlon series in Farmington, and The 5k Rugged Maniac obstacle course. Come join me!

Member Spotlight: Ashley Kelsey

Self proclaimed gym rat, Ashley Kelsey, started CrossFitting two months ago when she found herself bored with her repetitive cardio workouts.

 An aspiring fitness model, Ashley had never done any Olympic lifting in the past, but has already added some serious weight to her numbers, and is only getting stronger.

 When asked about the difference between working out at a globo gym versus a CrossFit box, Ashley can't say enough good things:

"I love that we do something different everyday, and I love that I have to answer to a Coach. It's like having a personal trainer, but in a class setting where everyone supports each other. It definitely beats putting on my headphones and working out alone!"

 Like other new members, Ashley says she felt accepted and included in the Legitimus community almost immediately.

"Everyone is so friendly. I love that the workouts are scalable to fit different fitness levels, so someone who isn't very athletic can workout side by side next to someone who is super strong. Everyone supports each other, it's awesome."

Ashley tries to WOD five days a week, is currently loving raw foods, and credits her diet as the most important part of her fitness routine.

 If you think you might have seen Ashley somewhere outside the box, it's because you probably have.

When she isn't working out, Ashley is a TV personality, who got her start on MTV's The Real World Back To San Diego, and MTV's The Challenge, Battle of the Seasons.

On "The Challenge", Ashley, who describes herself as non-competitive, did incredible things to test her mental and physical toughness; like being suspended 40 feet above the water with no harness!!!!

For someone who never played sports and doesn't care for competition, Ashley more than held her own on "The Challenge," and even helped her team come in First Place!!

Ashley is currently pursuing a career in broadcasting or hosting, and was most recently seen on NBC Sports, "The Crossover."

If you see Ashley around the box, be sure to say, "Hi!" and welcome her to the Legitimus family!