Hang clean 3-3-3-3-3
Back squat 5-5-5
Clean deadlift 5-5-5
Post scores to BTW.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO EVERY SUPPORTER THAT CAME OUT AND THOSE THAT CHEERED THE TEAM ON FROM HOME – THANK YOU!
My Experience at the 2014 CrossFit Southwest Regionals by Colby Knepp
I am pretty new to CrossFit.
So new, in fact, that this coming August will be my “one year anniversary” as a CrossFit coach.
I say this not to bring to light my general lack of experience in the CrossFit world, but instead to emphasize the fact that I am pretty new to this community and all that it has to offer. I have yet to be tainted by accepting the status quo, or trying to remember the good old days of CrossFit. Instead, I look at each experience within this sport as a learning opportunity, and the 2014 Regionals were no different.
Going into the weekend, I thought I had it all figured out.
“I’ve been to a CrossFit competition before,” I told myself. Boy, was I mistaken.
The first thing that I noticed was just how well organized and professional the entire event was. From the cleanliness of the facility to the event workers and volunteers, to the event schedule, vendors and workouts, the Southwest Regionals were a hit in my book (minus the flu-virus infecting nearly a dozen people; but that’s a story for another day).
That’s all well and good, but it’s not what I really want to talk about.
Instead, I want to focus on the one thing that I saw this weekend in abundance. The one thing that keeps people coming back for more. The one thing that allowed four or five-thousand spectators from around the Southwest to share fellowship and enjoy a great three day experience together; and quite possibly the one thing that “those on the outside” really hate CrossFit for.
This one thing could be the single biggest “asset” that CrossFit has - an asset that I had taken for granted over the past few months because it is so abundant in every CrossFit gym across the country (and especially Verve).
That “asset” is the community. And this community is built on a foundation of “shared suffereing”.
Regardless of you’re experience level, you know exactly what I mean – that moment mid-WOD when your brain starts to lack enough oxygen to speak a coherent sentence; that moment when things really begin to hurt, but you won’t give up because you’re WOD-buddies are suffering too; that moment when your body is screaming to drop the bar, but your mind won’t allow it. That builds some pretty strong bonds.
Anyways…. here are a few observations from my three days working as a vendor (and sometimes as a spectator) during the 2014 CrossFit Southwest Regionals.
The CrossFit community is large yet still feels small. There were some four or five thousand spectators at the venue, but I still managed to catch up with coaches and athletes that I haven’t seen in a while, and make many new connections as well.
The heart, dedication and ability to endure mind-numbing pain by competitive CrossFit athletes is absolutely mind blowing. I saw athletes competing WITH the FLU.
I saw LOTS of young children and families. This made me happy knowing that we are being positive role models for the next generation – so maybe they will pursue performance in the gym over drugs and alcohol abuse.
Speaking of alcohol abuse… I am used to seeing people hammering the bud light and nachos and sporting events. While I am cool with that every so often, it’s really not my thing. I didn’t see that here. I guess these people value health and fitness over drunkeness and nachos.
Those are just a few things that make me proud to say that I’m part of the CrossFit community.
What would you add to this list?
See you in class.