WoD - Friday 5th February, 2021

FRIDAY!!! And not just any Friday.

Today, 10 years ago, at 4:30am I was hurling the clearly unnecessary and surely additional (spare) nuts and bolts provided by the very generous GHD company, into the busy just outside the original box.
Ready to head home for about 3 hours sleep, which, in the last few weeks had become the norm.

Changing rooms built, most of the masking tape removed (I’d still find some months later), and brand new, shiny gear everywhere. Not to mention a state of the art (really was at the time), custom made rig which you all grew to hate. All i needed now were members. Who’d have known, but 10 years later there have been countless, very, cool stories. Lives turned around and laughs had…what a place. all from a little box.

The only thing I forgot was a f**king sign!

Happy 10th Birthday CrossFit Cardiff!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
3 Rounds for time of:
15 Burpees
30 Thrusters (35/25kg)
45 Double unders

Be thankful that you’re all in lockdown, otherwise you’d be doing Fight Gone Bad! Times up please team!

WoD - Wednesday 3rd February, 2021

Check him out…”Hollywood” hitting the big time. I reckon he’s got a little foundation on there, maybe some lippy and definitely a filter!

It showcases one hell of a story, told in such an inspiring way, truly communicating the message that CrossFit is nothing to be afraid of, but to get stuck into. Aided by such an amazing bunch of people among the community.

You’re all legends. If you haven’t seen it, watch it. Reach out and tell the big timer what you think!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 Rounds, each for time of:
Run 200m
20 Devils press (50/35lbs)

Rest 4mins between rounds

Share and post times please…

WoD - Tuesday 2nd February, 2021

Despite thinking that I am as strong as an Ox, having been lifting weights for a long arsed time, when a GSP shaped 30kg plus bowling ball comes pelting at you, smashing into your pins at a billion miles per hour, you tend to go flying. Weird!
Still, at least it’s lockdown and there weren’t 20 well spread out walkers able to witness, point and laugh. Luckly Hannah was also wiped out and so there was safety in numbers!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
22 - 18 - 14 - 10 - 6 - 2 reps of:
Dumbbell Row (50/35lbs)*
Alternating pistol squats

*complete the full set of reps on each arm before moving to the pistols

You know the score…

WoD - Monday 1st February, 2021

Pinch, punch, first of the month. January flew by??? Not really, it seemed to drag. I don’t know. But what I do know is that we are one month closer to the summer!!

Happy Monday team, get stuck into some decent training this week, smash yourselves until your eye balls bleed…do it!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Complete as many rounds as possible in 9 minutes of:
3 Power cleans
6 Front squats
9 Push press
12 Sit ups

Loading
Barbell: 50/35kg
Dumbbell or dumbbell(s): 50/35lbs
Rucksack: 20/15kg

WoD - Friday 29th January, 2021

This week has flown by faster than DDP on the downhill stretch of a mile repeat, in the summer, topless with both traffic beeping and builders shouting at him! Snot pouring down his face as he desperately attempts to catch Ellie, who…looks like she’s out for a Sunday stroll while the rest of us are still on the way up!

Happy Friday!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 rounds for time:
16 Devil press
32 Goblet squats

Loading
Dumbbells: 50/35lbs
Kettlebells: 24/16kg
Rucksack: 20kg

WoD - Thursday 28th January, 2021

Everyone loves a cheeky Tabata, and so why not do one that will smash the living daylights out of your abs?! Ready in time for a billy bonkers Friday night in the house! Woo Hoo!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Tabata ...
1. High knees
Rest 2 mins

2. Hollow hold (reverse Tabata - 10 on 20 off)
Rest 2 mins

3. Tuck jumps
Rest 2 mins

4. V-ups

You know what to do!

WoD - Wednesday 27th January, 2021

Another hump day bites the dust! Not that I am wishing my days away or anything but…both the summer months and some hopeful normality would be seriously cool hey!

I have talked to a few folk, members and non members, all of whom are struggling with something. Focus your efforts on those close to you, the inner circle and sometimes those outside of it. Continue to reach out to make sure that we are getting any issues nipped in the bud immediately. Some people have been utterly un-affected by lockdown and C-19, others have lost a lot.
Reach out to them. Keep the ball rolling, we will be looking back on all this soon enough. For sure!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
As many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes:
Run 400m
20 Burpees
20 Kettlebell Swings

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

WoD - Tuesday 26th January, 2021

Here’s to hoping that you had an awesome day, got up and out, chucked a tightly packed snowball at someone other that your dog (like me, Hannah wouldn’t play, something to do with work) The weather is supposed to take a nose dive for the rest of this week but…each day that it pisses down with rain is a day closer to the raging summertime!
Can not wait!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
100 - 80 - 60 - 40 - 20
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10 
Double unders
Jumping lunges

Just your bodyweight and a deep, deep quad burn! Times ups please dudes/dudettes!

WoD - Friday 22nd January, 2021

Told you Friday comes fast hey! Hopefully we’ve seen the arse end of Christoph so that we no longer need to worry about being damp and we can get stuck right into an enjoyable weekend!
Roll on beer Friday!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
At Home Andi
For time:
100 Dumbbell hang power snatches (50/35lbs)*
100 Dumbbell push presses (50/35lbs)*
100 Dumbbell sumo deadlift high pulls (50/35lbs)
100 Dumbbell front squats (50/35lbs)

*These dumbbell movements are single arm and alternating each 10 reps

WoD - Thursday 21st January, 2021

I know I took the piss out of the rain yesterday, but I do wish it would f**k right off! Soggy doggo walking loses it’s novelty faster than a lockdown zoom class! ;-)

Still, it will be the summer again soon and we will be allowed out and about. Time absolutely missiles by, I mean the Trump administration is leaving office after 4 years, where the hell did that go?
Rona is coming close to her 1st birthday and only one or two muppets still have their Christmas decs up.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10
50 - 40 - 30 - 20 - 10
25 - 20 - 15 - 10 - 5
Double unders
Sit ups
Handstand push ups

Basically Annie on heat! Go fast and unbroken on those sit ups and get those times up please…

WoD - Wednesday 20th January, 2021

Hump day!!! One silver lining about lockdown is that you don’t have to go out into storm Chris (the prick) and get blown around all over the joint, in relentless pissing rain, ensuring that after a very short time your pants are wet!

Unless of course you have a GSP who gives zero F’s about the weather!
Thanks “Oppo”!

Haha. I lied...

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Within 9mins
Run 1 Mile
Max rep burpees
Rest 6 minutes

Within 6 minutes
Run 800m
Max rep burpees
Rest 3 minutes

Within 3 minutes
Run 400m
Max rep burpees

Videos and reps up to socials please legends! 

WoD - Tuesday 19th January, 2021

I hope your legs and lungs have recovered in time for another top level thrashing?! This time with the use of one dumbbell only, an upper body beasting with some peach sculpting thrown in for good measure.

Can anyone do this without the dumbbell touching the floor from start to finish?!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time
30 Dumbbell Overhead walking lunge (50/35lbs - Left arm)
20 Alternating Dumbbell snatch (50/35lbs)
20 Dumbbell bent over row (50/35lbs - Right arm)
30 Dumbbell Overhead walking lunge (50/35lbs - mixed)
20 Dumbbell bent over row (50/35lbs - Left arm)
20 Alternating Dumbbell snatch (50/35lbs)
30 Dumbbell Overhead walking lunge (50/35lbs - Right arm)

Get those videos of your suffering faces up on IG pretty please, we wanna see…

WoD - Monday 18th January, 2021

Happy Monday team, the countdown to the weekend has already started, here’s how it goes…

You can’t count Monday, its already here and has begun, therefore the day is done. Tuesday is real, but it has a T in it the same as Thursday and seeing as Wednesday is a half day due to a sports afternoon it maty as well be Friday. Week over!

Therefore enjoy your weekend!

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
3 Rounds for time of:
7 Clean and jerk
21 Air squats
49 Double unders

Loading
Barbell: 60/40kg
Dumbbell: 50/35lbs
Kettlebell: 24/16kg

Strength sessions

We are following on from last week with the same foundation for each session.

Session One
Session 1:

1. Back squat OR goblet squat - 3 x 10 w/5s negative (This is a 5 second count on the decent)
2. Bent over row - 3 x 10 w/5s negative

Session Two
1. Romanian deadlift (RDL) - 3x10 w/5s negative (This is a 5 second count on the lowering)
2. Strict press - 3 x 10 w/5s negative (This is a 5 second count on the lowering)

Additions
Should you have the ability to increase the load, do so by adding 5kg for lower body movements and 2.5kg for upper body. TECHNIQUE CANNOT change however (5 seconds is still 5 seconds).
If you can’t add load then you have two options. Increase either the duration of the negative to maybe 7 seconds, or increase the total reps to 12s while maintaining the tempo.

Keep it up you legends, get your teeth sunk into some good training and fight off those cobwebs. Hold yourselves accountable through tagging and sharing…

WoD - Friday 15th January, 2021

Happy HAPPY Beerday, I mean Friday team!

Anther week of lockdown done, meaning another one closer to the end and more freedom with open gyms and other peoples faces! How can anyone not shout a big F**K yeah to that!?

Polish off your week of training with a nasty little single modality. Can anyone go unbroken on Double double Grace?

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
For time:
60 Clean & jerks*

*If using a DB or KB, perform 60 continuous reps on each arm before swapping

Loading
Barbell: 60/40kg
Dumbbell: 50/35lbs
Rucksack: Heavy

Get those final times up to your socials, you lockdown influencers…

WoD - Thursday 14th January, 2021

It’s good for you this rain. It’s good for the soul. Heading out into the dark, wet, Welsh winter night is all character building stuff, you just have to keep telling yourself that without it, the warm embrace of your sofa would never feel as good!
And if you believe any of that you are a complete muppet! ;-)

Don’t forget the two strength sessions posted on Monday of this week. Get after them.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible within 15mins of:
10 Press up + row*
20 V-ups
10 Tuck jumps

*One press up, from the top of the rep, pull a dumbbell or kettlebell to the shoulder with one arm, and repeat with the other.

Get those rounds, reps and vids up. Even if it’s raining!

WoD - Wednesday 13th January, 2021

HUMP DAY!

The best way to get over it, why not smash yourself in the face with a cheeky arsed workout and then, chill the hell out with some awesome yoga. All of which you are able to do in the comfort of your own home!

However you are not going to appreciate one of those sections, and its not going to be hard to figure out which…

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
5 rounds for maximum reps, within 2:30:
Run 400m
Squat clean thrusters (40/30kg)*
Rest 2:30 between rounds

*alternate if using 1 DB/KB

Loading
Barbell: 40/30kg
Dumbbell: 50/35lbs
Kettlebell: 24/16kg

Good luck, and the same as yesterday, if it’s not on instagram and tagged…did it really happen?

WoD - Tuesday 12th January, 2021

Hello hello, I hope you found that seriously useful KB flow useful! Great for warm ups and cool downs, more movement is best. Less movement, well…sucks!

I have another very cool announcement for you all, please keep your eyes peeled on the gym social media accounts as well as the what’s ap group. A little add on to your membership and a thank you for the continued support.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD

5 rounds for time:
30 Sit ups
30 Jumping lunges

Who can do each set of jumping lunges unbroken? The legs will be burning like cray cray! Times and than up to the platforms please legends…

Monday - 11th January 2021

Happy Monday campers, welcome to another week of Iso. I hope you all had epic weekends, hopefully without raising your blood alcohol levels too highly!

Today we have a couple of pieces along with the daily workout for you guys to get your teeth stuck into.

First of all, a dumbbell/kettlebell flow. Look out for a video demo, posted on social media later tonight but the goal is simple…

I am old, it is cold. I want to warm up well for workouts, practice positions and have a goal. So, I picked up a 16kg kettlebell and set a timer for 10mins. The rules were, try not to stop moving, try not to put the thing down. Since (literally 3 days ago) it had evolved and I thought I would offer it to you.

Kettlebell/Dumbbell Flow

• 10 minutes is the target time. Rest as you want, the goal for the end of lockdown is that you are able to complete the full 10 minutes

• If you have differing loads then start with the light and switch as you develop. For example move for 9mins with a 12kg kettlebell and then for 1min with a 16. If you have only one, then approach like an interval. 2mins on 1 off. Do that for a week and then increase the work time.

• During the 10 minutes, anything goes. Swings, cleans, presses, jerks, lunges, Turkish get ups, sit up get ups, front, back and overhead squats, thrusters and snatches. Just keep moving and get creative.

• Stay slow and smooth but try not to stop moving.

Strength focus
I will be putting out a bi-weekly strength focus each Monday. Two session which can be done at any point throughout the week, considering equipment restrictions.
The focus will be time under tension with lower loading. There is no need to put as much weight as possible on and just get through it quickly. Hold yourselves accountable to the length of time stated per movement so that you are able to develop intrinsic strength and stress the muscle for longer.
The focal point is technique with load.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD

10 rounds for time:
10 Burpees
30 Double unders*

*star jumps

Strength Program

Session 1:
1. Back squat OR goblet squat - 3x10 w/ 5s negative 
2. Bent over row - 3x10 w/ 5s negative

Session 2:
1. Romanian deadlift (RDL) - 3x10 w/ 5s negative
2. Strict press - 3x10 w/ 5s negative

Get times, videos and whatever elses up to the socials please…

WoD - Friday 8th January, 2021

Evening you lovely lot. I hope this Thursday evening/Friday morning finds you all well and firmly back into your lockdown routine.

There have been a good number of you all attending the zoom classes, so cool to see and very important for you to do so. Personally, I always dread a zoom call until I’m on it. It’s weird and not how humans evolved to communicate, but once you’re on it’s a good crack. Keep it up.

Just a small update as unfortunately we (business owners) have yet again been offered no communication from the Government. I have to look out for news updates and releases to get the same knowledge and warning for change as any other Joe pubic.
Meaning that I have no idea how long this is set to last for. I have heard multiple rumours, but we all know about rumours.

There are set to be reviews, and I will adjust any plans based upon such. Below are just some bullet points of ideas and information. Please feel free to comment or get in touch, any of you in wither the lads/lasses what app groups can simply request my number from there should you need to reach out (if you aren’t on either or, please again request to be added).

• Zoom classes will continue as well as a zoom social. Keep your eyes peeled for that. CrossFit Cardiff officially opened it’s doors 10 years ago on February 6th. Some Brewdog will be consumed on that day!

• Equipment can still be loaned out. Should you not have any then please please get in touch.

• A bi-weekly strength program (understanding current equipment restrictions) and gymnastics movement program will soon be released.

• I am developing a plan (based upon an estimated length for lockdown) for reducing membership fees.

Personally I would like to add a huge thank you to everyone who has continued to support local. I opened the doors to this what was very soon to be amazing gym nearly 10 years ago, not knowing if anyone would actually walk through the doors.
I was already working full time on a front line Emergency Ambulance as well as studying at Swansea Uni, f**k knows where I thought I would get the time to coach a class. How glad I am that I did.

Never did I think that I would be forced to close those doors, three times by the UK government, told that I couldn’t work.
At the time I was competitive, and at the time I was a high level CrossFit athlete. After only a short time coaching I understood how that although cool, wasn’t what made my heart sing. Developing a community which was wonderfully welcoming yet fiercely loyal meant so much more.
You all communicate that message daily, in what you might think to be simple tasks, gestures or good will, or with an importance laid on a mantra…as our moto has always been…Facta Non Verbal…Deeds Not Words.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD

5 rounds for time:
10 Power cleans
20 Back squats*

*goblet squats

Loading
Loading is dictated by the power cleans. You should load to a weight that you are able to perform all 5 rounds of with one break. Hold yourself accountable to this, as the stimulus of the workout will alter significantly should you load too heavily.

WoD - Thursday 7th January, 2021

Some very cool things have come from this (last) years challenges, one of which you have to be a little bit wary of…splinter fitness groups for example.
Among you legends, small groups have arisen virtually via the means of what’s app and zoom, which are hell bent on helping those in need of improved fitness and therefore health. They are of course, varying degrees of the same measurement.
And I absolutely f**king love to hear about it! Hence why, if you know anyone who would benefit from a cheeky zoom class (with no requirement to even turn their videos on), then please get in touch. We would be more than happy to welcome them in.

CrossFit Cardiff WoD
10 rounds for time:
Run 100m*
1 Wall walk
Run 100m
10 Press ups
Rest 30 seconds between rounds

*(or 10s out/10s back)

Get those times up to socials please team…