Talk about unstoppable!  We are in the final quarter of 2021, the home stretch and our hard core 20 in 2021 challengers seem unshakable.  Dauntless, Shades, Shine, Magnum, AV, Smash, HHH, Jedi, Hardrock, Sprite, DT, Silk, and KMT all completed at least 20 workouts in September – in most cases, quite a few more than 20 – making it 9 consecutive months of 20+ workouts every single month!

This is impressive but in September Venom wanted to put his own personal stamp on the definition of unstoppable.  Here is a glimpse at Venom’s September travel itinerary:

Aug 30 – Sept 4: Sailing the Gulf Islands with son.

Sept 8-10: In PEI, Confederation Bridge inspection/meetings.

Sept 11-18: Denmark, Stormstrom Bridge, sorting out construction issues.

Sept 18-26: Visiting family in Turkey

Back in Vancouver on Sept 26.

For a lot of his travel Venom found himself without gym access, without equipment and often without internet but in true unstoppable spirit he managed to improvise and log over 20 WODs in September despite his whirlwind travel schedule.  Some of his highlights include:

– Doing Turkish Get Ups in Turkey
– Performing power cleans and snatches with regular plates – not bumper plates – on a non-spinning barbell
– Performing Hip Raises to a post
– Post workout swim in the Aegean
Palm trees at sunset with Chios (a Greek Island) in the background
– Showing off handstands to 10 & 12 year old nieces who had never seen a 54 year old uncle doing anything other than eating & drinking (Glad Empower is focusing on my age group)!


Thanks Venom for reminding us, as Fierce did in 2019, that unstoppable is a state of mind and is not subject to external circumstances.  Next time you think you are too busy to squeeze in your workout, remember Venom’s lesson: Every obstacle is surmountable when you possess the will to overcome it!

Other Unstoppables in Our Midst
I’d be remiss if I did not mention that two more Empower athletes were out showing off their unstoppable spirit Thanksgiving Monday.  While most of us were dozing off our long weekend turkey feasts 5amers Boomer and Dr. T were up at the crack of dawn to complete yet another triathlon!  Way to go guys!

Make Up Day
Today’s special make up day WOD is a nod to Venom’s Turkish adventure.  You may not get to practice them in their birthplace on the shores of the Aegean but Turkish Get Ups performed correctly are a fantastic full body reset that can be done almost anywhere!

Empower Power Couples Challenge
Today is also your second last chance apart from Saturday’s 11am Open Gym, to complete Empower Power Couple Challenge Event 21.1: Synchronized Sprint Cindy with your partner.  Please submit your scores by Saturday evening.  Event 21.2 will be announced Sunday evening in the blog.

Friday Make Up Day
Please remember, in group classes we start together and finish together.  On a make up day like today with workouts ranging from 8 minutes to Cameron, you will be finishing at different times.  If you are taking on a shorter workout, come prepared with some skills to work on until the end of class or maybe consider jumping in on Yank My Chain our low intensity make up day reset WOD.

1) Three x 5 Minute rounds
200m Farmers Carry 25/35#
Then AMRAP in time remaining
10 DB Push-ups
10 DB Squats 25/35#
2 Minute Rest between rounds

2) Cameron
50 Walking lunge steps
25 Chest to bar pull-ups
50 Box jumps, 24 inch box
25 Triple-unders
50 Back extensions
25 Ring dips
50 Knees to elbows
25 Wallball “2-fer-1s”, 20 pound ball
50 Sit-ups
15 foot Rope climb, 5 ascents

3) 8x 1 minute rounds
20 sec MU
10 sec Rest
20 sec Clean and Jerk 95/135
10 sec rest

Score= total reps

4) Empower Power Couples Challenge 21.1: Synchronized Sprint Cindy
8 min AMRAP
5 Synchronized Push Ups
10 Synchronized Ring Rows
15 Squats

Movement Standards & Modifications
Push Ups: partners must make chest contact and lock out in plank position at same time (optional sub 10 knee push ups)
Ring Rows: heels aligned with rig uprights, both partners must pause at full extension and at ring contact with locked out legs and core at same time
Squats: to a med ball, both partners contact ball and reach full extension at same time (optional sub 25 box squats @20”)

5) Yank My Chain AFSAP
In as few sets as possible:
20 Pulls on Rower
10 Alt TGU

Row until you reach 1600/2000m
Score = Total pulls required to reach target distance