If you watched the Super Bowl last night, you would have seen two teams that gave everything they had to try and win that game.  From long hours in the weight room to countless hours on the practice field honing their skills through repetition, these athletes are at the top of their game for a reason… it’s dedicated and consistent work.  You can to reach the same lofty goals that these athletes have, though you may not be a Super Bowl winning athlete, your goals are your goals nonetheless.

One of the main motivation messages that the Giants head coach has preached since the beginning of the year is to Finish.  Just work hard and see your task through to the very end.  Give every bit of attention and focus on accomplishing your goals and you won’t fail no matter what happens.  Take a look at the video above as this is the same video that Tom Coughlin, Giants Head Coach, showed his time countless times throughout the season.  Hope this give you that little extra bit of motivation needed to be successful.

Congratulations to the New York Giants, what a great season indeed.

But the most important part of today is my beautiful wife’s birthday, Happy 28th Birthday Mandi!

Today’s WOD:

Skill work: Box squats

“Rahoi”

Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:
24 inch Box Jump, 12 reps
95 pound Thruster, 6 reps
6 Bar-facing burpees

Accessory work: Side crunches

* U.S. FBI Supervisory Special Agent Gregory J. Rahoi, 38, of Brookfield, Wisconsin, assigned to the Hostage Rescue Team, based in Quantico, Virginia, was killed on December 6, 2006, during a live-fire tactical training exercise at Fort A.P. Hill, near Bowling Green, Virginia. He is survived by his parents, Natalie and Richard, sister Teri, and fiancee Paula Paulk.

“Humbled enough to prepare, confident enough to perform.” – Tom Coughlin

Oh, and Go Giants!

Today’s WOD: Some fun in the sun

Tuna with celery, dill, onions and Kalamata olives

Paleo Challenge 80/20: Day 5

Canned Tuna is my “emergency protein.”  It’s not my favorite; after all but it sure is easy and convenient and can taste great.  I always buy it in olive oil for an easy dressing and source of fat. For this meal, I added celery, onion, fresh dill and olives.  Boiled eggs would be great in there too… It’s a great little snack when you don’t have any prepared food.

This Saturday we take to the outdoors with our first Roaming WOD of the year, meet us at the Barr Systems, the same place where we played Hooverball at 10:00am.  Don’t worry, we are not playing Hooverball but will be taking in a grueling CrossFit workout nonetheless.  Bring water, a towel and your willingness to have fun in the sun…

Today’s WOD:

Skill work: Squat clean

Complete AMRAP in 5 minutes of

Squat Cleans (135, 95)

rest 3 minutes

Complete AMRAP in 5 minutes of

5 Handstand pushups

10 Knees to elbows

Accessory work: Hip mobility

Complete

Choice is a gift given to everyone. It is a powerful gift that can change your life.

Today’s WOD:

Skill work: Handstand holds

Complete AMRAP in 5 minutes of

5 rounds for time

5 Handstand pushups

10 Knees to elbows

rest 3 minutes

Complete AMRAP in 5 minutes of

Burpee/Tire flip

Accessory work: Hip mobility

Complete

Meatballs with Cauliflower "Cous-Cous"

Italian Meatballs with Cauliflower “Cous-cous” Click here for Recipe  This was very good!  The red pepper flakes add a kick to the balls… I mean the meatballs

Today’s WOD:

Skill work: Play with Kettlebells

WOD: Complete AMRAP in 15 minutes of

6 Pistols

9 Chest to Bar pullups

12 KB Swings

200m run

“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. “-Michael Jordan

Chicken and Veggie Soup

Recipe of the Day:  Chicken and Veggie Soup, easy, healthy and delicious! Click here for recipe

Paleo Challengers: Please make sure you have done everything on this list by Friday:

1.  Paid $10 Entry Fee

2.  Have your Before photos taken by Mandi or Aaron

3.  Done your performance markers: 1 mile Run or 2k row; 1 RM Deadlift or Back squat; Pull-ups (Assisted, Kipping, or Dead Hang)

Today is the first day to register for the CrossFit Open.  The open starts on February 22, to learn more click here.

Here is the WOD:

CrossFit Total

Complete max lift for each of the following, add up total score
Back Squats
Shoulder Press
Deadlift

CORE: Med ball oblique tosses with partner

Click here for Recipe

Day 2 of 80/20 Paleo Challenge.  Make sure you come into the gym and we take your picture and you do your markers (1 mile run or 2k row, 1 RM deadlift or back squat, max reps pull-ups anyway).  See Paleo Challenge, Winter 2012 for details.

Here is the WOD:

1 mile Run for time

The Bear Complex (explained before workout)

The Sunday Spread- from left to right- BBQ Salmon and chard and broccoli; (top left)Turkey meatballs with cauliflower "couscous;" (Center top) Chicken and veggie soup; (Center bottom) Swiss Chard, Sweet potato and Italian sausage Fritatta; (Right in the crock pot) Shredded Chicken with Pasilla peppers, onions and cilantro

In honor of the Paleo Challenge, Winter 2012 (80/20) starting today I am high-jacking the Post’s for the week!  Sorry, Aaron.  I am going to post a meal idea up everyday.  In fact, this meal idea is the dinner the night before…. which also becomes our lunch the next day.  There are some of you that tell me you don’t have time to cook your meals, and therefore eat out or buy frozen dinners instead.  I am going to share my routine in hopes that it helps you…

I work between 50-55 hours per week, way above the average 40.  However, I thouroughly enjoy what I do and I wouldn’t trade you all for anything in the world… but I have time to cook.  I make eggs and chicken sausage in the morning for Aaron and I and I lug a grocery bag full of food with me for the whole day.  On Sundays, I spend no less than 3 hours in the kitchen cooking non-stop and make 4 meals which also double as lunch, so its more like 8.  Here is my “Sunday Spread”—-

There is a meal for Monday through Thursday nights, one breakfast and enough left over for lunch.  All but one of those will be frozen (monday’s stays in the fridge).  It takes quite some time on Sundays to prepare all from scratch, but it’s well worth it because to me, my health and well-being are worth it.  Plus, I enjoy seeing Aaron enjoy it when I make something really good… I feel like that little Italian lady in Wedding Singer insisting he eat the meatballs from his bare hands

Meal Idea of the Day: Any Grilled Meat, Grilled sweet potatoes and your signature salad- Here is what we had for dinner (Aaron actually had steak but it was gone before the camera was out!)

It takes planning… when you’re buying groceries, have a few meal ideas in mind so you don’t end up with a random meal with no culinary consistensy (uh-em lemon dill cod with cinnamon sweet potato).

Get cooking!

Here is the WOD:

Skill: SDHP

WOD: Complete AMRAP in 15 minutes of

5 Deadlifts (225, 155)

14 Situps

20 Double Unders

Accessory:  Shoulder mobility