“Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.” Abraham Lincoln
One Thing:
April programming focus – Back Squat (Primary Strength), Clean (Secondary Strength), Muscle Ups (Gymnastic Skill)
Diablo Intramural Open:
Purple Reign takes the victory! Congratulations to this impressive team. Week after week, Team Purple landed the most points for attendance, workout logging and judging. Their team spirit was contagious and motivating for the other teams – and they helped make the Open a hell of a lot of fun for everyone. Team Purple will be taking home a cool gym bag patch to display proudly. 
18.5 Spirit of the Open Winners: Kat Patterson, PHill & Laura Dombroski, Moxie. Kat cooked every week, decked herself head-to-toe in Purple and rallied for the final workout despite recovering from minor surgery! Laura’s first Open was a major challenge for her – yet she overcame her fears and made it through and onto the leaderboard for 18.5. Her post about her experience with the Open is a great read.
Check out all the details and weekly winners: CLICK HERE
Regionals: Diablo Athlete Update!
Be sure and check out the FB Live with Coach Payam as he talks about Diablo Regionals & Masters Athletes & Teams (fast forward to 27:00). The top 50 athletes in each Region have to submit a video for 18.4, which will be reviewed. Then, athletes have until April 20th to decide: Indy or Team. We’ll see the leaderboard shake up quite a bit on April 23rd. And remember, the “West Regional” competition now includes 35 athletes & 25 teams from the new “West Region” (Nor Cal, So Cal, & Northwest) and 5 athletes & teams from “Canada West Region”. Here’s what we know so far:
Likely West Regionals Athletes: Whitney Heuser (42nd in the world!), Alessandra Pichelli, Kyle Kleinschmidt (on the bubble, but likely)
Masters Online Qualifiers (top 200 in a/g): Kyle Kleinschmidt (11th!) 35-39, Melissa Chatterton (133) 45-49, Yvonne Howard (17!!) 55-59, Craig Howard (166) 55-59, April Kitagawa (12!!) 60+
Shout out to Joby Aronda (50-54) who just missed the qualifier at 202!
Regionals Dates: The Masters Online Qualifier – April 20 – 23rd. West Regionals, Del Mar, CA – May 27-19
Programming:
April Focus: Strength – Back Squat. Secondary Strength – Clean. Gymnastics – Muscle Up.
Week Highlights:
- Mon: Fran! Yuck.. but, I’m curious how I’ll do especially after 18.5
- Tue: S2OH barbell skill work, then a cool couplet with C&Js and DUs!
- Wed: Squat strength then a chipper metcon that starts with OHS, Situps & Lunges and finishes with a run and row!
- Thu: Gymnasty day! Muscle up skill work, then a gymnastic emom, followed by an Airbike & C2B pullup metcon.
- Fri: Clean work, then another Diablo-style metcon: Hang Cleans, Burpee over bar and S2OH.
- Sat: Longer metcon (16m) with T2B, BJs and Rowing. Strong is back on Sat!
- Sun: Snatch work then, a run, push-up, Snatch metcon
Events:
Apr 20-23: CrossFit Games Online Qualifier (Teens & Masters)
May 19: Diablo Spring Classic Weightlifting Meet
What I am listening to:
Audio Book: The Power of Habit – Why we do what we do in life and in business (Charles Duhigg). I’ve read this book and now I’m listening to it on Audible. It’s incredible and tremendously insightful. Habits are formed in our brains without our conscious help. This book is a MUST read for anyone who is interested in breaking or making a habit (fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, etc). Understanding how habits are formed in the brain (and WHERE in the brain) is very helpful in understanding why we do what we do – especially addiction. It is important to know that habits are permanently hard-wired and always lurk below the surface waiting for the appropriate cue. Overcoming habits involves building new, more powerful habits. Fascinating stuff!
