Invictus Athlete’s Camp: January 27-29, 2017
Written by Nichole DeHart-Kribs
I am excited to announce that our first scheduled Invictus Athlete’s Camp for the 2017 season will be held at our brand new facility in San Diego, California! Our new facility is located in Sorrento Valley (just a 20 minute drive from the San Diego airport) on January 27-29, 2017. Please get yourself signed up as soon as possible!
Registration is simple…just click here: Sign Me Up For the Invictus Athlete Camp
The Invictus Athletes’ Camp
Invictus has established a reputation for excellence in preparing athletes for the sport of CrossFit. Invictus has qualified an affiliate team to the CrossFit Games eight consecutive years (one of only two gyms to do so). In the last eight years Team Invictus has finished in the top 5 at the CrossFit Games four times, and became the Affiliate Champions in 2014. Over the years, Invictus and coach C.J. Martin have coached 47 CrossFit Games individual athletes including, among others, Josh Bridges, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet, Valerie Voboril, Lauren Fisher, Rasmus Wisbech-Andersen, Alex Anderson, Jenny LaBaw, Michelle Kinney, Cheryl Brost, Kristin Holte and Maddy Myers.
The Invictus Athlete Camp is our opportunity to share with others the coaching and training principles we have found most effective in preparing our athletes for competition. The training and coaching principles presented will be geared toward individuals hoping to compete, at any level, in the sport of CrossFit. Whether you are looking to compete at a local competition, perform well in the Open, qualify for Regionals, or make it to the CrossFit Games, our coaches and athletes will have many lessons to share with you to help get you closer to your goal.
The typical schedule of events is as follows, and we always try to offer an additional benefit or surprise guest or two at every camp:
- Friday – 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday – 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
- Sunday – 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Topics covered will include:
- Invictus Training Rules – Creating A Successful Training Environment (C.J. Martin)
- Program Design for Competitive CrossFit Athletes (C.J. Martin)
- Developing a Performance Mindset (C.J. Martin and Heidi Fearon)
- Tapping Your Potential – The Mental Edge (Heidi Fearon)
- Designing Workouts to Test Mental Toughness (C.J. Martin)
- Essential Elements of Movement Preparation: From Mobility to CNS-Prep
- Weightlifting – Snatch Skills and Drills
- Weightlifting – Clean & Jerk Skills and Drills
- Barbell Cycling and Movement Efficiency for Competitive Athletes
- Rowing Technique and Strategy
- CrossFit-Specific Gymnastics Skills and Drills
- Essential Upper-Body Accessory Work for CrossFit Athletes (Sam Dancer)
- Posterior Chain Development for CrossFit Athletes (Sam Dancer)
- Athlete Testing
- Training De-Brief: How to Analyze and Learn from A Performance
- Q&A with Panel of Coaches and Athletes
Coaching Staff: C.J. Martin, Nichole DeHart, Heidi Fearon, Sam Dancer, Shane Farmer, Maddy Curley, Lauren Fisher, and other special guests!
The Invictus Athlete Camp Coaches
C.J. Martin – CJ participated poorly as an athlete in the inaugural 2007 CrossFit Games and approximately two-thirds of the 2008 CrossFit Games before realizing that he was a much better coach than athlete. He skipped his final event at the 2008 Games to coach several San Diego athletes, and dedicated himself from that point forward to becoming the best coach he could be. Since 2009, CJ has designed programs for and coached more than two dozen CrossFit Games individual competitors, and has coached the Invictus affiliate team to the Games eight consecutive years – where they earned top 5 finishes four times, and finally earned the title of Affiliate Cup Champions at the 2014 CrossFit Games.
Nichole DeHart – Nichole is one of the first professional CrossFit athletes. Nichole earned a whopping $250 at the 2007 CrossFit Games for her first place finish in the CrossFit Total and her 3rd place overall finish. Nichole retired from individual competition after that, but has participated as a member of the Invictus affiliate team for four years. Nichole is not afraid of being great at every aspect of our sport. She can put heavy weight overhead – 84 kg Snatch, 105 kg Clean & Jerk – knock out clips of muscle-ups, or smash a named workout – 2:33 “Fran,” 1:40 “Isabelle.” Nichole is also a phenomenal coach who understands the Invictus principles as well as anyone. Nichole will be assisting at all sessions throughout the weekend.
Heidi Fearon – Heidi is known simply as the Invictus “Healer.” Heidi is an acupuncturist by trade, but her treatment of athletes ranges from sports psychology to pre-event massage. Words can’t describe the impact that she has had on Invictus athletes’ performance in the arena at the CrossFit Games. She is our secret weapon, and leaves the participants of every athletes’ camp with blown minds and a more clear sense of direction and motivation in their training for the Games season.
Sam Dancer – Sam is the owner of CrossFit QTown and one of the strongest competitors in the sport of CrossFit. Sam has a solid background in powerlifting and years of experience as a competitive athlete. He has combined his knowledge of strength development with his passion for helping others to create some of the most innovative methods for strength training the CrossFit community has seen. Sam enjoys and is particularly effective at finding ways to help CrossFit athletes address muscular imbalances to keep them healthy and performing to the best of their ability.
Maddy Curley – Maddy brings years of experience coaching and competing in gymnastics She has coached gymnasts from age 2 to 65 for over ten years. Maddy’s own gymnastics career began at age four; her competitive career at age six. She is a four-time Level 10 National qualifier and won Elite Nationals in 1999. She earned a full gymnastics scholarship to compete at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill where she was also a four-time Academic All-American and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduation, Maddy made her film acting debut in Disney’s “Stick It,” an April 2006 release from Touchstone Pictures and Spyglass Entertainment. Maddy’s first go at a CrossFit competition was at SoCal’s 2010 Sectionals where she placed 2nd. The next year she went on to compete with her team at the 2011 CrossFit Games where they took 5th place! In 2012, Maddy placed 11th in the world at the Open and took another stab at competing as an individual, taking a laudable 7th place in SoCal’s Regional competition. She went team again in 2013 and 2014, placing 3rd at Regionals both times. Maddy will be leading all breakout gymnastics sessions.
Lauren Fisher – Lauren’s first appearance at the CrossFit Games was in 2013 with Team Invictus, helping them land a 4th place finish. She dedicated herself to training the following season and qualified as an individual for the 2014 Games, taking 9th place, then with another individual appearance at the 2016 Games. She has continued to make strides in her CrossFit career, as well as in her Olympic weightlifting career. She may be small but she is mighty, with a clean and jerk of 110kg and snatch of 84kg. She competed at the 2014 Junior Nationals, taking 1st place overall and winning best female lifter and lifting at the Pan Am’s where she took 4th place overall. She went on to place 10th at Junior Worlds in Russia for Team USA a few months later. At the age of 22, she has accomplished an incredible amount athletically and will be sharing her experiences as a competitive athlete, as well as assisting in our breakout sessions.
Here is what some of our past camp attendees had to say:
“The Athletes’ Camp truly exceeded every expectation. The variety of topics was perfect, and your coaching staff was absolutely amazing.” – Chad A.
“Thank you for the absolutely incredible, fun, challenging, inspirational weekend. I had an amazing time at the Invictus Athletes’ Training Camp. You and your staff are terrific!” – Jennifer S.
“Amazing Athletes/Coach camp this weekend at CrossFit Invictus. The amount of talent and knowledge in one room at one time is incredible.” – Travis F.
“I am truly a better athlete, but more importantly, I am a better person from this weekend’s experience.” – Jayson A.
Please click here to register for the camp: Sign me up for the Invictus Athletes’ Camp!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Photo Credit: Preston Smith; @prestonsmithphotography