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July 2012

The Whole Life Challenge starts next month!

Registration opens August 15. Check out this video with more info…

New classes

Beginning August 1 (that’s today!), we’ll be offering an 8pm class on MONDAY & WEDNESDAY nights only. We’ll also add a 4pm class on Fridays. The 7pm Friday class has been cancelled due to very low attendance. This schedule change is a trial for the month of August. If attendance is good, we’ll keep the classes on the schedule.

31 Heroes

This Saturday is the 31 Heroes Fundraiser WOD at 10 am. It’s a fun 31-minute partner WOD. If you don’t have a partner, don’t worry about it! Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register. Dyer has offered to bring post-WOD adult refreshments. THEN we’ll head down the street to Ri-Ra…

Olympics Watch Party

This weekend: Sat, August 4th, 1-5pm at Rira Irish Pub. Get to know your fellow CFMers outside the gym as we watch some Olympics coverage of weightlifting, rowing, swimming, volleyball and more.

Betsy and Adam on their way to PRing Fran during the Challenge Finals.

Workout of the Day

Deadlift:4×5, 3 minutes rest

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Power cleans
Hand-release push ups
10 rounds: first round is 10 reps power cleans, 10 reps push ups, second round is 9 reps of each, third round is 8 reps of each…and so on, down to 1 of each.

WED 08.01.12 Whole Life Challenge Read More »

New classes!

Beginning August 1 (TOMORROW), we’ll be offering an 8pm class on MONDAY & WEDNESDAY nights only. We’ll also add a 4pm class on Fridays. The 7pm Friday class has been cancelled. This schedule change is a trial for the month of August. If attendance is good, we’ll keep the classes on the schedule.

Paleo Night is tonight at Urban Pl8

Join us for a YUMMY four-course paleo meal for just $25 tonight at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Alicia or commenting below.

31 Heroes

– This Saturday is the 31 Heroes Fundraiser WOD at 10 am. It’s a fun 31-minute partner WOD. If you don’t have a partner, don’t worry about it! Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.

Olympics Watch Party

– Sat, August 4th, 1-5pm at Rira Irish Pub. Get to know your fellow CFMers outside the gym as we watch some Olympics coverage of weightlifting, rowing, swimming, volleyball and more.

Post Fran Challenge

Workout of the Day

Squat clean:15 minutes to work to a heavy single
Front squat: 4×5, 3 minutes rest
Cash out: Tabata plank holds

TUES 7.31.12 Read More »

Franbelievable!

Congrats to the 20 athletes who completed CrossFit Midtown’s first PR challenge…and to everyone else who did their first Fran on Fri/Sat. You all did awesome! My mind is still blown from all the PRs. Congrats to you all on your progress. Big ups to our prize winners:
Scaled Women:
1. Anna – 60% IMPROVEMENT!!!
2. Betsy – 24.7% improvement
3. Alison – 24.5% improvement
Scaled Men:
1. Adam – 41% improvement
2. Chuck A – 39% improvement
3. Patrick – 37% improvement
Rx Men –
1. Matt C – 23% improvement
2. Drew – 20% improvement
3. Carlos – 19% improvement
Fastest Rx Man – Austin
Fastest Rx Woman – Rachel

Registration for our next challenge (this one is WORLDWIDE, in conjunction w other boxes around the world!), the Whole Life Challenge, starts next month…more details comin’ atcha this week.

Hydrostatic Body Composition testing is today! This is a great measurement to track your progress throughout your CrossFit journey. The truck will be here from 4-7 pm. Testing is $30. Pay with cash, check or CC inside the gym. There are still spots available from 5 to 5:40 and after 7pm. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment by emailing Alicia.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – YUMMY four-course paleo meal for just $25 TOMORROW at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Alicia or signing up at the gym.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Olympics Watch Party – Sat, August 4th, 1-5pm at Rira Irish Pub. Get to know your fellow CFMers outside the gym as we watch some Olympics coverage of weightlifting, rowing, swimming, volleyball and more.
Sunday Hooverball – it continues next week at 10am at the Piedmont Park volleyball courts.
Food as Fuel – Sat, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make
better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.

We had a huge crew of 25 come out for the lululemon Community WOD on Sunday…most of us are pictured here. If you didn’t make it, you missed a good one…BURPEE KETTLEBELL SWINGS anyone???

Workout of the Day

Press: 4 sets of 5, with 3:00 rest between sets
Skill work: Rope climbs
Kettlebell swings:3 sets of 21 (goal is unbroken sets); 1:00 rest between sets
Toes-to-bar:3 sets of 15 (goal is unbroken sets); 1:00 rest between sets

MON 7.29.12 Congrats Fran Challenge winners! Read More »

Fran Finals tomorrow!

Our six week Fran Challenge wraps up tomorrow. If you haven’t yet signed up for a heat, there is still space available in both 10am and 11am classes. Drink plenty of water today, eat clean and get a good night’s sleep tonight. Let’s keep up the improvement Austin, Geoff and Uran kicked off on Wednesday as they finished their Fran Challenge! Afterward, hang around for prizes and a cookout.

Here’s your Franspiration (the last event of the 2012 CrossFit Games):

THIS WEEKEND

Community WOD at lululemon howell mill – join Lis for a free WOD at lululemon howell mill on the last Sunday of every month. Community WODs start this weekend. Be there Sunday at 10 am!
Sunday Hooverball – This Sunday is Carlos’s last week at Hooverball, so don’t miss it! Hooverball will be at 11 am this week (that’s an hour later than usual so we can all go hit the 10am free WOD at lululemon howell mill first).

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

Hydrostatic Body Composition testing – Monday 7/30, 4-7 pm, $30. There are still spots available from 5 to 5:40 and after 7pm. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment at the gym or by emailing Alicia.
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – YUMMY four-course paleo meal for just $25. Tues, 7/31 at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Alicia or signing up at the gym.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.

Workout of the Day

If you’re doing Fran tomorrow:
10 minute easy row, run or AirDyne
3×10 back squats (3 min rest)
10 minute easy row, run, AirDyne
10 minutes foam/lax rolling & mobility
10 minute easy row, run, AirDyne

If you aren’t doing Fran tomorrow:
Fran
21-15-9
Thrusters 95/65
Pull Ups

FRI 7.27.12 The Eve of Fran Finals Read More »

Frantastic Results!

Congrats to our first heat to complete the Fran Challenge. Last night, Austin, Uran and Geoff ALL improved on their prelim times for PRs on Fran. Big ups to Uran who has the most improvement so far, beating her previous time by 2 MINUTES AND 17 SECONDS for 23% improvement! Booya.


Just TRY to get this song out of your head today.

Farewell James & Carlos!

There are so many people who’ve influenced CrossFit Midtown and what it continues to evolve into. Two of those people are making big moves in their lives this week. Tuesday night coach and resident vampire James Taylor is departing today for Scottsdale, Arizona, to take a personal training & program design role with Optimum Performance Training. And photographer extraordinaire/personal record machine Carlos leaves next week on the next leg of his nationwide tour, as he finishes shooting his photography book, The Face of Fitness.
Both of these fellas have been amazing friends to me personally, and continue to make a big impact on CrossFit Midtown.
James played a big part in my decision to open a CrossFit gym. Without James, I never would have visited my first CrossFit Games, trained with Olympic lifting coach John Broz, gotten my CrossFit Level 1 and Movement & Mobility certifications… or learned to play poker, but we won’t get into that. Even from across the country, James will continue to have a role at CFM, as he helps me design our workouts/programming.
Carlos is the person who first told me about The Biz (the CrossFit consulting company I worked for, and my business coaches), shot most of the photos that appear on our website and [figuratively] talked me off many a ledge. AND he’s responsible for bringing Hooverball to Atlanta. We’ll keep the weekly games going in his honor, and plan to eventually erect a statue of him near the Piedmont Park volleyball courts. Carlos keeps trying to leave Atlanta, but we continue to suck him back in. Hopefully he’ll be back with us in the fall.
Thanks for being great friends to CrossFit Midtown! We’ll miss you both and see you again soon!


Vampire teeth. Vampire teeth socks.

Carlos rings Carlos, the PR bell…named for him because he seems to improve on every single workout and rings it almost daily.

Workout of the Day

10 minutes to work to a heavy snatch double

Elisabeth
21-15-9
Power clean 135/95
Ring dips

Cash out
– 50 barbell roll outs (use your power clean bar)

THURS 07.26.12 Farewell James & Carlos! Read More »

Member survey

Thanks to everyone who already completed the member survey emailed out yesterday. As you probably noticed, CrossFit Midtown is growing! So we’re constantly making changes to accommodate the growth and make sure CFM continues to be an awesome place to train. We’ll be modifying the schedule some for the month of August, just to test out a few new class times and see what works. We’re also ordering more equipment, which will be arriving in waves over the next month…including…drumroll…additional rowers, AirDynes, pull up bars, climbing ropes, barbells and more!
If you haven’t already filled out the survey, please do so, and give as much detail as possible when responding. It’s ONLY NINE QUESTIONS! Thanks for your feedback in making CFM better and better!
Email Lis if you didn’t receive the survey.

Paleo Diet

What is this paleo diet you CrossFitters speak of? I know, I know, CrossFit has a language of its own… *WOD, AMRAP, 3RM*… PALEO.
Here at CFM, our goal is to educate you about making healthier life choices, beginning with being active, but also in other parts of life – like your food choices. Take advantage of the resources we offer to learn more about eating better, so you can look, feel and perform better on a daily basis.
Library – did you know CFM has a library of books on various topics, including the paleo and primal diets? Ask a staff member how you can “check out” a book like Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint, Robb Wolf’s The Paleo Solution, Melissa & Dallas Hartwig’s It Starts with Food, and many more.
Nutrition counseling – did you know your membership includes basic nutrition counseling? Once a month, you can send Lis a three-day food log to get her evaluation and feedback. Email Lis and she’ll send you the Google document for you to track everything you eat/drink, moods, sleep and activity over three days.
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – it’s next week. Join us Tuesday night, 7/31 at 8:30 pm for a delicious four-course paleo meal at Urban Pl8, to see how delicious paleo eating can be! Sign up for dinner in the gym or by emailing Alicia.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. We offer this workshop every other month to help you make better nutrition choices, teach you grocery shopping tips, what to order at a restaurant and other ways to make eating WHOLE FOODS a habit.

***CrossFit acronyms decoded: WOD – Workout of the Day; AMRAP – As many rounds/reps as possible; 3RM – 3 rep max (in weightlifting, the maximum amount of weight you can lift for three consecutive repetitions).

Bri, Carolyn and Matt C on power cleans.

Workout of the Day

3 sets of 10 strict press, rest 3:00
3 Rds (1 minute round, 1 minute rest):
5 wall balls
10 kb swings
20 double unders or singles
4 min rest
3 more rounds (1 minute round, 1 minute rest):
5 wall balls
10 kb swings
20 double unders or singles

-Select medicine ball, kettlebell and jump rope modifications based on a goal of a 1:00 round.
-If you cannot complete 20 double unders unbroken (or with no more than 1 break), do singles.
-If you do singles, you will complete 5 wall balls, 10 kettlebell swings, and then jump rope for the remainder of the minute.

-After each round, rest one minute… with the exception of round 3 (four minutes rest between Rd 3 & Rd 4). Complete six total rounds.

Don’t worry, we’ll explain in class!

WED 07.25.12 Read More »

CrossFit footwear

There’s been a lot of talk around the gym about the best shoes for CrossFit. Many of our foundational movements require you to keep your weight back on your heels, which becomes tough if you wear a running shoe with a thick heel that constantly pushes you forward. Most of the barefoot running shoes are great for CrossFit.
My favorite CrossFit shoes are Asics Onitsuka Tigers (not actually a CF shoe at all, but Asics’ throwback 80s running shoe), but I also like my Inov-8 230s and 195s. Other popular shoes among our members are the old school Converse/Chuck Taylors, Vibrams, Saucony Originals Bullet and Reebok’s CrossFit Nano. If you don’t want to invest in new shoes, squatting and deadlifting in socks is also an option (just don’t drop a bumper plate on your toe).
You can purchase any of these brands online, and Abbadabba’s also carries all but the Reebok Nano. Post in the comments to tell us what’s your favorite shoe for CrossFit.

COOKOUT THIS SATURDAY! (you just have to do Fran first to earn your meal)

CrossFit Midtown’s first challenge, the Frantastic Voyage, wraps up this Saturday, July 28. Join your fellow CFMers this weekend as we shoot to improve on our prelim Fran times.
We’ll have heats at 10 and 11 (warm up starts on the hour. Heats at 10:30, 10:45, 11:30 and 11:45) followed by the REAL FUN: a cookout and awards ceremony starting at noon…there may or may not be vodka.
Can’t make it Saturday? There will be one makeup heat on Wednesday, 7/25 at 7pm. Sign up for your heat on the whiteboard this week. Email us to confirm whether you’ll DOMINATE Fran on Wed at 7, Sat at 10 or Sat at 11.
What if I’m new to CFM and missed the Fran Prelims? We don’t want you to miss a date with Fran! New members are also welcome to join us for the Fran finals. Just sign up for a Saturday heat time on the white board.

Stay tuned for details on our next big test, the WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGE, starting in mid September!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Community WOD at lululemon howell mill – join Lis for a free WOD at lululemon howell mill on the last Sunday of every month. Community WODs start Sunday 7/29 at 10 am.
Sunday Hooverball – This Sunday is Carlos’s last week at Hooverball (until Atlanta sucks him back in to work on another movie, that is) so come on out to see him DOMINATE Jon DLP one last time. Hooverball will be at 11 am this week (that’s an hour later than usual so we can all go hit the 10am free WOD at lululemon howell mill first).
Hydrostatic Body Composition testing – Monday 7/30, 4-7 pm, $30. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment at the gym or by emailing Alicia.
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – Tues, 7/31 at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Alicia or signing up at the gym.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.
Don’t hate. Appreciate.

Workout of the Day

3 rounds:
10 deadlifts
Rest :30
5 weighted pull ups or 5 pull up negatives
Rest 2 minutes
THEN
As many reps as possible in 5 minutes of:
Burpee muscle ups, burpee pull ups, or burpee jumping pull ups

TUES 07.24.12 Read More »

TRACK YOUR WORKOUTS

Do you write down the results of every training session? You should! We’re starting a new strength cycle this week. For the next six weeks we’ll be doing a different lift each day of the week, so WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU LIFT. This week we’re doing sets of 10 reps. Next week will be sets of 5 reps… then in two weeks, we go back to sets of 10 and aim to go up a little in weight from this week’s numbers. There will be a burpee penalty for not knowing your strength numbers… WRITE IT DOWN!

Fran Finals are this week!

CrossFit Midtown’s first challenge, the Frantastic Voyage, wraps up this Saturday, July 28. Join your fellow CFMers this weekend as we shoot to improve on our prelim Fran times.
We’ll have heats at 10 and 11 (warm up starts on the hour. Heats at 10:30, 10:45, 11:30 and 11:45) followed by the REAL FUN: a cookout and awards ceremony starting at noon…there may or may not be vodka.
Can’t make it Saturday? There will be one makeup heat on Wednesday, 7/25 at 7pm. Sign up for your heat on the whiteboard this week. Email us to confirm whether you’ll DOMINATE Fran on Wed at 7, Sat at 10 or Sat at 11.
What if I’m new to CFM and missed the Fran Prelims? We don’t want you to miss a date with Fran! New members are also welcome to join us for the Fran finals. Just sign up for a Saturday heat time on the white board.

Stay tuned for details on our next big test, the WHOLE LIFE CHALLENGE, starting in mid September!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Community WOD at lululemon howell mill – join Lis for a free WOD at lululemon howell mill on the last Sunday of every month. Community WODs start Sunday 7/29 at 10 am.
Sunday Hooverball – meet at the sand volleyball courts at 11 am (pushed back an hour this week so we can do the lululemon WOD!)
Hydrostatic Body Composition testing – Monday 7/30, 4-7 pm, $30. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment at the gym or by emailing Alicia (our killer new intern!).
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – Tues, 7/31 at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Alicia or signing up at the gym.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.

This Sunday is Carlos’s last week at Hooverball (until Atlanta sucks him back in to work on another movie, that is) so come on out to see him DOMINATE Jon DLP one last time. Hooverball will be at 11 am this week (that’s an hour later than usual so we can all go hit the 10am free WOD at lululemon howell mill first).

Workout of the Day

3 sets of 10 front squats
REST 3 MINUTES BETWEEN SETS (wrist mobility)

3 sets of :20 AirDyne sprints, rest 3:40
Rest 7-12 minutes (mobility/core work)
3 sets of :20 AirDyne sprints, rest 3:40

MON 07.23.12 Read More »

Welcome to Arielle and Scott S. (yes, ANOTHER Scott!)!

Fran Finals are a week away!

Saturday, July 28 marks the end of our Fran Challenge. Join your fellow CFMers next weekend as we shoot to improve on our prelim Fran times. We’ll have heats at 10 and 11 (warm up starts on the hour. Fran at 10:30 and 11:30). Hang around afterward for a cookout and awards ceremony (starting at noon). Can’t make it Saturday? There will be one makeup heat on Wednesday, 7/25 at 7pm. Email us to confirm whether you’ll DOMINATE Fran on Wed at 7, Sat at 10 or Sat at 11.

OTHER EVENTS

Sunday Hooverball – meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10 am
Community WOD at lululemon howell mill – join Lis for a free WOD at lululemon howell mill on the last Sunday of every month. Community WODs start Sunday 7/29 at 10 am.
Hydrostatic Body Composition testing – Monday 7/30, 4-7 pm, $30. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment at the gym or by emailing Sam.
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – Tues, 7/31 at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Sam.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.

LADIES & GENTLEMEN! Dan the Man coaching Adam and Betsy at Fran Prelims.

Workout of the Day

3 Rounds:
15 thrusters 95/65
15 pull ups
Rest 6:00

CASH OUT: 2 min (ea side) wall stretch; 5 sloooooow pull up negatives

FRANDAY 07.20.12 Read More »

CrossFit Endurance & POSE Running workshop is tonight!

Email info@crossfitmidtown.com if you plan to attend but haven’t yet RSVP’ed/paid your $25. Register here or at the gym with cash or check.

Do you want to improve your running technique and race times?
Are you clueless on how to work CrossFit Endurance workouts into your exercise routine?
Or do you just hate running and wish to improve your form to make it less painful and more enjoyable?
Join James Taylor, CrossFit Endurance-certified trainer and former Georgia Tech cross country and track & field athlete, for a 90-minute workshop to learn how to improve your technique, become a more efficient runner, and learn how to train for your next race.
Workshop includes:
-Pre- and post- workshop video evaluation of running technique, discussion of individual technical issues and identification of long-term solutions
-Discussion of general technical principles and methods to prevent common injuries
-Practical drills to improve running technique
-Detailed, sample programming ideas for various training goals
-Q&A
Price: $25
When: Thursday, 7/19, 7-8:30 pm

OTHER EVENTS

Sunday Hooverball – meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10 am
Frantastic Voyage Finals & Cookout– Finals are Saturday, July 28th at 10 & 11 am; Cookout at noon
Community WOD at lululemon howell mill – join Lis for a free WOD at lululemon howell mill on the last Sunday of every month. Community WODs start Sunday 7/29 at 10 am.
Hydrostatic Body Composition testing – Monday 7/30, 4-7 pm, $30. Sign up for a 10-minute testing appointment at the gym or by emailing Sam.
Paleo Night at Urban Pl8 – Tues, 7/31 at 8:30 pm. RSVP for dinner by emailing Sam.
31 Heroes – Sat, 8/4. Check out the link on the sidebar of this page to register.
Food as Fuel – Saturday, August 11th, 12-1:30 – free to members, $25 for guests. Learn how to make better nutrition choices, grocery shopping tips, and other ways to make eating whole foods a habit.

Chuck A and Ro on Fight Gone Bad.

Workout of the Day

1. Time trial: 1k row

2. 3 Power cleans EMOM (every minute on the minute) for 10 minutes

CASH OUT: 3 rounds plank hold – 1 min each – center, left, right

THURS 07.19.12 CF Endurance & POSE Running workshop tonight! Read More »

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