November 2012

Happy Six Monthiversary, CrossFit Midtown!

Man, time flies. Here we are, six months since opening our doors, with 120 members already!
So much has already happened:
Memorial Day Murph, the Grand Opening Party, the Frantastic Voyage Fran Challenge, new rowers & cage & AirDyne, POSE Running/Endurance seminar, Food as Fuel classes, the Olympics watch party, Double-Under seminar, Ladies nights at Fab’rik & lululemon, Hooverball, sending four teams to East vs. West competition, NEW SHOWERS, the Halloween glow stick WOD, TWO quarterly progress checks, community WODs at lululemon & Piedmont Park, SEVEN Facebook fan dances – one for every 100 fans!, the Whole Life Challenge and all its fun events: not-paleo potluck, paleo potluck & finals/awards party, the Instructor Training Program, yoga classes, over 100 WODs and TONS of PRs!
Thanks for helping build the CFM community along the way. We look forward to so many more memorable moments ahead. Keep up the great work!

So what’s next?

YOU TELL US! As always, CFM wants your feedback to help mold our future… so check your inbox today for a survey that CFM students Matt B & Jennifer C (from the early AM crew) put together for one of their MBA classes. Please give us your opinions on how CFM can serve you better! But of course we have a few things up our sleeve that we hope you’ll enjoy:
Gymnastics class! Who’s been dying to improve at handstands or learn to kip or practice muscle-ups? For the four weeks between Thanksgiving & Christmas, we’ll be trying out a weekly gymnastics class that might become a permanent thing in the new year. Stay tuned to the blog later this week for more details.
Holiday Party – Sat December 8th: We’re hosting a party here in the box from 7 to 10 pm. We’ll provide the main course and some beverages… you bring an appetizer or dessert to share!
Whole 30: For the month of January, a group of us will be eating strict paleo for 30 days to give our body a much-needed detox after the holidays. We’ll keep you posted as it approaches.

My vision

I opened CFM with a goal of making Midtown residents stronger, healthier and happier people. Eventually, we’ll start a foundation and begin working with high school students to teach them about healthy lifestyles too.
Yes, the theme here is giving back & improving lives…so in the immediate future, I hope CFM can pull together as a community to give back to those less fortunate than we are this holiday season…
We’ve got a few weeks left of our November food drive for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. Please clean out your cabinets and/or visit the grocery store and spend a few bucks. The most-needed items are: Peanut Butter, Canned Tuna, Canned Beans, Canned Soups, Stews and Pastas, 100% Fruit Juice, Canned Fruits and Vegetables, Macaroni and Cheese Dinners, Whole Grain, Low Sugar Cereals… no, most of these items aren’t paleo. You won’t be judged for bringing them in anyway!!! LET’S FILL THOSE TWO BARRELS! Then in December we’re hosting a Toys for Tots drive, so once again, I hope we can come together to make the holidays a happy time for some families in need.

Thanksgiving schedule

Closed Thursday & Open Gym Friday
CrossFit Midtown will hold all regularly scheduled classes next week on Monday through Wednesday. CFM will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving. On Friday, regular classes are cancelled, but there will be Open Gym sessions from 10am to 12noon and 4 to 6pm. Saturday there will be an open gym session from 10am to 12noon.
Open gym sessions will be supervised by a coach, but will not have formal group warm-ups. A coach will be on hand to answer questions, review movements and technique. You’ll have a choice of doing skill work, a programmed workout and/or doing a workout from recent weeks.

The WLC finals crew

Workout of the Day

A. Back Squat: 12-10-8-6 @2010 tempo, rest 2min
B1. 3 rounds: 15 back extensions @1010, rest 30sec
B2. 3 rounds: 15 situps, rest 30sec
C. Pistol practice: 10 minutes
D. AirDyne, row or jump rope: 10 minutes

WED 11.14.12 SIX MONTHS ALREADY?!?!? Read More »

Congrats to our Whole Life Challenge winners!

We had 94 participants in our Whole Life Challenge, playing from all over the country. We’ll be announcing Friends & Family winners later today, but want to recap the CFM awards/winners announced on Saturday at the after party.
Congrats to Wayne on winning the 2012 Whole Life Challenge!!! Our finalists also made huge progress: Brianne & Laura made the most improvement on the WOD, Taylor lost the most inches, Bri won the accountability prize for scoring/logging workout, mobility, fish oil and nutrition points, and Woody won the ITP prize (and NARROWLY missed the Grand Prize, losing to Wayne by a hundredth of a point!)
Special thanks to all our sponsors: RiRa, lululemon howell mill, SlantShack Jerky, Brighter Fire apparel, Vita-Coco, Paleo People granola, Rock 100.5 and Center Stage/The Loft.

WINNERS!

Brianne rolled up to Finals almost an hour late… so she insisted on doing her penalty burpees at the after party. What a trooper.

Thanksgiving schedule

Workout of the Day

A. For Time: 30 Muscle Ups OR 6 rounds of 10 strict ring dips & 10 strict pull ups
B1. 3 rounds: 15 kettlebell tricep extensions @4010 tempo, 30sec rest
B2. 3 rounds: 15 kettlebell bent-over rows @4010 tempo, 90sec rest

TUES 11.13.12 Read More »

The first day of the rest of your life…

So now the Whole Life Challenge is over, and depending on what you ate in the “afterglow”, today may bring you a lovely gluten/sugar/cheese hangover. From informal poll results, I believe most CFMers celebrated with pizza, pancakes and beer. Just don’t be surprised if today’s workout is a rough one, or if you have a headache or the sniffles today.
As you return to “normal life”, try to keep a few lessons in mind that the Whole Life Challenge taught you… maybe you don’t really have to have a Diet Coke, a huge hunk of cheese, or a bagel on a daily basis. I hope you’ll choose healthier options for your meals, stick to the daily fish oil, stretching and active recovery on days off from CFM.
And as we slip into the holiday season, why should you pack on 20 lbs like the rest of America? Instead, use this as another challenge, to commit to your health and fitness and actually get healthier over the next few months as many of our peers do the opposite. Good luck!

All the Waterson kids came to visit CFM this weekend! (Kelly, Frank, Tracy and Dan)

Workout of the Day

A. Split Squat: Find your eight-rep max at a 3010 tempo
B. In eight minutes, complete as many rounds & reps as possible:
10 kettlebell swings
15 situps

MON 11.12.12 Read More »

Whole Life Challenge ENDS TOMORROW

Congrats to everyone who’s completed the Whole Life Challenge. I hope you’ve created some new healthy habits, learned a little about yourself, and had a great experience! Join us tomorrow (whether you did the WLC or not!) for the Final WOD & Measurements, followed by a PAR-TAY to announce winners, hand out some prizes, and hang out with the CFM community!
Final Measurements & WOD: 9:30 to 11a at Piedmont Park Active Oval
We’ll be doing measurements from 9:30 to 10:15, and running finals heats from 10 to 11.
Finals Party & Awards: 1 to 3p at Rira Irish Pub
Dermot and the gang at Rira are hosting a shindig for us to crown the WLC winners, hand out prizes, and enjoy some good fun. All CFMers are welcome to join in.

No class at CFM Saturday

A note from Mrs. Saunders

That’s right, my 67-year-old mom just completed the Whole Life Challenge as well. I’m so proud of her progress over these eight weeks, especially as she worked for the elections office down in Florida (save the jokes) and had some very long hours over the past month. Congrats Mom! Here’s the email I got from her this morning (note: the Saunders women have SICK hula hoop skillz):

Subject: I DID IT!
I completed the challenge with pretty good points — I now know I don’t have to drink alcohol every night — that’s pretty good for me. I also know that I do not need fake sugar in my diet at all. Have even gotten used to black coffee; even almost like it.
I’ve lost 4 pounds — that means I’ve lost a total of 10 pounds since May — pretty good I’d say.
Thanks for convincing me to join the challenge — but I doubt I’ll keep on having perfect diet days — they’ll be better diet days than I had before the challenge. I’ll continue to stretch daily, and at least do the kettlebell every day. I really want to learn how to hula hoop again — do you know where I can get a really good hula hoop?
I really do feel better — couldn’t have gotten through the last few weeks of 12 and 13-hour work days without the challenge.
Love you, Mom

Post in the comments: What did you learn about yourself during WLC? Also, if anyone knows where my mom can find a “really good hula hoop” 🙂 please share.

The Whole Life Challenge prelims crew

Workout of the Day

A. CrossFit Total: Find your one-rep max of the following:
Back squat
Strict Press
Deadlift
Add these numbers up for your CrossFit Total score.
B. AirDyne:
One minute, max calories

FRI 11.09.12 My mom is fitter than your mom Read More »

What’s new in the Pro Shop?

Have you guys seen the new schwag? New knee socks and red pullover sweatshirts are also coming this month!

Hoodies (only S & L are left), Welcome to the Jungle Ts (men’s & women’s sizes S-XXL), and Primal Pacs paleo snacks (grassfed beef jerky, mango, macadamias, cranberries, marcona almonds…DELICIOUS).

Ladies Night TONIGHT!

It’s time again for the CFM gals to get together for some refreshments & shopping. Join us Thursday night at 7:30 at lululemon howell mill for another CFM LADIES NIGHT! Please RSVP to Rachel if you plan to attend.

Whole Life Challenge Finals & Party

It’s the final week of the WLC! In addition to the other benchmarks we’re testing this week, on Saturday we do final measurements and retest the WLC workout. We hope to see you, your friends, family and the whole CFM community at the Finals WOD and the Awards Party on Saturday. Be there!
Final Measurements & WOD: 9:30 to 11a at Piedmont Park Active Oval
We’ll be doing measurements from 9:30 to 10:15, and running finals heats from 10 to 11.
Finals Party & Awards: 1 to 3p at Rira Irish Pub
Dermot and the gang at Rira are hosting a shindig for us to crown the WLC winners, hand out prizes, and enjoy some good fun. All CFMers are welcome to join in.

No class at CFM Saturday

There will be only ONE CLASS on Saturday, November 10th: 10am AT PIEDMONT PARK. Even if you didn’t get in on the Whole Life Challenge this time around, join us at the park for some fun with burpees, kettlebell swings and running!
Lee, POB, Jared S, Calin, Jim, Tiff & Chuck rocking yesterday’s 20-minute AMRAP.

Workout of the Day

A. Baseline: If you didn’t retest the baseline already this week, warm up and do it today. If you already did baseline, you get extra time for mobility/foam rolling.
Baseline:
500m Row
40 Squats
30 Sit Ups
20 Push Ups
10 Pull Ups
B. Weighted pullup or negatives:
Find your one-rep max weighted pullup OR, if you can’t yet do a strict pullup, do 5 sets of 3 negatives.
C. For time:
250m row
15 kettlebell swings 70/53
25 burpees
15 kettlebell swings
250m row

THURS 11.09.12 Read More »

CrossFit and Body Image

by Instructor Training Program member Urán
This post is geared toward the ladies, but fellas should feel free to chime in as well. A well-known myth finds its way into the mind of every female who ever considered picking up a weight:
“Lifting weights will make you bulky.”
It bums me out. And it bums me out more that I’ve heard variations of this myth spoken from the lips of some of our very own members. I could spend days talking about why this bothers me and why it’s completely untrue. Instead, I’ll let you read this, this and this, and share with you my own body image demons.
Now, everyone who meets me knows that I’m not a slight woman. I never have been. CrossFit or not. Part of that is because, while I generally eat cleanly, I put on weight very easily. I love fruit (carbs) and sweet potatoes (more carbs). I spent most of my life struggling with my weight and body image, and to say those days are completely behind me would be a lie. But CrossFit teaches me to care about different things than I used to concern myself with.
Take being “thin”, for example. If I may be totally candid, my biggest motivator for dieting and exercise in the past was my hope of being “thin”. When I weighed in at nearly 200lb a few years ago, the driving force for me to lose 40+ pounds in less than a year was the desire to just be smaller. It wasn’t until I joined the crew team, and later CrossFit, that I realized how much sexier it is to be strong… how lifting, jumping, rowing, and throwing heavy stuff around gives you confidence and satisfaction that seeing shrinking numbers on a scale never will.
Nowadays, I never even think about being thin. I think about becoming stronger and working harder and eating healthier. And working with my body, rather than against it, to make the most out of what I’ve been given. But it’s taken time to get there. Time to retrain my mind and to shake old habits. Time to start thinking of food as fuel. Time to find happiness in improvements at the gym and enjoyment in how that transfers into my personal life.
How has your idea of body image changed since joining CrossFit?

Whole Life Challenge Finals & Party

No class at CFM Saturday

CFM has over 700 Facebook fans! If you haven’t LIKED our page yet, please do it now!

Workout of the Day

A. Quarterly Progress Checks – Baseline retest: If you didn’t retest the baseline yet this week, warm up and do it today. If you already did baseline, you get extra time for mobility/foam rolling.
Baseline:
500m row
40 squats
30 situps
20 pushups
10 pullups
B. In 20 minutes, complete as many rounds and reps as possible of:
20 Thrusters 135/95
20 Pullups
20 Burpees

WED 11.07.12 Read More »

Ladies Night at lululemon howell mill

It’s time again for the CFM gals to get together for some refreshments and/or shopping. Join us Thursday night at 7:30 at lululemon howell mill for another CFM LADIES NIGHT! Please RSVP to Rachel if you plan to attend.

Whole Life Challenge Finals & Party

No class at CFM Saturday

Workout of the Day

A. Baseline: If you didn’t retest the baseline yesterday, you will warm up and do it today. If you already did baseline, you get extra time for mobility/foam rolling.
Baseline:
500m Row
40 Squats
30 Sit Ups
20 Push Ups
10 Pull Ups
B. Olympic Total:
Snatch – 1-1-1
Clean & Jerk – 1-1-1

TUES 11.06.12 ROCK THE VOTE! Read More »

Quarterly Progress Checks!

What did you accomplish in the last three months? What’s not working for you in the areas of health, fitness, nutrition, lifestyle, athletic performance? What stops you? What is your vision for the next three months and what action steps will help you achieve that vision?
We’ll be reviewing these questions with a 10-minute reflection at the beginning of your first class this week. This is your chance to reflect on the past quarter and set some goals for the next three months.
We’ll also be retesting the Baseline and several other benchmark WODs this week. So get to the box this week, do your best and crush some old numbers! I’m looking forward to all the PRs*!
*PR= personal record

Whole Life Challenge Finals & Party

CFM Field Trip

There will be only ONE CLASS on Saturday, November 10th: 10am AT PIEDMONT PARK. Even if you didn’t get in on the Whole Life Challenge this time around, join us at the park for some fun with burpees, kettlebell swings and running!
I learned SO MUCH at the BIZ seminar I attended over the weekend at VA’s CrossFit Woodbridge…and got a quick WOD in over the lunch break too!

Workout of the Day

A. Baseline: As part of your warm-up today, all classes will retest the baseline –
500m Row
40 Squats
30 Sit Ups
20 Push Ups
10 Pull Ups
B. 5 Rounds for time:
7 Handstand Push Ups
14 Pistols
21 Double Unders

MON 11.05.12 Quarterly Progress Checks Read More »

Quarterly Progress Checks are next week!

We’ll be retesting the Baseline, as well as several other benchmark WODs next week. So that you can plan your week of workouts, here is a sneak peek at next week’s programming:
M 11/5 – 5 rounds for time:
7 Handstand Push Ups
14 Pistols
21 Double Unders
T 11/6 – Olympic Total
1 rep max of Snatch and Clean & Jerk
W 11/7 – 20 minute AMRAP
20 Thrusters 135/95#
20 Pullups
20 Burpees
Th 11/8 – OPT Tester
A. 1 Rep Max Weighted Pull Up
B. OPT Tester:
250m row
15 kettlebell swings 2/1.5pd
25 burpees
15 kettlebell swings 2/1.5pd
250m row
F 11/9 – CrossFit Total & 1 min AirDyne
1 rep max Back Squat
1 rep max Strict Press
1 rep max Deadlift
Then, 1 minute AirDyne test for calories
S 11/10 – WLC Finals
9 minute AMRAP:
7 kettlebell swings 53/35
7 burpees
50m run

Eat your vegetables!

We’re excited to partner with South Metro Produce for weekly deliveries of organic fruits and vegetables from local family farmers. You can choose from a small/$27, medium/$35 or large/$45 box of produce each week (or partner up and split the order!). Josh will be delivering to us every Monday (orders due by Sunday) so visit his site and place your order today! Here’s a sample of what a medium box includes (the huge bag of local almonds is a huge chunk of this week’s box):

Workout of the Day

A. Front Squat: 2 sets of 4, 3 minutes rest
B. In 7 minutes, complete as many rounds & reps as possible:
Buy in: 150 double unders or 100 tuck jumps
7 wall balls
7 burpees

FRI 11.02.12 Read More »

GOALS

What did you achieve last month? What do you hope to achieve in November? Please post your goals and achievements on the goals board in the box… OR HERE ON THE BLOG. What will you achieve before December 1? What will you do by the end of 2012? Let’s have the best month ever!

Eat your vegetables!

We’re excited to partner with South Metro Produce for weekly deliveries of organic fruits and vegetables from local family farmers. You can choose from a small/$27, medium/$35 or large/$45 box of produce each week (or partner up and split the order!). Josh will be delivering to us every Monday (orders due by Sunday) so visit his site and place your order today! He even dropped off a sample medium box to us, so check it out up front near the check-in computer to get an idea of what your order might include.

November Food Drive

Please donate to our food drive this month… we’ve started with two barrels, but I think we can fill at least FIVE! Courtney had the fabulous idea for all the Coaches and Instructor Training Program members to do a burpee for every can we get donated.
ONE BURPEE FOR EVERY CAN/BOX/ITEM. I said, “Courtney, that seems like an awfully obvious gimmick, but let’s go with it!”***
***This conversation may or may not have been modified… Courtney actually volunteered LIS to do all the burpees, and Lis promptly recruited some help. So there you have it, folks…Your Coaches & ITP team will do LOTS of burpees this month, if you wish.

Glow Stick WOD ROCKED THE HOUSE!

Workout of the Day

A1. 3 sets: 3 Strict Press, 10sec rest
A2. 3 sets: As many reps as possible of Strict Pullups*, 3min rest
*Set ends when you drop from bar.
B. 5 rds:
5 Push Press*
10 burpees
75m run/row or 15sec AD
2:30 rest
*Select challenging weight that you can do unbroken each round.

THURS 11.01.12 Read More »