Member of the Month

CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our January Member of the Month, Brandon Kuni! Brandon has been a member for over a year, has seen dem gains, made some awesome friends, and has been an active in the CFM community! Read on to learn more about Brandon and his CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!

Name: Brandon Kuni
Nickname: BK
Age: 29 (30 this year woo woo)
Hometown: ATL BABY!

How did you get exposed to CrossFit?
I moved in with my brother in Vinings a couple years back, and every day I would drive by CrossFit 285 and see them doing stuff outside sometimes, I was intrigued.. My brother and I decided to sign up, the rest is history!

What brought you to CrossFit Midtown:
After moving to Midtown and taking a break from CrossFit for a while, I decided CrossFit would be a good way for me to get back into a routine with working out, as well as meeting new people since I was new to the midtown area. The location put it over the top for me, I can walk to the box from my condo and it is right in between work as well.

Just slinging some weight during Rise Up

What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like?
Honestly, from the little I remember, I was impressed by the coaching and the focus on the athletes. It was a bit different as I was used to large hanger style boxs with loads of space, but I didn’t mind the space knowing classes were capped and it gave a more of an intimate vibe in the box. I wasn’t completely new to CrossFit so I had an idea of what I was walking into, but I was probably the little quiet dude that didn’t say much for the first few weeks. I didn’t do the foundations classes as I thought it was unnecessary having done CrossFit before, but I kinda regret that decision as I would’ve loved some 1-on-1 coaching from Pietsch/Mike.

What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected?
Definitely new friends that share common goals and have a competitive, want to win mentality! I used to think I was in decent shape, but it amazes me how much progress I have accomplished since starting CrossFit. Perhaps the biggest learning experiences that I didn’t expect was getting much more knowledgeable on nutrition and starting to enjoy yoga/stretching and the importance of it! I’ve learned so much about what to eat and when to eat, how to take care of my body, mix that together with some sweaty tough workouts and I feel I’ve had a significant improvement in my quality of life: energy, confidence, performance at work, strength, etc.

Tell us some of your recent accomplishments. What goals do you have for 2019!?
I’ve crushed my dieting so far this year. Limiting drinking to 1x/week, limiting cheat meals, and really trying to follow a balanced macro nutrient ratio (with help from diet templates from RP which have been SUPER helpful). I’ve also been more committed to Yoga, going at least 1x/week which I plan to continue all year. I’ve started to log my workouts, which is a starting point for me to set more specific goals in relation to max lifts.. (Shout out to Mo for the log!!). Big goal for me this year is to get overall body fat % down and be a lean machine, but maintaining overall weight by putting on muscle.

What does your frequently used emoji tab look like?

What is your favorite workout and if you could make up your own workout what would it be?
My favorite workout is probably Murph. Something about a long, super tough wod knowing in the back of my mind that someone sacrificed their life for our country really motivates me and pushes me through (plus it’s always on Memorial Day Weekend which is SUMMER and it’s around my birthday.. Always a great time!). If I could make up my own – any long chipper that includes some double unders, toes to bar, maybe some rope climbs, some goblet squats.. Yeah something like that.

What is your favorite cheat food/meal?
Easy. Wings and buffalo chicken pizza. Say no mo.

Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment
I’ve had a lot! First time competing at the in-house competition was awesome! I also really enjoyed the 31 Heros wod! Or even the bad axe throwing night.. Shit, I even had a blast cheering on CFM at the Graveyard Games Night edition.. All good times!

Hobbies, Talents and or Interests Outside of CrossFit:
Crazy about the Atlanta Falcons, RISE UP (born and raised ATLien)! I’m a media consultant (digital & traditional marketing) by day, I genuinely love my job as it satisfies my entrepreneurial spirit inside and I am passionate about sales and marketing. I spend my free time flying my drone and trying to create some dope content, or riding my bicycle. Sprinkle in some travel, every millennial says that though! That’s me in a nut shell.

Advice for new CrossFitters
Just. Get. Started. Throw everything you’ve ever heard about CrossFit (good and bad), out the window UNTIL you try it. Every box is unique due to the style of coaching/management and the sense of community the members bring to the box. Just start somewhere, log your workouts and progress, show up prepared to bust your ass for an hour, and meet some new friends while you are there. The only “good” in life comes from outside your comfort zone, jump in and don’t look back.

February 2019 Member of the Month, Brandon Kuni! Read More »

CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our January Member of the Month, Hailey Plemons! Hailey has been a member for a little over 1 year, has seen dem gains, made some awesome friends, and competed at Graveyard Games 2018! Read on to learn more about Hailey and her CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!

Completing 31 Heroes with a smile on her face!

Name: Hailey Plemons
Nickname: My friends and family call me Hails
Age: 24
Hometown: Columbus, Georgia

How did you get exposed to CrossFit?
After years of soccer, I knew I performed best in a team environment, so I was looking for a gym that offered group classes. I reached out to a family friend that was nine years deep in Crossfit and she recommended I give it a shot.

What brought you to CrossFit Midtown:
The same family friend looked at the programming in the gyms around Atlanta and she really liked what CFM offered.

What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like?
I remember getting through the warm-up and Mike saying, “Okay so for the workout we will do..” and panicking internally because I was pretty tired from the warm up. I liked CFM pretty instantly.

What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected?
One of my favorite changes has been my perspective. Before I joined CFM, I would have to spend most of my day convincing myself to workout or run. Now I wake up and one of the first things I do is check the blog to see what I get to do that day. Another unexpected plus has been all the incredible people I’ve met along the way.

Tell us some of your recent accomplishments. What goals do you have for 2019!?
I’ve started to venture out of my comfort zone when it comes to choosing weights for the workouts. AKA Pietsch sees what weight I choose and tells me to try again. But I appreciate that he believes in me (after the workout is over) 🙂
My goals for 2019 are to master DU, TTB, and kipping pull ups

5 Rope Climbs 15 Burpees over Erg 25 Cal Row For Time.
Who wins? You or your sister ;)?
I read this to her and she said, “Don’t lie to them Hails, it’s definitely me.” In which case, we can settle this at the gym.

What is your favorite workout and if you could make up your own workout what would it be?
I enjoy anything with the barbell. Overhead squats are my favorite, so Nancy.
If I had to make one up it would probably have some overhead squats, rope climbs, and burpees. I don’t like burpees at all but they make you suffer a little and it feels good after.

Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment
There was a class where Carey Bald approached me and said, “You’re stronger than you think you are. You’re going to partner with me today and we’re going to see what you’re made of.” She probably doesn’t realize how much this meant to me, but it was pretty huge for my confidence. Carey has since moved to Miami, but her voice is always haunting me telling me to go heavier.

Hobbies, Talents and or Interests Outside of CrossFit:
Traveling, playing soccer, hiking, hanging out with friends and my dog.

Advice for new CrossFitters
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be terrified walking in the first few times. Just keep going back until you love it. The rewards outweigh all the costs.

January 2019 Member of the Month, Hailey Plemons! Read More »

CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our October and November Member of the Month, Mohammed Hassan! Mohammed has been a member for a little over 1 year, has seen awesome gains, and competed in his first CrossFit competition this past month! Read on to learn more about Mohammed and his CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!

Name: Mohammed Hassan
Nickname: People here sometimes call me Mo (like Mo Salah)
Age: 29
Hometown: Cairo, Egypt

How did you get exposed to CrossFit?
Last year, after graduating from Georgia Tech, I was looking to get back in shape. A close friend of mine recommended CrossFit as an all-inclusive fitness program.

What brought you to CrossFit Midtown:
Location primarily. CFM is walking distance from both home and work.

What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like?
Very tiring. I signed up for the introductory class. It felt like a brutal workout. I was on the floor after for a good ten minutes struggling to breathe. But, it was also then that I decided I wanted to come back and I signed up for foundation with Mike.

What changes have you seen in your overall health and fitness level since starting CrossFit?
So many changes! From the very beginning, Mike emphasized the importance of nutrition and that it is the base of CrossFit. I decided to clean up my diet and surprisingly, it was not that hard at all. I started cooking more, and stopped eating junk food and drinking soda. I am/look/feel much healthier. Also, my performance in the WODs improved by orders of magnitude over the past year. I am stronger, faster and fitter than ever.

What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected?
I used to think that working out would be like an ‘add-on’ to my routine. One hour a day, three times a week and then I am back to where I was. But, CrossFit was not like that. There was the healthier lifestyle aspect where I had to make time for grocery shopping, meal prepping, cooking, etc. But then more unexpectedly, there was the community/family aspect. I did not think I would get to make that many friends at a ‘gym’. I am not sure if that is the case in every CrossFit box, but I felt that coaches and athletes at CFM really cared about me as an athlete and a person. So many fun events and memories in and out of the box! I greatly cherish the many friendships I formed at CFM over the past year.

Graveyard Games 2018 took both of these guys for a nice first competition ride.

Favorite WOD
Anything with Olympic weightlifting.

Least favorite WOD
I do not necessarily have one. There are certainly movements that I need to work on (like rowing and burpees). But, I consider WODs that include those movements as an opportunity for improvement.

Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment
The 2018 Graveyard Games! This was my first CrossFit competition and it could not have gone any better. We finished on the podium and got to spend the whole day with the CFM family. It was an awesome experience! Also, I really enjoyed Friday Night Lights earlier this year, although I did not participate in the 2018 Open. It was great to hang out with the CFM athletes and cheer them on. It was also a good opportunity for me to meet the ‘morning’ CFM people that I do not usually see. 31 Heroes was another great event that I enjoyed (I did participate in that one). Last, but certainly not least, I love when Emmie and Nico are around 🙂

Hobbies, Talents and or Interests Outside of CrossFit:
I play and watch soccer regularly.

Advice for new CrossFitters
Patience. Take your time to learn and be coached. Competition is important; it is good to have a friend/person that pushes you and makes you perform better. But I think in the beginning, that friend/person should be you, not anyone else in the box. Focus on working on your technique and constantly improving your performance. With time and hard work, you will be crushing WODs and PRs. And of course, don’t forget about your nutrition!

October & November 2018 Member of the Month, Mohammed Hassan! Read More »

CrossFit Midtown is very excited to announce our August Member of the Month, Chris Brasher! Brasher has been a member for a year this month! He comes in and works, hustles and kills WODs and lifts. Read on to learn more about Brasher and his CrossFit journey. Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the CFM community!

Dumbbell Front Squats are fun…said one man once

Name: Chris Brasher
Nickname: Brasher, The Brash
Age: 37
Hometown: Smiths Station, Alabama!

How did you get exposed to CrossFit? A guy I used to work with, Koon. He was as a collegiate level baseball player, quite an athlete. Stopped showing up for lunchtime basketball during the week, saw him one day and asked why. Told me where he had been going, invited me for a Friday Hero Wod, “Carse”. The rest was history..

“Carse”
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 Reps for Time
Squat Clean (95/65 lb)
Double-Unders
Deadlift (185/135 lb)
Box Jump (24/20 in)
Start each round with a 50 meter Bear crawl

Head with the band. wrist with the wraps. Brasher got low, low, low.

What brought you to CrossFit Midtown? The company I work for opened an office in Midtown and asked me to move. I was hoping there would be a CrossFit box nearby, so of course you know my excitement when I saw you across the street on google maps!

What was your very first day at CrossFit Midtown like? Pure pain and misery. I let out my Spartan battle cry and was only on like the 18 rep round. Seeing spots all the way through, almost passed out.

Brasher sitting in the pain cave during 18.2.

What changes have you seen in your overall health and fitness level since starting CrossFit? I don’t get tired as easily anymore, especially when it comes to lifting. Was always more of a runner, never been very strong but now the strongest I’ve ever been, can lift things I once not thought possible. More muscle, Crossfit added 20# to me but my BMI has stayed about the same. I am heavier but can still run long distances at a decent speed without getting too tired. Have a lot more energy, more drive.

What kind of changes have you you experienced since starting CrossFit that were completely unexpected (ie. new friends, “family”, the community, more self confidence, etc)? I have connected with so many people that have the same interests. Before, felt like I was all alone on an island when I first started getting into fitness. Gym was always kinda boring to me. CrossFit feels like I was the lost sheep that finally found his fold, like this is the way it was supposed to be all along. Feel like I can take on anything now.

Favorite WOD: “Nukes”
8 mins to run a mile, max 315# deadlift with remaining time, immediately into
10 mins to run a mile, max 225# cleans with remaining time, immediately into
12 mins to run a mile, max 135# ohs with remaining time

Least favorite WOD: Anything with pistol squats

Favorite CrossFit Midtown moment (doesn’t have to be during a class, just any favorite moment at CFM): Everyone meeting down at the park to do “Murph” together in May was a cool experience. The whole box showing up, suffering together for a good cause, everyone staring at us in disbelieve, amazement..really felt like family that day, then hanging out for brunch afterwards. The Lurong pool party a close 2nd.

Hobbies, Talents and or Interests Outside of CrossFit: To be clear, never have categorized myself as a “Crossfitter”. Have always said I am a runner, who likes to crossfit on the side.. 😉 I love to run. I like to play football Besides sports, I enjoy strategy and RPG type games.

Advice for new CrossFitters: Never give up. I meant every word when I said I can do things I once thought impossible. Just be patient, don’t rush the process, don’t rush your body. If you give it what it needs to repair, nutrition and rest, it will pay you rich dividends in the end. No other feeling like achieving a new lift PR or gymnastic move after months or years of work.

August 2018 Member of the Month, Chris Brasher! Read More »

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