back squat

Big 2014 goals:

by Coach Lis
Just like every month, we’ve erased the Goals board at the gym & there’s a blank slate just waiting for everyone to add new goals for the month & the year. Think of it as your community accountability partner. That goal will be up there all month, encouraging you to get after it with every training session!
I’ve got some big goals to post on the board that I also want to share here on the blog, using you guys as my unofficial accountability partners moving into 2014.
This year I’ll be stepping back from the day-to-day operations of CrossFit Midtown to explore a few of my other passions… business coaching & personal training.
I’ll still be coaching classes, leading intros & training regularly at CFM. I’m also starting a local business coaching group to help Atlanta area CrossFit affiliates & other small gyms become better businesses. And I’ll be doing some personal training at CFM & around the Atlanta area.
I often marvel at the power of the CrossFit rumor mill & the awesome stories I hear about myself! So I just want to set the record straight that I am NOT leaving CrossFit Midtown. I’m still part owner of this business & will continue to be an active part of this community I love so much.
This month we’ll be hiring a full-time Operations Manager to take CFM to the next level.
If you want more details on the Operations Manager position (maybe you know someone who’s a great fit!?!), or have any feedback or questions at all for me, please email me or snag me at the box.
What are your big goals for 2014? Post in the comments!

Congrats to all who set & achieved goals in December. Post your new ones at the box this week!

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
8a: Open Gym- Lis
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
4p: Open Gym- Jim
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Ben
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Ben
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Raul
8p: Open Gym- Raul

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Back squat: 5 @ 65%, 5@70%, 5@75%, 5@80% of 1-rep max
B. As many rounds & reps as possible in 12 minutes:
10 lateral box jumps 24/20″
12 wall balls 20/14#
14 abmat situps

And coming tomorrow…

A. Snatch: 2-2-2-2-2
B. 5 rounds for time:
10 walking lunges (5 ea leg)
10 Russian kettlebell swings 70/53
10 hand-release push ups

MON 01.06.13 Big 2014 goals Read More »

Monday’s 7a crew working hard on “DT”

Today’s schedule

7a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
8a: Open Gym- Beka
5p: All Levels CrossFit & Open Gym- Beka
6p: All Levels CrossFit & Open Gym- Beka

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Back Squat: 3@70%, 3@80%, 3@90%
B. For time: 1000m Row
-then-
21-15-9
Russian Kettlebell Swings (70, 53#)
Burpees

And coming tomorrow…

“Grace”:
For time –
30 clean & jerks 135/95#

Deciding between Scaled or Rx? Or debating what to scale the weight to? – Shoot to finish in under 8 minutes. Use between 50-65% of your clean & jerk one-rep max.

Holiday Travel Workout

3 rounds for max reps:
Max unbroken push ups, rest 1 min
max reps hollow rocks, rest 1 min
max reps mountain climbers, rest 1 min
max reps supermans, rest 1 min

For each movement, go to failure, then rest 1 minute and move on to the next exercise.
Repeat for three total rounds.
Post reps to comments.

THURS 1.2.14 Limited schedule today. Back to normal Saturday! Read More »

Ripped!

by Coach Cassie
I love, Love, LOVE the hard work and effort put into workouts with lots of pull up reps (like “Angie” last Friday) from everyone BUT what I don’t love is seeing rips on your hands!
It seems to be sort of a bragging right in the CrossFit community w/ people comparing rips, posting rip pics on social media, etc. But really, having shredded, bloody hands is just not smart or functional to your training and daily life.
Not being able to use your hands effectively for a few days is not worthy of accolade.
Let’s be real and call it what it really is… an injury that keeps you from working out or has you drastically scaling your workout.
Ripped hands are lacerations, not badassness. Let’s take care of those hands! Check out these tips to prevent rips.

Alyssa holding steady on the rings. She did today’s workout a day early in Open Gym.

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
8a: Open Gym- Tirzah
11a: Yoga- Amy
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Amy
4p: Open Gym- Jim
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Jim
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Raul
8p: Open Gym- Raul

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Back squat: 5 @ 65% of one-rep max, 5 @ 75%, 5 @ 85%
B. Complete 5 rounds:
Handstand Hold – 30 seconds
Handstand Push Ups – Max Reps
Static Pull Up Hold – 30 seconds
Strict Pull Ups – Max Reps
Hold Top of Dip – 30 seconds
Dips – Max Reps
*Perform isometric hold for 30 seconds, kick or drop down, shake out
your hands, take a few breaths and perform max reps of prescribed
exercise.
*Score is three numbers – max HSPU total for all rounds, max strict pull ups, max dips

And coming tomorrow…BRING A FRIEND DAY!

Team WOD:
In teams of 3-4, rotate through 4 stations 3 times for max reps –
1. Russian KB swings
2. Air squats
3. Hollow rocks
4. Plyo push ups

Holiday Travel Workout

5 rounds:
10 burpees as fast as possible
Rest 1:00

WED 12.11.13 Ripped! Read More »

No more burpee penalty!

Effective immediately, we’re eliminating the 25-burpee penalty for being late to class.
During the holidays, and every day, we realize there are enough barriers standing in the way of you making it to the box. So if you’re running a few minutes late, we don’t want a few burpees to be the last thing that keeps you away.
BUT, we’re all adults, so if you do arrive late to class, you’ll be responsible for warming up on your own. For your safety, you won’t be permitted to hop into class cold…take time to raise your core body temp and prepare your muscles and central nervous system for the upcoming workout.
If you’re more than 10 minutes late, it will be up to the coach to decide whether you can still join that class time, or if you need to wait for the next one.
We’ll still be assessing the 25-burpee penalty if you fail to sign in for class, so be sure to check in at the computer up front (or sign the notepad if the website is down).
So here’s your holiday surprise from CFM: no more late burpees & CrossFitMas on Friday night! Come play!

Ian & Raul get in the holiday spirit!

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
8a: Open Gym – Tirzah
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
4p: Open Gym- Jim
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
8p: Open Gym- Lis

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Snatch balance: 3-3-3
B. Complete 10 rounds for time:
3 Ground to Overhead (use 70% of Clean & jerk 1-rep max)
10 Hollow Rocks

And coming tomorrow…

A. Back squat: 5 @ 65%, 5 @ 75%, 5 @ 85%
B. Complete 5 rounds:
Handstand Hold – 30 seconds
Handstand Push Ups – Max Reps
Static Pull Up Hold – 30 seconds
Strict Pull Ups – Max Reps
Hold Top of Dip – 30 seconds
Dips – Max Reps
*Perform isometric hold for 30 seconds, kick or drop down, shake out
your hands, take a few breaths and perform max reps of prescribed
exercise.
*Score is three numbers – max HSPU total for all rounds, max strict pull ups, max dips

Holiday Travel Workout

Run 1 mile
100 push ups
100 squats
Run 1 mile

TUES 12.10.13 Burpee penalty cancelled! Read More »

Part 2: Homeostasis & exercise

by Instructor Training Program member Uran
In Part 2 of the Homeostasis blog series, we discussed the effect of diet on your body’s ability to regulate the metabolic condition. When your body fails to respond appropriately to your nutritional consumption, your metabolic systems shift out of balance, which can lead to all sorts of endocrine disorders. Today, we’re talking about something fun…
Something all of us in the CFM community share: a love of exercise.
Exercise, in all its forms, has a largely positive effect on the body. When you work out, you expend energy which sets off a series of reactions to try and maintain homeostasis. Your body knows it needs to get more oxygen to create new energy and sustain the increased activity level, and it does this in two ways.
First, your breathing rate increases to allow you to introduce oxygen to the bloodstream at a faster rate. Second, the increase of oxygen in the bloodstream prompts your heart to beat faster in order to deliver all that extra oxygen to your cells.
Why is this awesome?
By getting more oxygen into your lungs and then into your bloodstream, you exercise your heart, which in turn allows it to beat slower and with less effort. In the same way that repeated exercise in the gym relates to improved performance, repeated exercise for your heart causes it to work more efficiently and have more time to relax, thus lowering your blood pressure. So, come in, break a sweat, and feel even better about it than you already do.
And don’t forget that food and sleep are also major factors in helping your body maintain the stable condition it wants to be in. Help yourself out and give your body the tools to succeed.

Kerry and Tripp on wall balls and roll outs!

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
8a: Open Gym- Tirzah
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
4p: Open Gym- Lis
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Cassie
8p: Open Gym- Cassie
8:15p: Yoga- Samantha

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A1. Dumbbell external rotation: 3 sets of 10 (ea arm)
A2. Ring rows (2-second pause at top): 3 set of 10, rest :30
B. Back squat: 3 at 70% of one-rep max, 3 @ 80%, 3 @ 90% (3:00 rest between sets)
C. 10 minutes max effort: Row for meters, AirDyne for calories, jump rope singles or double unders

And coming tomorrow…

“Angie” – complete for time:
100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats

Holiday Travel Workout

100 burpees for time

THURS 12.5.13 Homeostasis & Exercise Read More »

Part 2: Homeostasis & food

by Instructor Training Program member Uran

In yesterday’s post, I talked about the effect of sleep on your body’s ability to maintain a stable condition.
When you don’t provide your body with enough rest and recovery, hormonal imbalances occur, resulting in weight gain, lackluster skin, and decreased muscle growth.
Nearly as important as rest is the role your diet plays in aiding your ability to stay in homeostasis.
Metabolism plays a big role in maintaining homeostasis. In the simplest terms, you can think of your metabolism as a fire. The quality of food you eat can be thought of as sawdust or logs that are thrown on the fire.
Things that produce a very quick insulin response or spike in blood sugar, such as sweets or heavily processed foods, are like sawdust being tossed into the fire. They create a big flash for a few seconds and then nada.
Good-quality, whole foods, on the other hand, are more akin to a log. They burn nice and consistently for a long period of time, providing sustained energy, rather than energy spikes and crashes that cause your body to overcompensate to regulate your blood sugar.
When your homeostatic balance becomes disrupted and stays that way, problems can occur. Your pancreas can become over-taxed from working extra hard on blood-sugar regulation due to consumption of less than stellar foods. Your cells can become resistant to insulin.
In any case, extended periods of metabolic imbalance in the body can lead to obesity, diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and thyroid dysfunction.
Be kind to your body and give it the fuel it needs. Sure, this isn’t the time of year when many people are focused on nutrition, but don’t forget nutrition coaching is included with every CFM membership.
If you’d like us to take a look at a three-day food log for you and offer some feedback, contact us and we’ll send you details on what to track for us, so we can teach you how to optimize your health and make better gains in the box!
Stay tuned for final part of the series where I’ll discuss the relationship between exercise and homeostasis.

Jason (front), Jared & Scott D on barbell roll outs.

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
8a: Open Gym- Tirzah
11a: Yoga- Amy
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Amy
4p: Open Gym- Jim
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Raul
8p: Open Gym- Raul

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A1. Bench Press: 3 at 70% of your one-rep max, 3 @ 80%, 3 @ 90%
A2. Dips: 3 x 10 (1 min rest)
B. Complete 5 one-minute rounds:
You have one minute to complete the following:
5 thrusters 95/65
Max rep rope climbs
*Rest 1 min between rounds

And coming tomorrow…

Holiday Travel Workout

As many rounds & reps as possible in 20 minutes:
10 hollow rocks
10 supermans
10 mountain climbers

WED 12.4.13 Homeostasis & Food Read More »

Thank you Veterans!

Thanks to all the CFMers who serve/have served in the military. We thank you for our freedom & your service!

State champ!

Saturday I competed at the USAPL Georgia & Southern States Powerlifting meet. Thanks to all who came to cheer me on. I set a new state record in back squat (check it out here) and won the gold medal in the 148# weight class, and my team won gold as well!

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Rebecca
8a: Open Gym- Tirzah
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
4p: Open Gym- Lis
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Ben
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Ben
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Cassie
8p: Open Gym- Cassie

Workout of the Day

A. Back squat 5×5 work ups
B. Every min on the min for 10:
3 power cleans 135/95
5 kb swings 70/53

And coming tomorrow…

“WADE”
Complete 5 rounds (use same DB/KB entire workout):
11 One Arm KB/DB Snatch
12 One Arm DB Thrusters
11 Weighted pull ups (w DB/KB… Or scale to strict pull ups/use a band)

MON 11.11.13 Thank you Veterans! Read More »

USAPL Georgia & Southern States meet is Saturday

If you’ve been in my class anytime in the past month, you probably know I’m competing in my 4th powerlifting* meet this weekend (will she EVER stop talking about it?!?).
While I’ve already set five state records (2 in squat, 1 in deadlift, 2 in total) in two different weight classes, this is my first shot at a state title. I hope to win the individual title and score points toward earning my team (Team Rohr) the state title as well.
The meet is in the gym at Meadowcreek High School in Norcross (the last time I was in a high school gym, I think I was a basketball cheerleader circa 1997).
I lift in the afternoon session, beginning at 2:30 and wrapping up around 7. To be more precise, my first squat probably won’t happen until closer to 3, since I’m in the 2nd flight of the session, and probably on the tail end of it.
Admission is $10 (donated to MHS athletics). I hope a few of you can make it!
There’s an after-party at Dave & Buster’s for anyone who cares to hang around and celebrate with me. See you Saturday!
I’ll also be posting updates via Twitter & Facebook, so friend request or follow me @lissaunders if you want details.

*”What’s powerlifting,” you ask? It’s one of the many sports combined to make up what we know as CrossFit. In a powerlifting meet, each athlete gets three attempts at a max back squat, then three attempts for a max bench press, and finally three attempts at a max deadlift.
As an aside, while I appreciate the inquiries, NO, I won’t be lifting in the Olympics anytime soon. THAT sport (also a big part of CrossFit) is called Olympic Lifting, and those lifts are the snatch and clean & jerk.

Here’s my last heavy squat before the meet – a single rep at 265#

Today’s schedule

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. 5k row time trial OR Recovery day: 50 turkish get ups, not for time (Compare to 07.11.13)
B. Core work –
ADVANCED: For time:
Accumulate 2 minutes holding a static GHDSU with torso parallel to the floor.
Every time you break, complete 20 Hip Extensions
RX: For time:
Accumulate 2 minutes in a plank hold. Every time you break, complete 20 supermans

And coming tomorrow…

A. 10 min muscle up skillwork OR 30 MU for time
B. For time:
21 Thrusters, 135/95
800m Run
15 Thrusters, 135/95
400m Run
9 Thrusters, 135/95
200m Run

WED 11.05.13 Come support Lis this weekend! Read More »

CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO SET A NEW PERSONAL RECORD (PR) IN THE BOX THIS WEEK!

Don’t forget to add it to the PR board so we can celebrate with you!

CrossFit Total

By Coach Beka
CrossFit Total is the total of your maximum-effort back squat, press and deadlift. This is our final progress check this week, and one of my favorites!
As excited as you may be to find out what your 1-rep max (hopefully a PR!) is, don’t take a lot of attempts to find it.
We’ll treat this like a powerlifting meet. Warm up, then take three attempts at your best squat. Then warm up for press & take three attempts to find your max press. Finally, warm up for deadlift and then take three attempts to find your max deadlift.
After warming up, the first attempt should be a weight you know you can do for three reps. The second attempt should be a weight you know you can do for a single rep (current PR), and you’re shooting for a new PR on your third attempt!
Don’t forget to record your results! A lot of our strength work is based on a percentage of your 1-rep max.
Happy PR Friday! 🙂

Levy & Christine finishing strong on Wednesday’s OPT Tester

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
8a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
4p: All Levels CrossFit- Amy & Lis
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Amy & Lis
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Amy & Lis

Workout of the Day (WOD)

CrossFit Total
Add 1 rep max totals together:
Back squat
Press
Deadlift

And coming tomorrow…

Make up day
Make up any WOD you missed during quarterly progress checks…Do your Baseline; Monday’s HSPU, pistols & jump rope WOD; Tuesday’s Oly Total; Wednesday’s 1-rep max weighted pull up & OPT Tester (row, kb swing, burpee, kb swing, row); Thursday’s 20 min thruster, pull up, burpee AMRAP; Friday’s CrossFit Total.

FRI 10.25.13 CrossFit Total Read More »

CrossFit Problems: Calluses

by Coach Ben
Hand calluses. At first they seem cool. They’re considered a sign of hard working hands.
After a workout, they give a painful reminder that you held on to that bar for as long as you could for every rep possible. But after a while they start to become an eyesore. They seem never to go away.
And then you make a habit of picking at them.
It’s important to take care of your hands. Here are some helpful ways to prevent those hard, bothersome calluses.
1. Callus Scraper – Use one after a long, hot shower when your skin is soft and damp. Scrape calluses until they’re smooth and even.
2. Taping – Taping your hands is a good way to prevent calluses. Tape is good because they are thinner than grips and if you take the time to make a good tape strap then you can use them a few times. Here’s an example:

3. Grips – I personally like using grip straps. The common complaint with straps is that in the beginning it may be harder to grip the bar. It takes a lot of pull-ups to break in grips so they move with your hands nicely.
4. Post-Care- After a workout, wash your hands with soap and water. And put some lotion or skin ointment on them later. Everyone loves the smell of some Tiger Balm before bed.

Group planking

Today’s schedule

6a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
7a: All Levels CrossFit- Beka
12n: All Levels CrossFit- Lis & Tirzah
5p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
6p: All Levels CrossFit- Lis
7p: All Levels CrossFit- Cassie
8p: Beginner CrossFit – Cassie
8:15p: Yoga – Samantha