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May 2012

Recovery

It’s been a tough week, and I’ve been talking with many of you about recovery and how to alleviate muscle soreness and other aches and pains.
Here are a few things to incorporate in your recovery program:

  • Foam & lacrosse ball rolling and mobility work – you can do this at home as well as at the gym.
  • HYDRATE – with plenty of water. As the summer heats up, use coconut water for added electrolytes. Avoid sports drinks high in sugar (and the diet versions with artificial sweeteners!). Limit caffeine to black coffee or tea, and don’t drink it after noon.
  • Sleep – Seven to nine hours in a PITCH BLACK dark, cool room.
  • Nutrition – how you eat throughout the day and ESPECIALLY what you take in immediately after your WOD is important. Get a good quality protein supplement into your system within 45 minutes of finishing a WOD, and then eat a full meal (protein, fat and carbs) 60-90 minutes later.
  • Supplements – fish oil and magnesium citrate will both aid in recovery. Fish oil is high in Omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce inflammation of all types, BUT these fatty acids are very fragile, so it’s important to invest in a quality fish oil supplement.
  • Epsom salts baths and contrast showers – take a warm bath in Epsom salts, or try a contrast shower (5 cycles of 1 minute hot, 1 minute cold water…this is also an excellent hangover cure… or so I’ve been told).
  • Rest days – listen to your body and take a day off when needed. A yoga class, a leisurely stroll through the park or an easy bike ride are all great activities to do on your days off from CrossFit.

*We sell Stronger, Faster, Healthier fish oil and protein in the Pro Shop. Check out some FAQ about their fish oil and protein here, or ask Lis for more details. Disclaimer: we’ll never sell anything in the Pro Shop that we don’t use ourselves. This is good stuff.

What are your top recovery tips/tactics? Share them in the comments!

Reminder for this weekend’s Free Piedmont Park WOD

Join us this Sunday at 10 for our FREE PARK WOD (open to the public and suitable for all skill levels). We’ll meet in the meadow near Park Tavern for a WOD, THEN we’ll head over to the sand volleyball courts to play HOOVER BALL. Don’t worry, if you don’t know what Hoover Ball is, we’ll teach you. Carlos is a pro and will be coaching the crew this Sunday!!

So meet in the meadow at 10 am AND/OR at the sand volleyball courts at 11 am. See you Sunday!

Zack and Melvin tackling the Bear Complex (check out Melvin’s mural progress behind him!)

Workout of the Day

Row or Run Repeats
3 1k row repeats OR 3 800m run repeats

Rest between row/run equal to the same amount of time the previous row/run took.
During rest: foam/lax ball roll/mobility work
Record splits.

If you did Murph on Monday, I recommend rowing. If you rowed on Tuesday, I recommend running.

Fri 06.01.12 Read More »

Grand Opening Party is Saturday, June 16th!

Please RSVP here if you haven’t already. We’ll be celebrating all our awesome members AND DOING THE WOBBLE. Dancing won’t be required, but it will be highly encouraged. Please begin practicing now:

I can’t believe this was the first video I embedded on our blog.

BUT we can’t WOBBLE until we get 500 FANS. Please share our page on Facebook and help CrossFit Midtown hit the 500 fan milestone!

SAVE THE DATE: Goal-Setting Workshop, Wed July 11th at 7pm

Rachel from the new Lululemon Howell Mill store is hosting a goal-setting workshop at CFM on Wed, 7/11 at 7 pm. We’ll work on some short- and long-term vision building and goal setting. Mark your calendars now to set some BHAGS (awesome acronym, right? Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals!).

Free Piedmont Park WODs

Did you know we do a free WOD in the park every Sunday at 10 am? Join us this Sunday at 10 for a WOD (open to the public and suitable for all skill levels). We’ll meet in the meadow near Park Tavern for a WOD, THEN we’ll head over to the sand volleyball courts to play HOOVER BALL. Don’t worry, if you don’t know what Hoover Ball is, we’ll teach you. Carlos is a pro and will be coaching the crew this Sunday!!
So meet in the meadow at 10 am OR at the sand volleyball courts at 11 am. See you Sunday!

Workout of the Day

Bear Complex
7 sets of the following sequence:
Power Clean
Front Squat
Push Press
Back Squat
Push Press
5 rounds – work up to max load

There is no time component – once you start a round you can rest at any time during the sequence EXCEPT with the bar on the ground.

Penalty for dropping the bar mid-round (without finishing your five reps/cycles) is 5 burpees (for each drop), payable at the end of the WOD.

Advanced athletes – count only unbroken rounds. No penalties, just drop weight or try again, until you get all five rounds unbroken.

Thurs 05.31.12 Read More »

Success Journals are in!

If you’re a Silver or Gold member, your journal is waiting for you by the white board. If you don’t get one with your membership and want to buy one, they’re $18. You are required to track your workouts, so if you don’t get a Success Journal, invest in a notebook of some sort. Starting TODAY you are as accountable as your coach for knowing your results and scores.

SIGN UP for Food as Fuel and Fran Challenge

Details and sign up sheets are up in the gym. Sign up now for Food as Fuel (Sat, 6/9 – noon-1:30; free to members) and the Fran Challenge (Prelims Sat, 6/16 – AM classes; $30 to participate…includes t-shirt, prizes and finals party).

Goals… are due today by midnight to Lis.

Email Lis if you need help. Hit the deadline or hit the deck for some buuuuuuuuuuuurpees!

Memorial Day (pre-Murph)

Workout of the Day

Skill work: Rope climbs

Five rounds for time of:
15 foot Rope climb, 1 ascent
10 Wallball shots, 20/14 pound ball
15 Kettlebell swings, 1.5/1 pood
20 Double-unders

Wed 05.30.12 Read More »

Thanks to all the Memorial Day Murph-ers!

We had 13 people tackle Memorial Day Murph. Thanks to the drop-in visitors who donated, we raised $180 for the Wounded Warrior Project.

Goals…

…are due tomorrow. If you already sent yours in, THANKS! You’ll hear back from Lis today. If you haven’t sent your goals in yet, DO IT! They’re due by midnight on Wednesday.

Carolyn tackles pike handstand push-ups.

Workout of the Day

A. 3 sets of 3 strict press
B. 3 sets of 5 back squat
C. 1000 meter row

Tues 05.29.12 Read More »

Memorial Day Murph

Join us Monday for a noon WOD to remember fallen American hero, Navy Lieutenant and Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy as we do the famous CrossFit Hero WOD MURPH. One class Monday: 12 noon. Drop-ins are welcome, in exchange for a $20 donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Memorial Day Weekend classes

We’ll have only one class Saturday – at 10 and one class Monday – at 12 noon (see above).

Welcome Lynn!

Check out Crystal and her new GUNS killing some pull ups! Crystal just left on vacation, but will be joining group classes when she returns.

Workout of the Day

A. 15 min skill work: rings (L-sits, static holds, muscle ups, ring dips, front/back lever)
B. As many rounds/reps as possible in 12 minutes:
2 Handstand Push Ups
4 R arm kettlebell snatch 53/35
4 L arm kettlebell snatch 53/35

Fri 05.25.12 Read More »

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALS!

All members got an email from Lis yesterday about your summer goal-setting. Please take the holiday weekend to think of who you will be by Labor Day…set some specific, measurable goals, and send them back to Lis by next Wednesday. If you didn’t get the email, let us know.

Memorial Day Weekend classes

We’ll have only one class Saturday – at 10 am. And on Monday we remember fallen American hero, Navy Lieutenant and Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy as we do the famous CrossFit Hero WOD MURPH at noon. One class Monday: 12 noon.

Welcome Carlos, Vince and John!

Alison and Austin killing some ski jumps…along with Geoff and Righton, they made up the biggest class in CFM history Tuesday night!

Workout of the Day

A. Power snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
B. Complete 4-6 rounds for time (rest 4:00 between rounds)
20 yard farmer’s carry, as heavy as possible (kettlebell or barbell)
20 yard L side shuffle
20 yard R side shuffle
20 yard sprint
 

Thurs 5.24.12 Read More »

Geoff and Righton hitting the lateral skier hops. Thanks for dropping in, Righton! Check out the mural progress in the background.

Workout of the Day

A. 3×3 Back Squat – NOT A 3RM
B. 50 Turkish Get Ups, for form, not for time
C. 50 barbell roll-outs
 

 

Wed 05.23.12 Read More »

Memorial Day Weekend

Who’s hanging around town? This weekend, we’ll offer ONLY the 10 am class on Saturday, and ONLY the 12noon class on Monday.

Join us for a special Memorial Day Murph WOD Monday at noon.

Murph is the most famous of the Hero WODs – CrossFit workouts named in memory of fallen heroes. Hero WODs are more grueling workouts than we typically do at CFM, but instead of being overwhelmed by the volume of work, focus on what you can do, scale where needed, and think about the Hero that has given his all for our freedom.
There are 4 different workloads to choose from, as well as a partner option:
  • Murph: Straight through, in order – 1 mile run, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats, 1 mile run (weight vest optional)
  • Murph, Cindy-style: 1 mile run, then chop up as needed – 100 pull ups, 200 push ups, 300 squats – end with 1 mile run
  • Smurph (1/2 Murph) – 800 meter run, then chop up as needed -50 pull ups, 100 push ups, 150 squats – end with 800 meter run
  • Mini Murph – 800 meter run, then chop up as needed – 25 pull ups, 50 push ups, 100 squats – end with 800 meter run

Murph Cindy-style, Smurph, and Mini Murph can be done with a parter who shares the workload with you. Murph must be done by yourself, straight through.
Spectators are invited and drop-in visitors are also welcome, provided they are conditioned enough to safely complete the workout. Drop-ins are asked to make a $20 donation to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Thanks to CrossFit High Voltage for sharing these scaling options. If you’re ever in Burbank, CA, pay them a visit!

Goal Setting

Watch your inbox for an email from Lis about setting your four-, eight- and 12-week goals!

That’s right, we rearranged the blog today. Today’s Workout of the Day can now be found below the picture…

Melvin, our new member and talented artist, gets started on the mural. It will be done by week’s end! (AND we got a new camera with a fancy time/date stamp that I’ll remove for future pics :))

Workout of the Day

8 rounds for total reps:
30 sec max Burpee broad jumps
30 sec rest
30 sec max Lateral Plyo Skier Hops 20″
30 sec rest
30 sec max Sit Ups
30 sec rest

 

 

Tues 05.22.12 Read More »

WOD

A. 3x 1 Strict press, 2 Push press, 3 Push jerk
Rest 3:00 between rounds

B. 5 Rounds for time
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
1 Strict Pull Up
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
3 Strict Pull Ups
1 Press 90% of 1 RM
5 Strict Pull Ups

Welcome to Scott & Carlos…and our new intern Sam!


Chuck and Lis on shuttle runs.

What a great opening week!

We had 27 different athletes join us last week – members, drop-ins, intros and private training clients. Thanks to each and every one of you who made it such a memorable week. We look forward to many more (athletes AND memorable weeks)!!!

Grand Opening Day – Saturday, June 16th:

Fran Challenge Prelims during AM classes
Party time – 5-8 pm in the box
Members, mark your calendars now as YOU GUYS are the guests of honor at our Grand Opening Celebration. If you’re not already a FAN of CrossFit Midtown on Facebook, please become one so we can keep you in the loop!

Have you read the gym rules? If not, please check them out now. At least two were violated last week!

Reminders: Put the toilet seat down AND if you’re contagious, DON’T COME TO THE BOX!

 

05.21.12 – WEEK 2! Read More »

WOD

A. 3RM Back Squat

B. PYROBAR – Your shoulders will be on FI-YA!
CFM’s first original benchmark WOD, named for the amazing building blocks of our box:
3 Rounds:
3 wall climbs
6 handstand push ups
9 toes to bar
12 pull ups

CELEBRITY SIGHTING! That vampire from Twilight (James) coaching that famous photographer (Carlos) to new squat clean and C&J PRs!

SUNDAY FUN AT THE PARK

Every Sunday for the past few weeks, we meet at the park for a FREE WOD, open to the public (and suitable for all activity levels). This is your chance to exercise in the great outdoors, drag that friend along who doesn’t understand CrossFit, and play outside with your new CFM friends.
Come on out Sunday at 10 am, and stay to play HOOVERBALL afterward at 11. This week we’ll meet by the sand volleyball courts in the Piedmont Park active oval. Come for the WOD and stay for HooverBall, or pick one or the other. Either way, we’d love to see you there!
The closest parking is on the streets off Piedmont, west of the park (13th, 12th, 11th) or in the parking deck off Monroe. BUT YOU SHOULD REALLY JUST JOG OR RIDE A BIKE THERE! Check the CFM FB page for an update if there’s inclement weather.

05.19.12 – PYROBAR Read More »

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