Michael Aaron

More yoga AND kettlebells!

Ask and you shall receive! We’re now offering yoga classes on Tuesdays at 8:15pm with Monica AND Wednesdays at 1:15pm with Beth. Stay tuned for details on a Saturday yoga class AND a weekly kettlebell class (both with Amy). Class attendance for CFM students counts as one of your weekly visits. OR CFM students and visitors are also welcome to join yoga or kettlebell classes for a $15 drop-in fee.

Hydrostatic body composition testing rescheduled

Body composition testing has been rescheduled for Wednesday, October 17 from 4 to 7pm. Sign up for your time slot at the box or by emailing Courtney. Bali has offered a complimentary test to those who were scheduled on the original day.

Whole Life Challenge check-in

How’s everybody doing? I’m feeling stronger, sleeping better, and trying some new recipes. Remembering to log my points has been tougher than I thought! I set an alarm on my phone, but I was coaching an intro when it went off Saturday and quickly turned it off. WHOOPS! What’s been the toughest part for you? Post in the comments and let us know.

Bri crushing the kettlebell swings at WLC prelims. Bri is also crushing the WLC so far with about a jillion points. Keep up the great work, Bri!

Workout of the Day

A. Press: 8-6-4, 3min rest
B. 5 rounds for time:
8 push press @ 135/95#
20 kettlebell swings @ 1.5/1pood

Yoga is today at 1:15

Weekly yoga with Beth continues today at 1:15. All members are welcome – this just counts as one of your weekly classes OR anyone is welcome to join us for a $15 drop-in fee. Bring a yoga mat (we have a few spares) and a towel. We’re in the process of adding additional yoga classes to the schedule by the end of the month, so stay tuned for details!

WLC WINNING!

Congrats to our weekly drawing winners… Woody snags a $25 CFM pro shop gift certificate and
Brianne wins a pair of concert tickets to AWOLNation or Rush. Our Friends & Family winners also get sweet prizes: Sophie D scores $50 cash and Stacy W wins a CFM tshirt & Paleo People granola!

An Ode to CrossFit

-by Instructor Training Program member Courtney
Gone are the hours of elliptisizing,
and my days as a treadmill track star.
I’ve traded in those nautilus machines
for a box, bumpers, and an Olympic bar.

Gone are the pretty pedis and French manicures
replaced by hardened calluses, chalk, and hand rips.
I’ve gone down a cup size and moved up a bust size,
from thousands of pullups, pushups and dips.

I belong to a place where anything is possible
and we never say never.
I may not be as young as I once was,
but damn, my snatch is looking better than ever.

Strong is beautiful
and being “a beast” is the best.
Not blowing our WOD
is our daily test.

We eat like cavemen:
no grains, no sugar, no junk.
At first this Whole Life Challenge
had me all in a funk!

My muscle mass is going up.
My body fat is going down.
I push so hard,
I’ve even met our mascot, Pukie the Clown.

The husband admits
he’s not as strong as his wife.
There’s no going back now:
CrossFitter for life!

Our Instructor Training Program members, pictured above, are going through a Goals Coaching class this Sunday night. What are your October goals?

Workout of the Day

A. Back Squat: 3×3, rest 3min
B. 3 rounds for time:
10 Box Jumps 30/24
100 double unders or 300 jump rope singles
1000m row or 800m run

Come cheer on your fellow CFMers Saturday!

This Saturday, 20 CFMers are competing at the East-West Competition at CrossFit HD in Chamblee. Competition lasts from 9 to 5 and spectators are welcome!
The Mixed teams – Quadzillas & Hooverballers – compete Saturday morning while Elite teams – Chicken Legs & Midtown Get Downs – compete in the afternoon. Come cheer us on!
Quadzillas:
Arielle
Scott L
Dave
Ellen
Mary Anne
Bri M
Hooverballers:
Uran
Kurt
Anna
Tirzah
Shane
Kerry
Chicken Legs:
Courtney
Dan W
Don
Vabs
Midtown Get Downs:
Lis
Carlos T
Woody
Richie

Tink’s orders due today!

Tink’s Grass-fed Beef will make a delivery to CFM this Wednesday. Check out the price list below, email your order to info@tinksbeef.com (order deadline is today at 5), and leave cash or check at the box by Wednesday morning (meat will be delivered Wed afternoon…payment is due at the time of delivery).

Noon crew bonding: Woody, Vanessa & Anami

Workout of the Day

A. Snatch Balance: 5 sets of 2, rest 2min
B. Overhead squats: 3 sets of 3, rest 2min
C. Josh (20 min cap):
21 Overhead squats (OHS) 95/65
42 Pull-ups
15 reps OHS
30 Pull-ups
9 reps OHS
18 Pull-ups

GOOOOOOOALS!

How was September? Take some time this week to reflect on the past month, your successes, opportunities and setbacks, and determine how you can make October the best month of 2012. What are your October goals? Post in the comments… (and on the goals board in the box!)

Tink’s Grass-fed Beef

Tink’s will make a delivery to CFM this Wednesday. Check out the price list below, email your order to info@tinksbeef.com (order deadline is tomorrow at 5), and leave cash or check at the box by Wednesday morning (meat will be delivered Wed afternoon…payment is due at the time of delivery).

Fred loves turkish get-ups.

Workout of the Day

A. Deadlift 8-6-4, 2min rest
B. 4rds:
3 Deadlift TnG
150m row/run/30sec AD
rest 2:30
4rds:
3 Clean Pulls TnG
150m row/run/30sec AD
rest 2:30

Hooverball, free WOD & yoga in the park!

Please wear your CFM gear to the park this Sunday to join us for a park WOD! This Sunday, 9/30, we’re moving our monthly community WOD from lululemon howell mill to the park.
LET’S GET A HUGE CREW OUT TO THE PARK SUNDAY FOR A FUN PARTNER WOD! Meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10am for a warm-up and free WOD (open to the public, suitable for all fitness/skill levels) followed by our weekly Hooverball game.
THEN, Sunday night at 5:30, let’s head back to Piedmont Park to join our friends at lululemon howell mill for 10th & Flow, a huge donation-based yoga event at Piedmont Park, raising funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life… an organization fighting childhood obesity.

Tink’s Grass-fed Beef

Tink’s will make a delivery to CFM next Wednesday. Check out the price list below, email your order to info@tinksbeef.com, and leave cash or check at the box by Wednesday (meat will be delivered Wed afternoon…payment is due at the time of delivery).

Namaste! Join us every Wednesday at 1:15 for yoga with Beth. We’ll be adding new classes to the schedule soon, with instructors Beth, Monica and Amy!

Workout of the Day

A1. 4 sets: Front Squat x 3, 1min rest
A2. 4 sets: Weighted Pull Up or Pull Up Negative x2, 4min rest
B. 3min AirDyne for cals or 800m run or 1k row

Champions Are Made When No One’s Watching

– by Instructor Training Program member Urán
Let’s be real for a moment. Making the decision to commit to the Whole Life Challenge was not easy for most of us. Hell, even making the decision to join the gym or visit Nashville hot yoga classes was probably something many of us had to sleep on. Why? Because, there are a million excuses why not to eat well/CrossFit/take care of yourself, etc. There are so many things we face each day that threaten to get in the way of the goal of a healthier lifestyle. But we try anyway because our goal is important to us. And at the gym we have our CFM family there cheering us along as we limp through burpees or do our pullups in sets of 1. And celebrating with us when we destroy the WOD that day. We convene to discuss all things diet, and to talk each other off the proverbial ledge when temptations prove to be almost too strong to resist.
But what about the days when you’re not at the gym? When you’re alone trying to get in your workout for that day? When you’re pissed at the world and just wish you didn’t have to cook so much. That’s where the rubber meets the road. That’s where champions are made. You don’t have to win medals, or even win a prize in this challenge, to be a champion. The Whole Life Challenge is a competition for your life. For a better you – in whatever capacity you allow. This is the chance to prove to yourself that you can and will make positive changes in spite of the negative influences you’re faced with. And to remind yourself that if you falter, or take a step backward, that’s all it is. One step. And you can forge ahead with the knowledge that you have the capacity to make your life exactly what you want it to be. This is your chance to make a life you’re proud of, whether you’re surrounded by people watching you or you’re all by yourself. This is your opportunity to be your own champion.

Tink’s Grass-fed Beef

Tink’s will make a delivery to CFM next Wednesday. Check out the price list below, email your order to info@tinksbeef.com, and leave cash or check at the box by Wednesday (meat will be delivered Wed afternoon…payment is due at the time of delivery).

Hooverball, free WOD & yoga in the park!

This Sunday, 9/30, we’re moving our monthly community WOD from lululemon howell mill to the park. LET’S GET A HUGE CREW OUT TO THE PARK SUNDAY FOR A FUN PARTNER WOD! Please wear your CFM gear and meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10am for a warm-up and free WOD (open to the public, suitable for all fitness/skill levels) followed by our weekly Hooverball game.
THEN, Sunday night at 5:30, let’s head back to Piedmont Park to join our friends at lululemon howell mill for 10th & Flow, a huge donation-based yoga event at Piedmont Park, raising funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life… an organization fighting childhood obesity.
Congrats to Anna on doing her first strict pull-ups last week. And she repped out three in a skirt suit, at that! Back in June she was on a black band for pull ups and now she’s showing off unassisted strict pull ups regularly in the gym. Be sure to ask her for a pull up next time you see her at CFM!

Workout of the Day

A. 4 sets:
8 Single-Arm Kettlebell Press, right arm
8 Single-Arm Kettlebell Press, left arm
Rest 2 minutes
B. 5 rounds for time:
3 Squat Clean Thrusters 155/115
15 Pull Ups

Today’s hydrostatic testing is cancelled

Body comp testing has been cancelled. The truck/test operator had a death in the family. Those who signed up will receive a complimentary test when he reschedules (probably next week… stay tuned for details).

Yoga is coming!

CrossFitters need yoga. We can all benefit from being more mobile, mindful and having better body control. That’s why we’re psyched to announce that CrossFit Midtown will be adding yoga classes to our regular schedule. Eventually, we aim to offer four classes a week at various times, but we’re starting with one.
When: Wednesdays at 1:15pm beginning today (more class times are coming!)
Where: In the box
Who can attend?: All CFM students are welcome to attend. This will count as one of your regular weekly classes, so you will check in as usual. Guests are also welcome to join the class for a $15 drop-in fee. DON’T FORGET YOUR YOGA MAT!
Who’s teaching?:Beth was the first student to register at CrossFit Midtown! Aside from being #1, she’s also a talented yoga instructor, so I am thrilled to add her class to the CFM schedule!
Beth is a 200-hr Registered Yoga Instructor and a licensed psychotherapist with a private practice in Midtown Atlanta. She has been practicing yoga for 11 years, starting when a friend introduced her to Bikram Yoga (a type of hot yoga) in 2001. She now teaches and practices a vinyasa style for all levels. She incorporates therapeutic yoga into her classes by focusing on common musculoskeletal imbalances and working toward creating a balance between core strength and flexibility. She is currently in the internship phase of her training with the Pranakriya program in Atlanta and will be a Certified Yoga Therapist and 500-hr instructor by March of next year. Beth also leads therapeutic, mindfulness based and trauma sensitive yoga groups in her counseling practice. She believes anyone can practice yoga and loves working with beginners. No experience or flexibility is required to start, but you will become more flexible with practice. There are modifications of every pose that can make yoga accessible to anybody. Do what you can with what you have, where you are now, without judgment. Acceptance is the heart of yoga and the key to creating positive change.

Tink’s Grass-fed Beef

Tink’s will make a delivery to CFM next Wednesday. Check out the price list below, email your order to info@tinksbeef.com, and leave cash or check at the box by Wednesday (meat will be delivered Wed afternoon…payment is due at the time of delivery).

Hooverball, free WOD & yoga in the park!

This Sunday, 9/30, we’re moving our monthly community WOD from lululemon howell mill to the park. LET’S GET A HUGE CREW OUT TO THE PARK SUNDAY FOR A FUN PARTNER WOD! Please wear your CFM gear and meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10am for a warm-up and free WOD (open to the public, suitable for all fitness/skill levels) followed by our weekly Hooverball game.
THEN, Sunday night at 5:30, let’s head back to Piedmont Park to join our friends at lululemon howell mill for 10th & Flow, a huge donation-based yoga event at Piedmont Park, raising funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life… an organization fighting childhood obesity.

Sarabess SWANGIN’ that kettlebell.

Workout of the Day

A. Ring Dips (As many reps as possible -2) x5, 2:30 rest
B. 50 Turkish Get-Ups* 1.5/1pd
*It’s a kettlebell movement. We’ll teach you!

Whole Life Challenge updates

A lot of WLCers were entered in this week’s prize drawing, thanks to perfect scores on nutrition, fish oil, mobility and/or exercise, as well as logging points and/or reflections every day. Basically, you get rewarded for logging your points, so DO IT!
Congrats to this week’s prize winners:
Bri snagged a case of Vita-Coco. Laura S got tickets to Joshua Radin, courtesy of Rock 100.5. POB scored a $50 CFM Pro Shop credit. And this week’s Friends & Family winners are Michelle D, who is now $50 richer, and Rachel J, who wins a CFM shirt & a bag of Paleo People granola!
Finally, rock star intern Courtney got F O R T Y – S I X friends & family to get in the game and participate in the Whole Life Challenge. Her prize is a case of Vita-Coco and $50.
If you have any score problems, disrepancies, or other WLC questions, please email them to us at wlc@crossfitmidtown.com. Your prelims scores and measurements have also been entered, so check out your profile and holler with questions.
Keep up the good work!

Hooverball, free WOD & yoga in the park!

This Sunday, 9/30, we’re moving our monthly community WOD from lululemon howell mill to the park. LET’S GET A HUGE CREW OUT TO THE PARK SUNDAY FOR A FUN PARTNER WOD! Please wear your CFM gear and meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10am for a warm-up and free WOD (open to the public, suitable for all fitness/skill levels) followed by our weekly Hooverball game.
THEN, Sunday night at 5:30, let’s head back to Piedmont Park to join our friends at lululemon howell mill for 10th & Flow, a huge donation-based yoga event at Piedmont Park, raising funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life… an organization fighting childhood obesity.

Weekly Yoga starts Wednesday at 1:15 at CFM!

Family strength! Alicia and Xavi. Incidentally, Xavi is already deadlifting twice his bodyweight and doing regular prowler pushes with his crib.

Workout of the Day

A. 3 sets of 5 Split Jerk, rest 2min
B. 5rds:
10 pullups
150m run OR row OR 30sec AirDyne
rest 3:30

Farewell Colman & Paul!

Two of our Ri-Ra buddies, Colman and Paul, are departing this week to tour the US before heading back to Ireland. Join us at Publik (next to the Fox) tonight at 9 for their going away party. It’s been a pleasure having you guys in the gym.We’ll plan a CFM vacation to Ireland ASAP for a visit!

Whole Life Challengers: Congrats on your first week down!

We’ll post our weekly winners on the blog later today, so stay tuned! On Monday every week, we’ll throw a bunch of names in a hat and have a drawing… one for CFM members and one for Friends & Family. Here’s how you get your name in the hat (your name goes in the drawing once for each of the reasons below):
1) Logged points every day of Week 1
2) Completed weekly challenge (Weekly challenges will now go Monday to Sunday. Week 8 Challenge will go Mon-Fri)
3) Perfect Nutrition Points
4) Perfect Activity Points
5) Perfect Mobility Points
6) Perfect Fish Oil Points

Hooverball, free WOD & yoga in the park!

This Sunday, 9/30, we’re moving our monthly community WOD from lululemon howell mill to the park. Meet at the sand volleyball courts at 10am for a warm-up and free WOD (open to the public, suitable for all fitness/skill levels) followed by our weekly Hooverball game.
THEN, Sunday night at 5:30, let’s head back to Piedmont Park to join our friends at lululemon howell mill for 10th & Flow, a huge donation-based yoga event at Piedmont Park, raising funds for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Strong4Life… an organization fighting childhood obesity.

Yoga is also coming to CFM, Wednesdays at 1:15pm

We’re psyched to announce that CrossFit Midtown will be adding yoga classes to our regular schedule. Eventually, we aim to offer four classes a week at various times, but we’re starting with one.
When: Wednesdays at 1:15pm beginning next week on 9/26 (by the end of the year we plan to regularly offer other yoga classes including week night and weekend options)
Where: In the box
Who can attend?: All CFM students are welcome to attend. This will count as one of your regular weekly classes, so you will check in as usual. Guests are also welcome to join the class for a $20 drop-in fee.
Who’s teaching?:Beth was the first student to register at CrossFit Midtown! Aside from being #1, she’s also a talented yoga instructor, so I am thrilled to add her class to the CFM schedule!

Jump Rope Seminar at CFM on Oct 20th

Molly Metz, world jump-rope champion (yes, apparently they have competitions for that stuff!) and viral video legend (see her video of 10-minutes non-stop double unders below), is coming to CFM on Saturday, October 20 for a jump-rope workshop from 9 to 11 am. You’ll be a double under pro after she’s done with you. Cost is $45. Register here.
*CFM’s 10 am class will relocate to Piedmont Park on 10/20, but the 11am class will be held at the box as regularly scheduled.

Join us at Publik tonight at 9 to bid farewell to Colman & Paul (pictured here after a date with the AirDyne).

Workout of the Day

A. Back Squat: 6-4-2 (3 min rest)
B. Fight Gone Not Well At All:
3 Rounds for Max Reps-
Wall Ball 20/14
Sumo-Deadlift High Pull 75/55
Box Jump 20″
Push Press 75/55
Row (for calories)
5 minutes rest

Score = all wall ball + SDHP + BJ + PP reps + Row calories for all three rounds