WOD

Strong4Life Field Day registration is now open!

For more info and to register, click here. PLEASE tell your friends & help us meet our goal of 20 teams at Field Day! That means our CFM community would raise & donate $2000+ to Strong4Life (that ‘+’ is there because it’s not even counting raffle ticket donations!).
Did I mention we’ll not only give prizes to a winning team in each of the four events, but a prize for the team with THE BEST COSTUMES! Of course.

DONATIONS NEEDED!

We need some awesome raffle prizes as well as prizes for the winning Field Day teams. Please email us if your business …or regular watering hole… or regular massage therapist… etc, can donate something awesome like tickets, a gift certificate or other goodies. We’ll provide a donation letter & copy of Strong4Life’s 501c3 status. Thanks in advance!

Flashback to Oysterfest w Levy, Adam, Dave, Ellen, Amanda, Casey, Lee H, Arielle and Cary.

Workout of the Day

A. Push Press & Push Jerk: 5 sets of 3 push press & 2 push jerk every 3min
B1. Dumbbell External Rotation: 5 sets of 6-8 @3010 tempo, 30sec rest
B2. Dumbbell Powell Raise: 5 sets of 6-8 @3010, 60sec rest
C. Choose one: Run 400m for time OR 60sec AirDyne for max calories OR Row 500m for time

And coming tomorrow…BENCHMARK FRIDAY

A. Goat work: A goat is a movement you need to work on… pick a movement to work on for 10 minutes (coaches will help you narrow it down and suggest skill work!).
B. “Rahoi”:
As many rounds & reps as possible in 12 minutes of –
12 box jumps 24″/20″
6 thrusters 95#/65#
6 bar-facing burpees

THURS 03.21.13 Field Day registration is OPEN Read More »

It’s A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood

by Uran
Today marks the would-be birthday of one of my heroes: Mister Fred Rogers. It’s been ten years since we lost this man who brought joy to so many children through his 33-year run on television, and it’s easy to forget the lessons we were taught as kids in his Neighborhood. Life gets busy, and as we get older, we tend to become increasingly hard on ourselves and each other. But it’s when we’re struggling for success and fighting to stay on top of our game that are the most crucial times to remember his messages of love, respect, gratitude, and hope.
So today, I hope you’ll join me in remembering this man who dedicated his life to giving children the tools to be better people…The man who found positivity in everything and chose to look at the world in a very real, but still very hopeful, way. Take a moment to remember the lessons he taught you. Tell someone you love them. Thank the people who have made you who you are. Remember that you’re special.
And if you’re interested in learning more about Mister Rogers, I encourage you to take a look at this wonderful tribute to his life. Warning: You’ll feel warm and fuzzy afterward, and you might find he still has plenty of lessons to teach you. 🙂

Yoga today at noon with Beth

Over the past two years, Beth has been participating in advanced training in Yoga Therapy. She recently completed the program making her a certified Yoga Therapist and 500hr Yoga instructor. Yoga therapy uses ancient Yogic healing techniques combined with the latest scientific research and modern healing modalities. The Yoga tools of asana, pranayama and meditation are used in the treatment of musculoskeletal, medical and psychological conditions. She is trained in assessing and using adaptive yoga in the treatment of common musculoskeletal imbalances that occur with pain and injury. Beth teaches the 12PM class on Wednesdays and is available for private Yoga Therapy sessions by appointment.
Pat H & Jonathan working on hang cleans.

Workout of the Day

A. Barbell Lunge Squat: 4 rounds of 8-10 reps @3010 tempo, 2min rest
B. Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes: Odd – 6 hang power cleans
Even – 5 burpees

And coming tomorrow…

WED 03.20.13 Da Neighborhood Read More »

Strong4Life Field Day & Raffle

What: Field Day benefiting CHOA’s Strong4Life
Strong4Life is a movement created by Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to address the childhood obesity medical crisis that is threatening nearly one million kids in Georgia.
When: Saturday, May 11 9a – 12n
Where: Piedmont Park’s Active Oval
How to participate: Register as a four-person team (at least one female!) – $100, a free agent – $25, or just make a donation. All proceeds benefit Strong4Life. Registration opens this week!

RAFFLE & PRIZES! If your business is willing to donate a prize for the Field Day winners OR the raffle, please email us! We’re requesting donations of awesome prizes like tickets and gift certificates or other goods and services.

Field Day events: Round up your team of four (or just register as a free agent and we’ll team you up!) and get ready to play…
EVENT 1 – Hooverball tourney
EVENT 2 – Team Relay (wheelbarrow, three-legged race, dizzy bat & burpee leap frog)
EVENT 3 – Tug-o-War
EVENT 4 – Egg Toss

Volunteer: We’d love your help planning our first anniversary events. Please email Tirzah to volunteer your help with the Field Day, Raffle, Anniversary Party or Birthday WOD.

Paleo Veda 101 at lululemon howell mill

Join Lis next Tuesday at 6:30 for a free intro to Paleo & Ayurveda. This is also a great free info session for anyone considering doing next month’s Paleo Veda Spring Cleanse. Check it out!

Is this photo A) Tirzah, Lindsay, Krystol & Lis post-13.2 on Saturday? Or B) the cover of a bad 90s hip hop album?

Rowing class tonight at 7

Reserve your spot for Coach Uran’s rowing class tonight at 7pm. Here’s the programming:
A. 5 x 100m, 1:00 rest between (working on sprint starts and lowering split times)
B. 4 x 500m sprints, rest 3:00 between

Workout of the Day

A. Power clean: Work to a heavy single in 10min
B. For time: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3
KB swings
Sit ups

And coming tomorrow…

A. Barbell Lunge Squat: 4 rounds of 8-10 reps @3010 tempo, 2min rest
B. Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes: Odd – 6 hang power cleans
Even – 5 burpees

TUES 03.19.13 Strong4Life Read More »

Paleo Veda 101 at lululemon howell mill

Do you want to eat better but don’t know where to start?
Curious about the paleo diet but not sure how it works?
Wondering about that Ayurveda thing Lis talks about in class sometimes?

Join me next Tuesday night at lululemon howell mill for a free introduction to Paleo Veda – a new concept my friend Anna Russ & I developed, based on combining paleo eating with an Ayurvedic lifestyle to achieve a healthy mind, body and spirit.
When?Tuesday, March 26, 6:30-8p
Where?lululemon howell mill, in West Midtown at 14th & Howell Mill
What?Free introduction to Paleo Veda AND sample yummy bites from Urban Pl8 and paleo brownies from Chef Sam

Open WOD 13.2 is a WRAP!

Congrats to all the athletes competing in the Open who rocked 13.2 last week! Top scores from CFM were: Krystol (245), Shay (243), Cap (240), Calin (240), Lis (236) & Tiernan (228).
AND HUUUUUUGE PROPS to Amanda B, who not only PR’ed her shoulder-to-overhead weight while warming up for this WOD, but THEN she did that new PR 26 MORE TIMES in warm ups and the WOD. Amazing work, girl!

Awesome time in the park Saturday! Here’s some of the crew who came to play: friends Jeff & Eric, CFMers Sarabess, Levy, Cassie, Ian, Uran, Jonathan, DLP, Catherine…and Gracie the dog!, Lee H, Dan, Lis & Kenley

Workout of the Day

A. Every 4 minutes: A1. Front squat – 5 rounds of 2-3
A2. Weighted pull up or negatives- 5 rounds of 2-3
B. 5 rounds for time:
4 thrusters 155#/105#
10 box jumps 30″/24″

And coming tomorrow…

A. Power clean: Work to a heavy single in 10min
B. For time: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3
KB swings
Sit ups

MON 03.18.13 Paleo Veda 101 at lululemon Read More »

You Can Lead A Horse To Water…

by Uran
…but you can’t make it drink. My high school English teacher used to say that all the time. So much, in fact, that I got really tired of hearing it. Still, I find as I get older that it’s more true than I ever realized, and I’ve said it to myself dozens of times since high school.
Have you ever wanted so badly to change someone’s life? To make them stop drinking, stop smoking, start working out, start caring about their bodies, etc.? You’ll always have people in your life you wish would change their health, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It means you care enough to hope for a better life for them, and that’s a wonderful trait to have. But you can only do so much. You can lead them to the water, but you can’t make them drink.
So, one thing I’ve learned the hard way is that you just have to make the path to that “water” look awesome, and the “water” itself seem delicious. Instead of lecturing those people in your life or telling them what they should or shouldn’t be doing, show them how a healthy mind and body looks and functions. Demonstrate what accomplishing a big, scary goal looks and feels like. Lead by example and just hope that they see the positivity radiating off of you and want to follow you down that path too.

YOGA!

Reminder we offer yoga twice a week at CFM. Beth teaches Wednesdays at noon and Monica teaches Thursdays at 8:15p. Two important parts of CrossFit are mobility and mental toughness, and yoga can help with both. These classes are free to CFM students and don’t count toward your weekly visits, so check it out!

Open WOD 13.1 highlights (D-Lo, Lis, Shay & Lindsay). Team CFM takes on 13.2 Saturday at noon. Come cheer us on, then join us in the park at 3 to celebrate the great weather!

Workout of the Day

A. Deadlift: 5 rounds of 8 reps, every 1:15
OPEN COMPETITORS SUB MOBILITY WORK, FOAM ROLLING OR DOUBLE UNDER PRACTICE
B. Every minute on the minute for 12 min:
Odd minutes – 3 touch & go power clean
Even minutes – 3 muscle-ups
C. Every minute on the minute for 12 min:
Odd: 6 kettlebell swings
Even: 6 ring dips

And coming tomorrow…BENCHMARK FRIDAY

A1. GHD Situps: 3 rounds of 10-15 (sub 3 rounds of :30 plank hold), rest 1 min
A2. Back extensions: 3 rounds of 10-15, rest 1 min
B. “Annie”:
50-40-30-20-10
Double unders
Sit ups

THURS 03.14.13 You can lead a horse to water… Read More »

Feel the Love Day!

SURPRISE! As a token of appreciation for being part of the CFM community, enjoy a coconut water today ON US! After your workout, help yourself to a small coconut water and a sample of the new noGRAINola (grain-free granola) we now carry in the pro shop. And thanks for helping our community grow!
We looooooooooooooove you. All of you. Even the ones who leave the bathroom light on and the toilet seat up. Even the sweaty people. Even the chalk monsters. Even those who leave half-empty water bottles all over the box like we’re warding off aliens in an M Night Shyamalan movie. Even the peeps we haven’t seen in ages. Ahem… Lynn. PJ. Nate L. Come back. We shall lure you back with coconut water.

PARTY IN THE PARK

Let’s take over the Piedmont Park meadow on Saturday around 3. After Team CFM competes in the Open WOD 13.2, join us out in the Piedmont Park meadow, adjacent to Park Tavern, to throw the football & frisbee and hang out. Bring a cooler (and cups to be discreet if you plan to have an adult beverage). Let’s enjoy this awesome weather!

Dyer. On. Fire. 13.1.

Workout of the Day

A. Bench Press: 5 sets of 2-3 reps @ 20×1 tempo, every 3min
B1. Dumbbell external rotation: 4 sets of 6-8 reps @3010 tempo, 30sec rest
B2. Dumbbell Powell raise: 4 sets of 6-8 reps @3010 tempo, 60sec rest
C. As many rounds & reps as possible in 8 minutes:
50 back squats 115/85#
50 burpees

And coming tomorrow…

A. Deadlift: 5 rounds of 8 reps, every 1:15
B. Every minute on the minute for 12 min:
Odd minutes – 3 touch & go power clean
Even minutes – 3 muscle-ups
C. Every minute on the minute for 12 min:
Odd: 6 kettlebell swings
Even: 6 ring dips

03.13.13 Feel the Love Day! Read More »

SO MUCH IS HAPPENING!

The CrossFit Open – PLEASE come out to cheer on Team CFM as we complete Open WOD 13.1 at noon on Saturday. We’ll warm up at noon and heats will start at 12:30. There’s still time to register. ANYONE can do burpees, right? So that means anyone can score at least 40 on this WOD. We’ll go from there :).
Olympic Weightlifting Seminar is Sunday. Space is still available.
Bring-a-Friend Days today, tomorrow & Saturday.
Aaaaand…

Paleo Veda Spring Cleanse

Check out all the details here: 2013 CFM Paleo Veda Cleanse. Basically, we’ll all partake in a seven-day cleanse, to detox our minds & bodies, lose a little weight and basically, shed our winter selves. $160 gets you pre & post-Cleanse meetings, daily coaching from Anna, meal plans/recipes, workouts/yoga sequences and step-by-step guidance on how to get the most out of this cleanse and prepare for Spring! Email Anna to register!

CROSSFIT OPEN ATHLETE COUNT: 32!

Get in on the action. YOU HAVE UNTIL SUNDAY TO REGISTER & COMPLETE THE FIRST WORKOUT.

Thurs Night GIRL POWER! Lindsay, Ester, Tess & Cassie reppin’ out lunge squats.

Workout of the Day – BRING-A-FRIEND FRIDAY!

Partner WOD: P1 & P2 alternate movements for as many rounds & reps in 15 minutes of:
1) Choose one: 15 cal AirDyne/250m row/200m run/20 double unders OR 60 singles, then
2) 7 burpees over partner, then
3) 10 kb swings
Repeat until time expires.

And coming tomorrow…BRING-A-FRIEND SATURDAY!

TEAM FIGHT GONE BAD
In teams of 6, rotate through each station for three rounds:
One minute max reps of –
1. Row (for cals)
2. Wall balls 20/14
3. Sumo deadlift high pull 75/55
4. Box jump 24/20
5. Push press 75/55
6. REST

Friends who’d like to join us for a workout today or tomorrow can still reserve a spot in class by emailing FRIENDS@crossfitmidtown.com.

03.08.13 ANIMAL WARM-UP BRING-A-FRIEND FRI! Read More »

CrossFit Open starts tomorrow!

The first workout will be unveiled at 8pm tomorrow night. We’ll be doing the WODs as a TEAM, Saturdays at 12noon. But in the event you’re out of town or can’t make it one Saturday, you have a few options:
1) Email Lis to schedule a make-up time (options are Thurs night at 8p, Fri morning at 7a, or Sunday during Open Gym, 12-2).
2) Visit another box to do the Open WOD. Most other CrossFit gyms will also be hosting the Open WODs and can validate your score.

So what are you waiting for? If you have questions, post them in the comments. You have until Sunday to join the competition and complete the first workout. Join the fun!

We’re also making a team shirt (see below), so let us know in the comments if you want one. We’ll place the order Wednesday. They’re $25 or $20 for Open competitors.

CROSSFIT OPEN ATHLETE COUNT: 28!

Get in on the action

Rawr. Order now.

NO OPEN GYM THIS SUNDAY

Due to the Olympic Lifting Seminar at the gym Sunday 3/10, there will be no Open Gym. If you still want to break a sweat on Sunday, join us for a Park WOD at 12noon. Meet at the gazebo/benches in the middle of Piedmont Park’s Active Oval for some fun!

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Clean & Jerk: Work to a heavy single in 10 minutes
B. “Grace”:
For time – 30 clean & jerks 135/95#

And coming tomorrow…

A. Muscle ups: 10 min skill practice
B. “Diane”:
For time –
21-15-9
Deadlifts 225#/155#
Handstand push ups

TUES 03.04.13 CrossFit Open starts tomorrow! Read More »

Raise your game!

I’m lucky to be involved with a mentoring & accountability group (the BIZ) of CrossFit affiliate owners who support, challenge & inspire each other regularly to step our games up with a goal of helping more people improve their lives with CrossFit.
Three times a year, we get together for BIZ workshops and this past weekend’s gathering was in Dallas, Texas. I had a great weekend of hanging with good friends and learning how to develop the CrossFit Midtown staff into a stronger team of individuals better equipped to help YOU, our students.
I hope you all have similarly inspiring groups of people in your lives who push you every day to raise your game.
YOU: the CFM students… are very inspiring to me. So is our staff at CFM.
So I want to take this chance to thank everyone on our team who helps CFM run on a day-to-day basis. I never guessed that 9 1/2 months into running CFM, I’d be able to take back-to-back weekends away from the gym to attend a dear friend’s wedding and then the BIZ seminar.
Big thanks to our coaches, yoga teachers, staff, Instructor Training Program members & interns: Dan, Dyer, Beka, Cassie, Walter, Don, Amy, Uran, Beth, Monica, Alicia, Tirzah, Lindsay, Jon DLP, Erin, Matt, Levy… YOU ROCK!
Keep up the great work gang… let’s make this an awesome March!

CROSSFIT OPEN ATHLETE COUNT: 25!

Get in on the action

NO OPEN GYM THIS SUNDAY

Two of our newest students Jenny (front) & Kristi rocking the ring rows in Coach Cassie’s Thursday night Beginners class.

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Skill practice: Rope climbs
B. For time:
30 handstand push ups, 10 pull ups
20 handstand push ups, 20 pull ups
10 handstand push ups, 30 pull ups

And coming tomorrow…

A. Clean & Jerk: Work to a heavy single in 10 minutes
B. “Grace”:
For time – 30 clean & jerks 135/95#

MON 03.04.13 Read More »

March challenge: cut down the clutter

This month, I challenge you to cut down on stuff… clutter… junk. Whether it be virtual clutter in the form of an overflowing email inbox, or just cleaning out your closet, let’s cut down on clutter in our lives. You’d be surprised what peace of mind it gives you to simplify your life. I just sorted/deleted/archived and have almost conquered my email inbox (100 more in the archives to sort) and the past week has been much more productive because of it.
See if you can get rid of something every day this month. What will you tackle first?

Bring-a-Friend Days next week

Every quarter, we invite your friends to join us for three special days of workouts planned specially to give everyone of every fitness level a great workout. It’s a chance for your friends to see what the CrossFit fuss is all about!
Next Thursday, Friday & Saturday (3/7-3/9), we’re ready to host 20 students per class (14 CFM students & 6 guests). Please help spread the word!
Guests can reserve a space in class by emailing FRIENDS@crossfitmidtown.com. We’ll email back to confirm which class they can join.
Along with kicking off our first CrossFit Open ever, with WOD 13.1 next Saturday at noon, AND the Olympic Lifting seminar next Sunday, it’s bound to be an amazing weekend. Don’t miss it!

CROSSFIT OPEN ATHLETE COUNT: 22!

Get in on the action…A little birdie told me Tirzah & Lynn will be joining Team CFM today!

To any of your friends doubting they can do CrossFit, show them this picture of my 67-year-old mother doing yesterday’s WOD. With a positive attitude, ANYONE, of any age, ability, fitness level, etc, can do CrossFit. We will scale next week’s workouts as necessary for our guests.

Workout of the Day (WOD) – BENCHMARK FRIDAY!

“Angie”
For time:
100 pull ups
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 squats

Rx: do all reps of one movement before moving on. Beginners: COACHES WILL HELP YOU SCALE REPS & MOVEMENTS!

And coming tomorrow…Team workout:

In teams of 3:
60sec of single unders (EVEN IF YOU CAN DOUBLE…do faster singles)
60sec of kb swings
60sec of sit-ups
alternate movements
x12 total min

Team score= total reps of all singles, swings and sit-ups done by everyone

03.01.13 Minimalist March Read More »