ring dips

Deadlifting to “Failure”

By Coach Dyer
We’ve been doing max reps to failure on deadlift recently. This can be dangerous if you are not checking your form on every rep. For most, technical failure on the deadlift occurs several reps before you simply can’t lift the weight. Most commonly, the back becomes too fatigued to maintain a proper position and begins to round. As soon as you feel your back start to round on these deadlift sessions, you’ve reached technical failure and you should stop even though you might possibly pull out another rep or two. These lifting sessions are training, not tests. There’s no glory in injuring yourself just to put an 11 instead of a 9 on the board for your last set. Stop once you hit technical failure and save your back so that you can come back to fight the next day.

Strength cycle adjustments

Each week, you’ll adjust your weight on a lift based on the last time you did that lift. Here’s how to adjust this month:
If you did less than 5 reps, drop 5# on a DL or squat. Drop 2.5# on press (strict or bench).
If you did exactly 5 reps, keep weight the same and shoot for a PR on reps (6+).
If you did 6-9 reps, add 5# total to DL or squat. Add 2.5# to press.
If you did 10-13 reps, add 10# total to DL or squat. Add 5# to press.
If you did 14+ reps, add 15# total to DL or squat. Add 10# to press.
Warming up for Helen on Saturday.

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A. Deadlift: 5-5-5+
B. Every min on the min for 16 mins: Even – 8 Lateral box jumps
Odd – 10 wall balls 20/14

And coming tomorrow…

A. 3 sets max ring rows.
Rest/mobilize 5 min between rounds.
B. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 reps of:
Russian KB Swings 2/1.5 pood
Ring Dips

WED 8.14.13 Deadlifting to “failure” Read More »

To Helen Back Finals this Sat: NO 11A CLASS!

Come cheer on your CFM buddies in the To Helen Back Finals this Saturday at 11am! Challengers, check your inbox for an email from Lis with more info.
Email Tirzah to confirm your heat time – 11a (10:40 warm-up), 11:20a (11 warm-up), or 11:40a (11:20 warm-up). Warm-ups will be led by ITP student, Czarlos.

Free workout at Fab’rik tonight at 6!

Join Lis for a free bodyweight WOD, every Wednesday at 6p next door at Fab’rik… break a sweat, then reward yourself with a glass of wine (thanks to Fab’rik!) and shop their duds for 20% off. No purchase required… just come break a sweat with us!

STRONG! screening & PRIDE fundraiser is next Fri, Aug 16

Help us support the Atlanta PRIDE committee as we celebrate our new Olympic Lifting coach Cheryl Haworth. Get your tickets here – NOW just a $5 donation to join the fun!

POSE Running seminar rescheduled for Aug 17

We pushed the POSE running seminar back to Saturday, August 17th. Join Coach Amy for an hour of skills & drills practice to make you a more efficient runner! Register here by Tues, 8/13 to get the EARLY BIRD discount of $15 ($20 after Tuesday; $25 for CFM guests).

More events:

Coming soon: Self-Defense 101 with Coach Walter: Join Walter for a one-hour introduction to self-defense. Learn to defend yourself on the mean streets of Midtown!
Bring-a-Friend Days are Thurs 8/22, Fri 8/23 & Sat 8/24! Invite your friends to join us for any class these three days, by emailing FRIENDS at crossfit midtown dot com.

Good luck to Sarabess and all the other To Helen Back challengers at Finals this Saturday!

Workout of the Day (WOD)

A1. Ring dips/dips: 3 sets max reps STRICT, rest/mobilize 2 min
A2. Chin ups: 3 sets max reps STRICT, rest/mobilize 2 min
B. Every minute on the minute for 9 minutes:
Rd 1, 4, 7: Run 200m
Rd 2, 5, 8: 12 KB swings
Rd 3, 6, 9: 6 Pull ups

And coming tomorrow

A. Overhead squat: 5-5-5+
B. Complete 8 rounds:
3 Power Cleans @ 75% of body weight
3 Broad Jumps for max distance
*Once you finish power cleans, perform 3 broad jumps for max distance.
*Rest 2 minutes between rounds.

WED 8.7.13 Upcoming Events Read More »

NEW YOGA CLASS Sundays at 6p

Starting this weekend, Monica will be teaching yoga Sundays at 6pm at CFM! This expands our yoga offerings to three classes a week – Wed at 12n with Beth, Thurs at 8:15p with Laura, & Sun at 6p with Monica! Yoga is included in your membership. It DOESN’T count toward your weekly class limits, so you’ve got no excuse to skip it. Come on in and get your yoga on!

NO CLASSES AT CFM SATURDAY!

We’ll hold ONE WOD Saturday at 10am over at the Piedmont Park Active Oval. So come for that OR PLEASE join us for the entire Field Day, Saturday morning from 9a-12noon. All proceeds benefit Strong4Life. Email Tirzah if you’d like to volunteer or if you still want to register a team.

Field Day will happen RAIN OR SHINE!

Stay tuned to the blog this week for announcements & the CFM Facebook page Sat AM for updates. If necessary, we’ll relocate the games back to CFM.

Speaking of the CFM Facebook page…

Did you know we film a new silly dance video to post on YouTube for every 100 new fans we get on Facebook? Welllll, we’re hoping to score ONE THOUSAND…1,000… FANS before Saturday so that we can enlist the help of our new student Antony (He’s a breakdancer. How cool is that?) to make the BEST VIDEO EVER at the Anniversary Party. Please help us recruit more fans. Share the CFM page on your FB page and help us break the 1000 mark!

ANNIVERSARY PARTY SATURDAY 7-10p AT CFM!

Here’s why you should come:
These guys will be here from 7 to 9p dishing up some BBQ for ya (paleo & not-paleo options available :)). We’re picking up the tab from 7 to 8, so get here early!

Yoga today at noon!

Rowing class tonight at 7p

Here’s the rowing WOD:
1 x 5 min at 2k split time
2 x 4 min at 2k split minus 1 sec
3 x 3 min at 2k split minus 2 sec
2 x 2 min at 2k split minus 3 sec
1 x 1 min at 2k split minus 4 sec
Notes: Rest 1:30 between each segment. If you do not know your 2k split time, it’s ok. I will work with you to figure out a good pace for the workout.

Workout of the Day

20 min to find 1-rep max bench press THEN…
2 min to find max standing broad jump THEN…
2 rounds:
1 min max plyo push ups
1 min max overhead lunges 45#/25#

No rest between movements/rounds.

And coming tomorrow…

A. Pull ups: Weighted pull ups – 5-5-5+ at 75% of last week’s 1 rep-max OR
Negatives 5-5-5
Rest 3 minutes between sets
B. As many rounds & reps as possible in 10 minutes:
5 ring dips
5 wall balls 20/14
5 box jumps 24/20

WED 05.08.13 Sunday Yoga! Read More »

Whole Life Challenge

I know, I know…you’re tired of hearing about the Whole Life Challenge and how you should totally get into the game. You’re all, “Goodness gracious, I already play pretty close to these rules… why do I need to pay for a Challenge?” or “I know I’m not going to be perfect, so why even play?”
Or, my personal favorite, “I don’t want to be excommunicated just because I don’t participate.”
To be clear, there will be no excommunication.. there WILL BE a lot of people around the gym getting healthier, improving at WODs/lifts, leaning out/bulking up, and just developing better life habits in general. Soooo, if you feel excluded, it’s only because MORE THAN 30 of your CFM-mates are already in the game.

I know eight weeks is a big commitment. You don’t have to be a hermit. We’ll plan group outings that have nothing to do with non-WLC-approved foods/activities. I’m talking hiking, rock climbing, gun range, trampolining, roller derby… etc…

Just take it day by day and create a better life for yourself. Still on the fence? Check out this testimonial…

Email us or come to the Pre-Challenge Huddle if you have more questions. Don’t let self-doubt leave you out of the game…You can do it.

Mark your calendars for upcoming WLC cahoots:
Saturday, September 8 at noon- WLC Pre-Challenge Huddle
Friday, September 14- WLC Eve Not-Paleo Potluck
Saturday, September 15- WLC Prelims
Friday, October 12- Paleo Potluck
Saturday, November 10- WLC Finals, Awards Ceremony and Finals Party

International Make-Fred-Run Day

Workout of the Day

Ring Dips As many reps as possible. Rest 5 minutes. 3 Rounds.

7 sets (shooting for 1:00 rds):
10 thrusters 75/55
5 push ups
25 double unders (or 25 singles)
Rest 1 min

MON 08.20.12 HAPPY BDAY COURTNEY! Read More »

Nutrition page!

Check out our new Nutrition page for a taste (haha, get it?) of what Jasmine and Lis will cover at tomorrow’s Food as Fuel workshop. Don’t miss it – Saturday at noon in the box.

This weekend:

Saturday
Classes – 9, 10, 11 am
Food as Fuel – Saturday, noon-1:30

Sunday
FREE WOD at lululemon howell mill – 10am
Hooverball at Piedmont Park sand vball courts – 11:30am

Congrats to Carlos on YET ANOTHER PR (personal record) last night.
We have temporarily renamed the bell in his honor 🙂

Workout of the Day

A. In 10 minutes, find your 1 rep max weighted pull up (strict) -OR- 10 minutes of pull up skill work

B. The Wobble
20 Walking Lunge steps (total)
20 Pull ups
20 Box Jump 24/20″
20 Ring Dips
20 Knees-to-elbows
20 Double Unders
20 Kettlebell Swings 2/1.5 pood
20 Sit ups
20 Back Extensions
20 Wall Balls 20/14 lbs
2 Rope Climbs

FRI 06.08.12 Read More »