March Pr's

The open is over! Great work to everyone who participated and congratulations to all with PR's on the board last night. Hopefully the open gave you some good insight in what kind of goals you need to set for yourself. Start by putting them on the goal wall, get to work, and soon you will see them here. ;-) Great job CFM!

Jason R.: 225# Clean, 215# C & J

Marissa: “Karen” 7:15

Sarah C.: 180# C & J, “Karen” 8:00

Nicole F.: 100# Squat Clean

Sue G.: 1^st Box Jump

Kate: Finished First open!

Deb: 145# Clean, 140# C & J, 135# TNG Power Clean

Mitchell: 215# 5x2 Power Snatch, 225# 3x3 Snatch, 390# 5 RM BS, 315# 20 RM BS, 260# Snatch, 315# Power Clean

Megg: 2 Strict Muscle ups, 155# C & J, “Karen”5:25

Mike: 135# Power Snatch, 205# x2 FS, 225# x5 BS, 285# BS, 315# x 5 Deadlift.

2015 Open:

15.1 Trevor: 185, Meggan: 183

15.1a Trevor: 267#, Kelsey: 175#

15.2 Trevor: 202, Meggan 163

15.3 Trevor: 471, Kelsey 338

15.4 Trevor: 103, Kelsey 93

15.5 Trevor: 6:59, Meggan, 9:35

CFM February Newsletter

Its that time of year again. The CrossFit Games season is right around the corner.

The beginning of the CrossFit Games season start with a five-week, online, world-wide qualifier for the CrossFit Games, to find the fittest on Earth. In 2014, 209,585 people signed up for the CrossFit Games Open.

The Guinness World Record for the most participants in a racing event was set by the Run for Pasig River in Manila, Philippines on Oct. 10, 2010. The event, which included three simultaneous races, had 116,086 participants. The Kahit Isang Araw Unity Run on Jan. 22, 2012 in Manila, which had 209,000 registered runners, unofficially broke that record.

About 36,000 runners registered for the 2014 Boston Marathon. More than 50,000 runners participated in the five-day Walt Disney Marathon Weekend in 2014. And from February to July 2008, 63,000 bowlers took part in the United States Bowling Congress' Open Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., in what is called the world's largest participatory sporting event.

Each year, participation in the CrossFit Open grows exponentially. In 2011, about 26,000 people signed up for the first-ever Open. The next year, 69,370 people signed up. In 2013, there were 138,619 participants, and this year with newly added teen division, registration is expected to be over 350,000 people.

Most people who sign up for these large-scale events don't sign up to win. They don't even sign up to place in the top 100. With no hope of placing near the top, what is the motivation to join in?

You don't have to sign up for the Open to do each of the five workouts, just like you don't have to pay money, show up on a certain day, and wait for your assigned starting time to run 5K.

But as anyone who has participated in a race or a competition knows, it's not the miles or the amount of weight lifted that makes these races and competitions memorable. It's coming together with other people and raising the stakes just a little bit; it's pushing beyond the everyday and finding out what lies within you.

It's worthwhile to think about the sheer number of people doing the Open, and what that means. The athletes at the top of the Leaderboard get a lot of attention, but it's really the pages and pages of athletes behind the leaders that make the Open so extraordinary.

For five weeks, thousands of people around the world are united by a challenge. Some will experience success and some disappointment, but all over the world people show up, their heart in their throats, to test themselves, to cheer on their friends and to push their limits.

That's why so many people sign and put themselves through the emotional, physical, and psychological intensity of the Open. You too may surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.

CrossFit Games Live Streaming of Open

This year we are going to stream the live open announcements at the gym every Thursday starting February 26th through March 26th. So stick around after the 5:30pm WOD and watch the announcement of the WOD for that week and watch some of the CrossFit greats demo it as they compete head to head.

http://games.crossfit.com/article/2015-live-open-announcement-venues-and-athletes

We will be hosting and performing the Open WOD for that week on the Friday. We will setup as we have done in prior years by splitting the class into heats. That way everyone will be counted according to the standards of the Open.


Competitors Clinic II

We will be holding our second competitors clinic. This clinic is February 21st at 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. This clinic is free for those of you that signed up for the Open. We will talk about pacing, strategy, and overall performance for getting the best score you can in the Open. Then each Thursday after the Open announcement I will help you determine and develop your individual plan for performing that WOD.


CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition - March 14th

Only 3 spots remaining! The CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition is a bracket style competition where a male/female team will compete head to head against another seeded team through a double elimination contest to determine the best.

There will be a scaled bracket for those not competing as prescribed and a toilet bowl bracket for the those that are eliminated from main bracket.

All teams will compete in a least 3 WODs. The first WOD will be completed by every team and determine the teams seed for the rest of the event. From there, each team will compete in heats head to head against another team. The better team advances to the next round until only one team remains.

Sign up your team to hold your spot. We can only allow a certain number to fill the brackets properly.

All the WODs and details are posted on our websitewww.crossfitmacomb.com/p/macombmadness.html


Register Your Team!





February Macombie

This month, the February Macombie for the "Game Day" award goes to Josh M. Last year was Josh's first time competing in the Open. After that experience he wrote this:

"First of all I would like to thank you for pushing me to do the Open. It has been a fantastic experience. The atmosphere during the open workouts is only describable as electric. I have been pushed by the trainers and fellow CFM athletes, and have always outperformed my goal, or what I thought I was even capable of, going into the Open events. From watching the announcement online Thursday up until performing Friday there was the anticipation of "game day". Just as much as I have enjoyed competing, I have enjoyed cheering others on, and seeing others also outperform their expectations as well. For anyone that did not do the open this [last] year I want to tell you it is the best $20 you will ever spend. Not only did it push me during the open itself, but it is now my motivation for the next 12 months until 15.1 is announced. It has helped me to identify some weaknesses that I need to focus on for next year as well. So a big thank you to everyone at CFM, that helped me during the open this year. It has been a great experience, and I highly recommend you all sign up [this] year."

Josh is signed up for the Open again this year and he has a year's worth of training and work behind him to help through. He also has a new little girl to help cheer him on. I excited to see the improvements pay off for Josh and see what new work he needs to tune up for next year. Keep up the good work Josh.

Upcoming Events

February 21st: Competitor Clinic II at CFM (5PM - 6PM)
February 26th: CrossFit Games Open begins
February 26th: CrossFit Games Open Live Streaming Announcement at 8:00pm
March 14th: CrossFit "Macomb Madness" Competition
April TBD: Box to Box Throwdown

CFM January Newsletter

2015 State of the Gym Address
Thank you everyone that came out to the 2015 State of Gym Address. We had just about one-third of our members show up.

We started off by celebrating some of our athletes. Our longest active member of 3.5 years, who has been with us shortly after we opened was Judy P. She is one of the 5:45AM morning crew members. Our most active member last year was Kelsey S. She came to 392 classes last year. Just behind her with 387 classes was Andrew W. Both Kelsey and Andrew have put in a lot of work last year and it has shown.

Next, we announced some changes to our pricing options. CrossFit Macomb is now offering Unlimited CrossFit Classes memberships for only $125 per month now. One of our goals was to make CrossFit more accessible and through our growth over the past year, we were able to lower our prices.

We have also added a new pricing option called Mac-Pac's.
We will begin offering a 4 Pass and 8 Pass Mac-Pac. The Mac-Pac passes can be used on any of these services offered by CrossFit Macomb:

CrossFit WOD Classes
CrossFit Lite Classes
CrossFit ELEMENT Classes
Yoga Class
Open Gym
Clinics

The Mac-Pac's work as an add-on to your CrossFit Class Memberships to include Yoga, Open Gym, and Clinics but also can be used if you can't quite commit to a three day a week membership.

The 4 Pass Mac-Pac is $50 and the 8 Pass Mac-Pac is $90.

Lastly, we reviewed our direction in 2015. We are going to focus on three things: Programming, Box to Box Events, and Clinics. We will have a calendar out this month that will keep you up to date with these events.

See the events below dates and times.

CFM Clinics
This year we are going to put some focused effort into refining some of the skills that we touch on during the week.

The first clinic we are providing is a Gymnastics clinic. The Gymnastics clinic will focuson learning and developing each gymnastic movements. We will review specific drills and progressions as well as how to improve our efficiency when we are stringing multiple reps together. We will include multiple breakout sessions to "try the movements" while getting critiqued on the movements.

We will learn and practice the following gymnastics movements. From basic to advanced.

Push-ups, Knees to Elbow, Toes to Bar, Pull-ups, Muscle-ups, Handstand, Handstand Push-ups, Handstand Walking.

We will also be offering a Competition Clinic on January 31st. The Competition Clinic will be FREE for all CrossFit Macomb members.

You can keep up with all our clinics on our website at: www.crossfitmacomb.com/p/clinics.html



CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition - March 14th
The CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition is a bracket style competition where a male/female team will compete head to head against another seeded team through a double elimination contest to determine best.

There will be a scaled bracket for those not competing as prescribed and a toilet bowl bracket for the those that are eliminated from main bracket.

All teams will compete in a least 3 WODs. The first WOD will be completed by every team and determine the teams seed for the rest of the event. From there, each team will compete in heats head to head against another team. The better team advances to the next round until only one team remains.

Sign up your team to hold your spot. We can only allow a certain number to fill the brackets properly. Only 25 spots remaining.

Register Team!

January Macombie
This month, the January Macombie for the "Competition Queen" award goes to Michelle K. Michelle participated in a staggering 10 competitions last year. Somehow she managed all this while working and going to school obtaining a degree in Psychology. She is one of few CFM members that attend the 5:45 AM class as well as the PM classes. Great job Michelle, you are an inspiration to who you surround yourself with. Continue to work hard and good luck in all your competitions this year. You can read more about Michelle in her Transformation Tuesday post on our blog this week.

Upcoming Events
January 24th: Gymnastics Clinic at CFM (1PM - 4PM)
January 31st: Competitor Clinic I at CFM (1PM - 4PM)
February 21st: Competitor Clinic II at CFM (5PM - 7PM)
February 26th: CrossFit Games Open begins
March 14th: CrossFit "Macomb Madness" Competition
April TBD: Box to Box Throwdown

CFM December Newsletter

What Should I be Doing?

Just a reminder of all the things that we have to offer our members and how we can help push your fitness in the right direction.

WOD - The WOD is our standard CrossFit Class that is for general physical preparedness. The program is designed to be broad yet inclusive. Meaning we will be doing everything from Situps to Handstandwalks, or Deadlifts to Snatches. If you enjoy doing CrossFit then be in this class. All the movement and weights can scaled for all fitness levels.

CrossFit Lite - The CrossFit Lite class is designed to strictly build you body metabolic conditioning to help with endurance and stamina though high intense intervals and provide foundational strength and skill. The Lite doesn't mean it will be easy, it just means we won't use bars and heavy weights. If you are new to CrossFit this is a good place to start. Or if you want to focus more on metabolic conditioning and build your stamina and endurance then this is also for you.

ELEMENTS - The ELEMENTS class is where we start to hone in and focus on the specific areas of CrossFit, such as Olympic weight lifting, Gymnastic skills, long endurance, pure strength, or competitive training. If you want to be more competitive or want to focus on a specific area then this is where you cherry pick from what we programmed for that class that day.

All three of these classes are included in your membership to help you get the most results. If you haven't tried one of our other classes them please give them a shot.

CFM Yoga
As a Christmas present to our athletes we are giving away FREE yoga for the month of December. Any CFM athlete that has an active monthly membership can join the yoga classes this month. Yoga is a great addition to your CrossFit regiment as it can improve your flexibility, teach you how to breath under pressure, and help you relax for active recovery.
Have you heard a CFM trainer say, "You have tight hips", or "You need to work on shoulder mobility", or "Control your breathing", then yoga can help you do that. Take advantage of this gift to you for the month of December and see how it can really help.

Here is the schedule for December
8:30 AM Sunday
7:30 PM Tuesday
5:45 AM Thursday
11:30 AM Saturday

CFM Gives Back
We are so grateful to have such a giving group of people at CFM. The first round of our giving tree has already been swooped up. It is great that we can help and support a local Memphis family that is in need. We have another opportunity to help out another local family, we will be getting those tags up this week.
Here is the note for Joel and Lisa W. who is sponsoring this family.

"Hey everybody! I hope all is well for you and yours. I am writing to ask for your help again this holiday season. Last year I contacted Rhyan and Lisa and asked if we could share this request with the CFM community and they were more than happy to pass it on. You guys did not disappoint!
Through your contributions and that of others, we were able to sponsor a pair of families for the holidays and really make the holiday special for them. It was really incredible to see how much love and support was given to these families. It literally brought tears to my eyes when the contributions from CFM came pouring in. You all stepped up and the families were rewarded.
We are sponsoring another pair of families this year and are reaching out to ask for your help again. We quite simply cannot do it without support from our friends and family and the response has been just as incredible as it was last year! We have two new families this year, both single mothers with children. I know times are tough for many right now and the holidays can be very difficult, especially when we all have families of our own. I would never ask anybody to give more than they can nor would I ever want anybody to feel pressured or obligated to give anything at all.
The organization we are going through has no set minimum or set maximum. We can contribute as much or as a little as we want. My goal each year is to provide the families with as much possibly can. If I had to put that to numbers, I guess I'd shoot for $20-25 each. But it can be anything, really. The reason I reach out to so many is because the more that are involved, the more we can do for these families who really have very little. Also, it brings the cost down for everybody involved.
Again, please do not feel obligated or pressured. That is not my goal. But any help is much appreciated and, again, these families need a lot so anything we contribute is more than they already had."

CrossFit Macomb Christmas Party
We are still working out the date for our annual Christmas party and Ugly Sweater WOD. Check out the announcement board at the gym for the details.


CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition - March 14th
The CrossFit "Macomb Madness!" Competition is a bracket style competition where a male/female team will compete head to head against another seeded team through a double elimination contest to determine best.
There will be a scaled bracket for those not competing as prescribed and a toilet bowl bracket for the those that are eliminated from main bracket.
All teams will compete in a least 3 WODs. The first WOD will be completed by every team and determine the teams seed for the rest of the event. From there each team will compete in heats head to head against another team. The better team advances to the next round until only one team remains.
Sign up your team to hold your spot. We can only allow a certain number to fill the brackets properly.
Register Team!

December Macombie
This month, the December Macombie for the "Side Kick" award goes to Jenna and Nicole. You would think that Jenna and Nicole were sister as unseparable as they are but they are not (at least by blood). They have gone to every WOD together thus. Sometimes starting something new like CrossFit is scary and you need someone there with you going through the same pain and fears at the same time. It makes the tough things not seem as tough. That's what a good friend does for you. But as much as they are together that doesn't stop them from being very competitive with each other. When one beats the other, she lets 'em know. Great job working together Jenna and Nicole. Continue to encourage and push each other forward.

Upcoming Events***Because of the Holidays we will have some special classes at 3:30 PM see schedule below***

December 24th: Christmas Eve 9:00 AM, 3:30 PM, and 4:30 PM Classes ONLY
December 25th: Christmas Day NO CLASSES
December 26th: 9:00 AM, 4:30 PM, and 5:30 PM Classes ONLY
December 31st: New Year's Eve 5:45 AM, 9:00 AM, 4:30 PM, and 5:30 PM Classes ONLY
January 1st: New Year's Day 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM Classes ONLY
March 14th: CrossFit "Macomb Madness" Competition

CFM November Newsletter

Why is CrossFit Still Hard?

Have you ever asked yourself that question? You have been doing CrossFit for a while now, hitting new personal records, doing most of the workouts as they are prescribed, yet you still feel like CrossFit is hard. Are you not getting better at CrossFit?

The reality of the matter is that you are, it is now just a matter of perspective of what hard means.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), CrossFit will always be hard. It isn't designed to be, you make it hard. The reason you make it hard is because for some strange reason as soon as we yell 3-2-1, GO! you attempt to move and push and pull as fast as you can. So whether its your first workout or your 100th workout, it is going to feel hard.

That is why it is important to log what you are doing. Because most likely, you were scaling a movement before and now doing it prescribed, which is harder. Or you are moving more weight than you were before, which is harder. Or you are moving faster than you could before, which is harder. Again we did not design it to be harder, you made it harder because you are getting better.

This is why we are firm believers that CrossFit is for everyone, because it will always be hard for everyone. We can scale the weight and movements to make it hard, and as you get better we continue to make it hard. Because you recognize the benefits of pushing yourself to do something that normally wouldn't do.

CFM Yoga

We are excited to introduce Yoga classes into our schedule next week.
Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility, balance, core strength, and range of motion.
The Yoga classes will be $13 per 1 hour class or $120 for a 10 pass punchcard.

Here is the schedule starting in November.
8:30 AM Sunday
7:30 PM Tuesday
5:45 AM Thursday
11:30 AM Saturday

Schedule Change

For the fall and winter we will be cancelling all of the Tuesday and Thursday 7:30 PM classes.


November Macombie

This month, the November Macombie for "Never Too Busy to CrossFit" award goes to Dalton. Dalton has always impressed me as a very motivated young adult. Last summer I think Dalton was balancing 3 jobs. Recently, Dalton has been going to school full time, got accepted to Nursing School, working nights as security, and still finds time to make it in to CrossFit Macomb. Because his demanding schedule conflicts with our normal class times he's been taking advantage of our Open Gym time slots. All of this takes a tremendous amount of dedication and motivation.
Dalton said this about his macombie,

"I would have to say I have a few favorite things about CrossFit and CrossFit Macomb, but my favorite things about CrossFit Macomb specifically is the family atmosphere. I always feel welcome when I come into CrossFit. Second is the help and encouragement I get on a constant basis whether I'm pushing my one rep max or I'm having trouble getting one foot in front of the other pulling the sleds (thank you Mitchell). I always tell people we have the best trainers.
I have noticed tremendous changes physically and mentally since joining CrossFit. To start off I no longer have the world's tiniest legs which I am very happy about and I'm not too big of a klutz anymore. Mentally I feel like I am able to focus more and have enough energy to get me through a full day.
I have a few goals set for myself this year, one of my long term goals that I set for myself is to be able to hit 1,000 lbs for my CrossFit Total and another big one is to have better mobility."

Where most people Dalton's age are just existing, he is setting the bar high and making it work.

Upcoming Events

October 31st: Halloween NO 6:30 PM CLASSES
November 27th: Thanksgiving NO CLASSES
November 28th: Black Friday 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM Classes ONLY


We have had a few new members in the past month! Make sure you take time to welcome them.

AnnMarie
Dawn (Nikko)
Colleen
Augie
Melvin
Chuckie
Ryan
Tasha
Kenny
Eileen

Remember, doing work is the best way to see results. Your trainers are always available if you need extra help.

CFM September Newsletter

CrossFit Macomb serving out some of the best Kool-Aid in Michigan.

What's in the Kool-Aid?
You've probably heard or even said it yourself, "I tried CrossFit, I drank the Kook-Aid, and now I'm hooked". So what's in the Kool-Aid of CrossFit? Everybody has a different answer but I have a philosophy that boils down to three ingredients that make great Kool-Aid.
One part Activity. The body craves motions. It likes to be worked; It likes to be pushed; It likes to feel alive. When we are active our bodies release a super effective chemical called Endorphin's. Endorphin's are what triggers that happy feeling you have after you work out. It's your body's way of saying, "Nice job, we should do that again some time soon."
One part Stress-Free. Once you walk through the doors of CrossFit Macomb you can basically turn your brain off. You've spent all day making decisions, remembering to pick up groceries, meeting appointments, making schedules. For one hour of your day, you can put all that stuff aside. You don't have to think about what I'm going to do at the gym, we have done that for you. You don't have to think, period. You just have to move with purpose.
Three parts Community. The community ingredient is what makes the whole thing come together and is what makes our Kool-Aid different. The three parts to our community are the trainers, the athletes, and the encouragement and motivation they provide. Our community has some of the best trainers in the area. They provide instruction and direction that relates to any person at any age. They are very knowledgeable to be able to instruct in some of the smallest details. Our community also has some of the friendliest and welcoming athletes too. When you see a new face of someone who wants to try the Kool-Aid of CrossFit, you go over and introduce yourself. You try to make them feel comfortable and reassure them that is not that bad. You also tell them your story, how you started last year, and have been able to see some significant improvements. Both our athletes and our trainers combine into a motivational system that is unmatched. There is something about knowing that the entire class is working through the same process. There is even more encouragement when the class rallies around the person or persons that are bringing up the rear. Ya, they didn't finish as fast but those that are done came back around to cheer on those that aren't and to help them finish with the same intensity when they started. It's extremely motivating!
So in my mind that is what makes CrossFit Macomb's Kool-Aid so good, and why we come back for more. A lot of programs can offer activity and programming, but only the people of CrossFit Macomb can offer the encouragement to continue and the motivation to stick with the process. Ooohh Yeaaahh!

Open Gym
We introduced Open Gym to our schedule last week.
Open Gym is simple. The doors to CrossFit Macomb are open and you have the opportunity to work on the things that you want to work on. We of course give you some pushes in the right direction though to help you not to flounder.
Here's 4 ways to utilize Open Gym:
(1) Make up a WOD that you missed but wanted to do.
(2) Pick some sections from the ELEMENTS board to work on. Whether is getting better at muscle-ups, getting a PR on a Snatch, or improve your endurance.
(3) Practice some "homework" that one of our trainers gave you to work on.
(4) Schedule some one-on-one training with one of our trainers to get specific goals and specific programming to get you toward your goal faster.

Open gym is a $25 add on to your monthly membership. So you get an extra hour a day to work and find your way toward your goals for less than $1/day.

Here is the schedule starting in September.
5:45 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday (Lite), Wednesday, Thursday (Lite), and Friday
10:00 AM Open Gym
3:30 PM Open Gym
4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
5:30 PM on Monday (WOD & ELEMENTS), Tuesday (Lite & ELEMENTS), Wednesday (WOD & Open Gym), Thursday (Lite & ELEMENTS), and Friday (WOD & Open Gym)
6:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
7:30 PM on on Monday (WOD & ELEMENTS), Tuesday (ELEMENTS & Open Gym), Wednesday, Thursday (ELEMENTS & Open Gym)
and
9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on Saturday and Open Gym at 11:30 AM

See our full schedule and sign up for classes by clicking here or on the picture

CFM 10 Skills Challenge - Last Few Days to Register

Registration closes by September 10th.
The WODs are posted the heats are almost set. All you need to do is find a partner and sign up.

Sign up here
http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=20703&stype=-8&sView=day&sDate=8/9/2014

WODs are posted on the Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/798785143485485/

Did you also hear that we are giving away a FREE pair of Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0's?
Every participant will be entered into the drawing and we will pick the winning name after the 4th WOD. Don't miss your chance to get a new pair of shoes!

September Macombie
This month the September Macombie for the "CFM Wonder Woman" award goes to Rene A. Rene deserves the Wonder Woman award not just because she has the t-shirt and matching socks and phone case, but because she personifies what it means to a wonderful woman who is in the process of changing her body while loving the body she is in.
Rene said this about her transformation,

"CrossFit hasn't just helped me lose weight, it has guided me into loving my body. I can honestly say that I have never loved my body before. I do now, because I'm strong. My body can do things at almost 40 that it couldn't have done 10 years ago. I'll never, ever be what society thinks is thin-but I'm healthy and strong and a great role model for my daughters! The entire community at CrossFit Macomb has helped transform my physical body while healing my emotional perception of my body."

You can read more about Rene's transformation and see her before and after pictures on our blog later this month. Where we will be highlighting the transformations our athletes have made since starting with CrossFit Macomb.

Upcoming Events
September 13th: CFM 10 Skills Team Challenge

Click on the links for more details on any of these events.


Remember, doing work is the best way to see results. Your trainers are always available if you need extra help.

CFM August Newsletter

Injury and illness is an unfortunate part of life that we have to struggle with.

It's About the Journey
We have all been there at some point when our body isn't physically capable of performing what used to be a fairly simple task. The only way to avoid injuries, accidents, or illnesses is to live in an isolated bubble, safe from the dangers of life.
Since we are not designed to live this way, we have to learn to live with the inevitable setbacks of life. Knowing this then, the lesson is in the journey that we take through these trials.
I don't like using myself as an example, but I'd thought that would I share some of my journey's though accidents and injuries in hopes to help you.
August is the anniversary of my fateful accident. Of which, I consider it a miracle that I can write about it today. I was in a motorcycle accident in which I was cutoff on the expressway by a semi-truck in the middle of construction zone. I knew the semi didn't see me so I tried to burst around him. I looked down at the speedometer and I was pushing 75mph when I hit the construction barrel that he pushed me into. I lost control of the bike, dumped it, and started sliding with my motorcycle diagonally across 2 lanes of the expressway. I slid over 250 feet, on my stomach, in front of the semi and cars trying to pass him on the left. Again, miraculously I walked away from that accident. My injuries left with a severely bruised pelvis, 50% of the skin on my forearms, and only 10% of the skin on my hands. My stomach and knees were also badly burned and embedded with gravel and dirt. This accident and these injuries obviously left nearly incapable of doing anything by myself. I'd like to say that despite my injuries I was able to continue with my training, and coaching, and continued to see gains and improvements while doing this. Well that answer is no, and in fact I was left to simply heal. For someone like me this is harder then hitting a PR or doing "Fran" in under 3:00 minutes. Through those couple months I was forced to allow other people do things that I was perfectly capable of doing on my own just a few days before. But through the kindness and blessings of family and friends and all the members of CrossFit Macomb, I was supported to take the time to heal and recoup from this accident. Again the focus of this should not be the accident or what it did to me, but the fact that I had a support group surrounding me to not be discouraged and to get back to full strength. It was this journey that I learned the most about who I surround myself with matters more than what I do or what I can do on my own.
Everyone goes through these struggles. When they are physical struggles, remember that it takes time to get back to where you want to be. But the journey and the time you spent doing that is what is important. And the people you surround yourself with and who help you are what is important. Don't let isolated accidents or injuries define who you are. Let the journey and energy you put in to get through them define you. And by the grace of God, you can look back and reflect it on with the confidence of being tested and found complete.

CrossFit Lite
CrossFit Lite has been going well. Enabling people to kick up there health and overall fitness.
Starting in September we are going to be adding CrossFit Lite classes at 9AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Here is the schedule starting in September.

5:45 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday (Lite), Wednesday, Thursday (Lite), and Friday
4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
5:30 PM on Monday (WOD & ELEMENTS), Tuesday (Lite & ELEMENTS), Wednesday, Thursday (Lite & ELEMENTS), and Friday (WOD & ELEMENTS)
6:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
7:30 PM on on Monday (WOD & ELEMENTS), Tuesday (ELEMENTS), Wednesday, Thursday (ELEMENTS)
and
9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on Saturday

See our full schedule and sign up for classes by clicking here or on the picture

CFM 10 Skills Challenge - Date Changed
We moved the date out to September 13th.
This gives you more time to sign up. If you sign up by August 18th then you will receive a FREE competition t-shirt. Registration closes by September 10th.
All of the WODs are completely scaleable and for all skill levels. Find a partner and sign up before space runs out!

Sign up here
http://clients.mindbodyonline.com/ws.asp?studioid=20703&stype=-8&sView=day&sDate=8/9/2014

WODs are posted on the Facebook event page
https://www.facebook.com/events/798785143485485/

Did you also hear that we are giving away a FREE pair of Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0's?

Every participant will be entered into the drawing and we will pick the winning name after the 4th WOD. Don't miss your chance to get a new pair of shoes!

August Macombie
This month the August Macombie for the "One-Armed CrossFitter" award goes to Kelly S. Kelly broke her wrist doing a squat clean two months ago. A movement she had done hundreds of times before. Although, this time when she landed the squat clean her elbow was pointing down and came in contact with her knee. Everything lined up (in)correctly and something had to give. This landed her in a cast for 6 weeks. Kelly was resilient and continued to come and workout through scaled movements and put focus on form and conditioning while her wrist healed. She really started to surprise me with what she still could do with one arm in a cast.
Kelly wanted to add this to her Macombie.

"My favorite thing about CrossFit Macomb would definitely be the people. Not only are the trainers friendly and helpful, but every person that goes there is just as supportive and nice. When I broke my arm, the first thing I thought about was how horrible it was going to be not being able to CrossFit. It had become part of my daily routine at that point, so it was tough having that major of a setback. But even with a broken arm, the trainers were super helpful with all different types of scaling and sometimes coming up with completely different WOD's, just for me. Not only were the trainers beyond helpful, but every one of my CrossFit friends and even CrossFit members that I had never talked to before were asking about my arm.
Since coming back from my injury, I've been pretty timid about using my arm, but I am definitely making my way back to where I used to be slowly but surely.
CrossFit has not only put me in better physical shape but has also changed my mentality and outlook on many things. For now, my short term goal would be to get my wrist and arm back to where they were before the injury. After I accomplish that, a long term goal of mine has been to compete in local competitions and just continue CrossFit in general. "

Upcoming Events

August 7th: Swim WOD 11AM @ Richmond Pool, Beebee Street Park (See Lisa)
August 23rd: Pure Michigan Invitational (Come see the best of Michigan compete at CrossFit Maven)
August 30th: SwampFoot 4 Mile
September 1st: Labor Day - NO CLASSES
September 13th: CFM 10 Skills Team Challenge

Click on the links for more details on any of these events.


Remember, doing work is the best way to see results. Your trainers are always available if you need extra help.

2014 June Newsletter

No Rep!
There are no two words more intimidating to the CrossFitter. "No rep" means that the movement you just completed did not meet the standard performance metrics and did not count toward the completion of the circuit. If you had an opportunity to watch the regionals these past few weeks you are familiar with the extent and devastation a "no rep" can reveal. Whether it is not hitting the target of a wall ball shot, or not breaking 90 degrees in a squat, or locking out your arms in an overhead press. The "no rep" means that despite your effort you did not meet the standards that every other athlete is performing.

The "No rep" is actually a great judge. Not just of athletic performance but of the athlete's character. That character is on display in how the athlete responds to the "no rep". You can witness one of three responses. The first response is usually the most distasteful. They argue. In their mind there is no way that they could be wrong; there is no way that they were wrong-only the standard is too strict. However, despite the rants and raves, the standard is there and un-persuaded. Usually this type of athlete will spend more time arguing and worrying about how that one "no rep" ruined the rest of the performance. Even worse is how they dwell on it. The second type of response to a "no rep" shows more resolve of the athlete but it is because they move and live on the edge of a good rep and a bad rep. They are obviously aware of the standards because they are trying to find shortcuts that barely eek by. So when the "no rep" is called the athlete is unfazed. The third type of response is more out of pure exhaustion. This type of athlete is trying their best to keep things together but slowly emptying the tank. They are giving 100% and just can't give any more. So when they get a "no rep" they stop. It is during this time the athlete stops, rests, and reflects on how to keep moving. This is often inspiring to watch. You know that deep down they are spent but can they garner enough to continue? Somehow they do and continue to move with purpose.
Um. Obviously I'm not just talking about CrossFit. One thing CrossFit has taught me more than anything else is how to deal with life. Every day I have the opportunity to tackle problems that effect my life. Too many times I don't handle them correctly and try blaming them on someone else. But CrossFit has taught me to rethink this. Most times it is better to stop, take a breath and figure out what I need to do to change the situation or change my approach. This outlook on adversity has definitely changed me and my character as much as it has changed me physically.


Schedule & ELEMENTS
Just a reminder of the new schedule we started last month.
5:45 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
5:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
6:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
7:30 PM on on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
and
9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on Saturday

Also the ELEMENTS classes have been going very well.
The ELEMENTS class is on
Monday 5:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Tuesday 5:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Thursday 5:30 PM & 7:30 PM
Friday 5:30 PM

Remember you have to register for the ELEMENTS class because we are capping the class at 7 athletes.

Box to Box Throwdown
We had a great time with CrossFit 248 for out Box2Box Throwdown. After three grueling WODs we came out on top! We are trying to get another Throwdown setup for late July or early August.

June Macombie
This month the June Macombie for "Pregnant CrossFitter" goes to Mary. Mary is now 8 months pregnant. Mary has been very active even before she was pregnant. But has continued her fitness by scaling and modifying the WODs through her pregnancy. She has been scaling her weights that she lifts by 50% to 65% of what she was accustomed to and modifying body weight movements like sit-ups, burpees, and handstand push-ups.
Mary wanted to say the following about CrossFit and pregnancy.

"I think the mental for me was tougher than the physical--getting past the frustration of knowing what I knew I "could" actually do, just not at the moment. For anyone else trying to CrossFit while pregnant, one thing I'll say is don't get discouraged early on when things get tough--I remember being so annoyed when doing Wallballs, for example, caused me a great deal of pain only 3 months in, but that was temporary, and I can do them now without a problem (minus the whole out of breath thing....). I've learned to adjust and scale as time has gone by (with the help of our trainers!) so that it's become no big deal now. One thing I'll add is that I've definitely appreciated the encouragement of our entire CFM family, especially my husband with his dedication. [Although] I can't wait to start throwing some real weight around again and do some handstand push-ups, but until then, this last month should be interesting..."

Upcoming Events
June 21st: WOD with your Kid at Lenox Park
July 4th: NO 5:30 and 6:30 CLASSES
July 5th: Beach WOD at Fort Gratiot Park in Port Huron
July 25 - July 27th: 2014 CrossFit Games

2014 CFM May Newsletter

State of the Gym Address
Thanks to everyone that came to Spring BBQ and State of the Gym Address. We had a lot of fun, a lot of great food (some Paleo and some not so Paleo), a lot of prizes, and a lot to talk about. Here's what you missed.
We opened CrossFit Macomb with three goals in mind (1) To make a positive impact on the community (2) To enrich people's lives through fitness and health (3) To give people a positive outlet to express themselves.
We are at a point in our growth where we need to push these goals further. We want to do things through three areas (1) Better programming which would lead to more PRs but takes more time for our athletes to complete and costs more to accomplish this correctly. (2) More class options which means more variety in our classes and more specific training but doesn't allow for the flexible schedule we have kept. (3) Make CrossFit more affordable which allows us to impact more people but leads to quantity not quality. We want to provide better programming, more class options and make it more affordable. But want to focus our efforts to provide you what you want us to work on.
So in order to focus efforts we asked you to help us by answering 5 questions.
What is the number 1 thing you like about CrossFit Macomb?
What is the number 1 thing you would change about CrossFit Macomb?
If we moved where would be to far?
What is the number 1 reason stopping your friends/family from doing CrossFit?
What is the number 1 thing you would like to get out of your trainers?
Surprisingly there was a lot of consistency in your answers.

The number 1 thing you like about CFM is the trainers (ahh thanks).
The number 1 thing you would change about CFM is including more class types.
If we moved anywhere, past M-59 would be too far. (Don't worry we are not looking to move, yet)
The number 1 thing stopping your friend/family is the effort.
The number 1 thing you like to get out of your trainers is more knowledge.
So that is the direction we will go.





Schedule Changes next week!!!
We are going to make things so much simpler to remember.
Starting May 19th we will be following this new schedule.
5:45 AM on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
9:00 AM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
4:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
5:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
6:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
7:30 PM on on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
and
9:00 AM and 10:30 AM on Saturday

Now you don't have to remember what day is what class time.

More class types
We are going to be experiment adding more classes starting May 19th as well. You had asked to see more class types. We are going to try to make this available to by sharing time slots.
We are adding an ELEMENTS WOD during the 5:30PM and 7:30PM classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday.
The normal Workout of the Day (WOD) will still be going on at this these times. The ELEMENTS class is designed for people that are looking for something more or something different then what you normally see during the WOD.
The ELEMENTS WOD will consist of different class types, each designed to work on and enhance some of the key components to becoming a better CrossFitter. Such as Olymipic Lifting, Mobility, Pure Strength, Gymnastic Skill, and Endurance. These classes will be designed to help you hone in on these parts of your development to help you improve your overall fitness and improve your proficiency as a CrossFitter. Each class will be begin with mobility and contain at least two of these components that we will be working on (i.e., Oly Lifts and Gymnastic Skill, or Pure Strength and Endurance). The workout may be in a WOD format (that you are used to) or in a set/rep or superset format.
Because we are sharing time slots we are currently limiting these classes to only 7 people at a time. This will be first come first serve so if this interests you I suggest that you pre-sign up for these classes online. Don't just expect to stay after or come in early. Save your spot online using our scheduling system.
The best part is that we are making this available for everyone that is a member of CFM. It will use up a visit just like it a normal class does and will count against your monthly total.
If you can't make these time slots but want to still participate in the ELEMENTS programming, you can purchase the programming for these classes for $30 for the month. Then you can take them with you and do them whenever you like.

NO EXCUSES!

Box to Box Throwdown
Its almost been 6 months since our last Box to Box Throwdown and it seems that these types of events have gotten some steam in our area as other Boxes have decided to throw similar events. Well its our turn to do it again! So clear your calendar for Saturday May 31st.
CrossFit Macomb has challenged CrossFit 248 in a head to head, Box to Box throwdown. This event is for all members of both boxes at any skill level. There will be 4 scaling categories to accommodate all athlete levels. If your thinking, "I'm not good enough, I shouldn't go." then you are absolutely wrong. This event is for everyone and designed to expand yourself. The box with the best overall score takes home a Rogue gift card for equipment for their box.
There will be 3 WODs picked the day of from 5 that are posted WODs the week of the throwdown. The top scores from each box will be used to determine the throwdown winner.

May Macombie
This month we are doing something different. The May Macombie was picked by you. You said that they thing you value most about CrossFit Macomb is the trainers. So I wanted to take time this month to thank our trainers. We are very lucky to have some of the greatest trainers around. Shannon, Deb, Mitch, and Trevor work hard to make sure that everyone is getting the most they can out of CrossFit Macomb. I could write quite a bit about these guys and girls but I don't want it to go to their heads. Just kidding. I know I appreciate our trainers just a much as you do and they like to hear that.

Upcoming Events
May 17th - 19th: Central East Regionals
May 24th: Murph 9AM class only
May 26th: Memorial Day - No Classes
May 31st: CFM vs CF248

2014 April Newsletter

"Today is the First Day of the Rest of your CrossFit Life"
I love spring. There is a fresh smell in the air, all the crud and drab from winter gets washed away and replaced with life, green-ness, and excitement. The same is true for a CrossFitter. We just finish one of the hardest and most challenging CrossFit Games Open yet. It was grueling, terrible, and yet so humbling to perform the the five Open WODs every Friday for the past five weeks. What the Open does, is provide you with a fresh new perspective of yourself, how you should be challenging yourself this year.

"Heather registered zero muscle-ups on 13.3 and resolved to make sure that didn't happen in 2014. She can now perform them in sets of 5 or more."
- Michael Paas [Picture and quote from www.crossfit.com]

It's that simple. What do you want to change about yourself next year? I fell into Heather's boat this year (see pic and quote above). I registered zero muscle-ups on 14.4. I was the first one to the rings and attempted a dozen times to no avail. This will not be the case next year.
So, with everything in mind, where you are now and what you think you should be doing set some goals. Let the excitement of your potential really push you this month and the coming months to see what next year holds.
Now, please notice that I am saying next year for a reason. Change doesn't happen over night and definitely doesn't happen by chance. You have to work for it and want it to happen. Change has resistance and needs to be overcome to be resolved.
With everything in mind of where you are now and what you think you should be doing, set some goals. Let the excitement of your potential really push you this month and the coming months to see what next year holds.
Everybody's goal is probably going to be slightly different. You may be saying to yourself I never want to get no-repped again for not breaking 90 degrees on my squat. Or you may be saying, I wish that deadlift in the third round did not feel like it was 500-lbs. Or you are with me and want to improve on some of the more technical movements like muscle-ups. Whatever your thing is, we want to help you achieve it! That is why we are around and why we exist. Not just to make up crazy workouts and pat each other on the back saying good job you did it. No! CrossFit Macomb exists to help you see results and actual change in your life. All of the trainers and spotters want you to become more healthy and live fuller lives. So, when you have goals and aspirations of greatness we want to help you achieve them. Sometimes it as simple as movement critique to have good form. Sometimes its dedicated programming focused on helping you work toward your goal. And in other cases we have one-on-one training to fix specific needs. Regardless we want to help you make a better you.

Spring BBQ
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
We are going to have a spring BBQ on Saturday April 26th at 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM
We want to have a BBQ just for the fun of it. There will be only one WOD that day at 10:00 AM and we will start the grills at 11:00 AM.
There will be free food and prizes that we will be giving away like CFM Swag, apparel, and monthly memberships.
We have never done this before but we are going to be doing a State of Gym Address. We have some ideas and want to make some changes at CFM but want your input to make sure that we are providing the best possible service to you as possible. So if you have an interest in the future of CFM and want to make sure you can put your input in please plan on attending the BBQ (plus there's free food!)

CFM Free Membership Giveaway
Like I mentioned during the Spring BBQ we will be doing a ton of giveaways. We want to give away three free Unlimited Memberships for the month of May. And we are going to do this through shameless promotion. In order to enter the drawing during the Spring BBQ for the Free Unlimited Membership you have to work for it. Luckily you can do it right from where you are.
We are looking for you to write a review of CrossFit Macomb. You may not know this but almost all of you have only heard of CFM through word of mouth and we want to put that word of mouth to work.
For every review you write you will get one entry into the drawing. For the entry to be valid you must include your name (can't be anonymous), our website (www.crossfitmacomb.com), and say something about why you like CrossFit Macomb.
That easy.
Here are places you can write a review each review at these sites will give you one entry into the giveaway:
Facebook
Google+
Yelp
Merchant Circle
Rank Insider

Please leave honest opinions and don't just write something outlandish.

April Macombie
This month, the Macombie Award for "Most Improved Player" goes to Larry. Larry had to be coaxed into competing in the 2014 CrossFit Games Open but had a great experience doing it. The thing that Larry enjoys the most about CrossFit and specifically CrossFit Macomb is that no one worries about how much you lift or what place you finish everyone is supportive and encouraging. He said he likes, "Picking t'ings up and puttin' dem down." Of which he has enjoyed all the Olympic Lifts because they are new for him. This year Larry is working on mastering double-unders and toes to bar. Two of his least favorite movements. Larry had this to say about his Macombie, "I have noticed a lot of changes from doing CrossFit. [With] a 30-lb weight loss from when I started, the way I lift anything at home and or work, and my diet changed. I know when I eat like s#@t regardless how much I enjoy it, it will effect my WOD that day. I just have a lot of energy now which I love." He is working toward going to regionals next year in the Masters division. Keep up the great work Larry!

Upcoming Events
April 26th: Spring BBQ

2014 March Newsletter

2014 CrossFit Games Open WODs
It's that the time of year for the Open WODs of the CrossFit Games. Over the next 5 weeks, we, along with every other CrossFitter around the world, will be performing these WODs. I love this time of year. This sense of worldwide competition only pales in comparison to events like the Olympics. So what drives us to compete? What inherent desire is there to find out where you stand against other people like you? For everyone, the answer to these questions is different. Yet we all find the commonality in wanting to compete, wanting to prove something, wanting to be something. There is nothing wrong with this, in fact it is healthy. It provides a sense of worth and accomplishment. And this is why we like to participate in it and why we like to watch it happen. So, over the next couple weeks, through Regionals, and leading up to the games, we will be able to be apart of this story of competition. Through this you will have the opportunity to witness some truly exciting events.
But just like every coin there is another side. What if I'm not really into competing in the open? What if I can't do the Open WOD as prescribed? Is the Open still for me?
The answer is absolutely and let me give you three reasons why the Open is for everyone and why you shouldn't balk at them being only for the elite.
1.) What other sport can you be on the same playing field as the top athletes of that sport? The Open puts all CrossFit athletes on the same playing field. When was the last time that you said you got to swim with Michael Phelps, or play basketball with Lebron James, or played volleyball with Misty May-Treanor. During the Open we can say I did 14.2 with Camille LeBanc-Bazinet or Rich Froning Jr.
2.) The Open provides us with opportunity to determine what we are really made of. Whether you did 450 reps of 14.1 or struggled with double-unders and did 100 reps. It tells you where you stand. You can't look back and say, "Well if it weren't double-unders then I would have done better" What you should be saying is show me how to get better at double-unders. 14.2 takes this to another level by really classifying how deep you want to dig or can dig to get to the next round. For the vast majority this is a reality check because this leaves behind any ego we make have created of ourselves.
3.) If the first two reasons really don't mean anything to you, then take this last reason to heart. The Open gives you motivation beyond looking good in the mirror. The Open, for CrossFitters, sets the standard for the next year. What do I need to work on? How hard do I need to train? Where do I want to see myself next year? So if you are not doing the Open as prescribed and scaling the WOD. Don't fret. Motivate yourself to stick with the process and see what you can accomplish over the next year. I promise you, if you commit to the process and push yourself beyond what you think you are capable of, then next year you will see a dramatic improvement.

We will be performing the Open WODs on Friday's during all of the classes. There will be two chances to make these up or do them again. Saturday morning at 11:30 am and Sunday morning by request at 1:00 pm.

Partner WODs
For the entire month of March we will be doing Partner WODs on Saturday. Yes I am spilling the beans a little but we wanted to take some pressure off after doing the Open WOD on Friday and remind ourselves of the fun we can have doing CrossFit with a partner. (That or getting a rest while our partner is working.)

Staying Connected with CFM News & Announcements
For those of you that are boycotting the social media overlords and don't have a Facebook or Twitter account. Fear not. We still want to communicate with you. If you'd like, reply to this email and I will set you up to get emailed our announcements and news that goes across Facebook and Twitter. I don't want you to convert you over to FB just to keep up with us, but if you'd like to know what's going on send me an email at crossfitmacomb@gmail.com.


March Macombie
This month, the Macombie Award for "CrossFit Macomb in Haiti" goes to Becca. Becca is 5:45am morning class attender. Up at the crack of dawn to get a WOD in before starting her day. Next month she is making her 5th trip to help and serve orphan kids in Haiti. At CFM her favorite movements are deadlifts and split jerks, but she doesn't like thrusters. Her current goal is to do 160 lb Back Squat. Becca says her favorite thing about CFM is that it is both competitive and supportive. She says, "Its awesome being able to celebrate the accomplishments of my follow CFMers and know that they celebrate mine." Keep up the great work Becca!

Haiti Donation WOD - Saturday March 15th
Next Saturday on March 15th we are dedicating that WOD to donate supplies for Becca's mission trip to Haiti. We are asking that if you are coming to WOD that day (or anytime this week) that you bring something to donate for Becca to take with her group as they minister to the needs of the Children of Israel Orphanage in Torbeck, Haiti.

Below is the list of items that they need.
School supplies - Notebooks, Pens, Pencils, erasers, backpacks, colored pencils, stickers, safety scissors, art stencils, construction paper.
Hygiene products - Travel size shampoo, soap, nail clippers, files, feminine products, wash cloths, hair brushes, combs, hair ties, travel size hand sanitizers, bandages, alcohol wipes, neosporin
Monetary donations - Checks to be made out to Firmly Rooted Ministries with Haiti

Winter Weather Policy
Hopefully we won't need this any more this winter, but we follow New Haven School district's school closings to determine if we will be open or closed based on the road conditions. We will also post this on Facebook so make sure you friend CrossFit Macomb on Facebook.


Upcoming Events

March 15th: Haiti Donation WOD
April 19th: Spring BBQ

2014 February Newsletter

It sounds so easy. Two swings of the rope for every one jump.

Double-Unders
I look forward to double-unders. When the WOD has a 200 double-under buy in I smile a little. Why do I love double-unders when usually there is a collective groan when they appear. It's because I'm good at double-unders.
Most people now hate to even watch me do double-unders because they look so effortless. Trust me I see your contempt. As you painstakingly untangle your feet, writhe in pain from another lash that feels like a cat-of-ninetails, feel your calves tighten into knots, and your shoulders burn with the pain of 1,000 suns, my rope whirls around keeping a steady breeze.

It was not always this way though. The reason I'm good at double-unders is because I have been doing them for 7 years!!! When I first started double-unders I said to myself it can't be done. However, I put in my time and worked the crap out of my rope. So please don't for a minute think that just because I'm good at double-unders means you should be too. One, that's not fair to you since most of you didn't even know that double-unders existed until you walked into our box. Two, that's not fair to me because I've got the scars to prove how hard I worked to get better at double-unders (literal and mental scars).
Double-unders are like any new skill. From tying your shoe to playing the piano. It is going to take time and practice. I'm sure you weren't born with the ability to tie your shoes just like you weren't born with the ability to do double-unders. But like any skill some people are just more naturally talented so they do come easier to some then to others (again trust me I was not in the naturally talented group).
So what's my point or am I just boasting. No. My point is that if you want something that you've never done before then you'll have to do things you've never done before. Meaning, don't take anyone's strength or skill for granted. Getting a new PR in strength means you took the time and effort to hone the skill of the lift and push you limit to move a weight that you never could do before. It didn't happen by chance or luck!
Athletes like Jason Khalipa publish his daily workout routines. He's the second fittest man on earth and he lets the world know what he is doing to be that. Why? Because he knows that even if you were doing the same thing; he would push harder, work harder, and produce more then you would. That's ballsy.
CrossFit provides a truth serum to who we are and what we think we are capable of. Sometimes it puts us in our place. Other times it leads to become more then what we were before.


The CrossFit Games and Open
With all that being said, the CrossFit Games are soon approaching. Every year athletes from around begin a worldwide competition to find the Fittest Man (and Woman) on Earth. It begins with the Open and culminates to the Games where the top 43 fittest athlete duke it out for the title. The Open is you time to see how you stack up. How has the effort you have been putting in all year been paying off. For those of you new to CrossFit this is an eye opening time of seeing a different side of CrossFit, but for those of you that have been doing CrossFit its time to see where you've come. At the very least it is incredible to watch. Here is the schedule of the 2014 Games.
The Open: February 27th - March 31st.
Regionals: May 16th - 18th
Games: July 25th - 27th

We will be hosting Open WODs just like last year. If you are interested in competing (which I think you should) you can sign up here. If you are interested in judging at CFM or at regionals please let me know and take the judging course.


February Macombie
This month, the Macombie for the "Best Scaled Burpee" award goes to Chris W. I really love how she jumped into CrossFit and yet knew her limitations but didn't let that stop her. She creatively came up with scaled version of a Burpee using a GHD and have been seeing tremendous changes in strength, stamina and flexibility. She has also acquired a few workout partners who have adopted her burpee.

January PR Board
We want you to celebrate your personal records (PR) so write them on our PR board. Below is the PR Board from last month.

Winter Weather Policy
As we continue the winter months just a reminder that we follow New Haven School district's school closings to determine if we will be open or closed based on the road conditions. We will also post this on Facebook so make sure you friend CrossFit Macomb on Facebook. www.facebook.com/crossfitmacomb

This policy is mostly for snow. That is why we have still been open when they were closed due to temperature and wind chill.


Upcoming Events
February 23rd: CFM Painting with a twist
February 27th: Open WODs begin.
Box to Box TBD

2014 January Newsletter

We have completed our 1,000th WOD! Where to we go from there?...

1,000 WODs and counting
I had a blast at our 1,000th WOD event. Thank you for everyone that was apart of our history and getting us to this point. I'm very excited for the next 1,000 WODs

So where to we go from here? Sometimes it is hard to figure out the next step when you get to a milestone. The problem in lines is the fact that by reaching a milestone or realizing a goal, or hitting a new personal record we have now opened up our comfort zone. As human beings, we don't grow in our comfort zone. The comfort zone is what holds us back from risk. It stops us from going a little faster, pushing a little harder, trying a new sport, opening your food pallet wider, doing something that is out of the norm. So we find a weakness outside our new comfort zone. In which it that knot in your stomach returns that makes you a little uncomfortable. "Is that even possible for ME?" Who you are is so much more then what you may already now. This year, focus your efforts on finding out what untapped potential lays outside of your comfort zone.


New Class Schedule - Adding the Competitors Class
We are adding a new type of class to help us focus our efforts. We are going to be adding what we are calling a Competitors Class. The Competitors Class is an hour long supplement to the normal programming that will focus on Supplemental Strength, Olympic Lifting, Gymnastic Skills, and an additional CF Games oriented WOD. This class is not just for the elite or the advanced but to help hone in on the skills that we need to work on the most.
What this is a detailed program on how to direct your energy to improving on weaknesses. So whether you are an advance athlete that needs extra training to help get you closer to winning competitive events or going to Regionals, or if you would like to master Olympic Lifting, or train to get your first muscle-up, this program will help guide you through it in true CrossFit style. It doesn't have to be done during the time slots we are making available; this is just when the coaching will be available. If you are interested in signing up for this or have more questions please see myself, Mitchell, or Shannon.

We talked a lot this past year about becoming more and doing more. This focus will help us to become better in the sport of fitness. These classes times are the following:
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Tuesday, Thursday 5:00 - 6:00 pm
You can see the new schedule on our website www.crossfitmacomb.com

Because of these additional classes we are moving back the 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm classes to 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm on Tuesday and Thursday. Please make note of these time changes starting January 2nd. The Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evening classes will remain the same.


January Macombie
This month, the Macombie for the "Longest Active Member" award goes to Judy. Judy started with CrossFit Macomb in January of 2011. You can find Judy as part of the 5:45AM group. Even at the crack of dawn Judy has a great attitude and encourages the morning crew to do their best. Judy has come a long way over the past three years but she shows no sign of stopping. Keep up the great work Judy!

Resolutions
Since this is a January newsletter I would be remiss not to talk about resolutions. I know that people like to make resolutions this time of year. If you don't have one then I have one for you. Help keep CFM clean and take home your water bottles this year! Just kidding... but really there's a lot of water bottles around.

December PR Board
We want you to celebrate your personal records (PR) so write them on our PR board. Below is the PR Board from last month. We really set the bar high 2014!

Winter Weather Policy
As we move into the winter months just a reminder that we follow New Haven School district's school closings to determine if we will be open or closed based on the road conditions. We will also post this on Facebook so make sure you friend CrossFit Macomb on Facebook. www.facebook.com/crossfitmacomb


On Ramp
The next On Ramp will be in January.

Upcoming Events
January 1st: New Year's Day, 4:00pm class only.
January 2nd: New schedule starts SCHEDULE
January 5th: CFM Painting with a twist