SEPTEMBER 2012
issue 3
What will YOU do with it?
CFA STRONG August Strength Workshops resulted in countless PR’s, camaraderie & commitments to ourselves. Results Earned.
The Team
Contents
Founders Josh Felber Brian Parana
Wassup? Words from BP
4
Coach’s Tip
6
Labor Day 5K
7
Welcome On-Ramp Grads
8
Team Member Bio
10
Featured Member
11
Whole Life Challenge
12
WLC Tips
13
Upcoming Events
14
Winter Skills
15
Intern Coaches
Nosh on This
16
Hannah Whitman Eric Wilson JP Lytle Dustin Shaffer Nathan Strome Aaron Whisman
CFA Jackets
17
Trigger Point Gear
18
Wodify
19
What We Saw This Month
20
Coaches Jamie Grigas Jason Elrod Nate Napolitano Cindy Virdo
Media Coordinator Katie Middendorf
A Little Something to think about… "This is my body. And I can do whatever I want to it. I can push it. Study it. Tweak it. Listen to it. Everybody wants to know what I'm on. What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my *** six hours a day. What are you on?" — Lance Armstrong Contact us @ 330.664.9671 or crossfitakron@gmail.com. For more information on CrossFit Akron, go to www.crossfitakron.com
Wazzup? Paying Health Forward. CrossFit is such a wonderful thing. First off, the community is so great. What better place to find committed people for fitness. Next up is obviously the workouts. No other place can you find workouts that come in these nice little packages that offer so much to your health and fitness. Constantly varied exercises and movements leaves boredom at the Globo Gyms. Last up, the coaches. A team that is committed to improving the community they live in. The effort that goes into planning and preparing at CrossFit Akron is nothing short of amazing. Being in the fitness industry for over 10 yrs now, there is no other place I would want to be then CrossFit Akron. My impact on the community of Akron has affected many of its residence. I mean, I'm changing lives here folks!!! This is one of my basic wants in life- to serve others. I'm just fortunate that I am able to do it in such a way. Let's look through CrossFit in your eyes. Many of you were told to try it out by a friend. Obviously, you took them up on that offer and look how things have changed in your favor. Every time you step into CFA, it's an opportunity to change for the better, to step up your game, to raise your standards. You take on the wods as if they were nothing. You conquer personal records every chance you get. There have been noticeable changes in your life that impact those around you. Pay Health Forward... Tell your friends what you have been up to with CrossFit. Challenge them to the Whole Life Challenge as family and friends are welcome to enter. Act as a role model to help influence your family to make better nutritious choices. You are in the drivers seat and are able to create as much change as I am. In fact, if it wasn't for your first step into CFA, I wouldn't of ever had this opportunity. Thanks Brian Parana "Goals Guru"
10% off all Fish Oil for CFA Members in the Whole Life Challenge. Discount Valid 9/1-14
Less inflammation, better heart health & brain function, heck, you could even end up cheerier! “I have been taking SFH fish oil for quite some time now... Within a couple weeks my knees started to feel better during the workouts and the recovery was faster.. I started going every day instead of every other and they still didn't hurt.. I don't miss taking it! “ Raun Skyrm
SFH Fish Oil is 50% more potent than our old oil and delivers over 5400 mg of EPA and DHA in two teaspoons. This means that you can take LESS oil and get MORE benefit! SO3 is a mixture of EPA and DHA in the triglyceride form and in the free fatty acid form of EPA and DHA. This combination of triglyceride form and free fatty acid form facilitates the absorption of omega 3 active fats. We recommend you take between 1-2 tsp. a day of SFH Fish oil. This will deliver between 2700 - 5400mg.
“I've been taking fish oil for a number of years. I started to benefit my skin. I found it to be very beneficial for it's anti-inflammatory qualities and rarely find the need for taking NSAIDs anymore. Since I started at CrossFit Akron, I discovered SFH liquid fish oil. I find the LEMON flavor to be my favorite and most versatile to use every day as an addition to my morning blueberry protein smoothies. I choose to spend my money on the high quality SFH fish oil rather than prescriptions or over-the counter pain meds. I believe I'll continue taking it forever and the prices are good at CrossFit Akron. PS-No Fish Burps!!” - Claudia Berk
Hear it from the box!
What is CrossFit? CrossFit can be described as Constantly Varied, Functional Movements at High Intensity. Today I want to dissect intensity for you so that you can understand how to reach your goals faster.
P=(FxD)/T
Jamie Grigas CFA COACH
This means that power is = to force times distance over time. The force is the weight that you are moving, the distance is how far you are moving the weight, and the time is how fast you do it in. With the calculation you can find out the power output of your workout. How this translates to intensity is that power is exactly = to intensity. The higher you can make the power output the more intensity you shall receive. It's not always about how much weight you can put on the bar but how much you can move the gift in the fastest time. This also helps you with technique and staying safe. Intensity is = to the "The Good Stuff". The good stuff is your goals that you want to achieve. This is where the fun comes in, achieving goals is the reason why we do the things we do. Staying safe and moving well while on intensity is how we get the results we want and earn. -Coach Grigas Join CrossFit Akron, CrossFit Akron North, and Second Sole as we prepare the athletic community of Akron to setting new limits to their workouts. High end athletes, Couch to 5k athletes, and weekend warriors are all invited to join our fitness communities. We are here for you! Health and fitness are of upmost importance and you matter most. Look forward to: Group relays for Akron Marathon Group runs Pose Method Training Specific Strength Training for Running by CrossFit Akron Discounts for preferred customers Education clinics on all topics exercise Dates, events, runs to be posted
START your day off with a RUN!
Sept 3, 9:30a At the Bolanz Trailhead of the Towpath, nearby Szalay's Market.
Standard 5K Run and a
CrossFit Workout Post-Run. It's FREE and open to everyone.
REGISTER HERE HERE..
Above C : Cros ommunity! s Let’s g Fit 5k/10K o n July et even 4, m for this ore folks ou 2012. t event!
Welcome on-
New faces you’ll be se
Whitney Willson
Dennis Duhon
Mandar Gadgil
Eric Brewer
Buddy Johnson
Tiffany Valentine
Marshal Turner
Brandon Vincent
Samuel Schaer
Suzanne Schick
Jennifer St
Vimarie Lun
Emre Erd
KIRSTEN’s THOUGHTS AFTER On-Ram I thought I knew what it meant to push of workouts and convinced myself I wa out, I didn't even know what it meant to thank every coach, staff member and C stronger... EVERY DAY! :) I love this pl
-ramp grads!
eeing around the box:
takes
na-Bryant
dem
Matt Lightfoot
Dixa Dhital
Mike Hardman
Elizabeth Harvey
Barb Regbimbal
Kelly Lightfoot
Maureen Bedell
Holly Geiger
Pam Kusar
mp ‌ myself. I mean, I've run plenty of races, done thousands as pushing hard enough... But then I came to CFA. I found o push, or to really fight, and I've battled cancer! I want to CFA Athlete for teaching me what it means to be better, lace!!!!!
TEAM TEAM--MEMBER BIO: Hannah Whitman Hannah recently completed her CrossFit L1 Certification. Expect to see more of her around the box!
I have always loved being active and exercising. Some of my favorite memories are going on hikes, bike rides and just playing in the back yard with my brother and sisters. I first started CrossFit because I was tired of just running… although I do love running and have run 5 Marathons. I was ready for something new and fun. I set up my free intro with Brian and I was sold as soon as I walked thought the doors. I had been thinking about working as a personal trainer, and seeing how much CrossFit changed me was total inspiration. CrossFit changed the way I viewed health and fitness and what it really means to be fit. I talked to Brian and started the Mentorship program in January of 2012. I just recently achieved my Level One Certification, which i could not have done without the help of Brian, Jamie, Jason and Josh. I look forward to furthering my education and growing as a coach!
Run The Bird With Us. CFA will have 2 Relay Teams participating in the Akron Marathon this year. Time’s Running Out! Last year our relay team placed 10th! Let’s rally and place in the single digits in 2012.
You in? REGISTER HERE.
Featured Member: Elisabeth Tomei Today is my last day of my Whole30 challenge (similar to the Paleo diet). Whew! It has been an awesome 30 days, well mostly awesome. Thanks to Tony Tomei for doing it with me, I would not have finished if I didn't have his constant encouragement. Huge thanks goes out to CrossFit Akron for introducing me to this challenge. I started at CrossFit about 4 months ago and it has been amazing. The positivity and enthusiasm in this gym is contagious. If I ever start a workout in a bad mood, I certainly end it with a Tommy BEFORE good one! CrossFit Akron
I started the Whole30 challenge because, although I was toning up and losing some weight, I wasn't getting the results I wanted. So, I stepped up my game a bit and read "It Starts With Food," which is where the challenge is from. Through the 30 days I have learned so much about myself, what I am capable of, things I never thought I would do. I actually have willpower now! YAY! There have been quite a few bad days! Sometimes I would think, "this is super stupid, I want to eat a tub of ice cream right now!" But then I remembered what I was doing this challenge for, for my future!! Someday in the future I want to have children, be able to do a marathon, and be as happy as possible. It might be a surprise to some, but you can be a lot happier and content just by watching what you eat. Bread and dairy used to make me feel sluggish and lazy, now I eat veggies that never make me feel that way. I'm not saying I will never eat "bad" food again, but I know I will think twice before I do. Sugar used to make me super hyper then crash on the couch for hours. I don't get those mood swings anymore simply by not consuming processed sugar. I now eat not to satisfy emotional feelings, but to fuel my body for my day and workouts. I think about what will best help me run 2 miles, what will help me lift the most amount of weight. I think about what will help my body recover best from an intense workout. What will help me feel better tomorrow and the next day? In the last 6 months, my life has changed incredibly. I have accomplished more in these months physically and mentally than I could have ever hoped for. I have made new friends that encourage me to be a better person. Hannah Whitman is always pushing me on what I am eating, how I am doing and ALWAYS pushing me to do better in my workouts. I don't say thank you enough (mostly because I am mad she actually made me run the whole way...), so THANK YOU! You are an amazing coach and mentor and you inspire me be better every day. Well, all of the coaches are amazing at CrossFit Akron. They all have in some way helped me to become better. I am happier and healthier than I have ever been and I only hope that I can encourage others to pursue their own happiness and to be a little selfish. It's only after you have taken care of yourself that you can help take care of others. Thanks,
to
All participants in the Whole Life Challenge will receive: *Access to the Whole Life Challenge Worldwide Scoreboard. *Pre-game huddle -- a meet-up created by CFA to cover the basics of how to set your
self up: preparing your
home and kitchen, shopping, preparing food, and strategies. *Access to the WorldWide community and forums to see what thousands of
250+ CrossFit affiliates around the world will hold an 8-week intensive health & fitness challenge created to calibrate your entire being towards a no-
holds-barred, take-no-prisoners, no-excuses, gettin’-everythingout-of-it lifetime of physical & mental excellence. PHEW!
The challenge winner will have to succeed in 3 areas: PERFORMANCE: IMPROVE YOUR ABILITY TO WORK AND PLAY!
BODY TRANSFORMATION: We want you to be lean & mean.
ACCOUNTABILITY: You will be challenged not just to show up as the winner, but to play the game every day!
other people just like you are experiencing, learning, and discovering every day. *Access to The Whole Life Challenge blog with support, tips and recipes as well as an opportunity to communicate with coaches and other participants on a daily basis. *Online profile to record & track before and after photos along with other vital stats.
Challenge Runs 9/15-11/10 CASH AND PRIZES FOR MULTIPLE WINNERS. Www.wholelifechallenge.com Athlete registration - $45 *BE SURE TO LIST CFA AS YOUR AFFILIATE*
FRIENDS & FAMILY ARE WELCOME TO PARTICIPATE!
THERE IS STILL TIME. GET IN!
TIPS FROM THE GOALS GURU ON HOW TO GET THE MOST FROM YOUR CHALLENGE 1. Consistency, That's what WLC is all about. If you are willing to get and
maintain a 3 for each of the categories, There is no way you can lose. 2. This is about accountability. You will be accountable to CFA, your friends/family, and the worldwide participants of WLC
3. Persistence to push through cravings, wants, peer pressure, and loss of motivation.
4. Surprises, there are so many awesome things taking place throughout the WLC that you will never know what's around the corner.
5. Community, be ready to grow in the CFA family like never before. Be excited as each and everyone of us will be working on this together, side by side.
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UPCOMING EVENTS Labor Day 5K 9/3 at 9:30a. Bolanz Trailhead (near Szalay’s Market) Traditional 5K run, then optional CrossFit workout. FREE and open to everyone! Bring your friends & family! Whole Life Challenge Pre-Party 9/7, 7p. Ken Rocco’s: 1489 Shanabrook Dr., Akron 44313 Bring your favorite food or beverage you’ll miss for 8 weeks, or maybe forever! Whole Life Challenge WorldWide 9/15—11/10 Registration is Open! Do it. 9/15 Whole Life Challenge Prelims at 11a. Paleo Pot Luck Lunch to follow at Hardesty Park, 1615 W. Market St. CrossFit Akron NORTH Grand Opening Event 9/22, 10a-2p Free WODS, Massages, Kids Obstacle Courses, Paleo Treats & more! No Registration necessary. Just come on out & bring a friend! 1531 Commerce Dr., Stow RoadRunner Akron Marathon 9/29 Downtown Akron. Join a CFA Relay Team. Grocery Tour at Earth Fare 10/6 Time to be announced. Back by popular demand! NO WODS 10/13 & 10/14. Mark your calendar! Winter Skills Session 1 of 6: Trigger Point Seminar 10/20 11a. $30 value. FREE TO ALL WLC PARTICIPANTS. Go Ruck Challenge 10/27 Cleveland Winter Skills Session 2 of 6: Swimming 10/27 11a at Firestone High School.
WINTER SKILLS SESSIONS Develop your skills. Achieve your goals. Learn how to perfect commonly made mistakes with specific movements. We will focus on some of the most important movements and exercise over the course of six sessions.
SCHEDULE: Oct 20: Oct 27: Nov 17: Dec 15: Jan 19: Feb 16:
Trigger Point Seminar ((FREE FREE to all WLC Participants Participants)) Swimming @ Firestone HS Double Unders Kip Movement (pull up/kte/t2b) Gymnastics (rings/HSPU/handstand walk) Squatting
Sessions held Saturdays, 10a 10a--11a in ‘12. Saturdays, 9a 9a--10a in ‘13. $30 per session or $150 if you register for all 6 at once. Registration opens near the end of the month.
NOSH
ON THIS
RUB IT IN! Katie Middendorf (Snorz) The close of summer always makes me want to eek out as much time as possible at the grill (I, unlike my husband and I’m sure many other die-hards who may read this) am not one you will find in her parka hovering over the warm iron beast in the middle of a snow storm. I much prefer the fire in the fireplace with a hot cup of tea and a good read. Sooo...I’m bringing you three of my favorite RUB recipes! These are great on the grill, and just as yummy crusted on a big hunk of meat you may put in the oven. I’ll sometimes use them to flavor a stir-fry too. Having these great blends on hand makes it uber-easy to turn an average meal into something delicous with very little effort. Try them out and let me know what you think! #1 Mediterranean Herb: This is such a versatile seasoning blend. Rub it on fish, poultry or
pork. Or sprinkle it on veggies, or in any egg scramble or one-pan-dinner-wonder (that’s what I call my weeknight skilled meals). 1t. Dried thyme, 1t dried oregano, 1.5 t poultry seasoning, 1t dried rosemary, crushed, 1 t dried marjoram, 1t dried basil, 1t dried parsley, 1/4t pepper. Mix it all up & store in an airtight container. *Variation: I like to zest a lemon & put a drizzle of Olive Oil into a generous amount, mix it up and rub that on chicken or pork before putting them in the oven* .#2
CINNA-GINGER-RIKA: Paprika, ginger and cinnamon make this rub so smoky-spicy-tangysweet. Perfect on salmon, skirt steak, pork loin, and whole chicken, but do with it as you will! We thoroughly enjoy this during the cold-weather months. 1t paprika, 1t cinnamon, 1t cayenne, 1t ginger powder, 1t salt *Variation: We like things kinda’ spicy in our house. Put as much cayenne as you’d like—or leave it out completely, if you wish!* #3 Spicy Paprika: Bold! this rub has a punch that’ll two-step with your taste buds. It’s best paired with salmon, skirt steak, and tenderloin. 1t paprika, 1t onion powder, 1t salt, a generous 1/2t each of cayenne and garlic powder. *Variation: for a Spanish twist, add 1 tsp cumin to the mix* TIPS Acme #1 on W. Market has bulk organic spices that are high quality and a fraction of the cost of what you pay in the spice aisle. These make great gifts for foodies (or for that matter someone who may need some assistance in the spice-dept.), on any occasion. Airtight containers may be re-sealable bags, little tins, etc … You can even get creative and display them.
Try it. Take a Pic. Post it. Let us know what you think! Share other recipes! We wanna see what you have cookin’! Post them on FB or send them to katie@crossfitakron.com
CFA JACKETS Sport your CrossFit Pride, look great & stay comfortable. Get your orders in by 9/22 for the ultimate fall & spring jacket.
WOMEN’S (6013W-BGV)
MEN’S (6016A-BGV)
This hoodie track jacket keeps you cozy during those chilly spring and fall mornings when you have no choice but the 6 a.m. WOD. It's made with a 4-way stretch fabric that keeps you dry, has an oversized hood, mesh thumb holes and zip front pockets.
Transition from bed to Box to boardroom in one full-zip jacket. This 3 layer, water-resistant PlayShield stretch fabric protects you from the elements while not weighing you down, and smart flat-lock stitching along your traps and shoulders give it our most moveable, slim fit yet.
COLOR: black/gravel.
COLOR: black/gravel.
CUSTOM: CFA logo embroidered on the front & website on lower back.
CUSTOM: CFA logo embroidered on the front & website on upper back.
PRICE: $118
PRICE: $125
ALL ORDERS MUST BE IN BY 9/22. TO PLACE THE ORDER: Email crossfitakron@gmail.com with name, size and quantity. We have a men’s and women’s jacket hanging on the Reebok Rack at the box if you want to check them out in person.
old man. My recovery from heavy lifts or an intense WOD decreased drastically in time. BY GREG WERTMAN, CFA MEMBER My first contact with trigger point was during On Ramp. We learned how to use the foam rollers. Unlike many, I had no previous contact with this form of stretching. At first I was skeptical. “How can foam rollers help my sore muscles?” After that first roll I received a shock, besides the pain. My sore quads and lower back felt great. They were loose and giving me better range of motion. This was then quickly incorporated into my pre-workout routine. Then we had homework of watching mobility wod. My initial reaction was to question the intention of anyone calling themselves " your super-friend". The stretches and use of lacrosse balls looked way too intense to me. I was curious though and wanted to know more. Coming into CrossFit I knew my major weakness, shin splints. After two weeks I needed help. My shins exploded after the bar rolled into them or a jump rope hit them. The coaches pointed me to the rollers and foam blocks. I should have known what to expect when their last instructions were "remember to breathe". The first rollout was a symphony of pain. Every tendon was tight. Every muscle was knotted and sore. After enduring the pain with a background of chuckling and further instructions to breathe I finished. It was amazing my shins felt better. The next day I didn't walk like I was an
Simply put, I
“It was amazing. My shins felt better. The next day I didn't walk like I was an old man. My recovery from heavy lifts or an intense WOD decreased drastically in time.” was hooked.
Before every workout I am rolling out my shins. When it stops hurting I learn more ways to target those "grody" spots. Instead of avoiding the sore spots, I dig in. With new aches or sore spots I am seeking advice. Now I'm looking at mobility WOD for more stretches to incorporate. I still keep a twenty foot radius from "super-friends" but I'm shouting questions at him. I've become a sight at the box: always a half hour early and working on my sore spots. Who hasn't tweaked something in a WOD? I know my shoulder and lats are destroyed after heavy snatches from the blocks. I think I can hear a collective groan from many shins when the board reads double unders. My advice from this experience is to roll out the sore spots and have better range of motion during the WOD. Find those pesky aches and target them. Don't let them control your workout. An extra half hour rolling out has saved me much more in hours of recovery. I know my next purchase before the whole life challenge is a trigger point kit.
10% off TriggerPoint Gear For CFA Members in the Whole Life Challenge. Discount Valid 9/1-14
WODIFY Rolling out at CFA & CFAN next month. What is Wodify? Results In a Box Built by CrossFitters, for CrossFitters, Wodify transforms the whiteboard from a destination to a true data experience. Wodify technology records performance metrics, allows you to track your diets, remembers strength and met con benchmarks, and will encompass CFA & CFAN boxes. All athletes and WODs at both locations will be posted on one leaderboard.
Be Better Tomorrow You cannot improve what you do not measure. Wodify was designed to keep performance tracking simple. Scores are simply entered at the end of each WOD from a mobile phone. There’s zero homework. Wodify gives you a mental goal to meet and beat by remembering all past strength and benchmark metcon performance.
Building Community Inspiring healthy competition, athletes celebrate each other’s performance, push each other to Rx, and lift heavier loads. Wodify celebrates personal records with digital ribbons next to the athlete's name. In a quest to be ranked amongst the Rxd athletes of the day, Wodifers are reporting ditched pull up bands, Rxed weights, and more virtuosity in all movements. Wodify also offers a section to describe scaling so athletes can compare themselves to others with like performance.
Twenty-four Seven You are never without access to Wodify. Our web-based application is accessible from any device that accepts web standards and works across all the major mobile platforms, including the iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile 7. Wodify can be accessed at home, in the box, at work, or on-the-go.
Just when you thought you could not be more OBSESSED with CrossFit, enter Wodify. More details coming soon.
Thoughts? Ideas? We’d love to hear them. We appreciate your input, suggestions and ideas! So please be sure to share them with us. If it’s related to the newsletter, shoot Katie an email at katie@crossfitakron.com
What we saw last month...