CrossFit News & Updates 09/03/10

CrossFit Cleveland September 3, 2010

Dear Bill, Staci and I wish all of you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.  We will be closed all day Monday 9/6, but will have normal hours Saturday morning. I'll post a workout for Monday on the Workout of the Day Page of our website, one that you can do almost anywhere.  That page is where you can see daily workout pictures and get the results and times for the morning, afternoon and evening members. No waiting list for evening workouts In case you haven't seen the message down below in the previous newsletters, we have removed our waiting list period for the P.M. workouts. Our overall membership has actually grown through the summer as some members have switched to the morning sessions and to my daytime Executive Fitness Member time slots. The main reason for the wait list in the first place was to make sure we were able to give proper instruction to the large number of new members we received in the late spring and early summer.  Instead of taking on more people, we chose to close the evening membership for a while so we could give enough attention to everyone.   Those newer members are now experienced and training hard, side by side with our veterans. We're ready to take on a new batch of new recruits who want to get in the best shape of their lives and have fun doing it.  That's what we do. One very gratifying part of running a Crossfit facility is watching people who have become couch surfers, embarrassed as to how lazy they have become, progress and change into strong, confident people who feel like they can now do anything. Staci and I are truly amazed at some of the transformations we have seen at our place.  We're proud, happy and grateful to be a part of the process. I used this next line last week and it seems to fit again today, so here it is again. Every Saturday at 11:00am, Basic Intro Workout, first three are free.  What are you waiting for?  Here is a schedule of all of our workouts, CrossFit Cleveland Schedule Crossfit Executive Fitness Program - almost sold out   We only have one spot remaining in the evening group and one spot in the MWF 6:30am group beginning next month for the CrossFit Executive Fitness Starter Program.  This is our most popular program for people who want a great deal of personal attention in a small group environment and to start off slowly in a new workout routine.  You can get all the details here on our website, Crossfit Executive Fitness

CrossFit Endurance Certification here next month CrossFit Cleveland is hosting the Crossfit Endurance Trainer Certification on Saturday October 16th and Sunday October 17th.  We hope to have a great turnout for this weekend. The CrossFit Endurance staff will be traveling to Lakewood, OH to teach us how CrossFit Endurance works for endurance athletes and CrossFit athletes. Their contention is that the endurance community is largely overtraining and that CF Endurance is indispensable in learning how to effectively train someone and keep them healthy and ready for their next race. Frequently Asked Questions #1: Do I need to be affiliated with CrossFit to attend this certification? No, this course is open to anyone interested in learning how to become a more efficient runner, endurance athlete, or CrossFit athlete, and anyone interested in learning how to implement CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance training into a successful program. #2: As a CrossFitter, how will this course benefit me? This course will help you to effectively teach endurance and CrossFit athletes how to train with better mechanics, and help you learn how to program CrossFit Endurance workouts for your athletes. You can read the rest of the FAQ and get more information here at the CrossFit Endurance Certification registration page.

Great Lakes CrossFit opening in October As you've probably heard, our very own Patrick Flannery has been approved as a CrossFit Affiliate and Great Lakes CrossFit has been hatched.  We have a new lease in hand for a 5,000 plus square foot location just off Miles Road near the I-480. Patrick is so excited about the property that he might make an apartment in the large mezzanine area above the offices and shower/locker rooms and move in permanently! I'm not sure his GF Liz will like that idea, but she'll know why when she sees the place. We'll announce more details as they develop. An early October opening is the plan. Staci and I will be business partners with Patrick as he makes his entrepreneurial debut as the co-owner of his own CrossFit gym.   We plan on having some reciprocal membership privileges between Great Lakes CrossFit and Crossfit Cleveland to benefit our members who work on one side and live on the other side of the bridge.  The "Crossfit Passport" seems to be a logical name! More details to follow as they unfold.   Patrick is highly motivated and extremely passionate about helping people improve their health and fitness levels through CrossFit training. We are certain he will be a smashing success. Please visit the Great Lakes CrossFit Fan Page here.

CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - Wednesday 9/8/10 Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal a couple  Wednesdays each month and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday 9/07. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Martial Arts returning to CF Cleveland in late September I'm meeting with a Gracie JiuJitsu instructor next week to talk about teaching classes at our facility. I'll let you know the outcome of the meeting, but my guess is that we will become the only facility on the west side of Cleveland to have a Gracie instructor teaching Brazillian JiuJitsu. This is pretty exciting news, to me at least! If you happen to know of a Gracie instructor already teaching on the west side, please let me know. I'd love to meet him/her. As listed in earlier newsletters, we are planning on resuming our Hapkido/MMA training in the early fall.  Its looking like Hapkido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings for all levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. We will have black belt instructors for weekly classes as well as guest instructors for specialty seminars and workshops. We'll post additional details soon. Please let me know if you have any interest so I can better plan the schedule. If you have a specialty and are interested in teaching, please met me know We already started ground grappling club in the mornings with a small group of experienced black belts. We may be a little rusty, but experienced none the less!  If you have a grappling background and care to join in, please let me know.  The morning club is by invitation only.

Jim Kukral's new book is out, ATTENTION! Jim Kukral, one of our Executive Fitness Program veterans, has just published his first book titled Attention! this book will make you money. If you want to read a book chocked full of money making ideas, strategies and tips on using free and low-cost on-line services to grow your business, this is the one for you.  Jim is a web marketer & business web coach, speaker, long-time award-winning blogger, customer evangelist, writer, online monetization expert, and well, a bunch of other things. Jim Kukral has experienced just about everything web related you can think of. That's why Jim has become one of the Industry's most sought after consultants and public speakers. You can get more info and order your copy at Attention! this book will make you money

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page. Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland

CrossFit News & Updates 09/03/10

Staci and I wish all of you a safe and happy Labor Day weekend.  We will be closed all day Monday 9/6, but will have normal hours Saturday morning. I'll post a workout for Monday on the Workout of the Day Page of our website, one that you can do almost anywhere.  That page is where you can see daily workout pictures and get the results and times for the morning, afternoon and evening members. No waiting list for evening workouts In case you haven't seen the message down below in the previous newsletters, we have removed our waiting list period for the P.M. workouts. Our overall membership has actually grown through the summer as some members have switched to the morning sessions and to my daytime Executive Fitness Member time slots. The main reason for the wait list in the first place was to make sure we were able to give proper instruction to the large number of new members we received in the late spring and early summer.  Instead of taking on more people, we chose to close the evening membership for a while so we could give enough attention to everyone.   Those newer members are now experienced and training hard, side by side with our veterans. We're ready to take on a new batch of new recruits who want to get in the best shape of their lives and have fun doing it.  That's what we do. One very gratifying part of running a Crossfit facility is watching people who have become couch surfers, embarrassed as to how lazy they have become, progress and change into strong, confident people who feel like they can now do anything. Staci and I are truly amazed at some of the transformations we have seen at our place.  We're proud, happy and grateful to be a part of the process. I used this next line last week and it seems to fit again today, so here it is again. Every Saturday at 11:00am, Basic Intro Workout, first three are free.  What are you waiting for?  Here is a schedule of all of our workouts, CrossFit Cleveland Schedule Crossfit Executive Fitness Program - almost sold out   We only have one spot remaining in the evening group and one spot in the MWF 6:30am group beginning next month for the CrossFit Executive Fitness Starter Program.  This is our most popular program for people who want a great deal of personal attention in a small group environment and to start off slowly in a new workout routine.  You can get all the details here on our website, Crossfit Executive Fitness

CrossFit Endurance Certification here next month CrossFit Cleveland is hosting the Crossfit Endurance Trainer Certification on Saturday October 16th and Sunday October 17th.  We hope to have a great turnout for this weekend. The CrossFit Endurance staff will be traveling to Lakewood, OH to teach us how CrossFit Endurance works for endurance athletes and CrossFit athletes. Their contention is that the endurance community is largely overtraining and that CF Endurance is indispensable in learning how to effectively train someone and keep them healthy and ready for their next race. Frequently Asked Questions #1: Do I need to be affiliated with CrossFit to attend this certification? No, this course is open to anyone interested in learning how to become a more efficient runner, endurance athlete, or CrossFit athlete, and anyone interested in learning how to implement CrossFit and CrossFit Endurance training into a successful program. #2: As a CrossFitter, how will this course benefit me? This course will help you to effectively teach endurance and CrossFit athletes how to train with better mechanics, and help you learn how to program CrossFit Endurance workouts for your athletes. You can read the rest of the FAQ and get more information here at the CrossFit Endurance Certification registration page.

Great Lakes CrossFit opening in October As you've probably heard, our very own Patrick Flannery has been approved as a CrossFit Affiliate and Great Lakes CrossFit has been hatched.  We have a new lease in hand for a 5,000 plus square foot location just off Miles Road near the I-480. Patrick is so excited about the property that he might make an apartment in the large mezzanine area above the offices and shower/locker rooms and move in permanently! I'm not sure his GF Liz will like that idea, but she'll know why when she sees the place. We'll announce more details as they develop. An early October opening is the plan. Staci and I will be business partners with Patrick as he makes his entrepreneurial debut as the co-owner of his own CrossFit gym.   We plan on having some reciprocal membership privileges between Great Lakes CrossFit and Crossfit Cleveland to benefit our members who work on one side and live on the other side of the bridge.  The "Crossfit Passport" seems to be a logical name! More details to follow as they unfold.   Patrick is highly motivated and extremely passionate about helping people improve their health and fitness levels through CrossFit training. We are certain he will be a smashing success. Please visit the Great Lakes CrossFit Fan Page here.

CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - Wednesday 9/8/10 Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal a couple  Wednesdays each month and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday 9/07. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Martial Arts returning to CF Cleveland in late September I'm meeting with a Gracie JiuJitsu instructor next week to talk about teaching classes at our facility. I'll let you know the outcome of the meeting, but my guess is that we will become the only facility on the west side of Cleveland to have a Gracie instructor teaching Brazillian JiuJitsu. This is pretty exciting news, to me at least! If you happen to know of a Gracie instructor already teaching on the west side, please let me know. I'd love to meet him/her. As listed in earlier newsletters, we are planning on resuming our Hapkido/MMA training in the early fall.  Its looking like Hapkido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings for all levels, beginner, intermediate and advanced. We will have black belt instructors for weekly classes as well as guest instructors for specialty seminars and workshops. We'll post additional details soon. Please let me know if you have any interest so I can better plan the schedule. If you have a specialty and are interested in teaching, please met me know We already started ground grappling club in the mornings with a small group of experienced black belts. We may be a little rusty, but experienced none the less!  If you have a grappling background and care to join in, please let me know.  The morning club is by invitation only.

Jim Kukral's new book is out, ATTENTION! Jim Kukral, one of our Executive Fitness Program veterans, has just published his first book titled Attention! this book will make you money. If you want to read a book chocked full of money making ideas, strategies and tips on using free and low-cost on-line services to grow your business, this is the one for you.  Jim is a web marketer & business web coach, speaker, long-time award-winning blogger, customer evangelist, writer, online monetization expert, and well, a bunch of other things. Jim Kukral has experienced just about everything web related you can think of. That's why Jim has become one of the Industry's most sought after consultants and public speakers. You can get more info and order your copy at Attention! this book will make you money

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page. Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland

Crossfit News & Updates

I'm often asked about P90x workouts and how they compare with Crossfit training. Since I have never watched an entire P90x video and played along with the guy, I can't really give an honest critique. However, I  can offer some thoughts based on feedback from other CF trainers and what I've seen in the commercials. My initial comment is always, if you are doing P90x regularly and you like it, great - keep it up. If you start getting bored doing the same routines over and over alone in your living room, or you start to hurt yourself because you are not doing the exercises properly, come to a CrossFit gym. You get a bunch of benefits from training at a CrossFit facility. First, we teach you the proper form and technique for the exercises in the workouts and show you ways to modify them to fit your strength and fitness level.  You say you can't do pullups or pushups or clean and jerks?  Yes you can, you just need to be taught modifications that you can perform, ones that will help you progress to eventually doing the movements without modification. You also get a built-in group of people to workout with, along with a trainer making sure you maintain proper form and don't slack off.  Working out alone sucks for most people.  You don't push yourself and end up skipping workouts because no one will ever know. You also get constant variety without having to think up new routines. When you show up at a CrossFit gym, you see a warmup, workout and cool down laid out for you.  It's always different than the other recent sessions. This does mean that you'll have to do things you suck at instead of always doing what you like.  You will get in better shape because of this. Last, but probably most important, you get trainers who give a shit about you and your results. We want you to come often and train hard, throw our weights down, use chalk on your hands, swear out loud and sweat all over our floors. I'm talking about all CrossFit gyms, not just ours.  True story, I met a guy at Erie Island Coffee Company this morning who wants to come to the  Basic Intro class tomorrow.  Bryan told me he finished 90 days of the P90x routine and liked it, but said he won't do it again because he is bored with the workouts.  I told him he won't get bored with ours. Are you bored with your routine? Every Saturday at 11:00am, Basic Intro Workout, first three are free.  What are you waiting for?  Here is a schedule of all of our workouts, CrossFit Cleveland Schedule Crossfit Executive Fitness Program - new dates for September   We have four new group times beginning next month for the CrossFit Executive Fitness Starter Program.  This is our most popular program for people who want a great deal of personal attention in a small group environment and to start off slowly in a new workout routine.  You can get all the details here on our website, Crossfit Executive Fitness  Adorable baby picture Did you see the Kufels recently?  Here is a pic of them with their adorable baby, Owen.

CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - Wednesday 9/1/10 Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal a couple  Wednesdays each month and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday 8/31. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Evening Waiting List removed this month We have opened up a few new times slots and had several members switch out of the evening workouts so now there is room for a handful of new members to attend the  5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm workouts.  If you have joined in the recent past and had been subject to the evening wait list, you are now able to attend any of our morning or evening workouts. Thanks.   We are getting closer to having new larger digs right here in Lakewood.  We'll announce the details once they are finalized. Thanks to everyone for helping us grow this fantastic community.

Patrick Flannery approved as a new Crossfit Affiliate Our very own Patrick Flannery has been approved as a CrossFit Affiliate, Great Lakes CrossFit has been hatched.  Staci and I will be business partners with Patrick as he makes his entrepreneurial debut as the co-owner of his own CrossFit gym.  We will be opening a rather large facility in an eastern suburb this fall, hopefully soon after Labor Day.  We plan on having some reciprocal membership privileges between Great Lakes CrossFit and Crossfit Cleveland to benefit our members who work on one side and live on the other side of the bridge.  The "Crossfit Passport" seems to be a logical name! More details to follow as they unfold.   Patrick is highly motivated and extremely passionate about CrossFit training.  We are certain he will be a smashing success.

Martial Arts returning to CF Cleveland in late September We will be resuming our Hapkido/MMA training in the early fall.  Its looking like Hapkido and Brazillian Jui Jitsu on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings for all levels, beginner intermediate and advanced. We will have black belt instructors for weekly classes as well as guest instructors for specialty seminars and workshops. We'll post additional details soon. Please let me know if you have any interest so I can better plan the schedule. If you have a specialty and are interested in teaching, please met me know We have started ground grappling club in the mornings with a small group of experienced black belts. We may be a little rusty, but experienced none the less!  If you have a grappling background and care to join in, please let me know.  The morning club is by invitation only.

Kate is opening her own CrossFit box Kate has decided to pursue her dream of running her own CrossFit box.  She has started Coca Crossfit and will be opening in North Ridgeville soon. We wish her all the best and expect to continue to work together to build a huge CrossFit community in northeast Ohio. I'll announce more details of her plans as I hear them Staci and I will be taking over the 5:00am workouts starting the beginning of September.  We have a few certified trainers who have asked to run some of the morning workouts for us, so you may see some new, but familiar, faces soon. It's all good.

Jim Kukral's new book is out, ATTENTION! Jim Kukral, one of our Executive Fitness Program veterans, has just published his first book titled Attention! this book will make you money. If you want to read a book chocked full of money making ideas, strategies and tips on using free and low-cost on-line services to grow your business, this is the one for you.  I will be giving away a free copy of Jim's book tomorrow, Saturday 8/14/10, at the gym.  Jim was kind enough to include CrossFit Cleveland in his book, telling how he was motivated to sign up for our Executive Fitness Program after watching our online video, "What is CrossFit"  Just tell us how you found us and why you joined Crossfit.  The person with the most interesting answer wins the book. Jim is a web marketer & business web coach, speaker, long-time award-winning blogger, customer evangelist, writer, online monetization expert, and well, a bunch of other things. Jim Kukral has experienced just about everything web related you can think of. That's why Jim has become one of the Industry's most sought after consultants and public speakers. You can get more info and order your copy at Attention! this book will make you money

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page. Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland

CrossFit News and Updates - 08/13/10

I'll keep it short and sweet this week, but I need to let you in on a few things and remind you about the picnic this Sunday along with showing you a video of what really happened during Kate's obstacle course trial (see link below). Most of you missed her, but Dr. Amy stopped in to visit this week. She was in from Chicago to see the BNL concert and dropped in for a workout. Speaking of past members who have moved out of sunny Cleveland, Sean Kufel is in town visiting and will be at the gym tomorrow morning. Get there and go head to head with him - I have a great CF "Girl" workout in store for those who dare. FYI - We will be resuming our Hapkido/MMA training in the early fall.  Its looking like Hapkido on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings plus Jujitsu and ground grappling two or three mornings a week. We will have black belt instructors for weekly classes as well as guest instructors for specialty seminars and workshops. We'll post additional details soon.  Please let me know if you have any interest so I can better plan the schedule. If you have a specialty and are interested in teaching, please met me know.     Crossfit Executive Fitness Program - new dates for September   We have four new group times beginning next month for the CrossFit Executive Fitness Starter Program.  You can get all the details here on our website, Crossfit Executive Fitness      CrossFit Summer Picnic this Sunday 8/15/10   Kim Williams has quite an event on tap for us all this Sunday August 15th at her home in Berlin Heights.  Kim works out with us in the evenings as well as belonging to Nick Strazar's CrossFit Box. She has invited CrossFit Cleveland members to join the CrossFit Box members for a cookout and Obstacle Course Challenge in her backyard.    Yes, I said Obstacle Course Challenge.  Kim and her husband have a full-on land of crazy shit constructed in their backyard, surrounded by hundreds of acres of farmland. There is a wall to scale, 20 feet of bars to swing across, a rope wall to climb, hurdles to hurdle and a few other objects guaranteed to test your mettle. Competition is optional, fun is mandatory.  I posted a video of Kate Rawlings scaling the rope wall, but here is what really happened.  It's a must watch. Kate's infamous dismount Here are the details:   When: Sunday August 15, 2010 from 11:00am to 4:00pm   Where: 9703 Reiger Road, Berlin Heights, OH 44814   What:  Crossfit Picnic and Obstacle Course Challenge, along with volleyball, corn hole and other picnic activities   What to bring:  bring a side dish to share and your favorite beverage.  We will be providing burgers, grilled chicken and non-alcoholic beverages. You are welcome to bring your own items to throw on the grill if burgers or chicken aren't your thing.   Who: all are invited, but please R.S.V.P. so we can have the right amount of food.   CrossFit Cleveland folks R.S.V.P. to me at bill@crossfitcleveland.com or write your name on the sign-up board at the gym.  Members of other CrossFit gyms should R.S.V.P. at their gym or directly to Kim. Evening Waiting List removed this month We have opened up a few new times slots and had several members switch out of the evening workouts so now there is room for a handful of new members to attend the  5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm workouts.  If you have joined in the recent past and had been subject to the evening wait list, you are now able to attend any of our morning or evening workouts. Thanks.   We are getting closer to having new larger digs right here in Lakewood.  We'll announce the details once they are finalized. Thanks to everyone for helping us grow this fantastic community. Jim Kukral's new book is out, ATTENTION! Jim Kukral, one of our Executive Fitness Program veterans, has just published his first book titled Attention! this book will make you money. If you want to read a book chocked full of money making ideas, strategies and tips on using free and low-cost on-line services to grow your business, this is the one for you.  I will be giving away a free copy of Jim's book tomorrow, Saturday 8/14/10, at the gym.  Jim was kind enough to include CrossFit Cleveland in his book, telling how he was motivated to sign up for our Executive Fitness Program after watching our online video, "What is CrossFit"  Just tell us how you found us and why you joined Crossfit.  The person with the most interesting answer wins the book. Jim is a web marketer & business web coach, speaker, long-time award-winning blogger, customer evangelist, writer, online monetization expert, and well, a bunch of other things. Jim Kukral has experienced just about everything web related you can think of. That's why Jim has become one of the Industry's most sought after consultants and public speakers. You can get more info and order your copy at Attention! this book will make you money Patrick Flannery approved as a new Crossfit Affiliate Our very own Patrick Flannery has been approved as a CrossFit Affiliate, Great Lakes CrossFit has been hatched.  Staci and I will be working closely with Patrick as he makes his entrepreneurial debut as the owner of his own CrossFit gym.  He will be opening a rather large facility in an eastern suburb this fall, hopefully soon after Labor Day.  We plan on having some reciprocal membership privileges between Great Lakes CrossFit and Crossfit Cleveland to benefit our members who work on one side and live on the other side of the bridge.  The "Crossfit Passport" seems to be a logical name! More details to follow as they unfold.   Patrick is highly motivated and extremely passionate about CrossFit training.  We are certain he will be a smashing success. CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - every Wednesday Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal every Wednesday and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday of each week. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page. Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland

CrossFit News and Updates - 07/29/10

It's been a while since our last newsletter and a whole lot has happened since. Staci and I enjoyed a nice vacation earlier this month while Kate Rawlings and Patrick ran the gym along with help from a few of our certified members. Thanks to everyone for helping them hold down the fort.  Then, of course, we took the trip to California to witness Kate Rawlings' spectacular performance in the 2010 CrossFit Games.  She did really well pitted against the best CrossFitters on the planet.  We're all very proud and excited for Kate. You can watch tons of archive video on the Crossfit Games website   Now it's back to the everday fun of running a Crossfit gym, helping other get in the best shape imaginable.  That's what Crossfit is really about. The Games are great, but they're really reserved for a select few.  The widespread appeal of Crossfit is due to the fact that anyone can do the workouts and everyone will see results, if they put in the effort.  You don't have to care about being better than anyone else, but you should care about being better than you were yesterday.     Crossfit Executive Fitness Program - new dates for September   We have four new group times beginning next month for the CrossFit Executive Fitness Starter Program.  You can get all the details here on our website, Crossfit Executive Fitness      CrossFit Summer Picnic Planned   Kim Williams has quite an event on tap for us all on Sunday August 15th at her home in Berlin Heights.  Kim works out with us in the evenings as well as belonging to Nick Strazar's CrossFit Box. She has invited CrossFit Cleveland members to join the CrossFit Box members for a cookout and Obstacle Course Challenge in her backyard.    Yes, I said Obstacle Course Challenge.  Kim and her husband have a full-on land of crazy shit constructed in their backyard, surrounded by hundreds of acres of farmland. There is a wall to scale, 20 feet of bars to swing across, a rope wall to climb, hurdles to hurdle and a few other objects guaranteed to test your mettle. Competition is optional, fun is mandatory.  Here are the details:   When: Sunday August 15, 2010 from 11:00am to 4:00pm   Where: 9703 Reiger Road, Berlin Heights, OH 44814   What:  Crossfit Picnic and Obstacle Course Challenge, along with volleyball, corn hole and other picnic activities   What to bring:  bring a side dish to share and your favorite beverage.  We will be providing burgers, grilled chicken and non-alcoholic beverages. You are welcome to bring your own items to throw on the grill if burgers or chicken aren't your thing.   Who: all are invited, but please R.S.V.P. so we can have the right amount of food.   CrossFit Cleveland folks R.S.V.P. to me at bill@crossfitcleveland.com or write your name on the sign-up board at the gym.  Members of other CrossFit gyms should R.S.V.P. at their gym or directly to Kim.   Here is a video of Kate taking on part of the Obstacle Course last month while prepping for the Games. Kate Rawlings as Spider Woman Jillian earns her CrossFit Level I trainer certification Jillian Neimeister traveled to the Chicago area after returning home from the CrossFit Games to attend her CrossFit Level One Certification Seminar. Jillian started training in our CrossFit Executive Fitness Program back in the summer of 2009, after a two year stint reading these email newsletters.   She told me she needed someone to kick her ass back in shape, and that is exactly what we did. I think she fell in love with CrossFit the day she realized that she is by far the strongest woman in our gym. Her deadlift is at least 100lbs. more than the next highest record, and higher than 80+% of our men. Jillian went to Columbus in March to compete in the CrossFit Games Sectional Qualifier. She did not make the cut this year but she did performed all of the workouts without modification, which is very impressive especially considering she was a first year CrossFitter. My money is on her to make it to Regionals in 2011.   Congrats to Jillian, we'll see if we can put her to work soon! Patrick Flannery approved as a new Crossfit Affiliate Our very own Patrick Flannery has been approved as a CrossFit Affiliate, Great Lakes CrossFit has been hatched.  Staci and I will be working closely with Patrick as he makes his entrepreneurial debut as the owner of his own CrossFit gym.  He will be opening a rather large facility in an eastern suburb this fall, hopefully soon after Labor Day.  We plan on having some reciprocal membership privileges between Great Lakes CrossFit and Crossfit Cleveland to benefit our members who work on one side and live on the other side of the bridge.  The "Crossfit Passport" seems to be a logical name! More details to follow as they unfold.   Patrick is highly motivated and extremely passionate about CrossFit training.  We are certain he will be a smashing success. Membership Waiting List for 5:00P.M. & later workouts We're still at capacity during the 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm workouts. We have started a waiting list for new members who wish to workout after 5:00pm. New members are able to attend any of the morning workouts and the 4:00pm and 4:30pm workouts Monday through Thursday.     *** Please note, current members who joined prior to the wait list are able to attend any workouts they choose as long as their membership remains current.  It's important to know that if you take a month or two off, you will be subject to the waiting list upon your return.   We do have expansion plans in the works that include additional workout times and more space. Please stay tuned for details.  Thanks to everyone for helping us grow this fantastic community. CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - every Wednesday Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal every Wednesday and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday of each week. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page. Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland

CrossFit News and Updates - 06/24/10

Please remember to join us to support Kate Rawlings on Monday June 28th from 7:00pm-11:00pm at our Guest Bartending Party at Around the Corner in Lakewood. We would very much appreciate it if you could attend and help spread the word.  You can see more details below along with a few new videos of Kate and her training partners during their workouts.   Someone asked me recently what types of people are competing in the CrossFit Games, are they bodybuilders, marathon runners, power lifters, tri-athletes or those people who do P90x?  The short answer to that question is 'no'.  They happen to be the fittest people on the planet, who can all run and row and climb and bike and lift and squat and clean and jerk and snatch and carry and jump and drag and push and pull and slam and roll and pound. Hell, they can even walk on their hands. And when Coach shouts 'go' they will stop at nothing in order to complete the task set before them.  They are elite level athletes and their sport is CrossFit.   Kate happens to be one of them.  Please join us to help celebrate her achievement and support her  trip to Los Angeles next month.   Who: You and your friends are all invited   What: Guest Bartending Fundraiser for Kate Rawlings   When: Monday June 28th from 7:00pm on   Where: Around the Corner Saloon, 18616-20 Detroit Ave. in Lakewood   Why: Help with Kate's costs to get to the CrossFit Games   How much: no charge to attend, just your food and drink tab. All tips will go to help pay for Kate's trip to the CrossFit games in July.   Staci has a "gold, silver & platinum buyer" at the event to pay cash for your unwanted/unused jewelry.  You know, like the 'cash for gold' commercials you see on T.V. Here's a chance for you to dig out some stuff from your drawers and get some cash for the evening.  Oh yeah, you could drop some of that loot in Kate's tip jar if you feel like it.   If you have a Facebook account, you can see more details and RSVP for this event here "Get Team Killer to the Games" I also have a post on our CrossFit Cleveland website. Kate also has a link on her blog, www.katerawlings.com, where you can make a donation and receive a special edition t-shirt and even become a sponsor and get your name on the shirts.   Here are a few videos of Kate's recent workouts and cool-down wods with her training partners.  You can view lots of pictures and videos on our CrossFit Cleveland Fan Page on Facebook, even if you don't have a Facebook account   CrossFit's Grace workout with Kate, Jillian, Wayne and Patrick Tabata Wall balls and pullups, with same motley crew Walking lunges in the range, cooldown while holding a weight plate overhead Patrick beating down Kate on the RRHS football field   Staci and I first met Kate when she started attending the free workouts we did in the Metroparks along with Paul and Nancy months before we opened the box in 2007.  Now she is in charge of training each morning at our gym. Kate is scheduled to attend a CrossFit Kids Certification this summer and plans on running her own CrossFit Kids program within our facility starting later this summer.   You can learn more about the Games on the official Crossfit Games site and read more about her journey on her blog, www.katerawlings.com   Membership Waiting List for 5:00P.M. & later workouts A few spots have opened up for July but we're still at capacity during the 5:00pm, 5:30pm, 6:00pm and 6:30pm workouts. We have started a waiting list for new members who wish to workout after 5:00pm. New members are able to attend any of the morning workouts and the 4:00pm and 4:30pm workouts Monday through Thursday.     I will contact people at the top of the list as new spots open.  Currently the waiting list to attend the evening workouts is approximately 4 to 6 weeks.   *** Please note, current members who joined prior to the wait list are able to attend any workouts they choose as long as their membership remains current.  It's important to know that if you take a month or two off, you will be subject to the waiting list upon your return.   We do have expansion plans in the works that include additional workout times and more space. Please stay tuned for details.  Thanks to everyone for helping us grow this fantastic community. CF Cleveland's Organic Produce Co-Op - every Wednesday Staci and Tricia go down to the Cleveland Food Terminal every Wednesday and purchase organic fruits and vegetables by the case. They get a boat load of food for not a whole lot of money, then they split it all up into 6 equal shares. They spend $300 total, making each 'share' cost $50.  The minimum buy-in is $25 for 1/2 share of produce. If you are interested, please add your name to the sign-up sheet at the gym or email staci@crossfitcleveland.com. Payment must be received no later than Tuesday of each week. You can see a few pictures of the past couple batches of food here on our Organic Food Co-op post on our website.

Previous newsletters on our website You can read all the past email newsletters on our website.  I've made a Crossfit Cleveland newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.

That's all for now. You can find all the stuff that used to be down below my signature here on the 'Old Stuff Archive" page.Regards,  BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)    CrossFit Cleveland - RAW Fitness, LLC www.crossfitcleveland.com  My LinkedIn Profile  - http://www.linkedin.com/in/billrussellohio BR on Facebook = http://profile.to/billrussell/ CrossFit Cleveland's Fan Page on Facebook at http://www.companies.to/crossfitcleveland Follow us on Twitter, http://www.twitter.com/CFCleveland