I think everyone should have a box or square drawn on a wall with a few goals written inside. Put it where you'll see it often. Many of our members have a square on the goal board at the gym listing a few of their fitness goals. If you don't have one yet, give it a try.
Here is what you'll find this week
. Member Spotlight - John Gilbert
. New name for the Beginner Classes
. Zone Diet - results, tips & the "option B"
. 3000 Club Competition changing next month
. CrossFit listed on MSN's Health & Fitness site . Expanded hours - (feedback requested). Nothing to do with fitness - Boat Show
. Access to past email newsletters
This month's Member Spotlight - John Gilbert
John started working out with us this past summer. He is a regular early morning worker-outer, and I mean early. He's there most days at 5:00am sharp. Of course I don't get to see much of John since I don't know how to wake up before 5:00am, but I can tell you that he's really a great guy.
You can read the whole story about John on our CrossFit Cleveland website
New name for Wednesday evening beginner class
I've changed the name of the 7:00pm Wednesday beginner class to the "Scaredy Cat" class. These classes are for all of you who are scared to death of walking into a Crossfit gym. I'm not trying to be insulting here, just accurate. I'll admit that if I were new to this whole thing and peaked in a window and saw people doing the crazy shit we do I'd probably run away myself. But once inside I'd see a whole lot of normal people working out at their own level and getting in the best shape of their lives.
It's okay to admit that you don't have a clue how to to exercise properly and effectively, most people don't. These classes will focus on teaching you how to perform our fundamental exercises using proper form and technique, all in a safe enviroment. We will include a light workout that I guarantee everyone can do. After one session the light will either go on for you and you will get it, or you'll hate us and never come back.
Your first Scaredy Cat class is on the house(no charge). After that, we can talk about other options.
The 9:00am Saturday Basics Class continues to be free for everyone, just be on time or you'll only be able to watch.
Zone Diet Results, Tips & Option "B"
I've heard that many of you are giving the Zone a try this month. Good luck and keep me posted on your results, both good and bad. If you have something I can include in a future newsletter, please let me know.
Okay, as for us. Staci has lost 2 inches off her waist and 8 pounds since Thanksgiving. That's pretty impressive especially when you consider we passed through two, or in our case, three holiday seasons.
While weight loss is not my primary concern, I was able to sail through the holidays and still drop a couple pounds. While this is not quantifiable, I have lines on my stomach that I have not had since my teens. As for numbers, my back squat has increase by 30 pounds and my weighted pullups are up 15 pounds. That might not sound like much but I suck at pullups. I am going to test my max deadlift in a few days and do several CrossFit benchmark workouts to see what has changed. I'll post the results as I learn them.
It has been a lot of work preparing Zone meals, especially since we have to eat at the gym many evenings. We're getting pretty good at it though, more on that next week. Here's a link to a Zone Quick Start Guide from their official web site.
There is a "Zone Diet Links" section below my sig. I will keep a running list of all new links each week.
Option B:
If you're not ready to start some new diet plan like the Zone, try this. Write down everything you put in your mouth for the next 7 days. Everything. Then take a look at the list. You'll see the bad guys, most people have two or three biggies. Pick one and eliminate it completely for 30 days. Pick two others and cut them in half.
I did that 8 years ago when I was 40 pounds heavier than I am today. That, coupled with a new exercise plan got me on my way.
Club 3000 competition changing in February to W.O.W.
It seems as if Katie is the only one doing the 3000 competition this month, probably because L-sits really suck. She picked them mainly for that reason, and because she wanted to get better at them. That made me think, why should someone else pick the exercise you should do 3000 reps of? Why shouldn't you pick it/them yourself. That's what we're going to do starting next month. You'll pick your own exercise or a combination of several that you will do 3,000 reps of. Or maybe 1,000 or 1,500. Put it on the board and go for it.
The only catch is, you gotta pick something you suck at or that you hate doing. No cherry picking like I normally do. Don't pick something you are good at, pick a weakness or something you really don't like to do. We all have them, and we know what they are. Let's call them "Suckers". For me it's pullups and heavy thrusters. I suck at high rep pullups and I hate heavy thrusters, hate'em hate'em hate'em.
W.O.W. stands for Work On your Weakness. I know there's a 'Y" in there, forget about it. Work on your weakness means pick exercises that you either don't do very well or that you just hate doing. Even better yet, pick the ones that scare you. I said before that I hate heavy thrusters. The truth is they scare me.
More on this next week, just start listing out your suckers now.
Who knows, maybe I'll change the name again next week, from W.O.W. to the Suckers Competition. I've been a name changing fool these days!
CrossFit on MSN
CrossFit workouts made the list on MSN's Health and Fitness site.
Expanded Hours - Feedback Requested - Please
We've added 5:00am workouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and new 5:35pm workout on Monday evenings. If we get a decent response, we'll open earlier in the afternoons and staying open later in the mornings on weekdays. Please let me know if you would attend 7:00am or 7:45am workouts in the mornings and/or 4:00pm or 4:45pm workouts in the afternoons.
You can see all of our times on our CrossFit Workout Schedule page.
Nothing to do with Fitness
Think summer! The Cleveland Boat Show starts tomorrow, Jan. 16 and runs through Sunday Jan. 25th at the IX Center. Who says you can't enjoy a cold one on the back of a 50 foot Searay in Cleveland during the winter. That's where you'll find Staci and me.
According to their website, Gain free admission by bringing three canned goods on Inauguration Day - Tuesday, Jan. 20. All food will be donated to the Cleveland Foodbank.
They even have Put-in-Bay Pirate Day next Thursday, GARRRRR.
Previous newsletters on our website
You can read all the past newsletter emails on our website. I've made a newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.
That's all for now, all the old stuff is down below.
Regards,
BR 440-915-7856 (Cell & Text)
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Zone Diet - links to info from previous newletters
The Zone Diet is the eating plan recommended by CrossFit founders Greg and Lauren Glassman and their crew of senior CrossFit trainers and athletes. We are not nutrition experts by any stretch, we're just making a suggestion that if you want to see better results in your attempt to get to your ideal weight, try the Zone.
Some people find the Zone confusing in the beginning, but it's really quite simple once you get it. The Zone diet balances three macronutrients - protein, carbohydrates and fat at every meal and snack. The tricky part is learning how to create and maintain the balance.
Here are links from previous emails.
Zone Wellness Pyramid CrossFit Journal Issue 21 on the Zone Diet
"The Top 100 Zone Foods"
"Zone Meals in Seconds"
Executive Fitness Starter Program
The next program starts Tuesday March 10, 2009.
This program is designed for those of you who are out of shape and want to get started on an exercise program that really works. If you finish, I guarantee that you will be stronger, faster and just plain feel better. You will lose weight, but how much is really up to you. You don't have to be an executive, just someone between the ages of 18 and 80 who wants to get back in shape but doesn't know how to start.
You will train in a small group of people (5 max) three days per week. A CrossFit Certified trainer will instruct and manage your group at all times. You will learn the correct way to perform our Level I and Level II functional exercises using proper form and technique. All exercises will be scaled to your current ability and fitness level. If that sounds hard to pull off, it is. That's why we get the 'big bucks'! There are several recommendations on my LinkedIn page if you care to check them out.
CrossFit Cleveland video promo on our website
Stewart Ryan has been working on this promotional video for months and it's almost ready. This is not the final version, but I posted in on our website anyway.
Thanks to everyone who gave testimonials in the vid, especially Sean, Katie, Jessica, Michael and Amy. I don't mean to leave anyone out since everyone was terrific. However, Mr. Graham "stole the show" . He may become a Crossfit video legend with his closing comment, watch it all here on the CrossFit Cleveland home page. The final 'cleaned-up' version will be posted soon.
Hoodies and Long-Sleeve T-Shirts
The new hoodies and long-sleeve t-shirts are now available at the gym. Hoodies are $30 and the T's are $20. Both have our new CF Cleveland logo on the back and a small RAW Fitness logo on the front.
CF Cleveland Trainers - email addresses
I've added email addresses for Nancy, Paul and Staci on the CrossFit Trainers page on our website. In case you didn't know, all four of us are partners and co-founders of CrossFit Cleveland.New Members get one Foundations Class at no charge
New members receive a one-hour Foundations Class at no charge when they sign up for any membership package. We'll teach about a dozen of our standard exercises to prepare them to join our group workouts. We stress proper form and technique for all movements.
If you joined recently, you are also eligible for this class. Just let us know and we'll schedule you.
Free Basic Class starts at 9:00am SHARP this Saturday.
We're having another free Basic Introductory group workout this Saturday morning starting at 9:00am 'on the dot.' The class is limited to the first 15 people who arrive so please be a little early. You'll need to sign in and fill out a liability waiver before you start the class. If you show up after 9:00am, you may not join the class in progress but you are welcome to stay and watch. You'll learn the basic exercises that we use in our CrossFit workouts. We'll teach you proper form and technique while we warm up, then we'll give you a workout scaled to your fitness level. We're located at 17140 Madison Avenue in Lakewood. We're on the north east corner of Mckinley and Madison, two minutes off the McKinley/I-90 exit. If you've been to our free workouts and want something a little more challenging, you may want to check out our other classes available six days a week. We have additional details on our website, www.CrossFitCleveland.com
CrossFit embroidered apparrel
We have two CrossFit logo designs that can be embroidered on pretty much any piece of clothing you have. Just go to the HomeTown Threads store located inside the Wal-Mart in North Olmsted and tell them you are a member of CrossFit Cleveland. The charge for embroidery is $12 per piece. You can buy stuff from them or take in your own clothing, new or already worn. Pretty cool, huh?
We also have the original Raw Fitness T-shirt available for $15 each.
Membership rates
You can pay for individual workouts, buy a punch card or join on an monthly basis. We don't require any term commitments or contracts. Rates are based on the frequency of your workouts. The more often you want to train, the less it costs per workout. See our Rates Page for more details. You can pay online or stop in and pay by cash or check.
CrossFit Kids
We have a new website for CrossFit Cleveland Kids. Paul and Nancy have been working on it for the past several months. You can check it out here. Contact Paul or Nancy to register your child in an upcoming class. They can be reached at 216-407-3521.
Copy of previous newsletters on our website
You can read all the past newsletter emails on our website. I've made a newsletter archive page here, or you can find the link on our CrossFit Cleveland home page.
Mailing List
If someone forwarded this message to you, click here to join our mailing list so you can receive future messages directly. You can unsubscribe at any time.
We hope to see you soon.
Bill Russell
Thursday, January 15, 2009
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