NOVEMBER 2012 THE CFA CONNECTION issue 5

The Future is what you make it.

Athlete

New & Greater

Schedule

Special Classes Special Classes Special Classes AnnouncedAnnouncedAnnounced

Now at CFA & CFAN

Perka is a cardless loyalty system that works on your phone. It lets CFA & CFAN give you special offers and preferred bonuses at our Pro-Shops.

The more you purchase, the better your perks.

Get the app.

Visit the site for more details.

WIN gear

The Male & Female

with the Most Check In’s

at the NEW BOX

*on a continued attendance basis*

will win some

Let The Check-In’s Begin

Add To Your Friends …

Brian Parana

Jason Elrod

Dustin Shaffer

CrossFit Akron

A Little Something

to think about. . .… "Life is a series of collisions with the future; it is not the sum of what we have been, but what we yearn to be.” — Jose Ortega y Gasset

The Team

Founders Coaches Josh Felber Jamie Grigas Brian Parana Jason Elrod Nate Napolitano Cindy Virdo Dustin Shaffer Hannah Whitman Intern Coaches Eric Wilson

JP Lytle Media Nathan Strome Coordinator Aaron Whisman Katie Middendorf Ryan Snyder

Contents

Perka 2

Foursquare Contest 2

Wazzup: Words from BP 4

Catch Some Gear for Less 5

Coach’ s Tip 6

Bring a Guest/BBC 7

Welcome On-Ramp Grads 8

Athlete Spotlight 10

Whole Life Challenge Sponsor Feature: The Rail 12

Team Member Bio 14

Upcoming Events 1 6

Holiday Schedule 17

New Class Schedule 18

Special Classes FAQ 19

Whole Life Challenge Prizes 20

Nosh on This 21

What We Saw This Month 22

Contact us @ 330.664.9671 or crossfitakron@gmail.com. www.crossfitakron.com

Wazzup? Huge month ahead for CrossFit Akron, the biggest since the Grand Opening!

The Staff at CFA is more than excited and ready for the big move to the new Box. Hopefully you've been watching the video updates on Friday afternoons. If you haven't seen the latest... Check out Face-book or Socialcam to view the video.

The MoveThe Move It's on it's way here! We would love to have you be a part of this memorable moment in CFA history (read: “Moving WOD’s”, what better way to get some functional movement in over the weekend?). The relocation will take place over Friday,-Sunday (11/2-4) to get the new Box opened ASAP! We are moving only a short distance away to stay in the same area as the first Box.

It was quite the challenge to find a space that would suit our needs; but we have with about 7,000 square feet of newly constructed interior to our design, plenty of floor space for many more athletes to join in on the fun, more coaches to lead you to a life of healthful living, and many more class time spots to fit your busy schedule.

Most importantly, get excited for what's to come! Most importantly, get excited for what's to come! Our staff has been behind the scenes planning all sorts of little extras to knock your socks off. The new Box will be fun, bring more community, many more PR's, and a vision of health and wellness that is unmatched in the Northeast Ohio area.

We are most excited to see how much CFA has changed over the last 2 years and how we have helped change the community of Akron for the better. Our future looks bright!

- Brian (The Goals Guru) Parana

Holiday Gear Promos

HARDCORE Holiday Packages

SIMPLE Package CFA T-shirt, X-factor Trigger Point Ball, SFH Recovery Protein, 3 Private Training Sessions, 3 Success Coaching Sessions Retail Price $350 Holiday Pricing $199.99 Black Friday Only: Add CEP Sleeves & a 12 Pack of FitAid or Hydrate Coconut Water

WOD Package CFA Hoodie, Reebok Nano 2, 1 Tissue Rejuvenator, 1 Trigger Point Grid, 3 Success Coaching Ses-sions or 3 Private Training Sessions Retail Price $450 Holiday Pricing $299.99 Black Friday Only: Add CEP Sleeves & a 12 Pack of FitAid or Hydrate Coconut Water

PIMP Package CFA Hoodie, Reebok Oly Shoes, 1 Trigger Point Kit, SFH Fish Oil, SFH Recovery, 3 Success Coaching Sessions and 3 Private Training Sessions Retail Price $750 Holiday Pricing $499.99 Black Friday Only: Add CEP Sleeves & a 12

Pack of FitAid or Hydrate Coconut Water Holiday Pricing begins Black Friday, 11/23/12 and your last opportunity to pick up all this

It’s all about giving back, so we are giving back to our Athletes and making it so easy to stay on track through the muddling of schedules, sugary treats, and exuberant merriment that so often makes us groan after it’s all done.

Pick up one of these packages we’ve put together (or drop some hefty hints to family & friends) so you have all kinds of motivation to get you through the next couple of months without the residual sluggishness and growing waistline that usually appear post-holidays.

Kick a** this season-don’t let it kick yours.

Practice. Practice. Practice.

The coaches only have a few hours a week with you and depending on how often you come in, you may only get to practice a movement once every other week or longer. It takes 10,000 hours of practice to become a master at anything, So if you’re only practicing something a few times a month it’s going to take a long time to get good at it. I’m sure that you’ve all heard the saying “ practice makes perfect.” Well, I don’t like that saying. I think my high school basketball coach said it better, “practice makes permanent.” You may practice something thinking that you are doing it right, but you may be doing it wrong. If so, you are only go-ing to get good at doing that movement wrong. It will become permanent, a habit, and habits are hard to break.

My suggestion, practice movement’s at home in front of a mirror. Feeling the movement is one thing, seeing yourself do it is another. Get in front of the biggest mirror that you can and practice snatches, cleans, squats, deadlift, even pushups and jump rope. It will be easier to correct yourself and it will dramatically increase your performance in that movement. So go home and practice. - Coach Dustin

Dustin Shaffer CFA COACHCFA COACHCFA COACH

Bring a Guest Days are back. BBC

Burpee Bodyweight Challenge

11/17/12-1/1/13

45 days of burpees, progressively adding

one each day.

(day 1: 1 burpee, day 2: 2 burpees, day 3:

3 burpees, and so on). You can do this one anywhere. Use this challenge to help you through the holidays.

Sign up on the designated Whiteboard

in the box.

Have some friends or family who keep asking you what this CrossFit thing is that you’re doing? Wanting to know what’ s creating this kicka** transformation in you?

Well, here’s the chance to show them. Let them experience it for themselves, see how hard, how rewarding, how life altering this CrossFit, this Community really is.

12/6-7-8

1/10-11

Nitty Gritty: Shoot an email to crossfitakron@gmail.com to

let us know date and time you’ll be bringing your buddy. We’ll also need name, tel & email address of the guest.

Bring your friend with you to your WOD. You MUST attend with your friend.

Arrive 10 min. early to complete the waiver.

Should your guest end up joining, we’ ll send a Perka Stamp your way. Shazam.

Welcome On Ramp grads! New faces you will be seeing around the box:

Welcome On Ramp grads! New faces you will be seeing around the box:

Rachel’s thoughts

post on ramp The OnRamp program got me excited to workout again. The coaches helped me change the way I eat and the way I view working out. I am excited to see myself in a month, 2 months, and so on. I think CrossFit is going to be the change that I need in my life to make me more confident in the way I view myself and help me be confident in my job search.

Last October I began my weight loss journey. I had just given birth to my third child and was absolutely sick over the amount of weight I had gained during my pregnancy. Each preg-

nancy I told myself I would make better food choices so I wouldn't have so much to lose … if I had only known then what I know now about nutrition and exercise! Three weeks after delivery, I joined Weight Watchers and made the deci- sion to become a runner because I wanted to burn a lot of calories in the little time I had to sneak off to the gym. I lost about 50 pounds following the WW program and running but I still was-n't happy with where I was at.. People compli-mented me all the time and I was proud but not satisfied. I knew I should have incorporated some strength training into my routine but I had no idea where to even begin, so I didn't! When CrossFit Akron North opened I scheduled a free intro. The intro session really drove home the point that I should have been doing more than just run. I felt so weak. Push-ups on my knees

felt like torture and I felt the squats for days. I knew right away that I could get the results I was looking for with this pro-gram. I have been doing CrossFit for three months and have already seen a great improve-ment. I lost another 10 pounds and wear jeans smaller than before I had any kids! It may sound silly, but one of the biggest successes for me has been doing pushups from my toes. Even as a child, I had never done this before. I feel like I am in the best shape of my life, yet there is so much more that I can accomplish. I don't regret WW be-cause it helped me in this journey, but I do wonder where I would be now had I started CrossFit sooner in its place.

“People

complimented

me all the time

and I was proud

but not satis-

fied.

I knew I should

have incorpo-

rated some

strength

training into my

routine but I had

no idea where

to even begin

so I didn't!

(Now) I’ve lost

another 10

pounds and

wear jeans

smaller than

before I had any

kids! Jamie Today

Athlete TRANSFORMAT IONSAthlete TRANSFORMAT IONSAthlete TRANSFORMAT IONS ::: Jamie Tucker Susan MOen

Athlete transformat ionsAthlete transformat ionsAthlete transformat ions

been the point where I gave up and handed to mallet over to one of the guys. I heard someone say "come on, Susan" and suddenly it

was like I was in the last 90 seconds of a

WOD and I could hear Jamie's voice yelling at me to keep going, keep moving, don't quit. Like a WOD, I was sweating and my arms were burning but, also like a WOD, I kept go-ing and miraculously the rod came free. As the OR erupted in cheers, I thought, now that is why I do CrossFit.

The improvement in my physical strength and stamina has been great but the improved mental toughness has been even more startling. I still have a long way to go and I still get my butt kicked every WOD but know-

ing that things are changing for the better keeps me going....that, and the coaches yelling at me :)

I joined CrossFit primarily to get stronger. I am an orthope-dic surgery resident (which is basically a fancy name for "bone doctor") and wanted a workout pro-gram that was flexible and intense with-out being a huge time commitment.

My profession is male dominated and can be physically demanding. Over the past 2 years I accepted that I just wasn't as strong as the guys and that there were certain tasks that I would attempt but have to hand over to my male col-leagues. This was frustrating. I attempted home strength programs in the past with little success. I heard about CrossFit and, after barely surviving my intro class, de-cided that this might just be the thing I was looking for. I loved the positive en-ergy, the camaraderie, among the ath-letes.

Over the past 4 months I'd noticed certain things becoming easier and that I wasn't as tired, but my victorious moment came 3 weeks ago during a surgical re-moval of a tibial rod. This is a very strenuous procedure re-quiring a fair about of brute force and determination (the patient is soundly asleep). I was pounding away, attempting to remove the rod, and I hit what would have normally

I hit what would have

normally been the point

where I gave up and

handed to mallet over to

one of the guys. I heard

someone say "come on,

Susan" and suddenly it was

like I was in the last 90

seconds of a WOD and I

could hear Jamie's voice

yelling at me to keep go-

ing, keep moving, don't

quit.

Susan Pre … & Post CrossFit Akron

Athlete TRANSFORMAT IONSAthlete TRANSFORMAT IONSAthlete TRANSFORMAT IONS ::: Jamie Tucker Susan MOen

Athlete transformat ionsAthlete transformat ionsAthlete transformat ions

Featured Sponsor:

THE RAIL. CFA: For locals focused on great food that's good for you, what are some high-lights about the food on your menu? TR: Our Hippie Pita satisfies our vegetar-ian friends: mozzarella cheese, veggies and hummus wrapped up for easy chomping. If somebody's trying to cool it on the red meat for any reason, all of our burgers can substitute a local chicken breast or gourmet veggie burger. Not to mention that our sides are ordered a la carte, which really helps keep our customers in control of their portions. CFA: There are lots of us who stick to a close Paleo diet (no grains, no dairy, no legumes especially soy - mostly just pro-tein, veggies, some fruit nuts and seeds). What offerings would you sug-

A short interview with award win-ning chef and restaurateur Mike Mariola, of The Rail. Combining his lifelong passion for great, fresh food and a dedication to sustain-ability, Mariola is able to redefine the typical burger joint with a menu you have to taste for your-self - and a CFA following. CF:A We at CrossFit are big fans of The Rail for all kinds of reasons. What do you feel sets you apart from the other burger joints in the area?

TR: Local is king at The Rail. Our half-pound burgers are made from freshly ground (READ: never frozen), all-Ohio beef and then grilled over an open flame. Our chicken breasts, bacon, pork shoulder, milkshakes, and some of our produce is all locally-sourced. We also offer a full bar showcasing over eight Ohio breweries on draft and a selection of Ohio-distilled spirits. CF:A What's YOUR history?/What mo-tivated you to open The Rail in Fair-lawn? TR: I’ve been working in restaurants since I was a teenager. After becom-ing Sous Chef at Parker's in Cleve-land it was clear that local, sustainable food cannot be imitated; it simply tastes better. When I opened my 2nd restaurant, The City Square Steakhouse in Wooster, I immediately saw how popular our burgers were and with the resurgence of local breweries, I just knew a burger-bar concept would do well as a stand-alone restaurant. Mariola’s burger was recently

named one of best burgers in THE

midwest by Midwest Living magazine)

gest a paleo guy or gal to order? TR: Grilled beef, chicken and fried eggs are always available in any combina-tion. Our Perfectly Na-ked burger is a great fit for the paleo guy or gal - lettuce wrapped with your choice of 2 condiments---like sau-teed onions and mushroooms. We also build some tasty salads that can be customized with any items on the menu to suit anyone's nutri-tional cravings. CFA: When we aren't following a clean diet ... what have you found to be your fave milkshake flavor?

TR: Nutella, hands down… It's worth an extra set of burpees!

Visit The Rail at the Summit Mall In Fiarlawn Ohio. Whether you are following a clean diet or not, there is something for everyone and you won’ t be disappointed.

TEAMTEAMTEAM---MEMBER BIO:MEMBER BIO:MEMBER BIO: J.P. Lytle

JP is one of our newly CrossFit Level 1 Certified Coaches and enthusiastic team-members. Be sure to say HI!

JP’s fitness background includes soccer and wrestling. He did not start Olympic Lifting until his junior year in college while recovering from a soccer injury.

Once through with his collegiate soccer career, he knew he wanted to continue down the path of fitness, for himself as well as others – and with his passion for competition¸ it had to not just be fitness¸ but also something of a competitive nature. When he dis-covered CrossFit, he knew immediately knew that he discovered that niche. CrossFit’s intensity and variation in every workout hooked him from the moment I he did his first benchmark WOD.

Onto Certification and Mentorship through CrossFit Akron: JP had the opportunity to grow and learn in the world that is CrossFit through his extensive time at the CFA Box in the mentorship program and through his CrossFit Level 1 Certification. He is passionate about CrossFit and everything that it encompasses: Fitness, competition, community. He looks forward to helping new athletes of all levels reach their goals. He feels privileged to have the opportunity to become a CrossFit coach, “ The feeling when athletes leave the gym with more confidence and motivation to enrich their day is the best feeling as a coach!”

The Move. wod’s cancelled

11/2-4 Come out for a “moving” wod!

The 5a & 6a WODs on 11/2 will remain as scheduled.

Immediately following, we’ll be moving all day Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

Find us at the old box or catch us at the new digs at 1503 S. Hawkins Ave.

Classes resume 11/5 at the new location.

CFA New apparel is Up. We’ ve got 2 new ultra cool CrossFit Akron designed shirts to add to your collection. Exclusive to our box, these are new styles and fresh ways to announce all your hard work to the rest of the universe. Get them at THE BOX. Available 11/10

Rubber City Athlete Shrits Will be available in Tees and the tri-blend hoodies shown here. Obsessive Crossfit Akron Disorder shirts will be available in Tees. Both in selected colors. We have a limited supply, so get while the gettin’s good.

Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

UUUPCOMINGPCOMINGPCOMING EEEVENTSVENTSVENTS November, 1-18 2012: 2nd Annual Turkey Drive $40 sends and entire Turkey out to a family in need of assistance getting protein on the table. Help CFA send 50. Make a donation of any amount to CFA.

Whole Life Challenge Completion WOD 11/10 11a If you can’t be there, talk with a coach to do the WOD ahead of time.

Winter Skills Session 3 of 6: Double Unders 11/17 10a Get Registered.

Bodyweight Challenge 11/19-1/1 44 Days of Burpees. Sign up on the Designated WhiteBoard.

CLOSED Thanksgiving Day. See the Holiday Schedule for the details.

21st Annual Home Run For The Homeless, by Gennesaret 11/22 (Thanksgiving Morning). 8:30a 1 mi Fun Run/Walk 9:00a 4-Mile Run

Toy Drive: For The Battered Woman’ s Shelter December, 2012. Bring your new or like-new toys into the box. Kick Off is at the big party.

PARTY! Grand Opening of new location & 2 year anniversary 12/1 9:30-11a Special WOD 6-9p Red Carpet Party...at the new CrossFit Akron location RSVP if you haven’ t already.

Guest Days 12/6, 7, 8. See PAGE *** for details.

Winter Skills Session 4 of 6: Kip Movement (pull ups/k2e/t2b) 12/15 10a Get Registered.

.

.

Follow us on Facebook for even more great deals

HHHOLIDAYOLIDAYOLIDAY SSSCHEDULECHEDULECHEDULE

Plan now so you don’t miss a beat.

THANKSGIVING Thursday, 11/22 Thanksgiving Day Closed. (get a good running WOD in at the Gennesaret Home Run for the Homeless). Friday 11/23 On Ramp at 8a. WODs at 9a & 10a. All other regularly scheduled WODs canceled.

CHRISTMAS Monday, 12/24 On Ramp at 8a Christmas Eve WOD 9a. All other regularly scheduled WODs canceled. Tuesday, 12/25, Christmas Day Closed.

NEW YEAR Monday, 12/31 On Ramp at 8a New Year’s Eve WOD 9a. All other regularly scheduled WODs canceled. Tuesday, 1/1, New Year’s Day Closed.

2nd Annual

We’ve teamed up with

EARTH FARE FAIRLAWN Once again this year to help make some happy gobblers this Thanksgiving. $40 sends and entire Turkey out to a family in need of assistance getting pro-tein on the table for the Holiday.

Last year we sent out 25. This year, help CFA send 50.

Make a donation of any amount to CFA. We will cut Earth Fare a check on the 19th and post the grand total. Thank you.

New WOD Schedule

Rolls out 12/3

New location means more, new, and more convenient WOD times for our athletes.

Beginning 12/3/12, all WOD times will be the same all days of the week.

WOD Start Times: 5A, 5:30A, 6A, 6:30A, 7A, 9:30A, 10A

12:15 The Lunchtime Quickie Metcon or Strength Only (30 min)

4:15P, 5P, 5:30P, 6P, 6:30P, 7P

ON RAMP Start Times: M, W, F @ 5A & 7:30P *OLY Weightlifting Classes Mon 6A, Wed 5P, Ths 7P *More special classes will be added to the schedule. You may attend a Special Class in lieu of 1 WOD each week.

Dan Bell is a USA Weightlifting Advanced Level Coach. He co-founded the Columbus Weightlifting Club with Coach Mark Cannella in 1999 and has coached weightlifters to the national and interna-tional level, including Olympian Holley Mangold. Weightlifting is his pastime and his passion.

Dan has been involved in weight training since high school. His weight training journey has taken him from preparing for high school football and wrestling to powerlifting, strongman training and finally, Olympic weightlifting. He compares weight-lifting to a 300 pound golf swing. The tech-nique is that demand-ing and precise. He be-lieves weightlifting to be the ultimate test of speed, strength, flexibil-ity and athleticism.

Rubber City Weightlift-ing is the next, and perhaps the most excit-ing, chapter in Dan’s coaching career.

Special class f.a.q.

Swimming & Olympic Lifting and CrossFit Endurance Run Training (coming 2013) are currently listed as Special Classes.

You will be able to replace one of your WODs per week with a Special Class.

Special Classes need to be registered in 4-week blocks to participate.

A specific class time will be reserved. Any changes must be made at the be-ginning of the 4-week block.

Cancellation to any one of your class times needs to be done be done greater than 24 hours in advance and addressed to the specific head coach of that class. This is done for accountability purposes and to monitor class size.

Cancellations will result in a missed class.

More advantages for our athletes

Meet Dan Bell, Our New Oly Lifting Coach.

Thanks Thanks to our to our

WLC SponsorsWLC Sponsors

The Rail Earth Fare Red Run Bison Farm RX Jumpropes Primal Life Organics Affiliate Guard Second Sole Sit Means Sit Dog Training Kasandrinos Impts. Ohio Sports Chiropractic Balanced Bites

Just a little reminder of the swag you’ll snag as the point-winner …

1st Place: 2nd Place: 3rd Place: $650 Cash $300 Cash $150 Cash $50 to The Rail $25 to The Rail $25 to The Rail Earth Fare Earth Fare Earth Fare Gift Basket Gift Basket Gift Basket Kasidrinos Olive Oil Kasidrinos Oilive Oil Kasidrinos Olive Oil RX Jump Rope RX Jump Rope RX Jump Rope & T-Shirt & T-Shirt & T-Shirt Reebok Nanos, Reebok Nanos Reebok Shirt Shirt & Shorts Primal Life Body Primal Life Body Care pkg. Care Pkg.

PRIZESPRIZES

F i n a l W O D 1 1 / 1 0

1 1 am @ CF A

NNNOSHOSHOSH ONONON THISTHISTHIS... Pizza Kale Chips Courtesy of Katie Medlock Ingredients (estimated):

1 bunch kale, rinsed & torn into chunks

1 container grape or cherry tomatoes

1 tbs olive oil; 1/2 cup raw cashews

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

spices to taste: garlic pwdr, basil, thyme, oregano, salt, black ppr.

METHOD: Heat stove to 350 degrees. Rub baking tray with olive oil and spread tomatoes out. Roast for 30 minutes. Lower oven temp to 200 degrees. Mix tomatoes and other ingredients (except kale) in high-speed blender until creamy. In large bowl mix kale chunks with the paste until completely covered. Spread onto as many as 3 lined baking sheets (w/foil or parchment paper), mak-ing sure to leave some space between the kale so it will cook more quickly. Place baking sheets in oven and leave oven door slightly ajar. Check kale every 30 minutes or so, turning the pieces and removing any that have become perfectly crispy. Continue checking until all kale is crispy (btwn 2 & 3 hours). Do not imme-diately store or else kale will become soggy! You will probably fin-ish these before they can be stored, anyway... :)

Try it. Take a Pic. Post it. Let us know what you think! Share other reci-pes! We wanna see what you have cookin’ !

Post them on FB or send them to katie@crossfitakron.com

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...