Stretching Our Box!

“It is about people working together for the good of all of us.”

-Alan Mulally

Above:  As our family grows, we must grow and evolve, too!

Today's WOD:
5 rounds for time, of:
10 Overhead Squats (135/95 lbs.)
50 Double-Unders

I recently read a post by LAX CrossFit about "Stretching a Box Out" and I thought it was a great concept to share with our athletes.  With the growing number of members in our box, classes have become larger and workout space a little tighter.  So far, everyone has been doing a great job at adjusting and sharing.  As coaches, we are always talking about how we can be better, especially in a larger class size setting.  The other part of having a larger class run smoothly falls on the athletes.  It takes everyones cooperation to make a tight box with a large class comfortable.

CrossFit athletes LOVE to clean - Make sure you do your part in keeping our gym clean--yes, this means chalk as well as your bodily fluids.  Blood and sweat are all a part of CrossFit and WODs, but do not share your fluids with other members!  The gym gets cleaned daily and mopped weekly, but do your part and help us tidy up after every class.  Clean up your mess with, my favorite, Lysol wipes--bars, medicine balls, abmats, kettlebells, GHDs, pullup bar, etc.  This also helps with the up-keeping of the box and our awesome equipment.  The better shape our equipment is, the happier we all are--so take care of our stuff!

Space management - Part of the reason we put a cap on our membership is the limited amount of gym space we have.  I want everyone to feel comfortable during a workout.  Sometimes, there might be a class where we are pushing the boundaries of space.  This might mean we run 2 heats for the WOD or we get creative with how we space our athletes out.  It also might mean you can't "waterfall" or throw the barbells around--I know my 10 lbs. and 15 lbs. bumper plates are grateful for that!  Our main priority is safety, so be flexible if a class is larger and think safety of you and others first!  The coaches will help you manage workout space, so listen and be willing to share.

Sharing is caring - Yes, we all know this golden rule!  We have a ton of equipment, enough for everybody - most of the time.  There have been classes that we may have been short on clips for the barbell (more are on order) or Concept-2 Rowers.  Again, the coaches will try to accommodate all of our participating athletes for that WOD, so just be flexible and understanding.  As more members join and more equipment is needed, the coaches will make sure the box is ready to handle the traffic.

Don't forget how you felt during your first WOD - With new members rolling through the doors everyday, please continue to make them feel at home.  You guys have done a phenomenal job thus far and I've heard so many great things from new and visiting athletes!  Keep up the good work, or Coach John will implement his 50 burpee penalty!

Finally, I just want to give a huge shout out to every single member of our gym.  I speak for all the coaches when I say, you guys truly make CrossFit 808 a very special place to workout.  The camaraderie that flows through the coaches and members is present the moment you step in the door and that says volumes about the kind of gym we are.  The changes for the better that have occurred in each and everyone of you motivates all those around you--at work, at home, at school, at the mall.  We are 40 members away from closing the doors to others, so if you've got family and friends who have been "waiting", don't let them put it off anymore.

Yesterday's WOD Board: