Time to Get Together!

Join us on Friday, Feb. 4th, for a Happy Hour and Potluck Social! With so many new athletes in the box, this is the perfect opportunity to get to know each other outside the rigor of class time.

From 7-8pm, we'll have a Happy Hour with jewelry designer Shannon Carney and menswear line Vagrant Nobility. Champagne will be served, and Shannon and VN will have beautiful jewelry and menswear on hand for purchase. With Valentine's Day right around the corner, it's a great chance to shop for your spouse or significant other. Starting around 8:15, we'll enjoy food and drinks while mixing and mingling in the box. We'll have games going on in the pit, and "Every Second Counts" rolling for those of you who want to watch in preparation for the games.

Guys bring drinks, girls bring food. Contributions need not be Paleo, but feel free to cook up your best Paleo dish if you choose!

Click HERE to RSVP for the event. We're looking forward to seeing you all there!

Improve your Pull-up

On Sunday, Feb. 13, we'll be holding the first of several skills clinics here at Atlas. Our first will be a Pull-Up and Kipping Clinic, taught by Coach Patrick Doyle.

During the clinic, you'll learn how to execute a pull-up from every possible angle, and you'll leave being able to do an unassisted pull-up! We'll spend time on regular, kipping and "butterfly" pull-ups, and there will be plenty of coaches on hand to assist you.

If improving your "Fran" time is one of your 2011 goals or you just want to get your first unassisted pull-up, this clinic is for you. Click HERE to sign up!

Stay tuned for a Muscle-Up Clinic in March, and feel free to send suggestions (sarah@atlascrossfit.com) on clinics you'd like to see offered at ACF this year.

I AM CROSSFIT!

Everyone remembers the "I Am CrossFit" Challenge held earlier this summer. Participants experienced some incredible results, from weight/body fat loss to strength and conditioning improvements.

With 2011 upon us, it's time to begin our second "I Am CrossFit" Challenge! Whether your New Year's resolution is to get stronger, lose 15 lbs., run your first half marathon, or simply do an unassisted pull-up, this challenge is for you. Over the course of 8 weeks, you'll work with a dedicated Atlas coach and your fellow IAC teammates to begin your fittest year yet!

As an IAC participant, you will receive:

• Strength and Conditioning Benchmark Workouts (Before/After)
• Before & After photos
• Before/After body comp (weight, girth measurements, body fat calculations)
• Weekly workout accountability (min. 4x week)
• Weekly grading of food logs
• Nutrition seminar
• An Atlas Coach to keep you accountable to your goals
• 2-hour pull-up/kipping clinic (available to non-IAC participants for $20)
• “I Am CrossFit” Challenge t-shirt

For more details on the challenge, click HERE. Space is limited to the first 42 athletes to register, so sign up today!

Each coach is only allowed a max of 6 athletes so sign up early to ensure you have your favorite coach!

The first IAC Challenge made a huge impact on the lifestyle of all 46 participants. Kevin Romero writes about his experience HERE. Dawn M, our 2nd place winner tells us about her IAC journey HERE.

Sign up for the challenge, and change the trajectory of your fitness path!

Want to win $500?

THE "HOLIDAY MELTDOWN" CHALLENGE

$500 CASH PRIZE TO "BIGGEST LOSERS"!!

The holiday season is quickly approaching, and for many of us, that means food temptations around every corner. The average person gains 1-3 lbs during the holiday season with extra parties, delicious food, and all the activities that keep us from our normal fitness routine. Atlas has devised a challenge for you to not only prevent weight gain this holiday season but to lose big!

On November 8th, Atlas will be kicking off our next challenge, THE HOLIDAY MELTDOWN, partner style. This 6-week challenge is specifically focused on weight loss, body composition changes and dialing in our nutrition and eating habits.

Each participant will choose a partner to encourage, motivate and hold them accountable through the duration of this challenge. (Partners will be assigned if needed.)

Why have a partner? We ALL need a little extra motivation... and holiday season especially brings about more than the average number of excuses for falling off the "resemblance of eating anything healthy" wagon.

Cost to participate is $50 per athlete and the challenge will include:

• initial body assessments, before/after photos, a goal-setting session, nutrition lecture and more. A coach will also be assigned to help each team stay on track and offer advice for optimal success.
  

Everyone can benefit from accountability and motivation, and this challenge promises to do that, as well as starve off that winter weight gain. ACF will set guidelines for your nutrition and WOD logging along the way but your partner will offer the most motivation. They can't win if you don't win!

*The winning team will be chosen by the combined percentage of weight and body-fat lost by each partner.

Kick-off meeting will be Thursday night, Nov. 4th. Click here to sign up!

We'll be following up with a performance-based challenge in early 2011, so stay tuned for more opportunities to improve!

FREE Kettlebell Clinic

Atlas is kicking off a new Kettlebell program with a FREE clinic this Saturday, October 30, from noon til 1:30pm. Run by Russian Kettlebell Certified instructor Mike Wozniak, this 90-minute clinic will provide a comprehensive introduction to Kettlebell history and philosophy and basic exercise instruction and demonstration. You'll also learn how to integrate Kettlebell training into sport-specific activities.

Atlas CrossFit it excited to be the home of a new Kettlebell training program that is aimed to increase your fitness using kettlebells! This program is open to men and women of all fitness levels. Kettlebells will increase muscular endurance, trigger fat burning and build size and strength. This new program can be used by itself or in conjunction with your current CrossFit training program.

Space for this FREE clinic is limited to the first 25 registrants, so sign up today!

Up for a Challenge?

Join us on Thursday evening from 5-8pm as we tackle the "Rx Checklist":

1. 5 reps - Front Squat (185/135)
2. 5 reps - Overhead Squat (135/95)
3. 5 reps - Deadlift (275/185)
4. 5 reps - Kettlebell Swing (2/1.5)
5. 5 reps - Thruster (135/95)
6. 15 reps - Wall Ball (20/14)
7. 3 reps - Squat Clean (185/135)
8. 3 reps - Squat Snatch (135/95)
9. 3 reps (each) - One Arm Dumbbell Snatch (50/35)
10. 3 reps - Dumbbell Hang Squat Clean (50/35)
11. 3 reps (each) - Turkish Get-Up (50/35)
12. 3 reps - Press (135/95)
13. 3 reps - Push Press (155/105)
14. 3 reps - Jerk (185/135)
15. 3 reps - Bench Press (BW / 66% of BW)
16. 3 reps - Sumo-Deadlift High-Pull (135/95)
17. 15 sec hold - Paralette L-Sit
18. 15 sec hold - Freestanding Handstand
19. 1 ascent - Rope Climb 15’
20. 1 reps - Bar Muscle-Up
21. 2 reps - Ring Muscle-Up
22. 3 reps - L Pull-Up
23. 5 reps - Strict Pull-Up
24. 10 reps – Chest to Bar Pull-Up
25. 5 reps - Handstand Push-Up
26. 5 reps - Ring Dip
27. 25 reps - Push-Up
28. 10 reps - Rebounding Box Jump (30/24)
29. 3 reps (each) - Pistol
30. 10 reps - Double-Under

This will be a challenging yet fun evening and will be a great gut check. Space is limited to 30 ACF athletes, so SIGN UP today!

Ladies Night!

Calling all women!

Join your fellow ACF ladies for Happy Hour! At 5:30pm, we'll be heading to Benchmark (1510 N. Wells St.) to check out their new space, enjoy a cocktail or two and socialize outside of the box. The evening promises to be a great time!

Please email sarah@atlascrossfit.com if you plan on attending. We look forward to seeing YOU there!