11/2016 Updates

11/2016 Updates

Gym updates

It’s been a busy past few months and as we head into the end of 2016, I wanted to touch base and talk about some changes and give some updates on the gym overall.

We recently ran a survey asking for feedback on the gym overall and I’m pleased to say that we are largely hitting the mark in terms of satisfaction with our members.  

You let us know that the coaching and coaching staff are the main reasons for your satisfaction and that correlates with our main operational focus:  to provide you with the best coaching knowledge possible.  We will continue to have staff meetings and opportunities to develop our staff to make them better coaches.

We will also strive to hold regular workshops for our members focusing on different subjects and areas of athletic performance such as gymnastics, weightlifting, and endurance.  Be on the lookout for those coming in the new year.

I am also putting together a pilot program where we will provide basic nutritional guidance that will help you meet your goals whether it’s to lose weight or improve performance.

Over the past few weeks, we have also added a substantial amount of equipment.  Roughly 2000 lbs of dumbbells, kettelbells, barbells, slam balls and a few Assault bikes have been added, with more assault bikes on the way.  We want to make sure that we not only have enough equipment for the classes, but also enough for those that need scaling options.

The Left Coast Rumble was a huge success!  We saw so many athletes get a chance to experience what the old school competitions were like and we plan on making it a twice a year event.  Up next: The Left Coast Rumble Teams edition in May!  Be on the lookout for another intelligently programmed competition with a focus on community… and a few more curve balls.

We also have renewed our cleaning protocol and made some personnel changes to ensure all the gyms are cleaned to the standards we expect.  Most recently, we spent 10 hours at uptown flipping and cleaning the mats and the concrete floor underneath as well.

For me personally, I have been educating myself with many books ranging in subjects from leadership, to business development and entrepreneurship.  With that said, a book that I recently read really opened my eyes entitled “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber.  After reading that book, it became very apparent to me that I need to learn to delegate better and temper my type A, do it all personality and approach to business.  With that said,  I am starting to push away from coaching as much as I have to focus working “on” the business vs “in” the business.  Coaching still is and always be my passion, but the “entrepreneur” side of my needs to be free to focus on the strategic direction of all three gyms vs working as the “technician” in the business.  I will still be coaching, but spending just as much time if not more time simply being present at all three locations.  This will give me the opportunity to observe the coaches and overall operations more widely.  This will also allow me to hang out and engage with the community more and also allow me to get back to what started this all for me: being a CrossFitter.  I have let my own fitness take a back burner to the businesses and need to renew that aspect for me as I need to get back to “training” vs “exercising”.  

For programming, many of you have heard that after 3 years of programming, I am now taking a collaborate approach.  I will be still leading the strength programs, but I have began utilizing Coach Matt’s highly technical and educated mind with the conditioning or WODs.  Matt is highly trained and experienced programming with the OPEX methods, which I find great value in as well.  This style of programming will undoubtedly still make you stronger and faster, but will do so in a very practical and intelligent manner with a focus on specific “energy systems” within the body.  The protocol will be: Matt provides the main structure of the WODs, working around my strength programming, and then I will have final say with tweaks as necessary prior to me posting them to the site.  This will be a very efficient system that will free me up even more to focus working “on” the business, leading into the future.

I look forward to moving forward into the future as our industry evolves and our CrossFit 858 chain evolves with it.

As always, let me know if you have any questions!

Upcoming/Current Events:

  • Thanksgiving week schedule:
    • Weds 11/23: closed at 6pm
    • Thursday 11/24: Grimm’s 12 Days of Thanksgiving WOD at 8am at MG only
    • Friday 11/25: Open gym at Mission Gorge 10am-12pm
    • Saturday 11/26: Normal schedule resumes
  • Preorder window is open for Hoodies/Shorts/Capris/Wraps!  CLICK HERE
  • CrossFit 858 Holiday Part/Build a Bike Charity Event: Saturday December 17th 5pm!  CLICK HERE