Category: Uncategorized

How long have you been a member at CFD?

I joined CFD in December of 2017.

What made you want to get started?

I was looking for a fitness program that would push me further and improve my overall strength and fitness. I was a member of the John Deere Fitness Center for over 20 years. I would work out only during the winter months each year, the time of year I was the least active. This routine allowed me to maintain a good level of fitness and keep me from gaining weight. As I got older I noticed I was losing strength and muscle mass. I wanted to reverse that so I could keep active and maintain quality of life for as long as possible. My brother Jim and his family were CFD members. I noticed the impact CFD had on their fitness and knew this was something I needed to commit to. Once I retired from John Deere I made it a priority and joined CFD.

What is your favorite gym music?

Rock and roll music.

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?

My fitness level improved dramatically in a short period of time. I’m physically stronger now than at any point in my life. That really surprised me since I’m 61 years old, I played sports my entire life and worked out prior to CrossFit. The results to this point have exceeded my expectations.

What do you like most about CrossFit?

The people. The coaches have been great teaching me the proper techniques to safely complete each exercise. The other athletes have made the workouts fun; they have been so supportive and push me to improve each time I’m in the gym, especially Ed. He is an inspiration to me. He makes me realize I should be able to do CrossFit for many more years as long as I’m healthy. The friendships I’ve developed at CFD are important to me now that I’m retired and no longer have day to day interactions with my work friends.

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

Any workouts that include burpees or thrusters. I don’t remember burpees being that bad during high school football, the last time I did them before CrossFit.

What is your go-to junk food?

I love sweets, especially dark chocolate.

Have you ever been really dramatic when completing a movement only to then see someone next to you do what you did silently and with ease?

Unfortunately, often, when I get tired I tend to grunt when completing the last few reps. It happens naturally but sometimes I realize I’m grunting loudly and sheepishly look to make sure no one noticed.

What are your goals going forward?

Become more fit and stronger so I can continue to do the things I enjoy; playing sports with my grandkids, golfing, hunting and hiking. As far as workout improvements I want to strengthen my core and get better at kipping so I can RX pull ups and toes to bar.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

Commit and stick with it! Everyone at CrossFit went through what you are in the beginning. All CrossFit athletes are at different levels of fitness and abilities, and are trying to improve every time they are in the gym. When I first started CrossFit I struggled to get the 35 and 45 pounds plates off the ground and back on the storage racks. You will see results within the first few months. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in 20 years and stronger than ever at age 61. I’m thankful that I started CrossFit, it has changed my life for the better.

A special note from Mike’s wife, Melody:

I live with a CF guy. 

He is all about discipline and commitment. 

Yes, he is competitive, not only with other people but with himself. 
Fitness is important to him. I know that. I respect that. 

CF makes him “better in life,” in many ways. 

When you love someone, you want them to do things that make them happy. 

And he is happy.

Oh. Just one thing he’s not better at… planning meals and cooking. (I heard CF people are into that! 😂🤪)

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

Happy Monday, everyone! Here is the holiday schedule to close out 2020:

11/26 – Thanksgiving Day: CLOSED (NO CLASSES)
11/27 – Black Friday: 6:30 and 9:30am classes ONLY

12/24 – Christmas Eve: 6:30 and 9:30am classes ONLY
12/25 – Christmas Day: CLOSED (NO CLASSES)

12/31 – New Year’s Eve: 6:30am, 9:30am, 1:00pm classes ONLY
1/1/2021 – New Year’s Day: CLOSED (NO CLASSES)

Thank you all for your continued support! Have a safe and happy holiday season, everyone 🙂

To my CFD family,

Hello all, I hope this finds you safe and healthy. I wanted to take a moment to share some news with you. As many of you know, I have been contemplating a move for quite some time and I am finally making that a reality. I am headed to sunny Phoenix at the beginning of the new year. I shared my plans with Phil and Mike, and they have been incredibly supportive.

As I type this, I struggle for the words to adequately convey what I am feeling. I can’t describe what you all mean to me, what CFD means to me, and how truly invested I am in this place and its members. I’d be lying if I said this was an easy decision. Leaving the place where I found my purpose, where I learned so much about myself, where I transformed literally every aspect of my life, is incredibly difficult. It’s like leaving home for the first time. On one hand I am over-the-fkn-moon excited to start a new adventure, go pursue my next chapter, do hard shit, and to get uncomfortable doing something scary and hard. But on the other hand, I will miss all of you incredibly. This place has been “my place” for so long. It seems surreal to even type this.

Coaching at its foundation is about building relationships and investing in others. I genuinely care about all of you and I want you to succeed. And that, my friends, will never change. I am ridiculously passionate about helping people transform themselves and I have an opportunity to go do that in a much warmer climate.

Leaving means forcing myself to step outside MY comfort zone and taking a risk. It means showing up for myself, and growing and stretching in scary news ways—all the things I try to instill in each of you. The universe has conspired and gifted me an opportunity. The time is right, I simply must take it.

It will be strange to not be here to listen to Brent’s dad jokes, or to hear Dustin try and  lawyer his way out of something, to have Charlie attempt to somehow negotiate the workout, to see Zak and Julie chalk it up, to have Chase take a sh*t  break before and during the warmup, to see how much Vance’s mobility improves, hear Hodge ask where his tooth is, to watch Tata and Sukhmeet use nothing but change plates to build to a heavy 1RM, to see Marcus lose his shit when class members use the chalk bucket in the private programming area, or to hear Coach Mike tell me that he used my max back squat for his opening set of curls. So many incredible memories I am taking with me. You. This place. This community has left an indelible imprint on my heart, and I am honored to have had the opportunity to share this chapter with you.

So…. please know that until then, I’ll be coaching as much as I possibly can. I will still be busting your balls for shitty reps, aggressively encouraging you to do hard shit, and soaking in all the love and memories I can❤️

Thank you CFD for just shy of 8 years, and to Phil and Mike for being incredible mentors and friends. This will always be home, and we will always be family.

-Coach Tam Tam

How long have you been a member at CFD?

I’ve been a member for 4 years.

What is your favorite gym music?

I’m a fan of Mike’s playlist, the old-time rock. I can do without the Rap… cough cough Kayla 😉 

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?

I did a lot of cardio kickboxing and resistance training. It was a great workout but I wanted something different.

What is the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever seen Lincoln wear?

Pretty sure I saw him doing cleans with a horse mask on.

What do you like most about CrossFit?

Having an hour to yourself to take out any frustrations you had during the day. The other athletes cheering you on getting you through that tough workout.  

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

I’m a fan of EMOMs and rowing.

What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD?

Making Brent dry heave by sweating in his mouth while spotting him during bench press… that’s definitely one he or I will never forget 🤣 

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

Wall balls, thrusters and front squats.

Have you ever been really dramatic when completing a movement only to then see someone next to you do what you did silently and with ease?

Apparently I make weird noises and crazy faces while lifting  🤷‍♂️ 

What are your goals going forward?

Continue to push myself in the gym and making good decisions in the kitchen.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

Just go for it, don’t be intimidated by people who’ve been a member for years, we’ve all been in your shoes being the new member. Use your coaches to the fullest, I’ve been a member 4 years and still go to them for help and advice, they are a great source to help you get to where you want to be! 

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

How long have you been a member at CFD?

Tara: 10 months
Nate: 1.75 years

What made you want to get started?

Tara surprised Nate with a Christmas gift of personalized workouts with Phil. Nate was not thrilled but kept going! 😊
Tara needed a change from her current exercise routine with more consistency.

What is your favorite gym music?

Nate: Anything. Except Maddy’s high school dance music and country. You can’t work out to country music!
Tara: Kayla plays some good and dirty rap. Rock music is always a go-to.

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD? 

Nate: 16 oz curls. Tara: hip hop dance class.  

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?

Outside of the changes in our bodies; our mental health! We eat better and drink…less!

What do you like most about CrossFit?

Tara: I had never been called an “athlete” prior to CFD.  That felt good.
Nate: Everyone’s there with the same goal in mind. It’s friendly competition, aimed to make everyone grow and be better.

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Tara: Cleans are fun.
Nate: Anything that Phil writes. Anything with upper body.

What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD?

Kayla talks a lot…about many things…loudly…I won’t repeat it. 

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

Tara: Anything with 600m run. Or running in 95-degree heat. Strict press. Nate: Thrusters and front squats.

Have you ever chalked up to do something that didn’t require chalk?

No, we like it rough.

What is your go-to junk food?

Nate: Wheat thins. Tara: Red vines, cheesecake.

What are your goals going forward?

Tara: Keep finding muscles that I didn’t know existed.
Nate: To win the pull-up contest at work.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

Walking into the gym the first time is intimidating. But it’s a community that will welcome you and continually encourage you to do your best!

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

We are very excited to launch our Healthy Habits Challenge with Coach Tammi!

What is it?

The Healthy Habits Challenge is a 6-week habit-based challenge that translates into a lifestyle change to help you feel better, look better, and perform better. It’s about changing how you “do life.” Topics covered include nutrition, fitness, recovery, hydration, stress, mindset, and how small changes in those areas over a period of time can significantly change the quality of your health and wellness. 

Who is this for?

This challenge is for anyone who has a desire to develop healthy habits that are sustainable, manageable, and will produce the results you want.

How does it work?

Tammi will work with you to schedule an InBody Scan at Spine and Sport. The scan allows us to get a clearer picture of your body composition and serves as a way to measure progress. Next, we’ll kick it off with a brief overview of the healthy habits we will focus on for the next 6 weeks. I will answer any questions you might have and help you get clear on your goal.

What this ISN’T?

A magic crash diet to lose 30 lbs in 30 days, a gimmick or trick, a fad, or an overly complicated system. This isn’t a typical nutrition challenge; we aren’t going to talk about macros or counting calories. 

Why? Why this challenge, and why am I leading it?

The why is simply: IT WORKS. I have made these habits a priority and am now living a quality of life I didn’t know was possible. I have seen significant changes in how I look, how I feel (physically and mentally), and how I perform…AND I am ridiculously passionate about helping others live their best life! Showing up to the gym and working out is an awesome start to a healthier life, but what we do the other 23 hours in a day plays a significant role as well. 

When does it start?

We will kick it off with an in-house meeting at CFD on Saturday October 3rd at 11 am. The Healthy Habits Challenge start date begins October 5th.
*you will need to schedule an InBody scan before that, and Tammi will help facilitate this*

Cost: $75

What does this include?

• 3 InBody scans
• On-going health/life coaching
• Access to the private FB page to share tips, ask questions, and hold one another accountable

What’s the next step?

Email Coach Tammi for more details!

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

Hi All,

I hope everyone has been enjoying the cooler temps we’ve had lately. It’s been a much-needed break from the heat in the gym for sure. 

I’m writing this to say thank you to ALL of our members. 2020 has been a challenging year to say the least. Every time we turn around it seems as though there is another crisis out in the world that needs to be addressed. Thankfully, to all of you, CFD has not been one of those stress points. 

From the time we came back with all of the new sanitation and distance standards everyone has readily done what we’ve asked. There are days that have been more challenging than others, but, as a community we are staying on task and continuing to train. 

You all have my deepest thanks. Without your active participation, there is no way we would have been able to operate the safe environment that we train in every day. This speaks highly to your collective character as a community. Rising up to the challenge in front of you is what we love to see!

Consequently, as we’ve had a few members come up positive, we’ve had zero transmissions here. That is all due to your diligence and adherence to the policies at CFD. I could not have asked for anyone here to have behaved in a more honorable way. It’s because of this culture, this respect you all have for each other, that has kept us all safe. 

It is always my honor to be a part of your lives and your fitness journey. This year though, you all have shown the best of you! Thank you. I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of you, of our community and the sense of family here at CFD. All of your effort contributes to this being a safe place during the tumultuous time. 

I’m not always the best at expressing gratitude. Shocker, right? It was important for me to sit down and express this though. I could not be more proud of how you all have conducted yourselves throughout all of this. If we could only get the rest of the planet to toe the line like us…

Have a great week everyone! Thank you all again for allowing me to be a part of the CFD family!!

Coach Mike
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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

How long have you been a member at CFD?

Almost 9 months. I started in November 2019 when I had no clue what plans 2020 had for the world! But it had some good ones for my fitness at least.

What made you want to get started?

I had put on weight when I disregarded working out due to school and work combo and I knew there was no way I could go back to my old shape without someone coaching me. I researched and found CrossFit the perfect match for my goals for it provided an overall fitness.

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?

I used to do rudimentary cardio at a regular gym and dropped that too for a year before joining CFD. Following are things/exercises that I never used/did before CFD:
Cleans, running outside, deadlifts, bar exercises, barbells, wall balls, box jumps and BURPEES. In short, almost everything that is done at CFD!

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?

A LOT. People usually anticipate prompt results from exercises but when it comes to exercise, I knew it takes time. After the first 3 or so months, I was suggested to drop out because there were no visible changes. But my body knew that the change was happening. It actually took me 2-3 months to figure out the right diet being a vegetarian and when I eventually found the balance between diet and exercise, those results started showing.

What do you like most about CrossFit?

PEOPLE. ATMOSPHERE. The whole vibe at the box is loud and motivating. Everybody encourages everybody to work harder. CFD was probably the only gym I know which allowed its members to check out equipment during lockdown. Phil was sending out WODs and we had zoom calls, FB uploads etc. I was never the kind of person who would have worked out by herself at home. But CFD made it possible!

What is your go-to Indian food?

A basic north-Indian thali. It serves you the right proportion of proteins, carbs and fat. Just ask for one with less love! (it actually means less butter 🙂)

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Anything EMOM. It was only after EMOMs that I realized how swift or sedate a minute could be. Based on my experience, I can tell that timed workouts multiply the results of an exercise.

Have you ever chalked up to do something that didn’t require chalk?

No, but I have seen Zak chalk up for warmup runs, high knees and even cat-cows! 

What are your goals going forward?

My first accomplishment has been shedding my congenial fat and my next goals are to work on gains and abs.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

CrossFit is an all-round fitness program. You can achieve pretty much anything out of it if you stay patient, consistent and honest with your exercises and diet. CFD has super cool and experienced coaches who will push you, assist you with your forms, will be brutal to you (applies to me) but they will do all of this just for YOU! 💪

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!

As many of you are likely aware, divisive and unacceptable comments were made earlier this year (as well as additional information that had surfaced since the issue came to light) by founder and then-CEO of CrossFit, Greg Glassman. We made our stance on this issue abundantly clear both internally as well as publicly: without meaningful progress and a change in ownership/leadership, we did not wish to continue being a part of the CrossFit brand as a whole. It was a declaration that was difficult to make, though it was the only logical and ethical decision that could be made under the conditions as they stood at the time. We (Mike and I) have been followers of CrossFit for over a decade and are proud to have created Dubuque’s first affiliate 9 years ago this fall. The sport and methodology will always hold a special place with each of us. Further, CFHQ has a long history of fighting to keep health and fitness legal and accessible, and they have had significant success in exposing scientific misconduct and fraud. CrossFit has been a much-needed voice that speaks out against monopolization and corruption in the industry, which we have always been fully supportive of. 

Over these last weeks and months, we have watched, waited, and listened. Fortunately, the changes we needed to see have taken place. Eric Roza has acquired CrossFit, Inc. and comes into the industry as a successful business owner who is known for creating an inclusive, diverse place to work. Since the acquisition, CrossFit HQ has made clear, concerted efforts to implement change for the betterment of the global community. To name a few, the CrossFit Scholarship Program is offering free CF-L1 courses to underprivileged communities, and the CrossFit Representative Program is embedding regional reps to establish a more organized line of communication between affiliates and HQ. We view these combined changes and efforts as having met our needs relative to where we stood just a couple of months ago. Time will tell how effective these programs will be and what additional initiatives are on the horizon, but progress begins with a single step, and these are certainly steps in the right direction.

If CrossFit, who has arguably revolutionized the way the general public perceives health and fitness, is going to make efforts to solve larger issues surrounding inclusivity, diversity, and community engagement, we want to continue to be a part of that organization. We are Here to Stay.

That said, we all need to take personal responsibility on both fronts: both in regard to our health, fitness, resilience, and well-being; as well as in our efforts to be inclusive. We are not oblivious to the fact that costs are a barrier to entry in and of itself, and I don’t currently have the solution for a problem that is – frankly – much bigger than we are here at CFD. We can’t point our fingers to the top level of management and expect them to solve problems here in our community any more than we can expect them to prepare sensible meals and stay active for us. 

On that note, given that we have a voice, what do you have to say? I’d love to see some solutions-oriented conversations taking place at all levels. We want to be a part of progress, and we hope you all do as well.

(Here to) Stay the Course

How long have you been a member of CFD?

I have been a member at CFD for close to 2 years now, but I have been doing CrossFit for 3.   

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?

Everything honestly! Running, weightlifting, kickboxing, yoga, etc. I’ve tried it all! 

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started? 

The more obvious things like strength and endurance, but I think mentally I’m a lot stronger and positive as a person as well. I think I’m more confident and comfortable with who I am as a person than I ever have been and I attribute that to CrossFit. I focus more now on being proud of what my body can do, versus always being mad at what it can’t. 

What do you like most about CrossFit? 

First, the community. Whether it was my box I started at in Washington State or CFD, it is such a welcoming community and you always feel at home. The people truly make CrossFit what it is. Second, CrossFit shows me every time I think I cannot do something, that I in fact can. That has translated so much to every part of my life.  

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Anything with push-ups, pull-ups, power cleans, and anything overhead with the barbell. 

What type(s) of workouts do you least like to see come up?

Anything with front squats or squat cleans. They are just a struggle for me, but I still come in on those days to get better. I’m hoping if I keep working on them one day they won’t be my kryptonite.  

What is your go-to junk food?

French Fries. There are so many different types…..waffle, curly, truffle, sweet potato, etc. Plus so many great things you can put on them or dip them in! They’re so versatile!  

What advice do you have for someone just starting out at CFD?

The hardest part is getting started, but just do it! The community and the workouts will keep you coming back every week. Do not compare yourself and progress to others at the box. We are all in our own race. Just come in with the mindset every day that you are just here to be better than the person you were yesterday.

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Interested to see if CFD is a good fit for you? Sign up for a free introductory class, or e-mail us if the available intro classes don’t work with your schedule!