COVID Restrictions Further Relaxed

Good news, everyone! 50% capacity limits have been relaxed as of Friday, June 12th at 8am so long as we continue to maintain proper hygiene, sanitation, and social distancing guidelines. A link to that announcement can be found here for more information.

What does that mean for us? In an effort to err on the side of caution and take every reasonable measure to ensure the safety and health of our community, our 50% capacity limits were very conservative. Our disinfectant/sanitation SOPs are among the best in the industry, our facility design allows for ideal air turnover, and we will continue to diligently ensure that the environment is as clean and safe as can be. That said, all class caps will be raised to 14, and IPD caps will be removed. This capacity limit still allows us to maintain ample spacing between each individual. Please note that while the IPD caps are lifted, it is the responsibility of the coach in charge and the IPD clients to continue to maintain distancing between areas of operation.

Additionally, beginning NEXT Saturday (June 20th), we will consolidate our Saturday class time to 8am ONLY so we can resume running 2x/month intro classes for those of you who have been waiting for an opportunity to see what CFD is all about!

Please continue to stay safe, practice good hygiene, eat clean, move your body, and be kind to one another.

Stay the Course


Interested in seeing 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!

Onward and Upward

CrossFit Dubuque does not support the recent comments made by CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman. We think that the black community has every right to be outraged and to demand action. We stand behind the Black Lives Matter movement and fully support meaningful change that ensures justice, accountability, and equality. While I think ignorance and off-color comments can potentially be forgiven if the offender learns the error of their ways, the continued doubling-down and outright contempt and disregard towards the very community who respectfully voiced their concerns has made it clear what side of history CrossFit HQ is choosing to be on and how highly they value those of us who truly comprise the heart and soul of the global CrossFit community.

Frankly, it’s sad that a statement has to be made to officially announce our position. I started a strength and conditioning gym with one of my best friends because we have always been passionate about improving people’s fitness and overall well-being. We have all been drawn to the CrossFit methodology because it focused on results, was community-driven, and didn’t pay much attention to aesthetics or fads. Nobody cares who you were, what your job is, where you came from, what gods you pray to (or don’t), who you love, or what color your skin is. We came together to see what we could DO, and many of us have developed (and continue to develop) unbelievable bonds with one other because of a common drive that drew us all together to be better versions of ourselves.

This isn’t a time to be passive, and it isn’t a time to be silent. Today more than ever we need to be willing to have conversations with one another so that we can make progress towards a more civil society to raise our children in. CFD chooses respect, inclusiveness, and justice however that may look for us as a community, a business, and a brand.

For more reasons than I care to quantify in this post, CrossFit Dubuque is successful today in spite of our affiliation with CrossFit HQ, and the most recent statements and actions (or lack thereof) have made that abundantly clear. As if CrossFit affiliates didn’t have enough to deal with this year, we are now forced to associate with the ignorant, belligerent opinions of a single man who treats his own community like shit and supposedly represents the CrossFit brand as a whole. No longer.

While the nuances of our path forward are yet to be determined, these obstacles are all administrative in nature and won’t affect a single thing about the client experience. Our community focus, quality of coaching, decades of combined knowledge and experience, and general operations have been and will continue to be the best in the region regardless of what the sign on the building says. Rest assured that every facet of our operations will be completely unaffected, and we embrace our upcoming rebranding as an opportunity to expand our positive impact.

Stop. Listen. Consider other people’s perspectives. We really aren’t so different from one another if we are willing to show some empathy. If some looters and rioters can represent an entire movement and be enough of a reason to discredit the message of the BLM movement, what does that say about a couple of bad cops? Stop. Quit living life in absolutes. Most people are GOOD; we have a far greater ignorance problem than we have an ‘evil’ problem. People are more complex than that – LIFE is more complex than that, and that’s what makes it all worthwhile.

Stay the Course

CFD Operations Plan

Good afternoon, everyone! I put this guide together to serve as a comprehensive overview of all things you need to know as we head back to classes on Monday, May 18th. Reminder: any equipment currently checked out for home use must be returned NLT COB Friday, May 15th!

General Facility Use:

  • Don’t come if you aren’t feeling well.
  • Only enter building 5 min prior to class – the coach will check you in and guide you through the entire process.
  • While not mandatory, all members are encouraged to wear a mask.
    • All coaches will wear a mask while coaching
  • Temporarily Discontinued Services:
    • Lockers – keep gear to a minimum!
    • Refrigerator/Microwave/Water dispenser
    • Showers/Changing clothes
    • Community Chalk Buckets
    • iPad Check-in (the coach will do this for you)
    • Drop-ins
    • Family/Friends/Kids: basically any +1 is temporarily not allowed.

RSVPing to Classes:

  • RSVPing to classes is mandatory, no exceptions.
  • If your schedule restricts you from being flexible with class attendance, please RSVP as soon as you’re able (RSVPs are available 7 days out).
  • If your schedule allows you to be flexible with class attendance, please give others the first couple of days to sign up for what may be their only time slot.
    • If we can forecast overages in class limits, we will do our best to accommodate rather than cut people who are stuck on the waitlist!
  • Please un-RSVP as soon as possible if you find out you are unable to attend.

Individual Program Design (IPD) Gym Usage:

  • During classes (to include the 30-min windows before and after classes to disinfect/sanitize), IPD clients are limited to the two (2) slots available on WODhopper during that respective class time. You MUST RSVP in order to work out during these high-volume times!
  • Any other period of the day outside of classes, the building will have a capacity limit of no more than eight (8) people working out at a time.
    • Weather permitting, equipment may be taken outside as well – individuals working out EXCLUSIVELY outside would not count against our capacity limits.
  • IPD members are responsible for disinfecting their equipment before and after use.
    • Important note: our sanitation and disinfection SOPs are extremely thorough, redundant, and adhere to best practices recommended by the EPA and CDC. We have established these redundancies to ensure no single failure could result in an individual being exposed to a contaminated surface or piece of equipment. 

Last but not least, please inform us ASAP if you have attended class within the last 2 weeks and test positive for COVID-19. This will allow us to initiate our RESPONSE plan.

I hope this guide is helpful – please let me know if I missed anything along the way and if anyone has any questions! We look forward to resuming classes with you all very soon and thank you all for your continued support as well as your patience as we navigate this temporary situation. With your help, cooperation, and compliance, we can provide the services we do best while ensuring the safety and health of the community. 

Attached below for the sake of transparency is our Operations Plan released earlier this week as well as our Coach Duties Checklist.

Stay safe, and Stay the Course <1>

April Spotlight – Dennis

Dennis and Sara (who should definitely come and see us when this COVID-19 crap blows over!!!)

How long have you been a member at CFD?

If I remember it correct this will be going on my 6th year

What made you want to get started?

I have a couple of reasons and at the top of the list is my older sister that has dropped in several times could do more pull-ups than I could and she could do cool things like handstand pushups and I was competitively jealous of her and impressed.

Secondly, I moved to Dubuque and worked in retail making life hard to find time to do much of anything other than work.  So I knew I needed to find something to help me join the community in a sense.  So after the whole jealous side of my sister kicking ass and taking names and talking how great the community at Warrior CrossFit in Muscatine was, I had to check it out and couldn’t be happier about that decision.

What is your favorite gym music?

Have to put on anything that Tammi and Kathy will stop in the middle of the workout while we are all suffering and start dancing it out too.

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?

Does working crazy hours in retail count as exercise since I put on 10 miles a day?  I mainly cycled when I got a chance and enjoyed the peace of a nice long ride.  

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

I think I remember some unicorn head and tutu but maybe that was two different outfits

What is your go-to PR food?

I will be the first one to admit my diet is terrible.  Before the first Classic, I ate a bowl of Fruity Pebbles.  That’s right I’m about 5 years old in breakfast food standards.

What changes have you seen in yourself since you started?

I’m more focused when I come to class in and outside of work.  I feel better and I am a far happier individual to be around when I stay focused on health and fitness. 

What do you like most about CrossFit?

The Community and I don’t think any of us could ask for a better support group and community than we have right now.  Feel it is a perfect time to say how much I miss being in the gym and being around all the coaches and athletes that have become our second family and motivators over the years.  Thank you Phil and all coaches of CFD for everything you are doing right now for all of us.

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Well I like me some thruster and wall balls. 

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

Running and mainly because I need to improve my cardio.  Other than that heavy deadlifts in a timed workout and again it has to do more with form than anything. 

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

Not that I can recall but newcomer Zak has for sure.

What is your go-to junk food?

All of it. Butterfinger and Nibs.

What are your goals going forward?

This year I set a goal to take on at least 6 competitions and work to get in the best shape of my life.  I failed my health check at work which is garbage but feedback is feedback and I’m told I have about 55 pounds that I should lose.  I have dropped 15 pounds to start this year and will stay focused on eating healthier and taking the time to exercise and not trying to find those imaginary extra 40 pounds.

I will be going after Murph this year with the weighted vest.

I plan to actually register for the Open this year since I’ve never done this in the past and try and see how I stack up in my age group which is said that they consider us Masters. 

Have you ever hidden junk food in your cart for fear that another CFD member might see it?

While my diet sucks yes I still may hide this in my shopping cart.  J

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

Run your own race.  The best person in life to beat is yourself. Crush the fundamentals then the weight. And enjoy the painful transformation that you signed up to get.  We are all here to support you.


Not a member? Reach out today by e-mail! Given our current circumstances, all classes, including Intro classes, are canceled until further notice, but we would love to e-meet and can even get you started out at home – ask us how!

CFD Home Workout Strategy

UPDATE: It has just come to my attention that the mandate has come from Governor Reynolds that all gyms must shut down at noon TODAY. With that said, the aforementioned equipment checkout will take place TODAY from 2-5 pm. Here’s a link to the mandate: https://www.kcrg.com/content/news/Gov-Reynolds-orders-restaurants-bars-gyms-theaters-to-close-at-noon-Tuesday-568862771.html

Good morning everyone, I hope this blog finds you all well. After continued monitoring of our developing situation and discussion with the coaching staff, we are going to make some fairly drastic changes and do absolutely everything we can to continue to provide value to each and every one of you.

ALL GROUP CLASSES ARE CANCELLED EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY. However, we are going to offer what we think is the best solution we can in an effort to allow you all to continue training under our guidance as best we can.

Please note that this is not the result of our members failing to adhere to our improved sanitation standards or any other fault of our coaches or community. You have all been incredibly understanding and supportive during this time!

Some of you have home gyms, but a vast majority of you do not. For those of you with home gyms, we will continue to post workouts and offer a virtual scoreboard so that you can all participate from home. We can even offer a Facebook group to ask questions, post videos if needed, and be as present as we can – virtually – during this time.

Many of you do not have home gyms or any equipment at home, so we have collectively decided that we can offer a rotating check-out system for equipment. The first check-out will occur TODAY (TUESDAY) FROM 2-5 PM.

Here’s how it’s going to work:

Each member (or couple) will have the option of checking out 1) a barbell and plates/clips as needed, 2) a set of DBs, 3) one kettlebell, OR 4) a set of rings (if needed). This will be done on a first-come, first-serve basis.

With a vast majority of our members now equipped with at least SOME equipment, we can then offer FOUR program designs (aside from the regular class workout we will maintain for those of you with equipment adequate enough to continue following it) that allows everyone to follow a week’s worth of program design per equipment selection. Every Saturday, we will re-initiate the drop-off/pick-up process, and everyone can rotate through each set of equipment.

The barbell program allows us to load the skeleton to a greater extent

The dumbbell program allows us to benefit from moderately weighted movements that move independently from one another. We can get creative with tempo work to make one set of DB weights work for most every movement that might come up.

The kettlebell program allows for single-arm/single-leg work as well as capitalizes on the sling system during training.

The rings will allow those of you following a bodyweight program to still do upper body pulling, which is always difficult to implement without any equipment.

With this approach, we can easily withstand four weeks of social distancing by offering a rotating program design that can be done at home. This strategy can be re-implemented for as long as we need it to run until it is responsible to restart group classes. As always, we fully expect a need for questions, advice, and remote coaching, and I want to make every effort to ensure that you all have access to us as needed.

As always, questions and feedback are appreciated. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly if there’s anything more I can offer. I will see many of you this Saturday for our first equipment pickup!

-Phil

COVID-19

Good afternoon everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you all how we, the staff at CFD, plan to act in light of the recent concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most of you, I’m sure you’ve been inundated with emails from every business you’ve ever interacted with regarding how they plan on responding to the threat (some are far more useful and applicable than others!). However, given the nature of our industry, what we do at CFD is very relevant and can have a real impact on curbing the spread.

Regarding the risk – I know my audience. It’s not really about a vast majority of us at CFD. Many of us are healthy and resilient people who would likely recover fairly easily from this virus. It’s about those of us in and near our community who are more susceptible or compromised. Carriers could unwillingly and unknowingly give it to someone who could die from it, simple as that. The worst thing that would happen if you think it’s all hype BS and we ‘overreact’ is that we inconvenience ourselves for a short period of time. I don’t need to paint a picture demonstrating what might happen if it’s NOT hype – you only need to look to some real-life case studies happening right now to see what that could look like. Be smart, be cautious, make intelligent decisions, and be considerate of others. 
With that said, it is of paramount importance that we are all utilizing proper procedures, both in and out of the gym. Given that, in many instances, people can be carriers of the virus long before they show symptoms, we have to operate with the utmost caution and diligence. Don’t come in if you experience any symptoms, cough into the crook of your arm, wipe EVERYTHING down when you’re done with it, and WASH YOUR DAMN HANDS (20 sec minimum with HOT water, soap, and FRICTION).

CFD is a small business. We are dependent on each and every one of you in order to continue operations. I want to do the most responsible thing I’m capable of doing as a business owner considering that critical dependency I have on your continued support. As a result, I have decided to provide as much value and options as I can so that the degree of exposure you each choose during this time is ultimately that – YOUR choice.

Remote Training Options

For those of you wanting to practice ‘social distancing,’ I fully support and commend this line of thinking. This individual choice, when made by a majority of the population, will ultimately be the most effective course of action we can collectively take as a community. To facilitate your continued training during this period (however long it may last), all supplementary programs (Gymnastics, Foundational Strength, and Cardio Club) will be made available to anyone who wants access to them at no cost. We will also provide a modified class program design to any of you who choose to work out at home and have limited or no equipment. Just email me (phil@crossfitdubuque.com) and I’ll get it set up for you. Whatever I/we can do to continue to provide value to you during this time, please let me know.

Flexible Hours of Operation

For those of you wanting to utilize the space and equipment at CFD, the facility will remain available and accessible to each and every one of you. As always, our home is your home – in the 8+ years of operating CFD, I’ve only ever asked that everyone treat the facility as though it were their own, leaving it the same (or better) as they found it. This policy still applies, and I only stress the importance of cleaning up after yourselves – not just from a ‘clutter’ perspective, but from the infinitely-more-important health and safety perspective. If you want access, please reach out directly to me to coordinate.

Group Classes

For the time being, we will continue to offer group classes. As of the time of publication, there have been zero confirmed cases in Dubuque. That could all change quickly, and it could change at a rate that makes any reactionary reconsideration of this policy too little and too late. Regardless, you have all paid for a service that came with certain terms, and a critical component of those terms is the attendance of an in-person group class. As such, we will take any and all precautionary measures we can to ensure your health and safety. Please note the use of the term WE; it takes all of us caring about adhering to these procedures to effectively mitigate our combined risk. Coaches AND Attendees are responsible for the following EACH and EVERY class:

  • Wiping down ALL high-touch points of the facility (doorknobs, to include stall doors, any and all equipment used, etc.)
  • Stick to the same equipment throughout your workout (ie: no sharing if at all possible)
  • Wash hands thoroughly before and after classes
  • Floors mopped mid-day and evening, EVERY day

That’s all I have for now – as I/we continue to monitor this issue at hand, I’m sure things will continue to change. Please reach out to me directly if you have any questions or feedback.

Stay safe, and Stay the Course <1>
-Phil

March Spotlight – Julie

I had struggled with yo-yo dieting and tried doing workouts at home for years.  I would last a few weeks or months but would get bored with both the dieting and the exercising.  It was hard for me to stay motivated. I would lose interest and go back to bad habits. In the fall of 2018, I went to my doctor for my yearly checkup.  I found out that I was pre-diabetic and had high cholesterol. I knew the toll that diabetes can take on your body because a relative of mine has it. I see her struggle and hope I will not have to deal with those same issues every day for the rest of my life.

Over the years I had heard about CrossFit Dubuque from several people. I always thought it sounded like something I would like, but I was nervous about taking that step. In the spring of 2019, I started asking more questions of the people I knew that went. I checked it out online, read the testimonials, and finally signed up for foundations.

June 1st, 2019 was the beginning of my CrossFit journey. I started with foundations that day. The moment I walked into the gym I was welcomed by several people that had just gotten done with their workout. I couldn’t believe how friendly they were! It eased my anxiety and made me feel like I belonged there. 

After my 2 weeks of foundations I signed up for my first official class. I must admit I was extremely nervous.  However, I had made my mind up that I was going to follow through with this. I would give it 3 months to see if I felt better and to see if I was diligent about attending class.   I wanted to attend the 6:30 a.m. classes because I knew if I waited until after work, I would make some excuse not to go.  I walked in and I was immediately put at ease. Coach Mike has been coaching for a long time and I’m pretty sure he could tell that I was terrified.  When he went over the workout for the day, he would give instructions, but then he would pull me aside and work with me one on one to make sure I understood. He modified all the workouts to fit my needs.  It was amazing!  I remember one thing specifically.  I knew that burpees were involved that day and I knew that I could not do them like everyone else.  I told him I didn’t think I would be able to do one.  He had me show him what I could do.  At that point he had me grab a box and proceed to do the burpee using the box instead of the floor as my support. I did it!  I was so relieved I cried.  I know that sounds weird, but I had gotten myself so worked up that to be able to do one was such a relief.  Mike gave me a pat on the back, said that there are modifications for all the exercises and that I should not worry that I must keep up with other people.  I was hooked! I kept at it for the 3 months, attending as many times a week as I could. Because I felt so good about myself from day one, I didn’t want to stop going. 

In those first few months I also got some tips, from Mike, on how to incorporate healthy eating into my new lifestyle.   This was very helpful not only to lose weight but, did you know, eating healthy gives you the energy to do the workouts?! After just a few weeks I could feel my clothes fitting better and my energy level go way up. 

It has now been 8 months and I can’t imagine my life now without CrossFit!    I recently had my cholesterol and glucose tested and everything is at a normal range.  I have muscles I didn’t know I could have. I have the energy to play with my grandson.  I have more self-confidence than I think I have ever had in my life.  I am down 3 sizes and 47 pounds. CrossFit is more than just workout; it has changed my life!


Not a member? Sign up today!  The next free Intro classes take place on March 7th at 10:00. RSVP or e-mail us today to set up an appointment!

RPE Blog

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m excited to kick off 2020 – we have accomplished so much in 8 years here at CFD, and the most fulfilling aspect of it all has been watching progress over such a long period of time. My vision when we first opened our doors in 2011 was to create that ‘forever home’ for our community. Some of you are just beginning with us, and some of you have been with us since the very beginning. Even at elite levels – think collegiate sports and many professional athletes – the ability to work with the same client base over such a long period of time is simply not typical (ex: colleges have a ~4-year revolving door). Very, VERY few places get to see the kind of commitment and longevity that we have enjoyed here at CFD, and watching data trend over time (and witnessing countless walking testimonials) continues to add to our claim that we provide a program that can continue to benefit our population as we approach a decade of business.

It’s always a welcome challenge to provide a program design that is (1) safe, (2) robust, (3) appropriate, and (4) effective. A group program design is, by definition, never perfect for any one individual; we have to consider our population’s ever-widening bell curve of training age, movement competence, and goals.

A critical component of fitness is weight training. I’ve dedicated countless blogs about the topic and defended loading our clients’ skeletons for almost a decade within the walls of CFD, and I continue to stand by the importance of that training methodology to this day. As time passes, I continue to witness more and more evidence in support of weight training, in spite of all of the fad training methodologies that attempt to circumvent it. Whether your goals are aesthetic, performance, or longevity, you NEED to load your skeleton. 

How, then, do you go about doing it effectively? Simply put, there are a lot of different ways to do it, and there’s no one ‘perfect’ answer. We have utilized many different approaches over the last 8+ years in improving one’s ability to move heavier loads safely and more effectively. Over the next handful of weeks, we will take a different approach to our upcoming weight training cycle: Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) loading.

The concept of RPE is definitely not new, and we’ve utilized it when training both aerobic and anaerobic systems in the past (and will continue to do so). However, we’re going to apply this concept to weight training for a couple of reasons:

  • It’s relative to the individual
  • It forces you to be more aware of your effort
  • It allows you to progress loads at a rate appropriate to your adaptation

For reference, the following table will define what each RPE rating means (sorry for the formatting – I can’t quite get this to look right):

RPE 10 Max Effort
RPE 9.5 No more reps, but could increase load
RPE 9 1 more rep
RPE 8.5 1-2 more reps
RPE 8 2 more reps
RPE 7.5 2-3 more reps
RPE 7 3 more reps
RPE 5-6 4-6 more reps
RPE 3-4 light effort
RPE 1-2 little/no effort

Keep the RPE table in mind throughout this month. It’s easy to memorize and will serve as a guide that defines the INTENT. Rather than try to assign percentages relative to a 1RM, which, as I have demonstrated, is not as useful when applied to a diverse population, we will refer to RPE. For example, one person may rep out a 5-rep back squat at 90% of their 1RM, and it may be a 9.5 RPE (couldn’t have done another rep, but could have maybe increased the load slightly – this person would have high neuromuscular efficiency and probably a high training age). Another person may have repped out 90% of a 1RM for 5 reps and experienced a ~7.5 RPE (could have done 2-3 more reps at that same weight within that set – this person would have low(er) neuromuscular efficiency relative to the first example). Note: This isn’t to be confused with a ‘better’ or ‘worse’ athlete; in fact, virtually all Games athletes have lower NME due to the need for resilience in the sport.

By utilizing RPE as a guide rather than arbitrary percentages that really only apply to a certain ’type’ of athlete, we allow each individual to determine their appropriate load and progression over the course of time rather than tethering them to a progression that may be too aggressive or too slow.

Is this method perfect? No, of course not. Some of you may really like using this guide, and some of you may prefer set percentages, linear or undulating progressions, or other loading patterns. This is simply an attempt at changing up our metrics and serving an ever-increasingly diverse population. RPE loading certainly has the potential to be beneficial for virtually everyone, but RPE is, by definition, subjective. I encourage you to really pay attention to your efforts and determine what you think you ‘had left in the tank’ after each set. Those truths can be very telling of what you’re capable of and will serve you in how you load the bar for subsequent sets!

As always, don’t hesitate to sound off with questions or ask your coaches for guidance. I will always value QUALITY movement over QUANTITY; none of this is a pass to throw caution to the wind and move like shit. Creating awareness of our motor patterns and our effort exerted during each set will only continue to build that foundation of strength, stability, safety, and competence that transfers to countless applications, both in and out of the gym.

Stay the Course <1>


Not a member? Sign up today!  The next free Intro classes take place on January 18th at 10:00. RSVP or e-mail us today to set up an appointment!

January Spotlight – The Burds!

How long have you been a member of CFD?

Jason: Just over a year.  Time flies when you are having fun.
Jenny: I did foundations in November 2018

What made you want to get started?

Jason: I have been trying to fight growing old ever since my 40th birthday.

What is your favorite gym music?

Jason: “The Hodge Playlist”©

What did you do for fitness prior to joining CFD?

Jason: I ran mostly.  I finished the Marine Corps Marathon in 2014.  I realized that I am more of a lifter than a runner.
Jenny: I ran, mostly long-distance. Relays and half marathons. I’ve done one marathon just to experience it.

What do you like most about CrossFit?

Jason: It really is for everyone.  You can start from any point and make progress.  Scaling to a more reasonable movement is always available. 
Jenny: I’ve met some really fantastic people through CFD. They make me better and I look forward to seeing the other members no matter which class I attend.

What type(s) of workouts are your favorite?

Jason: Strongman and deadlifts.  I like to lift things up and put them down.
Jenny: I like anything with barbells. Also, I like the long endurance type workouts as I feel like that’s my time to shine. Hero workouts are great too, I always get choked up working through them and thinking of what others have sacrificed for me.

What is the funniest thing you remember happening at CFD?

Jason: This is hard to pinpoint. I laugh most days.  The coaches have a great sense of humor and want to make it fun for everyone.  I am a big fan of the costume days of the open.

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

Jason: Anything with lifting in it.  I am really more of a runner.
Jenny: I don’t like to hang from the bar. So no pull-ups, knee raises, toes to bar. It’s hard and that position pushes me to a dark place.

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

Jason: If Maddie is the coach, I chalk up for burpees so she has to mop the floor.

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?

Jason: This happens most of the time when you lift next to Matt Klein.  Never ceases to amaze me that he slips in, out lifts everyone, and leaves silently.

What are your goals going forward?

Jason: I’m looking forward to hitting 500lbs on the deadlift, hitting 2 T2B in a row, and a handstand pushup.

Have you ever won the warmup?

Jason: With the caliber of athletes at CFD it is the only thing I can win!

Have you ever hidden junk food in your cart for fear that another CFD member might see it?

Jenny: I have a mild panic attack if the Kifer’s show up at the Peosta Fareway when I’m shopping with my teenage boys!

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

Jenny: Just show up and keep showing up. 
Jason: Take it slow.  Everyone is on different levels of fitness.  Do not be intimidated by workouts and take one rep at a time.  Work on form and do not be afraid of asking for help or suggestions on what you can do to get better.


Not a member? Sign up today!  The next free Intro classes take place on January 4th and January 18th at 10:00. RSVP or e-mail us today to set up an appointment!