One of the hallmarks of being a CrossFitter is having calluses and rips on your hands at all times. But it’s painful and not the most attractive look. Also, let’s be real for a minute, have you ever had to shake hands with someone who had twelve calluses on each hand? Gross. So a lot of us buy gloves or grips. But there are so many kinds. And they can be expensive. It’s overwhelming. Which is the best? Well, lucky for all of you, we have done the homework for you. You can thank us later. We like pizza. To test the gloves and grips I recruited three of my fellow CrossFitters. They used each glove for workouts that included both barbell movements and gymnastic movements and then scored them in each category. Part of CrossFit is moving quickly from barbell to rig, and within a WOD the best kind of glove or grip is going to be one that can support you well through both kinds of movements. The gloves/grips: (left to right) Barehand , JAW grips, Rogue V2 grips, The Natural Grips, Victory grips The Testers: (left to right) Kelsey/23: taco enthusiast, lover of all things blue, low-key sarcasm slinger, former cheerleader Fave CF movement: HSPUs Fave lift: snatches Silly Quote: “Anything in life worth doing is worth overdoing. Moderation is for cowards.” JC/26: Atlanta sports aficionado, secretly artistic, will outwit you, meme lover Fave CF movement: ring muscle ups Fave lift: cleans Silly Quote: “If I believe in dinosaurs, then somewhere, they must be believing in me. And if they believe in me, I can believe in me.” Bekah/37: life of the party, certified step aerobics instructor, a better shot than you, Usher fan Fave CF movement: double unders Fave lift: deadlifts Silly Quote: “Remember these words and live by them: Screw ‘em! Who cares what everybody else thinks?” The Results: Barehand ($50 ea) and JAW grips ($30 ea on WODshop) scored the highest overall in both categories. Both were touted to be comfortable, versatile, and effective. Barehand was scored lower in comfort/ fit for not covering the entire hand and not offering wrist support. The only negative noted about JAW was the concern about longevity. The fabric is thin and testers weren’t sure how long they would last. Victory ($40/45 ea) and Rogue ($22) scored well in gymnastics, but were impediments to barbell movements. To be fair, they were designed with gymnastics in mind. But for CrossFit, we need them to be able to travel over to the barbell also. If you are looking for a purely gymnastic grip, one of these would work great. Victory lost a few points for comfort. Testers noted that they needed to be broken in, but also speculated that upon being broken in, they would be quite comfortable. The Rogue grips were noted as being uncomfortable and loose in the palm. The Natural Grips ($25/28) did not score well in barbell or gymnastics. While they did offer some grip support with gymnastic movements, overall they were cumbersome to assemble and were sticky and slid when they became sweaty. They were not noted to offer any benefit at all with barbell movements. And while they were designed with gymnastic movements in mind, for CrossFit purposes we were looking for a glove or grip that could do double duty. I could try to explain how each glove/grip scored in each category, but you know, a picture is worth a thousand words. However, the overall winner was JAW grips! Shoutouts:
Thank you to our testers who did a very thorough job of providing feedback about each glove or grip in each category. A special thank you goes out to Victory, Barehand, and The Natural Grips for offering us discounts in order to test their products! Drawing Winner: The winner of our JAW Grips raffle is... Jenny Cloud!! -Laura
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School is out and we are expecting that hot summer heat to melt our metal oven of a Gym!! Don't worry, we have all those nice powerful fans blasting and circulating air to cool you down! Beginning June 1st 2017, we will be changing up the class times. Come get your workout in and then go enjoy some rays by the pool, lake, or take a river floaty ride on the Yellow River! Call or email us to get started. We will help you reach your summer goals!! why do it alone when you have an amazing CrossFit Community in town who are willing to push you and help you!! - Jessie M.
I know that Memorial Day holds a special place in the hearts of all of us. It's much more than just a paid day off work and chance to cookout at the lake. It's a day to remember the heroes that given their lives for the freedom that allows us to do those things. We'll be getting together for Murph to pay tribute to Lt. Michael Murphy as well as those countless other heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We'll be having two classes, 9am and 10am, so come out ready to give it your all! Also, if you want to register for the Murph Challenge you can follow the link below to do so. I know a couple of us have done it in the past. It's a great charity organization that helps families who have lost service members. You'll be able to read specifics on the website. Hope to see you all next Monday! - Chris https://themurphchallenge.com/ With an Influx of fresh meat for the CrossFit Grinder over the last few weeks, we wanted to create a file for all the crazy words we seem to make up as we explain the daily workouts! Please read it over and soon you will be teaching the newbies who walk through the door all the fancy CrossFit terminology!
CrossFit Acronyms and Abbreviations ● AMRAP- as many rounds (or reps) as possible ● BS- Back squat. Bar is on upper back when squatting ● BWT- body weight ● C2B- chest to bar. A pull up that requires you to make contact with your chest to the bar in order to count the rep. ● CF- crossfit ● CLN- clean. Explosively lifting an object from the ground and receiving it in the front rack position ● C&J- clean and jerk. Combining the clean movement and jerk movement together before returning the bar to the floor ● DL- deadlift. Standing a weight up from the floor ending with it at your hips ● DNF- did not finish. Unacceptable in most crossfit boxes. ● EMOM- every minute on the minute ● FS- front squat. Bar is in front rack (collarbone) position when squatting ● GHD- glute ham developer. a device that allows for posterior chain exercise, such as a hip extension, sit up or a back extension. ● GPP- general physical preparedness ● HNG- “hang”. Movement does not start with bar on ground ● HRPU- hand release push up. Typical push up, but at bottom of rep lift hands off of ground then replace them and continue with rep. Anti- cheating push up ● HSPU- handstand push up. In a handstand, perform a pushup by lowering your head to the ground, then pressing yourself back up to lockout. ● KIPPING- using momentum driven by your hips to complete a movement faster creating an aerobic effect ● KBS- kettlebell swing. Using your posterior chain, swing a kettlebell from hip height to eye level or higher ● K2E- knee to elbow. Hanging from a pull up bar, using your abs, pull your knees up as you bend your elbows until they make contact then return to hanging ● METCON- metabolic conditioning. An aerobic type of workout designed to increase metabolism, elevate heart rate and get you sweating! ● M/U- muscle up. Hanging from rings or a bar pull your body up to a dip position and then press up out of the dip ● OHS- overhead squat. Squatting with the bar overhead with arms locked out ● PWR- power. means no squat allowed ● PR- personal record ● PP- push press. Using your hips to drive an object overhead ● PJ- push jerk. Similar to push press except you “catch” the weight overhead in a mild squat position before standing up ● PU- pull ups. Hanging from rings or a bar, using your back and arms, pull yourself until your chin clears the height of that object ● RFT- rounds for time ● Rx’d- as prescribed or as written. Workout is done without any adjustments ● RM- repetition maximum. The maximum amount of reps you can achieve at a certain weight. ● SDHP- sumo deadlift high pull. Feet are wide, hands are narrow, stand up and pull the object up to collar bone height ● SNT- snatch. Pulling an object explosively from ground to overhead in one motion. ● T2B- toes to bar. Similar to K2E but you will aim your toes to make contact with a bar ● WB- wall ball. Squatting with a medicine ball then throwing the ball at a target above ● WOD- workout of the day ● W/UP- warm up ● THE “GIRLS”- a series of benchmark workouts created by crossfit headquarters that are universally known among the crossfit community ● THE “HEROES”- a hero workout is a tribute workout in honor of a fallen crossfitter ( either soldier, sailor, airman, marine , firefighter, or police officer) that died in the line of duty. Typically very tough workouts that are recognized amongst most crossfit gyms. We want to wish every Mom in our Gym a wonderful Mother's Day! Being a mother is no easy feat! I am pretty sure I drove my mom crazy until I left for college! But I am thankful for how my mom raised me to become the person I am today. Love ya, Momma! It is no different for your children, whom I have the pleasure of tripping over in the gym when you aren't looking! You all have amazing hearts and show nothing but compassion, support and love for your little ones to help them grow! You will always be there for them! While some may not realize all that you are doing for them... in time, they will come to realize that you are, and will always be, the most influential person in their life. Happy Mother's Day.
Your coach, Jessie Macias P.S. I know I am missing so many awesome moms in the pictures! Don't strangle me! I just didn't have any on my computer. Kevin and Kayla,
It has only been a week since you left us, but we are all missing you terribly and hoping for nothing but the best while you are away for the next few years! It feels like just a little while ago that you two stumbled in our doors, forced Kayla to join our Super Team for the Atlanta competition, and began taking on classes to give me hand!! Time flew by! I was a little glad that you didn't want to sign up for the Open under our Gym when you fist came in, since both of you kicked my butt!! I would not have been number 1 in the gym that year! Haha. Well...technicalities, forgetfulness from Chris Snipes, and Injuries for Chris Simmons may have also helped me along, but whatever! I'll take the Win! Once you began coaching here at Unyielding, you two started to connect with all of our wonderful members! We all welcomed your help and support as we grew stronger, together! Both of you have wonderful and kind hearts! Anyone is lucky to cross your paths! It was only a year and some change that you were with us, but it felt like we had known you guys forever. From all of us here at Unyielding.... Thank you for all your coaching and support. Thank you for the laughs. Thank you for all the memories. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! You two really really helped me out tremendously! We cannot wait to see what life has to offer the both of you! We will always be here when you decide to come back! Good luck and see you soon!!! -Jessie Macias
As we kick off this supplement series, there's one very important thing that should be addressed up front: No amount of supplementation can fix crappy diet. If you aren't fueling your body with quality food in proper portions then you aren't going to see the results you want in the gym, no matter how much protein or aminos or anything else you take.
If you are doing the right things in your diet, our friends over at Driven Nutrition are the best in the business when it comes to supplements. They've put together some great content on different products and the health/training benefits of each that we wanted to share with you. With so many different options and opinions out there, it's always a good idea to stick with the facts and trust a high quality product. Driven meets both of those expectations, and we're proud to be able to offer their supplements to our members. Read up on these four benefits of BCAA's and then hop over to Driven's website and check out their products. - Chris
"If you are reading this we could assume you are already a supplement taker or at the very least, interested in what supplements you could be taking to help you reach your goals. If you also consider yourself an informed consumer, one who is thrifty and does not fall for gimmicks you probably choose your supplement stack based on what will give you the most bang for your buck. What we are discussing here is whether it is worth it to add BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids) to your supplement arsenal. We thought we could simplify the decision and give you 4 BIG benefits of BCAA’s to strongly consider.
BCAA’s Increase Muscle Protein Synthesis (mTOR) We lift weights and train to build bigger stronger muscles, duh, but exactly how does the building process work? Resistance training triggers protein synthesis, a signal that tells our body to use proteins to construct new muscle tissue. Supplementing with BCAA’s during and after resistance training can increase the protein synthesis signaling, meaning more muscle growth! Even without resistance training BCAA’s can aid in the preservation of lean tissue and help prevent fat gain! Which brings us to reason number 2… BCAA’s Increase Fat Burning and Metabolism BCAA’s are made up of three amino acids, Leucine, Iso-leucine, and valine. Iso-leucine in particular, along with enzymes is used to breakdown glucose and fatty acids to be used as energy in the body. This increased energy outflow and fat oxidation allows for a more forgiving metabolism, especially when it comes to carbohydrates. BCAA’s are a great supplement for keeping muscle while staying lean. BCAA’s Improve Strength and Endurance Performance We all know that a protein rich diet is ideal for packing on lean muscle tissue, however a diet rich in protein can be boosted with the supplementation of BCAA’s particularly Leucine. Leucine increases muscle protein synthesis, thus allowing for more of the proteins you ingest to be used to build new muscle and add more strength. Because BCAA’s increase the efficiency of fat and glucose being burned as energy having them present in the blood stream via a dietary source can lead to greater endurance. BCAA’s also slow the uptake of tryptophan to the brain, reducing the feeling of exertion or tiredness brought about by high intensity training. Basically you slow your brains way of telling you “I’m exhausted, time to slow down”. BCAA’s Decrease Soreness Experienced from High Intensity Training Did you hear that? Less soreness! If you have been unconvinced so far this should begin to sway you. BCAA’s ability to prevent muscle breakdown and aid in the rebuilding process of skeletal muscles means you experience less post workout soreness. This allows you to train with more intensity, more frequently! When looking at BCAA supplements remember not all are created equal. Look for a product with at least 2 grams of Leucine and one that has Leucine making up at least 40 percent of the total content. Commonly a ratio of 2:1:1 (Leucine:Isoleucine:Valine) is found. Learn more about Driven’s Amino." How Your Genetics Affect Your Results: Your body was made with a specific hormone profile and bone structure that determines your shape. You can get lean and build muscle with any body type, but knowing how you are genetically advantaged and disadvantaged can help you calibrate your approach. The more you know about your body as a unique creation, the more you can adapt to reach your functional and aesthetic goals. There are 3 basic body types: ectomorph, mesomorph, and endomorph. Each type is governed by a specific hormone profile. The ratios might be different within each type, but what makes you the type you are is your hormone makeup. Very few people are purely one type, however. Most people are a mixture of two, but lean harder toward one. What are the body types? Ectomorph- This type appears thin and lean. They have a very high metabolism which makes it difficult to gain fat or muscle, since a calorie surplus is necessary to accomplish either. Their metabolisms are so high, that it is hard to eat enough to maintain muscle. Because of this, they are often referred to as “hard gainers”. Once the body eats its store of fat, it will start eating muscle. And to build muscle, you have to eat enough to exceed what your body is using. This is very difficult for an ectomorph to accomplish, although not impossible. Ectomorphs tend to have lower muscle mass than the other two body types for this reason. This body type tends to burn carbohydrates and fat as fuel and tends to burn through ingested protein before it can be stored. Mesomorph- These tend to appear more muscular or athletic. Compared to the other two types, they have the most efficient metabolism, which means they are able to build muscle without storing too much excess fat. Mesomorphs balance nicely being able to eat a calorie surplus to gain muscle and not storing the extra as fat. They are dominated by testosterone and growth hormone with lower levels of insulin and estrogen. These body types tend to do well burning fat and carbohydrates for energy and converting protein into muscle. Endomorph- This type tends to appear more round or sometimes overweight. Of all three types, this type has the slowest metabolism. They are inefficient fat burners and tend to convert carbohydrates into fat and store them. Endomorphs often find it hard to shed fat, but they enjoy the advantage of building muscle easily. They are weakly dominated by testosterone, along with higher levels of estrogen and circulating insulin than the other two types. This means that for an endomorph, they have the advantage of being able to gain muscle quickly, but they also store fat easily. Endomorphs tend to store both carbohydrates and fat instead of burning them. How to make the most of your body type: Ectomorph- Prioritize strength training over cardio to build more muscle mass. You are naturally better at cardio and tend to have an endurance advantage. Strength is your struggle. Focus on strength and supplement with it as much as you can. Eat more and lift more! If you burn too many calories you will start to lose muscle mass. Since your body burns calories so quickly and has lower levels of insulin, you tend to have a high carb tolerance. This type tends to do well with higher carb intake, moderate protein, and lower fat. Make sure to eat enough to prevent muscle catabolism. (Also known as “destructive metabolism”, catabolism occurs when the body breaks down molecules and releases energy, as opposed to building up and storing energy as with anabolism.) Mesomorph- Prioritize cardio over strength. You are naturally strong and have good power. Endurance tends to be your weakness. You tend to have a moderate carb tolerance which means you can handle them better within the workout window or upon waking after fasting. Mesomorphs do well when they balance the macros evenly with a slight favor toward carbohydrates. Endomorph- Prioritize fat burning. Metcons and cardio workouts are especially helpful for you. Since your hormone profile includes higher levels of insulin, you tend to have a lower carb tolerance. You tend to do better with a higher fat and protein intake and lower carb intake. Since you are inclined to store fat, you should try to always balance strength training with cardio. Increasing your muscle mass will help ramp up your metabolism and reduce the amount of fat you store. This is not to say that you cannot build muscle or lean out at any body type- you can. But knowing where your genetic advantages and challenges lie can help. Your type is not a box to cage you in. It is a tool to help you understand how your body burns food and builds muscle best. If you understand your own genetic advantages you can maximize your workouts to achieve your own specific goals. Our coaches are knowledgeable of nutrition and very helpful with getting you to your end goal. Don’t be afraid to utilize their expertise! Which type am I? The following is a rough test to help you determine which type you might be. Body Type Test: www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm Laura H. So what? Right? Kind of, but not really. Let me explain.
In the CrossFit community the end of February is an exciting time. If you're new to CrossFit you may find yourself at the gym hearing all the talk of the open amidst the sound of clanging barbells and AC/DC, thinking to yourself "What the heck have I gotten myself into??" Well here we go. Let's start with answering the question, "What is the Open?" If you haven't figured it out by now, the CrossFit community is unlike anything else. We sweat together, bleed together, laugh together, and celebrate together. In 2011 the CrossFit Open was introduced to bring together and include the entire community to challenge ourselves individually towards a common goal. For the competitive athletes, the Open is a chance to make their name known by qualifying for Regionals to then go on to the CrossFit Games. For the rest of us, the Open is a chance to push our limits outside of the normal day to day workout and celebrate the hard work we have put in through the year. It is comprised of 5 workouts, the first of which will be announced this Thursday 2/23, and the rest announced through the 4 weeks following. Once registered, you will be able to put in your results and see how you measure against other athletes in your box/state/region/country and even against all other athletes worldwide. For those of you who have aspirations to one day be a competitive athlete, reasons for signing up for the open are pretty self explanatory. For everyone else, you're probably thinking, "I'm not interested in going to Regionals or the Games, so why should I care about where I place?" The answer to that is simple, you shouldn't. You shouldn't care because for those of us who put in sweat equity everyday to become the best version of ourselves, it's not about placement...it's personal. I want you to think back to the first time you walked into your box, whether that was yesterday or 5 years ago. Think about the mental and physical obstacles that you have overcome since then. For some, the biggest of all may have been just walking through the door. Think about the nervous feelings you had trying something new, and pushing yourself to do things that you never thought possible. Think about that first competition, and how you felt like you had no idea what was going on, and all you could think about were the butterflies in your stomach. Now think about how much fun you've had doing those things and the sense of pride you get every time you push yourself a little further. That's what it's about. Participating in the Open is the stamp you put on the decision that you've already made. The decision that you are committed to pushing past limits and that there is nothing you can't do. For the majority of us, at the end of the day, where we place has no significant impact on our lives. That's why you shouldn't care where you are on the leaderboard. Whether that's during the Open, or on the whiteboard for the daily WOD. No matter why you started CrossFit, we all share the same purpose, to be the best version of ourselves. The Open is just another opportunity for us to push those limits and celebrate with a global community that shares that same purpose. Let's go into this Open season committed to pushing ourselves and those around us to break limits and have fun doing it. Now go get signed up!! -Chris https://games.crossfit.com/
We had such an amazing turnout at our Competition with athletes from various local Boxes. Even had one drive over from Alabama! Big thanks to all of you for coming to compete! The Competition Bug has stung some of our own first time competitors and are already looking for the next Box throw down! I know some are interested in Gorilla CrossFit's Cherry Bomb Games and CrossFit Loganville's Lockdown! We are planning on hosting two more competitions this year. One in the Summer and our Cancer Event in the Fall. Keep an eye out for details soon! For now, enjoy the video I put together from our Competition!
Be sure to Check out our Facebook page for all the Photos from the Event!! -Jessie M |
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