Major Works to Unit 15A
 
We are having some major work done on the floor in Unit 15A from Sunday July 30thto Wednesday August 9th. The entire floor is being resurfaced during this time. This will cause some major disruption to our timetable during this period so this email details the adjustments that we are making.
 
Morning and daytime classes will be unchanged except that there will be no 6.30am class. All Open gym during this time will be in Unit 14. For the evening classes we will be increasing the capacity in Unit 15B to 24 athletes starting at 5pm as usual. Each class will have 2 coaches on hand to keep our coach:athlete ratio consistent. Due to space there will likely be more team style workouts but we will still be able to programme a suitable amount of strength work albeit with the increased numbers in mind.

All of the classes are now on the Booking System with he modified timetable so get yourselves booked in as normal!
 
Parking
 
Due to the contractors bringing in heavy machinery there will likely be less parking than usual on Merton Road during the works. The best place to park is on the residential streets around the gym (there are lots of spaces less than 2 mins walk away) or in Co-op where you get one hour free parking. Bike parking should be unaffected.
 
Volunteers
 
If anyone is at a loose end on Sunday July 30th and fancied putting their fitness to good use we would really appreciate some help with moving our equipment out of Unit 15A. We will provide drinks and snacks throughout the day. We will be starting work at 9am but please drop by at anytime during the day if you have a bit of spare time.
 
Unforeseen Circumstances
 
As with any project there are often unforeseen circumstances. Whilst we have tried our best to ensure that the works will be finished on time so we can get back to our usual programme we cannot guarantee this. We will of course inform you all of any delay in the works or any other changes that need to be made to accommodate the contractors. 
Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during the works. If you have any questions at all please get in touch.

The CrossFit Avon Team

​In CrossFit we always talk about the benefits of functional movements (exercises that mimic what we do in real life) and arguably the most functional of all is running, which is why it will always be a part of our programme. It is arguably unparalleled in it's ability to improve your aerobic capacity and to help to train your body to clear lactate.

​Unfortunately, many of us do not run well, our technique is inefficient and we therefore struggle to maintain a pace during WODs that incorporate running or when doing just a running session. After all, who has been taught to run?

We have organised for Shane Benzie of Running Reborn to take a 4-hour running workshop on Saturday 16th September from 1pm to 5pm.  Shane Benzie is the founder of Running Reborn, a running technique coach and movement specialist. He has many years experience in outdoor fitness having completed many endurance-running events including the Marathon Des Sables.

During his career Shane has focussed on coaching and spent time in the US and the UK studying and qualifying as a running technique coach and movement specialist. He works with clients teaching a running form that concentrates on energy efficiency and reducing the effects of impact on the runner’s body. This running form can be utilised by all runners from elite to complete beginners.
 
He brings with him a unique approach to coaching running technique, concentrating on natural movement and in particular the fascial system which is responsible for posture, proprioception of the foot, elastic recoil and the production of elastic energy in the body. This natural approach is backed up with technology that is also unique to technique analysis, allowing laboratory quality analysis to take place in the natural environment.

The session will incorporate 360 degree video analysis of every participant followed by a detailed analysis of technique and form with drills and progressions to improve followed by a further video analysis session at the end to see what progress you have made.

The cost of the session will be £40 with spaces strictly limited to 12 so that everyone receives enough individual attention during the session.  This is amazing value for money considering individual running coaching with video analysis can often set you back hundreds of pounds! This workshop is a must for anyone who runs in addition to our programme but also for those who simply want to improve their movement efficiency and running technique.

Please bring your £40 to the office to reserve your space!
 
For more info on Shane and his coaching please see https://runningreborncoaching.wordpress.com

CrossFit Avon Camping Trip

We are running a CrossFit Avon camping trip to Salcombe in South Devon on the weekend of 8th and 9th July. Coach Jon’s family own a campsite just outside Salcombe on an old farm so we’ll be getting cheap camping!
 
Plan for the weekend:

Arrive Friday night to set up tents etc at Higher Rew Camping Park.
Saturday morning: A few fun team workouts at the campsite (Have a go at pulling a tractor!)
Saturday afternoon: Head to the beach in Salcombe.
Saturday evening: Cook food together at the campsite (bring BBQs!)
Sunday morning: Jon’s cliff run of death (very picturesque but with some big hills!) Or Cat’s cliff walk (same route but no running!), both optional of course!
Sunday lunchtime/afternoon: more beach or head home at your leisure.
 
The cost of the weekend will be £15 per person. If you would like to come, please bring your £15 in cash to the office.
 
For more information on the campsite please visit www.higherrew.co.uk
For more information on Salcombe and the surrounding area please see http://www.salcombeinformation.co.uk

New Floor in Unit 15A; 31st July – 8th August
 
The floor in Unit 15A is scheduled to be re-laid between the 31st July and 8th August. This will mean that Unit 15A will be out of action during this time.
 
We will be increasing the size of classes in Unit 15B to account for our temporary drop in capacity and will adjust workouts accordingly. There will be multiple coaches to ensure you still get as much attention as you would in any normal class but you can expect some changes to our timetable during this period. We will release more detail on this as soon as we can.

Recent Competitions and Results
 
The Rainhill Trials
 
Well done to Ana Marques, Hilary Galvin and Coach Alice for their performances at the Rainhill Trials in Manchester. This was a one day individual competition that was split in to different tiers after a series of qualifying workouts.
 
Ana came 39th in the top division against some very high level competition. Alice made it on to the podium in the second tier competition in 3rd place and Hilary came 44th in the second tier competition. They all did themselves and the gym proud!

​One and All Games
 
We sent 5 teams down to the One and All Games in Cornwall for a weekend of fitness, fun and camping! Everyone had an amazing weekend with some brilliant workouts involving rope climbs, hay bale rolling, log thrusters, sandbag carries, tyre pulling and all the usual barbell movements! Results as follows out of 83 teams:
 
Forging Elite Fatness                        33rd
2 Bars 2 Snatches                            39th
CrossFit Avon Jerk Chickens            40th
You’re Avon a Laugh                         51st
Lock Up Your Dottirs                         64th

​War in the Woods
 
Well done to the 3 teams who went down to Devon to compete in the War in the Woods pairs competition. It was a gruelling day with Alice & Emma and Jon & Raf both narrowly missing out on 3rd place by just a couple of reps and Ana and Kerrie with their strong showing to finish 11th.

​Strength in Depth Launch and Qualifiers
 
Our athletes headed over to CrossFit Bath recently to help launch the Qualifying season for Strength in Depth, one of the biggest competitions of the year. Everyone pushed unbelieveably hard in a very tough workout but it was Adam Wookey who had the fastest time of the night beating athletes from several other local gyms. Our athletes will be testing themselves at two further qualifying workouts over the next few months to hopefully qualify for the finals weekend in November.

​Three of a Kind
 
Cathie, Hilary and former member Esme competed at the Three of a Kind competition in Cheltenham on Sunday and after a full day of tough workouts managed to come 8th out of 28 teams. Well done!

Big Box WOD – 9th June
 
What a night! It was our biggest Big Box WOD ever with 16 teams doing battle over 3 tough WODs! Well done to everyone who took part and made it such a memorable evening but congratulations to Alex, Henrry, Royston and Jennine for topping the podium at the end of the night!
 
The next Big Box WOD will be on August 11th and will be our annual Summer BBQ so get yourselves booked in for another excellent evening of fitness and food! More details to follow.

​Massage
 
Feeling tight and sore from all your hard work in the gym? Why not book a Sports Massage session with Lizzie in our Treatment Room? She does both half hour and hour-long sessions. To book get in touch with Lizzie on 07976 761407 or by email at lizziesims@hotmail.co.uk.

​New Class Times
 
Thanks to those who filled out the poll to show their preference for some more morning classes. We are currently looking at options with a view to increasing our morning offering very soon. Watch this space!

Beginners' Olympic Weightlifting
 
The next Beginners' Olympic Weightlifting classes will be on Tuesday 20th (Clean & Jerk) and Thursday 22nd (Snatch). If you are interested in learning a new sport and have achieved Level 1 weightlifting on our Athletic Levels with good mobility in the Front Squat and Overhead Squat then get yourselves booked in! The Olympic Weightlifting movements are a great way to develop strength, power, coordination and agility. By completing the Beginners' sessions you can then book on to any of the 4 Olympic Weightlifting classes that we run every week.

Summer Camping Trip - 8th/9th July
 
We are running a CrossFit Avon camping trip to Salcombe in South Devon for the weekend of 8th and 9th July. Coach Jon’s family own a campsite just outside Salcombe on an old farm so we’ll be getting cheap camping! Partners and children etc are all welcome.
 
Plan for the weekend:
Friday: Arrive afternoon/evening to set up tents etc and eat.
Saturday morning: A few fun (optional!) team workouts at the campsite (possibly involving a Tractor Pull!!)
Saturday afternoon: Head to the beach in Salcombe for fun, games and hopefully sunbathing!
Saturday evening: Cook food together at the campsite (bring BBQs!)
Sunday morning: Jon’s cliff run of death (very picturesque but with some big hills!) or Cat’s scenic cliff walk (same route but no running!). Both are optional of course!
Sunday lunchtime/afternoon: another trip to the beach or head home at your leisure.

Unfortunately we are unable to visit the local box as the owner is away for the weekend but we will put together some fun WODs on Saturday morning for us all to get stuck in to!
 
The cost of the weekend will be £15 per person. If you would like to come please bring your £15 in cash to the office. If you have any questions about the trip please have a chat with Coach Jon.
 
For more information on the campsite please visit www.higherrew.co.uk
For more information on Salcombe and the surrounding area please see
www.salcombeinformation.co.uk

Big Box WOD
 
Everyone had a great time at the latest Big Box WOD in April. We saw lots of PBs on the Pull Ups and some great teamwork in the WODs. Well done to those who made it on to the podium but thank you to all those who came along and made it another night to remember!
 
The next Big Box WOD will be on June 9th. Get yourselves booked in for another great night of team WODs and fun! For those who are newer to us our Big Box WODs are a fun, all abilities intra-box team competition. We will arrange the teams (to make it as fair as possible!) and get you through 3 team WODs to crown the Big Box WOD champions! Simply book in on the app as usual!

​New floor in Unit 15A
 
We have instructed a company to lay a new floor in Unit 15A. We don’t have a confirmed date for this yet but during the works Unit 15A will be out of action for at least a week. We will of course keep everyone updated on the timings for this and will be planning our programme around the works but please expect some disruption to our normal timetable at some point in the next few months.

Running Workshop
 
Shane Benzie from Running Reborn put on another excellent running workshop on Saturday 1st April. Everyone was blown away by his knowledge and expertise. He guided the participants through improving their technique by focussing on cadence, foot placement and a range of other technical apects of running whilst videoing improvements and giving actionable steps to go away and practise. We can’t recommend this workshop enough, which is why we have arranged another one on May 20th from 1 – 5pm. The booking list is getting full so if you are interested get your £40 to the office asap! See our Blog Post for more information.

​New Class Times
 
We have introduced a weekday Olympic Lifting Class at 12.30pm on Mondays on a trial basis for May. We are aware of a number of members who struggle to attend the evening sessions so hopefully this will allow a few more people to continue to develop their Olympic Weightlifting strength and technique.
 
To attend our Olympic Lifting Classes you must have attended our two-part Beginners Olympic Weightlifting Course (This month it is on Tuesday 23rd at 7.30pm and Thursday 25th at 7.30pm). Before booking on to the Beginners Course make sure you are comfortable with Level 1 Weightlifting and have good mobility in the Front Squat and Overhead Squat.

The CrossFit Games Open
 
The Open has now come to a close and the best athletes in each region will now progress on to the Regionals Events happening at weekends between May 19th and June 4th. All the Regional competitions are broadcast live on YouTube and are well worth watching to see what the fittest in the world are capable of!
 
We had an amazing 5 weeks in the gym with lots of our athletes taking on the Open workouts, many for the first time. To see the CrossFit Avon leader boards follow this link: https://games.crossfit.com/affiliate/201
 
Ana Marques topped the women’s leader board closely followed by Coaches Alice, Cathie and Maureen. There were lots of notable performances throughout the Open including some PB Pull Ups, Snatches and improvements on the repeated workout 17.4.
 
Adam Wookey topped the men’s leader board with four 1st place finishes and one 2nd place finish showing that he is a very well rounded athlete. He was closely followed by Coach Raf and then Noel Brown with his best ever finish. Again there were many notable performances throughout the 5 weeks with PB Snatches and first Muscle Ups aplenty!
 
As the Open moves on to more serious competition we can all now take some time to work on our weaknesses so we can all make the next Open our best ever!

Beginners Olympic Weightlifting 
 
Our next Beginners’ Olympic Weightlifting Classes will be on Tuesday May 23rd(Snatch) and Thursday May 25th (Clean & Jerk).
 
To attend you need to have achieved Level 1 Weightlifting on our Athletic Levels and have good mobility in the Overhead Squat and Front Squat. ​

In CrossFit we always talk about the benefits of functional movements (exercises that mimic what we do in real life) and arguably the most functional of all is running, which is why it will always be a part of our programme. It is arguably unparalleled in it's ability to improve your aerobic capacity and to help to train your body to clear lactate.

​Unfortunately, many of us do not run well, our technique is inefficient and we therefore struggle to maintain a pace during WODs that incorporate running or when doing just a running session. After all, who has been taught to run?

We have organised for Shane Benzie of Running Reborn to take a 4-hour running workshop on Saturday 1st April from 1pm to 5pm.  Shane Benzie is the founder of Running Reborn, a running technique coach and movement specialist. He has many years experience in outdoor fitness having completed many endurance-running events including the Marathon Des Sables.

During his career Shane has focussed on coaching and spent time in the US and the UK studying and qualifying as a running technique coach and movement specialist. He works with clients teaching a running form that concentrates on energy efficiency and reducing the effects of impact on the runner’s body. This running form can be utilised by all runners from elite to complete beginners.
 
He brings with him a unique approach to coaching running technique, concentrating on natural movement and in particular the fascial system which is responsible for posture, proprioception of the foot, elastic recoil and the production of elastic energy in the body. This natural approach is backed up with technology that is also unique to technique analysis, allowing laboratory quality analysis to take place in the natural environment.

The session will incorporate 360 degree video analysis of every participant followed by a detailed analysis of technique and form with drills and progressions to improve followed by a further video analysis session at the end to see what progress you have made.

The cost of the session will be £40 with spaces strictly limited to 12 so that everyone receives enough individual attention during the session.  This is amazing value for money considering individual running coaching with video analysis can often set you back hundreds of pounds! This workshop is a must for anyone who runs in addition to our programme but also for those who simply want to improve their movement efficiency and running technique.

Please bring your £40 to the office to reserve your space!
 
For more info on Shane and his coaching please see https://runningreborncoaching.wordpress.com

Running Workshop
 
Saturday April 1st 1 – 5pm. £40 to the office asap to reserve your space!
This will be the second running workshop we have held at CrossFit Avon with Shane Benzie, an international running coach and movement specialist. The first was a great success with participants blown away by Shane’s knowledge and coaching. This is a not to be missed opportunity to learn from one of the best coaches in the running world. Please have a look at our blog post for more information.

Tracy says:
"Brilliant workshop for anyone who wants to improve their running knowledge, technique or speed. Video analysis enables you to see where you can improve on the fundamentals, and watching other participants videos is extremely helpful in terms of reinforcing the message. Shane is VERY knowledgeable and the pace of the session is spot on.  Worth 4 hours of anyones time."

Diain says: (speaking last month)
"The last few days I have been running 90km, with another 60 over the next two. I am completely injury free for the first time ever, despite running with 10kg packs for whole time. I attribute this directly to the workshop with Shane."

​Handstand Workshop
 
Sunday March 26th from 10 – 11.30am, £15. Get your money to the office asap to reserve your space!
 
After two successful workshops last year Gabby Parker of Bristol Handstands is coming back to take another Handstand Workshop. She is an international circus performer with a wealth of experience in teaching handstands.  Please see our blog post for more information on the workshop.

​New Class Times
 
We have continued to expand our class times by adding a 6am and a 4.30pm class every day of the week! Please continue to be conscientious in your booking practices by only booking in to classes you definitely plan on attending. There are still often times when a fully booked class only has 7 or 8 people attending.
​

​Coaching Announcements
 
Tom Heath
 
We sadly say farewell to Tom Heath from the coaching team this month. Tom has been a coach here for over 3 years and has participated in many competitions with the CrossFit Avon team. We would like to wish him well and to thank him for all the hard work over the years. He will be missed.
 
Luis Sa
 
Luis is taking a break from coaching at Avon as he is moving to Angola to coach at CrossFit Maculusso for a few months. We would like to wish him well on his travels, we’re sure he will have a great experience out in Africa. 
​

​The CrossFit Games Open
 
The CrossFit Open is well underway! Our athletes have been smashing their way through the Open workouts on Friday nights and we have seen some very impressive performances so far. After a gruelling first workout of DB Snatches and Burpee Box Jump Overs which saw Sam Perkins take the top spot the next workout brought with it the small matter of Bar Muscle Ups! There were many who got their first ever Bar Muscle Ups (and Pull Ups in the Scaled Workout) but it was Adam Wookey who took the win with a very impressive performance. Things got technical in 17.3 which was an increasing ladder of C2B Pull Ups and Snatches. Adam Wookey and Coach Raf tied for reps but Adam had the better tie-break time meaning he took top spot again. Have a look at the CrossFit Avon leaderboard to see how everyone is doing and check out the CrossFit Games site to learn more about the quest to crown the fittest person on the earth.
 
If you fancy cheering on our athletes as they take on the remaining workouts why not pop in for a bit this Friday (17th) and next Friday (24th) night from 7pm. We have had a great atmosphere so far and it really helps everyone get through the workouts!

Athlete of the Month

​Parking
 
Unfortunately, parking on Merton Road is very difficult at times. We have the first two marked spaces in the alley to the side of Unit 15A and there are occasionally spaces elsewhere on the road. Please be considerate when parking, try not to block the bike racks or our main doors or other businesses. Outside of commuting times Gloucester Road has lots of spaces and at other times the residential streets the other side of Gloucester Road from the gym has unrestricted parking and is only a couple of minutes walk away!
​

​Massage
 
Feeling tight and sore from all your hard work in the gym? Why not book a Sports Massage session with Lizzie in our Treatment Room? She does both half hour and hour-long sessions. To book get in touch with Lizzie on 07976 761407 or by email at lizziesims@hotmail.co.uk.
​

​Mobility WOD
 
The next Yin Yoga style Mobility WOD will be on Monday 20th March at 7.30pm in Unit 14. Lots of stretching to be done!
​

​Beginners Olympic Weightlifting 
 
Our next Beginners’ Olympic Weightlifting Classes will be on Tuesday March 21st(Snatch) and Thursday March 23rd (Clean & Jerk).
 
To attend you need to have achieved Level 1 Weightlifting on our Athletic Levels and have good mobility in the Overhead Squat and Front Squat. 
​

​Facebook Community Group

If you haven’t done so already join our CrossFit Avon Community Group on Facebook to keep up to date with all the latest news, info and gossip around the gym!
​

​Big Box WOD
 
The next Big Box WOD will be on Friday April 7th from 6.30 – 8.30pm. Get yourselves booked in for a fun evening of team WODs!
 
For those not in the know our Big Box WODs are a fun, all inclusive, team competition evening consisting of 3 workouts to crown the Big Box WOD champions! All you have to do is turn up and we will take care of the rest including organising the teams, recording the scores and announcing the winners! The workouts are designed to be suitable for all abilities but the emphasis is on having fun and meeting some new people from the box.

The last Big Box WOD was a great evening with a fantastic atmosphere around the gym. Well done to Keith, Ellie, Luis and Tom for standing on the top of the podium at the end but thank you to everyone who made it such a good evening.
​

In CrossFit we always talk about the benefits of functional movements (exercises that mimic what we do in real life) and arguably the most functional of all is running, which is why it will always be a part of our programme. It is arguably unparalleled in it's ability to improve your aerobic capacity and to help to train your body to clear lactate.

​Unfortunately, many of us do not run well, our technique is inefficient and we therefore struggle to maintain a pace during WODs that incorporate running or when doing just a running session. After all, who has been taught to run?

We have organised for Shane Benzie of Running Reborn to take a 4-hour running workshop on Saturday 1st April from 1pm to 5pm.  Shane Benzie is the founder of Running Reborn, a running technique coach and movement specialist. He has many years experience in outdoor fitness having completed many endurance-running events including the Marathon Des Sables.

During his career Shane has focussed on coaching and spent time in the US and the UK studying and qualifying as a running technique coach and movement specialist. He works with clients teaching a running form that concentrates on energy efficiency and reducing the effects of impact on the runner’s body. This running form can be utilised by all runners from elite to complete beginners.
 
He brings with him a unique approach to coaching running technique, concentrating on natural movement and in particular the fascial system which is responsible for posture, proprioception of the foot, elastic recoil and the production of elastic energy in the body. This natural approach is backed up with technology that is also unique to technique analysis, allowing laboratory quality analysis to take place in the natural environment.

The session will incorporate 360 degree video analysis of every participant followed by a detailed analysis of technique and form with drills and progressions to improve followed by a further video analysis session at the end to see what progress you have made.

The cost of the session will be £40 with spaces strictly limited to 12 so that everyone receives enough individual attention during the session.  This is amazing value for money considering individual running coaching with video analysis can often set you back hundreds of pounds! This workshop is a must for anyone who runs in addition to our programme but also for those who simply want to improve their movement efficiency and running technique.

Please bring your £40 to the office to reserve your space!
 
For more info on Shane and his coaching please see https://runningreborncoaching.wordpress.com

​Welcome to the CrossFit Avon January Newsletter!
 
We hope you all had an excellent break over Christmas and New Years and are getting back in to your training. Judging by the number of new Nanos and CrossFit apparel we have seen around the gym recently it certainly looks like many of you had very CrossFit inspired Christmases! As ever there is an awful lot happening around the gym so do have a good read to find out what is going on! The  CrossFit Games Open is starting in February, please read our guidance below to find out more about it.

December Big Box WOD
 
Well done to all of those who came along in December to our Christmas Big Box WOD, particularly those who fully embraced the Christmas theme! It was another great evening with some very closely fought battles during the WODs! Well done to Chris, Cat, Sam and Ben for sitting on top of the podium at the end but you are all winners to us!
The next Big Box WOD will be on February 10th at 6.30pm. Get yourselves booked in on the system!

New Class Times
 
Exciting news! We are adding more classes on Saturday mornings! There will be our usual 9am, 10am and 11am classes in 15B with additional classes starting at 8.30am, 9.30am and 10.30am in 15A. The Open Session will move to Unit 14. This new timetable will start on January 28th.
 
Although many of our classes are fully booked, often with a waitlist, there have been many occasions when only 7 or 8 people are actually present in the class. This is very frustrating for those who could have made the class but were not able to book in. We appreciate that there are often circumstances with work, family etc that mean you are unable to make a class but please do your best to book only for classes you know you can attend and don’t forget to late cancel, no matter what the hour!
​
The Waitlist
 
On our booking system all of our classes have a waitlist option for when a class is fully booked.
 
If someone cancels MORE THAN 24 hours in advance then the person at the top of the waitlist will be added automatically and notified of the class.
 
If someone cancels LESS THAN 24 hours in advance nothing will happen, the waitlist is redundant. However, if a space opens up in a class within 24 hours then please just book in to it, even if there is a waitlist!

The CrossFit Games features the worlds best men, women, juniors, seniors and teams who have all earned their spot by participating in the worldwide Open competition which this year starts on February 24th and consists of 5 workouts across 5 weeks. All results are judged, submitted and approved meaning entrants will appear on the worldwide leader board. Anyone in the world can enter and compete against the worlds best! If you are interested in learning more about the sport of CrossFit and the CrossFit games watch this video:

​In the past we have programmed the Open workouts into the WOD class every Friday during Open Season but this has been logistically very difficult as we do not know what the workouts will be in advance making it very hard to effectively run the classes. This year we will not be programming the Open workouts in our WOD class but there will be specific class times for those who have entered.
 
Should I enter the Open?

Every year we have a number of athletes who enter the Open competition, this is mostly our athletes who follow the Performance Programme as the workouts must be completed RX and judged to be able to submit a score. Common movements that crop up most years include: Muscle Ups, C2B Pull Ups, Handstand Push Ups, Toes to Bar, Thrusters, Wall Balls, Box Jumps, Double Unders and the Olympic Weightlifting movements: the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk.
 
If you complete most of our WODs RX, have been regularly attending Olympic Weightlifting Classes and are comfortable with the movements listed above then the Open will be a fun event to do. More details can be found at www.games.crossfit.com including how to register. We will have a special class for those who have entered, as every athlete has to be judged. These will be held every Friday night from Feb 24th – Mar 24th, more details to follow. If you do not currently follow the Performance Programme but would like to enter please talk to a coach who will be able to give you specific guidance on whether or not it is suitable for you. Previous years Open workouts can be found here.
 
The Scaled Open

In order to make the Open more accessible CrossFit also release a scaled option each week. The movements are easier (e.g. jumping Pull Ups instead of Pull Ups, K2C instead of T2B etc) and the weights are lighter. There will still be Olympic Weightlifting style movements so unless you have been regularly attending our Olympic Weightlifting Classes this still won’t be suitable for you. Please talk to your coach if you are not sure. We will have a specific session for those who have entered the Scaled Open on Friday nights during Open Season; more details to follow.
Athletic Levels

We have made some small changes to our Athletic Levels after highlighting some discrepancies with some of the goals. The posters around the gym have been updated but a copy can be downloaded here.
 
If you are interested in learning the Olympic Weightlifting movements you will need to have achieved Level 1 Weightlifting on our Athletic Levels and be comfortable in the bottom position of an Overhead Squat and Front Squat.
 
If you are interested in competing at CrossFit and would like to follow the Performance Programme you will need to have achieved, or be very close to, Level 2 on our Athletic Levels. If you would like to make the transition, please talk to Head Coach Jon about the programme.

​Seminars and Workshops
 
Thank you to those who completed our poll to help us gauge interest in running some more workshops and seminars. We are liaising with some external coaches so should have some dates soon. Watch this space!
Parking
 
Unfortunately, parking on Merton Road is very difficult at times. We have the first two spaces in the alley to the side of Unit 15A and there are occasionally spaces elsewhere on the road. Please be considerate when parking, try not to block the bike racks or our main doors or other businesses. Outside of commuting times Gloucester Road has lots of spaces and at other times the residential streets the other side of Gloucester Road from the gym has unrestricted parking and is only a couple of minutes walk away!
Mobility WOD
 
We will be trialling a new style of Mobility WOD in January. Instead of the targeted mobilisation techniques we have been looking at recently we will be spending the hour doing a series of stretches and positions to help mobilise the deeper tissues of your body. This Yin Yoga style of session aims to increase mobility in the body, especially the joints and hips as well as helping to better lubricate your joints. Get booked in to get your stretch on! The first session will be on Thursday January 26that 7.30pm.
Beginners Olympic Weightlifting 
 
Our Beginners’ Olympic Weightlifting Classes will be on Tuesday January 24th(Snatch) and Thursday January 26th (Clean & Jerk).
 
To attend you need to have achieved Level 1 Weightlifting on our Athletic Levels and have good mobility in the Overhead Squat and Front Squat. 

We are also on Instagram! Follow @crossfitavon to see more content from your favourite CrossFit gym!
​
That's it for this month. As ever, if you have any questions or comments please get in touch with us or speak to your coach. Keep working hard everyone, lets make 2017 the best one ever!

Keep WODing

The CrossFit Avon Team.

There is no additional charge for the workshop but it will count as one of your sessions as part of your membership.