Celebrating 9 Years!

March 1, 2021 is the 9-year anniversary of CHC. In March of 2012, the first fundamentals class was held in an uninsulated warehouse just down the road. Some of you here in this room are part of that founding community of coaches and CrossFitters just starting out.

A lot has transpired since those bitter cold (or wicked hot) early days in a rented space down the road. We’ve moved, grown, learned, given, competed, lost, won, and most important of all, we have persevered. For some, CHC has been a launch pad; for others, a way station; and for still others of us, a home.

In this 9th year, it is fitting to think about the meaning of completing 9 years together as a community. 

The number 9, as the highest single digit, is recognized in many cultures as the number or time interval that can only be achieved through sacrifice, through successfully enduring multiple challenges and navigating one transformation after another. The mere accomplishment of reaching the 9th year is a measure of experience, accumulated wisdom, and right actions, balanced with a raw determination to persevere – sometimes through the sheer strength of will. 

In a lot of ways, this describes the path of CHC. 

Nothing has magnified this process more than this past year.

In recognition of the endurance of CHC through the most challenging year of our generation, a commemorative coin has been designed in remembrance. With this, we recognize the magnitude of the challenge that we have stood before and prevailed. 

 

While the global conditions of 2020 have added weight to our lives, changed our behaviors, and sorted our priorities, it has also forged this community into an unshakable human collective and it has stamped this community “resilient” to whatever comes its way!

Thank you for your enduring support and commitment,

Pam

The Top 3 Hacks For Healthy Eating

Not every “fit” person follows a diet.

Not every person who struggles with their body composition lacks self control.

Finding the right foods, ratios, and quantities to optimize the way you look and feel is an ever evolving process. Your body is in a constant state of change. Cells are dying and regenerating. The body we live in today is a result of many past choices. How we look and feel will be influenced by our food choices, age, gender, hormones, activities, sleep, and stress. There’s no one right answer.

There are however some areas we can focus on in our journey to looking and feeling great. Here are the top 3 hacks for healthy eating!

  1. Pick your fats
  2. Eat more vegetables
  3. Protein is the foundation of every meal

1. Pick your fats
Fats stick with you. Not just figuratively, they actually make up the cell wall in every cell in your body. This affects the way cells communicate with one another as well as your body’s inflammatory response. That’s why the types and the quality of fats you choose to eat is such an important factor.

Fat Types
Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated fats can help provide your body with a sustainable energy source, decrease inflammation, and improve mental performance. These types of fats are found in foods such as salmon, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.

Saturated fats should be consumed sparingly. They are not all bad but high consumption of saturated fat may be linked to increased risk of heart disease.

Fat Quality
Each meal should include a healthy fat option that supports your goals. Fat quality in animal products can vary greatly depending on the conditions the animal was raised in and what they were. You are eating what the animal ate! Focus on humanely raised animal products, grass finished, and wild fish versus farm raised.

Fat amounts
Working with an experienced nutritionist is a great way to calculate your fat needs for the day. This can vary based on your body type, genetics, and goals. Try to avoid high fat meals before or after exercise to avoid any digestive issues around training.

2. Eat more vegetables
Seems like a no-brainer but when you think about your meals over the past few days how many of those contained a full serving of veggies?

Vegetables are a great source of fiber, essential nutrients, and prebiotics to support gut health. They are also always going to be your best alternative when it comes to snacking. Most of us are not going to do any sort of damage by stuffing our face with broccoli and carrots!

3. Protein is the foundation of every meal

Humans need protein. There’s no way around it. The amino acids that make up proteins (plant or animal) are the building blocks for our muscles. Without sufficient protein in the diet our bodies will start breaking down muscle, diverting amino acids to perform other critical functions in the body.

So how much do you need? This again will vary a ton based on your goals, body composition, and genetics. Once you have your protein goal determined for the day. Set a protein goal for each meal by dividing that total daily amount by the number of meals you generally eat. Don’t forget to factor in your post workout shake!

For example, if you are shooting to consume 150 grams of protein per day and typically eat 5 times a day you would aim for about 30 grams of protein at each meal. Once you figure out your numbers it becomes easy to know what foods support that quantity of protein.

There you have it, the top 3 hacks for healthy eating! If you’re trying to clean up your nutrition and fitness regiment let us know how we can best help!

College Hill Collective is Hiring

We are looking to add to our family of hungry, and happy coaches!

To apply, record a video introducing yourself like you are a celebrity coach stepping in to coach one of our classes. From there, we would like you to brief the workout below at a whiteboard and teach one of the movements. The workout is:

Beach Season
AMRAP 20:
15 Push-Ups
20 Sit-Ups
25 Air Squats

Your video should be under 5:00 minutes and uploaded to YouTube.

Please email the link to your video to employment@collegehillcrossfit.com along with a resume, and whether you are interested in a part time or full time position.

Applicants must have an L-2 cert or greater. 

The College Hill Way

THE COLLEGE HILL WAY

Over the past several weeks, we have focused on a comprehensive reopening strategy. This plan builds upon College Hill’s already recognized high standards of health, safety, and cleanliness – and takes them to the highest level.

CLEANING AND SANITATION

Cleaning Protocols

In addition to existing, continuous cleaning protocols, we will add a rigorous, deep-cleaning and disinfecting process three times during the day and once overnight. Designated areas of the gym will be sectioned off during the day to facilitate the deep cleaning. Our Coaching team is ready to support these rigorous cleaning protocols.

Disinfectant Procedures

Medical-grade, EPA-registered disinfectants, which are designated effective against the COVID-19 virus with a kill time of less than one minute, will be used for all continuous and deep-cleaning processes. This disinfectant will also be used to fully disinfect lockers and fitness equipment between uses.

Modified Gym Hours

We will be adjusting gym operating hours to allow for thorough cleaning and disinfecting overnight.

Fitness Equipment

We will allow 45 minutes between classes for disinfecting the gym and all equipment.

SANITIZER STATIONS

Hand Sanitizer

Members will be asked to use hand sanitizer when entering the gym and frequently throughout their visit. The hand sanitizer solution kills up to 99.9% of germs and includes 67% ethyl alcohol, above and beyond the CDC’s guideline of 60%, with added Aloe vera and essential oils. Hand sanitizer is available at touchless stations.

Disinfectant Towels

Members will be asked to use disinfectant spray/wipes on equipment before and after use in addition to College Hill’s cleaning protocols. Our disinfectant spray/wipes are approved by the EPA for use against COVID-19 and proven to kill 99.99% of bacteria, viruses and fungi on equipment and have the safest EPA Toxicity Rating. Disinfectant spray/wipes will be available in your designated area as well as throughout the gym.

HEALTH CHECKS

Health Declaration

Members and our coaching teams will be required to communicate before each gym visit to confirm they are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, nor have they come in contact with someone who is experiencing symptoms.

Temperature Check

Members and our teams will have body temperatures taken prior to entering the gym via touchless thermometers. Per CDC guidelines, individuals with a body temperature greater than 100.4 degrees will not be permitted entry into the gym.

Notifications

Members will be asked to alert the Owner (contact information can be found on the College Hill website) if they test positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of their last gym visit. We will provide email notification to all potentially exposed persons if there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 at College Hill.

LIMITED CLUB CAPACITY

Advanced Registration Required

Members will be asked to book a class visit in advance using the WODIFY app. Members will be able to schedule seven-days ahead of class time period. 

GO CONTACTLESS

Touchless Registration

Check-in using the WODIFY app will eliminate the need to use the kiosk upon arrival.

Contactless In-Gym Transaction

For convenience and to minimize contact, members will be asked to use their credit card on file in the WODIFY app for purchases at The CHC Shop.

GIVE EACH OTHER SOME ROOM

Signage and Floor Markers

So that members can give each other enough space, physical distancing cues will be marked for your workout space.

FRONT DESK ETIQUETTE

Check-In

Temperature checks and hand sanitizer use will be required prior to entering the club. Touchless check-in will allow for safe and seamless entry to the gym.

Towels and Yoga Mats

Please bring your own towels/yoga mats as we will not provide these at this time. 

CROSSFIT ETIQUETTE

Class Booking

To ensure physical distancing, we will limit capacity for all CrossFit classes. Advance booking will be required to attend all classes. 

Gym Access

Gym will be open 15 minutes before class start times. Members will be asked to use hand sanitizer before entering the gym. Open gym will be available outside of class hours and registration is required.

Equipment

All CrossFit classes will be designed to facilitate distance between members. Our team will set up the gym floor beforehand with equipment. If a member requires other equipment, a coach will be available to assist. Only coaches will be permitted to handle equipment.

Adjustments

No hands-on adjustments, typical in barbell progressions will occur during classes by your coach.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

Email: (pam@collegehillcrossfit.com)

31 At Home Workouts

31 At Home Workouts

 

  1. Ladders
    Choose 1 bodyweight movement, like pushups or burpees (or select from the “Exercises you’ve never tried” list at the end of this post.)Do 1 movement per minute at the top of every minute.  Add a rep every minute.Go until you can’t complete the required reps in a minute.You might want to add 2-3 other movements to make this a workout. Score is combined total of all movements.
  2. Head-to-Toe Sprint
    7 Rounds for Time:10 Push-ups10 Air Squats

    Run 200m

  3. “Michael”
    800m Run
    50 Situps
    50 Back Extensions (sub Supermans or some other back extension exercise)
  4. Descending Ladder
    For time: 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of 3 different exercises (choose from the standard bodyweight list, like burpees and pushups and situps, or choose from the more novel list below.)
  5. Gym Practice
    AMRAP in 20:00
    10 Handstand pushups
    10 Pistols
    (Sub in whatever your clients’ weakest gymnastics movements might be.)
  6. “Tabata Whatever”

    Choose 5 home-friendly exercises.  For each of the exercises, perform max reps for 8 consecutive Tabata intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Rest 1 minute between exercises.

    Example:

    Tabata Row
    Rest 1 Minute

    Tabata Squats

    Rest 1 Minute
    Tabata Pull-ups

    Rest 1 Minute

    Tabata Push-ups
    Rest 1 Minute
    Tabata Sit-ups
    Tabata score is the least number of reps performed in any of the eight intervals. Unit for the row is “calories”. Post lowest Tabata score for each exercise and total for final score as Total Reps. E.G., 10, 20, 5, 10, 15 = 60
  7. 800m of Burpee Broad jumps
  8. Bodyweight “Filthy 50”
    For Time:50 Tuck Jumps50 Push-ups50 Air Squats

    50 Handstands

    50 Walking Lunges

    50 Sit-ups

    50 Second L-Sit

    50 Burpees

  9. 5k Test – run a 5k for time.
  10. For Time:Run 400m50 Air SquatsRun 400m

    50 Push-ups

    Run 400m

    50 Sit-ups

    Run 400m

  11. In 20:00, perform a maximum handstand. Every time you drop, perform 20 dumbbell snatches, alternating hands.

  12. The Burpee Sprint Maxout, from Men’s Health

    5 2-minute rounds

    • 10 burpees
    • 200-m sprint
    • Max-rep burpees
  13. “Cindy”

    20 minutes, as many reps as possible (AMRAP)

    • 5 Pullups
    • 10 Pushups
    • 15 squats

    Set a timer for 20 minutes. Complete as many rounds as you can before the clock runs out. Replace Pullups with something novel from the list below if necessary.

  14. “Chelsea”

    Every minute on the minute (EMOM) for 30 minutes. Replace Pullups with something novel.

    • 5 pull-ups
    • 10 push-ups
    • 15 squats
  15. “Annie”
    50 double-unders / 50 situps
    40 double-unders / 40 situps
    30 double-unders / 30 situps
    20 double-unders / 20 situps
    10 double-unders / 10 situps
    …for time.

  16. “Angie”

    For time, replace “pull-ups” with something novel from the list below.

    • 100 pullups
    • 100 pushups
    • 100 situps
    • 100 squats
  17. “Murph”

    For time, replace Pullups with a novel exercise if necessary.

    • 1 mile run
    • 100 pullups
    • 200 pushups
    • 300 squats
    • 1 mile run
  18. “300”
    This was the workout that propelled Mark Twight to fame, and pulled CrossFit along for the ride. Sub the pull-ups and deadlifts (or anything else) with novel exercises from the list below.
    25 pull-ups50 deadlifts (with 60kg)50 press-ups50 box jumps (onto a 60cm box)

    50 floor wipers (with a 60kg bar)

    50 two-handed clean-and-presses (with a 24kg kettlebell)

    25 pull-ups

  19. “Griff”Run 800mRun 400m backwardRun 800m

    Run 400m backward

  20. 4 rounds of:Run 400m50 squats
  21. Run 800m
    80 double-unders
    80 pushups
    then 600/60/60, 400/40/40, 200/20/20
  22. 100-75-50-25 reps:situps
    flutterkicks (4-count)
    leg levers
  23. 50 ring dips100 squats50 ring dips100 squats

    50 ring dips
    (sub dips on anything if your clients don’t have rings at home)

  24. 21-15-9 reps of:Body blasters (burpeepullupkneestoelbows)box jump burpees

    Belushi burpees (on jump turn 180 degrees)

    Burpee Jacks (plank jack to jumping jack)

  25. Beep Test
    You can download the “beep test” as an audio file in several places. Here are the instructions.
  26. 2 rounds:Max pushups 2:00Max situps 2:00

    Max flutterkicks 2:00

    Max squats 2:00

  27. Run 10 minutes max effort200 squatsRun 10 minutes max effort
  28. 5 rounds of:10 burpees20 box/bench jumps

    30 pushups

    40 squats

    50 lunges

  29. “Crouching Tiger”50 squats25 pushups

    50 pistols

    25 fingertip pushups

    50 side lunges

    25 knuckle pushups

    50 walking lunges

    25 diamond pushups

  30. 20-16-12-8-4 reps of:One-arm pushupsOne-legged squats
  31. 5 rounds of:100 jumping jacks100 mountain climbers

Enjoy!

#8YearsStrong

After years of working in the fitness industry I have learned clearly and deeply in the heart of me this one sure thing: Change does not come from external motivation. No matter how innovative the programming, clean the facility, new the equipment, or motivating the coaches, no external organization alone generates change in people.

Change is driven by an intrinsic, internal desire to feel differently about ourselves. We grow when we are inspired to do so. 

My vision for College Hill has always been to provide the best facility and the most innovative and effective fitness programming in a culture of accountability so that personal inspiration for change is captured, cultivated, and optimized for success.

After eight amazing years, I struggle to count the number of people who have shared the ways in which College Hill has supported their physical well-being, mindset shift, growth opportunities, and transformation into their better vision of themselves.

I am so honored to be a part of these journeys.

I have to say however, that without question, the person changed most by the little sanctuary of College Hill has been me.

College Hill has had her way with me. She has demanded my utmost integrity, my undying passion, my unending endurance. She has asked me to fight for her and to offer gentle nurturing. She has made me weep tears of joy and tears of bitter heartbreak. She has taught me how to hold on long after others would have let go and she has shown me, time and time again, how to let go.

College Hill has taught me who I am at the core of me. She has reinforced my values and has clarified my life’s work. It’s no surprise that a creation as pure as this one would teach me most of all. My greatest hope is that she teaches you too, that she reminds you that you are stronger than you could ever imagine. That she uncovers those places in you that can only be unearthed when the going gets tough. That she makes you confront who you are and who you want to be over and over again.

College Hill is more than a gym, she is a way of being. On our eighth birthday I could have never imagined the ways she would change our worlds, but more so the ways in which she has undeniably, changed me.

At their best, the creations that come from us (movements, art, children) teach us. My birthday wish for College Hill is that she continues to teach me and to teach you as well.

To all the members of this community whose hard work, love, and belief in College Hill and in me has gotten us here, please accept my endless gratitude.

Love you all.

PK