Blog Archive

CONCEPT BEHIND Mentorship

Our basic premise is simple: Gym owners from around the world sharing what works and what doesn’t from a long-term business perspective.

WHERE TO START

There are a lot of ways to skin the cat in order to produce a successful Crossfit affiliate.  We are here to help you find the best way to run your affiliate.  We have teamed up with some of the most interesting and successful affiliates from around the world to share best practices and improve each others’ businesses.

To come up with our universal best practices, we have analyzed data from our box and the hundreds of boxes we have consulted to over the years. With all this data, we have created an entirely new way to operate a Crossfit Gym, or any gym for that matter.

Here’s what we have learned so far:

– We are  not a globo gym – it should not be run like Gold’s or Fitness World.

– We are not a martial arts studio – it should not use the same systems as a Karate Studeo.

– We are not a “Boot Camp” – it should not operate or pay its people like a “Boot Camp”

Have a long look at the chart below.  This is essentially the skeleton for all Crossfit Gyms. The systems, content, and expertise from each section will ultimately dictate your affiliate’s success.

  We believe the key to running a successful affiliate is in creating systems and providing opportunity for smart, self-starting individuals to succeed by way of the free market. To get some free advice on your CrossFit affiliate’s “health,” fill out this survey:

Most CrossFit affiliates today face similar problems.

Current Crossfit Business Models:

1)   One man band – some relief here and there, but for the most part the owner is running the show

2)   Partners – mornings/evenings – relief staff

3)   Coaches are paid based on an hourly wage while the owner is a micro-manager (looks like a globo gym, martial arts studeo or boot camp)

Here are the tunnels that lead away from success, happiness and financial freedom:

A) Opening a box – “I love Crossfit, the program is great, this should be easy, the gym will run itself.” Most CrossFit gyms start as a hobby, or a part-time second job. But within a year the excitement for CrossFit and being a gym owner is replaced with, “What do I do now?” The problem is that nearly all new CrossFit affiliate owners’ business instincts were completely wrong. Their approach to the market was not well thought out, bad partner agreements were signed, and they give their product (CrossFit) away, as opposed to honing virtuosity.

B) “I have 50 clients I need some sort of system here.”  Most Crossfit affiliates implement an “onramp” or “fundamentals” system with a low barrier to entry – this leads to a dead-end.

C) The CrossFit owners with a lot of personality and knowledge of human movement can typically work their way up to 100 clients and generate monthly revenues of $15-20k pretty quickly. These owners often complain that, “My coaches all suck, they can’t bring anybody in, and I have to manage the shit out of them”.

D) “I am at 150-200 clients and/or $40,000 a month and I am completely fucking burnt out.  I do not want to go into my own gym or talk to humans.” Back to the drawing board with the scotch bottle in hand.

The next step in the evolution of Crossfit Gyms Using the “Road map” as our guide, we can begin to ask questions. Then through trial and error and data tracking we can uncover what works best on all aspects of the business.  Each one of these sections has best practices associated with them.   The Law Firm / Co-operative

• Free market rewards excellence
• Partners that work together
• Coaches earn a professional wage ($80-$100k/year) that competes with engineers, lawyers, accountants etc.
• The free market should determine your coaches success. (i.e. your coach has to become excellent in order to earn a professional wage).
• Your coaches should work less than 35 hours per week and take 4 weeks of paid vacation (50% pay) per year
• Link your coaches wages to to the continued success of each client he/she is responsible for.
• Your coaches wages should represent his/her ability to find new clients, get referrals, and retain existing clients.
• No want or need for your best coaches to leave the company to start their own business.  Create a system where there is no financial benefit for a coach to ever leave.
• No Hourly wages
• No getting paid by the class or based on class attendance
• System rewards coaches who help each other, so you’re not competing for finite resources inside the gym
• Each coach has a specialty inside the Crossfit protocol to help other coaches and apprentices in each specific field.
• Coaches coach less than 10 hours of classes per week
• Flex time – Coaches set their own schedule
• No Micro manager needed to fill schedules and tell coaches how to do their jobs
• Mentorship of apprentices to become totally self-sufficient coaches – assured mutual benefit for coach and apprentice.
• Coach has ability to buy shares in the company and retire on the value of these shares by selling to the next generation.
• Longevity and collection of knowledge.  Coaches work 25- 30 years in fitness industry and pass their knowledge on to next generation.
• Owner of business is not mired in the details of micro-managing the company.
• Owner never has to worry about scheduling coaches or having coaches miss classes etc.
• Owner of company is freed up to find new business opportunities in the community for their coaches.
• Vacation time for all.

In short, our business model looks similar to that of an engineering or law firm, but better in that coaches are rewarded by client success and not based on an hourly wage. They have flex time and don’t have to work 60 hours a week to make partnership. The system works like a co-operative with strong leadership. This means, coaches don’t get trapped working for twenty-five dollars an hour in a fitness facility, eventually forced to “find a real job” in order to afford a home and start a family. Instead, they work as entrepreneurs and independent contractors incentivized by the free market, with stock option to own a portion of the company.  For our coaches – the sky is the limit.

Our larger vision: Working together, we can further our knowledge and talent base to make the product inside our school better every day.

So far, the best practices we have discovered have led to a potent business model, supported by systems and software that: Improve

• Retention, referrals, income per coach, income per square foot, morale and culture, as well as general fitness in the box
• Vacations for everyone – soothe some burnt out souls.

Reduce

• Injuries, client turnover, coach burnout, coach turnover
• Heartaches

Send me an email, if this looks interesting

[email protected]

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Where I grew up (Gaspe. Quebec) we raised pigs in the back yard. We knew exactly what they ate, how they slept, how much shade, sun, water they had, if the dogs were pestering them my Dad would chase them away……In essence they were a part of our family and we cared for them. We were genuinely interested in their welfare…..mostly because we couldn’t watch any creature suffer, but also because on some level we realized that we would be eating these animals someday and we didn’t want to poison ourselves.

Here is where we should have drawn the line.

In the sixth spring of my life, my Dad brought home Jean Guy. He was a strapping beauty of a piglet and he knew it. He was our darling and my sister (The Beav) and I rushed home from school every day to feed him. We would play with him for hours…….he was way more entertaining….and smarter than the dog (Beav actually taught him how to count to seven).

We loved him. He loved food and running around having a great old time. As his eating habits made his pen smaller and smaller……..his restlessness grew into a thirst for freedom. Day and night he devised and executed plans for escape. Jean Guy was like the Kunta Kinte of pigs.

First it was every few weeks then it was a daily experience……..”Jesus Christ” Deano (My Dad) would yell “Jean Guy is loose again!!” and the chase would begin. Interestingly the other pigs wouldn’t leave the pen even after Jean Guy had shown the way out.

Jean Guy loved it. For sure part of breaking out was the excitement of us chasing after him. He especially liked to tear ass after my Uncle Dale. Uncle Dale was scared of pigs and this of course excited Jean Guy to no end, but Uncle Dale still managed to eventually get the job done as a diversionary device.

This brings me to the day of tragedy. A beautiful, warm, early October Saturday morning. I see all my uncles rounding around a large wooden tripod and my curiosity beckons me to dress quickly and see what is afoot. Psychologist friends have told me that I should have blacked this part out of my memory, but I didn’t.

My Dad holding a .22 to Jean Guy’s head. It wasn’t enough. The bullet either skipped off his head, his massive cranium was too large, or his will for life cared not for a small caliber weapon of death. Anyway my Uncle Frankie with two quick strikes of his hunting knife, one to the heart, one across the throat put our Beloved Jean Guy out of pain in seconds.

It was awful.

I don’t remember my Mom (Heather…the most successful hairdresser in town) being around during the massacre of Jean Guy, but she was there to hold me as he was strung up the tripod.

We swore we would never talk to Deano again.

About this time Gaspe first got CTV and the world series was on. The 77′ world series turned out to be a classic. Yankees vs Dodgers.

Deano was now a week into his silent treatment and every night the game came on he would fry up “sow belly”. The belly being Jean Guy’s.
We were horrified and disgusted and I think possibly revolted into Vegetarianism about this point, but Deano would say “Jesus Chris…. it is a pig, it is on earth for us to eat, we need meat or we will die. I told you not to spend so much time with that pig……… get over it.”

It seemed to make sense, but my hurt was still too great to surrender. Though…….Incredulously it smelled absolutely delicious. It was tantalizing and relentless. Deano knew he had me on the hook. “ah Jean Guy, you taste so good…mmmm”.

The announcers quickly converted me into a Yankees fan and after Wille Randolf scored the game winner in the 12th I was on cloud nine. I was ecstatic.

My joy turned to a hatred for God and life itself after Catfish Hunter got shelled in game 2. Maybe the lack of protein for a week had made me as miserable as a vegetarian, maybe it was just the loss of innocense that I could be so let down. No matter the reason…. I was despondent and Deano was there to assuage my grief. I broke down and tried some of Jean Guy’s belly wall.

You would think I would feel guilty eating my best freind, but no. I was not. The sweet/salty partially caramelized (fry on real low heat for at least 45 min) wonder food immediately boosted my spirits. I felt whole again, full of piss and vinegar. During the remainder of the series me and my old man sat up, ate some Jean Guy, talked about what a great pig he was and how he probably tasted so good because he had such a good life. By the time Reggie jackson belted 3 homers in game 6 to win the series I felt like a man.

That was one of the most memorable periods of my childhood and my life. My parents showed me the value of an animal’s life. How to treat it properly, and how to be connected to the food chain. That was the last year Heather would allow us to raise Pigs “oh I can’t go through that again” and I don’t blame her. I am sure if we had of raised pigs again I would have done it differently. I doubt the beav would have ever tried to get a pig to count apples again. Interestingly, the next year and every year after the Sobeys “sow Belly” never tasted nearly as good as Jean Guy. I suspected it had a horrible life and the quality of its flesh reflected it.

So I pose to you a question…..how well do you know the lives…and deaths of the animals you eat?

Are you ready to get connected to the food chain again? I am. We are buying a Piglet for our Crossfit Family to be raised in a hobby farm (Cyndie from my choices group) on the island.

We are going to visit him and send video/photo updates of his progress. He will ingest no hormones, no fattening grain, and will have space to play and roam.

He will be at the School at 2pm on Saturday. If he happens to get out of the cage??? First female to catch him and put him back in wins $500 and a free parking space in front of the school with their name on it.

The arm wrestling competition to be held at 4pm will sort out $100 and the parking spot for the men. Refreshments on hand.

This not an opportunity to wax prophetically and claim holiness in the comments section about Vegetarianism (f you want to be a Vegetarian, by all means go ahead) or animal cruelty bullshit (The average pig has a horrible life…) This is a fun bonding community event that will teach us all to improve the lives of the animals we eat so we may benefit as well.

Come meet the beautiful Jean Guy jr.

Patty

**** LONG WEEKEND SCHEDULE ****

Friday: 6 am and 1 pm

Saturday: 10 am

Sunday: No Class

Monday: 6 am, 11 am, 5 pm, and 8 pm

**** LONG WEEKEND SCHEDULE ****

Wednesday is typically gymnastics day. But given the long weekend ahead of us, programming is going to change. Today we will be doing the Crossfit Games Open WOD Week 5.

Warm Up: Coach’s Choice

Tech: Power Cleans 1-1-1-1

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Power cleans (145lbs / 100lbs)
10 Toes to bar
15 Wall balls (20lbs to 10′ target) (14lbs to 9′ target)

Standards:

** No special straps (ie. gymnastic wraps, etc…) but you are allowed to tape your hands to protect it. ** It’d probably be a good idea to tape your hands. Some early birds have paid the price.

Power Clean:
Ground to shoulders. Touch and go permitted. Drop is permitted, but, bar must be stationary before it can be lifted again. Bounce is not permitted. Hips and knees fully open when bar is caught in rack. Elbows in front of bar at the top of the rack position. Cleans can also be caught as a squat clean.

Toes to Bar:
Must initiate each movement from a full hang. Arms and hips fully extended at the bottom, with feet behind the bar at the bottom of the movement. Both feet touch the bar at the same time. Feet must touch, does not matter where. Arms can be bent or straight, grip is over, under, which ever.

Wall Balls:
Start is at bottom of squat. **No sitting ball** Hips below knee level. Like the cleans, if the ball is dropped, it must be stationary before the next lift. No bounce. Ball MUST HIT at or above target line. Anything below or a no hit is not counted.

Get taped. Be well rested.
CJ

To get in the spirit of the old man turning 40, here’s a preview video of the festivities that lie ahead!

April 23rd. Be there!

It has come across my attention that some people are still having problems stringing together 30+ double unders. I am more than confident that those same individuals paid the price when that Double Under Games-WOD came down from HQ. Double unders are great way to supplement the development of explosive power from our lower legs as well as power in our upper back/shoulders. Also, double unders are a great supplement to those looking into barefoot running to develop your calf and foot strength and overall sprinting capacity. It takes a totally different kind of conditioning to string together 100+ double unders. If we are consistently practicing this movement we should all be approaching close to 50+ consecutive. But, I know some people don’t do them because they just can’t get it. So, lets take it from Buddy Lee himself to teach us how. In this video he touches on the power jump.

Essentially, in the power jump, you just want to be able to jump twice the height of your regular single unders. While jumping you want to be able to keep your whole body as straight as possible, without piking or bending at the waist. When you get better at the power jump you won’t have to jump as high. I find that this jump is 1 of 2 crucial components in getting the double under. The second component is hand/wrist speed. If you watch the hands of both Buddy Lee and the lady demonstrating, the speed of rotation of their HAND AROUND THE WRIST, not forearm around elbow **key point**, does not slow down. The speed is consistent and its fast. In words, the sound of the rope going around you is like a “woosh-woosh”, then a “woosh-woosh, woosh-woosh…” and so on…

Warm Up: Coach’s Choice

Tech: Double Unders

If you’ve got 30+ double unders already, play around with those other positions that Buddy Lee demonstrates.
1) Side Stradle
2) Forward Stradle
3) Skiers
4) The Bell
5) The Twister
And if you’re courageous enough, 6) The Swap!

Workout:

The Defibrillator

15 Double Unders
5 Burpees
Rounds in 10 Minutes

Coach’s leave an extra 10-15 minutes before the end of class to do some stretching. Anyone that hit yesterday’s running WOD plus today will experience some lower leg tightness, so stretch it out. Hit the calves, achilles, and hamstrings especially.

Have fun!
CJ

Ever since the birth Crossfit there has never been a more debated subject, other than Crossfit itself, than barefoot running. And I must confess, before working at an undisclosed specialty running store, I was one of those guys that was so gung-ho about the idea and thought that it was the best thing ever – without doing research. Since starting I have learned many things about cushioning of shoes, structure, support systems, foot mechanics, and running mechanics. I have even learned a little bit about the traditional shoe industry versus the barefoot industry.

Many times I come across a well meaning customer looking for, “… those toe shoes…” or “… those really flat weird shoes…” Or a customer just as jacked and excited about barefoot running as I was. Given the circumstances, I couldn’t help but ask, “How much research have you done on barefoot running?” The most common answers are, “Well…” or “My friend that’s a (insert health profession)…” These conversations usually end with them not buying anything from the store, which I am not ashamed of, I just slip them my cards wink There are a few key points that I bring up that almost all these customers fail to realize.

1) You CANNOT do a heel strike in a minimal / barefoot shoe (more in part 2)
2) Your feet are different (ie. Strength and flexibility) than those runners that are accustom to running in minimal shoes (ie. Tri-athletes or marathoners that train in race flats). Therefore, we cannot do the same things as easily as they do.
3) Due to the inability to do a heel strike, your running mechanics will change

The traditional shoe industry has done outstanding work in terms of providing any everyday individual a shoe to run in. What they have done is taken the natural (not barefoot) way you run and have designed shoes with different types of cushioning, structural supports, and weights depending on the individuals needs. With injury, comes question. One question that arises is, What if it’s the shoes? The barefoot industry says that if you run a certain way, you won’t get injured, at least from those common nagging knee and low back pain. Thanks to some outstanding marketing and lack of statistically significant research neither proving or disproving barefoot running, people have gotten the wrong message. What I have come across as a common thread in all this is, it is how you run and not necessarily the shoes.

For those of you interested in taking up running and are looking in to barefoot running as your means of transportation. Do research, talk to people who have adopted this style of running such as Andy “6th fastest man in the world to run up a hill with a 70 lbs sand bag on my back” Sack, Anthony King, and TBear and see what they have to say. Take your time. People don’t realize that the runners that are successful in this style of running, or a similar style, trained like this for years and they still train like consistently with a flat shoe or racing flat. Our feet don’t equal their feet.

I understand I only scratched the surface of this whole debate and I’m sure someone is going to feel that I missed some sort of key point, that’s fine just bring it up yourself! More will be coming later this week due to my own lack of research to cite mixed with studying for final exams. But there is enough content to spark a healthy back-and-forth within our community.

One source that I liked for running this way, or at least close to it, is Chi-Running.com and that’s where I have taken our technique excerpt.

And now for your viewing fix…. I present to you my baby girl Maliah Faythe Gnanasegran Castro

Warm Up: Coach’s Choice (keep it short)

Tech: Mid-foot / Fore-foot stiking
The idea is to not let your heel hit the ground first. What I focused on when I was learning to do a mid-foot strike was to not let my knee come up as high as normal, I pulled my foot closer to my bum (like a butt kicker), let my feet land flatter and under my hips, maintain a more upright posture, be relaxed in the upper torso and faster foot turnover (think 180 steps a minute)

Check here for more information

http://www.chirunning.com/chi-library/article/10-components-of-good-running-form/

Workout:
6.4k My Butt!

800 m x 8 for time
Partner Workout. Pair yourselves based on your weight and tabata squat score. The idea is to get a work rest ratio of 1:1. Do your best

Partner 1 runs 800, Partner 2 rests
P1 tags P2
P2 runs 800, P1 Rests, and so on.
4 rounds each

Happy Running!
CJ

Okay well it is the weekend and this will be my last post as I have put together the traditional weekend double. I thought I would try to accomplish two goals with this post by sharing a little comedy from my past and providing a positive message about Crossfit.
I spent a lot of my early Crossfit days trying to convince people that they needed to do Crossfit because it was so good for them. Tonight I attempted to do it with a light hearted video because I have heard a picture is worth a thousand words and a video is worth a thousand pictures.
As for the workout it is a toned down version of the the epic madlab workout that crushed some of our best athletes last Thursday. This one should quench your thirst for a grinder. So enjoy the workout, enjoy the video and enjoy the weekend.

Untitled from Mike Dahlman on Vimeo.

Saturday

W/U: Coaches Choice (keep it short)

Tech: Power Clean

WOD: Mad lab Partner WOD
800m Partner Heavy bag carry
60 Power Cleans (135/85lbs)
60 Burpees
60 Wallballs (20/12lbs)
60 Pull ups
60 OHS (95/65lbs)
800m PArtner Heavy Bag Carry
6 Rope Climbs

Sunday

W/U: Coaches Choice

Tech: OHS

WOD: Games WOD 11.4 Do-over
AMRAP 10 mins
60 Burpees facing bar
30 OHS (120/90lbs)
10 Muscle Ups

Christian Sloan – Making the Waiter/Actor Cliché Work

We’ve all heard it before: The waiter that is really an actor just waiting for that big break. Well Christian Sloan, 36, waiter at Cardero’s, just might have gotten it.

Last year he was cast in the lead role of the web series “Om Sweet Om”. He is “Rama Yana”, a Yoga Master that has… Shall we say… A way with the ladies.

Born in Victoria, Christian got involved in acting around grade 12 although he has been studying it much more seriously in the last 10 years. He loves theatre but TV and movies pay better.

Somehow Christian has developed a specialty in abuse. He’s had roles where he’s been killed by a vampire twice, gone insane with drugs and punched out. Quite a niche he’s developed for himself.

He says having the CrossFit body really gives him an edge in the industry. Surely it was a factor in being cast as Rama Yana.

Christian is celiac and learning about nutrition at CrossFit Vancouver has proved invaluable for him in dealing with it. “CrossFit has shown me my limitations and empowered me to push past them”.

Engaged last year I asked him what his fiancée thinks of some of the scenes he is shooting in Om Sweet Om. He replied laughingly “Oh Ya! She’s a big fan!”

Wondering what happens on set when he shoots some of these racier scenes he quoted Al Guiness. When talking to his partner before the scene is shot: “I apologize if I get an erection. And I apologize if I don’t”.

Check out the series at Om Sweet Om

Its great to see a member of our community making CrossFit work for them.

Cheers Christian!!

W/U: Coaches Choice

Tech: 3 Rep Max Deadlift

WOD: Christine

3 Rounds

500m Row
12 Body weight deadlifts
21 box jumps 20″

Crossfit Vancouver’s history at the Crossfit games has been filled with tragedy and triumph. We started our journey at the games in 2008 with perennial top contenders Kermit and Andy representing us at the Ranch in Aromas California. Andy was the top competitor from our box finishing in 43rd overall when the gruelling 2 day event was completed.

In 2009 the competition looked a little different, athletes had to qualify for a spot and the team competition took on a new look with teams competing in team workouts for the honour of fittest affiliate. Once again Andy did us proud taking second place in the Canada West Regionals and 23rd overall narrowly missing a chance to compete with the top 16 athletes in the world at the end of an epic three day battle. Our team battled hard that year but an injury to Kermit at her second games appearance and some first WOD jitters kept us from reaching the final.

In 2010 the stakes rose once again and this time both teams and individuals were expected to qualify for the games through a regional event which that year included all of Canada. Moreover we were going to be competing at the home depot center in Los Angeles California if we made the big dance. Once again Andy would figure prominently in the run for the title, with a bye to the regional event thanks to his qualification for the 2009 games. Our success at the games started with rising star Emily Beers went up to Squamish for the weekend and stole the show taking first place on the female side. We had many athletes qualify for the regional event but many like Amy and Big Baby gave up their shot at glory in Calgary to help the team tie for first place in the national competition. On the individual side we had two top ten finishes but both Emily and Andy at the end of the day on the outside looking in.

In the end though their misfortune was Crossfit Vancouver’s favour as our top male and female athletes were now competing on the team. We had a brilliant performance their and spent most of the games competing with the best teams in the world in the top heat, finishing as high as 3rd in the second workout which involved all six athletes (myself, TBear, Andy, Rhea, Amy and Emily). However in the end another unfortunate mishap left us out of podium contention on the last day. Still we competed on the last day with the fifteen fittest affiliates in the world and ended the day in 14th.

Another Games is here and everyone has a chance to compete and help Crossfit Vancouver get back to California. So come out and hit tomorrows workout to help us qualify for the regional event . If you haven’t signed up to help us now make plans to come cheer us on at the Canadian regional at UBC May 27th to 29th.

W/U: Coaches Choice

Tech: Overhead Squat 3 rep max

WOD: Games WOD 4

AMRAP in 10 min.
60 Burpees facing bar
30 Overhead Squats (120/90lbs)
10 Muscle Ups