Hortman Complete as many rounds as possible in 45 minutes of:Run 800 meters80 squats8 muscle-ups Squatember  The Benchmark Series comes to an end this month. Never fear, it’s coming back in October and we’ll release the new workouts and structure next week. But it’s not as if we’d leave you hanging for the month of September!… We are pleased to present – (air) SQUATEMBER! Last week the gym did The Chief which included many air squats. I was at the gym over the span of five different group class hours. As I scanned each class and looked at the quality of the air squats in front of me I was pissed, frustrated, and confused. Why the hell were my athletes’ squats (veteran and newbie) poor? How could this be?! I can walk into the gym on a heavy back squat day and see gold medal depth everywhere. I can coach...Read more

For time:135-lb. snatches, 50 reps Regulating Personal Trainers Does anyone have the right to tell you how to exercise? Does anyone have the right to tell your personal trainer or coach what methods she can utilize to improve your fitness and help you reach your goals? New regulations being written in the District of Columbia could define who is licensed to practice as a fitness instructor. And that definition will most likely not include the CrossFit method. The regulation and licensure of personal trainers is a important topic in the CrossFit and fitness world. Read the Washington Post article to learn more.  In the Nation’s Capital, a New Business to Regulate: D.C.’s Personal Trainers  For consumers in the District — and eventually Massachusetts and other states where registration or licensure is under debate — regulations could cause some gyms to close while owners and trainers obtain suitable certifications. Such state registries or...Read more

René 7 rounds for time of:Run 400 meters21 walking lunges15 pull-ups9 burpees If you have a 20-lb. weight vest or body armor, wear it. Vote For Googs Yesterday we asked for input on the music at Roots. Googs volunteered to put together a LONG playlist that would span 5:30am to 8:00pm at the shop. He needs 50 votes to get it the thumbs up. Who’s in?Read more

Split Jerk3-3-3-3-3-3-3thenTabata Abmat Sit-ups Shake It Up Ryan likes heavy metal and AC/DC. Ali has a thing for Ke$ha. Nicole would do anything to meet Katy Perry but playing her Pandora station 24/7 helps fill the void. Shane loves Dubstep. Trevor chooses Geronimo radio most mornings and Eric, well Eric is a little unpredictable. Kirk and Dave don’t get to chose the music very often… With the many coaches at Roots and our wide variety in music tastes, the Pandora stations are pretty eclectic. But, what if you could request a Pandora station…what would it be? Post to comments, and maybe, just maybe your request will become a reality.Read more

4 rounds for time of: Row 500 meters 155-lb. overhead squats, 10 reps Sleep Cocktail Yesterday we posted about sleep and research that supports that this precious part of your day can actually help flush toxins from the brain.  But many people find it hard to fall asleep. Overstimulation throughout the day, the excessive use of phones and screens in the evening time, and late bedtimes make it that some folks think about bedtime with dread.  Awhile back Eric became very interested in sleep and through his internet searches and podcast subscriptions he learned about Doctor Kirk Parsley, a physician in the US Navy who became particularly interested in sleep and its impact on health and performance. If you have a bit of time today, we highly recommend you check out Dr. Parsley’s TedTalk video above where he spouts out some fascinating statistics on sleep.  Recently, Dr. Parsley created what...Read more