Crossfit Fort Pierce: Monthly Newsletter

CFFP Turns 14 Years Old

CFFP is more than just a CrossFit gym. It is a place we learn, grow, build relationships, and become our best. It's a place we never saw ourselves and now a place we can’t see ourselves without. For some it's a place to drop in, but for many it has become a well-graved part of their lives. A few members have shared memories, how they ended up at CFFP and why they keep coming back:

“I never lifted in my life. I would strictly do cardio mainly by running marathons and such. When I first joined, I did so mainly because Rob pushed me to do it, plus it was literally 2 minutes from my job. I felt very welcomed at the new location, which was new for all of us [CFFP had just moved locations]. I immediately fell for Tini and Erin both as coaches and friends who were very patient and always proud of my accomplishments. I have always “done my own thing” and it was always good enough for them. They knew I pushed myself and cheered me on daily and they still do today! The other really awesome things were that they loved my Zac and they loved him like family. I would say that I keep coming back daily for the community environment and energy that we all show up for. I have watched kiddos become mommas in this gym and it is very rewarding. I have also watched friends struggle and our CFFP family comes out and supports.” - Joy

“CFFP was originally brought to my attention by my mom. She was working out regularly when I was about 8 years old and Tony started a kids class, so my mom brought me. I did one summer as a CFFP kid to supplement my training for other sports. Fast forward to when I was finishing up with college, I wanted to get back into shape and I needed another competitive outlet to continue with. That’s when I remembered Crossfit, and I actually looked it up on YouTube and became very familiar with the sport online. I decided to call Tony and make my debut with the training and lifestyle and immediately fell for everything CFFP and Crossfit had to offer. The training, the methodology, the competition, and the family/community support was exactly what I was craving. Venturing into my fourth year with CFFP, I can say with certainty this will be a lifelong passion and commitment for myself and my family.” -Noah

“I have been with CFFP for 3 years, almost 4 now. I remember my very first class with Tony that Lirian brought me to and we had to do a bunch of burpees and running…it was not fun. My wife was the main person that drew me into Crossfit. I never really wanted to go, but she was persistent for about 2 years. Eventually, one day I decided to go and stick with it. I knew I may not be the best at Crossfit, but I needed to keep showing up. Back then, I suffered from anxiety and depression, I believe CFFP and Crossfit has helped me get through it. It keeps me active and I get to interact with the coaches and friends around the gym.” -Tony

“When you move to another country, state or city, you want to blend in, find new friends, and find a new community to make a big change feel a little easier. As a crossfitter, one the the first things you do, is search for a Crossfit gym. That’s what I did, and it's been great ever since I went that very first day. I have found exactly what I was looking for at CFFP, a family away from home. Now, I can call this home because it has helped me find my wife, my friends, and now my daughter runs around the gym. My favorite memories at the gym are always the open time, when we all come and have fun together.” -Goncalo

Each year brings more memories, stronger relationships, healthier members, and a larger family. Thank you all for being a part of something as special as CFFP. Happy 14th Anniversary! Please make sure to join us at Sailfish on September 14th at Sailfish to celebrate.

Fourteen years of memories for 14 years of CFFP:

2024- Gym is refurbished with a fresh coat of paint

2023- Gio joins the gym

2022- Penny passed the torch to Luna and CFFP Garden is started

2021- CFFP joins a triathlon

2020- Covid changes the gym

2019- Life class gets its start

2018- Row for L

2017- Love Hurts in house competition

2016- Kickball tournament

2015- CFFP moves north

2014- Superhero throw down

2013- Opened Crossfit 772

2012- CFFP Own Sprite of regionals

2011- Crossfit Games Athlete

2010- CFFP Opens

Why Strength Training?

Strength training, also known as resistance training or weight training, helps build strength, anaerobic endurance and skeletal muscles. As your muscles become stronger, strength training also improves your joint function, bone density, muscle, tendon, and ligament strength. Muscle strength also protects your joints from injury, helps with weight management, reduces cognitive decline in older people, prevents and controls chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, depression and anxiety. Keep keeping on in your fitness journey to continue to see all these wonderful benefits.

CFFP Garden

We recently had a successful gardening event at the community garden, focused on managing an overgrown passion fruit vine that had started overpowering other plants and wasn't producing any fruits. The vine had grown so extensively that it was shading out neighboring plants, depriving them of sunlight and nutrients. It was clear that something needed to be done. The event was a collaborative effort, with several members from the local gym volunteering their time and energy. We discovered that the vine was still producing beautiful flowers, though not many fruits. Rather than discarding these blossoms, we decided to collect them for making tea, a fragrant and calming brew that many of us will enjoy on the next gardening session.

The event turned out to be more than just a gardening session; it became a wonderful opportunity for learning and bonding. After the work was done, we all gathered for a coffee break, enjoying the fresh air and the sense of accomplishment that comes from a job well done. The event was a great success, not only because we managed to control the overgrowth of the passion fruit vine but also because it brought our community closer together.

Now, the garden looks much healthier, and the other plants have space to thrive. The collected passion fruit flowers will be used to brew tea, serving as a reminder of the day's efforts and the importance of working together.

Next gardening session will be on September 7th from 8 to 9.

Pull-Ups

Learning to do pull-ups can have many benefits, including: stronger upper-body muscles, better bone health, and improved athletic performance. Pull-ups work many different muscles in your upper body, back, shoulders, arms, core, and grip strength. Pull-ups help give you better coordination and control when you are lifting weights, riding a bike or even typing. They can also help improve your posture by keeping your body upright and neutral. Here are some tips and tricks for your pull-ups:

Adjust the width of your grip to shoulder width or wider
Engage your core before you pull
Pull explosively
Avoid swinging by lowering yourself slowly and under control

Common faults in pull-ups:

Narrow hand placement
Losing tension
Hunched upper body
Not leading with your chest

If you notice these faults in your pull-ups, try scaling options. Also try:

Training your core
Grow your biceps with curls
Practice lat pull downs
Use chalk

Mobility

Try some of these exercises to help mobilize your pull-ups:

Improve your lat mobility by rolling your lats, using the band on the rig to stretch, and child’s pose
Improve your upper back with cat cow, thread the needle, the windmill and rolling.
Improve your pecs with a lacrosse ball pec smash, a corner pec stretch, and supine flies on a foam roller.
Lastly, improve your shoulder mobility by foam rolling your lats and pecs, child's pose, and floor angels.

Incorporating mobility exercises will help lead to improved pull-up form and overall strength. By addressing your lat, upper back, and pec mobility limitations you will be able to unlock your full pull-up potential.

If you are looking for more information or help with your mobility Leah Sweat of Coastal Wellness is a great person to talk to.

CrossFit Fort Pierce PR Board

Congratulations on your latest achievement. Keep up the great work!

Happy September Birthdays!

September Attendance Award

Kailey K.

Athlete of the Month

Janice R

Congratulations to our CFFP Athlete of the Month, Janice.

Janice R. has been with us for nearly a year now and has grown as an important member in both the 5:30 and 6:30 classes. In that year, we have seen Janice’s confidence in the gym soar. She has a better understanding of the movements as well as how her body moves and how far to push it. Janice has become more trusting of her coaches guidance and now is comfortable welcoming, helping, and guiding others in the gym as well. We appreciate Janice’s hard work, dedication and continual commitment to coming into the gym each week.

We are so happy to have Janice as our Athlete of the Month and as an awesome member of our CFFP community. Keep up the great work. Congratulations Janice!

Each month we spotlight a CFFP athlete who stands out. We are always looking for that athlete that shows up, gives their best, and then gives more. These athletes are ready to learn, ready to work, support their fellow classmates, and encourage others to reach their goals. If you have someone in mind please send your suggestions for September's Athlete of the Month via email to crossfitfortpierce@gmail.com or you can DM the Instagram page sharing why you think this athlete is deserving.

Welcome New Members

Dakota J.

Alejandro F.

Cyndi B.

David G.

Khasi D.

Treavor H.

Paula P.

Alea R.

Ahdeeva R.

Upcoming Events

CFFP Anniversary Party: Get ready to celebrate because CFFP is turning 14! Mark your calendars and join us at Sailfish Brewing on September 14th. We want to thank all of our members for supporting and making this CFFP family so special.

Reminder: Please sign up for your classes early, especially 5am and 6:30pm. This allows our coaches to prepare for the class. Classes may be canceled if members are not signed up with adequate time before the class. If you regularly attend our larger classes, 8am, 9am, 4:30pm, and 5:30pm, please also sign up early enough to plan for a second coach if necessary. Thank you!

Erin Lifting Class Dates: Sunday 9/1, Sunday 9/15, Sunday 9/22

Bri Yoga Class Dates: 9/22 at 8:30am

PCCF: Palm City Crossfit hosts a local competition on Nov. 2nd to give back to the community. Proceeds from the event go to the Martin County Police Athletic League. The competition this year will be held at a new location, Halpatiokee Regional Park in Stuart. Registration includes professional photos, personalized shirts, and swag bags. Divisions include: male team, female team, co-ed team, and masters. If you are interested and looking for a partner, please write your name on the whiteboard in the back of the gym.