Happy Q3 Athletes,

Yes, October’s here and ‘tis the season to carve some of your favorite facial expressions while doing a CrossFit WOD into pumpkins. Yeah, scary! (Lisa has the pictures to prove it ) We’re also planning the Annual Dynamix Halloween party as we speak so you have at least three weeks to come up with a ridiculous costume. Boo-yeah!

First, a big ol’ welcome to our newest members, Joanna Sawyer, Luciano Medina, Gearoid Considine, Crystal Chan, G K, Ximena Diaz, Lincoln Mayers, Aldo Cardenas, Stephanie Guillen, Vasile Ghile, Kristin Russo, Johana Rengifo, and Steph LiVecchi. And welcome back Tony, John, Paola, Jonathan McDaniel, and Alfredo! We missed you! If you’re new to CF (or just wanted to brush up), here’s the Dynamix video library of all the CF movements you learned in Foundations (and then some). Bookmark it! 

Next, here’s Head Coach Hugo with some very important programming notes!

Programming this cycle will take a different approach! It’ll be much more varied. There will still be a method to the madness but we will not be doing the same lift on X day weekly (i.e., Monday’s will not always be squat day, etc.). Also, if you happen to miss a certain lift or skill, there will be plenty of other days to make up for it throughout the cycle. Keep in mind that even if you do miss a lift or skill, you will still achieve progress because the stimulus will be so varied. Our minds and bodies learn new ways by adapting to new loads and volumes – getting stronger, faster, and possibly a little more sore. Embrace the process!

Side Note: movements to look out for are: Back squats, front squats, deadlifts, barbell cycling/complexes, Overhead Development, pushups, dips, handstand push ups (HSPU), strict pull-ups, weighted pull-ups, muscle ups, rope climbs, handstand walk, core work, lifting under fatigue & some functional bodybuilding.

Some important updates at the box:

• Please remember to clean up well after your WOD. If you’re new, we have a video on how to clean the rowers and barbells.
• You should have received your new Dynamix t-shirts, please be in touch if you didn’t get yours!
• We’re working on a revamped website and will be building out an e-commerce section where you can order Dynamix gear and other box basics.

Save the date: Sat, 10/29 – Dynamix Annual Halloween Party @ the box! Check out the pics from last year!

Greetings Dynamix Family,

Coming in hot from The CrossFit Games, which has been going since Wednesday already. If you’ve never been, it’s been a bonafide festival of cute butts and chiseled abs. It’s also worth noting that these athletes seem to be getting more beastly, setting ever higher standards for the world to marvel at. One thing’s for sure, there just isn’t a better test of a professional athlete’s fitness than at the CrossFit Games. Watch all the action live on YouTube! 

Welcome to our newest members, Dimitris Tolios, Patrick Whalen, Mary Georgescu, and Anastasia Cunningham, and a big welcome back to Lorena Coltescu, William Berkofsky, and Nikola Rackovic!! Congratulations, you’ve made one of the best and most painful decisions of your life. Deal with it (like the rest of us nutjobs ).

Some important updates at the box:

• We have a new Dynamix t-shirt design! Kudos to Katie and Hugo for the design. Many of you have signed up already at the front desk. If you can’t make it to the box, please email us your size and t-shirt/tank preference at crossfitdynamix@gmail.com by this Sunday.
• We’re getting new wall balls in! 20’s have come in first and the 14’s will be in a few weeks. We’re continuously working towards getting new equipment and maintaining/tuning what we have.
• We have two new dumbbell trees. Kindly place dumbbells back in order of weight (10-12-15-20-25, top to bottom). Danke!
• The vending machine is on its way out and will be replaced with a cold filtered water station so athletes can refill and chill at will.
• Officially, there will no longer be Open Gym hours from 2-4pm on weekdays but we will open back up at 4pm for Open Gym. It just makes it easier on management/staff. But we’re always here for your fitness so if you want to train, please get in touch with one of the coaches and we will gladly accommodate you!
• Please do not park in the Lidl parking lot behind the box. Cars are getting towed back there and we’d hate for that to be one of you!

Two points on cleanliness (we take this seriously):

• Please remember to clean up well after your WOD. There’s a new health threat out there you need to pay attention to, Monkeypox (officially a public health emergency), and we all need to do our part to ensure a clean and safe working/playing space.
• Please do not handle the plates with handfuls of chalk on your hands. It leaves white handprints on the plates and they’re difficult to clean. 

Happiest of Happy Days to members born in August! It’s a short list. Maybe November’s not the most popular month to get it on?

• 8/2 – Michael De Souza
• 8/7 – Lorena Coltescu
• 8/7 – Wallace Reid
• 8/7 – Marissa Moore
• 8/11 – Julia Spellman
• 8/18 – Faye Lambrianidis
• 8/18 – Mick Cunningham
• 8/23 – George Mera

Thanks all for a fabulous summer! Let’s keep the good times going. And when in doubt, live fast and lift heavy (also a great team name at the Games ).

“I don’t have a why. I just do it.” – Kaylie McGivney

Team Dynamix

PS… David here, coming to you live from the Madison, WI, as I’m volunteering for my 4th CrossFit Games, this time, finally making it onto the Media Team where we produce the Miles to Madison series and the CrossFit documentaries. As a CrossFit-obsessed filmmaker, I’ve been trying to get on this team for five years and now I’m finally here. I can say that I’ve definitely paid my dues so getting this position was especially sweet. If you’ve never volunteered before, it’s an incredibly rewarding experience–I highly recommend you apply next year. Let me know and I can give a great referral!

Athletizens of Astoria,

It’s a three-day weekend and ‘tis the season to be triumphant and sweaty (kinda like those guys in the pic below), despite all the turmoil you’re likely reading and hearing in the news. When all else fails, sweat it out and leave it all on the rubber mats (but, wipe down). That’s your right, and no one can take that away from you. And remember, at the end of the day we always have each other to rely on for the zombie apocalypse. Just try to keep up with Lisa.

On Monday, 4th of July, we’ll be running a holiday schedule with Open Gym only from 9am-12pm.

Next, a quick message from Head Coach Hugo:

For Monday, July 4th, I will program a Hero WOD. We will be back doing Back Squats on Tuesday (8×3, 80% for those curious).

Next, a hearty welcome to our newest members, Jonathan Levine and Robert Crosby, and Happiest of Happy days to our July babies!

• Jordan Ch – Jul 8, 2022
• Paul Mertz – Jul 9, 2022
• Finola McBurnie – Jul 11, 2022
• Lindsay Klemas – Jul 12, 2022
• Mike Santoro – Jul 12, 2022
• Luis Hernandez Jr. – Jul 13, 2022
• Mike Catanzaro – Jul 14, 2022
• Jeff Taveras – Jul 18, 2022
• Robert Cavanaugh – Jul 20, 2022
• Louis Orellana – Jul 20, 2022
• Christin Wray – Jul 23, 2022
• Alex Kontopoulos – Jul 23, 2022
• Danielle Tarantino – Jul 25, 2022
• Patricia Melendez – Jul 27, 2022
• Patrick Jardine – Jul 29, 2022

Coach Katie and Ralph’s competition is quickly approaching! The Battle of the Beasts competition goes from 8:45 AM – 5:00 PM EST on Sat, July 16, 2022 and will be located at LumberJack Athletics. There will be a BBQ back at Katie’s parents’ place upstate and some of us are planning on camping out and roasting smores in Katie’s yard whilst listening to her folks recount stories of how she got so wicked strong. If you’re interested in getting in on that action, click here to join the group chat! 

Finally, we’re looking at temps worthy of opening up a fire hydrant for a block party this weekend (or if you didn’t have time to apply for a permit, a quick dip in the kiddie pool). Stay hydrated and train smart!

Free your mind (and body),

Team Dynamix

PS… The Biohack the World show on protein with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon last Saturday was a hit! The world is a bit safer now that we know more about amino acids and what it means for muscle, longevity, and healthspan. Click here to watch the replay!

Dear Warriors,

Thank you all for coming out for our annual Memorial Day Murph extravaganza! If you missed it, here are some pics from the day to give you a sense of the debauchery. If sweaty humans are your bag, this album is borderline pornographic.

A big welcome to Emina Kadrich, Tony Bendinelli, Jenny Cesar, Vlad Craciun, Marissa Moore, David Podmore, Damian Velez, Paul Mertz, Julia Spellman, Abdelillah Bouhadja, and Sol Jimenez, our newest members! If you see them, be sure to teach them the secret post-WOD Dynamix bear hug. j/k, but do show them Dynamix love!

Eva Strong WOD (Sat, June 18)

Next, we have a special announcement about Saturday’s WOD: CrossFit HQ has released an official WOD, “Eva Strong,” to memorialize Eva Mireles, one of the two teachers killed last month in the tragic Uvalde shooting.

“Mireles was one of two teachers killed along with 19 students at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The 44-year-old was an avid CrossFitter who regularly attended Shotgun CrossFit in the same county. Mireles was killed protecting her 4th-grade students and had been a teacher in the district for 17 years.

She was described by friends and family as someone who regularly used her fitness from CrossFit to run in local 5K’s and loved hiking. She leaves behind her husband Ruben Ruiz and 22-year-old daughter Adalynn. Members of her gym spoke to Morning Chalk Up about her infectious personality, offering tributes about her zest for life and CrossFit.”

CrossFit has confirmed the WOD, which will take place Saturday, June 18, as well as an official fundraiser.

Here’s the workout:

Eva Strong *Partner Workout*

5 Rounds for time:
24 double-unders
19 toes to bar – split between partners
2 clean and jerks 205/135 – split between partners
400m Run

Notes: Double-unders are done at the same time. Do not move on to the next movement until both partners finish double-unders. Toes to bar are divided between partners. Clean and jerks are divided between partners (each partner does 1 each round). Run is done together as partners.

Dynamix Programming

And now a special message from the man, the legend, Head Coach and Programmer, Hugo!

Team Dynamix,

The new cycle starts Monday, June 20th, and runs until July 30th. This will be a 6-week cycle!

Back squats are on Mondays, with wave percentages. They will normally be complemented by a conditioning piece with some sort of squat movement.

We will be working on pressing gymnastics, starting with the basics and building each week to harder variations.

Our Olympic lifts will be at a higher percentage compared to our last cycle and we will push to get more weight weekly. These will be done in forms of complexes to add more positional work and refine our techniques. 

We will do lots of accessory work on Thursday’s and some interval work each week that will consist of mixed modal or monostructural conditioning. 

We are still hitting deadlifts because it’s a power lift that will keep your bodies strong. These will be paired with everyone’s favorite – pull-ups, toes-to-bar, and muscle ups.  

As always, Friday’s metcon will be brutal and Saturday’s will be a hero, partner, or long metcon. 

• Monday – back squat weeks will go as follows: high rep/low weight, moderate reps/moderate weight, low rep/heavy weight. 10-15 min metcon.
• Tuesday – pressing gymnastics and endurance metcon.
• Wednesday – snatch and clean alternating weekly, working positions through complexes. Barbell metcon.
• Thursday – accessory work (mix of upper and lower) intervals (mix of monostructual & mixed modal)
• Friday – deadlift & pulling gymnastics (pull-ups, toes to bar, muscle ups). Hard metcon.
• Saturday – partner, hero, or long wod

Birthdays

And now, a toast to our June babes! And a tequila shot for our one and only Coach Maria!

• Kayla Taggart – Jun 2
• Tyrell Brown – Jun 3
• Diego Andrade – Jun 3
• Lana Kovac – Jun 5
• Kaylie McGivney – Jun 6
• Chris Schneider – Jun 12
• Joann Smallwood – Jun 12
• Rena Eleazar – Jun 13
• Maria Barklie Jun 13
• Staci Grguric – Jun 20
• Wendy Enos- Jun 20
• George Vlahakis – Jun 21
• RJ Hawkins – Jun 22
• Angie Barrios – Jun 24
• Khonexai Phommaraj – Jun 30

Katie & Ralph’s competition

On July 15th, our very own Coach Katie and Ralph Schubert are going to throw down at the Battle of the Beasts competition. We’re gathering a group to head out there to support! If you’re interested in joining in on the fun, please let us know!

Sat, July 16, 2022 8:45 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time Add to Google | Add to Outlook | Add to iCal

LumberJack Athletics – 35 Industrial Tract, Hudson, New York, United States (View Map)

Glenn’s Social Gatherings

The Dynamix Mayor of Fun, Glenn Rivera, is cooking up some ideas for the summer. Beach, hikes, camping, dancing, group dinners, spa day… it’s all on the table. If you have any bright ideas or want to vote for any of those, be sure to let him know! 

“Keep your squats low and your standards high.”

TEAM DYNAMIX

PS… it’s getting hot out there so here’s a good read on how to deal with the rising temperatures, especially during your WODs. Bottom line, while acclimating to exercising in the heat is generally helpful for an athlete, there’s a limit to its benefits and it does come with risk. So remember, it’s totally ok to tone down the intensity when the weather calls for it.

PPS… How much do you know about optimal protein intake? There’s a great live show in NYC (hosted by David) on Saturday, June 25th, with one of the best protein gurus on the planet, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. The show is free and there will be lots of great giveaways!

Friends, athletes, countrymen, lend me your ears…

Memorial Day is fast approaching and you know what that means: You, sweaty weight vests, and the spirit of a fallen American hero named Lt. Michael Murphy. For the uninitiated, Memorial Day Murph is one of the longest-standing CrossFit traditions. It is the quintessential Hero WOD that brings CrossFitters together and also serves as an annual benchmark for your fitness.

Lt. Murphy served and protected our country in ways that most of us will thankfully never have to experience. And for his ultimate sacrifice, we, the CrossFit community, will honor him once again as we do every year, without fail. And every year is a new opportunity to give thanks and share the gift of his memory with the newest members of our community!

And now onto the workout. If anyone asks you, “What’s Murph?” you respond with:

Team Dynamix,

Our new cycle starts this week and will run from April 25 to June 9. It’ll run for 6 weeks, with the 7th week being the test week. So what’s in store?

• • Monday – Front Squat / Short Metcon / Midline
  • Tuesday – Shoulder Press & Pull-up combo plus varied Metcons. As we get closer to Murph, Metcons will include pull-ups
  • Wednesday – Olympic Lifting (Snatch or Clean) & Barbell Conditioning
  • Thursday – Long Conditioning / Intervals with some form of accessory/midline work
  • Friday – Deadlift & challenging Metcon
  • Saturday – Partner, Hero, or long Metcon

On the Front Squat and Deadlift days, we’ll be doing different tempos each week in order to effectively add more tension while we lift. This will maintain the integrity of our form, while keeping our joints, ligaments, & tendons healthy, and provide greater core stability.

On the Olympic Lift days, we’ll focus on a top-down approach for our technique, and Metcons to improve our barbell cycling and conditioning.

On Thursdays, our Long Conditioning pieces will consist of monostructural components and/or light gymnastics. We’re looking to build our endurance in these long sessions (i.e., our slow twitch muscle fibers). And we’ll still be hitting our “fast twitch muscle fibers” with sprints. There will also be some added push-up volume through the cycle to prepare ourselves for Murph!

I’m looking forward to seeing everyone’s amazing progress!

Feel free to reach out to me or Coaches Katie & Maria if you have any questions. Remember whatever is programmed is modifiable and can be scaled down or up for YOUR needs!

In Strength,

Hugo, Head Coach​​​​​​​

PS… we just want to give another huge THANK YOU to our incredible in-house lighting and electrical experts, Darren, Adrian (Darren’s brother), and Ralph. If you’re ever looking for good help in this area, be sure to hit them up @burkeelectricalnyc.

PPS… thanks to those who added their contacts to our Community Corner. It’s movers and shakers like you that keep this box going. If you haven’t already listed yourself, get on the list!

Greetings Dynamix family!

We hope you’re having a smashing April so far and a big welcome to our newest members (Nick, David, Jose, Ghitta, and Andrea), and those rejoining us after a pandemic hiatus!

Speaking of getting our friends back into the swing of things, we have a very special promotion for the Dynamix family: Free-Trial-Fridays

Free-Trial-Fridays will be a free drop-in class open to the public on the first Friday of every month, and will feature a more “inclusive” WOD that will be suitable for anyone trying CrossFit for the first time. But don’t be fooled, it will be equally challenging for athletes of all levels. So if you’ve been dying to get your friend(s) to try CrossFit for the first time, this is for them!

And soooo let’s say Mikey likes it, and he/she/they want to go all in on CrossFit. AMAZING, misery loves company. No, we mean we love helping our friends and family! And because we love helping others in need, we’re also offering a FREE foundations course (upon signing of a contract, otherwise $100) on the first weekend of the month. Foundations will consist of two 2-hr sessions from 12-2pm on Sat and Sun.

But that’s not all folks, for helping your friend make the best decision they’ve ever made in their life, we’re offering you (you saint, you) a 50% discount off your next month of membership if your friend signs up for a new, 3+ month contract. Yup, that’s the smell of winning right there. Mmm…

So if you have a friend or family member you’d like to lend a helping hand to, shoot us an email at dynamixfitnessnyc@gmail.com and we’ll help you help them!

Dear beloved Dynamix family,

First off, I want to thank everyone who came out on Friday for Friday Night Lights! The energy was high and it felt like old times!

(click here to see all the pics from 22.3)

For those that missed it, there will be a lot more events to come within the year!

As most of you know, and for those who don’t, I, Hugo Rivera, have taken over as owner of Dynamix. I would like to formally (re)introduce myself even though every one of you have known me for some time (and some since Dynamix first opened over 10 years ago).

I started out at Dynamix before the place even opened. It’s truly the best box I have ever been to. I started out cleaning and then gradually started my coaching career. From there, I moved up to become the head coach/programmer. And now the dream of owning the box has finally come true.

Justin and Ashley have created an amazing community and for that we are eternally grateful. They’ve built some elite athletes out of us and have brought people together from all walks of life. They are the reason we are here today.

It’s one of the first boxes in Astoria and it will continue being the best box in the neighborhood. We hear it all the time: our vibe and community are unmatched! And I’d like everyone to know we will do our very best to continue making it the place we all love.

For the Dynamix family, this is our second home. And if you’re just joining us, you’re coming at a very good time. Throughout the next few weeks, we will try to get everyone together for a town hall meeting to discuss the very exciting future plans for Dynamix.

Now, I can’t do this on my own. I’d like to introduce my partner, David Choi, who will play a huge role in continuing to build our home. Here’s David to give a brief intro of himself!