Bound Newsletter 10.27.2025
Fall Strength Cycle Recap: Building Strength from the Ground Up
Over the past 10 weeks, our Fall Strength Cycle focused on two cornerstone lifts — the Back Squat and Push Press — using the principle of progressive overload to help athletes build lasting strength and confidence under the bar.
This cycle wasn’t just about lifting heavier each week; it was about intentional training. We incorporated tempo and pause back squats to emphasize isometric control, forcing athletes to stay tight and stable through the toughest positions of the lift. The result? Better core strength, improved bracing, and stronger, more efficient squats.
On the push press, the focus was on transferring power from the legs to the upper body — developing speed, coordination, and full-body strength that carries over to Olympic lifts and everyday movement.
We’re incredibly proud of everyone who committed to the process, trusted the program, and walked away stronger — physically and mentally. Here are the athletes who hit personal records during this cycle:
🏋️♀️ Fall Strength Cycle PR List - See Below
Congratulations to everyone who put in the work this cycle. Stay tuned — our Winter Training Block is right around the corner, and we’re just getting started.
Individual PRs
*Forgive me if I missed yours (we had a lot)
Push Press
-Matt Schuster 235lb *from the floor
-Colton Heibeck 290lb
-Ruben Rivera: 255lb
-Jeffrey McDonald: 225lb
-Travis Tucker: 205lb STRICT PRESS PR!
-Hayden Venable: 200lb
-Brian Lawler: 195lb (+10lb jump)
-Jessica Phillips: 195lb
-Mary Turner: 155lb
-Kate Davis: 140lb
-Annie Morlock: 135lb
-BAM: 130lb
-Natalie Gordon: 125lb
-Autumn Ingram: 120lb
-Melanie Venable: 120lb
-Hannah Spratlen: 110lb
-Sheri Kindred: 110lb
-Brittany Karneol: 110lb
-Alyssa Winkler: 100lb
-Calie Hadley: 90lb
-Susan Abell: 85lb
Back Squat
-Natalie Gordon: 195lb Back Squat
-Michael Rivera: 335lb Back Squat
-Eric Robinson: 235lb Back Squat
-Calie Hadley: 100lb Back Squat
-Alyssa Winkler: 145lb Back Squat & 1st ever Rope Climb!
-Tyson Kimm: 280lb Back Squat
-Julie Chambers: 225lb Back Squat
-BAM: 200lb Back Squat
-Hannah Spratlin: 175lb Back Squat 20lbs
-Haley Coop: 165lb Back Squat
-Laura Rutland: 165lb Back Squat
-Mary Turner: 215lb Back Squat
-Dylan Dejuses: 455lb Back Squat
-Kalob Apodaca: 455lb Back Squat
-Dylan Porter : 385lb Back Squat
-Brian Lawler: 305lb Back Squat (30lb increase)
-Ryan Boone: 260 Back Squat (+10lbs)
-Katie Allen: 210lb Back Squat
-Kate Davis: 210lb Back Squat (post partum PR)
-Katherine Garey 185lb Back Squat (heaviest squat in 4 years)
Will and Michael Rivera getting ready for the Hyrox event next weekend at the Changemaker Noble Clay event!
Laura Rutland stepping out of her comfort zone stepping into the hyrox world at the Changemaker Noble Clay event!
Jen Wells and Mary Turner challenging others and holding the movement standards high as always
Elaine Dunbar is our October Athlete of the Month
I know its late, but we had a miscommunication between Elaine and I; but I wanted to celebrate her dedication, faith, and positive mindset. Check out her story below…
1. Tell us a little about yourself!
I have been a teacher since 2017. I currently teach Algebra however my first certification was Special Education and ELA. While my first career was in finance, being blessed with a son who has autism, made me look at life differently. I knew I wanted to be part of a community that supports all our children regardless of if they have a special need.
2. Faith is a big part of who you are — how does it influence your mindset and approach to training?
My Faith in God is everything to me. God first and then my family. This influences my mindset and approach to training because I want to be healthy and enjoy my family for many years to come. I cannot imagine a time when I could not ride my bike or go hiking with my children. To have this quality of life I must take care of myself.
3. You’re known for setting small, consistent goals in the gym. What’s one recent goal you’ve accomplished that you’re proud of, and what’s the next one you’re working toward?
The goal that I am most proud of is being able to climb a rope. I remember what you Brandon said to me to just practice how I position my feet. I did this every day and watched videos online. I was so proud when I completed my first rope climb, I could not believe it. I remember calling my son and saying I finally did it, he said I knew you could mom. Now I feel like I must accomplish my next goal of toes to bar. I must set an example for my children that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
4. As a teacher and athlete, how do you balance the demands of work, faith, and fitness?
As a teacher I understand the importance of planning my day. I must stick to a pacing guide and if I derail from my lesson plans it affects my students. I bring this same mentality into my faith and fitness. I know that If I do not prepare my gym bag and meal prep then I will not have enough time in the mornings to make it to the gym at 5:30. This drives me to always be organized and make sure I am ready for the next day. Similarly, I feel that If I can be dedicated to my fitness and work, I can dedicate 30 minutes every morning as soon as I wake up to meditate and pray. Being grateful for another day is a non-negotiable for me.
5. What originally brought you to CrossFit Bound, and what keeps you coming back each week?
I originally attended CrossFit Allatoona. It was my first time ever experiencing this kind of workout and I absolutely loved it. I loved the people and the environment. While I really enjoyed that gym, I knew if I was going to make this a lifestyle I had to find a place that was close to work and my house. Going to CrossFit Allatoona, based on the distance
prevented me from being consistent. I researched and found CrossFit Bound. What really made me feel this was my place was when I saw the video on the CrossFit bound site. I loved the diversity in fitness levels and the people who were part of the gym. Hearing the testimonials made me feel like I could fit in and grow as an athlete.
6. What’s your favorite movement or workout — and which one challenges you the most?
My favorite movement or workout is when we have a day where deadlifts are incorporated. I feel I am stronger in my legs than upper body. Pull ups and handstands challenge me the most due to my shoulder injury however I do feel like I am making strides. While they are small, I feel stronger each time I attempt to them. I cannot do a handstand yet, but I am working towards it.
7. How has CrossFit impacted your life outside of the gym — physically, mentally, or spiritually?
In July I experienced a major loss in my family. I can honestly say CrossFit helped and is still helping me with the grief I am experiencing. For that hour I just think about achieving the workout goal for the day and it makes me forget. Spiritually and mentally, it makes me feel like if I can accomplish this, I can learn to live with this loss. I will never get over it, but I can learn to live with it.
8. What advice would you give to someone who’s just getting started at CrossFit Bound and maybe struggling to find consistency or motivation?
I feel like it is ok to fall off sometimes just don’t quit and eventually it will get easier. Just like learning to drive a car, most of us lost control of the vehicle or made a bad turn the first time behind the wheel however, once you were comfortable you just drive, and it is just part of your routine. Similarly, just start your fitness journey. The more you do it the easier it will get. You matter more than a job and so does your family, so put your health first, don’t think about it, just go for it.
Anniversaries
5-years
Fatih Sen - Nov 28
6-years
Jeff Valenti - Nov 5
Ryne Holsemback - Nov 5
10-years
Rob Morgan - Nov 26
Birthdays
Jesus Mundo - Nov 1
Meghan Willis - Nov 3
Kalob Apodaca - Nov 5
Jonathan Payton - Nov 6
Kristen Humphries - Nov 15
Matt Schuster - Nov 16
Greg Dafini - Nov 18
Julie Chambers - Nov 21
Trevor Wagner - Nov 22
Peter Wiggin - Nov 23
New Program Updates:
Bound Performance:
Strength Focus: Olympic Lifting Cluster Style Sets
“The Girls” & Previous Open Workouts will be introduced to retest and improve metabolic conditioning leading into the upcoming Open
Functional Body building will be used both as a primer to the conditioning and accessory portion of the days workout
Bound Endurance: HYBRID ENDURANCE TRAINING PLAN
Duration: 6 Weeks
Frequency: 5 Days/Week
Goal: Improve cardiovascular endurance, aerobic capacity, pacing control, and muscular stamina
Primary Equipment: Running, Concept2 SkiErg, Concept2 Rower, Echo/Assault Bike, Wall Balls, Sled, Farmer Carries, Burpees, Sandbags, and DB/KB
Bound Build: Rise & Refine 12-Week Olympic Cycle
12-Week Olympic Lifting Macrocycle
Schedule: Monday / Wednesday / Friday
Structure: 3×4-week microcycles (Accumulation → Intensification → Realization)
Focus: Technical proficiency, strength, power, hypertrophy, and joint integrity
Upcoming Schedule of Events
Gymnastics Skill/Clinic: November 1st from 10:30-12pm with Coach Nicole Corey
members are Free! Want to bring a friend - $30 per person can sign up through wodify
Gymnastics Handstand Focus Class - November 1st from 10:30-12 with coach Nicole Corey
Amicolola Falls Marathon - December 6, 2025
Full and Half Marathon route in the famous Amicalola Falls State Park which boasts miles of trails, catering to various fitness levels and preferences. The park's trails meander through lush forests, alongside bubbling creeks, and offer stunning views of the 729-foot Amicalola Falls—the tallest cascading waterfall in Georgia .
Jess and some others are already signed up
The Conquer ‘The Toughest Backyard Ultra’
$150 to sign up, and at the start of the race runners will be given a $100 bill to carry the entire race. The remaining $50 goes to the park fees, volunteers and insurance. If the runner desires to stop or times out of the race, they will place the $100 bill into a glass case for the overall winner to claim at the end. Two years into the planning to discover the toughest location to pull off a backyard ultra and we found it at the famous AT approach trail in the Amicalola Falls State Park. The loop starts at the top of the falls with the rugged East Ridge trail leading down to the bottom parking area to pick up the lower Mountain Laurel trail and then up the AT Approach trails with 605 steps back to the top of the falls.
Simple: Each runner will have 1 hour to complete the 4.1-mile loop (1,065ft of elevation) every hour until only one person remains.
Helen Holiday Half & 10K Race - December 13, 2025
discount code ‘Helen10’. *thank you Jen Wells!
CrossFit Journal Article of the Week: Forging Elite Fitness®: A Constitution for Health
By Nicole Carroll, Chief Brand Officer and Jennifer Pishko, Co-Founder of CrossFit Medical Society
Since its inception, the CrossFit methodology’s sole purpose has been to prepare us for life’s inevitable challenges, enabling us to persevere with strength, grit, and adaptability. We’ve always set the standard for how it should be done. We defined fitness and health in a way that shattered the old narrative, and we refused to accept blind compliance with a dysfunctional system.
For the first time, fitness wasn’t a marketing spin with superficial cosmetic promises. Instead, we offered a measurable, observable, and repeatable methodology: work capacity across broad time and modal domains. We said that diagnosis codes should not define health; rather, optimal health exists on a continuum, offering a path from sickness through wellness to fitness.
We say that we Forge Elite Fitness. This bold declaration represents a commitment to an uncompromising belief that human beings are meant to progress, develop, grow, refine, and strive to live out the fullest expression of their health.
The truth is simple: human beings are not meant to decay quietly, but to progress, improve, and fulfill their potential.
Our bodies are not vessels to be left vacant and without purpose, but instruments to be sharpened. Our health is not dictated by compliance, convenience, or a system that commoditizes the human condition. It is, in fact, dictated by what we choose to do every day.
These three words — Forge, Elite, Fitness — demand definition, because language matters and meaning cannot be left to assumption.
On Forging
To forge is to labor with intent. It’s a call to commitment, discipline, and grit. It means resisting complacency, choosing effort over easy, and leaning into discomfort. Nothing worth having is created by accident. Progress is steady, deliberate, and earned. This is our unending commitment to owning our health and fitness, sharpening it day after day. We will hunt it down and execute relentlessly. We will be both hammer and anvil, and in our daily confrontations with weakness, we will break it down and refuse to let it define us.
On Elite
Elite is not a caste or an exclusion. We are not the few towering over the many. Elite is, at its core, relative. It is the right of every human to pursue their highest expression of capacity. It is our due diligence for preparedness. It’s resilience and readiness: deadlift your bodyweight, stand up from a fall, outrun decline, and outlast disease. It’s grandparents who are independent. It’s kids who are empowered. It is the reversal of chronic disease in people left vulnerable to the system. We make no apologies for seeking to surpass the status quo. We will not settle for mediocrity, as this slides into the breeding ground of sickness.
On Fitness
Fitness is work capacity across broad times and modal domains. That declaration is unequivocal. Capacity drives our results and shapes a clear path and framework for objective metrics that allow us to measure, observe, and repeat. Fitness exists on a continuum, and we have proven that you can move from sickness through wellness and strive for optimal fitness. We reject the idea that avoiding disease is good enough, and we will eat and train in a way that pushes us toward the farthest end of the spectrum, toward the most resilient expressions of health. Fitness is freedom.
On Purpose
Our purpose is to secure health freedom. It’s the sovereignty to live a life without dependence on dysfunctional systems, free from medications, and without surrendering to chronic disease. Health freedom is choosing how to live out your future because you have built the capacity to carry it.
We forge elite fitness not for vanity, but for protection. We are armed to protect against sickness and decline. This purpose goes beyond the individual. We are building a society that refuses the idea that decay is destiny. Here, health is not rationed; it is created. Capacity is not borrowed; it is built.
Affiliates are more than gyms. Affiliates are outposts of health freedom in societies held captive by systems that profit from decline. Within their walls, the old way is abandoned, and a new path is forged: people learn to measure, train, eat, and build capacity that cannot be taken from them. The affiliate is the lifeboat and the proving ground, the place where the future of health is wrestled back from dysfunction and reclaimed by those willing to do the work.
On Practice
Forging Elite Fitness® is not branding; it’s our constitution. We are bound to its purpose. We will continue forging, because nothing of value is ever created without effort. We will pursue the elite, because to settle for less robs us of our true potential. We commit to fitness because fitness is freedom. This is more than belief. It is a method. Measurable, observable, repeatable. The proof is written on whiteboards, carved into bodies, and lived out in lives extended and reclaimed. Forging Elite Fitness® is not branding — it is practice.
Every day we stand at the crossroads. One path leads to subservience by feeding a machine that profits from human decline. The other is resistance. Resistance is the choice to forge body, mind, and spirit into an autonomous contributor to family, community, and the future of health itself. That choice builds sovereignty. That choice builds the capacity to live the life we were designed for.
