Bound Newsletter 6.21.2026
Dads in the Gym: Building More Than Strength
Father's Day is an opportunity to celebrate the men who choose every day to lead, serve, and sacrifice for their families.
At CrossFit Bound, we are fortunate to be surrounded by fathers who understand that being a dad is about much more than providing financially or being present at special occasions. It is about living a life worthy of imitation. It's about setting a standard that your children, spouse, friends, and community can look to when life becomes challenging.
The truth is that our children are always watching.
They watch how we respond when things don't go our way.
They watch how we treat our spouse.
They watch how we handle stress, adversity, and responsibility.
They watch whether our actions align with our words.
As fathers, we may think our biggest responsibility is teaching our children what to do. In reality, our greatest responsibility is showing them how to live.
Faith as the Foundation
Strong fathers are not perfect fathers.
They are men who recognize that their strength comes from something greater than themselves.
Faith provides the foundation that guides our decisions, anchors us during difficult seasons, and reminds us of our purpose. It teaches humility when we succeed and perseverance when we struggle.
Our children need to see fathers who pray, who serve others, who admit mistakes, and who trust God when the future is uncertain.
The greatest legacy a father can leave is not wealth, achievements, or possessions. It is a faith that inspires the next generation to walk with courage, integrity, and conviction.
Fitness Builds Character
Many people view exercise as simply a way to lose weight, build muscle, or improve performance.
But fitness offers something much deeper.
Every workout is an opportunity to practice discipline.
Every training session is a chance to keep a promise to yourself.
Every early morning alarm, every healthy meal choice, and every difficult workout completed teaches a lesson that extends far beyond the gym floor.
When your children see you prioritize your health, they learn the value of self-respect.
When they see you work hard despite being tired, they learn resilience.
When they see you commit to long-term goals, they learn patience and discipline.
Fitness is not selfish when it is pursued with the right perspective.
Taking care of your body allows you to better serve the people who depend on you. It gives you the energy to play with your children, the strength to support your family, and the health to be present for the moments that matter most.
Family Comes First
While faith provides the foundation and fitness builds discipline, family remains the mission.
The workout will always be there.
The emails can wait.
The chores will eventually get done.
But your children will only be young once.
The greatest fathers understand that success is not measured solely by accomplishments, income, or recognition. It is measured by the relationships they build and the time they invest in those they love.
Being present matters.
Put down the phone.
Listen intentionally.
Have meaningful conversations.
Create memories.
Lead with patience.
Show affection.
Be available.
Years from now, your children won't remember how much weight you lifted or how fast you finished a workout. They will remember how you made them feel, how you spent your time, and whether you were present when they needed you most.
The Example They Will Follow
As fathers, we are always teaching.
The question is not whether our children are learning from us.
The question is what they are learning.
Are they learning discipline?
Are they learning faith?
Are they learning kindness?
Are they learning responsibility?
Are they learning what it means to put family first?
At CrossFit Bound, we celebrate fathers who strive daily to become stronger—not just physically, but mentally, spiritually, and emotionally.
The strongest dads aren't necessarily the ones lifting the heaviest weights.
They're the ones who consistently choose faith over fear, discipline over excuses, service over selfishness, and family over everything else.
This Father's Day, remember that your greatest achievement won't be found on a leaderboard, a paycheck, or a trophy shelf.
It will be found in the lives you shape through your example.
As Epictetus reminds us in The Art of Living:
"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
May we all strive to be fathers whose actions reflect our values, whose faith guides our path, whose fitness supports our purpose, and whose families know without question that they are our highest priority.
Welcome….
Welcome Cooper Hightower to the world!
born June 12, 2026 - both Cooper and Sydney are doing great :)
Welcome Madelyn Ashton Phillips
Born May 4, 2026
Welcome Hemingway Lucy Heaton
Born June 14th, 2026
New Members
Welcome Paul Allen
Where are you originally from?
Florida
What do you do for work (or what keeps you busy during the day)?
Sales
What made you decide to join CrossFit Bound?
Having a few conversations with Brandon and Jessica at our son's baseball games. They made it an easy decision for a place I wanted to join to reach goals I wanted for my health.
Have you done CrossFit before, or is this your first experience?
First time
What are a few goals you’re working toward right now? Weight loss, Strength and overall health
Welcome Dee Onama
Where are you from?
I am originally from Uganda, a country in East Africa. I moved to Georgia about 27 years ago. I currently live Acworth with my 16 year old son.
What do you do for work (or what keeps you busy during the day)?
I am part a Cybersecurity leadership team for a corporate entity in Atlanta.
What made you decide to join CrossFit Bound?
The owner, Mr. Phillips. After my old box closed, I reached out to a number of CrossFit boxes in the area. Brandon was the only one who responded with a phone call. I am a believer in Chinese saying from small things one can see big things...observing minor details and you'll see the bigger picture.
Have you done CrossFit before, or is this your first experience?
Yes. I did Crossift years ago, took a haitus after a injury. Restarted a few months ago, prior to my previous box closing
What are a few goals you’re working toward right now?
Staying fit and consistent. I work a high pressure, high stress job. Crossift is a kind of escape/therapy. My primary goal is to keep consistent and maybe get a bar muscle up by year end.
What’s something fun or interesting about you most people wouldn’t know?
I find lawn care deeply therapeutic. I could literally spend all day outside working on my yard and completely lose track of time. With a cold beer, of course.
Welcome Rep Lattimore
1: Tell us a little about yourself and your background in the fitness industry. What led you to become a coach?
I’ve been a group fitness instructor for roughly 2 ½ years now. I used to personal train way back in the day, decade and some change, and I really like working and talking with people about all aspects of fitness. In my younger days I may have been a gym bro 😊 but now not so much.
2: After helping others achieve their fitness goals for years, what motivated you to join CrossFit Bound as a member?
I decided to join CrossFit bound because I was somewhat of an athlete at one point and crossfit’s movements remind me of that time. I’ve done some CrossFit and other CrossFit adjacent workouts and wanted to be more well-rounded. I like kettlebell and dumbbell work and wanted to add more running and barbell work.
3: What has been the biggest difference you’ve noticed between coaching fitness and being coached yourself?
The biggest difference is how I listen to the different cues and instructions from other coaches. I’m always actively seeking to get better. So, I treat each session as a learning experience. Different Group fitness disciplines require different approaches, and I’m always amazed at how different it can be.
4: What is your current health, fitness, or performance goals, and how do you hope CrossFit Bound will help you achieve them?
My Main Goal is to use CrossFit bound to help me trim down and build strength. It’s important as we age to stay as healthy and strong as possible. My second goal is to have an active gym community that motivates me on the days I really don’t want to work out.
5: Based on your experience as a coach, what’s one piece of fitness advice you believe everyone should hear?
Listen to your body. Your best today might not have been your best ever and that’s okay. No one is looking at you but the coaches. Everyone else is focused on their workout.
Bonus Question: What is something about you that most people at CrossFit Bound would be surprised to learn?
I’m a Tennessee Vols fan
Weekly Training Highlight Reel is in the Works
Upcoming Birthdays & Anniversaries
Anniversaries
1- Yr
Michael Rivera June 23
Wilson Washington June 22
2- Yr
Mandi Nobis June 26
Logan Hawkins June 4
Walter Davila June 11
Brian Lawler June 11
3-Yr
Jesus Mundo June 12
Hannah Spratlen June 9
Ryan Boone June 21
4- Yr
Matt Gray June 11
5- Yr
Ryan Kangiser June 23
6- Yr
Raquel Freitas June 14
Erin Jones June 30
Chris Mench June 8
Birthdays
Eric Robinson June 1
Andrew (Seth) Hamlin June 5
Lee Tillman June 9
Alex Markelov June 14
Ashton Phillips June 24
Michelle McCrary June 25
Fanny Pack (Stan Garey) June 25
Paul Hansard June 28
Michael Rivera June 29
From the CFB Member Vault - Why You Need to Challenge Yourself and Compete
At CrossFit Bound, we believe fitness is about more than just working out—it's about discovering what you're capable of. That's why we've included "Why You Need to Challenge Yourself and Compete" inside the Member Vault.
Competition doesn't have to mean standing on a podium. It means stepping outside your comfort zone, setting meaningful goals, and testing your progress. Whether it's your first 5K, your first pull-up, participating in the CrossFit Open, or simply showing up consistently for 30 days, challenges create growth.
Inside this Member Vault resource, you'll learn how competition and personal challenges can:
✅ Build confidence through measurable achievements
✅ Develop mental toughness and resilience that carry into everyday life
✅ Create motivation and accountability when progress slows
✅ Reveal strengths and weaknesses so you can continue improving
✅ Connect you with a supportive community that celebrates effort and growth
The strongest, healthiest, and most fulfilled people are often those who continuously seek opportunities to learn, grow, and challenge themselves. This guide will help you understand why embracing challenges is one of the most powerful tools for long-term health, fitness, and personal development.
As a CrossFit Bound member, you don't just gain access to workouts—you gain access to education, tools, and resources that help you become the best version of yourself. The Member Vault is designed to guide that journey every step of the way.
*If you are member and need access email info@crossfitbound.com to get the password*
Upcoming Events & Summer Kids Class
☀️ CrossFit Bound Kids Summer Classes –Have Started ☀️
Keep your kids active, confident, and having fun all summer long with our CrossFit Bound Kids program! These classes are designed to build coordination, strength, and confidence through age-appropriate fitness, games, and movement.
Mini Movers (Ages 3–5)
A fun and energetic introduction to movement! Kids will learn basic motor skills, balance, coordination, and body awareness through games and structured play.
🗓 Wednesdays: 10:15–11:00 AM
💲 $85/month or $150 for the full summerJunior Jumpers (Ages 6–12)
Perfect for developing strength, fitness, and confidence! These classes introduce foundational CrossFit movements, teamwork, and discipline in a fun, supportive environment.
🗓 Tuesdays & Wednesdays: 9:00–10:00 AM
💲 $120/month or $200 for the full summerSpots are limited—secure your child’s place by using the QR links below and give them a summer full of movement, growth, and fun!
Age group 6-12 yrs old - Junior Jumpers - will meet Tuesday & Wednesdays from 9-10am.
Cost is $120 monthly or $200 paid in full (+$50 for sibling)
Age group 3-5 yrs old - Mini Movers - will meet on Wednesdays from 10:15-11am
Cost is $85 monthly or $150 paid in full (+$50 for sibling)
Bound Hybrid is CrossFit Bound’s new hybrid training program designed to blend strength, endurance, and functional fitness into one challenging and rewarding class experience.
Each session combines:
Running
Rowing & Ski Erg
Functional strength work
Carries, sleds, and bodyweight movements
Aerobic conditioning
Interval training
Performance-focused workouts
This class is built for athletes of all levels looking to:
Improve endurance
Increase work capacity
Build mental toughness
Develop sustainable fitness
Prepare for HYROX-style events or endurance challenges
Become a more well-rounded athlete
No competition experience required. Just bring effort and consistency.
This class will be included into your membership (ie: this will count towards 3 day week memberships)
Starting Sunday, June 7 at 9:00 AM with Coach Sergio Rivera.
Education: CrossFit Journal Article “The Sickness-Wellness-Fitness Continuum: Building Your Hedge Against Decrepitude”
By Stephane Rochet, CF-L3
You can be fit and unhealthy at the same time.
That’s not a contradiction. That’s just the reality of how the human body works, and it’s something most people miss when they think about training.
There’s a model that’s been part of CrossFit since the beginning that explains this. It’s called the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum, and understanding it might change how you think about your training — not for what it does for you today, but for what it does for you twenty years from now.
If you’d prefer to watch or listen to this conversation, you can do that here.
The Model: Three Zones
Imagine a line. On the left side is sickness. In the middle is wellness. On the right side is fitness.
Sickness is obvious. Chronic disease, medication, the low end of health. The medical model that treats disease once it shows up.
Wellness is the average. It’s the 95% of people who go to the doctor and hear “you’re doing pretty good.” You walk. You’re somewhat active. You eat some protein and some vegetables. You’re not on the standard American diet completely, but you’re not optimizing either. You’re fine. Just fine.
Fitness is super wellness. It’s the end of the spectrum where all your health markers are moving in the right direction. Blood work, body composition, cardiovascular capacity, strength, mobility. You’re not just fine; you’re thriving.
Here’s the key distinction: Fitness is a snapshot of where you are right now. Health is your fitness over the course of your entire lifetime.
The Surprising Connection: Performance Affects Health
For a long time, people thought fitness and health were separate things. You could be good at one without the other.
You lift heavy. Great. That’s fitness. But your blood pressure is high, and your cholesterol is bad. That’s separate from your “fitness.”
CrossFit changed that thinking.
Here’s what we discovered: Your performance markers and your health markers are connected. They’re not separate systems.
When you get better at your deadlift, when you improve your pull-ups, when you get faster at your 5K run, those things don’t happen in isolation. If you’re training intelligently, everything else follows along. Your blood work improves. Your body composition shifts. Your cardiovascular system gets better.
The reverse is also true: if you’re training but your health markers are trending in the wrong direction, something is wrong with your program. And it needs to be fixed.
What About the Fittest on Earth?
Someone asked on a live stream recently: “Where would you put Jayson Hopper on the sickness-wellness-fitness continuum?”
The question implies something: Hopper is incredibly fit. But maybe, with all that training volume, his health markers are slipping backward. So, where does that put him on the continuum?
The honest answer? We don’t know. We’d need to see his blood work, his body composition, and his actual health markers to tell where he is on this continuum.
Because remember: The continuum is primarily about health markers, not performance markers.
You can have an elite-level deadlift and bad cholesterol. You can have incredible work capacity and be constantly inflamed. You can be a Games athlete and have health markers that look terrible in the middle of a competition season.
And here’s the thing — in the short term, that might be acceptable. If you’re an elite competitor, there’s a time-bound sacrifice. You’re pushing hard for eight weeks to compete. Your health markers take a temporary hit. Then you back off and they recover.
But if you take that training volume and training style and turn it into your everyday fitness program for 10 or 15 years? The wheels fall off.
You can’t sustain that kind of compromise long term. Eventually, the degradation in health markers catches up, even if your performance keeps improving in the short term.
Why This Matters (More Than You Think)
Now let’s talk about why this actually matters for you, right now, in your life.
Fitness is a hedge against sickness.
That’s the most important part of this model. And it might be the most overlooked.
The idea is simple: If you build your health markers in the direction of fitness, toward super wellness, you’re creating a buffer and a hedge against the inevitable decline that comes with aging.
Let’s make this concrete.
You’re 45, and you’ve been training consistently, eating well, sleeping properly. Your health markers are solid. You’re fit.
Then at 75, you get injured. Maybe a fall, a car accident, or you just get sick.
If you spent the last 30 years maintaining that fitness hedge, you have something to work with. You recover faster, you heal better, and you bounce back. The incident that might have been catastrophic becomes something you overcome.
But if you spent the last 30 years living in the wellness zone, or worse, creeping toward sickness, that same incident might be the end. One fall, or one hospital stay for something “relatively minor,” and suddenly you’re in hospice.
When you build a 10- or 20-year buffer, you create space between fitness and sickness that takes decades to cross.
That’s the longevity piece, and that’s why this matters.
You Have More Control Than You Think
People talk about genetics. “My genetics will limit where I can be on this continuum.”
Maybe that’s true, but here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter.
Think of two boats crossing the ocean. One can go 35 knots max. One can go 20 knots max. But both only need to go 16 knots to reach their destination.
They both arrive at the same time.
That extra genetic potential? If you never call it into play, it doesn’t matter.
Most people aren’t making the consistent choices needed to reach their actual genetic potential. Not even close. They’re making choices that move them in the wrong direction.
So, regardless of genetics, you have control. You can make consistent choices to move yourself toward fitness, toward super wellness. Or you can make (often unknowingly) consistent choices that move you toward sickness.
Genetics might determine your ceiling, but most of us are nowhere near our ceiling. The gap between where you are and where you could be is huge. And that gap is controlled by consistent daily choices.
Build as big a hedge as you can. You don’t need to be a genetic elite or a Games athlete. You just need to build a substantial buffer between yourself and decrepitude.
This Is Actually What Fitness Means
Here’s something that gets lost: When we say fitness, we’re not talking about your deadlift or your 5K time.
We’re talking about being a capable human being.
Go back 1,000 years. If you were dropped into the world without modern conveniences, what would you need to do?
You’d need to lift heavy things, build a shelter, hunt and drag home food, walk and run and sprint, jump, climb, chase things, flee from things, and move in varied ways to handle all the different challenges life throws at you.
That’s fitness, and it’s what a human should be capable of.
Today, we call that “elite” because the average has dropped so far. But we’re not trying to create elite athletes. We’re trying to recreate what a human being should actually be capable of.
And when you look at people who die from car accidents or skiing accidents, they often aren’t dying from the accident itself. They’re dying because they don’t have the capacity to survive it.
The accident is the last trigger. The real killer is the decrepitude and the accumulated decline from years of not building capacity or maintaining fitness.
The Four Pillars (You Need All Four)
Here’s the thing: You can’t just train your way to fitness.
There are four nonnegotiables in the CrossFit methodology:
Variance – Moving in different ways, different ranges of motion, different intensities.
Functional movements – Movements that mimic real-world demands.
Intensity – Actually working hard, not just going through the motions.
Nutrition – Eating quality food to support your training and health.
The first three build your work capacity, enhance your muscles, and strengthen your tendons and ligaments. They’re important.
But they have to be supported by nutrition. You can’t out-train a bad diet. You can’t build health markers in the right direction if you’re eating garbage.
It’s not 90% kitchen and 10% gym. It’s not 80-20. It’s both. Both are required. Both are nonnegotiable.
And you have to do both consistently and persistently for the rest of your life.
What You’re Actually Training For
When someone asks you why you’re doing this work — why you’re squatting heavy, grinding through conditioning, tracking your food — here’s the real answer: You’re building a buffer against the future.
You’re creating the capacity to recover from injury, to survive accidents, to build a hedge against the sickness and decrepitude that come with aging and inactivity.
You might not feel like you need this hedge yet because maybe you’re young and healthy and fine, but you’re making deposits into an account you’ll desperately need when you’re 70 or 80 or 90. And the deposits you make now are worth way more than the ones you’ll try to make later.
The person who trained consistently from 35 to 75 has an unbelievable capacity at 75. The person who starts training at 70 is playing catch-up in a losing game.
The Continuum as a Tool
Use this model as a mental framework for your training.
You’re not training for your next PR. You’re not training for next month’s competition. You’re training to move yourself as far as possible along this continuum — from sickness toward wellness, from wellness toward fitness.
Every workout is a choice to move toward fitness or toward sickness. Every meal is a choice. Every recovery day is a choice.
You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to be elite. You just need to be consistent in the direction of fitness.
Build as big a buffer as you can. Because one day, when something bad happens, and something bad will eventually happen, you’ll be grateful for every deposit you’ve made.
Recipe of the Week: High-Protein, Low-Fat Banana Pudding Cottage Cheese Dessert
A creamy, protein-packed dessert that tastes like classic banana pudding while staying low in fat and high in protein.
Macro Amount (per serving - 4 overall)
Calories: ~210
Protein: ~24g
Carbs: ~20g
Fat: ~2g
Meal Prep Version
Divide into 4 containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
For extra protein, stir in:
½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
This increases protein to approximately 30g per serving while keeping fat under 3g.
Protein Boost Version (Single Serving)
Mix:
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
½ scoop vanilla protein
2 tbsp banana pudding mix
¼ banana
Macros:
260 Calories
35g Protein
18g Carbs
2g Fat
Ingredients
2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
1 scoop (30g) vanilla whey protein powder
1 package (1 oz) sugar-free banana cream pudding mix
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 medium ripe banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
Optional topping:
1 crushed vanilla wafer per serving
Light whipped topping
Banana slices
Instructions
1. Blend
Add to a blender:
Cottage cheese
Vanilla protein powder
Banana pudding mix
Almond milk
Banana
Vanilla extract
Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
2. Chill
Transfer to a bowl or individual dessert cups.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to thicken.
3. Serve
Top with:
A few banana slices
Crushed vanilla wafer (optional)
Light whipped topping (optional)
Weekly Training Breakdown
