Bound Newsletter 6.1.2025
Grant Griffin Showing Out at Syndicate Crown in Nashville this past weekend.
Can’t begin to say how proud I am of this guy. He’s put in a tremendous amount of work this past year to improve his fitness to the level that is required to be able to compete at this level in the CrossFit Games.
The Spirit of Hero Month: A Shoutout to Our Dedicated Community
As Hero Month comes to a close at CrossFit Bound, we want to take a moment to acknowledge the unwavering dedication, grit, and heart that each of you has shown over these past few weeks.
Hero Month isn’t just about the workouts—it’s about the meaning behind them. Every time you showed up, whether it was for Murph, DT, or the countless other Hero WODs, you honored the legacy of the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice. You showed up for more than just the sweat—you showed up for the why.
We know these workouts aren’t easy. They push you physically, mentally, and emotionally. They demand your focus, your energy, and often, a willingness to go to a dark place and fight your way through it. That’s why we’re so proud of each and every one of you. Your effort, your resilience, and your commitment to giving your best—even when it was hard—have been nothing short of inspiring.
Hero Month reminds us that training isn’t just about the PRs or the numbers on the whiteboard. It’s about community, sacrifice, and showing up even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s about becoming the kind of person who chooses to do hard things—because it makes you stronger, inside and out.
Thank you for making CrossFit Bound such a special place. We see you, we appreciate you, and we’re grateful for the heart and soul you bring to the gym every day. Let’s carry the spirit of Hero Month forward and keep pushing each other to be the best versions of ourselves.
Stay strong, stay humble, and stay bound.
Hero Month Breakdown by the Numbers:
1,712 - Total Class Attendances
Average Class Attendance
12.15 - 9 am
11.29 - 5:15 pm
10.76 - 12 pm
9.69 - 6:30 pm
9.67 - 4 pm
7.67 - 5:30 am
5.05 - 6:30 am
Individual Attendance w/ 16 or more classes this month *45!
Natalie Gordon - 28
Ruben Rivera - 27
Sheri Kindred - 27
Mary Turner - 27
Jeb Buffington - 26
Matt Schuster - 26
Jesus Mundo - 25
Kyle Rice - 25
Brian Chambers - 25
Brittany Karneol - 25
Randy Joering - 25
Brian Lawler - 25
Elysia Dunlap - 22
Fatih Sen - 22
Tyson Kimm - 22
Nicolas White - 21
Michale Jamorksi - 21
Migual Chavez - 20
Santez Kindred - 20
Megan Willis - 20
Jen Wells - 20
Dylan Porter - 20
Alex Willis - 20
Casey Linch - 19
Julie Chambers - 19
Ryan Boone - 19
Ryan Allen - 19
Travis Tucker - 17
April Zacharis - 17
FeFe Lawler - 17
Dalton Brumfield - 17
Kailey McCarty - 17
Amber Buettner - 17
Brooklyn Shaw - 16
Claire Smith - 16
Emily Conaster - 16
Cole Scott - 16
Miles Pettit - 16
Katie Allen - 16
Christopher Kibbe - 16
Ryan Stratche - 16
BAM - 16
Laura Rutland - 16
Jonathan Payton - 16
Luke Mayben - 16
Bragging Board:
Sharing Grant twice - because he’s awesome
Natalie at Syndicate Crown supporting and watching the fittest
*Goes to show how short Austin Hatfield is :)
🌟 CrossFit Bound Fit Kids – Summer Fun & Fitness! 🌟
Starts this week - June 4th!
Parents—help us get ready for an amazing summer! If you’re interested in our Fit Kids Summer Class, please sign up this week so we can get an accurate head count before we kick things off on June 4th!
Led by longtime CrossFit Bound member and teacher Sarah Little, this program is all about keeping your kids active, learning, and having fun this summer!
👶 Mini Movers (Ages 3-5)
$155 for the Summer or $85/month
Wednesdays & Thursdays | 9:00–9:45 AM
🏃 Junior Jumpers (Ages 6-12)
$180 for the Summer or $100/month
Wednesdays & Thursdays | 10:00–11:00 AM
Spots are limited, so let us know you're in!
Upcoming Anniversaries:
1-year
-Brian Lawler June 11
-Walter Davita June 11
-Hannah Woodman June 17
2-year
-Emily Conaster May 30
-Hannah Spratlin June 9
-Jesus Mundo June 12
-Ryan Boone June 21
3-year
-Matt Gray June 11
4-year
-Ryan Kangiser June 23
5-year
-Raquel Freitas June 14
Upcoming Birthdays:
-Eric Robinson June 1
-Andrew Hamlin June 5
-Lee Tillman June 9
-Isaac Diaz June 21
-Ashton Phillips June 24
-Stanford Garey June 25
-Michelle McCrary June 25
Class Updates, Schedule Changes, Events, Etc…
Barbell Club is back!
Coach Nicole is going to host barbell club on Tuesdays from 6:30-7:30pm. This time each session will focus on one specific lift - The snatch or Clean and Jerk each time. MUST SIGN UP PRIOR TO THE CLASS SO WE KNOW HOW MANY TO EXPECT Through Wodify App.
Fits Kids Class starts June 4th
Get your spots reserved today - HERE
July 4th - we will host one class at 8 am
CrossFit Journal Article of the Week: SQUAT MOBILITY AND KNEE PAIN: WHAT EVERY CROSSFIT ATHLETE NEEDS TO KNOW
By: Zach Long, DPT
Few movement patterns are as foundational and frequently assessed in CrossFit as the squat. Whether it’s a heavy 1-rep-max or a set of wall-ball shots, we focus on squat depth with the hip crease below the knee. But for many athletes, hitting that depth consistently and pain-free can be a struggle.
More often than not, limited depth isn’t about effort or grit. It’s a mobility issue — typically at the hips or ankles. These two areas work together to allow a smooth, deep squat. When one is restricted, the other compensates — and that’s where poor mechanics and knee pain creep in.
In this article, we’ll explain how hip and ankle mobility impact depth, how to assess your limitations, and what you can do to fix them so you can squat lower, stronger, and with less pain.
THE HIP-ANKLE-KNEE CONNECTION
The squat requires a synchronized effort from three key joints: the hips, knees, and ankles. As you descend:
Ankles dorsiflex (the shin moves forward over the foot)
Knees flex
Hips flex
To hit CrossFit’s “hip crease below the knee” standard, the hips and ankles must move well. While limited knee flexion is rarely the issue, the ankles and hips are frequent culprits when squat mobility is compromised. Fortunately, these two regions can often compensate for one another. For example, strong hip mobility can sometimes offset limited ankle mobility and vice versa. But when both are restricted — or when one is forced to do too much — it’s a recipe for discomfort or injury.
ASSESSING ANKLE AND HIP MOBILITY: WHO’S PULLING THE WEIGHT?
To explain how ankle and hip mobility work together, I like to use a group project analogy. Picture three teammates: one does their fair share, one underperforms, and the third has to overdeliver to make up the difference. Who ends up the most frustrated? The person is doing extra work.
Now apply that to the squat. If your ankles are stiff, your hips will compensate by working harder to keep you balanced. That might lead to tightness or pain, not because your hips are the problem, but because they’re overworked.
VISUAL SCREENING
Start simple: have a coach or training partner film your squat from the side. What do you see?
Do your knees track forward over your toes?
Is your torso staying fairly upright?
Or do your knees stall out early, forcing your chest to drop and hips to take over?
A forward torso lean often points to ankle mobility limitations, though proportions like femur and torso length matter too (we broke that down in a previous article on body proportions and squat technique).
Still, video is just a starting point. Let’s dig deeper and use tests to ensure we work on the right areas.
ANKLE MOBILITY TEST
Test: Kneeling Wall Test
Get barefoot and drop into a lunge.
Place your big toe about one hand-width from a wall.
Try to drive your front knee forward to touch the wall without:
Lifting your heel
Letting your knee collapse inward or rotate outward
Interpretation:
If you can touch the wall, ankle mobility is likely sufficient.
Fall short by an inch or more, and the limited ankle dorsiflexion may affect squat depth and increase knee or hip stress.
HIP MOBILITY TEST
Hip mobility is more complex to evaluate than ankle mobility because of the wide variability in human anatomy. The shape of the hip socket (acetabulum), the angle of the femoral neck, and even the depth of the pelvis can all influence what “normal” looks like for an individual. So instead of hunting for perfect angles, our goal is to identify whether a lack of mobility exists — and more importantly, where that limitation is coming from.
What we’re really trying to assess is the total arc of motion available at the hip joint. This refers to the combined range of internal and external rotation of the femur in the socket. Ideally, we’d love to see an arc of around 85 degrees or more, but even more valuable than the number itself is determining if one direction is significantly more limited than the other. That imbalance can tell us a lot about what’s restricting your squat and where we should focus our mobility efforts.
View this video to test both directions.
Test 1: Hip Internal Rotation (IR)
Sit on a box or bench so your knees are bent at 90 degrees and your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Keeping your thigh still, rotate your leg outward so your foot moves away from your body.
This creates internal rotation at the hip.
What to look for:
Ideally, you should see 30-35 degrees of rotation.
Many athletes struggle to hit this, especially those with highly developed glutes and posterior chains.
Limited IR often feels like a blocked, tight, or even “jammed” sensation in the front or side of the hip.
Why it matters:
Hip internal rotation is crucial for hitting full depth in a squat, especially when the stance is narrower or when the knees track forward. Without it, you’ll either:
Shift weight to the outside of the foot (putting stress on the knee)
Compensate with more lumbar flexion (risking low back discomfort)
Or just get “stuck” partway down
In my physical therapy practice, hip internal rotation is by far the most commonly limited direction in CrossFit athletes, largely because external rotation gets all the love in stretching routines (think pigeon pose).
Test 2: Hip External Rotation (ER)
From the same seated position, now rotate your leg inward so your foot moves across your body.
This creates external rotation at the hip.
What to look for:
A good goal is around 45 degrees of external rotation.
Most CrossFit athletes perform well here due to frequent exposure to wide-stance squats, deep sumo positions, and common mobility drills that emphasize this direction.
What we’re really assessing:
When you compare both directions, ask yourself:
Is one significantly more restricted?
Does one feel tighter, less controlled, or asymmetrical from side to side?
If internal rotation is the clear limiter, that’s your first target for mobility work. And even if your total arc is decent, a major imbalance can still restrict movement quality and lead to compensations down the chain.
Key Takeaway
You don’t need “textbook” mobility in both directions to squat well. But if one direction is noticeably behind, your body will find a way around it, often by loading tissues that aren’t meant to absorb that stress. That’s why identifying your most limited direction and focusing mobility efforts are often the fastest ways to see improvements in squat depth and comfort.
Improving Ankle Mobility
Here’s a quick session you can hit if your ankles need some help from our Ankle Mobility Overhaul program.
ANKLE MOBILITY WORKOUT
1-minute lateral tibial glide per side
Then, 3 rounds of:
– 40-second bent-knee calf stretch
– 8 Russian baby makers
Improving Hip Mobility
If your hip internal rotation is stiff, here’s an example workout from our Hip Mobility Program.
Hip Internal Rotation Focused Workout:
1-minute hip pry with lateral distraction
1-minute internal rotation mobilization with movement
3 rounds:
-8 90/90 IR lifts per side
-12 side hip-ups per side
These can be game changers, especially for athletes who’ve spent years only training external rotation.
CONCLUSION: UNLOCK YOUR SQUAT POTENTIAL
Your squat is only as deep and comfortable as your weakest link. Whether it’s your ankles or hips doing less than their share of the work, the result can be limited depth, poor positioning, and eventually, knee pain.
The good news? You don’t need to overhaul everything — just identify and target your biggest limiter. By restoring the balance between hip and ankle mobility, you’ll squat deeper, lift stronger, and train pain-free.
Traveling Snack Guide for this Summer!
🥩 High Protein | Low Carb Nutrition you can pack to go!
🍳 Snack Box Assembly
✅ 2 hard-boiled eggs
✅ 4 oz sliced deli meat
✅ 1 oz cheese cubes
✅ 1 mini cucumber or celery sticks
✅ 5-10 olives
✅ 1 small avocado portion
✅ 1 oz mixed nuts
✅ 1 square dark chocolate (optional)
🌀 Variation Ideas
✨ Grilled chicken or tuna pouches
✨ Cheese crisps or mini bell peppers
✨ Cream cheese stuffed peppers
✨ Pepperoni + cheese roll-ups
✨ Low-carb keto muffins (prepped ahead)
🚗 Travel Tips
✔️ Keep meals in reusable containers or bento boxes
✔️ Bring a cooler if needed
✔️ Include water + electrolytes
✔️ Pack napkins, wet wipes, small trash bag
✔️ Eat within 3-4 hours if no refrigeration
Ingredients:
Hard-boiled eggs (2 per person)
Sliced turkey or roast beef (nitrate-free, about 4 oz per person)
Cheese cubes (cheddar, gouda, or mozzarella)
Mini cucumbers or celery sticks
Cherry tomatoes (limit to a few to keep carbs low)
Olives (green or black, about 10 per person)
Mixed nuts (almonds, macadamias, or pecans—1 oz per person)
Avocado slices (tossed with lime juice and salt for flavor and to prevent browning)
Dark chocolate (85-90%) (optional, 1 small square per person for a treat)
Extras:
Individual guacamole packs or ranch dip (made with sour cream + herbs)
Salt and pepper packets
🛒 Shopping List
✅ Proteins
Hard-boiled eggs (2 per person)
Deli meats (turkey, roast beef, chicken, ham—nitrate-free)
Hard cheeses (cheddar, gouda, mozzarella)
Canned tuna or salmon (optional)
Guacamole packs or ranch dip
✅ Veggies
Mini cucumbers
Celery sticks
Cherry tomatoes (small amount)
Avocados (slice with lime + salt)
Pickles or olives
✅ Fats & Snacks
Mixed nuts (almonds, macadamias, pecans)
Dark chocolate (85%+ cacao, 1 square per person)
Nut butter packs (almond, peanut, macadamia—no sugar)
✅ Extras
Salt + pepper packets
Wet wipes, napkins, small trash bags
Cooler + ice packs (for long trips)
Electrolyte packets (LMNT, Ultima, or similar)
WTB: 6.2-6.7.2025
