I decided that it was time for me to address what happened last month in Mississauga's CrossFit community. There seem to be thoughts and opinions of me floating around that are simply not true and this message is my answer to the ones I am aware of.
I have been criticized for being “99% business 100% of the time”. In early 2007 when I first started training people in CrossFit, I did it out of love and passion. My intent was not to own a gym. I simply wanted to show people the best way to get fit so I invited them over to my house where CrossFit Bolton started, in my garage.
I built my CrossFit Bolton one member at a time through good old-fashioned, honest, hard work. My priority was and still is to help the members of my gyms to achieve their fitness goals and realize their true potential both in fitness and in life. I have been and will always be dedicated to the athlete's who train in my gyms. I work very hard to earn people's trust and the title of coach. A title that most people find is more difficult to achieve than they thought.
People may perceive me as being abrupt but for some, this trait is much appreciated. There is no wondering what I'm thinking, no games and certainly nothing sneaky about my personality. I also won't blow smoke up anyone's ass so if that's what you're looking for there are other gyms for that. Not this one. CFM will always be for fitness first and foremost. As some of you will find, the key to the community is fitness, not the other way around.
Obviously a lot of members were not happy with the way that CFM was running after I took it over. I made some changes that a lot of folks didn’t agree with. I changed the schedule, raised the prices and tried to implement group sessions. These changes were made because this is the absolute best and most efficient way for a CrossFit gym to run. It keeps people training together, prevents holes in athlete's fitness and is the model that created this wonderful way of life we call CrossFit.
I think one of the biggest reasons some of you didn't get along with me is that I set new prices and I stuck to them. I realize that many of you were receiving discounts for various reasons. Many of you did something for Eric and Mark but I'm sure you can appreciate that I did not need all of the same favours that they may have needed. Don't mistake my strict policies on payment for not caring about you as members but rather a detailed understanding of what it takes to keep the doors open so that each and every one of you has a place to continue to build your fitness. Yes this is a business and yes, I need to make money, no one works for free, but my love and ultimate respect for fitness is the reason I needed to collect. Long before many of you even began your fitness journeys, I was training every day in globo gyms because those were the only places available. Many of the gyms I trained at closed in the middle of the night leaving me and all the members with no place to go (a common practice for globo gyms). I know how that feels and I would never let that happen to any of my members but the only way to do that is to make sure there's enough money to pay the bills at the end of the month. Many of you may forget to pay on time but equipment, rent and utilities are always paid right on time, or the doors get locked. That is my reality.
One more very important point on the issue of payment; if you are part of a community that you truly love and respect, you gladly pay to support it. I thank the few of you that never made me ask for the money.
As far as trainer's pay is concerned, many of you heard a story that is a far cry from the truth. If anyone wishes to discuss this further, I would love to put this issue to rest. What I will say here is that even though many of these trainers are your friends, they were not attending to what we (myself and the trainers) set out as their duties. On this issue, I owe no one an explanation but will provide one for the good of my name. I am always available by phone or to meet in person as I have been for the trainers all along. I encourage anyone who wishes to call and I also encourage the trainers to return mine.
I think it is great that a new gym is opening up. If you think you have an idea of a place that only you can create, by all means, create it. If I had been enlightened sooner about your plans, I would have helped you in any way that I could. I wish you all of the success you deserve. However, plans were kept secret and I trusted information to some of you that has been used to hurt me. At the same time you sold your false and negative opinions of me to others in the hopes of benefiting yourselves. Though I am a businessman and respect even the most cut-throat of practices, I do not operate this way. If my biggest fault was being too much of a businessman then I don’t feel so bad. At least I can look at myself in the mirror and know that I never hurt, lied, cheated, used or manipulated anyone.
At first I was surprised by how everything unfolded but now I am more excited than ever for CFM. Eric is back kicking ass and coaching people. Mark will carry on running an Olympic Weightlifting WOD every Sunday. We also have the man, the legend, Jason Bird as a trainer at CFM. Eric, Mark, Jason and I have over 15 years combined experience teaching CrossFit. Need I say more?
New specialized equipment is on the way. We are getting atlas stones, farmers walk handles, a yoke, a log and some big ass tires for strongman style training. We are also getting platforms and a number of other new pieces of equipment.
Right now I'm offering everyone a membership at CFM for $100 a month before May 1st.
I'm willing to let bygones be bygones and everything that happened last month will be water under the bridge. I have no hostility or animosity towards anyone despite the rumors. All former members and trainers are welcome back any time.
There is much more news to come in early May. We are looking into dual memberships for those of you that want to train at both locations as well as 24-7 access to the gym.
This is only the beginning! Stay tuned folks.
Please call me or email me if you have any questions.
Alex Possamai
Hang Power Clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Rest 5 minutes
"Tabata Something Else"
Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.
Post total reps from all 32 intervals to comments.
"Working Handstand Push-up Negatives" with Jeff Tucker by Again Faster Equipment - video [wmv]
