To recognize the last week of Black History Month, we honor the legacy of Army Spc. Hilda Clayton with a Hero WOD dedicated to her sacrifice.

Army Spc. Hilda Clayton, 22, of Augusta, Georgia, died from injuries sustained when a mortar malfunctioned during an Afghan National Army training exercise in Qaraghahi, Afghanistan. Clayton, assigned to the 55th Signal Company and the 21st Signal Brigade in Fort Meade, Maryland, was providing Combat Camera support at the time of her death.

Amongst Ortiz-Clayton’s military awards and decorations

  National Defense Service Medal

  Global War on Terrorism Service ribbon

  Army Service Ribbon

  Meritorious Unit Commendation ribbon

She is survived by her husband, Chase Clayton.

This workout is in honor of Hildy, who has sacrificed her life in the service of others. We keep her memory alive and recognize her contributions.

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We are off to a great start to the New Year, as we have 32 Cove members who have made it to the committed club. That is amazing and we are looking to grow it!

The goal of the committed club is to encourage class attendance at the Cove. While some gyms hope that people don’t come to the gym, we revel in it. we’re thrilled to see you show up because we’re genuinely invested in your health and success. Our goal board is already packed, and we’re seeing so many people take charge of their fitness journeys.

To become a member of the Committed Club, we just ask that you attend 14 classes a month, which it between 3 to 5 classes. We know from all your years at the Cove, that success is found in showing up. we are hoping we might add a couple more names to the committed club for the month of February.

Finally, we like to give a special prize to one random member of the committed club each month at the start of our classes at the white board, who knows, it might be you.

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We hope everyone has been enjoying the programming changes thus far! As we mentioned, we will always making adjustments along the way to make the workouts align specifically to the Cove’s goals and values. This is not only to increase our athleticism, but to find ways further connect us all as a community.

As you all know, it is Black History Month and we will be celebrating by adding Hero WODs that shine a light on the black lives lost in the line of service. Tomorrow you will see “Randy” (75 snatches for time), which is a workout honoring Randy Simmons, aged 51, was an esteemed 27-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and a member of their elite SWAT team. His dedication to maintaining peace and order within his community was unwavering. Tragically, Randy lost his life in the line of duty, serving and protecting the citizens of Los Angeles. The Randy CrossFit Hero Workout serves as a tribute to his memory and his dedication to public service.

The Randy CrossFit Hero Workout is more than just a physical challenge; it’s a tribute to the dedication and sacrifice of heroes like Randy Simmons. As you tackle this demanding workout, remember the hero it honors and find inspiration in his legacy of service and bravery.

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At the Cove, we believe that top-notch programming is the foundation of an exceptional class experience. It provides structure, progression, and a clear path to improving strength, stamina, and overall fitness. For the past two and a half years, we’ve followed CompTrain’s programming, and it has served us incredibly well—helping our community achieve impressive gains in both strength and conditioning, with our lowest injury rate thus far. We’re grateful for everything CompTrain has provided, but like anything, there’s always room for improvement.

After a decade of refining our approach at the Cove, we know that variation is a key to continued growth. Over the years, we’ve worked with different programming styles, each bringing unique strengths. One of our biggest takeaways is that sticking with a single system for too long can create biases in the programming. So to keep evolving and ensuring the best possible experience for our members, we believe it’s time for a programming shift.

After carefully evaluating multiple options, we’re excited to announce that, starting next week, we’ll be transitioning to Mayhem Programming. Mayhem has been a leader in affiliate programming for years, and their philosophy aligns closely with what we’ve been doing—while offering a fresh take. You can expect the same emphasis on dedicated strength work, which is essential for building long-term fitness. But you’ll also see more structured bodyweight exercises, skill development, and an even broader variety of movements. This also means greater variation in time domains, movement patterns, and loading strategies—keeping workouts engaging and focused on individual and collective progress.

As always, we will continue to tailor the programming to our community’s needs, Coach Carlos, Coach John, and Coach Brian will be reviewing workouts weekly and making adjustments as needed. We understand that change can feel uncertain, but we see this as an exciting opportunity for all of us to grow together.
Get ready for fresh challenges, new progressions, and continued gains!

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