We are about 1 month into our programming with Mayhem Affiliates and we are excited to start our first strength cycle with them. We will be focusing on three movements each week for the next 10 weeks.

To begin each week (Monday or Tuesday), we will be in our 20-Rep Back Squat program.  The 20-rep back squat program is designed to develop raw strength, muscular endurance, and mental toughness. This classic squat cycle challenges athletes to perform 20 unbroken reps at a progressively heavier load each week, to build both physical capacity and mental grit under the barbell.

You will be shocked how effective this program can be in develop a base of strength while at the same time work on refining our squat technique.

Middle of the week, we will do doing an Olympic lift, alternating between Clean and Jerks and Snatches. We will be utilizing complexes to help build strength and refine techniques.

To close out the week, we will be looking at max rep bench press work.  : The Max-rep bench press program aims to build upper body strength, muscle hypertrophy, and pressing endurance.

 Athlete swill perform max unbroken reps at a progressively increasing load each week, promoting both physical and mental fortitude under the barbell. Once athletes complete their max lift, they will rest 1:00, drop the weight by 50% and complete a “burn out set” of max unbroken reps. You can get a lot done with this in a short period of time, developing power and muscular endurance..

For week one, we are going to work off of a starting percentage of between 50% to 60% and each week we will add between 5 to 10 pounds.

This chart might help you select the correct loading.

BACK SQUAT AND BENCH PRESS 1 REP MAX

<= 120 pounds            start at 60% and increase by 5 pounds every other week (or 2.5 every wk)

125-185 pounds          start at 50% and increase by 5 pounds every week

190-255 pounds          start at 60% and increase by 5 pounds every week

260-360 pounds          start at 50% and increase by 10 pounds every week

>= 365 pounds            start at 50% and increase by 15 pounds every week

This is an exciting cycle that will serve as an amazing foundation for a year of GAINS!

Erin keeping an eye on Keith!

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February Committed Club: 36 Members Crushing It!

We’re continuing the year with incredible momentum as 36 Cove members made it into the Committed Club for February! That’s an amazing jump from last month, and we’re so excited to see this number grow!

The goal of the Committed Club is to encourage consistent class attendance at the Cove. While some gyms hope you don’t show up (seriously, that’s a thing), we’re the opposite. We LOVE seeing you walk through those doors because we’re genuinely invested in your health, progress, and success. Our goal board is filling up fast, and it’s inspiring to see so many of you taking charge of your fitness journeys.

What Does It Take to Join the Committed Club?
It’s simple — just attend 14 classes per month (that’s about 3 to 5 classes a week). As we’ve seen time and time again, success at the Cove comes from showing up. With 36 names on the board in February, we’re hoping to see even more of you join the club in March!

Bonus Perk: Win a Prize!
As always, we love to reward consistency! Each month, we randomly select one Committed Club member for a special prize. It could be you next time, so keep showing up and crushing those goals! Let’s keep the momentum going strong — see you at the Cove!

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Friday marks the grand finale of the 2025 CrossFit Open, and we’re wrapping it up in style! After crushing the final workout, we’ll transition into The Recovery Games—a night of fun, friendly competition, and celebration.

It’s time to switch gears and enjoy some classic lawn games—indoors! Get ready for Ping Pong, Kan Jam, Cornhole, Spikeball and other fun games, plus plenty of food and drinks to keep the energy high and the recovery going.

The Open is more than just personal achievement—it’s about the strength of our community. This is your moment to relax, share stories, and take time to connect.

No matter if you dominated every Open workout or simply showed up and gave it your all, The Recovery Games is fun time for all. Join us at 7 PM on Friday night, right after the 5:45 PM class, and let’s celebrate a job well done!

Isn’t AI Great

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The CrossFit Open and the Cove Party was a blast and we have some more things to look forward to this weekend.

First, Friday we have the 25.2. Week one’s workout was a great and  super demanding test and we can only imagine what is store next.  The Open workout will be the workout for all classes at day and to celebrate, we are going to look to do a little Cove meet up at Pub Dog at 7:30 PM.

This weekend, the gym is going to be closed as we help the Level I seminar. The Cove is lucky enough to be selected as a host site for the L1 seminar and is a tremendous resource for us to continue to improve our staff.

We will not have classes this weekend BUT our very own Jonathon Wilson will be leading a running class this weekend at Patuxent Branch Trail  (parking lot near the bridge off of Guilford Rd – 9188 Old Guilford Rd, Columbia, MD 21046) at 9 AM.  

Jonathon is a certified RRCA Certified Level I Adult Distance Running Coach. He will be leading a warm up and a series of running drills to help get the most not only of the workout but to further improve our ability to run well and injury free(running is a skill!). Coach Jonathon will be providing 1, 2 , and 3 mile options for the workout.

As the weather is getting warmer, we are going to seeing more and more running workouts and this is a great way to get prepped for that (and of course the upcoming Hyrox event!)

For those that are looking for Open Gym access, the gym is available by 7 PM on Saturday and 4:30 PM on Sunday.

Coach Jonathon and Lana!

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