Former Members of Switch CF File a Lawsuit Against Owner

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“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” — William G.T. Shedd

Former Members of Switch CrossFit File Lawsuit After Being Filmed in the Restroom

The story.

Last week, 14 former members of Switch CrossFit filed a lawsuit against Matthew Krakowski, the former owner of Switch CrossFit who was arrested in May on 14 felony counts of capturing images of an unclothed person and child abusive commercial activity. 

The victims of that assault filed a joint lawsuit in Macomb County Circuit Court seeking more than a million dollars, stating that Krakowski violated their privacy in such a manner that as a result of his “torturous” actions they each “suffered and will continue to suffer mental anguish, disgrace, humiliation, embarrassment, and/or outrage.”

Remind me.

Back in June, the former owner of CrossFit Switch in Clinton Township, MI was arrested for placing a hidden camera in the ladies restroom. An off-duty police officer and member of the gym notified the authorities when she discovered a camera in the ceiling tiles. Once the camera and associated computers were seized, police discovered 13 other victims caught on camera changing in the restroom, some of them children.

Immediately after this tragic breach of trust, Switch’s head coach Mike Novak and in-house chiropractor Derek Elwart came together to buy the gym. Together, the two have worked relentlessly to rebuild the foundation of their community. Now renamed CrossFit Platoon, the community is thriving and, most important, safe for their members again.

So what’s the lawsuit say?

The lawsuit claims Krakowski “intruded into the seclusion and solitude of [each plaintiff] when he photographed, captured, or recorded, the visual image of the unclad bodies…under circumstances in which [each plaintiff] would have a reasonable expectation of privacy.”

Joshua Cecil, attorney for the plaintiffs, says some of his victims were close with former gym owner Matthew Krakowski, who is also facing criminal charges in circuit court. “This was a incredible violation of their trust and privacy over a long period of time,” says Cecil.

One former member, who did not want to have her identity revealed in the interview, said, “Its disappointing, its heartbreaking, it’s a violation…To have someone you trust, and it’s a small gym, I was angry.”

Hopefully this is the end to a very unfortunate saga for those athletes and their community but in true CrossFit fashion, it’s encouraging to see how far the new affiliate has come. 

Coffee Break Conversations

What to day when your friend starts dating a stage five clinger…

Run! To the weights that is. The next time you’re short on time and looking to eek out a WOD, consider some weightlifting instead of a quick run. “New research released earlier this month by the American College of Cardiology found strength training may be more effective than cardiovascular exercise at reducing the risk or heart disease. ‘Any type of resistance training is going to allow you to burn more calories post-workout,” George Caroulis, owner of CrossFit 2 Street, said. “So you’re actually working when you’re done with the exercise routine. Burning calories at night.”

Things To…

WATCH: Assault Fitness Visits Iceland 

Travel along with Assault Fitness to CrossFit Reykjavík in the small but beautiful country of Iceland. With 27 AirBikes and 18 AirRunners, CrossFit Reykjavik produces some of the world’s fittest athletes every year. 

A STRONG CONDITIONING BASE.

HEAR: Angelo Diciccio on AMRAP Podcast 

Two time Fittest Teen on Earth, Angelo Dicicco was on track to dominate the sport for years to come, but everything changed in an instant when the 18-year-old from Cookeville, TN received a diagnosis which effectively ended his Individual Games career.

DEVASTATING NEWS. 

EAT: Italian Iced Orange Cookies 

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ALMOST TOO PRETTY TO EAT.

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Today’s edition of the Morning Chalk Up is fueled by

Chalk Up Community

• PRO-TIP: IMPROVING FRONT RACK — Justin Zhang of NoobStrength outlines his shoulder mobility warm-up routine from Kelly Starrett’s book “Becoming a Supple Leopard” and reveals a side-by-side comparison of his own front rack position after two weeks following it.
• A FRIENDLY COMPETITION — A group of CrossFit gyms in Georgia worked together to collect nearly 100 Thanksgiving meal boxes for the North Gwinnett Cooperative Ministry last month. The donation was part of a friendly competition between the gyms called Battle of the Boxes. No Excuses CrossFit donated 46 boxes, while CrossFit 30518 and CrossFit
  Jaglion donated 25 each.

CHALK UP IN 2 MINUTES (a highlight reel around social media of CrossFit pros and average joes)

Congratulations to Quiana Welch who is expecting her first baby • Hunter McIntyre did 50 body weight back squats • Zach Sowder got a 375 pound clean PR • Dallin Pepper hit a 330 pound clean PR • Reebok donated backpacks to Emily Bridgers for her Backpacks for the Homeless fundraiser • You can get the first draft of Dr. Sean Pastuch’s new book • Jessica Griffith gets a 255 pound jerk • Logan Aldridge gets a 250 pound clean 1RM. 

…and we are already channeling this pizza eating dog in preparation for Friday. 

Wrapping Up: Strength in Depth — The online qualfier scores for Strength in Depth are due today at Noon PT/ 8:00 PM GMT. The top 40 men and 40 women, as well as 30 teams, will move on to the Sanctioned event in London in February 22 – 24, 2019.

Set Your Clocks — Episode 3 of On the Minute with our very own Justin LoFranco and Armen Amirian of Armen Hammer TV is out today at 5:00 PM PT. If you missed Episode 2 you can watch it here.

Dubai CrossFit Championship — The third event for the Dubai CrossFit Championship has been announced. Called “4X4” the workout is:

For time:

4K Run with 511 Tactical vest

4K Run without vest

Wodapalooza Memory Lane Continues — Co-founder and former event director of Wodapalooza, Guido Trinidad, is sharing some of his favorite memories year-by-year as they grew to become the hit off-season competition:

–“Year 5 – 2016. The Rain. The Barge. The Champs. Staying true to our mission, the goal was to create memorable experiences that added value to people’s lives. There was so much behind the scenes that made this a possibility. I must thank Lifeproof for getting behind the idea and sponsoring it. But also for Rogue Fitness for allowing us to take the equipment out into the middle of the bay, something they had never done before. From getting permits, to funding, to figuring out logistics with volunteers; it was one of the biggest challenges I had faced as an event organizer but by far one of the most rewarding. The payoff I received was in the form of huge smiles and comments like
‘this was the most fun workout I have ever done!’ On the only sunny day of WZA gratitude and joy were the only things raining on me.”

— Speaking of Wodapalooza: Kristin Holte is confirmed for the Elite Women’s Division. 

CrossFit and Community — From an article just out called Strong Communities: How CrossFit is creating connections in an era of isolation:

–“Religious politics, rigid rules or perceived hypocrisy of its leaders can be off-putting, Thurston said. People are seeking out community and spirituality in other places. Humans crave connection as deeply as air and water.

— “We are living at a time of crisis-level isolation and disconnection that we feel in terms of our polarized society and these record levels of anxiety and addiction and the like. The result of that is that a lot of us just don’t know what deep community feels like.”

— “CrossFit boxes offer that kind of deep community in ways churches historically did. First, a participant’s success is connected to the progress of others. There is a sense that development is happening as a group and many boxes compete as teams against others. Second, the progress brings about a deep desire to share that experience with others, which promotes the evangelical elements of the industry. Third, the communities support one another — from when people are sick to philanthropic events to even watching each other’s children.

— “Finally, boxes attract a diverse group of individuals who are using the experience for a variety of reasons. The workout becomes a flexible sacred space. ‘You have a blank canvas on which people can make meaning on their own terms. That’s very appealing at this moment.'”

“Fix My Gym: Turnaround on a Dime,” by Hilary Achauer, CrossFit Journal

The downward slide can be easy.

It starts when an owner puts off cleaning the gym or replacing equipment. Then he stops answering emails. He cancels events and neglects the gym’s social media and website. Coaches are left to their own devices and lose interest. After a while, members leave. New ones don’t replace them and classes get cut.

Before long, the gym starts losing money or barely breaking even.

Is it the end? Or can a gym return from the brink of failure?

Three CrossFit affiliate owners did just that, transforming failing gyms into thriving, healthy communities. Each took a different approach, but the common denominator is attention—to the members, the classes and even the refrigerator full of drinks and protein bars.

In the summer of 2017, Steve Bierfeldt got a call from a nearby affiliate.

At the time, Bierfeldt and business partner Dave Aisenstat operated CrossFit 845 in Wappingers Falls, New York, as well as a second facility in Poughkeepsie. The call was from an affiliate owner in Carmel, New York, who was closing his gym and wondered if Bierfeldt would like to buy some equipment.

Sensing an opportunity, Bierfeldt was at the affiliate within 20 minutes. Once there, he proposed a new deal: What if he bought the entire business instead?

Aisenstat started the original CrossFit 845 in 2012, and Bierfeldt, fed up with a 10-year career in politics, joined on as Aisenstat’s business partner in 2015. The pair had opened the Poughkeepsie facility just three months earlier.

Though they weren’t looking to open a third location so soon after opening their second, the opportunity was too good to pass up.

“We took it from the perspective that we know what we are doing, we know we are doing something right, people like the brand, and (there’s) no reason we can’t do this again,” Bierfeldt said.

11/30 – 12/16: Naughty or Nice Toy Drive (Online)

12/1: Rock It CrossFitMas Classic (Fort Worth, TX) 

12/1: Barbells For Bootstraps (Beverly, MA)

12/1: Bro Down Throw Down for Cancer Awareness (Bridgeport, PA)

12/1: Push/Pull for Pancreatic Cancer at CrossFit Pawling (Pawling, NY)

12/1: Winter Throwdown 2018 (New York, NY)

12/1: Reindeer Games 2018 (Medford, OR)

12/1: Heroes Challenge (Dallas, TX)

12/1: Vekter Games (Columbia, MD)

12/1: New England Co-Ed Classic (Bedford, NH)

12/1: VoyEdge RX Costa Rica (Costa Rica)

12/1 – 12/12: Swan Strong 12 Days of Fitness (Online)

12/8: Fittest Alive in the 845 (Poughkeepsie, NY)

12/8: The 2018 Reindeer Games Finale (Del Mar, CA)

12/8 – 12/9: WOD Godz (Shreveport, LA) 

12/8: Rampage Christmas Throwdown (Murfreesboro, TN)

12/8: A Very Krampus Kilofest (Hickory, NC)

12/8: CrossFIt Raeford 3rd annual WOD for Dogs (Raeford, NC)

12/8: Reindeer Games at CrossFit 321 (Topsham, ME)

12/8: Candor Power Hour Reindeer Games (Tuscaloosa, AL)

12/8: Hypoxia (Butte, MT)

12/8 – 12/9: The Fall Series Throwdown 2018 (Monza, Italy)

12/12 – 12/15: Dubai CrossFit Championship (Dubai, UAE)

12/15: Masters Mania (OKlahoma City, OK)

12/15: Team Luke Fundraiser (Marlboro Township, NJ)

12/15: Santa Slam Toy Drive and Community WOD (St. Petersburg, FL)

12/15 – 12/16: Nightmare Before Christmas CrossFit Competition (Albuquerque, NM)

12/22: The Flanders Throwdown (Zedelgem, Belgium)