By Shaina Hayutin, Coach at CrossFit Newtown  If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard the term “scaling” on a regular basis. Do you fully understand what it means though? Let’s pause for a second and think.   Seriously, take a moment…. Perhaps similar words pop into your brain like modification or progression? Maybe you think scaling is a safe and smart way to approach your workout? Some may find themselves responding “oh well, I just scaled,” after a coach approaches you with a well-deserved and fist bump. Before assuming, let’s make sure we have a full and comprehensive understanding of what “scaling” actually means.  Scaling is simply an appropriately challenging, intelligent way to approach your workout.  It does not mean lesser than. It does not mean easier. It does not mean you didn’t work as hard as the person next to you who Rx’d.  It means finding the right amount of...Read more

By Shaina Hayutin, Coach at CrossFit Newtown  The 2026 Open has come to a close. You probably heard your coaches talk about “standards” a lot throughout these past three weeks and may wonder: What’s the big deal about standards? Said standards may seem like we’re asking a lot of you. And that’s because we are. Because we want the best for you and your health. Standards exist in order to ensure consistency and fairness across a worldwide competition, but they also play an important role in your personal health. They show you how to live the most functional and independent life possible.  The reason we hold standards is because we want you to be able to live an independent life for as long as possible. Nobody wants to have to ask for help for mundane, day to day tasks. Nobody wants someone else to have to wipe their own ass...Read more

By Shaina Hayutin, Coach at CrossFit Newtown We keep hearing about this weird, potentially ambiguous “thing,” in the CrossFit space: The Open.  You’ve probably seen CrossFit Newtown (CFN) relentlessly post videos, write a bunch of words in someone’s really bad handwriting all over the blackboards, and share articles in our Monday Message— all in an attempt to explain what exactly the Open actually is.  You may be a seasoned CrossFitter who’s stoked for the Open. Perhaps you’re well aware, but a bit jaded by the idea of three weeks of intense workouts. This might be your first year, and you’re truly looking forward to pushing yourself. Maybe you’re someone who’s over competitions and feels as though the Open can be stressful or disheartening. You may also be totally brand new to the CrossFit world and are just now learning what this “thing” is. Regardless of where your thoughts, feelings, and...Read more

By Shaina Hayutin, Coach at CrossFit Newtown It’s that time of year again. 365 days comes to a close, and a new January is approaching … the resolution chatter begins. It’s seemingly all around us, but what will these resolutions actually entail? Will they be mere chatter and nothing more? Initial hype that loses momentum? Humans get a hit of dopamine simply by talking about goals or versions of themselves they aspire to be. But are we capable of the follow through? Can we perhaps form realistic goals that we can stick with, rather than just initial psych that loses steam all too quickly?  We certainly can.  It starts with reflection and moves to small, doable action steps.  Winter brings a natural time for reflection. We ask ourselves what exactly we did this last year? How do we wish to spend the next? Did we act like the kind of...Read more

By Shaina Hayutin, Coach at CrossFit Newtown Community. We hear this word thrown around all the time in the CrossFit space. Owners proclaim theirs to be the best, and long-term members seem to stick around because of it.  But what does it really mean? Is it truly a powerful force, or is it simply an overused term?  Human beings were made to live in tribes, to connect with others in a way that bonds folks best: struggling together. In the beginning, this mostly looked like survival. That meant, working together with the people who happened to also be living on the same plot of land in order to provide food and shelter. Turns out, foraging, hunting, and building are all made easier when you collaborate with others.  As society evolved since the beginning of time, and here in first world countries like America, it has become much easier to get...Read more