Blogs

Congrats to Nick Hinnerschitz for receiving AOTM at the Columbia District! Nick started CrossFit in September 2024 as a guest of Mark Sam Chee during bring a friend week. He was hooked after the week included rope climbs, snatches and split jerks even though he left with a nasty rope burn and the realization that he had no idea how to perform Olympic lifts correctly. Nick is a regular 6amer and loves strict gymnastics movements, deadlifts and GHD sit ups. When he first started he struggled to kick up to the wall and now can do HSPU! "What I love most about 12L is the people. It’s a very supportive environment where the coaches provide excellent instruction tailored to the needs of the athletes and the friendly competition during WODs brings out the best in people." Nick has seen changes in himself that he never expected and now is in the best shape of his life. He is excited to get stronger and continuously improve - especially on Olympic lifts. Congrats Nick!

12 Labours CrossFit is hiring an assistant manager with potential to be a full-time position. We are looking for a trainer with experience coaching group classes and personal clients in a 1-1 setting. This position will include coaching classes, meeting with potential new members, personal training and operational duties. Requirements: - Must hold a CrossFit L-1 Certificate - A minimum of 1 year experience coaching group classes - Flexibility during the week and available to work weekends if needed - Team player with an outgoing personality Compensation: - Hourly pay dependent on experience - Potential to be a full-time position Location: 12 Labours CrossFit, Columbia District 9017 Red Branch Rd. Suite A Columbia, MD 21045 To apply please click the link here

About three years ago, a group of about 8 athletes kicked off the Annapolis Special Olympics small group CrossFit program. Within the first year, the program quickly gained momentum, expanding to include a second class of new athletes eager to join in. Since then, the small group training program has grown into something much more — a bond forged through movement, sweat, and shared triumphs. Thanks to the support of volunteer coaches and a belief in what’s possible, this program continues to inspire, challenge, and uplift everyone involved. It’s a class full of laughter, determination, and milestones that often go far beyond the physical. These athletes show up with heart and teach all of us — coaches, gym members, and each other — what it means to enjoy exercise and celebrate every small win. It’s impossible to leave without a smile. As a coach, the rewards are profound. Volunteering for this program isn’t just about teaching movements and foundations. It’s about showing up, being present, and believing in someone else’s potential — sometimes before they believe in it themselves. You get to witness growth not just in athletic ability, but in self-esteem, independence, and social connection. It’s a reminder of why we all fell in love with fitness in the first place: because it empowers. This program is a space where ability is redefined, where effort is everything, and where community truly shines. If you’re looking for purpose, or just someone who wants to be part of something bigger — this is it. The athletes will change your life, just by being exactly who they are. Shelby A. Bentley, M.S. CCC-SLP

We’re excited to spotlight Ariana, a committed and inspiring member of our 12 Labours CrossFit community! From early morning workouts to passion-driven work outside the gym, Ariana brings the same level of dedication and energy to every part of life. A quick Google search was all it took to discover 12 Labours after moving to Annapolis in June 2021. Already familiar with CrossFit, Ariana quickly felt at home thanks to the welcoming staff and strong community vibe. Getting started was seamless—and the rest is history. You’ll often catch her crushing it at either the 6:30 AM or 3:30 PM class, proving that discipline and routine make all the difference. A big fan of power cleans and kipping pull-ups, Ariana thrives on dynamic movements that combine power and technique. And the next goal? Knocking a bar muscle-up (BMU) off the bucket list! Since joining, she has built up strength and now confidently knocks out strict pull-ups and regular push-ups—major wins that speak to her hard work and perseverance. “The people, the coaches, and the programming,” Ariana says without hesitation. “12 Labours constantly reminds me of my limits—and then pushes me to break them.” It’s that kind of mindset that keeps this community strong and motivated. “CrossFit isn’t about being perfect. You don’t need to be fit to start—you start to get fit,” Ariana adds. “Everyone is at their own level, and the community is super supportive. They’ll help you find your pace.” When Ariana isn’t working out, life stays full and adventurous. A physical therapist at a senior living community by profession, she also enjoys traveling, crabbing and fishing with her husband, running a side business donating eggs, and caring for a small farm of animals. Congratulations, Ariana! Your dedication, positive energy, and commitment to growth embody everything we strive for at 12 Labours. Keep crushing your goals—we can’t wait to celebrate that first BMU with you!

Congrats to Jill Stinson for receiving AOTM for May! Jill joined 12 Labours after having multiple pregnancy losses and needed something to get back into an exercising routine to feel strong again. Jill had considered joining CrossFit and found 12 Labours closest to her, once she took the first class it helped her realize truly how strong she was! "It was intimidating initially walking in the doors, but the coaches are so kind, knowledgeable and helpful in finding the right option for you and where YOU are at. This allowed me to focus on myself and my goals, while also supporting others." Jill is a physical therapist full-time and regularly attends the 5:30pm class. Her biggest goal right now is to do a strict pull-up and is improving on headstands (thanks for Erin and Sunday yoga). Her favorite 12 Labours memory is Resolution Games 2025, and enjoys the friendships built and daily laughs. Jill thrives off of the community at 12 Labours and encouragement from the coaching staff and other athletes. "That’s what makes it so wonderful. Even on your hardest day everyone is cheering you on, and pushing you to be your best self. This place is truly a community I never had before!" Jills advice to anyone hesitant to start is to do the hard thing, because it will 100% be worth it. Don’t compare yourself to others, you are on your own journey and showing up each day is a win. Congrats Jill!

On October 1, 2024, we launched something truly special at 12 Labours Annapolis: the Silver Lions—a fitness program designed specifically for adults aged 55 and up. We kicked things off with a small but mighty crew of six athletes, all in their 60s and 70s. With a rich mix of life experience, personalities, and fitness backgrounds, this group is both inspiring and interesting and brings something special to our gym community. The Silver Lions program is grounded in CrossFit’s proven methodology and supported by the latest research on aging and physical fitness. Here's what we know: Staying active later in life isn't just about fitness - it's about living well. Older adults who train regularly report a higher quality of life, fewer falls, and lower rates of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and cancer. Many effects of aging can actually be reversed with consistent training. That's why we prioritize weightlifting, strength and mobility. Research shows elite older athletes outlive their non-athletic peers. Injury prevention matters: rotator cuff tears are the most common issues among older athletes, so we're smart and cautious with overhead movements. Perhaps most importantly, the social connection is a huge motivator for the community. The friendships built here are just as powerful as the workouts We started slow and steady. Then week by week, they surprised us. They got stronger, moved faster, and pushed harder. So, we put more weight on the bars, increased the wall ball weight, and added height to the step-ups. They’ve done it all—deadlifts, push-ups, front squats, thrusters, burpees. They even crushed “Silver” Fran (21-15-9 DB thrusters to a box + ring rows), and everyone came in under 7 minutes! Eight months in, the impact is undeniable: “We thought we’d have to sell the house because stairs were getting too hard. But now? I can take the steps with ease—we’re staying put.” “We emptied our parents' house—moved furniture, lifted boxes—and kept saying, ‘Thank God for CrossFit. We’d be dying if we hadn’t started.’” This crew never backs down from a challenge—and let’s just say, bench press day, things get a little spicy with friendly competition. They inspire us every single day. They’ve taught us that aging is just another chapter—and with the right mindset and support, you can meet it head-on and come out stronger. The truth is: we never stop becoming a better version of ourselves. Join us. Be bold. Be strong. Be a Silver Lion.

Meet Coach Carrie Dare –12 Labours USAPL Coach A 12 Labours member since 2023 and USAPL lifter since 2019, Coach Carrie brings a lifelong love of sport and a deep passion for strength training to the platform. With a background in swimming, track, boot camps, and triathlons, she eventually found her home in CrossFit and powerlifting. Coaching since 2024, she’s especially drawn to the deadlift for its raw power—but lately, the bench press is gaining ground as her technique and confidence grow. Her favorite piece of gear? A classic Texas leather belt that’s been by her side since day one of heavy lifting. Born in Cleveland, OH and raised across six states and Germany as a military dependent, Carrie thrives on adaptability and connection. Outside the gym, she works as a National Account Executive in corporate relocation, enjoys reading, painting, and traveling to her family’s lake cabin in Minnesota. Her most memorable coaching moment? Watching a young lifter transform from shy and reserved to bold and confident through her first meet—proof that the barbell builds more than strength. Coach Carrie is here to help others grow stronger, more confident, and discover their potential—on and off the platform. The future is looking strong!

New for this year, CrossFit HQ has announced the Community Cup. The Community Cup will run the week of June 9-15, and will consist of 3 workouts. These workouts will be programmed as part of the class programming for the Columbia District, so everyone will have the opportunity to complete them. This post is just meant to give a deeper understanding of what the Community Cup is, how to sign up if you want to compete, and how to see where you stack up against others in your skill bracket. If you completed the CrossFit Open, you will be placed into a competition level based on those Open scores. Your competition level can be found by logging in to your CrossFit Games Profile. This level will then be associated with a level for the workout, what the standards are, weights, and movements for you. If you want to be on the leaderboard, you will need to sign up, but again this is not necessary to complete these workouts, as they will be within our class programming. More info can be found here are signing up! Below are the workouts that will be placed into the week of June 9-15 programming! Just to reiterate, it is not necessary to sign up, but if you want to be on the leaderboard for CrossFit, then you will need to sign up on your own. If you sign up you will need to get your scores entered by 8:00pm on June 15th.

Nearly 200 athletes showed up across the 12 Labours locations this past Memorial Day to honor our fallen heroes. Year after year, Murph is an event that takes over fitness locations across the country, and not just CrossFit gyms. People can be seen ripping it in their local commercial gyms, running around the neighborhood doing pullups in the garage, on military bases, and more. I got asked an interesting question the other day by someone who was newer to the fitness space, and they asked why Murph is such a popular workout. My initial answer was that it is in remembrance of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, but later on that day, I thought a little deeper into that question. When hero workouts were first brought to the fitness space, they were created to remember those who were lost. Whether those were soldiers, first responders, police officers, etc, they were meant as a way to remember, usually through shared suffering of something difficult. Murph was developed specifically for Lt. Michael Murphy, a Navy SEAL who gave his life for his fellow soldiers during Operation Red Wings. Since that time, Murph has transcended the idea of representing a single person, and is now done on Memorial Day across the globe, remembering all those who have lost their lives in service to this great country. But why is this specific workout so popular, and why Murph? I think the answer goes a little deeper than just the words, Memorial Day Murph sounding good. As humans, we inherently like to be challenged, and we search for that feeling of accomplishment at the end of something difficult. Murph gives every single person, no matter the skill level, the opportunity to go through something extremely difficult, and gives them the sense that they pushed themselves to their limit as a token of appreciation and thanks for those heroes we lost. Can't run? There are rowers, bikes, or you can walk. No pullups? Whether due to strength constraints or injury, there are ways to scale that. Pushups too difficult? Knee pushups or pushing off a box it is. Feeling extremely fit? Let's throw a vest on and see how that goes! No matter the issue, there is a way to alter this workout to meet the needs of every single person of every single skill level. I know what some of you are thinking: all workouts are scalable, and I would agree with you. But sometimes that takes a little bit of expertise to choose the correct scales in order to get the desired response. For Murph, those scales are very obvious, require very little equipment, and ultimately make it easier for everyone to be able to challenge themselves in a manner that would make those we are doing this for proud. What we have now is a gigantic group of people pushing themselves to the limit, regardless of what that limit is for their level, honoring those who gave their all for our freedom. In the end, this is what makes the CrossFit community so special, and Murph truly embodies that idea. Whether we are doing to same weights or not, whether we are scaling up or down, we are all showing up and giving our best in an effort to keep moving forward. Constantly moving that needle, and consistently pushing the limits to be better are the values that those heroes were fighting for. Keep that momentum going, treat every day like it is Murph...not by trashing yourself in the gym, but in the idea of striving for excellence, of getting better every single day. And the best part about it all is that we are doing it together, keeping each other accountable and supporting our team. Thank you to all for showing up and giving it your all. Every single year, I am amped up after Murph to get after it, and this year is no different. I feel inspired by this group and will continue to push on to be better today than I was yesterday. Let's get it!