Mayhem Gym Development Weekend Vol .03 - June 2026

Two Days That Will Change How You Run Your Gym.

The Mayhem Gym Development Weekend is the in-person, hands-on professional development event built specifically for CrossFit affiliate owners and coaches who are serious about the craft of running a great gym.

This isn't a fan weekend. It isn't a workout camp. It's two days inside CrossFit Mayhem with the people who have built one of the most respected affiliates in the world — programmed alongside the team behind Best Hour of Their Day, OptimizeMe Nutrition, and Power Monkey Fitness — to give you the systems, language, and frameworks you need to lead your team and grow your business with intention.

Learn. Train. Network with other owners and coaches who are wrestling with the same questions you are. And you'll leave Cookeville with tools you can put to work on Monday morning.

For Vol. 03, we're encouraging owners to bring their staff and develop together. Total attendance is capped at 100.

Why This Weekend Is Worth Bringing Your Whole Team Together

Running a great gym is a craft. It's part business, part coaching, part community-building and this first of its kind seminar teaches all three under one roof.

You'll get sharper at the business. How to read your numbers, build retention systems, structure your team, and make decisions that move the gym forward instead of just keeping it afloat.

You'll get sharper at the craft. How to deliver a whiteboard brief that lands, how to scale complex movements for a 25-person class, how to own your programming instead of just running it.

You'll get sharper at leadership. How the Mayhem team builds culture, develops coaches, and protects the experience that members keep coming back for.

And you'll do it surrounded by peers. The owners and coaches in this room are working on the same problems you are and the relationships you build over a weekend at Mayhem will outlast the weekend itself.

What You'll Walk Away With

By Sunday afternoon, you'll have:

• A clear framework for delivering “the Mayhem Way” — the principles that drive how Mayhem coaches, programs, and operates
• Practical business operations tools you can implement at your gym immediately, drawn from Best Hour of Their Day's work with 1,000+ affiliate owners
• A whiteboard-brief structure that makes every class feel intentional and well-coached, regardless of who's running the floor
• A repeatable approach for scaling complex gymnastics and weightlifting movements across mixed-ability classes
• A working understanding of how to evaluate, customize, and “own” the programming you run — whether you write it yourself or use a service
• A simple, science-backed nutrition framework (the #800gChallenge®) you can use with members, and what it takes to own nutrition within your gym
• A network of gym owners and coaches you can call when you hit the next hard problem

Meet The Presenters

Rich Froning  —  Founder, CrossFit Mayhem
Four-time individual CrossFit Games Champion (2011–2014) and six-time Affiliate Cup champion as captain of CrossFit Mayhem Freedom. Beyond the competition floor, Rich has spent the last decade building Mayhem into one of the most recognizable affiliates in the world and shaping the culture, coaching standards, and community. Leading from the front with a value-driven culture of Faith, Family, Fitness & Service. 

Austin Malleolo  —  VP Mayhem Gym
Longtime CrossFit Games competitor and affiliate owner who has led over 400 CrossFit L1 and L2 Seminars. Austin has built and refined numerous Affiliates, programming businesses, and created and led seminars such as the coaches development program and advanced coaching concepts. He oversees the Mayhem Gym Programming and CrossFit Mayhem

Jason Fernandez  —  Co-Founder, Best Hour of Their Day
Four-time CrossFit affiliate owner with 25+ years in health and fitness, former CrossFit Level 4 Trainer and Seminar Staff member, and co-founder of Best Hour of Their Day. Through BHOTD's mentorship and Affiliate University, Jason and his team have worked with more than 1,000 affiliate owners on operations, retention, and coach development.

EC Synkowski  —  Founder, OptimizeMe Nutrition
Certified CrossFit Level 4 Coach with a Master's in Human Nutrition & Functional Medicine and a licensed dietician-nutritionist credential. EC is the creator of the #800gChallenge® — a research-backed, no-restriction nutrition framework that thousands of affiliates and athletes have used to build sustainable habits without turning members into macro counters.

Todd Occhiuto  —  Coach Developer, Best Hour of Their Day
Coach developer with Best Hour of Their Day who specializes in class delivery, the whiteboard brief, and the everyday craft of “coaching the coach.” Todd's session is built around the on-the-floor moments that decide whether a member walks out feeling like the class was worth their hour.

Kristin Bowen  —  Coach Developer, Best Hour of Their Day
Coach development specialist with Best Hour of Their Day, focused on training affiliate coaches to deliver consistent, intentional class experiences. Kristen brings a practical, drill-the-fundamentals approach to coach education that owners can take home and run with their staff right away.

Matt DellaValle  —  Programming Coach, Mayhem
Member of the Mayhem programming team who works alongside Austin to build, test, and refine the Mayhem Affiliate programming. Matt brings a programmer's eye and a coach's instincts to the conversation about how to evaluate, scale, and “own” the programming you run.

Power Monkey Fitness  —  Gymnastics & Movement Education
Tennessee-based gymnastics, weightlifting, and movement-efficiency education company co-founded by Dave Durante — multi-time USA Gymnastics national champion, 2008 Olympic team alternate, and former lead coach of CrossFit Gymnastics. The Power Monkey team has trained more than 1,500 campers from 60+ countries and brings the gold standard in gymnastics scaling and progression.

Darren Hunsucker  —  Coach, CrossFit Mayhem
Mayhem coach who runs the gym's hypertrophy-focused “Sunday Pump” sessions alongside Rich. Darren brings a bodybuilding sensibility into the CrossFit space and will lead Sunday's closing session.

Travel & Logistics

Getting Here
CrossFit Mayhem — 601 Rich Froning Way, Cookeville, TN 38506

Air Travel
The closest major airport is Nashville International (BNA), about 75 miles / a 90-minute drive west on I-40. Knoxville (TYS) is roughly the same distance to the east. Cookeville is an easy drive from either.

Where to Stay
We have a preferred hotel partner — the TownePlace Suites and Fairfield Inn in Cookeville. If you need accommodations, email manager Elizabeth Bradley at elizabeth.bradley@mgibsonhotels.com and let her know you'll be in town for a CrossFit Mayhem event.

What to Bring
Workout clothes for both days, your normal training gear (shoes, jump rope, wrist wraps if you use them), a refillable water bottle, a notebook, and lunch for Saturday. We'll have water, coffee, and snacks on site.

Around Cookeville
Cookeville is a small Tennessee town with a great food scene, walkable downtown, and easy access to Cummins Falls and Burgess Falls if you're extending your trip. Bring family — there's plenty to do.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this weekend for?
Affiliate owners, head coaches, and gym staff who are serious about the craft of running a great gym. The content is designed for working coaches and operators, not casual fans.

Should I bring my staff?
Yes — we strongly encourage it. The owners who get the most out of this weekend are the ones who bring a coach or two and use it as shared professional development. Your team will be more aligned on Monday because of it.

What's the fitness level required?
You should be comfortable in a regular CrossFit class. Workouts are scalable and there will be coaches available to modify on the fly, but expect to move.

Is the Friday session required?
No — Friday's check-in, workout, and networking are optional. The core programming runs Saturday and Sunday.

What's included in the ticket?
All Saturday and Sunday sessions, the Friday optional workout and networking, the Saturday evening BBQ and social, and any take-home materials from the presenters. Lunch on Saturday is on you (pack your own).

What's NOT included?
Travel, lodging, and meals outside the Saturday social.

Is there a refund policy?
Tickets are generally non-refundable, but transferable to another person from your gym. If you have a specific situation, email Christi@mayhemnation.com and we'll do our best to work with you.

Can I attend just one day?
The weekend is designed as a single experience and tickets are sold for the full event. We don't offer single-day tickets.

Is there a dress code?
Bring training clothes for working out, and dress normally for the classroom sessions — comfortable, not formal.

Will sessions be recorded?
No. This is an in-person experience, and we don't record sessions. Bring a notebook.

How do I ask other questions?
Email Christi@mayhemnation.com for anything not covered here.

What Past Attendees Are Saying

“It was the perfect combination business development, coach development and transmission of culture.” 
— Alex Cottingham, Owner, Cumming Strength and Conditioning

“I believe it’s important to have your whole team on the same page to catch the same vision all together for leveling up as a gym.” 
— Joe Pangalo, Owner / Head Coach, CrossFit Spring Hill

“I want to learn from the best, and I’m coming back with all my coaches.” 
— Chris Duke, Owner, CrossFit Southbelt

Event Details

Dates: Friday, June 12 (optional) – Sunday, June 14, 2026
Location: CrossFit Mayhem · 601 Rich Froning Way · Cookeville, TN 38506
Cost: $250.00 (Mayhem Affiliate price) + processing fees
Capacity: Capped at 100 attendees
Questions: Christi@mayhemnation.com