Start RXing
Your Workouts
in 15 Minutes
a Day.
Get better at CrossFit in just 15min a day
—without cancelling your box membership.
What is the Affiliate Athlete Academy?
The Affiliate Athlete Academy is the most complete supplemental CrossFit program to become an RX CrossFit athlete.
I created this program with one thing in mind: to give CrossFit athletes simple, effective strategies they can use to get better WITHOUT sacrificing their class workouts.
And if you need extra support to get there faster? I am your guy.
There are three core pillars of the Affiliate Athlete Academy:
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Get daily 15 minute workouts designed to increase your strength, improve your mobility, spend time on improving RX level gymnastics skills, and build your cardiovascular fitness.
These workouts are always changing and evolving, so you never have to worry about whether or not you are receiving the most up-to-date information on how to become an RX athlete.
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It’s not only about the workouts… it’s about HOW you do them.
You’ll get step by step explanations of how to effectively tackle the daily workouts, along with tips on how to improve upon your foundational techniques. We even get into properly using a rower — because it’s not easy!
Using the Affiliate Athlete Academy’s CrossFit Leveling System, we’ll work together on understanding where you fall and selecting the correct progression to help improve the skills you need so you can level up through the program.
Not enough? You’ll also get access to a Performance Nutrition course that teaches you how to properly fuel for your workouts, recover better, and create an intuitive meal plan you’ll actually stick to.
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The best part of the Affiliate Athlete Academy is the community. We’re all here to support you, keep you accountable, and uplift you while you embark on your personal fitness journey to becoming the best RX athlete you can be.
Who is this for?
You've Been CrossFitting
a While. You're Still Scaling.
You can do the movements — mostly 🏋️
You know the lifts, you've put in the reps, but certain movements still get scaled or avoided in WODs.You don't have time to add a second session ⏱
A full extra workout isn't realistic. But 15 minutes of targeted accessory work before or after your class? You love your box and you're staying 📍
This isn't a replacement for your gym. It's what fills in the gaps your box programming wasn't built to address for you specifically.What happens after 15min a day?
"For months I wanted my first strict pull-up. Zero progress. In 6 weeks on the Academy programming I went from not being able to do a single band-assisted pull-up to stringing multiple together… plus two new lifting PRs."
— Abby, AAA Member"I went from struggling with toes-to-bar to hitting 5 sets of 12 unbroken in a WOD and I did 17 unbroken on a max testing day. I'm no longer afraid of WODs with high-skill movements."
— Vic, AAA Member"One of the achievements I'm most proud of was getting my first ring muscle-up. The finer details I'd missed in other programs but AAA fixed them."
— Erika, AAA member"In a year on AAA I hit a 300lb deadlift, and finally unlocked Rope Climbs, T2B, HSPUs, and Chest-to-Bars which were skills I couldn't touch a year ago."
— Terry, AAA Member"I've torn both meniscuses and dealt with biceps tendinitis for years. The Affiliate Athlete Academy accessory programming healed both. I PR'd my back squat at 217lbs and got my bar muscle-ups back."
— Jeanette, Masters Athlete, & AAA Member"Injuries killed my motivation. The weights I used to lift felt impossible. After AAA, I can squat and lunge heavy without pain, my engine is back, and I'm doing more RX workouts."
— David, AAA MemberHow To Join
I want to know where you currently are as a CrossFit athlete, what you are trying to accomplish, and which AAA membership tier actually fits your situation. By the end of our call, we will both know whether AAA is the right next step for you and how to get you started.
Joining the academy starts with a conversation.
If you have not already taken it, that’s the first step. The quiz takes about 5 minutes and gives me your starting point so I can come into the call with a better picture of where you are. The athletes I serve best are the ones I know something about before we talk.
01
Take the CrossFitter Level Quiz.
Use the link below to grab a time that works for you. You will fill out a few quick questions about your training, your goals, and your situation so I can prepare for the conversation. The whole booking process takes about 3 minutes.
02
Book your call
Have a notebook ready and be in a quiet space with a stable internet connection. I will run the conversation, but the best calls happen when athletes come ready to talk honestly about their situation.
You’ll decide if AAA is right for you. If it is, we will get you started. If not, I will point you toward what is. No pressure, and no hard feelings.
03
Decide if AAA is right for you.
Memberships
BEST VALUE
Affiliate RX Athlete
*Affiliate Community Athlete Benefits
Unlimited Monthly Gymnastics & Olympic Weightlifting Technique Feedback
”How to Row” Course Access ($100 value)
Performance Nutrition Course Access ($500 value)
Unlimited Access to Specific RX Level Skill Programs ($50-100 value/program)
Weekly Accountability Check-Ins
Unlimited Access to Skill Seminar Recordings & Seminar Discount
*Yearly Access with a 90 day Money Back Guarantee
Affiliate Athlete Pro
*Affiliate RX Athlete Benefits
Unlimited 1-on-1 Monthly Coaching Calls
Personalized Programming (Strength, Metcons, Accessory Workout, etc)
Personalized Performance Nutrition Coaching
Competition Prep & Strategy Support
FREE Entry to all Online Seminars
*Monthly Membership (Cancel Anytime)
Affiliate Community Athlete
Daily AAA Accessory Sessions
Welcome to AAA Course Access
CrossFit Leveling System Course Access
Circle Community Access
Access to Monthly Challenges, Prizes & Discounts
*Monthly Membership (Cancel Anytime)
AAA
✳︎
AAA ✳︎
FAQ
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AAA offers three tiers:
The Community Athlete membership is billed monthly and can be cancelled at any time. It includes access to the daily AAA workouts and the Welcome to AAA and CrossFit Leveling System courses.
The Affiliate RX Athlete membership is billed yearly and includes everything in the Community Athlete tier, plus unlimited monthly gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting technique feedback, CrossFit Metcons programmed for the top 1% of CrossFitters, unlimited access to the How to Row Course, unlimited access to the Performance Nutrition Course, and free access to RX level skill programs based on your current CrossFit level. This tier comes with a 90-day money-back guarantee.
The Affiliate Athlete Pro membership is for athletes serious about becoming competitive CrossFit athletes. It includes everything in the Affiliate RX Athlete tier, plus personalized coaching from Head Coach JD Middleton. Expect unlimited 1-on-1 monthly coaching calls, personalised programming (strength, metcons, accessory, skill), unlimited personalized nutrition coaching, unlimited competition prep and strategy support, and free entry to all online seminars.
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This course covers everything you need to know about nutrition to fuel your performance in the gym. The science is broken down into an approachable format that empowers you with the knowledge of what actually constitutes healthy eating, and how to achieve your specific goals.
You will learn about macronutrients, how to calculate your specific macros based on your body recomposition or performance goals, a step-by-step approach to building your own intuitive & sustainable meal plan, how to adapt the meal plan as your goals evolve, and supplement recommendations based on what you are trying to achieve.
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There are three main results you can expect in the first 90 days.
First, you will start feeling stronger in your class workouts. You will be able to push the weight and PR your lifts on a regular basis.
Second, you will start feeling better. If you have any nagging knee, shoulder, or lower back pain, you can expect that pain to fade.
Third, you will start feeling empowered in your classes. No more wondering what progressions you should be doing. You will head into your training sessions with purpose and direction.
Bonus expectation: expect to climb your affiliate leaderboard.
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The difference between successful athletes and the ones who fall off is commitment to the long game.
AAA is designed to help you become an RX level CrossFitter, but only if you commit to the process. This is not a quick fix program. You should expect to work hard, change your behaviours, and change your mindset, and that can be uncomfortable. The yearly membership offers more value because we provide more support to the athletes who understand and are committed to the long game, which is the only way to achieve real progress.
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You can cancel your membership at any time. Once you cancel, your access to all program benefits will be revoked. AAA also offers specific Level Up Skill Programs that you can purchase separately with lifetime access, so if there is a specific skill you have been working on, you will not lose access to that program even after cancellation.
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Every AAA membership tier includes direct access to JD. You can message him directly through the Circle app for any questions you have about the program or for additional support.
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AAA offers a 90-day money-back guarantee on the Affiliate RX Athlete membership. This guarantee applies if the following conditions have been met:
Logged at least three AAA sessions weekly
Posted at least four videos for coaching feedback per month
Completed all the supporting courses provided
Made weekly attempts to contact JD to discuss any struggles with the program
Simply put, you must use the program consistently for 90 days to fully receive the results it offers. If you meet all requirements and still do not see the results you want after 90 days, that is our problem to fix. You will be fully refunded your membership cost.
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To get the most out of AAA, you need access to standard CrossFit equipment. This means your affiliate or gym needs to offer Open Gym time, or you need to have CrossFit equipment available at home. Without access to the right equipment, you will struggle to complete the daily workouts as programmed.
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The Affiliate Athlete Academy is the most complete supplemental CrossFit program available, designed to help you become an RX level CrossFitter. The daily workouts are constantly evolving and are built to improve the three core elements of CrossFit: weightlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. AAA works alongside your regular CrossFit class programming, not as a replacement for it.
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All daily sessions are programmed to take less than 15 minutes to complete. Combined with a one-hour CrossFit class, your full training session will take approximately one hour and 15 minutes per day.
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Absolutely not. The difference between a beginner and an intermediate CrossFit athlete is mindset, not how long they have been training. If you are hard-working, dedicated, and passionate about achieving your goals, AAA is built for you. The CrossFit Leveling System scales the programming to meet you exactly where you are, regardless of how long you have been doing CrossFit.
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The AAA daily workouts are programmed specifically to work WITH your class workouts. They are designed to be done before or after class, not in place of it. If you skip your classes and only do AAA programming, you will not become an RX athlete. AAA is a supplement to your CrossFit class, not a replacement for it.
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AAA programs workouts every single day, with a variety of strength, skill, and engine-building sessions. To make meaningful progress, athletes need to complete at least three workouts per week. You are not required to complete every workout programmed within a week to see results, but the more consistently you train, the more progress you will see.
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AAA offers flexibility to move sessions within your training week. You can complete only the workouts that align most closely with your specific goals and needs. The daily workouts are also structured so you can stack three 15-minute sessions into one Open Gym hour if that works better for your schedule.
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Yes. The daily programming is designed to address chronic mobility restrictions and prevent injuries from recurring. The accessory work specifically targets common problem areas like the shoulders, knees, and lower back. That said, please ensure you have been cleared by a medical professional to exercise before starting the program.
15 Minutes a Day.
Real progress
at your box.
Keep your box membership. Keep your community. Add the accessory work that closes the gap.
About JD Middleton
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While I was still at McMaster University studying to eventually get an Honours Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology, I was engaging in the time-honoured student tradition of watching endless YouTube videos while NOT studying for midterms.
One of those video rabbit-holes started when I found the 2011 CrossFit Games — and, from there, I was hooked.
As I watched more videos and became more eager to try CrossFit myself, I saw a Rich Froning video where he said: “best thing you can do is Google CrossFit gyms near me and sign up”.
I started out doing the classes, and realized that just doing classes wasn’t enough to progress as fast as I wanted — and certainly wasn’t enough to become a full RX athlete, so I started working out with the head coach and his friends.
While they were doing RX level skills in workouts, I used my Kinesiology background to progress my skills. Little did I know that was the seed that would blossom into what would eventually become the reason you’re reading this.
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After graduating, I spent the next few years working full time as a CrossFit coach.
All told, I ended up clocking in over 60 hours a week teaching group classes, working one-on-one with clients, and training myself to become a competitive CrossFit athlete.
It was an intense schedule, but it taught me a lot about coaching and gave me a butt-load of experience helping CrossFit athletes hit new heights.
This valuable experience taught me a lot about CrossFitters, and slowly, I started to notice similar problems in the people I was coaching.
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Curious about why that was, I went back to school in 2023 — and got my Master’s in Professional Kinesiology (MPK) from the University of Toronto. My thesis explored one thing: Why do CrossFit athletes have a reputation of getting injured more than other exercise methods?
What I learned: it’s not beginner or professional athletes, it’s the in-between. It’s the intermediate athlete who enjoys CrossFit, but is missing that last key piece to unlock their full potential to RX workouts.
That could be a nagging injury due to muscle imbalances, not having spent enough time practicing their skills, or even just the confidence to approach RX workouts.
This causes the intermediate athletes to push themselves without proper fundamentals, and leads to injury.
That’s why I created the Affiliate Athlete Academy — to help improve athlete’s strength, improve mobility, and achieve RX level skills to build real fitness without getting injured. It’s the culmination of 10,000 hours of experience poured into just under 15 minutes of extra training per day.
What People Are Saying
Paul, AAA Member, 2+ Years Post Hip Replacement Surgery
Paul came to AAA about a year after his left hip replacement. During that year, he had been doing his regular CrossFit classes and trying to rebuild his strength. Strength on his left side. Stability in the bottom of any squat. He was getting through workouts, but he was not the athlete he used to be. His confidence under heavy weight was gone.
The first thing he noticed when he started the Affiliate Athlete Academy program was that the programming felt like it was built for him. The accessory work targeted the muscles around his left hip that had quietly shut down after surgery, and the unilateral work exposed the imbalances he had been compensating for without realising. The progressions met him where he was and targeted weaknesses that were specific to him.
A year later, Paul did something he had always struggled with. He hit a full-depth pistol squat on his left side, below parallel. The same hip that had been replaced was now strong enough to support his entire bodyweight in one of the hardest and most mobility-demanding lower body positions in CrossFit.
Then the lifts started coming back. 315lbs for reps in the back squat. A 225lbs snatch, something he had been struggling with because his overhead mobility was just as bad as his lower body.
"The programming for my left hip from JD has given me the confidence to hit a 225lb snatch and a 300lb C&J. No more reservations about stability or strength."-Paul
Abby, AAA Member, 1 Year of CrossFit
Abby had been doing CrossFit for just over a year, doing five classes a week at her home gym in Lincoln, Nebraska. She loved the sport. She showed up. She was always working hard. But for months she had been chasing the same goal that every CrossFitter eventually chases. Her first strict pull-up.
Band pull-ups felt impossible to string together. Month after month, she was still getting zero progress, making an unassisted pull-up feel light years away. She knew she needed extra work outside of class, but the idea of adding hours to her weekly training was a no-go. She had a life, a job, and a family. She did not have time for a second program that ate into her busy schedule.
Then she found the Affiliate Athlete Academy programming. A supplemental program that adds less than 15 minutes of extra training, done before or after class. This was the program that was built around the exact skills she could not do.
Six weeks in, she went from not being able to do a single band-assisted pull-up to stringing multiple together. She hit two new PRs in her lifting on the same prep cycle. Her kip swings and core strength had improved enough that toes-to-bar were starting to feel possible.
"If you wanna do cool sh*t, JD is the official do cool sh*t coach you want."-Abby
Terry, AAA Member, 1 Year on the Program
A year ago, Terry could not do a rope climb. She could not do a toes-to-bar. She could not do a handstand push-up. She was a CrossFitter doing the work, showing up to class, scaling the parts she could, and quietly hoping the gymnastics skills would eventually come if she just kept showing up.
Her conditioning was also a known weakness. She was always the last one off the rower in almost every workout, so she stopped trying to get better because nothing she tried seemed to move the needle.
Then she started the Affiliate Athlete Academy programming, which gave her something she had been missing. Targeted work for the specific skills and capacities she could not develop on her own. Accessory work for the gymnastics positions her body had never been trained for. Conditioning intervals that built her engine instead of just exhausting her.
In one year, Terry was able to achieve her first rope climb, string multiple toes-to-bar together, and finally get an RX kipping handstand push-up. She is also now working toward her butterfly pull-up technique. On the strength side, she PR'd her Clean and Jerk at her first competition, hit a 300lb deadlift, and PR'd Cindy by a full round.
"Through JD's coaching I've learned so much about myself, gained confidence in what my body can do, and have felt supported and encouraged every step of the way."-Terry
Jeanette, AAA Member, 52 Years Old, Masters Competitor
Jeanette is 52 years old. She has torn her left meniscus, and she was dealing with some nasty biceps tendinitis for two years. As a masters athlete, she was worried about her motor speed declining, which is a real concern for most CrossFitters at her age.
What she was not willing to accept was that any of these had to slow her down. She started working with Head Coach JD, and the Affiliate Athlete Academy programming was built around addressing her concerns. Targeted accessory work to heal what was broken. Tempo work for the squat positions that aggravated her knees. Shoulder programming designed to fix what was causing her shoulder pain.
What ended up happening? The biceps tendinitis healed. Her pistol squats finally came back after the meniscus tear. She got her bar muscle-ups back. Then the PRs started rolling in with a 217lbs back squat, 250lbs in her deadlift, a 105lbs 3-rep max overhead squat, and 23 unbroken toes-to-bar in a single set.
As a 52 year old woman with a repaired meniscus and a history of biceps tendinitis, she is now beating the young men who were scaling the workouts. But she still enjoys competing with her daughters more.
"I am encouraged that even as a masters athlete while I lose motor speed, I am still keeping up strength and sometimes beating young people like my daughters." -Jeanette
David, Long-Time CrossFitter, AAA Member
David had been doing CrossFit for years when the injuries started piling up. One setback after another. Each one stripped a little more performance away. Training started to feel slightly less rewarding. The weights he used to lift started feeling impossible. Movements he used to flow through started feeling like obstacles.
And then the worst thing happened. He stopped loving CrossFit.
With his spark gone, showing up felt like an obligation instead of a privilege. The community he had built his identity around still existed, but he felt like he could no longer fully participate in it. He was going through the motions of being a CrossFitter without actually being one.
When he started the Affiliate Athlete Academy, the programming was not a magic fix. But it was something he thought was useful. It was honest, evidence-based work that addressed why his body was failing him instead of just pushing him through more volume. The squats and lunges he could not do without pain became possible again. His engine came back. He started doing more RX workouts. He started looking forward to the next class instead of dreading it.
The most important thing AAA gave him was not a PR. It was the community he felt like he had lost.
"I've fallen back in love with CrossFit. Here's to my best Open season yet." -David
These Stories Are Not Outliers. They Are What Happens When You Train Smarter.
Every athlete you just read about started in the same place. They felt frustrated, stuck, going to class, doing the work, and not seeing the results they expected. None of them are gifted, have unusual talent, or are professional athletes. What they have in common is that they stopped guessing and started training with a program that understands exactly what they need.
The Affiliate Athlete Academy was built for these athletes. The CrossFitter who does their class workouts, who leads a busy life, who cannot commit to hours in the gym, but who knows they need something more to improve.
Athletes like you.
If you are tired of putting in the work without seeing the results, joining the Affiliate Athlete Academy is how you level up.
Example Workouts
Engine Building Session
Skill Session
Strength Session
