Find Your Storm: The 8-Week TFW East Metro Gym Challenge Built for Every Person in Cottage Grove Ready to Transform Their Health
- Brian Waldo
- 5 days ago
- 8 min read
Author: Brian Waldo CSCS, CES, PES, PN, WLS, FNS, MATjs
Into The Storm is an 8-week team fitness challenge at TFW East Metro in Cottage Grove, MN, running March 16 through May 11, 2026. Participants join one of five teams, Thunder, Lightning, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, or Sun Dogs — and earn points through workouts, workshops, volunteer activities, and bonus events. New members can join at any time. No experience required.
Every warrior carries a storm. A health battle. A personal loss. A version of themselves they’re trying to leave behind.
Into The Storm is 8 weeks of choosing — choosing your team, choosing to show up, choosing to become someone who doesn’t run from hard things.
The moment you sign up, you’ve already won.
That’s not a marketing line. That’s the philosophy Brian built this challenge on. Because the hardest part of change isn’t the workout. It’s the decision to walk through the door.
TFW East Metro in Cottage Grove is opening that door on March 16th. And there’s a team inside waiting for you.
Why Did TFW East Metro Create This Challenge?
Because people need a reason to start. And they need a reason to keep going.
Brian has been coaching in this community long enough to know that most people don’t quit because they’re lazy. They quit because they’re going at it alone. No team. No accountability. No one noticing when they don’t show up.
Into The Storm fixes that.
For 8 weeks, you’re not just a person trying to get fit. You’re part of a team that needs your presence every single time you walk into the dojo. Your ticket counts. Your effort counts. Your showing up — on the hard days especially — counts.
And it’s open to everyone. Current members. People who’ve been meaning to start. People who tried before and stopped. People who’ve never set foot in a gym in their life.
This challenge was not built for the already fit. It was built for the person who is ready to become fit, healthy fit!
What Exactly Is the Into The Storm Challenge?
It’s simple. Here’s exactly how it works:
The challenge runs for 8 weeks, from March 16 through May 11, 2026 at TFW East Metro in Cottage Grove, MN.
When you sign up, you are assigned to one of five teams: Thunder, Lightning, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, or Sun Dogs.
Every workout you attend earns your team a ticket — which converts to points on the team leaderboard.
Special events throughout the 8 weeks — workshops, webinars, volunteer activities, and bonus challenges — earn your team extra points.
The team with the most points at the end of May 11th wins the challenge.
New members can join a team at any point during the 8 weeks. There is no cut-off date to enter.
The teams are named after storms — Thunder, Lightning, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Sun Dogs — because that’s the point. You don’t run from the storm. You become one.
You pick your storm. You fight for it. And for 8 weeks, your storm team fights for you.
What Will You Actually Do During the 8 Weeks?
A lot more than just showing up and sweating. Here’s what’s on the calendar:
🌊 Shred Nutritional Webinar — March 24 at 7:30pm
You can train hard every day and still not see results if what you’re eating is working against you. This live webinar cuts through the noise on nutrition and gives you a strategy that actually works for someone who trains. Attend and earn bonus points for your team.
💪 Pelvic Floor Hands-On Workshop — March 29 at 1:00pm
This one is for everyone — and that means men too.
Most people associate pelvic floor health with women. That’s a gap in knowledge that costs athletes — of every gender — real performance. Pelvic floor dysfunction affects core stability, power output, injury prevention, and recovery. It affects lifters. Runners. High-intensity athletes. Brian made this part of the challenge because every person in this dojo deserves to know how their body actually works.
90 minutes, hands-on, and your team gets bonus points for every member who shows up.
🥊 Shoulder Lab — Every Wednesday Starting March 18 at 5:30pm
Shoulder health and mobility, every single week. Whether you’re dealing with an old injury, trying to prevent a new one, or just want to move better and lift more — this class is yours. Show up weekly, earn consistent bonus points, and build a body that holds up long term.
🏋️ Push/Pull Course — Every Wednesday Starting April 1 at 4:30pm
Technique on the deadlift and bench press, refined over 6 weeks. Not just how to lift more — how to lift right. Starting April 1st, every Wednesday the Push/Pull course runs at 4:30pm and Shoulder Lab follows at 5:30pm. That’s two classes, two bonus point opportunities, and one evening well spent.
❤️ Volunteer Experience — Open Arms Meal Program
Open Arms prepares and delivers meals to people living with life-threatening illnesses and their families across Minnesota. Your team shows up, you cook, you serve, and you earn bonus points. But you also do something that matters far beyond a leaderboard.
Date to be announced. Stay tuned.
❤️ Volunteer Experience — Feed My Starving Children — May 16 at 2:30pm
The final community event of the challenge. Your team packs meals for children facing starvation around the world. Two hours of effort that feeds someone who has nothing. Then the entire Into The Storm community comes together for a celebration party at Union 32 Brewery — because finishing this challenge deserves to be celebrated.
There is also a Spring 5K or Ruck March and a 30-Day Habit Tracker Wheel available throughout the challenge for additional bonus points.
Every date, time, and detail is in the free Into The Storm Event Brochure. Download it below — one PDF with everything you need to plan your 8 weeks
Who Is This Challenge For?
The honest answer: anyone in Cottage Grove who is ready for a change.
If you’re a current TFW member:
You’ve already been showing up. Now you have a team counting on you, a leaderboard to chase, and 8 weeks to see what you’re really capable of when the stakes are real.
If you’ve been thinking about joining a gym but haven’t yet:
This is your entry point. Not a free trial. Not a one-week pass. A full 8-week experience with a team, real community, and a structure that makes it easy to keep coming back. New members can join a team at any point during the challenge.
If you’ve tried before and it didn’t stick:
The reason most people stop is because they’re going at it alone. Into The Storm removes that. Your team notices when you’re not there. That changes everything.
If you’re going through something hard right now:
A health scare. A loss. A season of life that has been heavier than you expected. The dojo is one of the few places where none of that matters except as fuel. Bring it with you. That’s what your team is for.
You don’t need to be ready. You just need to show up.
What People Are Saying About TFW East Metro
A couple weeks ago I wandered in to Training for Warriors East Metro a little intimidated or a lot intimidated! (and very much ashamed of how I let myself go. ) But Brian made me feel very comfortable and told me he and his awesome team would be there to help me through. I signed up for a 8 week program and can say I'm happy I did! It feels great to be working out again, it hasn't been easy with the feet and knee trouble I have been dealing with the past year but I'm doing it! And with the help of this great team I am on the road to a healthier me. If anyone is in Cottage Grove stop by say to them or come join me in a workout. - Lori Sorensen— TFW East Metro Member
This is the most supportive and welcoming gym ever. The classes help so you know what to do and work your whole body. The coaches are very knowledgeable and can modify (either for an easier, harder, or completely different option) depending on each individual need. Everyone else working out will also be there to cheer you on every step of the way - Annie Zastera — TFW East Metro Member
Ready to Find Your Storm?
Here is what you get the moment you sign up:
A team that needs you — Thunder, Lightning, Hurricanes, Tornadoes, or Sun Dogs
8 weeks of structured workouts, bonus events, and real community
Access to every workshop, webinar, and volunteer experience in the challenge
A reason to show up on the days you don’t feel like it
The knowledge that the moment you committed, you already won
No experience required. All fitness levels are welcome. You can join a team at any point during the 8 weeks.
Free to enter. All levels welcome. Teams still open.
Your Questions Answered
1- How does the point system work?
Every workout you attend earns your team a ticket, which converts to points on the leaderboard. Special events — workshops, webinars, volunteer activities, and bonus challenges — earn additional bonus points on top of your regular workout tickets. The team with the most points at the end of May 11th wins.
2- Can I join if I have never been to TFW before?
Yes. You do not need to be a current TFW East Metro member to join the challenge. New members can sign up and be assigned to a team at any point during the 8 weeks. There is no deadline to enter.
3- What fitness level do I need to be at to participate?
None. The challenge is designed for every fitness level — from complete beginners to experienced athletes. The point is showing up and doing the work, not performing at a specific level. Your team values your presence more than your performance.
4- What if I miss some weeks?
Missing a week means your team misses the points you would have earned. That is the honest answer. But life happens, and the challenge runs for 8 weeks precisely because consistency over time matters more than any single week. Come back. Your team is still there.
5- Do I have to attend every special event?
No. Special events are optional but each one earns your team significant bonus points. They also have real value beyond the competition — the workshops, webinars, and volunteer experiences are worth attending on their own.
6- Is the Pelvic Floor Workshop only for women?
No. The Pelvic Floor Workshop is for every athlete — men and women equally. Pelvic floor health affects core stability, power output, injury prevention, and recovery in all athletes regardless of gender. Brian included this workshop because most men are unaware of how directly it impacts their performance.
7- What does the winning team get?
The team with the most points at the end of May 11, 2026 wins the Into The Storm challenge title. Specific prizes and recognition will be announced by TFW East Metro. Contact the dojo directly for details.
8- What is the TFW Habit Tracker Wheel?
The TFW Habit Tracker Wheel is a 30-day personal accountability tool that tracks daily habits connected to fitness, recovery, nutrition, and mindset. Members who complete the tracker for 30 consecutive days earn bonus points for their team.
9- How do I get the full event schedule?
Download the free Into The Storm Event Brochure using the button on this page. It has every date, time, and event detail in one printable PDF, connected directly to the registration form so you can sign up in the same step.
10- Where is TFW East Metro located?
TFW East Metro — Training for Warriors — is located in Cottage Grove, Minnesota.
The Storm Starts March 16th.
Eight weeks. Five teams. One community.
Somewhere in Cottage Grove right now there is a person who has been waiting for the right reason to start. A person carrying something heavy who needs somewhere to put it. A person who has told themselves “next month” one too many times.
Into The Storm is March 16th.
Thunder is waiting for you. So is Lightning. So are the Hurricanes, the Tornadoes, and the Sun Dogs.
Find your storm. Show up for it. The rest takes care of itself.