{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"CrossFit Serdika - \u041a\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0444\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0441\u044a\u0440\u0446\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0421\u043e\u0444\u0438\u044f","provider_url":"https:\/\/crossfitserdika.com\/en\/","author_name":"arch.kunchev","author_url":"https:\/\/crossfitserdika.com\/author\/arch-kunchev\/","title":"Nikolay 'Koko' Atanasov - CrossFit Serdika - \u041a\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0444\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0441\u044a\u0440\u0446\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0421\u043e\u0444\u0438\u044f","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"fHWNezbfRl\"><a href=\"https:\/\/crossfitserdika.com\/en\/trainer-item\/nikolay_atanasov\/\">Nikolay &#8216;Koko&#8217; Atanasov<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/crossfitserdika.com\/en\/trainer-item\/nikolay_atanasov\/embed\/#?secret=fHWNezbfRl\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Nikolay &#8216;Koko&#8217; Atanasov&#8221; &#8212; CrossFit Serdika - \u041a\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0444\u0438\u0442 \u0432 \u0441\u044a\u0440\u0446\u0435\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0430 \u0421\u043e\u0444\u0438\u044f\" data-secret=\"fHWNezbfRl\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(c,d){\"use strict\";var e=!1,o=!1;if(d.querySelector)if(c.addEventListener)e=!0;if(c.wp=c.wp||{},c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage);else if(c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if(!t);else if(!(t.secret||t.message||t.value));else if(\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret));else{for(var r,s,a,i=d.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),n=d.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),l=0;l<n.length;l++)n[l].style.display=\"none\";for(l=0;l<i.length;l++)if(r=i[l],e.source!==r.contentWindow);else{if(r.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message){if(1e3<(s=parseInt(t.value,10)))s=1e3;else if(~~s<200)s=200;r.height=s}if(\"link\"===t.message)if(s=d.createElement(\"a\"),a=d.createElement(\"a\"),s.href=r.getAttribute(\"src\"),a.href=t.value,!o.test(a.protocol));else if(a.host===s.host)if(d.activeElement===r)c.top.location.href=t.value}}},e)c.addEventListener(\"message\",c.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),d.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",t,!1),c.addEventListener(\"load\",t,!1);function t(){if(o);else{o=!0;for(var e,t,r,s=-1!==navigator.appVersion.indexOf(\"MSIE 10\"),a=!!navigator.userAgent.match(\/Trident.*rv:11\\.\/),i=d.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),n=0;n<i.length;n++){if(!(r=(t=i[n]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\")))r=Math.random().toString(36).substr(2,10),t.src+=\"#?secret=\"+r,t.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",r);if(s||a)(e=t.cloneNode(!0)).removeAttribute(\"security\"),t.parentNode.replaceChild(e,t);t.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:r},\"*\")}}}}(window,document);\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/crossfitserdika.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Koko-Profile-Pic_2.jpg","thumbnail_width":823,"thumbnail_height":1029,"description":"Who are you? Nikolay \u201cKOKO\u201d Atanasov How long have you been doing CrossFit? Quite a while! I\u2019ve stopped counting. Why do you do CrossFit? Because it\u2019s effective! Through this method I help people feel more alive. Over the years I\u2019ve also integrated other approaches, but the main goal is always for our athletes to feel better within themselves. When I sense that, or when someone gives me such feedback, it makes it all worthwhile and reminds me why I do CrossFit. What other sports do you enjoy? Since I started with CrossFit, I discovered Olympic Weightlifting and Gymnastics. I\u2019m still deeply fascinated by the art of weightlifting and its impact on both the conscious and subconscious levels of those who practice it and chase results. I\u2019m grateful to my coaches in this sport \u2013 Zdravko Stoichkov and Kostadin Grozdanov \u2013 who introduced me to it and taught me valuable lessons, to the point where I began training and preparing people in this (paradoxically, I know) very elegant sport. Before CrossFit, I competed in alpine skiing, played a lot of football, and studied martial arts. CrossFit brought all of my previous sports experience together and gave me a new direction. In recent years, for my personal growth, I\u2019ve been experimenting with Taoist practices, brain hemisphere balancing techniques, and more, including studying Family Constellations. I\u2019m still looking for new methods or elements to integrate, so I can expand my capacity and grow. This aligns perfectly with the CrossFit motto of Constantly Varied Functional Movements \u2014 only now, for me personally, without the pressure of High Intensity. I let things happen more naturally. How would people at the gym describe your coaching style? Great question! I should probably run a survey on that one \ud83d\ude09 I hope they\u2019d describe me as reasonable. I walk into the gym with the intention of contributing positive energy to people \u2014 even if it\u2019s just through my presence. Sometimes that\u2019s enough. Other times I help someone overcome themselves or achieve more than they thought possible \u2014 and those moments are truly precious. They\u2019re the biggest reward I get as a coach. What\u2019s the atmosphere in the gym like when you\u2019re there? The gym, and especially the people in it, give me energy. I give my energy back. Usually, I\u2019m very happy with the result. Favorite CrossFit equipment and why? The barbell! It has the power to awaken deep \u2014 or sometimes shallow \u2014 hidden fears and demons. I\u2019ve experienced it myself, and I see it in others. It\u2019s unique and at the same time a serious challenge! Favorite CrossFit movement and why? Handstand and Bar Muscle-Up. Both movements are psychological barriers for many people, and as mentioned earlier, it\u2019s very rewarding for me when I can help someone get past that barrier and realize they can do something they once thought impossible. That\u2019s where our strength as coaches lies \u2014 we have the methodology and experience to show people they\u2019re capable of what they see others doing. Everyone starts somewhere! What difference do you see in people before and after the Intro Course? Our Intro Course is designed to introduce newcomers \u2014 or people coming from other sports \u2014 to the specific movements used in CrossFit training. It\u2019s educational and focuses mainly on the details of proper movement execution. We use bodyweight, PVC pipes, and basic weights. We, the coaches, rely on the fact that after the course people already have a foundation to build and grow upon. For me, the Intro Course is the most valuable time in the gym. You learn new things, build new connections, and face a wide range of challenges for both body and nervous system. After the course, the effect continues \u2014 details are refined, weights are introduced \u2014 however, all of that comes once the base is there! A day or week without training is\u2026? Time for other activities \u2014 I also work a \u201cnormal job\u201d as a Sales Manager. After that, it\u2019s time with my kids, friends, or exploring new opportunities. And sometimes, it even means\u2026 rest."}